And so it begins! Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman has led Qatar’s official opening ceremony as the Gulf state launched the 2022 World Cup. Here’s what you need to know.
The Oscar-winning actor, known for his roles in The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby, narrated the opening ceremony initially on a video before appearing in the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium in Doha. He told the crowd: “We gather here as one big tribe and Earth is the tent we all live in.”
Morgan Freeman Kicks Off The Opening CONTROVERSIAL World Cup Ceremony In Qatar
Men dancing with swords, camels and a parade of World Cup mascots also featured in the ceremony to open the competition controversially awarded to Qatar. Qatar has spent more than 200 billion dollars on infrastructure since 2010.
Launching its party on Sunday night, Dreamers, from the official World Cup soundtrack, was performed by BTS superstar Jung Kook and Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi. The lyrics include: “Look who we are, we are the dreamers, we’ll make it happen because we believe it.”
Freeman appeared later in the ceremony to tell the crowd: “Football spans the world, unites nations in their love of the beautiful game. What brings together nations also brings together communities. We all have a story on football and how it brought us together and this land has a story of its very own.”
The actor extended one hand to a FIFA World Cup ambassador suffering from a rare spinal disorder in an image meant to represent inclusion in a country facing international criticism over its human rights record.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was in attendance alongside Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the driving force behind the country’s World Cup bid. FIFA’s choice of host nation has been widely condemned due to its hardline anti-LGBT laws and treatment of migrant workers.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3zmPILpDa0
