FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Hold your horses , Messi fans. Relax , take a breath – this is not those controversy posts trending on social media – about how this world cup was rigged for Messi to win , why Messi is not the G.O.A.T. or whether or not that was a penalty in the final. One thing was crystal clear this world cup – the GOAT debate was settled once and for all – and there might be some salty Al Nassr FC fans who still continue to spam the timeline using #therealGOAT hashtags – but anybody with even a tiny bit of footballing sense has to admit – this was destined to be Lionel Messi’s , rather Argentina’s world cup. As the death of the national icon – Diego Maradona shook the country – the stage for a new icon to cement his place in Diego’s podium was set , new talents like Julian Alvarez , Emi Martinez , Rodrigo de Paul and Lo Celso were eager to prove their mettle after the Copa America win – and lastly – the tactical masterclass of Lionel Scaloni made Argentina the deadliest force in the world cup held in the desert country.

Qatar 2022 was however , unique and bizarre for a lot of reasons. Controversies riddled the beginning phases – ever since Qatar won the bid to be the organizing nation. This was the first post COVID world cup to be ever held , the first World cup ever held by a middle eastern nation , that too during the winter – breaking the tradition of the past world cups – where monsoon seemed to be the season of choice.

Legacy Matters, Or Does It?

Pick any prior FIFA WC and you’ll find one thing constant – each organizing nation has a rich history of football – be it 2014 Brazil , 2010 RSA and 2002 South Korea Japan. So when the present FIFA president Gianni Infantino made it clear during the final announcement that the authority is willing to give Qatar – a desert country in the Middle East a chance , a few eyebrows were raised – as to a lot of the skeptics – it’s the Arab Dirham that did the trick. This is particularly significant as FIFA ex president Sepp Blatter had to leave his office under the allegation of financial opacity – and under Gianni Infantino – FIFA was supposed to be completely free of external financial manipulation – something that seemed absent as Qatar became the host nation of the FIFA WC.

Infrastructure Woes

Organizing the Greatest show on Earth is never an easy task and as the ball was set rolling on Dec 2021 – Qatar found itself lacking in infrastructure – be it transportational , logistical and the worst of all – even the stadiums were horribly below the mark for hosting International Level matches. The turfs were torn and rough , the galleries a deathbed due to the architectural mismanagement , the sanitation inside the athlete and even the guest village abysmal. Qatar had suddenly , a lot to do , in a very short span of time. Ardent football buffs will resonate with me as I recall an incident : only 7 days before the Grand Opening Ceremony – the Athlete’s Hotel was still under construction. Such was the level of mismanagement. Making stadiums out of shipping containers and disposable bucket seats – are somethings that are both amusing and alarming – given that FWC is the greatest advertisement a country can has for itself.

Migrant Labor Crisis : The Human Rights Conundrum

Now this is the most significant controversy – that rocked the world. Qatar – like a lot of Gulf and Middle Eastern countries relies mainly on countries like India , Bangladesh , Pakistan and Nepal for its supply of cheap labour – and subhuman treatment of migrant labourers has always been a soft nerve to touch – a wound that exacerbated during the building spree of the FIFA WC – labour demand was the highest and with cramped up living spaces , inhuman working conditions and minimal wage law frequently flouted – the Human Rights had to step in – some NGOs even urging to boycott the world cup – as death toll among labourers reached an all time high – earning the moniker “ BloodSport “. Authorities , when contacted , denied to answer , sparking even more controversies.

Intolerance & Traditions

As a global event – the FIFA WC draws visitors from all around the world – and hence a cultural potpourri happens inevitably. Divided by nations , united by their love for football – has been the recurrent theme. Well , had been.

As a country , Qatar is very rigid with its customs – banning rainbow coloured armbands and prohibiting sale of Alcohol just one day before the start of the world cup being one of them. Budweiser and Amstel Breweries – the major sponsors of FIFA were shocked with the decision – as it put millions of dollars of sale at stake. Budweiser even issued a tweet – “ Well , this is awkward .. “ something that sparked outrage not only among spectators but also among the companies who suddenly were skeptical about Qatar’s administration. Although the global irk forced Qatar to open up alcohol friendly party zones in palaces and plazas – the drinks were prohibited inside a stadium – and if you have sipped on a chilled can of beer while watching a high voltage football match – you know nothing replaces that sense of ecstacy.

Now that it’s done , we look forward for 4 more years – in order for the golden trophy to change hands over and over again, to watch genius shine , youth blossoming to its full potential , Davids beat Goliaths , for new legends to be born – and for legacies passed on – generations , after generations , after generations…