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opiatemasses · 2 years

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The Qatar World Cup and the ‘sportswashing’ scandal

Image credit: Abode Stock Image

The controversy surrounding the Qatar World Cup doesn’t lie around the football being played, but the way the host nation has used it for global recognition.

On the 2nd of December 2010, Qatar were gifted the opportunity to host the mens’ World Cup by FIFA, following a successful bid by the country.

The successful bidding process has happened in the last two consecutive World Cups. Collectively, the whole world were all shocked and stunned, but should we be anymore?

The global surprise soon turned in to animosity, as investigations were being undertaken on FIFA and Qatar as the host nation allegedly bribed FIFA, albeit, “Qatari officials deny the allegations of bribery”.

After the scandal, fans were rumoured to be boycotting the tournament, but they didn’t. This has reminded the world why football is so popular and why the process of ‘sportswashing’ is so powerful.

Sportswashing isn’t new. It is a menace. It isn’t a new concept that has happened in Qatar. But it is right at the forefront of sports fans’ minds, though, this still doesn’t mean it is ethically correct.

The majority of the event exemplifies the process of ‘sportswashing’ whereby “an individual, group, corporation, or nation-state uses sport to improve its reputation and public image.” This World Cup has been used as a tool for power to distract people from the gloomy human rights issues.

Thinking critically, this World Cup is a prime example of this.

Prior to the tournament, football, non-football fans, media, sponsors, organisations and countries were sincerely compelled in the human rights issues that were occurring in preparation for the World Cup. This hindered the excitement for the start of the football.

Football and its community have a unique bond which creates an emotional attachment. A bond which is hard to dismantle.

Sportswashing has always been a phenomenon of football and other sports, though, in 2022 it has seemed to propagate and loom around within the game. Saudi Arabia, for example, have been under criticism for having Messi as an ambassador in Argentina’s 2-1 defeat.

Some firms seek to use it to their advantage, to build sponsors, their public imagine, host events and their global popularity - such as Qatar, but, does sportswashing and the corporate social responsibility even matter to the fans?

However, when the tournament kicked off on the 20th of November 2022, the world shifted their focus to the football and almost dismissed or forgot the unresolved Geo-Political problems in the background.

Questions have been raised surrounding the acceptance of Qatar hosting the World Cup such as it’s too hot, too far away, too small, has insufficient infrastructure, is not a footballing nation and not progressive enough. These are some of the charges that have been levelled with Qatar’s successful bid.

Alongside this, the human rights issues of living citizens and workers in Qatar, consist of the horrifying treatment and exploitation of migrant workers, women being policed by their male counterparts and the horrific abuse towards the LGBTQIA + community.

#TimeForChange

Let’s take a stand for the whole LGBTQIA + community in Qatar and beyond this and for the loss of Grant Wahl’s life

Sign the petition now

These issues in Qatar contradicts FIFA’s statement before the tournament on the World Cup saying football “will bring people together to cross borders, unite and celebrate together”.

Football is a sport that unites people, so awarding a country the World Cup with strong national views, feels like it is dividing the world not uniting it.

There is a special sentiment for a country hosting the World Cup and the prominence that comes with it. This is why Qatar wanted to host a World Cup, to entertain the world’s best players on the stage play in their country, to create a reputation for themselves. Not just for economic reasons. This shows how extraordinary sport and power work in the modern age.

FIFA pride themselves as having a “workforce as diverse as the beautiful game” – though, with Qatar's extreme views on these complications, it seemed an unmeasured choice from FIFA to allow the bidding process from Qatar for the World’s largest footballing tournament @FIFA.

THE CONFLICTING ARGUMENT

There is a divided argument surrounding this multifaced and complex ideological topic.

A large proportion of fans and non-fans believed that it was wholesome to expand the game of football by awarding it to a country lower in the FIFA world rankings (50th).

Additionally, this is the first time a Middle Eastern country has had the pleasure to host a World Cup. Awarding Qatar the World Cup does match FIFA’s mission statement of “Develop the Game, Touch the World, Build a Better Future”.

Not only did hosting the World Cup bring in foreign investment and provide an economic boost for Qatar, with the $1.56 billion sales revenue, but it produced huge social benefits which may alter perceptions and beliefs on the social consideration of the country.

Other football, and non-football fans, believe differently. Why has a country which lacked footballing facilities prior to the start of the World Cup and controversial human rights laws been given the opportunity to host the World Cup?

Qatar didn’t have one stadium in a condition to meet the criteria. It wasn’t just this they were lacking. There was insufficient accommodation for the one million fans travelling to the capital, Doha. They have had to build eight stadiums, which costed them approximately £3.35 billion.

Womens’ lives have always been overlooked by males which has hindered their right to decision making and their dress-wear. Alongside this, the LGBTQIA + community are strictly forbidden, it is illegal to be homosexual and deemed a criminal offence. This has meant this was abolished from the tournament and must be respected.

ALCOHOL VS NO ALCOHOL

Alcohol is strictly moderated in Qatar.

Alcohol and football since the birth of the game have gone hand in hand. Alcohol sales at the 2018 World Cup brought in £209 million in the group stages from just the British alone! However, due to Qatar being an Islamic country, selling, serving, and consuming alcohol is highly regulated and can only be drank in moderation.

Although drinking is legal, if anyone drinks in public or is drunk whatsoever, it is illegal with fines up to £700 or in extreme cases imprisonment or execution.

Nevertheless, there was an 11 hour turn around the night before the first match kicked off where alcohol in the stadium was permitted for fans. The regulations changed and the only place fans were able to drink was in hospitality boxes, costing a whopping £12 a can for Budweiser.

The nuance behind this change in the rules on alcohol consumption is complex - did Qatar do this due to the power they hold, the dynamics and the balance between the event organisers, FIFA, sponsors and the state?

MODERN SLAVERY

Let’s take a step back.

I was brought up to respect others. The way this tournament has respected its migrant workers is utterly outrageous. So, I have simply not supported this tournament throughout.

The Qatari government allowed 2.1 million migrant workers to enter the country to help construct the necessary infrastructure for the tournament.

These workers sacrificed everything. They came to afford an improved quality of life for themselves and their families.

These migrant workers took out extortionate bank loans in order to flee to Qatar and many of which won’t be able to afford to ever pay their loans back as they got “paid 150,000 rupees ($1,251) for the job, which he borrowed at a 36% interest rate”.

This seems like extortion, showcasing a range of abuses such as, wage theft, forced labour, and exploitation. The workers were never made aware of this. This is completely immoral.

One worker said, “We all know our place in Qatar. We are the slaves and they are our masters”. Unfortunately, not all these workers survived; 6,500 died with 70% of those deaths unexplained by Qatari authorities.

FIFA are expected to generate $6 billion dollars from the tournament and $400 million of this, people and organisations are urging FIFA to compensate the migrant workers.

