That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Nick Ames’ report on a pretty strange football match. Thanks for your company and emails – gooddnight.
Updated
Tomorrow’s games
England v Iran (1pm GMT)
Senegal v Netherlands (4pm)
USA v Wales (7pm)
Statgasm There were 11 shots in the entire game, which is apparently the joint lowest since folk started recording such things in 1966.
Here’s Jim Waterson on the opening ceremony
“Under Tim Howard, the USMNT was a shining example of how with a crappy team, an awesome goalkeeper can save you from severe national embarrassment (to the maximum extent possible, i.e. not qualifying for Russia 2018 can never be forgotten), while also serving as a source of fierce pride,” writes Liisa Sletzinger. “I feel for Alsheeb. In other news, we’ll see how tomorrow goes without Howard.”
Brad Friedel is still going strong though, right? I still have nightmares about his performance against Manchester United in 2004, and 2005, and 2006, and 2007, and 2008.
A bit of England news, because that’s what we’re here for. Fifa have apparently banned Harry Kane from wearing a OneLove armband, and the FA are trying to find out what punishment they will face if he does so.
Chris Morris is really excelling himself here.
Updated
Full time: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador
Who needs a drink? That was a forgettable and slightly weird opening game, won emphatically by Ecuador. Enner Valencia scored both goals in the first half, the second a memorable header, and Qatar rarely looked like getting back in the game. Almoez Ali missed their only clear chance in first-half injury time.
Ecuador didn’t need to score any more goals, so they didn’t bother (although they might regret that if the group is decided by goal difference). Qatar become the first host team to lose the opening game of a World Cup, and the whole experience seems to have driven Jonathan Wilson to madness. Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny!
Qatar 0 Ecuador 2. pic.twitter.com/9M9i6HwUHJ
— Jonathan Wilson (@jonawils) November 20, 2022
Updated
90+5 min The substitute Rodriguez misses a half chance, heading Estupinan’s corner well wide. I think he saw it late.
90+1 min There will be 12 years of added time.
Updated
90 min: Ecuador substitution Alan Franco and Kevin Rodriguez, replace Estrada and the ever excellent Caicedo.
87 min “What sort of punishment should Qatari leaders receive for hosting a tournament for which they didn’t had a proper team?” wonders Yash Gupta. “VIP seat in the next World Cup draw and maybe hosting a Champions League final looks plausible.”
Updated
86 min: Just over from Muntari! That almost got things going. The substitute Muntari made a superb run onto a long, straight pass down the inside-right channel. The ball bounced up nicely on the edge of the area, and he struck a booming shot on the run that rippled the roof of the net.
Updated
86 min Ecuador break four on three, but Sarmiento overhits his through pass to Estrada.
85 min There’s very little urgency from Qatar, who look happy with the relative dignity of a 2-0 defeat. In truth, the second half has been dreadful.
82 min Mendez goes down after a slight touch in the face from Waad. Plata curls the free-kick straight out of play.
82 min Sanchez throws his hands in disgust when Alsheeb hoofs the ball straight out of play. Qatar have been so disappointing.
Official attendance here at the Al Bayt is 67,372. Or was.
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
79 min Sarmiento misses a great chance, wafting over from 10 yards, though it wouldn’t have counted because somebody, Estupinan I think, was offside in the build up.
78 min Afif is booked for a poor tackle on Plata.
Updated
77 min “Since half-time, Qatar’s fullbacks have pushed further up the field, which has kept Ecuador’s wingers from surging up the flanks,” writes Kári Tulinius. “I think that’s the main tactical reason for the differences between the two halves.”
76 min: Ecuador substitution Enner Valencia, who scored both goals in the first half, is replaced by Jhon Cifuente.
76 min Enner Valencia is down again, holding his right knee. This time I’m confident it’s a genuine injury.
Ecuador kick off the World Cup today.
— The Upshot (@UpshotTowers) November 20, 2022
Here's their captain Enner Valencia faking an injury to avoid getting arrested over £13k of unpaid child support.
The former Everton striker was driven away on a stretcher while 13 policemen gave chase. pic.twitter.com/oNCfKMbj6t
75 min Afif has a bit of time to line up a drive from 25 yards, but he swishes it high over the bar. He’s been really disappointing.
