There has never been a more political World Cup than the one taking place in Qatar at the moment. The discourse around the rights of migrant workers, LGBTQ+ equality, sporting corruption and petroeconomics have dominated the first three days of the Qatar World Cup. And they were front and centre as Roy Keane and Graeme Souness previewed Argentina v Saudi Arabia pitchside today for ITV.
Keane issued one of the strongest condemnations yet of this tournament from a football pundit this morning.
The World Cup shouldn't be here.
It's been mentioned there, the corruption regarding FIFA.
The way they treat migrant workers, and gay people. It's great that it's been brought up.
They shouldn't have the World Cup here, you can't treat people like that. We all love football, we all love soccer, and we all love spreading the game - but just to dismiss human rights, flipping on that because of a football tournament? It's not right.
This came on the back of a mealy-mouthed statement from Souness, complaining about 'activists' who 'will be forever talking about Qatar and their human rights record.'
Keane seem visibly annoyed and then issued his rebuke of the tournament.
Graeme Sounness on British-Irish Relations
Interestingly, before cutting away from the segment, Souness interrupted presenter Laura Woods to give a stronger political take, this time on British-Irish relations.
'We're not perfect as well in our history. We're not perfect. The British haven't been perfect in many parts of the world, especially in Roy's part of the world.'
Of all people I did not expect Graeme Souness to call out the British for their past atrocities pic.twitter.com/JIFiaUToyw
— Aidan (@AidanFar) November 22, 2022
Souness - who spoke proudly of his devotion for Queen Elizabeth and criticised James McClean for speaking out about the years of sectarian abuse he and his family have received - will have won some viewers in this country over by speaking the truth about Britain's colonial legacy in Ireland.
The political conversation around this tournament is certain to go on, with journalists and supporters barred from wearing rainbow caps and T-shirts to fixtures.
