Football (Soccer) Thread

[The Larch]

It seems that Cameroon have sent Andre Onana, their starting keeper, back home from the WC after an argument between him and the team's coach, that wanted him to play in a more conservative style, which the player would have refused to do.

I didn't see Cameroon's game.

They lost their first game against Switzerland and are playing right now against Serbia. In fact they've just scored.

I am intrigued at a keeper being told to be more conservative.

It's easy, Onana (who came through the Barcelona ranks and used to play for Ajax, playing nowadays for Inter) is a keeper on the more modern mold of a sweeper-keeper. He plays the ball with his feet to help distribution and kickstart the attack, gets outside the box to help support ball circulation, etc. Almost every big team at the moment has their keepers playing like this one way or the other. Turns out that the Cameroon coach wants a traditional, throwback keeper that stays at the goal, and just hoofs the ball forward rather than playing short passes that could get intercepted by rival attackers.

So, rather than having Onana, a great keeper with experience at the top level in European clubs, they're now playing Epassy, a barely known guy who plays in Saudi Arabia whose top experience is in a couple of small clubs in the Greek 1st division.

[The Larch]

Yesterday there were again protests by Qataris against the German team, with Qatari fans displaying pictures and posters of Mesut Özil, theoretically denouncing Germany's hipocrisy for their protests during the tournament (covering their mouths, not participating in press conferences).

[The Larch]

And more controversies, this time about Iran:

Iran want USA banned for 'offending country's dignity' over World Cup flag
USA show Iran flag without emblem of Islamic Republic
Teams meet on Tuesday in their final Group B match

It has long threatened to be one of the World Cup's biggest flashpoints: the "Great Satan" against the "Axis of Evil". But on Sunday the USA's match with Iran became even more highly charged after Iran's football federation demanded their opponents receive a 10-game ban for "offending the dignity" of their country.

The extraordinary request came after the US Soccer Federation displayed Iran's national flag on social media, in a now-deleted graphic, without the emblem of the Islamic Republic – in support of protesters in Iran before the nations' Group B match on Tuesday.

The US explained that it had decided to forgo the official flag on social media accounts to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights".

Iran's football federation responded with a complaint to Fifa's ethics committee, saying the US had disrespected the national flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The allegation was reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, which attributed it as coming from a legal adviser at the Iranian football federation.

"According to section 13 of Fifa rules, any person who offends the dignity or integrity of a country, a person or group of people shall be sanctioned with a suspension lasting at least 10 matches or a specific period, or any other appropriate disciplinary measure," it said.

The agency also described the US federation as "removing the symbol of Allah" from the Iranian flag, which was designed in 1980. The flag has four curves with a sword between them to represent the Islamic saying: "There is no god but Allah."

The flag has become a notable point of contention at this World Cup, with Iran fans who oppose the regime in Tehran waving the lion and sun flag, an emblem of its former ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi instead.

However small groups of men supportive of Iran's government were seen angrily chanting "the Islamic Republic of Iran" at women giving interviews to foreign journalists outside the stadium before their most recent game, against Wales.

Fifa has refused to comment, but a number of well-placed sources have suggested that the prospect of a US ban is highly unlikely.

Meanwhile, less than 48 hours before the match kicks off the Qatari authorities and Fifa are still refusing to provide reassurances that Iran fans protesting in favour of human rights will not be barred by security guards if they wear T-shirts bearing the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom".

The phrase has become the rallying cry for protesters since a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, died in hospital while in police custody. However before Iran's last game against Wales several fans were told they could not enter the stadium unless they changed their T-shirts with the slogan on it. Others had their flags confiscated.

Fifa's official fans' guide warns supporters that "promoting any political, offensive and/or discriminatory messages" is not permitted. The protesters maintain that the slogan also reflects a demand for women in Iran to enjoy the same basic rights as men.

Despite repeated questioning from the Guardian, the Supreme Committee – the Qatari World Cup organisers – and Fifa have refused to criticise security officials or to clarify what will be acceptable on Tuesday.

Asked to explain why so many Iran fans at this World Cup were wearing attire with "Women, Life, Freedom" on it, one fan told the Guardian: "For Iranians all over the world, our hearts are with the women and the young. Our team belongs to the people, not the Islamic regime."

The protests in Iran have seen at least 450 people killed, and more than 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, an advocacy group following the demonstrations.

[Admiral Yi]

Yesterday there were again protests by Qataris against the German team, with Qatari fans displaying pictures and posters of Mesut Özil, theoretically denouncing Germany's hipocrisy for their protests during the tournament (covering their mouths, not participating in press conferences).

I'm curious what it is they object to.

[The Larch]

Yesterday there were again protests by Qataris against the German team, with Qatari fans displaying pictures and posters of Mesut Özil, theoretically denouncing Germany's hipocrisy for their protests during the tournament (covering their mouths, not participating in press conferences).

I'm curious what it is they object to.

I think they're mad at Germans protesting against them (covering their mouths after the One Love armband fracas, not taking part on press conferences...) and accuse them of hipocrisy because Özil, at the tail end of his career at the German national team, accused some of its heads of discriminatory behaviour.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah. It did the rounds a bit that they posed with their hands over their mouth not being able to say things being contrasted with Ozil making a lot of allegations about racism and his teammates not saying anything - or calling his comments "nonsense".

[Tamas]

Where as of course if one of their guys pulled an Ozil (leaning in on his Turkish roots while being member of the German national team) in terms of endorsing another non-friendly nation's dictator, they might have stoned him.

[Sheilbh]

I think it is interesting how politically resonant this World Cup is. From the issues with Qatar hosting, to the shifting role being played by Iran's national team and how they are positioned and perceived at home, through to China now censoring crowd scenes of the ROTW not doing zero covid.

[The Larch]

China now censoring crowd scenes of the ROTW not doing zero covid.

I had not heard about that. Are they trying to gaslight their entire population into thinking that zero covid is the norm in the ROTW?

[celedhring]

China now censoring crowd scenes of the ROTW not doing zero covid.

I had not heard about that. Are they trying to gaslight their entire population into thinking that zero covid is the norm in the ROTW?

Probably not, but that footage will still make the regime look bad.

[Valmy]

I like how they don't even deny anything people accuse them of. The only defense seems to be "yeah we are horrible evil people, but aren't you also kind of evil?"

Not really a very compelling defense there Qatar.

[Sheilbh]

I had not heard about that. Are they trying to gaslight their entire population into thinking that zero covid is the norm in the ROTW?

I'm not sure. I'd read about the images of full maskless stadiums was getting a lot of comment on Chinese social media before the protests broke out.

Then in the last few days it looks like they're using different footage/stream than the standard international footage. I've seen people lining up clips but it does look like they're just trying to avoid any close-ups of the crowd.

[celedhring]

Aaand Xavi once again defending Qatar (his paymasters for many years) in an event today in Doha. 

Anyway, bunch of fun games today.

[Sheilbh]

Aaand Xavi once again defending Qatar (his paymasters for many years) in an event today in Doha. 

We've got Beckham doing PR videos of Qatar for a huge fee. And just today Tony Blair saying not to go over the top on the criticism and that it's dipping into "gesture politics" (and I sort of agree) - he has close ties to the ruling family and has, for example, earned $1 million for a few hours of help brokering some business deals when there's a large Qatari stake.

So yeah

Anyway, bunch of fun games today.

Second Cameroon goal was lovely. And this has been fun too.

[Josephus]

Anyway, bunch of fun games today.

Yeah couple exciting games.