Updated
74 min The Qatar coach Felix Sanchez has hand over his mouth, his eyes focussing on a point roughly 1,000 yards in the distance.
73 min Sarmieno is fouled on the left edge of the area by Miguel. Estupinan curls the free-kick towards the near post, Hatem heads clear.
71 min: Qatar substitution Mohammed Waad and Mohammed Muntari replace the captain Hassan Alhaydos and Almoez Ali, who missed Qatar’s best chance on the stroke of half-time.
69 min There are two ways of looking at this non-event of a second half. One, that Qatar have restricted Ecuador to half chances; two, that Ecuador don’t need any more goals and have played within themselves.
Updated
68 min: Ecuador substitution Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento replaces the excellent Romario Ibarra in midfield.
66 min Nothing is happening on the field. Off it, on the other hand…
May not see this guy again. pic.twitter.com/KjWUUCwite
— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) November 20, 2022
Has anyone ever seen a worse team at the World Cup than Qatar?
— Paul Doyle (@Paul_Doyle) November 20, 2022
64 min “Imagine having Infantino’s confidence though,” dreams Ian Copestake. “I would definitely have landed that teaching job in Aberystwyth.”
63 min Preciado is back on the field.
62 min Hassan drives an angled cross towards the far post, where Pedro Miguel gets in front of Estupinan and slams a good header back across goal that goes a few yards out. He was a long way out, almost Steve Nicol territory, so that was a decent effort.
Updated
61 min Preciado is off the field receiving treatment. He seemed to pull something when he booted the ball downfield.
60 min “I am starting to feel sorry for the players of Qatar,” says Mary Waltz. “They look shell shocked, as if their limbs are frozen.”
Yes, I suspect they are better than this. And they will be against Senegal when, after a minor change to Fifa’s eligibility rules, Erling Haaland, Andy Robertson and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia make their World Cup debuts.
Updated
59 min Hatem is fortunate not to be booked for a hack at the impressive Plata.
57 min According to the Fifa possession stats, Ecuador lead 44-42.
56 min Mendez is booked for scraping his studs down Afif’s shin.
Updated
55 min: Good save from Alsheeb! Ibarra cuts inside Bassam on the edge of the area and whips a curling shot that is pushed away by Alsheeb, diving to his left. It was a relatively comfortable stop.
53 min Plata shuffles past two players, keeps his balance despite being fouled and curls in a good cross that just evades both Estrada and Valencia in the middle.
53 min “TV has just shown a close up of the most vocal Qatar fans,” says Colin Stevens. “on’t think I could see one woman amongst them.”
Except women, judging by that crowd video. https://t.co/lAqScWrwvW
— Andrew Downie (@adowniebrazil) November 20, 2022
Updated
52 min The right-back Preciado shoots from 30 yards, and blooters it into the crowd.
51 min Ibarra moves into the penalty box from the left but then underhits a relatively simple pass to someone (nope, not a clue) on the edge of the area.
50 min Nothing much is happening at the moment. These sides play again on Friday – Qatar against Senegal, Ecuador against Louis van Gaal’s army.
Updated
Lots of empty seats as the second half of Qatar v Ecuador kicks off. Those fans can't all be in the £18,000 executive boxes getting sloshed ...
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
Updated
49 min Qatar are having more of the ball at the start of the second half, though so far it’s all been in front of the Ecuador defence.
47 min “I rather like the ‘in contest’ possession stat, assuming it accounts for 50/50 balls and such,” says Tracy Mohr. “However, what on earth is ‘offers to receive’?”
A foreign language?
46 min Peep peep! Ecuador begin the second half.
The players are back out on the field, including Enner Valencia, whose knee injury mustn’t be too bad.
“Changing the fixtures and insisting on featuring in the showpiece opening game probably seemed a much better idea when the Qataris thought they wouldn’t be played off the park,” says David Wall.
2-0 to Ecuador at half time.
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) November 20, 2022
Qatar need three goals....and they are:
Women's Equality
Gay Rights
Humanitarian Working Conditions.
My name is Ben Elton - goodnight!#QatarWorldCup2022
“In addition to two goals, one disallowed goal and just about everything else so far,” begins Dan Almond, “Enner Valencia has also drawn three fouls from Qatar, each of which resulted in a yellow card. Surely no player will do more in 45 minutes of football in this tournament.”
