More than a week after the kick-off of the 22nd edition of the World Cup, tension mounts as teams struggle to secure their place in the Round of 16. For some, it is already the end! Others have made sure to get through their final group matches. Here's how expatriates and visitors in Qatar are experiencing the "World Cup" vibes.
Victory for Senegal, the end for Qatar
It was a black Friday, indeed, for Qatar. "We were hoping to at least make it to the round of 16, but we fought hard," said one fan after the match.
He lives in Saudi Arabia and made the trip to support Qatar. The World Cup host nation lost on Friday to a convincing Senegal team, which basically resulted in elimination. It is the second country, after South Africa in 2010, to be eliminated in the first round of the World Cup.
"Is this a surprise? No, of course not. I think it's encouraging for Qatar," said an English expatriate. "The victory already lies in the fact that the World Cup is here in Doha. The experience of defeat is also important. Of course, we would have liked to go further. We always want to go further, and we should not forget that Qatar was the Asian champion in 2019. Nobody talks about that. Pressure, amongst many other factors, can explain a defeat. It's part of the learning curve. Senegal also played well. They had things to prove. I watched the games at home, but I enjoyed the atmosphere in the streets. For Senegal, it is just historic. They played very well and have every chance for the 8ths. Congratulations to both teams. »
Argentina is back on track
Like Senegal, other teams are hoping to secure their place in the Round of 16. On Saturday, Australia beat Tunisia 1-0. Poland won over Saudi Arabia 2-0. The Saudis could not reproduce the same accomplishment as when they beat Messi's Argentina. "Where's the Messi?" shouted Saudi fans at the time. Many expatriates made the trip to Doha. Others, already living there, hoped that "the hardest part" was over. "We deserved to win. But that's the game. Nothing is lost. We can still make it," said Roka, who has been living in Doha for five years. "We proved it with Argentina. We can still do it. I still have faith".
Messi's Argentina managed to restore its reputation. It won 2-0 against Mexico and put a smile on the face of its fans. Some of them admitted: "We were very scared. We did not understand the defeat against Saudi Arabia. But now it's good, we can breathe!" In Doha, the Argentinian fans were in full swing, shouting "Messi!" and "Fernandez", the two men of the match. Interviewed by Agence France Presse, Fernando said: "I was very nervous. We suffered a lot in the first part. I was nervous for the players. In the second half, it was different. It was obvious that we were going to win."
On the Mexican side, it came as a cold shower. "Catastrophic. No words are strong enough to say how disappointed I am. Coming all the way here and not win is horrible", one supporter summed up.
France makes it through the first round
There are about 5,000 French expats in Doha, and they are still celebrating the defending champions' victory and their qualification for the Round of 16. The lucky ones were able to get tickets to watch France's 2-0 victory over Denmark. They celebrated the victory with shouts of "Mbappé!", the man of the match. The striker is the 2nd best French scorer of the competition with 3 goals in 2 games, 7 overall in the World Cup. Interviewed at the end of the match (Saturday 26) for France 2, a fan said: "When Mbappé is on the field, everyone is serene."
The pre-World Cup doubts are replaced by hopes. A fan was even heard shouting after the match: "On the way to the 3rd star!". But others remain cautious: This is just the beginning. We should remain confident and focused.”
Some expatriates are taking the opportunity to make a point, like Lola, who has been living in Doha for three years now: "I don't like the way France talks about the World Cup. We haven't seen them being so virulent against China or Russia, which are far from being models. Here, it's safe, even at night, unlike in Paris, where you are afraid of being robbed every two seconds. Here, all the communities live quietly, unlike in France, where they shout "human rights" while racism is soaring. OK, there are things to improve, but there's no need to criticize. Here, the atmosphere is crazy, everyone is nice, and people are not judgmental.”
