We’ve seen the football and cricket world cups hosted in different countries around the world, and seen how the host would integrate their culture to bring a refreshing take. The internet went absolutely wild when Qatar topped the FIFA world cup ceremony by rewarding Messi with the bisht, a black cape that is given to Arab conquerers to symbolize them as revolutionary heroes.
One of the coldest photos you’ll ever see. Emir of Qatar putting the bisht on Messi as if he has ascended to the football thorne winning a great battle. Just clear your mind and throw of your phobia. You’ll see a picture worth thousand words. pic.twitter.com/5dgD5GaZP4
Croatian-born YouTuber David Vujanić, who is in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022, tried using a Muslim shower during his stay and praises it as “the best thing ever” he has ever used.
Vujanić took to Twitter to describe the convenience of the Muslim showers he was using in Qatar and expressed disappointment that the British restrooms do not have these showers.
Been using the toilet bum shower thing in qatar for a month…I am absolutely horrified we only use toilet paper in the Uk/Europe. This is the best thing ever man.
“Lmao people were beefing over toilet paper during the pandemic when they could have just installed a bum shower,” Vujanić wrote.
In another tweet, the football fan said, “I want this image printed on a T-shirt… I am now the self-proclaimed founder of the Shatafa Ultras group… “Bum Shower Fanatics, Let’s Go!”
Vujanić, a devoted Liverpool FC fan, currently resides in London.
On November 23, 2010, Vujani created his first YouTube channel. He posts a variety of videos, such as mock music videos and vlogs on football.
The song parody “EASTERN EUROPE STYLE! (PSY GANGNAM STYLE PARODY) by BRICKA BRICKA!” is his most popular video.
He formerly had a job with the football-focused channel Copa90. He also co-owns a YouTube channel called Poet & Vuj with his close friend and coworker Poet, where they post a series called “Comments Under,” in which they converse in public regarding football-related news and subjects.
Former India Cricket team captain Virat Kohli has come out in support of star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo after his Portugal side exited the ongoing FIFA World Cup on Saturday.
Ronaldo is now more likely to complete his career without a World Cup trophy as a result of Portugal’s elimination from the competition. The popular Portuguese player, who is now 37, was seen crying on Saturday and was warmly embraced by the crowd.
“No trophy or any title can take anything away from what you’ve done in this sport and for sports fans around the world. No title can explain the impact you’ve had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play. That’s a gift from god. A real blessing to a man who plays his heart out every single time and is the epitome of hard work and dedication and a true inspiration for any sportsperson. You are for me the greatest of all time,” Virat posted on Twitter on Monday.
According to India Times, Ronaldo’s elimination from the competition means that he will likely miss out on winning the World Cup because the following time it is held in the USA, in 2026, he would be 41. The five-time Champions League champion was a substitute in all of his team’s knockout stage games as Fernando Santos decided against starting him.
While the great player has been struggling with his form, Virat has thrived in his position. On Saturday against Bangladesh, he was seen enjoying his 72nd ODI century. Virat moved up to second place in the list of players with the most hundreds at the international level with the tonne, passing Ricky Ponting, who had 71 hundred to his credit.
Similar to Ronaldo, the former captain of India might play in his final World Cup in the ODI format the following year as India gets ready for the major tournament. Contrary to Ronaldo, Virat did win the World Cup in 2011 when India defeated Sri Lanka in the championship game.
Lionel Messi is quietly going about his job as his Argentina team, who is in the final four and will play Croatia on Tuesday night, while all eyes are on Cristiano Ronaldo’s disappointment. Harry Kane, a close friend of Virat’s and the England captain, also experienced a disappointing departure when the English team fell to France.
More than two-thirds of the world’s soccer balls are made in one of Sialkot’s 1,000 factories, including the Adidas Al Rihla, the official ball of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which begins this month.
Approximately 60,000 people, or 8 per cent of the city’s population, work in the soccer ball manufacturing industry in Sialkot. They frequently put in long hours and sew the panels of the balls by hand.
In Sialkot, hand stitching is used in more than 80 per cent of the soccer balls produced. This time-consuming method increases the soccer ball’s durability and aerodynamic stability. Compared to stitches made by machines, the seams are deeper and the tension is higher.
Bloomberg reports that stitchers make about Rs160 ($0.75) each ball. It takes three hours to finish each one. A stitcher can make roughly Rs9,600 per month by stitching three balls per day. The earnings are modest, even for an impoverished area. According to researcher estimates, a living wage for Sialkot is close to Rs20,000 per month.
Women make up the majority of those who sew the balls. They might sew two balls in a typical day, go home to prepare meals for their kids, and then go back to work in a nearby village in the late afternoon.