Half time: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador
There are some things money can’t buy. The hosts Qatar have been completely outplayed by Ecuador, who lead through two goals from their captain Enner Valencia. The first was a penalty, the second a majestic header. He also had a goal ruled out for offside, a slightly confusing but ultimately correct decision.
Qatar have looked very nervous, particularly their goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb. His opposite number, Hernan Galindez, hasn’t had a save to make.
45+5 min: Chance for Qatar! Almoez Ali almost pulls one back with the last touch of the half. Hassan Alhaydos curled a brilliant first-time cross from the right, but the unmarked Ali steered a header well wide from six yards.
Apparently that was Qatar’s first touch in the Ecuador penalty area.
Updated
45 min Five minutes of added time, mainly for that first VAR check.
44 min Valencia is on his feet, though he’s limping heavily.
43 min Valencia is down holding his knee. This doesn’t look good – there was a hyper-extension after he challenged Boudiaf.
Updated
40 min Afif breaks promisingly down the left, but is easily dispossessed by Mendez. Qatar have been so meek on the ball.
Feel sorry for the Qatari players. They have frozen here. but the moment is just so huge, 12 years in the making, high level for them. these guys are carrying a lot of weight
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) November 20, 2022
Updated
40 min “Enner Valencia is a left-footed strike away from a perfect hat trick in the opening match of a World Cup!” coos Peter Oh. “The way he’s tearing it up I wouldn’t be surprised if he also scores with his chest and backside.”
A rear-Enner, as nobody will be calling it.
39 min I didn’t expect Qatar to win the whole thing, but I didn’t expect this either.
Expect amazingly bad at football
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) November 20, 2022
38 min “In this case the new possession stat is very much a good piece of progress,” says Dan Naylor. “The old way of calculating possession is insanely bad. It’s just if I had 300 passes and your team had 200 then my team would have had 60% of the possession. That could ignore one team just standing on the ball letting the clock run out, or making lots of slow lethargic passes around when they have the ball and are killing off the game, where some other team is being pressed early on makes lots of quick passes that eventually earn in a turnover.
“The real possession metric should be time on the ball and i think many people just assume that’s what the possession stat is. That this is finally being rectified in 2022 is crazy but better late than never?”
Isn’t this new method just more confusing?
36 min Karim Boudiaf is booked for a foul on Valencia.
Updated
34 min Here’s that second goal.
Enner Valencia at the double!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 20, 2022
What a header that is! 🔥#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/K0veh1avAJ
GOAL GIVEN! Caicedo laid a simple ball back to Preciado, who swung a lovely first-time cross towards the far post. Valencia ran away from Pedro Miguel, strained his neck muscles and powered a brilliant downward header into the corner. Alsheeb had no chance.
Updated
VAR check – he might be offside.
Updated
GOAL! Qatar 0-2 Ecuador (Valencia 31)
Enner Valencia makes it 2-0 with a storming header!
Updated
29 min Ibarra wafts over from distance, then Caicedo is booked for a foul on Pedro Miguel. I think I missed a yellow card for Almoez Ali a few minutes ago as well.
28 min Ecuador are in complete control. I would tell you how much possession they’ve had, but Fifa have introduced an odd three-way possession measurement: Qatar, In Contest and Ecuador.
I told you this tournament was a platform for progress.
26 min “Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I think the West should concentrate on 150 years of its own dodgy offside decisions before criticising the Qataris. #iamnicolaberti"
25 min Qatar have their first extended spell of possession until the diligent Plata boots the ball away.
23 min No host team has ever lost the opening game of the tournament. Football is a funny old game, but at the moment, Qatar look out of their depth.
Updated
22 min Okay, I think this clears up the offside decision. I thought Estrada headed it to himself, but if it was Torres who got the touch then Estrada was offside.
This is what happened with the disallowed goal. The ball came off Felix Torres, who was challenging the keeper.
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) November 20, 2022
It fell to Michael Estrada, whose foot you can see in an offside position. He headed the ball back to Torres.
Correct VAR decision! #QatarWorldCup2022 #QATECU pic.twitter.com/451TjTjGYK
20 min Estrada heads over from Estupinan’s cross, though it wouldn’t have counted because Estupinan was just offside when he ran onto Hincapie’s clever pass. Qatar are being completely outplayed at the moment.
