‘A powerful message’ – how global media judged WC

BBC Online :
If there was a sense of destiny to the Argentina and Lionel Messi storyline, the 2022 World Cup (WC) was also a triumph for the underdog.
Numerous upsets, the early slaying of footballing giants and one team’s dizzying run to the semi-finals hinted at the fragility of the traditional footballing order.
This was, of course, an image that Qatar wanted to portray, not just in sporting terms, but also in the realm of international politics.
And with the show now over, there is a feeling in some parts of the world that the Gulf state’s hosting of a thrilling tournament represents a major shift in the global system.
From the beginning, Qatar has bullishly defended itself against criticism of its right to stage such an event. Now it feels vindicated.
The state news agency QNA said: “The dream has become reality and has not been derailed from its path by the distortion campaigns and malicious allegations.” The pro-government Al-Sharq newspaper said the event had shown “fans to a new face of Arab culture”.
This was a sentiment echoed at the top. Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tweeted: “We have kept our promise to organise an exceptional tournament from Arab lands that gave the opportunity to the world’s people to get to know the richness of our culture and the authenticity of our values.”
The sense of Arab pride was bolstered by the Morocco team’s heroics. Morocco’s state-run Al Aoula TV attributed this to a broader trend, saying the Qatar-hosted tournament “had a special flavour, seasoned with the culture of a people who did not abandon their roots, and who remained attached to their traditions, despite a thousand critics”.
It added that the tournament “will be remembered by all of the world’s peoples, and future generations will be taught how the Arabs have succeeded in astounding the world with messages of brotherhood, tolerance and solidarity”.
In Iran, the strictly conservative Tasnim news agency said: “After all the twists and turns, the 2022 Qatar World Cup ended with an Argentine victory. However, Western media criticism of the Qataris goes on.”
It also reflected on the controversy surrounding Messi being asked to wear an Arab Bisht (cloak) to receive the trophy, noting that when Pele was asked to don a sombrero after the 1970 final in Mexico it was “considered a kind of cultural coexistence”.