This still won’t re-pay their wrongdoings and the pain these workers suffered.

The migrant workers were and are “treated like animals,” and authorities “don’t care if they die”. Although Qatar have the ‘44th’ highest Human Development Index (HDI) in the world they still pay a considerable amount lower than the minimum wage for these migrant workers, which is utterly immoral.

Qatari authorities know they are violating human rights, but do not want it to be become a global discussion, if it isn’t already yet?

To top what I have mentioned, temperatures in Doha, can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius which these workers have had to work in for a staggering 12 hours a day and if they’re lucky they get just one day off a month with minimal water and food. Not only is this dangerous for the workers, but for the players that played in the World Cup and for the travelling fans.

Nevertheless, fans still proceeded to watch the football in the comfort of their homes with the lack of awareness behind what has occurred prior to the start of the tournament.

As the World Cup has now finished, it is necessary to re-remind fans and non-fans on a global scale of what has happened at this World Cup, to raise awareness.

How can we help these migrant workers? If YOU want to help - sign the petition below!

TAKE ACTION! #PayUpFIFA

Let’s work together to raise awareness to compensate the migrant workers at the Qatar World Cup 2022 and the families who have lost their loved ones

Sign the petition now

WHAT WAS DONE?

Some players, sponsors, fans, and football organisations were trying to take action and make a statement, to both FIFA and the Qataris.

Fans during the World Cup were in the midst of mixed messages. The Qatar Government said anything related to the LGBTQIA + campaign was prohibited at the tournament whereas other organisations stated that these communities were to be supported.

Before the opening match of the World Cup, FIFA urged the competing teams to “focus on football,” due to teams talking about the situation in Qatar and the motive to make a difference.

FIFA made a bold decision just hours before the first match that teams needed to respect Qatar’s culture, where no kits should express “any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images” and not proceed with the following campaigns:

o Taking the knee before the game starts, due to the death of George Floyd on the 25th of May 2020 - @KickItOut

o LGBTQIA + armband (OneLove).

o Stonewall’s rainbow laces campaign to support the LGBTQIA + community - @Stonewall.

Although to a certain extent FIFA were successful in stifling the protested campaigns, I’m glad that some nations decided to disregard this from FIFA and advance with their intended messages.

Qatar said they allowed homosexuals into the country, but they were not welcoming them.

The Qatar World Cup ambassador, Khalid Salman stated that homosexuality is a “damage in the mind” and people attending “should accept our rules”.

There’s no way anyone part of the LGBTQIA + community were going to feel vaguely safe and welcome after these demoralising and demonising comments. It is only putting themselves at risk.

World Cups are engrained around togetherness and unity, so how can that make it a World Cup?

This exemplifies sportswashing at its very worst. Money is creating a disconnect between fans and the game. This made me lose all interest in the World Cup before it even commenced.

I couldn’t turn a blind eye to these aforementioned problems. It is time for these rules and regulations to change. Sign the petition below via the website or QR code to enable players to have the human right to wear the ‘One Love’ armband.

Website Link For The Petition:

http://bit.ly/3B83au8

QR Code For The Petition:

Iran, like Qatar, are an Islamic nation, though, Iran fans in the game VS England were wearing t-shirts and had flags of a female called Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after not wearing her hijab.

Their strong Islamic belief was left behind and dismissed to reflect their thoughts and condolences of the tragedy.

This promotes a strong message to FIFA and to their fellow Islamic dominated country, Qatar.

YOU

I have my thoughts on this contemporary issue, do you? Now the tournament has finished, your help is needed for change to combat the power ‘sportswashing’ holds within all sports.

Read the article below for extra information on ‘sportswashing’, by clicking the link on your smartphone or scanning the QR code.

Link: To The Website:

https://bit.ly/3WlTzIb

QR Code For The Website:

Link To The Online Poll:

https://bit.ly/3VzytG7

QR Code For The Online Poll:

N0903244

#human rights #modern slavery #Qatar World Cup #one love #black lives matter #sportwashing

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cypher2 · 1 year

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2023 Women's World Cup records

In addition to breaking numerous worldwide social media and viewing records, the 2023 Women's World Cup set and broke a number of unique tournament records as well. The players and teams that participated in this WWC should all feel extremely proud for the history they have made. Their performances continue to show the world that these athletes are capable of so much more than they are ever fully recognized for.

First team from their nation to qualify for a men’s or women’s senior FIFA tournament: Vietnam WNT 8 nations had their debuts for first time appearing in a FIFA women’s World Cup: Haiti, Portugal, Zambia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, and Panama. Canadian midfielder Quinn starts for Canada and becomes the first non-binary athlete to play at a FIFA World Cup.

Christine Sinclair (Canada) and Marta (Brazil) become the 3rd and 4th players in history to appear in 6 World Cup competitions men or women, with Homare Sawa (Japan) and Onome Zeno (Nigeria) being the other two. The player with the record for most world cup appearances in history remains Brazil’s Formiga, the only player to compete in 7 world cups (men or women).

Kristine Lilly still holds the record for most WC appearances by men or women with 30 games played - a record set and held since 2007. Followed by Formiga with 27 as of 2019 and Lionel Messi with 26 as of 2022. Brazil’s Marta still holds the all time leading record for most goals scored across all World Cup competitions with 17 goals in 23 appearances across 6 tournaments.

Zambia’s Lushomo Mweemba scores the fastest goal of this year’s tournament in group stage at 2min 11 sec, also marking Zambia’s first ever world cup goal in their debut. The fastest goal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup has stood for over 30 years - it remains the goal scored by Lena Videkull of Sweden, who scored after just 30 seconds against Japan in the inaugural 1991 tournament. Zambia’s Barbra Banda scores the 1000th goal in WWC history. Nouhaila Benzina of Morocco becomes the first Women’s World Cup player to wear a hijab.

Ary Borges of Brazil scores a hat trick in her WWC debut and the first hat trick of the tournament. First Caribbean nation to reach the round of 16 in WWC history - Jamaica First Arab nation to qualify for a WWC and reach the round of 16 in WWC history - Morocco Of the eight debutants, Morocco was the only one to advance to the round of 16. Two teams reached the round of 16 having conceded no goals so far in the tournament- Japan and Jamaica.

First time four African nations have been represented at a WWC with three of them qualifying for the knock out stage at this years competition - South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria. 3 of the 4 African nations appearing in this year’s WWC all finished 2nd in their groups (Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria). The US suffered its earliest elimination in WWC history, getting knocked out in the round of 16. The U.S. has never finished below 3rd place in all previous editions of the competition. Sweden’s Zećira Mušović sets a new record for most saves in any WWC 2023 game with 11 saves vs the US in the round of 16.

