WITH NO SHORTAGE of controversy surrounding it, the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar in the coming days.
The hosts face Ecuador in Sunday’s opener in Al Khor, with their fellow Group A clash of Senegal and Netherlands, and the Group B meetings of England and Iran, and USA and Wales, all down for decision on Monday.
Reigning champions France get their title defence underway against Australia in Group D on Tuesday night.
There’s plenty of contenders and a big few weeks of football lie ahead, culminating in the final in Lusail on 18 December.
Time for the big question, so:
Who is going to win the World Cup?
Poll Results:
Argentina (2419)
Brazil (1663)
Other (686)
France (683)
Germany (368)
England (304)
Spain (288)
For the latest news coverage on the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022, see here >
What the Fuch is wrong with people!!
@Harry Corry: a lot, sadly
@Harry Corry: to call them people would be to humanize them. Disgusting lot, 6 point deduction and remainder of home games behind closed doors. Third Bulgarian game it has happened in.
@RabidHorizon: wouldn’t be enough. Make them play all qualifiers away from home, give the fans no home games for the next 6 years and see how that suits them.
Kick them out of football for 10 years, no place for racism
@dan o keeffe: absolutely, until there is real punishments countries like Bulgaria and others won’t take threats seriously
@dan o keeffe: Judging by their team 10 year ban or not they’re not gonna be troubling anyone qualifying for a while, shame as its overshadowed a fantastic win for England
@dan o keeffe: If you saw Bulgaria’s captain stand up to those racists on his own at half time you might change your mind. Im not saying that they shouldn’t get a ban, but these countries need to enforce laws so FIFA don’t have to punish the teams and players themselves. Fans in these countries should require some sort of permits to buy tickets.
@Johnny Mads: I agree i saw that, and fair dues to him as captain but if teams are banned supporters might show some respect then for their players and maybe behave themselves
@dan o keeffe: I honestly don’t think so, as they aren’t actual football fans. They’ve no respect for anyone. Just look at all the real Bulgaria fans staring at this ‘mob’ as they left the stadium. Shame. But you’re right that something drastic has to be done to at least try.
Disgraceful behaviour by those so called fans. But doesn’t something similar happen to James MacLean regularly in England. That is equally disgraceful and that should be punished too
@Decko49: James McLean doesn’t get racially abused. It’s not the same thing
@Gary O’Hanlon: Read the lost again. I never said he was racially abused. I said he suffered something similar. He gets lots of abuse for not wearing the poppy and because he’s Irish.
Can anyone tell me how they managed to get those racists to leave the stadium so easliy?
Did the president ring in a threat on the lot of them or what?
Video below: https://twitter.com/VMSportIE/status/1183829806388932608?s=20
@Johnny Mads: I think that group of fans dicided after the game been halted, that they made there point and left of there own accord!!
@jerry kennedy: Either that or they headed outside the stadium to plan more trouble after the game. Clear minority runining for the rest as usual. Can’t be that hard for Bulgaria to come down on them heavy if they really wanted to !
@Johnny Mads: I’d say once they’re challenged they show they have no backbone.
https://twitter.com/Irishchaz47/status/1183829437030289409?s=19
English fans are Angels
Lets be fair,everyone on first hearing the story about the chants,were not sure which set of fans were doing the chanting ! No high moral ground for the three lions im afraid.
@Gerry Campbell: Harsh. There wouldn’t be any of that in travelling England fans. Not saying they’re a nice bunch of chaps or anything but..
@Gerry Campbell: aye – let’s just ignore what actually happened and let’s make judgement based on what you think could have happened! Out of interest, in your hypothetical world, what did you think the score was going to be? I have a losing bet on 4-1 so just want to see if I can go back to the bookies and tell them that Gerry Campbell thought that would be the result.