Usually, men prepare supplies or do quality checks at various phases of the production process. The industries in Sialkot employed kids as young as 5 alongside their parents up until labour laws were passed in 1997. According to a 2016 assessment, the sector in Sialkot is threatened by the ban on child labour since it “took away a large slice of a prospective skilled generation,” creating a persistent worker shortage.
About 40 million soccer balls are purchased annually worldwide, and sales are anticipated to increase during the World Cup.
Claim: The FIFA World Cup in Qatar opened with a glittering ceremony and many stars in attendance, including egendary actor Morgan Freeman. The Oscar-winner performed in the inauguration ceremony along with 22-year-old Qatari disabled activist and motivational speaker Ghanim al-Muftah, who read from the Holy Quran.
Freeman shared a message of unity, declaring, “What unites us here in this moment is so much greater than what divides us. How can we make it last longer than just today?”
Ghanim Al-Muftah, a Qatari activist for the disabled, born with the rare Caudal Regression Syndrome, appeared with Freeman and stated to the crowd, “Everyone is welcome”.
After the ceremony , Twitterati widely speculated that Freeman had converted to Islam.
Today’s biggest news! Famous Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman has accepted Islam, may Allah make him steadfast in Islam. Ameen pic.twitter.com/ffGYOGUTYK
Fact: Online claims that Freeman has converted to Islam date back to at least 2015.
This is not the first time Freeman has been subject to fake news regarding his religious beliefs. Freeman previously presented “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman,” a National Geographic show that dived into various religions, including Islam. This also led to similar speculation regarding his religious affiliations.
However, Misbar, an independent Arabic fact-check platform, investigated the assertion regarding Freeman converting to Islam and found it to be fake.
The platform quoted, “The actor has not announced converting to Islam and also, no reliable media outlet has reported on the news.”
Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina with two second-half goals to beat one of the pre-tournament favourites in their opening World Cup match on Tuesday, marking the first upset of the 2022 edition of the sport’s biggest event.
The 35-year-old Messi converted a penalty in the 10th minute of his sixth and last attempt to win the one major title that has eluded him during a dominant first half in which he and Lautaro Martinez also had three goals disallowed for offside.
However, at the start of the second half, Saudi Arabia, the tournament’s second-lowest-ranked squad after Ghana, threw caution to the wind and charged at Argentina’s defence in front of an enthused 88,012 spectators.
Salem Al-Dawsari curled in a scorching rocket from the edge of the penalty box in the 53rd minute, leaving Argentina and Messi in the Group C opener looking completely shell-shocked. Saleh Al-Shehri sneaked in a low attempt in the 48th minute.
After that, Saudi Arabia had lots of possession, but Argentina was unable to break them down. Saudi Arabia was playing in their sixth World Cup, but they had never won the opening match.
The Lusail Stadium hosted the game in a remarkable atmosphere, with thousands of Saudis crossing the border to support their team joining Argentina’s customarily large and boisterous fan base.
“Our team fulfils our dreams!” and “Where is Messi? We beat him!” the green-clad Saudis chanted over and over in the Lusail Stadium, on their feet and greeting every clearance from their defence with a deafening roar.
Both teams still have Mexico and Poland to play, but Argentina needs to act quickly if Messi hopes to match Diego Maradona’s immortality in his native country by winning the World Cup.
The outcome ended Argentina’s incredible 36-match winning streak and prevented them from breaking Italy’s previous mark of 37 games without a loss for an international team.
Ticket sales for the FIFA World Cup are nearing three million ahead of the tournament’s start in Qatar on November 20, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and event organisers on Monday.
According to Brecorder, Qatar, the United States, and Saudi Arabia were the top three purchasing countries among the 2.89 million tickets sold, according to World Cup Chief Operating Officer Colin Smith at a news conference in Doha.
Infantino said in a video address to the conference that 240,000 hospitality packages for the month-long tournament, the first in a Middle Eastern country, had been sold.
Qatar, the smallest country to host soccer’s global showpiece tournament, expects an estimated 1.2 million visitors during the World Cup. Due to limited accommodation in Qatar, thousands of fans are expected to stay in neighbouring countries for matches.
Yasir Al Jamal, the director general of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee, told a news conference that 2 million room nights had been sold and that Qatar had added an additional 30,000 rooms to accommodate last-minute ticket sales.
Soccer teams, their support staff, and World Cup officials will occupy many hotel rooms in Doha. Japan will be the first team to arrive at the tournament on November 7, according to Smith.
The Pakistan Army will assist Qatar with security in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022. The federal cabinet approved a draft agreement that allows the government to provide troops for security at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.
“The agreement aims to define the obligations of the two parties, the specific specialisations, and the number of security personnel to be sent by Pakistan to participate in the security and safety operations,” the summary presented to the cabinet read.
The government of Qatar had requested Pakistan’s assistance in the security of the FIFA World Cup. The event will be held from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif is in Qatar on a two-day official visit at the request of Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The ban on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has finally been lifted by FIFA, according to a statement from the Normalisation Committee.