First manager to lead two different nations to a World Cup final (Netherlands and England)- Sarina Wiegman First goalkeeper to take and convert a PK in a WWC penalty shootout - Alyssa Naeher

Golden ball (best overall player of the tournament) - Aitana Bonmatí Silver ball - Jenni Hermoso Bronze ball - Amanda Ilestedt Golden boot (most goals scored in the tournament) - Hinata Miyazawa (5 goals) Silver boot - Kadidiatou Diani Bronze boot - Alexandra Popp Golden glove (best goalkeeper of the tournament) - Mary Earps

FIFA young player award (best player of the tournament under 21 years old) - Salma Paralluelo FIFA fair play award (team with best record of fair play during the tournament) - Japan Best mascot of the tournament (unofficial) - Waru Longest penalty shootout in World Cup history (20 penalties taken) - Australia vs France quarter final

The 2023 competition was hosted by Australia and New Zealand, making it the first edition to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, the first Women's World Cup to be hosted by two countries, and the first FIFA senior competition for either men or women to be held across two confederations (Asia and Oceanic).

First edition of the women’s tournament to feature an expansion to 32 teams and 64 matches, and largest women’s sporting event in history with 32 teams and 736 players. Only team to play all matches (group stage + knockout) undefeated with a 6-0-0 record - England All 4 previous winner nations (US, Germany, Norway, and Japan) were eliminated before the semifinal stage, marking the first time this has happened in the competition’s history.

For the first time in its 32 year and 9 tournament history, the WWC has a new champion (Spain) and new runner up (England) in 2023, with both nations never having made it to the final stage before. Only the 2nd nation in history to win both a men’s and women’s World Cup - Spain Top scoring country at the 2023 WWC - Spain with 18 goals First time a senior English football team has made it to a WC final in 6 decades - England WNT

First time advancing past quarterfinals in their WWC history and first host nation to advance to semifinals in 20 years - Australia placed 4th place for best in all 8 WWC competitions they’ve participated in and broke attendance records through all stages of the tournament, with an overall stadium attendance across all matches at 1.978 million. More than 1.5 million tickets were sold for the WWC, surpassing the entire tournament’s projected target in the first 5 days alone.

Two attendance records were broken for both host nations on day one of the WWC - largest crowd ever for a men’s or women’s football game in New Zealand (42,137) and largest crowd ever for a women’s football game in Australia (75,784).

Brazil's opening match v Panama was simulcast live on TV Globo and SporTV, delivering a combined audience of 13.9 million viewers - higher than any audience in the territory during the 2007, 2011, and 2015 WWC. China v England produced the highest audience for a single match, reaching 53.9 million viewers, becoming the highest in any global market so far. 17.15 million people tuned into the Australia v England semifinal cumulatively across Channel 7, Optus Sport, venues, and live-sites, comprising approx 64% of the entire Australian population - the biggest television event not just in any sport in the country, but in Australia’s television history.

The record for highest single match attendance still remains the 1999 WWC final between the US and China with 90,185 in attendance - a number that hasn’t been reached since the men’s tournament at the 1994 WC final between Italy and Brazil at 94,194.

The largest 2023 attendances were at Stadium Australia in Sydney, which saw four capacity-crowd fixtures, including Australia's opening win over Republic of Ireland and the final between Spain and England. The crowd of 75,784 was a record home audience for a women's football match in Australia and the third largest individual crowd attendance in Women's World Cup history. Over 50% of all matches had near sell out or at stadium capacity with a total of 1,977,824 fans in attendance at the 64 games in total, setting a new record for highest overall attendance in Women’s World Cup history across all 9 editions of the tournament. Highest grossing Women’s World Cup in history with a revenue of over half a billion dollars ($570 million), surpassing the projected revenue estimate by $100 million.

#wwc23 #wwc 2023 #fifa women's world cup #woso #attendance and records #wwcedit #I had to throw the waru one in there #for my own heart #waru 🥺

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calacuspr · 23 days

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Calacus Monthly Hit & Miss – Gareth Southgate

Every month we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the last few weeks.

GARETH SOUTHGATE

It has often been said that being the England men’s football manager is ‘the impossible job’ given the levels of expectation that come with the role.

The England men’s team have only won a solitary international tournament – the 1966 FIFA World Cup staged on home soil, with that legendary 4-2 win in the final at Wembley against arch rivals West Germany a rare triumph.

Since then, ‘It’s coming home!’ is a regular theme for England teams who reach the latter stages of tournaments, the groundswell of expectation giving way to despair and heartache when defeat ultimately occurs.

While the influence of the mainstream media may have waned in recent years from the lamentable era when managers such as Graham Taylor had his head super-imposed on a turnip, the pressure still weighs heavy on whoever takes the job.

Big name coaches such as Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello came and went without lifting trophies, the success of the Premier League adding undue hope that this time, things will be different.

After England’s disappointing exit at the hands of Iceland at EURO 2016 and the short-lived tenure of Sam Allardyce after a scandal, what England needed was a safe pair of hands, someone to give the pride back to the Three Lions.

Former international Gareth Southgate, a quiet and under-stated former international defender, was promoted to coach the senior men’s team after a spell in charge of the England under-21 team.

Seen at the time as an underwhelming appointment, especially after his young charges finished bottom of their group in the 2015 European Championship, Southgate inherited a national team who appeared to need dynamic re-invention.

Perhaps his greatest achievement has been to make the team a success without the swashbuckling pizazz that many demanded.

Seen as a light touch, particularly given some of his reactions in-game, Southgate did far more to reinvigorate the men’s team than he is often given credit for.

Football management is a results game, and Southgate took England to the FIFA World Cup semi-final, which they lost against Croatia; before two Euro finals, losing first to Italy on penalties and then to Spain earlier this summer.

It’s important to note that Southgate won nine tournament knockout games during his tenure, as many as England had ever won in major men’s tournaments before his reign.

Some might argue that having worked with one of the more talented of England squads, he should have won a major trophy, but there was far more to his success than just winning games.

Southgate oversaw the England job during a turbulent period in England’s history, with the nation having to endure the drama of Brexit, five Prime Ministers, rising living costs and culture wars which stoked division among society.

That’s where Southgate’s strength lay, acting as a calming influence but also one who was not afraid to take a stand and do what he considered to be the right thing.

During his tenure, there was little to no scandal, such were the standards Southgate expected and secured from his charges.

But he was also brave enough to face down criticisms for the sake of social causes, encouraging his players to take the knee before games as a protest against racism, despite criticism from some of the fanbase, who had found themselves stoked up by populism.

It was fitting that the first game where this took place was an England match in Middlesbrough, where Southgate had played for many years, steadfast despite the mixed reaction from fans before the game.

He was not afraid, either, to address issues such as the rainbow captain’s armband when the decision was made not to wear it under threat of sanctions in Qatar, a conservative state where the FIFA 2022 World Cup took place.

Southgate explained: “I think we are supportive of the LGBT+ community. A large number of the team on the staff have either relatives or friends from that community, so it’s a relationship and a situation that we’re very conscious of.