Good to see Pervis back in all yellow
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) November 20, 2022
Updated
18 min That offside decision is starting to look dodgier, by the way. If Estrada was penalised – and that’s what the official graphic suggested – I think it’s a mistake because he headed the ball to himself.
It was a lovely penalty. He waited for Alsheeb to dive and then stroked the ball arrogantly into the bottom-right corner.
Updated
GOAL! Qatar 0-1 Ecuador (Valencia 16 pen)
For the second time in the game, Enner Valencia puts Ecuador 1-0 up.
Updated
PENALTY TO ECUADOR!
15 min Poor Saad Alsheeb is having a nightmare. He’s slow off his line and brings down Enner Valencia, a clear penalty. He might a bit lucky to only receive a yellow card, as I’m not certain he was going for the ball.
Updated
14 min Okay, the official graphic now says Michael Estrada was offside, not the goalscorer Valencia. Now I really want to see that again.
13 min Ecuador continue to dominate, though they haven’t had any clear chances since Valencia thought he had put them ahead. I’d want to see his disallowed goal again to be sure but my instinct is that it’s one of those joylessly correct decisions that are a speciality of VAR. And that it’s about time we all recognised that this tournament is a platform for progress.
Updated
11 min “They’ve got you too Rob???” says Mike Nicholson.
Look, I just think this is a platform for progress.
9 min Ecuador are starting to dominate possession. We’re yet to see much of Qatar’s front two, Akram Afif and Almoez Ali.
8 min There’s plenty of talk of the game being fixed, but I do think that Valencia was legitimately – if marginally – offside.
6 min As someone at Guardian Towers has just said, the goalkeeper’s incompetence saved Qatar. When he missed the original free-kick, it hit the head of an Ecuador player (I think), at which point there was only one defender (and no goalkeeper) between Valencia and the goal. It was very tight, but I think that’s what happened.
Either that or my £5 bet on Qatar to win the tournament at 1,000-1 is looking very good.
Updated
NO GOAL! Qatar 0-0 Ecuador
I assume that, because the keeper was so far off his line, Valencia was offside when the original free-kick was headed up in the air.
Updated
There’s a VAR check, I think for offside.
Updated
That was a bad mistake by the goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb. He came a long way off his line in an attempt to punch the free-kick clear, didn’t get there and was out of the game as a result. Felix Torres hooked the ball back across the area, and Enner Valencia powered a header into the net from four yards.
Updated
GOAL! Qatar 0-1 Ecuador (Valencia 3)
A nightmare start for Qatar!
Updated
3 min Caicedo is wiped out just inside the Qatar half, which gives Ecuador a free-kick. From which…
2 min “Those are two utterly superb football strips for an opening game,” says Paul Jaines. “Surely no better for an opening game?”
They are very nice, but one game – and one image – springs to mind.
1 min Peep peep! Qatar kick off before the stadium announcer has finished his countdown. That was a bit odd.
The captain Hassan Alhaydos and Enner Valencia greet each other warmly and exchange pennants. Qatar ’22, the 22nd World Cup, is finally about to begin.
The Qatar players lock arms for their anthem, which is sung quietly on the field and with increasing fervour off it.
The Ecuador players are belting out their anthem, with the goalkeeper Hernan Galindez in the Zamorano role.
The teams of Qatar and Ecuador stroll out of the tunnel, into the biggest game of their lives. Here we go!
Here’s what the big guy had to say
Dear friends, welcome to the Fifa World Cup, Qatar 2022. Welcome to celebrate football, because football unites the world. And now, let’s welcome the teams and let the show begin. All the best to everyone.
Oh lord, somebody’s given Infantino the mic again.
Updated
Wales department
“I have literally just heard Wayne Hennessey say that Gareth Bale ‘is full of spirits’,” says Ian Copestake. “This is surely wrong on at least two levels, no?”
He’s just peddling his own misspelt cognac.
It’s less than half an hour until this thing finally kicks off. I’m off to grab a coffee, and then I’ll see you for Qatar v Ecuador.