Pakistan now returns to the international football circuit and will also be able to host its leagues and other events thanks to financial support from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation after FIFA made the decision following the fulfilment of all necessary requirements by Pakistan (AFC).
According to a press release from the FIFA Council’s Bureau, the suspension against the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that was imposed in April 2021 as a result of excessive third-party interference will be lifted on June 29, 2022.
The choice was made after FIFA was informed that the PFF’s normalisation committee had reclaimed full control of its facilities and was capable of handling its finances.
The normalisation committee’s mandate would now be unachievable to complete by the original deadline of today, the statement continued, so the bureau decided to extend the committee’s authority until June 30, 2023.
According to FIFA, “this will allow the latter to finally carry out the tasks assigned to it in full.”
Haroon Malik, the chairman of the Normalization Committee, congratulated the entire country on the development and said his team had worked incredibly hard to lift the ban that had plagued both football players and fans in the nation.
With the ban lifted, the Pakistani football team will once again be able to play in international competitions and friendly matches, and after more than a year of absence, regular football activities will once again be conducted in the nation.
After the Ashfaq group unlawfully occupied the PFF headquarters in April of last year, Pakistan was placed under a travel ban. The Normalization Committee’s authority has now been extended by a year, and it has been given the responsibility of holding elections, starting up football activities, and taking control of PFF’s property.
As part of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour™ by Coca-Cola, the official FIFA World Cup™ trophy touched down in Lahore accompanied by a delegation that included notable FIFA personnel as well as former FIFA World Cup™ winner and legendary footballer, Christian Karembeu. The initiative under the hashtag #BelievingIsMagic is aimed at promoting inclusivity and visibility of all FIFA partner nations ahead of the final games in Qatar.
Hajra Khan, Captain of Pakistan Women’s National Football Team, awaited alongside a panel of senior Coca-Cola leadership for the FIFA delegation to touch down at the airfield. After receiving a warm welcome to the country, the delegation was escorted to the trophy’s arrival event in Lahore, hosted by Hajra Khan and attended by several of Pakistan’s leading sportspersons, celebrities, dignitaries, ministers of state, and digital media opinion leaders in attendance.
The people of Pakistan have always enjoyed a rich sports culture, as well as a storied athletic history. The country is responsible for producing over 40 million footballs a year, and the manufacturing of sporting goods contributes significantly to Pakistan’s economy. A documentary highlighting football in Pakistan was screened during the event to shine a light on the country’s contributions to football.
Ahmad Hanif Orakzai, Vice President, Pakistan Sports Board, was the chief guest for the trophy arrival event. He spoke about the government’s ongoing and upcoming efforts to bring football to the mainstream. The Vice President went on to speak about transforming Pakistan into a country that celebrates and facilitates sports at all levels. He extended his heartfelt thanks to the FIFA delegation and presented them with a locally made football as a token of the country’s appreciation.
“The reason for our strong focus on sports infrastructure is because we know the best formula for our future is to empower the youth of Pakistan. Thanks to Coca-Cola, we now have a strong partner in turning this dream into a reality,” he said.
During the course of the event, Pakistan’s leading youth athletes were brought to attention and appreciated for their contributions to the country.
Former FIFA World Cup™ winner and legendary footballer, Christian Karembeu, was the star of the show in more ways than one. He stood next to the trophy, providing Pakistani fans an opportunity to see a legend of the game next to football’s most coveted prize. He expressed his gratitude at being given this amazing opportunity to be part of an initiative that aimed to inspire Pakistan’s youth.
“I am honestly amazed to see the enthusiasm of Pakistani football fans. It has been amazing to hear these stories from young footballers from all these diverse communities, and I love the fact that they all have positive outlooks on their respective journeys. The future of Pakistani sports is definitely bright,” said the legendary footballer.
“Sports brings communities and nations together and at Coca-Cola, we are delighted to champion this spirit of unity,” said Fahad Ashraf, Vice President, Coca-Cola Pakistan and Afghanistan Region, in his address to those gathered.
As the sun set on the day’s proceedings, attendees enjoyed musical performances in an event hosted by the renowned Anoushey Ashraf and Dino Ali. The concert was headlined by big-name performers like Talal Qureshi, Shae Gill, Hasan Raheem, and Abdullah Siddiqui.
Christian Karembeu was once again in the limelight at the grand finale as he unveiled the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy in spectacular fashion. And that’s how the night ended; the crowd cheering wildly for the trophy and the legendary footballer holding it, against a backdrop of colourful confetti and flashes of cold fire.
Pakistan is one of the 51 countries where this year’s tour is taking place, bringing Coca-Cola and FIFA one step closer to visiting all 211 Football Nations by 2030. #BelievingInMagic