“We have tried to be supportive, but I also accept that members of that community felt let down by the World Cup, but I think you have to live your life as you see it.

“I do know that we’re in a position where there might be a feeling we haven’t done enough in certain situations and if that’s the case we have to accept that criticism, but it’s not intentional that we would let down any of our fans, but these are all very complex situations that we’re trying to do our best at navigate.”

Qatar was a rare case of Southgate being caught in external political crossfire, but within the camp, he was a master of creating harmony.

Mindful of the factions that had hampered England before, during and after his player career, Southgate had also set about creating unity where there had previously been division, removing ego and selfishness for the selflessness which came naturally to him.

Players reported a good atmosphere during training camps and call-ups, the pressure of representing England being replaced by a calm environment in Southgate’s image, which allowed players to thrive.

That ability to manage egos, to meld players who spent the majority of their lives competing against each other, is one of his greatest legacies. It helped that he brought through players from different clubs who had played together at youth level for England, the bonds of camaraderie already established.

For example, Phil Foden, Marc Guéhi, Conor Gallagher and Jadon Sancho were all part of the England side that lifted the under-17 World Cup in 2017, while Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer played in the winning England under-21 Euros team in 2023. Having come up through the England ranks together, these footballers had an existing relationship that made them likely to form better bonds in the senior team, despite spending most of the year with their different clubs.

When three black England players, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bakayo Saka, received racist abuse online after missing penalties which contributed to England’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final against Italy, something Southgate experienced himself in 1996, the coach was a reassuring figure looking to protect the youngsters from the bellowing external criticism.

He said: "For some of them to be abused is unforgivable really. It's just not what we stand for. We have been a beacon of light in bringing people together in people being able to relate to the national team, and the national team stands for everybody and so that togetherness has to continue.

"We have shown the power our country has when it does come together and has that energy and positivity together.”

The decency and kindness which Southgate exhibited so often has been such an contrast to the aggression and petulance many other coaches show on the sidelines.

It felt like a bond had been built between England players and fans that hadn’t existed for a generation.

Even when ‘fans’ were throwing plastic beer glasses onto the field after a dour 1-1 draw against Denmark, Southgate retained his dignity and humility and faced down his critics, proving that decency is something to invoke inspiration; a strength, not a weakness.

There were criticisms, based around his tactical approach, that he was often too cautious and lacked a clear style of play.

But instead of being seen as the kiss of death, England became adept at winning penalty shootouts, not to mention the progress he made at the business end of tournaments.

Regardless of his failure to lift that elusive trophy, Southgate made the England men’s team contenders again. Where fans often crowed with misplaced pride, he gave them something to be proud of – not only becoming a football force again, but as ambassadors for the English game.

Perhaps it’s fitting that Southgate’s last act as England manager was to publish a letter on the Football Association website confirming that the defeat in Berlin was his last in the role.

“As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England. It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all.

“We have the best fans in the world, and their support has meant the world to me. I’m an England fan and I always will be.

“I look forward to watching and celebrating as the players go on to create more special memories and to connect and inspire the nation as we know they can.

“Thank you, England – for everything.”

As Rory Smith says in the New York Times: “No other England manager has spoken as much or as convincingly as Southgate. No other England manager has so successfully articulated a sense of what the England team is meant to be about, what it stands for and why it matters.”

#England fans #England #England football #Gareth Southgate #Jadon Sancho #Marcus Rashford #Wembley #Harry Kane #FIFA World Cup #EURO 2022 #Three Lions #Fabio Capello #World Cup

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prayforleonardo · 8 months

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The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award 2023 goes to Lionel Messi! 🇦🇷🐐

⚽️ 45 Goals 👕 66 Apps 🏆 Ligue 1 2022/2023, Trophée des Champions and Leagues Cup 2023

📸 - @FIFAWorldCup

National team captains who voted for Lionel Messi to win FIFA The Best Men's Player 🏆

Kylian Mbappe

Mo Salah

Luka Modric

Harry Kane

Virgil van Dijk

Oblak

Lewandowski

Donnarumma

Son Heung-min

C. Pulisic

F. Valverde

Lukaku

A. Robertson

Falcao

Xhaka

TheBest

#the best #fifa the best #lionel messi #messi #leo messi #football #haaland

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njrsports · 11 months

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EIGHTH BALLOND,OR WINS LIONEL MESSI

THE WINNER OF THE 2023 BALLOND,OR HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AND LIONEL MESSI HAS WON A RECORD -EXTENDING EIGHTH AWARD. THE INTER MIAMI AND ARGENTINA STRICKER , WHO PLAYED FOR PARIS SAINT -GERMAIN LAST SEASON CAPTAINED ARGENTINA TO THE WORLD CUP IN QUATAR IN LAST DECEMBER ENDING A 36 -YEAR WAIT FOR THE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY.MESSI 36 HAS WON THE AWARD THREE TIMES MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE. LIONEL MESSI WAS NAMED THE BALLONDOR, 2023 WINNER AT A CERMONEY IN PARIS ON MONDAY, THE EIGTH TIME HE WAS WON THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD. MESSI CAPTAINED ARGENTINA TO 2022 WORLD CUP SUCESS IN QUATAR LAST WINTER THE FAST TIME HE WON THE TOURNAMENT WHICH ENDED A 36 -YEAR WAIT. LA ALBICELESTE. THE MESSI IN 36 YEAR -OLD SCORED TWICE IN A BLOCKBUSTER FINAL AGANIST FRANCE IN DECEMBER WHICH FINISHED 3-3 AFTER EXTRA TIME SCORED IN THE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT AND WAS NAMED PLAYER OF THE MATCH. MESI FOUGHT OFF- COMPETITION FROM MANCHESTER CITY ERLING HAAALAND AND FORMER PARIS SAINT GERMAIN TEAM MATE KYLIAN MBABBE AS WELL AS 26 OTHER NOMINESES TO WIN THE AWARD. IN A LEAGUE TITILE WINNING SEASON FOR PSG HE PLAYED 41 MATCHES DURING . THE 2022/23 SEASON SCORED 21 GOALS AND PROVIDED 20 ASSISTS AT THE WORLD CUP IN QUATAR MESSI SCORED TWICE IN THE GROUP STAGE AND WAS ON TARGET IN EACH KNOCKOUT ROUND IN AUSTRALIA AND NETHERLANDS ,AND CROATIA AND THEN IN THE FINAL . HE FINISHED SECOND IN THE TOP GOALSCORER CHARTS WITH SEVEN GOALS AND RECEIVED THE GOLDEN BOLL ATT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TOURNAMENT IN RECOGNITION OF HIS FINE CAMPAIGHN . ON STAGE HE SAID,, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO SHARE TO SHARE WITH THE MY NATIONAL TEAM .. THE ENTIRE GROUP THE COACHING STAFF EVERYONE INVOLVED,. I,M DELIGHTED TOBR HERE ONCE MORE TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY IN TO THE WORLD CUP LA ALBICELESTE BEAT FRANCE ON PENALTIES IN THE FINALS AT THE 2022 WORLD CUP IN QUATAR WITH MESSI CLAMING THE GOLDEN BOLL AS WELL. BEFORE MOVING TO MIAMI THIS SUMMER THE 36 YEAR OLD FORWARD ALSO WON THE FRENCH TITLE WITH PARIS SAINT -GERMAIN. IN AUGUST THE SUPERSTAR STAR TOOK HIS NEW TEAM TO THEIR EVER TITILE AS INTER MIAMI CLINCHED THE LEAGUES CUP. I,COULDN,T THAT L,VE ACHEIVED THE FORTUNE I,VE HAD PLAYING FOR THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD THE BEST TEAM IN HISTORY. IT,S TIME NICE TO WITH THSE TO WIN COPA AMERICA AND THEN THE WORLD CUP GET IT DONE IS AMAZING.

