Fans are praising Gary Lineker for not holding back in World Cup opening monologue

Gary Lineker has been praised by football fans for giving a powerful opening monologue ahead of the first game of the 2022 World Cup.

The former England international turned TV presenter delivered a scathing speech on FIFA's corruption in awarding Qatar the tournament, and Qatar's record on human rights.

Presenting the BBC's coverage of the 2022 World Cup, Lineker delivered a monologue on how exactly football has come to this, hosting a World Cup in Qatar amidst so many controversies and scandals.

He said: "Ever since FIFA chose Qatar back in 2010 the smallest nation to have hosted football's greatest competition has faced some big questions.

"From accusations of corruption in the bidding process to the treatment of migrant workers who built the stadiums, where many lost their lives."

"Homosexuality is illegal here, women's rights and freedom of expression are in the spotlight. Also the decision six years ago to switch the World Cup from summer to winter."

BBC

Wrapping things up, the presenter said attention would turn towards the football as 'there's a tournament to be played', and he explained that the World Cup would be 'watched and enjoyed around the world'.

Lineker ended the speech by addressing those who demanded that critics of Qatar 'stick to football', promising that they would 'for a couple of minutes at least'.

Viewers praised Lineker's speech, with one person saying 'that's how you open a World Cup TV coverage', applauding the former footballer for 'not holding back'.

Another approved of the way he 'went straight into it', while a third called it a 'very powerful intro'.

Someone else applauded Lineker's speech and said he did a 'great job highlighting the issues in his monologue'.

However, not everyone was so happy with Lineker's speech, with some accusing him of being a 'hypocrite' for condemning the World Cup while being in Qatar covering it for the BBC.

Others complained that the presenter was giving his 'personal political views' on air and said they didn't tune in to the football for a 'lesson on morality'.

Mark Pain/Alamy Stock Photo

Current FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he understood how bad the discrimination and human rights abuses committed by Qatar were because he used to be bullied for having red hair.

In a bizarre speech ahead of the World Cup he told the assembled media 'don't criticise Qatar' and accused people from European countries of hypocrisy over taking a moral stance on the nation hosting the competition.

Former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, who was in charge of the governing body when Qatar was awarded the World Cup, admitted recently that it was a 'mistake' to award them the tournament.

Blatter conceded that Qatar had been the wrong choice to host the World Cup.