Roy Keane has fired a strong message towards FIFA and Qatar as he claimed the World Cup "shouldn't be here" ahead of Argentina's game against Saudi Arabia.
The former Manchester United midfielder, working for ITV, claimed that the corruption surrounding the tournament, accompanied by the LGBTQ laws and the way migrant workers were treated are major factors behind why he doesn't think Qatar should've been given the World Cup.
There was huge outrage in December 2010 when the Middle East nation was awarded the competition ahead of Australia, USA, South Korea and Japan. With 12 years of build-up, Qatar managed to get the tournament ready and it got underway with the hosts taking on Ecuador on Sunday.
However, Qatar's performance left a lot to be desired as the South Americans ran out comfortable 2-0 winners thanks to an Enner Valencia brace. Meanwhile, England and Netherlands both won their opening games on Monday, with USA and Wales playing out a 1-1 draw.
Ahead of Argentina's clash with Saudi Arabia, Keane said on ITV: "The World Cup shouldn’t be here, it’s been mentioned about corruption regarding FIFA.
"You’ve got a country here the way they treat migrant workers, gay people and I think it’s great it’s been brought up, they shouldn’t have a World Cup here, they can’t treat people like that. We love football, soccer and we want to spread the game but just to dismiss human rights flippantly because of football, it’s not right, it shouldn’t be here."
Graeme Souness added: "Football is such a vehicle for good and bad. The sports washing that’s going on in our own country, Newcastle, there’s no way the Saudi’s should have Newcastle United - nowhere near it. But it’s not an ideal world, the Saudi’s have been invested in our country for decades, they’ve infiltrated every level of our country.
"Football has such a profile now, Saudi see it, Abu Dhabi see it, America see it, it’s a chance to improve whatever brand they’re involved in. Right now it’s a good news story about Manchester City, that brand, Man City and other teams they have bought it’s only good news about them.
"I suppose Qatar will look upon Abu Dhabi with a bit of jealousy and they’ll be hoping after this tournament… it’s in their hands to improve workers rights, in their hands to improve diversification of the country.
"The LGBTQ community won’t go quietly, they’ll be on it all the time after the World Cup and that’s the risk they’ve taken, they’ve highlighted the problems within this country and people will be on them for the foreseeable future, if not forever."
There was even more controversy spun on the tournament when FIFA confirmed that players would be sanctioned if they wore the OneLove armband in protest against Qatar's LGBTQ laws. The rainbow armband was due to be worn to promote diversity and inclusion in Qatar, where same-sex relationships are outlawed.
However, England performed a U-Turn and announced just hours before their game against Iran that Harry Kane wouldn't be wearing the LGBTQ+ armband due to the potential risk of getting a yellow card. Wales, Denmark and Netherlands were amongst the other nations set to wear the OneLove armband, but, like England, confirmed they also wouldn't be taking that risk of maybe getting a booking.
