World Cup in Qatar 2022, latest live news | The opening ceremony of the tournament begins

This Sunday the Qatar 2022 World Cup begins, the most unusual in the history of football.

The host team, Qatar, will face Ecuador this afternoon starting at 5:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time (TVE and Gol Mundial) in the only game of the day.

But first, after 3:40 p.m., the opening ceremony of the tournament began, which is held at the Al Bayt stadium, located in the city of Jor, with a capacity of up to 60,000 spectators.

Starting tomorrow, Monday, the carousel of the group stage begins, with up to four games a day for almost two weeks, until December 2.

Spain will debut on Wednesday against Costa Rica, in a group that also includes Germany and Japan.

Just when the tournament has started, several teams have suffered setbacks.

In France,

After it emerged on Saturday night that Karim Benzema is going to miss the World Cup due to physical problems, his coach, Didier Deschamps, has assured today that he will not call anyone to replace him.

In Spain, Morata did not train with the group this Sunday due to a cold, while one of Belgium's stars, Romelu Lukaku, will miss at least his team's first game against Canada due to injury.

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Morgan Freeman, at the opening: "There is a common thread of hope, joy and respect"

The actor Morgan Freeman has been one of the first to appear on stage at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar.

The interpreter has said: "There is a common thread of hope, joy and respect."

His words come at a time of special controversy due to the holding of the tournament in a country that does not respect the rights of women and homosexuals and where the conditions of the immigrant workers who have participated in the construction of the World Cup infrastructures were lousy

20 NOV 2022 - 15:02 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 15:02

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The opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar begins

The World Cup in Qatar is finally about to raise the curtain this Sunday.

Less than an hour and a half before the first match begins, between the host country and Ecuador, the opening ceremony of the tournament began at 3:40 p.m. Spanish peninsular time, which is held at the Al Bayt stadium, located in the city of Jor , which has a capacity of up to 60,000 people and is about 50 kilometers north of Doha, the country's capital.

The bands BTS, Black Eyed Peas will participate in the opening, while the singers Maluma, Myriam Fares and Nicki Minaj will perform 

a, the soundtrack of this World Cup.

These performances come after artists like Shakira, Dua Lipa and Rob Stewart canceled their presence at the opening for their rejection of the social and political situation in Qatar, where the rights of homosexuals, women and tens of thousands are not respected. of workers who have participated in the construction of the tournament infrastructure.

This is the 22nd World Cup in history and it is the first time that it has been held in an Arab country.

Qatar was chosen in 2010 as the host country for this tournament, in which 32 teams participate in eight stadiums, seven of them built

for the occasion.

20 NOV 2022 - 14:42 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 15:04

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Gayà: "It is not easy to assimilate that one of your dreams as a child is ruined by a slight sprain"

The Valencia defender José Luis Gayà regretted this Sunday having had to leave the concentration of the Spanish soccer team in Qatar "due to a slight sprain" just a few days ago.

“It is not easy to assimilate that one of your dreams as a child is ruined by a slight sprain, but things sometimes come like that and we must accept them.

Now, I will be one more fan who will enjoy every game of 'La Roja'”, he has written in his official account on the social network Twitter, where he has thanked the messages of support that he has received since then.

The Valencian left-back injured his left ankle in a training session for the national team last Wednesday, prior to the friendly match against Jordan, and had to leave the camp.

In his place, the Barça player Alejandro Balde traveled to Qatar.

Gayà has shown his support for Luis Enrique's group.

“Now, I will be one more fan who will enjoy every game of the Red.

For this reason, I want to wish my teammates all the luck in the world because I have no doubt that this is the World Cup in Spain.

Life goes on ”, he pointed out, with the

#VamosEspaña.

20 NOV 2022 - 13:44 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 13:44

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Memphis Depay will debut from the bench in the World Cup in Qatar

Memphis Depay, Barcelona forward, is not yet to start the Netherlands' first game in the 2022 World Cup against Senegal, as confirmed by Louis Van Gaal this Sunday.

The Dutch coach has acknowledged that he will miss the striker in the starting eleven, as will his opponent with the loss of Sadio Mané, a "special" footballer whom he already loved when he was managing Manchester United and of whom he declared himself a "fan". .

"We miss that Memphis plays as a starter and that Mané can participate. The question is how both teams will solve that. Mané is a special footballer. I already wanted him as Manchester United manager. I'm a fan of Mané. He can make a difference. Senegal He longs for him, but we also miss our top scorer and assistant", said the coach in reference to Memphis, who is still not fit to start, since he has only played three games this season, the last one in September.