MESSI AWARDS

EUROPEAN GOLDEN SHOE -2018,2017,2013

WORLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2012- 2011-,2009

PICHICHI TROPHY 2021 , 2020, 2019

FI FA WORLD PLAYER OF THE PLAYER -2009.

THE BEST FIFA MENS PLAYER 2019.

UEFA MENS PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2011 2015

BALLOND,OR 2019 2021 2023 .

LA LIGA AWARD BEST PLAYER -2013,2012,2015

GOLDEN BOY AWARD 2020

FIFA GOLDEN BOLL 2014

UEFA FOOTBOLL OF THE YEAR 2009

BRAVO AWARD 2007

MARCA AWARD 2009

UEFA CLUB FORWARD OF THE YEAR 2009

COPA AMERICA YONG PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2007

LA LIGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2010

LA LIGA FOREIGN OFF THE YEAR 2010

ARGENTINA CAPTAIN LIONEL MESSI WON A RECORD EXTENDING 8 TH BALLONDOR FOR THE BEST PLAYER OF THE C IN THE WORLD ON MONDAY . BEATING NORWAYS UEFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND TRABLE WINNER ERLING HALLAND OF MANCHESTER CITY TO THE PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE WHO HIMSELF BAGGED THE GERED MULLER TROPHY AFTER BECOMING THE HIGHEST SCORE IN EUROPE LAST SEASON WITH 56 GOALS. INTER MIAMI MESSI WHO LAST WON THE AWARD IN 2021 PLAYED ROLE IN GFUDINING ARGENTINA TO THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP TITLE IN 36 YEARS WHEN THEY BEAT DEFENDING FRANCE IN THE FINAL LAST YEAR. THE 36 YEARS OLD IS NOW 3 BALLONDOR LEAR OF RIVAL CR7 WHO WON THE LAST HIS 5 TROPHYS IN 2017. MESSI HAS NOW FINISHED AMONG THE TOP THREE A RECORD 14 TIMES IN TOTAL FINISHING RUNNER UP ON THE 5 OCCASIONS... MESSI RELOCATED TO SPAIN FROM ARGENTINA AGED 13 TO JOIN BARCELONA FOR WHOM HE MADE HIS COMPETITIVE DEBUT AGED 17 IN OCTOBER 2004. HE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN INTEGRAL OLAYER FOR THE CLUB WITH IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AND IN THE FIRST SEAQSON 2008.2009. AN ARGENTINA INTERNATIONAL MESSI IS THE COUNTRY ALL TIME LEADING GOAL SCORER AND ALSO HOLDS THE NATIONAL RECORD FOR APPERENCES . AT YOUTH LEVEL HE WON THE 2005 FIFA WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP. FINISHING THE TOURNAMENT WITH BITH THE GOLDEN BOLL AND GOLDEN SHOE . 2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS. A PROLFIC GOAL SCORER AND CREATIVE PLAY MAKER MESSI HOLDS THE RECORDS THE MOST GOALS IN A LA LIGA AND COPA AMERICA.

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alexbkrieger13 · 2 years

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The Aussie’s know how to banter 😂

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/sports/crafty-movember-play-enables-socceroos-to-boost-world-cup-hopes-with-late-arrival-of-sam-kerr/

The Socceroos hopes at the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been given an added boost this morning, after the late arrival of a suspicious new player.

Coming up against the likes of France, Denmark and Tunisia in the group stage of the tournament, bookies are currently placing the Aussies with a highly unlikely chance of making it through to the top 16, let alone winning the damn thing.

However as Aussies start their Wednesday morning munching down some Vegemite toast before our clash with France, reports from Qatar are suggesting that the Socceroos have been able to parachute in a 5 ft 6 weapon who goes by the name ‘Sam Kerr’.

Dressed head to toe in full Socceroos kit, Qatari officials have reportedly signed off on the last minute arrival based on the fact that Sam is rocking a fantastically thick lip rug, so sturdy it would make Boonie proud.

A three-time ESPY winner for Best International Women’s Soccer Player, Kerr is also Australia’s all-time leading international goalscorer, a Golden Boot winner in three different continents and also the first Australian to score a hat trick at a World Cup.

Celebrated for her incredible career, Socceroos coach Graeme Arnold said it was a no-brainer to devise a crafty ploy to get her onto the park in Qatar.

“Look we’ve got a good team, but we really need all the help we can get,” Arnold told The Advocate.

“Sam’s arguably the greatest women’s player in the world, she’s a national hero, so when we realised we’d be playing the World Cup in November we figured we’d glue a moustache on her face and just say it’s part of ‘Movember’, a cultural celebration we honour in Australia.”

Arriving in the dressing sheds just before kickoff, insiders say the rest of the men’s team were thrilled to see Kerr turn up as she adjusted the bristles of a moustache she bought from Spotlight.

“Righto fellas, you ready to smash these French schmucks or what!?”.

“Lets fkn go!”

More to come.

#oh wow 😅#sam kerr

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andiessoccerblog · 1 year

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Group H

Expected to move on: Germany, Colombia

Expected to exit in group stage: Morocco, Korea Republic

Germany

FIFA Ranking: 2

Reputation:

Much like the men’s side, the German women’s team is a MACHINE. Unless the unthinkable happens again (see: the men’s side 2018) Germany should get out of the group with ease, and I would definitely rank them as a favorite to win the World Cup. Their style of play is crisp, clean, and a little bit curt...if that makes sense. They will lay their bodies on the line, and they will lay your body on the line too if you’re playing against them. They shockingly failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, but were runners-up in the Women’s European Championship in 2022, which is a much more accurate indicator of their strength.