Ecuador fans in fine voice as the teams warm up pic.twitter.com/mFHCDlwPPB
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
“Watching both BBC and Fox streams from home in NY,” says Mike Messenie. “Count yourselves amongst the lucky in the UK. Fox coverage is shocking, there hasn’t been a word about human rights, et al. Surprised to not see Murdoch sat by Infantino and MBS.”
This is the report on the controversies around Qatar being host of the World Cup that just played on @BBCOne as @GaryLineker begins @BBCSport's coverage of the tournament. pic.twitter.com/LSrcwebx1O
— Ros Atkins (@BBCRosAtkins) November 20, 2022
Updated
“Loved the Mexico ‘86 highlight reel,” says Guy Tayler. “Always loved that the goal nets were pulled back really far, making the goal have four top corners, which made all the long range screamers look even better. And that Denmark team…”
Someone should write a book about them.
Updated
“I’m glad they showed the Emir playing football and the crowd cheering,” writes Mark Mason. I was getting worried this might seem like some massive cult.”
Crowd here in Al Bayt particularly loved the old video footage of the Emir playing football from, what, the 70s or 80s. Load cheers, especially when the cameras cut to him smiling in the stadium.
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
Experts say Qatar’s national strategy, with its huge wealth, is to differentiate itself from its huge neighbour Saudi Arabia, as a country that brings people together and can resolve conflict.
— David Conn (@david_conn) November 20, 2022
World Cup opening ceremony a global broadcast of just that image, and of Qatari power. https://t.co/5qrAVtoQpO
Qatar v Ecuador team news
Qatar (5-3-2) Saad Alsheeb; Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Bassam Hisham, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Ahmed; Abdulaziz Hatem, Hassan Alhaydos, Karim Boudiaf; Akram Afif, Almoez Ali.
Substitutes: Mohammed Waad, Tarek Salman, Ahmed Alaaeldin, Yousof Hassan, Meshaal Barsham, Ali Assaballa, Mohammed Muntari, Musaab Khidir, Ismail Mohamad, Khalid Muneer, Salem Al Hajri, Assim Madibo, Naif Abdulraheem, Jassem Gaber, Mostafa Tarek Meshaal.
Ecuador (4-4-2) Galindez; A Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra; Valencia, Estrada.
Substitutes: Arboleda, Cifuentes, Pacho, Gruezo, E Preciado, Ramirez, Arreaga, Mena, Sarmiento, Palacios, Franco, Dominguez, Reasco, Porozo, Rodriguez.
Referee Daniele Orsato (Italy).
Ready and raring to go! 😎 #AlAnnabi #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/AojWqzN4g1
— Qatar Football Association (@QFA_EN) November 20, 2022
Updated
There are wild cheers as Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stands up to speak.
“Welcome and good luck to all,” were the only words in English, but I’m sure the rest will be translated imminently.
Updated
“Football spans the world, unites nations in their love of the beautiful game,” says Morgan Freeman. “What brings together nations, brings together communities.”
It’s remarkably insulting piffle, let’s be honest.
Now it’s time for La’eeb, the tournament mascot, who is floating round the stadium while another dance routine is performed. Then he makes way for BTS’s Jung Kook, who belts out his new song Dreamers. Good lad.
‘Dreamers’ Official Fan Chanthttps://t.co/rmdMVW2mK6
— UnitedMasters (@unitedmasters) November 20, 2022
Let Jung Kook hear your voice at the opening ceremony #BTSARMY! 💜#Dreamers2022 #FIFAWorldCup #JungKook #정국
This isn’t the same John Cook who pushed Nick Faldo all the way in the 92 Open, is it?
— Jonathan Wilson (@jonawils) November 20, 2022
Updated
After a display of the 32 flags, and what looked like walking replica shirts, it’s time for another dance routine, this time by people dressed all in red and wearing what look like VR goggles. We’re in an alternate reality all right.
Updated
Visually, the ceremony is remarkably impressive – I honestly can’t do it justice, and it’s got nothing to do with a fear of saying the wrong thing and being cancelled before Qatar v Ecuador has even kicked off – although I’m not sure about the hypnotic chants of ‘Please Don’t Take Me Home’ and ‘Ole Ole Ole’.
“There is a common thread of hope, jubilation and respect,” says Morgan Freeman, whose surname suddenly feels like an act of trolling.