"It's a great loss for Senegal", Van Gaal once again assessed Mané, on the eve of the match between the two teams at the Al Thumama stadium, south of Doha, where the coach wants the most from his team at the start of the match which will be, perhaps, his last great tournament.

"I think so, but you never know. I took this job because there was no one else available at the time. It was five years after Manchester United. I believe in this group of players. I expect more than third place at Brazil 2014. We can be world champions", remarked the coach, who did not reveal the line-up, although it has already been decided.

He has not even given the name of the one chosen for the goal, disputed between Remko Pasveer, Andries Noppert or Justin Bijlow.

20 NOV 2022 - 13:39 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 13:39

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Lukaku misses Belgium's debut against Canada due to injury

Romelu Lukaku did not train with the group this Sunday in Belgium's first contact with the grass and the Qatari heat and will not be present at the debut of Roberto Martínez's team against Canada (Wednesday 23, 8:00 p.m. Spanish time). .

The Inter Milan striker continues without leaving behind the "strain" that he suffers in the left hamstring and his presence in subsequent games is also in doubt.

Roberto Martínez already warned when giving the squad list that the great objective for Lukaku, who has only been able to play five games with Inter Milan due to injury, is to reach a potential round of 16 in full condition.

Belgium will have to hold on to Loïs Openda, who scored in the team's last friendly defeat against Egypt (1-2), and Michy Batshuayi to replace the former Manchester United player.

Lukaku's was not the only casualty, since the right winger Thomas Meunier also trained alone, as can be seen in the images of the training of the Belgian Football Federation.

The good news for Belgium was that Leandro Trossard worked smoothly alongside the rest of his team-mates after missing the friendly against Egypt due to a knock.

The Brighton winger, who arrives in great form with his seven goals and three assists in the Premier League, will be in his team's debut.

20 NOV 2022 - 13:17 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 13:17

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Didier Deschamps during a training session for the French team in Doha this Saturday.

/ ANNEGRET HILSE / REUTERS

Deschamps will not summon anyone to replace Benzema

The French coach, Didier Deschamps, has assured this Sunday that he will not summon any footballer to occupy the free place left by Karim Benzema's injury.

"It's a hard blow, obviously. Karim did everything possible to recover. It was a nondescript gesture. It was the leg and now it's been the hamstring," the coach told TF1 television, where he stated that there was no shock in the injury .

"Not even a run or a shot."

"In training you can get injured and it's never the right time. But what had to be done was done," said the French coach to rule out that training was to blame for the Ballon d'Or winner's injury. Deschamps has not wanted to give more explanations about the fact of not summoning a substitute in his position and facing the World Cup with 25 players.

"I have decided, nothing more. We have a quality group. I have confidence in them because of what they do on and off the field. We are going to give everything from the first game", he commented.

In the same chain, Antoine Griezmann has said that it is "a hard blow" but has assured that the important thing now is "not to give up" The Atlético de Madrid player has indicated that after training they feared that Benzema was not doing well , "because he had a very sad face."

Deschamps has also confirmed that Raphael Varane, who also had physical problems and who did his first collective training session this Saturday, will be available to play France's debut against Australia on Tuesday.

20 NOV 2022 - 12:20 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 13:46

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Morata does not train with the rest of his teammates this Sunday

The forward of the Spanish team Álvaro Morata has not trained this Sunday with the rest of the team in Qatar.

According to sources from the selection, it is not a major mishap, but rather it is due to a slight cold with the air conditioning.

Morata came to the training camp for the tournament with a blow to the hip, but the rest of the days he has trained well, with the rest of his teammates.

There are still three days left until Spain's debut, which will be next Wednesday the 23rd against Costa Rica, the first rival in their group, which also includes Germany and Japan, with which the Madrid striker is expected to be recovered by then.

20 NOV 2022 - 12:15 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:16

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Soccer World Cup

Sergio Busquets: "Nobody knows me, I don't show anything"

José SámanoLadislao J. Moñino

The special envoys of EL PAÍS to Qatar José Sámano and Ladislao J. Moñino have interviewed the captain of the Spanish team, Sergio Busquets (Sabadell, Barcelona; 34 years old).

In the interview, carried out after concluding the Red's first training session in Qatar, the Barcelona midfielder seems to be relaxed.

He affirms that he likes the facilities of the University of Qatar, headquarters of the Red.

“We are adjusting well.

The heat?

