The silence of Iranian players
While Iran has been shaken for more than three months, after the death of Mahsa Amini, by a protest movement brutally repressed by Tehran, the players of "Team Melli" refuse to sing their anthem before their first match against England.
A strong gesture perceived as a sign of solidarity with the demonstrators.
Iranian players remain silent during their country's anthem before their first meeting on November 21, 2022. © Fadel Senna, AFP
Germany hand over mouth
Threatened with sanctions by Fifa, several European selections had to give up at the start of the competition to wear the "One Love" armband in support of the rights of homosexual people.
To protest against this "censorship", the eleven German players covered their mouths during the official photo of their first match against Japan.
The German selection covers its mouth to protest against the banning of the One Love armband by Fifa, November 23, 2022. © Ina Fassbender, AFP
The Flag of Discord
A regular at bursting onto football pitches, the Italian Mario Ferri, nicknamed "El Falco", took advantage of the match between Portugal and Uruguay to wave a rainbow flag in front of goals around the world, a symbol rights of LGBT people.
If Fifa had assured that these multicolored flags would be accepted in the stadiums, many were actually confiscated by security agents at the entrance to the stadiums.
Italian activist Mario Ferri bursts onto the field of the Portugal-Uruguay match with a rainbow flag on November 28, 2022. © Odd Andersen, AFP
Omnipresent Palestine
The first World Cup organized in an Arab country, the World Cup in Qatar saw many expressions of support for the Palestinian people.
Nicknamed the "33rd qualified country" of the tournament, Palestine was everywhere and its flag was waved at the end of each match by the Moroccan selection.
Morocco's players pose with the Palestinian flag after their victory over Spain at Al-Rayyan Stadium on December 6, 2022. © Glyn Kirk, AFP
The best enemies of the Gulf
If this World Cup served to give a spotlight to militant expressions, the event also proved to be a formidable diplomatic tool for Qatar.
Witness this remarkable rapprochement with Saudi Arabia.
After years of tense diplomatic relations, the emir and the crown prince have continued to stage their reconciliation.
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with the Turkish President during the opening match on November 20, 2022. © AFP
Macron the ball in the leap
Rarely has a President of the Republic given so much of himself: speeches in the locker room, long hugs on the field, Emmanuel Macron who claims to be a "football fan" was particularly involved during the semi-final and the final lost by the Blues.
After having assured that he did not want to "politicize sport", was the Head of State tempted to have wanted to take advantage of a possible World Cup effect?
His attitude was in any case considered inappropriate by part of the sports press and decried by the opposition, which cries out for "recovery".
Emmanuel Macron tries to console Kylian Mbappé after the lost final against Argentina.
© Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP
The World Cup in Qatar beyond football:
>> Italy, Argentina, Russia… Before Qatar, three controversial World Cups
>> Behind "carbon neutrality", the "greenwashing" World Cup
>> "It's a disposable workforce": the hell of migrant workers in Qatar
>> A controversial World Cup: Qatar's efforts to counter criticism
>> Qatar: shadow workers
>> Should we boycott the World Cup in Qatar? An Emirate under criticism
>> A bought World Cup? Since 2010, suspicions of corruption have weighed on Qatar
>> After Qatar, is a "greener" World Cup possible?
>> Mondial-2022: a political, economic or "hypocritical" boycott?
>> I have the right, I don't have the right... Guide for the good little supporter in Qatar
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