Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set to defy FIFA’s campaign for captains to wear only official armbands with selected slogans at World Cup games.
“Yes,” the veteran goalkeeper said when asked at the Germany training camp about overriding a new FIFA project backed by United Nations agencies.
Denmark is also not backing down, playmaker Christian Eriksen said Saturday.
The launch a day before the opening World Cup match seemed designed to supplant a pledge by European teams to wear their own armbands as part of a Netherlands-led anti-discrimination campaign drawing attention to host nation Qatar’s laws and record on human rights issues.
World Cup rules require that equipment such as captains’ armbands must be authorized and provided by FIFA, but Neuer said he will wear the “One Love” design even if it comes with a fine.
“It’s good that we have the power with other nations in western Europe,” Neuer said.
Although Germany does not play until Wednesday, against Japan, three teams which joined the “One Love” campaign in September will play on Monday: England, the Netherlands and Wales.
FIFA had not directly addressed the Europeans’ request several weeks ago for permission to wear the heart-shaped, multi-colored logo, then unveiled its proposal on Saturday.
The FIFA choice of slogans for group games include “SaveThePlanet,” “ProtectChildren” and “ShareTheMeal.”
“These campaigns have taken into account feedback received from our member associations who, like FIFA, are committed to using the power of football to effect positive change around the world,” the soccer body said.
The slogan “NoDiscrimination” — the only one that aligns with the European teams' wish — is scheduled to appear at the quarterfinal stage.
“Obviously the short notice is surprising,” Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff said within two hours of the announcement. “It looks as if FIFA doesn’t have a clear stance.”
Denmark starts on Tuesday against Tunisia and captain Simon Kjaer should be wearing the “One Love” armband.
“What the consequences will be, I don’t know,” Eriksen said at a news conference where he wore a plain black T-shirt for practice.
Denmark has the option of playing in a black game jersey, the color of mourning for migrant workers who died helping build infrastructure needed for hosting the tournament.
Denmark sporting director Peter Moller described the timing of FIFA's announcement as “a little bit strange."
“We think the (armband) that we are playing with,” Moller said, "is an even stronger statement.”
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Qatar coach: Team must shut out 'noise' in World Cup opener
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez says criticism of the World Cup host will not be allowed to destabilize his team.
Qatar kicks off the tournament against Ecuador on Sunday with the eyes of the world on the emirate, which has faced criticism for its human rights record, including its treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ community.
Sanchez, a Spaniard who led Qatar to triumph in the 2019 Asian Cup, said he and his players have had to shut out the issues that have surrounded the conservative Muslim nation in the run-up to the tournament.
“The best thing that can happen is to focus on football, keep calm and avoid the noise and rumours,” he said Saturday. “Obviously we don’t like it when people criticize our country. We managed to have great preparation, kept calm and that’s how we planned this.”
Sanchez dismissed as “misinformation” an unsubstantiated rumour that attempts had been made to bribe Ecuador players ahead of the match.
“For many, many years we’ve been training and preparing. We are together strong. No one will be able to destabilize us," he said. "We are motivated and happy to play in the World Cup tomorrow. We need to control our emotions and bring our A game and don’t take anything else into account.”
Qatar, which is playing its first World Cup, is in Group A together with Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
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Palestinian leader quietly in Qatar for World Cup opening
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Doha on Saturday to attend the World Cup opening ceremony, Qatar's news agency reported, in a visit unannounced by the Palestinians.
Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, with a highlighted section dedicated to covering the daily activities of Abbas, did not report his trip to Qatar.
This apparently followed an outcry at home over leaked documents purportedly showing the embattled leader traveling to Qatar with a large entourage of close family members and aids. The documents, which appeared earlier this month but were not independently authenticated, also showed hotel bills of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The papers first appeared on social media pages associated with Hamas, the militant group that rules the Gaza Strip since ousting pro-Abbas forces in 2007.
Based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has increasingly become unpopular over accusations of corruption, silencing of critics, and mismanagement that exasperated its financial crisis. Hamas, which runs Gaza under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade and repeated conflicts with Israel, is not faring any better.
The 2022 World cup in Qatar kicks off Sunday.
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Canada enters 1st World Cup in 36 years plagued by injuries
Canada coach John Herdman spoke of the thrill that striker Alphonso Davies felt arriving this week in Doha — Canada's first appearance in the World Cup in 36 years.
“He's really excited," Herdman said Saturday with Canada opening next week against Belgium. "Who wouldn’t be when you see an 80-foot poster of yourself when you are driving into your hotel.”
But some of the thrill is already gone for Davies and Canada. The poster might even be false advertising if Davies can't take the field.
Bayern Munich's rising star and Canada's best player may not be able to play against Belgium, nursing a hamstring injury that has kept him out of recent World Cup warmups.
Herdman said Davies was “still building toward top speed. But he hasn't hit that top speed yet.”
