It’s here, finally. Welcome to the World Cup that in some way has already happened, a human rights outrage over which battle lines have been etched in Qatari sands for years, about which conclusions were drawn long ago.
Amid the carousel of truth and lies, of condemnations and justifications, of deaths and abuses and excuses, 22 men will line the turf of Al Bayt stadium later today, sing their national anthems, and shoulder the weight of the world.
These men represent Qatar and Ecuador, and it is their responsibility to open this World Cup. It’s hard to imagine the feeling, isn’t it? They’ve spent a lifetime dreaming of this moment, and their reward upon reaching it is to confront anxieties about morality, complicity, and how to reconcile the beautiful escapism of football with an ethical horror show. How to play in a stadium built by the dead.
The pressure of playing in an international tournament will be uniquely intensified. For the players of Qatar, there’s the task of trying to distract the world from their country’s politics.
It would be naïve to suggest that this World Cup is solely about sportswashing – after all, Qatar has only magnified scrutiny of its issues rather than cleanse its image – but that psychological burden remains.
If Qatar play good football, they will earn kudos for their people, as Russia did in 2018, and add a gloss of legitimacy to their status as hosts.
And indeed Félix Sánchez’s team have been making ripples on the footballing stage. They won the 2019 Asian Cup via victories over Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia was a clear indication of Qatar’s talent, and that’s without mentioning their 100% win record with 19 goals scored and one conceded.
Their guest participation in tournaments around different federations has provided them with invaluable experience when Covid-19 has denied others the privilege of such mixing. They were the top scorers at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where they were beaten 1-0 in the semi-finals by the eventual champions, the USA.
A 2019 Copa América campaign ended with one draw and two losses, but they went toe-to-toe with Argentina and Colombia and notched a comeback draw against Paraguay.
This is a team built with careful consideration. In 2004, Qatar founded the Aspire Academy, a football development facility responsible for honing many of the national team’s talents from a tender age.
Manager Sánchez began working with the academy in 2006, and has, through this, developed a bond with his players which is perhaps unrivalled by other teams at this World Cup.
Strong faith rests in Almoez Ali, the nation’s all-time top scorer with 42 goals in 85 games. The marksman claimed the golden boot at both the Asian Cup and the Gold Cup and has a string of honours at domestic level for Qatari club Al-Duhail. Interplay between him and creator-in-chief Akram Afif will be pivotal.
Their enthusiasm in attack meets its match in an Ecuador side who are experiencing something of a renaissance. Arriving in 2020 on the back of a disastrous Copa América and a period of instability, Gustavo Alfaro gutted the dressing room of its older heads and refreshed the side with younger players.
What followed was the birth of a dynamic team who are superb in transition. Boasting the youngest side in South American qualifying, La Tri danced to Qatar with 27 goals, their most ever and as many as Argentina over the 18 games. A 6-1 demolition of Colombia showed they mean business.
Moisés Caicedo perhaps best encapsulates their explosive energy, and the 21-year-old Brighton midfielder has won lots of admirers in the Premier League this season. There will also be a familiar name in Enner Valencia, one of the last remnants from their 2014 World Cup squad. He’s been in stellar form for Fenerbahçe this season, netting 14 goals in 21 games.
A match between relatively obscure teams will be one of great meaning. It’s not only an opportunity for two aspirational sides to prove their worth, but it’s also a spiritual challenge for the players. How do you set the tone for a tournament enveloped in such moral fog? How wildly do you celebrate a goal, and what to say in your post-match interview? How do you block out the noise of protest and focus on the football, if you even feel comfortable doing so?
These are footballers thrust into the eye of a storm, and many will be navigating discomforts. Whether you’re into football or not, Qatar-Ecuador will be an intriguing watch just to see how these brave souls handle the turbulence.
Featured image: Radoslaw Prekurat via Unsplash.
