Wenger: Strongest teams have put politics to one side
Arsene Wenger has said the teams who performed well in the opening week of the World Cup were those who were not distracted by “political demonstrations”.
In an apparent reference to Germany, who covered their mouths in protest ahead of their opening-game loss to Japan, Wenger said it was countries who had the “right mindset” who delivered better performances at the start of the tournament.
The former Arsenal manager, now Fifa’s chief of global football development, was speaking as the governing body’s technical study group delivered its analysis of the group stage in Qatar.
“The teams who were not disappointing with their first game performance – when you go to a World Cup you have to not lose the first game – are the teams with experience and with results in former tournaments, like France and England and Brazil,” Wenger said.
“They played well in the first game. The teams as well who were mentally ready, with the mindset to focus on the competition, and not on political demonstrations.”
Germany’s players had covered their mouths in the pre-match team photograph after being effectively forced to back down in their attempts to wear the “Onelove” anti-discrimination armband. “Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice,” said the German Football Association.
Germany went on to lose to Japan, and subsequently failed to make it out of their group.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said earlier in the tournament that the political issues had proven “difficult” for his players, who also failed to reach the knockout stage. “They had to be activists,” he said, [but] there has been a feeling of, ‘What do we have to do to do the right thing?’”