Updated
Morgan Freeman is on the stage, talking about unity, while … I don’t know how to begin describing this. Just watch it. Chris Morris has excelled himself.
Finally, what it’s all been for: the power for Qatar to bring the world to it, and globally broadcast a chosen image for itself.
— David Conn (@david_conn) November 20, 2022
Gianni Infantino sitting between the ruler, the Emir, and Mohamed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, football’s place in the world. https://t.co/bF2ggAdqfH
Serious royalty here … pic.twitter.com/scdZnOVgZh
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
Updated
Qatar 2022 is under way!
The lights have been dimmed at the Al Bayt Stadium, and the opening ceremony is about to begin.
England latest
Well, this is awkward. The UK TV coverage doesn’t begin for another 22 minutes, so I don’t know whether the opening ceremony is happening as I type. Tremendous. If I’ve missed Robbie Williams I’ll be filthy.
Updated
Netherlands latest
The atmosphere is building! 😁#Qatar2022 | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/jpH28QL2Ze
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 20, 2022
It’s nearly time for the opening ceremony. You’d better have brought those moves.
The #FIFAWorldCup is here... which means it's time to #BringTheMoves!
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) November 20, 2022
Kids, create your celebrations! Players, answer the challenge and #BringTheMoves 🕺
Find out how to get involved:
“I was five when Mexico 86 was in full flow,” writes Matt Gaw. “I remember Maradona’s second goal as something truly special... but maybe not quite as special as hearing my dad say the C-word for the first time in response to Diego’s flappy hand. Happy days.”
It’s an open goal, sure, but Jamie Carragher has finished with aplomb
Say hello to my big mate Keysie @GNev2 😘 pic.twitter.com/wroN1XqTn7
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) November 20, 2022
Updated
On the way to Qatar 2022 opener. It’s fairly mindboggling to be saying this, on various levels. Somewhere among everything Ecuador will play football, probably pretty well, and here’s an interview with their three representatives from … Brighton: https://t.co/DlgKtOa8sY
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) November 20, 2022
Spain latest
Here’s another good story from Reuters. It might also be a good question for the Knowledge.
Spain winger Ferran Torres faces big challenges at the World Cup in Qatar but his relationship with the daughter of national team coach Luis Enrique is not one of them, according to the Barcelona player.
“Not at all,” Torres told a news conference on Sunday when asked whether he felt pressure because of the relationship.
“I think the coach and I, we know how to differentiate between when it’s family and when we are manager and player. I think we have to get on with it in a natural way, just that and we’re getting along fine.”
Torres, 22, went public about his relationship with Sira Martinez, a Spanish show-jumper who is also 22, this year.
Luis Enrique joked about it on Saturday when he was asked which of the Spain players represented an extension of him on the field of play.
“Very easy - it’s Mr Ferran Torres - otherwise my daughter will come after me and chop off my head,” the coach said in an online chat.
The former Manchester City winger is one of several young players trusted by Luis Enrique as he seeks to build a new Spanish powerhouse to rival the team who won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
“We are a team with a lot ahead of us, we are very young,” Torres said. “The young ones, we are very hungry, very ambitious and keen to show off our football.”
Updated
“Conflicted as I am about watching the damn thing, I resort to The Guardian’s liveblog to follow the shenanigans as per usual,” says Giancarlo Sandoval. “All I can say is holding both the sham that is this World Cup and the actual football together will prove difficult, but I am glad to have a conflicted liveblog rather than one that pretends that this whole thing is not riddled with horrifying issues. Vamos!”
I sometimes wonder if that makes us worse. I’m conflicted about being conflicted!
“If you spell Qatar’s star player’s surname backwards, you get ‘Fifa’,” writes Admir Pajic, “which is ironic because when Fifa goes backwards, you get a November/December World Cup in Qatar.”
Updated
Now that’s a view
Arrived! Cracking view too … pic.twitter.com/Qv0C9v2XQR
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
Meanwhile, here’s my view.
Updated
Nostalgia corner
I’m not sure any World Cup has produced as many great goals – or iconic commentaries – as Mexico 86. This is a thing of soul-stirring beauty.
“Hi Rob,” writes Beth. “Everyone is rightly highlighting migrant worker deaths, human rights abuses, LGBTQ stance, etc. yet hardly anyone is mentioning what a crap deal women get in Qatar. They do not live as equals.