In summer in Spain it also does a lot, as in the tours we do to certain places.

I'm only concerned about football, ”he explains.

You can read the full interview here.

Doha (QATAR)

20 NOV 2022 - 11:23 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:35

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Soccer World Cup

The World Cup in Qatar begins, the most unusual tournament in history

Jose Samano

It will be difficult for football to make its way in such an exclusive World Cup, so little World Cup, the one that opens its 22nd edition this Sunday in Qatar shaken by turbulence.

A tournament stained since its infamous proclamation in 2010 that cost Joseph Blatter the position of FIFA president and that this Saturday left his successor, Gianni Infantino, in a very bad light.

The first, such as Michel Platini, then UEFA ruler, fell for corruption after an investigation of the vote favorable to Qatar.

On the day before the opening of the tournament (Qatar-Ecuador, 5:00 p.m. in Spain, 1:00 p.m. in Buenos Aires, 11:00 a.m. in Washington, Quito and Bogotá, 10:00 a.m. in Mexico City), Blatter's disciple wanted to whitewash the Qatari regime.

He came to understand the marginalized in Qatar because he, too, was excluded for having freckles in his childhood.

Far from encouraging the reforms required by a country that penalizes homosexuality with death, despises women and mistreats immigrants, Infantino, in a very forced intervention, charged against the European miseries of the last 3,000 years and all those "hypocritical ” who now gives moral lessons to Qatar.

Actually, in his subconscious he was referring to FIFA, cornered by so much scandal and by its determination to whitewash the Qatari regime instead of unceremoniously waving the flag of human rights.

In Qatar 2022, FIFA has scored the first goal on its own goal.

By the way, the footballers already know that Infantino can say in public what they are prohibited from, vetoed as they have any political proclamation screen-printed on a shirt.

Even to offer condolences through that legal channel, as Iniesta did with Jarque.

Read the complete information here.

Doha (QATAR)

20 NOV 2022 - 10:58ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:40

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Brazil, one of the favorites for the title, begins today its preparation on Qatari soil

Brazil will hold its first training session on Qatari soil this Sunday, four days after its World Cup debut in Qatar and with great expectations of reaching the top of the competition.

Those of Tite were the last of the 32 teams to arrive in the Qatari emirate, after five days of preparation in the Juventus training camps, in Turin, Italy, where they have not played any friendly.

The Brazilian fans, who received the Canarinha with a roar in Doha, are anxious to find out the starting XI that will be seen on Thursday against Serbia, and to know if Tite will opt for a super-attacking XI, with Neymar, Vinícius, Raphinha and, possibly, Richarlison or Gabriel Jesus in point.

Upon arriving in Doha, Tite assured that he still does not have the starting eleven, and assures that he will decide based on what he sees in training at the Gran Hamad stadium in Doha, whose changing rooms have been decorated with the motivational phrases used by the Brazilian technician.

"Take advantage of the moment of confidence", "confidence is not taken and released when you want", "prepare well to win", "focus and enjoy", read on the walls of the locker room.

(Eph)

20 NOV 2022 - 10:40 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:42

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Soccer World Cup

Qatar 2022 World Cup opening ceremony: schedule, performances and where to watch the first game on TV

The country

The Qatar 2022 World Cup begins this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. (Spanish time) with the opening match that will face the host team of Qatar against Ecuador.

This will be an atypical tournament due to the date on which it is held, in the middle of the major league calendar, and due to the controversy surrounding the organizing country.

Qatar, a nation governed by Islamic law and where the rights of women and LGTBI people are not respected, will be the scene of the World Cup, the last to be played by many of the stars of world football, such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

You can check the schedule, the performances and where to see the first game by clicking here.

20 NOV 2022 - 10:32 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:42

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The World Cup in Qatar starts this Sunday

Hello.

In EL PAÍS we start this direct because this Sunday the World Cup in Qatar begins with the opening match between the selection of the host country and Ecuador.

The match will be played from 5:00 p.m. (TVE and Gol Mundial) and is the only one of the day.

Before, from 15.40, the opening ceremony will be held.

In this direct we will tell you the results of each day, but also the most relevant news of the World Cup: injuries —like the one that affected Karim Benzema yesterday Saturday, one of the stars of the tournament, who will be out with France due to the problems muscular problems that have affected him for more than a month—, sports problems, interviews, as well as the most outstanding information from the special envoys of EL PAÍS to the World Cup in Qatar.

20 NOV 2022 - 09:43 ACT.20 NOV 2022 - 12:46

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