Player Pool:

Germany is another team with extraordinary depth, with all their players on top domestic teams or premier teams in England or France. Alexandra Popp, new captain of the team, also leads in goals scored for German, but is really known for the use of her large stature to win duels. Every position is filled with veterans, and Germany has been skillful in ensuring that even its younger players have gotten experience in big games. Every player is a team player and can be a standout in their own right, so it’s hard to pick specific players to highlight. That being said, of course there are players that rise to the top–Lena Oberdorf, Sara Däbritz, and Melanie Leupolz all deserve a shout out.

2019 WWC performance:

Germany looked okay during the women's World Cup, but less confident than many people had anticipated. They made it through the group stage with narrow 1-0 wins against Spain and China, and an easy win against debutante South Africa. They plowed over Nigeria in the round of sixteen, but were stymied by Sweden in the quarterfinals. On many past occasions, they had beaten Sweden, so many were surprised when the game went the other way. Dabritz, Magull, and Popp led the scoring, while young newcomer Gwinn and veteran Hegering held down the midfield and defense, playing all 450 minutes of their tournament run.

Colombia

FIFA Ranking: 26

Reputation:

Colombia’s women’s team has historically done well in South American competition, feuding with Brazil for top honors, even as their own federation doesn’t support them as much financially as they do their men’s side. Earlier in 2023 the Colombian Federation began an agreement with FIFA to begin increasing funding for women's soccer at all levels. That won’t help the team in this World Cup, and they will be fighting tooth and nail against Korea Republic for the second spot in the group.

Player Pool:

Colombia has one of the older teams of the World Cup, with more veterans than newbies. After missing the 2019 World Cup, they will need to rely on players that were around for the 2015 World Cup, like Catalina Usme, Daniela Montoya, and keeper Sandra Sepúlveda.

2019 WWC performance:

Did Not Qualify

Korea Republic

FIFA Ranking: 17

Reputation:

South Korea is recognized as “Korea Republic” by FIFA. Asia’s women’s football culture has been improving on a regional stage, but has struggled to keep up internationally, and Korea Republic is no exception. The best players on this team are the ones that leave Korea to play in a European or American league. They have never qualified for the Olympics. Their best result in a Women’s World Cup came in 2015, when they made it out of the group stage, but they couldn’t repeat the result in 2019, and likely won’t do it again in 2023.

Player Pool:

Ji So-yun (midfielder) made a name for herself and for Korea with a long career for Chelsea in England, but moved back to South Korea in 2022. Cho So-hyun is another team veteran playing in England, and the pair form a strong midfield. Captain is Kim Hye-ri, a veteran defender. She plays with about half the roster for South Korea’s Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels team, the top side in Korea’s domestic league.

2019 WWC performance:

Not great. They had a rough group, pulling Norway and France, so their only chance to advance was a third place spot, which neither they nor Nigeria achieved. They scored one goal in the tournament.

Morocco

FIFA Ranking: 73

Reputation:

Morocco reached their first World Cup under the distinguished coach Reynald Pedros, who previously had coached Olympique Lyonnais Féminin to the french championship. Under Pedros, the team has grown to be one of the best teams in Africa. However, they have a record of falling short against teams outside of Africa, and will need this tournament and more international exposure to become a contender.

Player Pool:

Captain Ghizlane Chebbak has played for Morocco for the last 10 years and is their top goalscorer. They have an up and coming forward in Rosella Ayane, who played for the English national youth teams, but switched to Morocco for her senior caps.

2019 WWC performance:

Did Not Qualify

#woso #uswnt #womens soccer #women's world cup #nwsl #world cup #wwc 2023 #gerwnt #germany #morocco #colombia #korea republic #south africa

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kylewalker-peters · 2 years

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i’m looking at the full list of who the captains of national teams voted for as best men’s player and the captain of guyana, sam cox, voted for jude 🥺 https : / / digitalhub. fifa. com / m / 3139b187875692aa / original / 2022-Men-s-Player-Breakdown. pdf (link to the document, minus the spaces bc tumblr doesn’t like links) 💖

There is NOTHING like having access to these little votes I’m fascinated. Like you have Hugo voting for his French teammates at the top and then you have Harry who said Jude? Idk who that is lemme vote for three other blokes.

Saw neymar on the pdf instantly and was like who the FUCK is voting for him and then realised it was messi like someone free that old man. Stand up!!!!! Move on!!!!!

Like glad messi won but people who voted for Jude and erling I am taking notes I am making memories in my brain I am saving your names for later I wish you only good things! Also @romeroworldcup there were people who voted for your bestie boy julian in number 1 spot

#Harry voting mane in p2 he said annika do you love me yet?#anyway when will they let ME vote?????#and have my vote be worth 100 points?

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rmfantasysetpieces1 · 6 months

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The problem I have with the Ballon Dor or Fifa best is if you look at either awards process of selection either is by default uneven or imbalanced. These are not awards that in any way show any balance in opinion.

How can a bunch of journalist dictate who the best player in the world is? how? are journalist really unbiased? are journalist beyond influence? come on. And fifa best is the same level of unbalance. Peers selecting you to be the best, doesn't mean the peers vote is balanced. The flag team captains plus the flag team coaches plus another set of media people is not a balanced set. It simply isn't. all of these people are influenced whether they admit it or not.

My point isn't to criminalize the FIFA BEst or BAllon Dor, simply to state the obvious, these are two media awards that for some reason fans themselves can't accept are media awards.

Beginning with the 2022 edition, France Football decided to restrict the field of nations that had a media member with a ballot. The organizers reduced that list to the top 100 countries from the FIFA men's world ranking (for the men's award), and the top 50 countries from the women's world ranking (for the women's award).

The 2021 edition of the tournament saw 180 international journalists come up with the 30 finalists for the men's Ballon d'Or and the Yashin award finalists for goalkeepers. Also, a group of 50 international women's soccer journalists picked the women's Ballon d'Or candidates in 2021. Lastly, a panel of 32 former Ballon d'Or winners nominated the 10 Kopa Trophy finalists (Under-21 players).

The media members receive a list of the finalists to choose from and make their selections from that select group of candidates. Recognizing this flaw in the criteria, France Football made changes, asking voters to take into account the following three aspects for every player: Individual performance in previous season (no longer by calendar year) Team success during the previous season Player behavior and fair play during season in consideration The stricter parameters should ensure the player who performs at an elite level and helps their team win silverware will earn the recognition they deserve more often than not.

#Rmsoccer

#rmsoccer #fifa #fifabest #ballon #ballondor #goldenball #golden #ball #how it works #imbalanced #uneven #dysfunctional

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sportsloverguide · 9 months

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Football's Top Honors: Exploring the Winners of the Best FIFA Men's Player Award

Ever wondered who the world's greatest footballer is? The Best FIFA Men's Player award tries to answer that question! Here's a quick look at the past winners:

2016 & 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal) - This superstar dominated the scene for two years in a row!

2018: Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia) - Luka surprised everyone by taking home the trophy after an amazing World Cup performance.

2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina) - The legendary Messi finally claimed the FIFA award after several Ballon d'Or wins.