“I am a member of the LGBTQ clan so obviously hold those issues very close to my heart, but as a woman I’d have a significantly more limited and less free existence if i was born in Qatar. I do not understand why more people are not speaking about this. Can you shed any light?”
I wish I could. Though it’s impossible to quantify, it does feel like the issue of women’s rights has been relatively underreported (even though there have been some good pieces). I don’t know the answer, but I suspect it’s not a pleasant one.
A World Cup isn’t a World Cup without an email from Gary Naylor
“Prompted by Ian Copestake’s first email of the tournament, I was about to draft the last email of the tournament, looking back on outrageously unlikely events, deadpanning all the way. But I can’t quite find the seam of levity to mine (it’s not just that the humour shrivels on the screen, it just won’t come).
“Maybe it takes a genius like David Squires, but even he has gone for education over entertainment so far. Football eh? Bloody Hell! Alas, for too many, a description not an exclamation.”
This is a cracking read
Get in the mood for later: a look at what constitutes the perfect World Cup, and our responsibility as regards this one. https://t.co/Immw9EcsZ8
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) November 20, 2022
France decide not to replace Benzema
And here’s a third.
France coach Didier Deschamps has decided not to replace injured striker Karim Benzema in his World Cup squad, leaving the reigning champions with 25 players for their title defence.
Benzema trained with the squad for the first time since arriving in Qatar on Saturday but was forced to leave the session early with a thigh injury and scans ruled him out of the tournament.
Asked on Sunday by TeleFoot whether he would replace the Ballon d’Or winner in his squad, Deschamps said “No”.
“This is a quality group,” he added. “In everything they do, both on and off the pitch, they are united. I have confidence in them.”
France open their campaign against Australia on Tuesday and also play Tunisia and Denmark in Group D.
Updated
Depay to miss Senegal game
Here’s another Reuters report on an injured attacker.
Memphis Depay will miss out on the Netherlands’ opening World Cup game against Senegal, coach Louis van Gaal said on Sunday.
The forward hurt his hamstring playing for the Dutch against Poland in the Nations League in September but this week told reporters he was fit to play after participating in training.
“It will be a blow for us just like Sadio Mane missing for Senegal is a blow for them,” Van Gaal said of Monday’s Group A clash against the African champions in Doha.
Van Gaal has insisted that players selected for matches be 100 per cent match fit and in form.
Brass tacks department
Lukaku likely to miss Belgium’s first two games
Here’s a Reuters story on the news that divisive goal machine Romelu Lukaku probably won’t be fit until Belgium’s final group game. Buy shares in Michy Batshuayi while you can .
Belgium’s record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku trained apart from the squad on Sunday as uncertainty over his fitness continued to cast a shadow over the team’s World Cup campaign.
Lukaku, 29, has made two substitute appearances in the last four months at club level as he struggles with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to be ready for Belgium’s opening Group F clashes against Canada on Wednesday and Morocco, officials told a news conference on Sunday.
His situation is being evaluated on a daily basis, and the objective is to have him available for the last group game against Croatia on December 1.
Lukaku is a key part of a Belgian side hoping to live up to their lofty Fifa ranking of second in the world. He has scored a record 68 goals in 102 internationals.
Wing back Thomas Meunier also trained individually as he continues his recovery from a cheekbone fracture. He played 20 minutes in Friday’s friendly loss to Egypt in Kuwait City.
Leandro Trossard returned to training after a light injury, as did back-up goalkeeper Koen Casteels and attacker Thorgan Hazard.
Say cheese
Steven Bloor has selected some of the most eye-catching player portraits, including a smouldering Jack Grealish and a man with a nickname you’ll never be able to forget.
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World Cup briefing: day one
Throughout the tournament, we’ll have a World Cup briefing every morning. The first has been lovingly penned by Gregg Bakowski.
Some news from the USA camp
🇺🇸©️ @tyler_adams14 has been named #USMNT Captain for the 2022 @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/NpyE9QDvcZ
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 20, 2022
The US play Wales tomorrow in a mouthwatering match that might ultimately decide whether they reach the last 16. Or it might not.
