Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has labelled the Qatar World Cup 2022 ‘bulls***’, accusing FIFA of holding it in the middle eastern country for their own financial and commercial interests.
Football fans will have a very different World Cup to watch this year. For one, the prestigious tournament will take place in December rather than in the summer.
Also, the host nation will not be one we typically associate with having a footballing heritage. Qatar’s winning bid received scrutiny and criticism from journalists and fans alike. However, there hasn’t been much overt opposition from high-profile players or managers.
Louis van Gaal, the former Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager, is one of the first to make his thoughts clear.
What has Louis van Gaal said about the Qatar World Cup?
The 70-year-old Dutch football manager took the chance to rant about the competition on Monday. He told a news conference his true feelings about the competition taking place in Qatar.
“Now, everybody knows that I find that ridiculous,” he said, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“It’s ridiculous that we are going to play in a country – how does FIFA say it? – To develop the football there, to develop it better there. That is b******t.
“And how are you doing that? By organising a tournament in that country. But it doesn’t matter; it’s about money, commercial interests. That’s the main motive of FIFA.
“Why do you think that I’m not a member of the commission of FIFA? Because I have always taken my distance against these kinds of organisations. It’s not right, but I can say this directly about Qatar, but this does not help the world get rid of this problem.”
Many fans have opposed the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar, believing the low standards of human rights outweigh the oil-rich economic factors that ultimately led to the winning bid for the competition.
Read: Toni Kross is the latest to speak out against the Qatar World Cup.
Homosexuality is punishable by a prison sentence in Qatar. The government does not recognise same-sex marriages, and women’s rights are another story entirely. As such, many fans are opposed to the idea of going.
How did Holland qualify for Qatar World Cup?
Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands topped their group in qualifying with 23 points.
They had to face off against Turkey, Norway, Montenegro, Latvia and Gibraltar as they secured their place in the competition.
The Netherlands will look forward to getting their feet back in the World Cup after their international downfall in recent years.
Twelve years ago, they reached the final, narrowly losing 1-0 to Spain. They were knocked out in the semi-final four years later by Argentina on penalties. In 2018, however, the Dutch national side didn’t even qualify for the competition.
This time around, they will be eager to prove they belong.
