CBS Sports
Following Tuesday’s round of Champions League games, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher — in addition to Barcelona and Arsenal icon Thierry Henry — absolutely ripped the upcoming Qatar World Cup in a scathing and poignant segment.
While the pair didn’t delve into the human rights abuses perpetrated by Qatar — admitting that’s a “completely different issue” — the two Champions League legends bemoaned the fact that FIFA not only gave Qatar the World Cup but then moved it to the middle of the season, which is causing players to miss the tournament through what would otherwise be minor injuries.
Champions League analysts Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry absolutely torched the upcoming Qatar World Cup in a scathing segment
“I think that it is an absolute disgrace that the World Cup is in the position that it’s in, for lots of reasons. I think it was corrupt that Qatar were given the World Cup and we knew that at the time. They campaigned on having it in the Summer — it was impossible to have a World Cup in the Summer [in Qatar],” Carragher said.
The former Liverpool defender then explained the toll the World Cup is taking on the very players it features, as relatively minor injuries are causing them to miss the tournament due to its placement in November:
“It gets moved to where it is now, in the middle of the season, and players who spend their whole lives dreaming of playing in a World Cup are now could be — as we’ve seen with [Tottenham’s] Son, Thierry just mentioned [Barcelona’s] Gavi — players all around Europe, the world, can get injured in the next couple of weeks and a 10-day or a two-week injury is going to keep players out of a World Cup, which should not be happening,” Carragher said.
“And it all starts with FIFA giving them that World Cup in the first place, and then them moving them. Obviously, the stuff going on in their country is a completely different issue, as well. But I think it’s absolutely disgusting.”
"It's an absolute disgrace… A 10-day or a two-week injury is going to keep players out of a World Cup, which should not be happening."@Carra23 isn't a fan of the timing of the World Cup and doesn't hold back. 🗣 pic.twitter.com/idnSS3O7g3
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 2, 2022
Given that Wednesday’s round of Champions League games will be the last until after the World Cup, it’s likely that both Carragher and Henry share further thoughts later tonight.
The 2022 World Cup will begin on Sunday, November 20, and will conclude on Sunday, December 18. Perhaps most excitingly, the United States National Team is set to face off against England on Friday, November 25 — the day after Thanksgiving.