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The first email of the tournament comes from Ian Copestake
"I started a very long email (Infantino length!) as this event brings up so many thoughts, memories, issues. But ‘at the end of the day’ I just want to say I am here for you, bro’! So glad to have you on board even if it is the Titanic!.
Who will win the World Cup (apart from Joe Lycett)?
Brazil and Argentina are the popular choices, though it’s not entirely beyond the realms that Brazil – like the 2018 favourites, Germany – could go out in the first round. I think Spain are the best European team in the tournament, but they have a stinker of a group and could also end up on flight DO1 from Doha before the knockout stage begins.
In short, it’s a William Goldman World Cup: nobody knows anything. Just the way it should be.
(Since you asked, I have Mexico in the sweepstake, which at least adds a bit of certainty to my life.)
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Today’s match will be played at the spectacular Al Bayt Stadium. You can read all about it – the good, the bad and unforgivable – here.
Team guides
We have an interactive guide to every team, and indeed every player. Let’s start with the hosts, a side who… well, nobody really knows.
Ecuador have gone under the radar – they live under the radar – but could ruin a few wallcharts that have been prematurely filled in. To borrow from Barry Davies, when will we learn that major tournaments never pan out as expected. (In 2018, for example, Germany were supposed to play England in the quarter-finals. Didn’t happen.)
Anyway, Ecuador. Read all about them.
Get your questions in for Football Daily
Today I feel @guardian_sport Football Weekly (daily)@bglendenning @Towno10 @larssivertsen @jonawils
— Max Rushden 💛🖤 (@maxrushden) November 20, 2022
Any questions?
Best laid plans department
Gridlock outside Al Bayt stadium before Qatar v Ecuador. Our taxi moved 400m in about 40 minutes before bailing. And this is was around four hours before kick off. Lots of hooting cars and anger pic.twitter.com/UxOOIB8LCr
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to the greatest sham on earth. Qatar 2022: the tournament that puts the ‘vile’ in ‘violation’. It’s a despicable farce – part sinister power trip, part Chris Morris satire – and comes with a human cost that is acceptable only to those with a disease of the mind. But it’s also a World Cup, the greatest show on earth, so there’s a fair bit of the old cognitive dissonance flying round. Rampant human-rights violations, World Cup. World Cup, rampant human-rights violations.
I’m well aware that, even in the Guardian echo chamber, there won’t be a consensus about the most appropriate way to liveblog this tournament. I’m sure some of you are thinking, ‘For heaven’s sake man, concentrate on the football, I want to know whether Qatar invert their wing-backs!’ Others will feel we shouldn’t be talking about the football at all, that this minute-by-minute report shouldn’t exist, that the Guardian should take a stand by liveblogging Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Garden on ITV instead.
The football will take over soon enough – it always does – but the controversy isn’t going to disappear, especially after the Fifa president Gianni Infantino gave the most bizarre speech since Father Ted Crilly received his Golden Cleric award and launched into an extended score-settler. And there are still some disturbing unknowns, not least how fans will be treated if they don’t show a little bit of flex and compromise.
I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to segue delicately to the actual football, so I’m just going to do it and hope I get away with it. In a few hours’ time, the hosts Qatar will kick off against Ecuador in Al Khor. Group A also contains Senegal and the Netherlands, who meet in the tournament’s first big game tomorrow, so both teams could really do with a win today.
The focus on Qatar the nation means we know very little about Qatar the team. They were impressive winners of the Asian Cup in 2019, winning all seven games and conceding only one goal. Their recent form isn’t as strong, but they did draw with Chile and have two very exciting attacking talents in Akram Afif and Almoez Ali.
Qatar have been training together for five months, which puts them five up on the other 31 teams. But they are still, in more ways than one, the outsiders in Group A. Whatever we might think of Qatar hosting the tournament, we shouldn’t ignore the rich, complicated human story of a squad representing their country in such a seismic event.
Ecuador’s young side qualified impressively, finishing ahead of teams like Chile, Colombia and Peru, although their recent results have had – and what a fragrance this would be - a whiff of George Graham: 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0-0. Brighton’s Moises Caicedo is the star of a dynamic team who are some people’s dark horses to go deepish in the tournament.
The opening ceremony begins shortly; then it’ll be time – finally - to watch some football. Let’s get this sham/show on the road.
Kick off 4pm in London, 7pm in Al Khor, 11am in Quito.
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