Japan gets a cold shower after its first accomplishment
Canada was eliminated, losing 1 to 4 against a powerful Croatian team. Morocco also beat Belgium 2-0. This came as a surprise victory and was celebrated as it should be by euphoric expatriates. "More than Morocco's victory, it is the victory of the Arab world," shouted a resident in Doha. On the other hand, Japan failed to achieve its inaugural match feat and lost 0-1 to Costa Rica. However, its fans are keeping their spirits high: "We are preparing for the next game against Spain. We believe in it, of course!”
Interviewed by TJ Sport USA, a former expatriate in Japan said: "I have always supported Japan, and I am really happy to see them here at the World Cup. They certainly could have won. They deserved it. But it didn't happen." The latter had lived in Japan for 15 years before immigrating to London. He came to Doha to support his team. "I always support Japan. I watch all their games, and I also follow them when they play abroad, I follow the careers of the players, in Germany, in England, etc. I know they can go further, higher. It's just that it was an unfortunate defeat."
The expatriate lays emphasis on the mentality of the players and the fans: "We take defeat with philosophy. It's the Japanese culture: everybody respects everybody. When the players beat Germany, they celebrated and cleaned up afterward. They lost to Costa Rica, and they remained as courteous. It's in their culture. Being respectful, clean, and having a good way of life. [...] I would have liked Spain to beat Germany to increase Japan's chances of progressing in the competition. But we'll see what happens."
Germany rescues its place
On Wednesday, November 23, Germany lost to Japan, 1 to 2. The Japanese goalkeeper created a sensation, and the fans shouted: " Long live Asano Takuma!" after the game. On Sunday, November 27, the first big shock of the World Cup ended in a draw. The Mannschaft played against Spain, and the match ended 1 to 1. The German team gambled heavily and came out on top. Reva, who supports Germany, couldn't believe it. "Honestly, it was close. I was stunned after the loss to Japan. I never thought we could lose to them. But they played very well, it's true. And I really like their fair play. Against Spain, I believed in them completely. It was like a final. When they scored the first goal, I said to myself: We can still go up! And then we equalized. I kept believing until the end. It's never over until it's over."
For Spain's supporters, anything is possible. "We can still qualify for the 8th round," said Anil, a big soccer fan who moved to Doha a few months ago. He couldn't get tickets for the tournament but is enjoying the atmosphere. "It's a friendly place. Everyone is here for the sport, and everyone is happy. Wherever you come from, you're most welcome. But it's true that tickets are expensive. Especially if you come from far away, I can't even imagine the budget. That's what being a fan is all about! I hope to be able to go to the other matches of Spain. They will go far. I'm sure they will."
A complicated organization for the fans
On November 20, the After Foot team from RMC sports channel gave the floor to Tami, a Frenchman who traveled to Qatar for 4 days with his friend to attend the World Cup. If the atmosphere is festive, the bill is high. "We attended three matches: Senegal-Netherlands, France-Australia and Morocco-Croatia. It was very complicated." In fact, the tickets are obtained through lucky draws. "When I was drawn for the tickets, we didn't even know we would have to choose a certain number of matches. So, I chose more: Senegal, Morocco's first two matches. I had also applied for Argentina-Mexico, thinking that this would help us get a whole week of matches. The problem is that when you are drawn, you have to pay for all the tickets. Initially, we were informed that we could deselect some games. The problem is that if you deselect a game, you deselect all the games. I know some people who had taken all the tickets had a bill of 8,000 euros." Tami's friend had selected all the matches of the French team until an eventual final. "It was 7800 euros, and as a result, I retracted because it was impossible."
The World Cup budget
It seems that the World Cup atmosphere is only meant for those who can afford it. Expats in Doha only have to bear the (high) costs of tickets, but for those coming from abroad, it's a big headache. They feel that the atmosphere is less popular than other international sports events they have attended. The financial cost is a real barrier for many of them. Tami paid about 4600 euros for 4 days of the World Cup in Qatar, and this is what he had to say: "The organization is good: from the airport to the boat, there are no worries. On the other hand, to come to the city afterward, in terms of transport and accommodation, it's a huge hassle."
