THE WORLD IS WATCHING
Messi, Ronaldo take center stage in most culturally and politically charged World Cup in modern times
Soccer’s first World Cup in the Middle East is also likely to be the last one for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the game’s all-time greats. Right now, few can be quite sure what this monthlong tournament in Qatar is going to be best remembered for. What’s for certain is this will be the most culturally and politically charged World Cup in modern times.
Initial skepticism about how Qatar persuaded FIFA to vote for the small
Arab country in 2010 to serve as host, and then derision for changing the dates from the traditional June-july period to November-december, has gradually turned to strong criticism of how migrant workers have been treated building stadiums and tournament infrastructure. Not to mention the nagging unease about taking soccer’s biggest event to a nation where homosexual acts are illegal.
Indeed, eight of the 13 European teams have said their captains will wear an armband with a heart-shaped, multicolored design at games to support a “One Love” campaign against discrimination.
Also, players from Iran have been supporting protests at home following the death of a 22-year-old woman after being detained by the nation’s morality police. Those protests are likely to continue at the World Cup.
Then there’s more than a little interest in how a conservative Muslim society will react to boisterous fans from 31 nations coming over for the world’s biggest soccer party.
Qatar’s message has always been: Be respectful of our cultural traditions and we’ll make sure you enjoy the soccer.
Ah yes, the soccer. All the action takes place in and around Doha, beginning Nov. 20 with a match between Qatar and Ecuador at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium and ending on Dec. 18 – 28 days later – at the 80,000-seat Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Who the finalists will be is anyone’s guess, for this might be one of the most wide-open World Cups for some time.
Boasting a stacked squad led by Neymar, Brazil is the No. 1-ranked team and might be many people’s favorite for a record-extending sixth World Cup title. Then there’s another south American power in Argentina, with its 35-match unbeaten run and Messi as its enduring fulcrum. The record seven-time world player of the year is 35 and has said this will be his last World Cup.
Lifting the Jules Rimet trophy would complete Messi’s bulging soccer resume, confirming him to many as the sport’s greatest ever player.
Up against Brazil and Argentina is a tried-and-tested European challenge, in the middle of which is a talented Portugal squad fronted by the 37-year-old Ronaldo. The World Cup is also the missing piece in his collection that already contains a European Championship title, five Champions League titles and more goals in men’s international soccer (117) than anyone else.
France, Spain, England and perhaps Belgium are big contenders, too, for a tournament that is unique for being held amid a traditional European soccer season which has been condensed to accommodate an end-of-year World Cup. Some top players are injured, many will be drained after a relentless run of games for their clubs, while others will be fresher than they otherwise would be at the end of a season.
It all adds up to a World Cup that won’t be quickly forgotten, for so many reasons.
INJURIES
The list of players who are missing because of injury, or arriving with significant problems, is growing. Among those definitely sidelined are France midfielders Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante, Germany forward Timo Werner and England defender Reece James. The following are carrying injuries: South Korea’s Son Heung-min, Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Argentina’s Paulo Dybala.
EUROPE’S GRIP
Europe is seeking a fifth straight World Cup champion. A run that started with Italy in 2006 and continued with Spain, Germany and most recently France has consolidated the continent’s claim to be the hotbed of soccer. Italy will not be winning it this year, though – the Azzurri didn’t even qualify, perhaps a sign of the strength of the European game.
REPEAT WIN
France has been warned: Retaining the World Cup title is far from easy. It has been 60 years since a country has gone back-to-back – Brazil in 1958 and ’62. Not since Brazil lost the 1998 final to France has the defending champion come close to retaining the title. In the five World Cups since, four defending champions have failed to reach the knockout stage and three finished last in their group.
CLOSE CALL
Ecuador plays in the World Cup’s first game, having only been cleared to play last week. Chile and Peru had argued that Ecuador used an ineligible player, Byron Castillo, in eight qualifying games and should be thrown out. The case went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which accepted a false document was used to get a passport for the Colombia-born Castillo but that he was eligible by FIFA rules to play in both the qualifying campaign and at the World Cup in Qatar.