2020 & 2021: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland) - Lewandowski's incredible goal-scoring spree earned him back-to-back wins.

2022: Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina) - Messi, still going strong, reclaimed the title in 2022!

#fifa the best #the best #fifa men's player #men's best player #cristiano ronaldo #lionel messi #who's the best #goals galore #football fever #legends only

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wikiuntamed · 9 months

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Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from a year ago: Monday, 19th December 2022

Welcome, მოგესალმებით (mogesalmebit), 환영 (hwanyeong), mirë se vjen 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (19th December 2022) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Lionel Messi "Lionel Andrés Messi (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi] ; born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the..."

Image licensed under CC BY 4.0? by Hossein Zohrevand

2️⃣: Kylian Mbappé "Kylian Mbappé Lottin (born 20 December 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the France national team. Regarded as one of the best players in the world, he is renowned for his dribbling abilities, exceptional speed, and..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons

3️⃣: FIFA World Cup "The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition between the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament has been held every..."

Image licensed under CC BY 4.0? by Hossein Zohrevand

4️⃣: 2022 FIFA World Cup "The 2022 FIFA World Cup was the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the world championship for national football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022, after the country was awarded the hosting rights in 2010. It was the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world..."

5️⃣: Avatar: The Way of Water "Avatar: The Way of Water is a 2022 American epic science fiction film co-produced and directed by James Cameron, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver from a story the trio wrote with Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, it is the sequel to..."

#TopWikiPages #WikiUntamed #WikiWonderland #WhatWeLookedAt

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prayforleonardo · 2 years

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🏆 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜 🏆

The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award 2022 goes to Lionel Messi! 🇦🇷

Leo Messi wins his 𝟕𝟕𝐭𝐡 individual award

MESSI TAKES HOME THE BEST FIFA MEN'S PLAYER AWARD 🏆

Y SI... LIONEL MESSI, EL MEJOR DEL MUNDO 😍🇦🇷

Nuestro CAPITÁN CAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO ganó el premio THE BEST del 2022 🏆

King of trophies 🐐

#the best #argentina #fifa awards #fifa #fifa world cup #qatar 2022 #paris #world cup #lionel messi #messi #leo messi

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nimupates · 9 months

Link

#games #video games

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will-bass · 11 months

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The Saudi sporting era shows despite movement toward inclusivity, cash remains king in elite sport.

If you were to ask the question of ‘which country is the sporting capital of the world?’ the common and perhaps historically correct answers would be places such as England, Australia and The USA among other western nations. However, in the past few years it is hard to argue that anywhere in the world plays a more prevalent role in sport than the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Twenty years ago, the notion of Saudi Arabia being a major player within sports would have been laughed off. However, here we sit with seemingly every major sport on the planet making a mad dash toward the undeniable riches that are offered up there. From LIV Golf to heavyweight boxing and now perhaps the jewel in the Saudi crown, the right to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, it has become impossible to ignore the wealth of sporting talent that are plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

Despite this, the majority of sports fans are at best unsure on, and at worst categorically against, elite sport being taken to Saudi Arabia. Over the past few decades, the sporting world has worked to become much more inclusive and welcoming to all groups, with the phrase ‘sport is for everyone’ ringing through the intercom of almost every sporting event that you can attend. Campaigns such as Rainbow laces provide evidence that LGBT rights are not only accepted in sport, but actively promoted. As well as this Women’s sport is more prominent that ever before with bumper TV deals for the WSL and Women’s Hundred competitions on top of the Lionesses victory at Euro 2022 which took the nation by storm. Therefore, by taking a substantial amount of the worlds top sporting events and handing them to a country in which it is illegal to be a member of the LGBT community as well as backwards views on women’s rights, it draws into question just how committed sport is to become fully inclusive.

Firstly, as previously noted, women are more involved in sports than ever before in history. Whilst male sport is still no doubt still seen as the pinnacle, women’s sport has began to garner a real wealth of support and more young girls are growing up with hopes of getting into sport themselves. According to the UK-based charity the Women’s Sport Trust, 325 million hours of women’s sport were consumed by the public in 2022. This is up 305.9 hours from the 19.1 million hours that were consumed in 2012. This included a peak of 17.4 million viewers on BBC one for England’s lionesses’ triumph against Germany in the Euros final. This is merely 5.6 million lower than the peak viewership of England men’s World cup quarter final against the French a mere 4 months later. The men’s football world cup has long been seen as generally the most important sporting event by English sports fans. Therefore, the idea that the Women’s side would be able to compete in terms of viewership and coverage with that of the Men in a crucial world cup knockout game would have seemed a million miles away even a decade ago.

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The issue then with growing Saudi involvement in sport is that unlike in western society, women are not treated with equality in Saudi Arabia. Women are often treated as property of men with permission from a male guardian required to travel, marry and in some cases receive health care. It is also required for women to cover the majority of their skin other than their faces as a part of the culture. This obviously completely restricts any of the standard sporting attire that we see worn by men and women alike. Above all up until 2018, not only were Women not allowed to take part in sports, but they were not permitted access to any stadiums to watch sport. All these reasons combine to create a place in which Women are both unable to take part in elite sport but also feel safe in travelling to watch it. The National Institute of Health found that one in ever three women in Saudi Arabia is a victim of domestic violence, again outlining the fact that Women will struggle to feel at all welcomed when entering the country. How then, can sport spread the message that ‘sport is for everyone’ when more and more of the top events are taking place in a nation in which 50% of the population are ostracized based purely on their gender.

It has become clear that despite whatever messages that are put out, sport boards across the sporting world will continue to put money over everything else. No one is perhaps more guilty of this than FIFA as they awarded the FIFA World cup to both Qatar and Saudi Arabia despite the problems already mentioned. As well as this throughout the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA allowed Saudi Arabia’s state tourism authority as a sponsor of the tournament. This meant advertisements appeared on the big screen in stadiums as well as being littered over the TV coverage. This was done without any consultation of female players and officials, largely due to the fact that FIFA were well aware of the objections that would have been made against the decision. Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch commented that “The Women's World Cup is a festival of soccer and a celebration of the skill and diversity within the women's game—not an opportunity to launder the reputation of a government that violates women's rights.” It is one thing to allow Saudi Arabia into sport as had been done, it is another to promote the country through women’s football. Saudi Arabia has made very little to no effort to bring elite female sport to the nation and as noted did not allow women into sports stadiums until 2018. How then can FIFA justify allowing the Saudi state tourism authority to advertise over the biggest female sporting event. It is yet another example of how people are disregarded for the sake of sporting bodies making money.