“When you have hamstring injuries, there's always the key moment," Herdman added. "That’s when the hamstring is pushed, pushed to its limits.”
Herdman didn't say it flat out, but hinted that he's leaning toward keeping him out against Belgium, hoping he heals for matches against Morocco and Croatia in Group F.
The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the knockout round of 16.
Herdman said Belgium was probably the best team that Canada has faced since playing Brazil more than a decade ago.
“We’ve got to get this one right because it could be a long tournament for Canada," Herdman said, meaning Canada might surprise and survive the group stage. "And that’s the last thing I want is for Alphonso to miss this.”
Having Davies injured is bad enough. But two other top Canadian players are also questionable with injuries: playmaking midfielder Stephen Eustaquio and No. 1 goalkeeper Milan Borjan.
Some would say they're Canada's top three players.
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Infantino scolds World Cup critics in extraordinary diatribe
FIFA president Gianni Infantino targeted European critics of World Cup host Qatar on Saturday and suggested a moral double standard in his home continent.
Infantino listed Europe's problems on the eve of Qatar kicking off its home tournament that has been dogged for years by criticism of the emirate's record on human rights and treatment of migrant workers who built stadiums and infrastructure.
"What we Europeans have been doing for the past 3,000 years we should be apologizing for the next 3,000 years before we start giving moral lessons to people," Infantino said to hundreds of international media.
He said Qatar and capital city Doha will be ready to host the "best World Cup ever."
"Today I feel Qatari," Infantino said. "Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel a migrant worker."
Infantino related the criticism to bullying and discrimination he said he experienced as a child of Italian parents who moved to work in Switzerland.
He said European nations now closed its borders to immigrants who wanted to work there, whereas Qatar had offered opportunities to workers from India, Bangladesh and other southeast Asian nations through legal channels.
Migrant laborers who built Qatar's World Cup stadiums often worked long hours under harsh conditions and were subjected to discrimination, wage theft and other abuses as their employers evaded accountability, London-based rights group Equidem said in a 75-page report released this month.
Under heavy international scrutiny, Qatar has enacted a number of labor reforms in recent years that have been praised by Equidem and other rights groups. But advocates say abuses are still widespread and that workers have few avenues for redress.
"What has been put on the table in the past few months is something quite incredible," the FIFA leader said of criticism of Qatar from Western media.
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Italian referee Orsato picked to officiate World Cup opener
Italian referee Daniele Orsato was chosen Friday to handle the opening game of the World Cup.
FIFA picked Orsato for Sunday's match between host Qatar and Ecuador, describing him as "one of Europe's most experienced referees." He turns 47 on Wednesday.
Until 2016, FIFA imposed a mandatory age limit of 45 on match officials for international games.
Orsato, who was a video review official at the last World Cup, refereed the 2020 Champions League final when Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0. He worked three games at last year's European Championship, which was won by his home country.
Italian referees have one of the best reputations in the modern era of World Cups, handling two of the past five finals.
FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina officiated the 2002 final and Nicola Rizzoli was picked for the 2014 final.
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Nicki Minaj, Maluma, Myriam Fares release World Cup anthem
Hip hop star Nicki Minaj has teamed up with Colombian singer-songwriter Maluma and Lebanese singer Myriam Fares for the latest addition to the official soundtrack of the World Cup in Qatar.
The single "Tukoh Taka," with lyrics in English, Spanish and Arabic, was released on Friday, two days ahead of the start of the tournament.
It's the latest in a series of songs by artists from around the world released as part of FIFA's official soundtrack of the 2022 World Cup.
Maluma and Myriam Fares will perform at the opening of the FIFA fan festival in Doha on Saturday.
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German soccer boss criticizes FIFA on human rights campaigns
German soccer federation president Bernd Neuendorf has criticized FIFA for its attempts to restrict national teams' political activities when it comes to human rights.
Speaking at Germany's first news conference in Qatar ahead of the World Cup, Neuendorf said on Friday he was particularly annoyed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino's letter two weeks ago urging teams to "focus on the football" and leave political issues aside.
"That the topic of human rights should now no longer play a role, that we are now concentrating here on football only, that irritated us to a certain extent and disturbed us," Neuendorf said.
He added the federation had to send a signal to show it will not be silenced.
Neuendorf also referred to FIFA's decision to ban the Denmark team from bearing the slogan "Human Rights For All" on training jerseys.
"That was declared as a political statement and therefore prohibited," Neuendorf said. "We're not talking about a political decision that can be made one way or the other with a slogan like 'Human Rights For All.' It's about human rights. And human rights are universal and binding all over the world."
Neuendorf said Germany was cooperating with other European federations who want their captains to wear an armband with a rainbow heart design during World Cup games to protest against discrimination.
"It's not a political statement, because it's a statement for human rights," said Neuendorf, who added if it was banned, "I would be quite prepared to accept a fine as well."