November 14 – Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has expressed his reservations about the winter World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off next weekend with the hosts playing Ecuador in the tournament’s curtain raiser.
Speaking after Manchester United’s match against Fulham, the 28-year-old said that it was “strange” that the World Cup is starting in a week’s time and took the opportunity to voice other concerns.
He said: “Of course it’s strange. It’s not exactly the time we want to be playing in the World Cup. I think for everyone, players and fans, it’s not the best time. Kids will be at school, people will be working and the timings will not be the best for people to watch the games.”
“We know the surroundings of the World Cup, what has been in the past few weeks, past few months, about the people that have died on the construction of the stadiums. We are not happy about that at all.
“We want football to be for everyone, everyone has to be included and involved in a World Cup because a World Cup is for the world. It’s for everyone, it doesn’t matter who.”
His Manchester United colleague, Christian Eriksen, added: “It starts and it’s football, no matter where it is. It’s football, we qualified and we’ll play.”
“A lot has been written, there’s a lot of focus on how it’s happened and why it’s in Qatar. I don’t agree with how it’s happened but we’re footballers and we play football. Change has to come from somewhere else.”
With Denmark Eriksen will face France, Tunisia and Australia in Group D while Bruno Fernandes and Portugal will take on Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea in Group H.
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