Women are not the only group that are discriminated against in Saudi Arabia. Members of the LGBT community are not only discriminated but criminalized with the highest penalty awarded being that of the death penalty. Sports bodies around the globe have attempted to make sport a more accepting and welcoming place for those of the LGBT community and have encouraged players to be open with their sexuality. Campaigns such as rainbow laces are at the forefront of these messages, by not only ensuring acceptance but actively encouraging people to be proud of their sexuality. While it is still very uncommon to see male footballers come out as a member of the LGBT community, a large number of women’s players are open about their sexuality. Some of the worlds leading players such as Sam Kerr, Beth Mead and England lionesses captain Leah Williamson are all openly gay. Whilst there is still a real stigmatism in the men’s game, we are beginning to see more players open up about their sexuality. Players such as Jake Daniels of Blackpool and Josh Cavallo of Western United FC have both been lauded for their bravery, having come out in recent years.

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Despite all this work being done toward making sport a place in which everyone can be open and proud with their sexuality, it is then all rendered almost redundant as the biggest events in sport are all taken to a nation in which the act of homosexuality is punishable by death. The office for national statistics states that in 2022 3.1% of the UK population identified as LGBT which amounts to over 2 million people. By taking events such as The World Cup and heavyweight boxing fights to Saudi Arabia you are completely blacklisting over 2 million people in the UK alone from attending the events, purely based on sexual orientation. The Coventry City LGBTQ+ supporters group wrote “FIFA showing their true colours once again. They do not care about human rights or inclusivity. They care only about one thing: cha-ching.” Which nicely brings us around to the main point of this article. That ultimately when Saudi billionaire’s offer huge sums of money, all sporting morals and the fight for inclusivity are shoved under the carpet, and it isn’t just sporting boards that are guilty of this.

The emergence of the Saudi Pro League took not only the footballing world but the sporting world in general by storm over the summer with the astronomical amounts of money that were being thrown at clubs and players alike. Perhaps the most controversial transfer to come out of the summer window was that of England vice-captain and supposed LGBT ally Jordan Henderson to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq. Henderson had been commonly found supporting campaigns for LGBT rights and was always quick to show his support when opportunities arose. However, despite all this, the moment Henderson was presented with a supposed £700,000 a week contract, all his morals went out of the window. Former German international and one of the highest profile openly Gay footballers, Thomas Hitzlsperger, stated on twitter that Jordan Henderson’s “Brand” as an ally of the LGBT community is “dead.” Hitzlsperger summed up the feeling among LGBT sports fans as many felt that they had now lost trust in not only the sporting boards but those within the sport that claim to be their ally.

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Henderson’s move to Al-Ettifaq came as yet another example of sport refusing to back up its words with actions, and while the move came with huge backlash, there was something almost unsurprising about the whole thing. If Jordan Henderson, one of the biggest supporters of LGBT rights in football can so easily abandon all his morals for a quick payday, it asks the question of whether there really is anyone in football that can truly say they are an ally of LGBT people. The backlash of the move did not stop with Henderson, with England manager Gareth Southgate taking flack for continuing to select Henderson for the England national team. While first and foremost, Henderson had abandoned playing football at the top level, rendering controversy over his selection to begin with, he had also let down a section of England fans. By taking the move to Saudi Arabia, Henderson would have been well aware of the backlash that he would face from fans back home and has even faced boos from large sections of fans during internationals. Despite knowing how controversial his move would be Henderson, didn’t think twice and even has gone so far as to promote the Saudi World Cup bid, really outlining when push comes to shove, money talks.

All these issues stem back to ultimately determining why Saudi Arabia has suddenly become a major player in sport. On the face of it, the Saudi involvement in sports is the biggest attempt of sportswashing that the sporting world has ever seen. Sportswashing is the idea that a country or company can distract from issues within the nation such as human rights problems by hosting glamourous sporting events in an attempt to say, all is fine here. Saudi involvement really sprang to life with the purchase of Manchester City back in 2008. The move was met with some controversy however with no real fightback from the FA or FIFA, the Saudi’s were able to get their foot in the door which began the slippery slope to where we find ourselves today.

A famous example of sportswashing was 1936 Olympic games in Germany. The Olympics were held just a few years prior to the beginning of the second world war and many of the atrocities toward Jews and other groups had already begun. The Olympics served as a distraction from what was happening within Germany and in fact promoted the nation and the work done by the Nazi party. Whilst sportswashing in Saudi Arabia is perhaps not on the level of Nazi Germany, it is still astounding that nearly 100 years on from the Berlin Olympics, we as a sporting society are still allowing sportswashing to take place and in the case of Saudi Arabia, work with much success.

Sportswashing is not an uncommon term these days and it is well understood that this is the goal of the Saudi sporting events. Despite this each event in Saudi seems to attract more stars than the last, and with a seemingly never-ending pit of money there is no reason to see it stop any time soon. The fact is that these events are being hosted to try and distract from the horrendous treatment of women and LGBT members in Saudi which makes it even more troubling to see supposed role models promote such events.

In reality, people like Jordan Henderson who claim to be an ally of the LGBT community are most likely just that. However, nothing has quite outlined the selfishness of sports stars more than the Saudi era of sport. Henderson, very likely is sincere in his support for the LGBT community but the moment a huge sum of money is offered to him, he backtracks in order to become wealthier and support himself and his family. While ultimately this understandable, it does outline the main reason as to why no matter how much sport attempts to convey a world in which anyone can attend and enjoy sport no matter race, religion, gender or sexuality, this will always be secondary to money.

Perhaps it says more about sport generally than purely the fight for inclusivity, as while no doubt LGBT members and female sports fans have been thrown under the bus with the events in Saudi Arabia, it is also sports fans generally who have been ignored and disregarded throughout. The World Cup move will mean another winter tournament despite the horrendous reception to the event in Qatar. There are also British stars such as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua who seem to ply their trade exclusively in Saudi, robbing fans of the opportunity to watch their heroes live. So, while it is clear inclusivity is harmed by Saudi Arabia, sport in general is suffering as well. A fairer conclusion may be that instead of stating that money takes precedent over inclusivity in sport, but rather money takes precedent over everything in sport. Conclusively, cash is king in elite sport, and it won’t be changing any time soon.

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Henderson’s move to Al-Ettifaq came as yet another example of sport refusing to back up it’s words with actions, and while the move came with huge backlash, there was something almost unsurprising about the whole thing. If Jordan Henderson, one of the biggest supporters of LGBT rights in football can so easily abandon all his morals for a quick payday, it asks the question of whether there really is anyone in football that can truly say they are an ally of LGBT people. The backlash of the move did not stop with Henderson, with England manager Gareth Southgate taking flack for continuing to select Henderson for the England national team. While first and foremost, Henderson had abandoned playing football at the top level, rendering controversy over his selection to begin with, he had also let down a section of England fans. By taking the move to Saudi Arabia, Henderson would have been well aware of the backlash that he would face from fans back home and has even faced boos from large sections of fans during internationals. Despite knowing how controversial his move would be Henderson, didn’t think twice and even has gone so far as to promote the Saudi World Cup bid, really outlining when push comes to shove, money talks.

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