• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

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

Home> News

Updated 16:06 20 Nov 2022 GMTPublished 15:23 20 Nov 2022 GMT

breaking

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

Gary Lineker gave a powerful opening monologue at the opening of the 2022 World Cup

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

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.

Advert

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."

Gary Lineker spoke about FIFA corruption and Qatar's human rights abuses in his opening monologue.
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'.

Advert

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.

Advert

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'.

Gary Lineker works as a presenter and pundit for the BBC, and is leading their coverage of the World Cup.
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.

Advert

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

Featured Image Credit: BBC/Ionel Sorin Furcoi/Alamy

Topics: Gary Lineker, World Cup, Football, Sport

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    NASA astronaut's stunning time-lapse of Earth lightning storm from ISS has to be explained to be believed

    NASA astronaut, Nichole Ayers, explained it all in her social media post online

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Owner of Ancient Egyptian tomb finally identified 50 years after archaeologists' discovery

    The discovery is an important breakthrough according to local officials

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    30-year mystery of bone fragments washing up on US beaches is finally solved

    Bones were being washed ashore in the US, from 1995 to 2013 without any answers

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    New details emerge over devastating plane crash that claimed life of famous drummer Daniel Williams

    Crash investigators have shared details about what they believe caused the horrific incident

    News
  • Refugee who lived with Gary Lineker praises ‘defender of humanity’ following TV return
  • Fatboy Slim pays massive 'respect' tribute to Gary Lineker during gig
  • Gary Lineker Says He Suffered Racist Abuse Over ‘Darkish’ Skin Colour
  • Ian Wright says BBC made a ‘hot mess’ of Gary Lineker row