original title:
Qatar World Cup｜Essay: Thank you Qatar
Xinhua News Agency reporter Wei Hua
Xinhua News Agency, Doha, December 19th
On 29 days, the World Cup in Qatar ended. Messi gave the Hercules Cup a deep kiss in the way everyone expected, embellishing his already legendary career. For many football journalists with a four-year scale, when the gorgeous fireworks at the awards ceremony illuminated the Lusail Stadium, their “annual rings” were written with a strong stroke.
It is an honor that the reporter himself is one of them. During the 33 days in Qatar, although I was helpless because of the still hot winter sun at noon, I was also tired because the game started at 10 o’clock in the evening, and I was confused about the parking space for the media. I came to Qatar with some trepidation, and now I just want to say thank you.
This is the scene of the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar on November 20.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xiao Yijiu
Thanks to Qatar for setting up the stage and giving us a wonderful feast; thanks to Qatar for its dedication, we once again felt the purity of football; thanks to Qatar for its enthusiasm, let us experience a little warmth in this complex world.
Although the World Cup in Qatar is less than a month away, preparations for the Middle Eastern nation have been in the spotlight in the 12 years since it won the right to host it in 2010. The outside world has no lack of criticism and criticism of the host, but as the game progressed, all noises were drowned in the voices of the fans.
It is impossible to define whether this is the most exciting World Cup, but a soul-stirring final, a “dark horse” Morocco that broke into the semi-finals, Germany, which once again became the unpopular “background board”, Messi, the dream come true, and Modly, who persisted Odd… Let Qatar World Cup be called a classic enough.
From 2018 to 2022, in the span of more than four years, as a football reporter and fan, I seem to feel that football has changed slightly: with the influx of capital, the value of players has risen. But they are like products on the factory assembly line, repeating labor again and again in the intensive schedule. There are more and more games, but the appeal to fans has not increased with it.
I once thought, in an era where “short, flat and fast” is more and more respected, how many people are willing to spend 90 minutes watching a football match with concentration? But the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar has “rectified” my perception. Football is still the irreplaceable No. 1 sport in the world. It still has a unique charm and can make the world empathize.
In front of the apartment where I live, there is a huge open space. In the early morning, I can often hear the shouts of children playing football outside the window. Their equipment is simple, and they don’t even have goals, but this does not prevent them from dedicating themselves to it.
In Doha, there are plenty of fans who can’t afford to live in star-rated hotels, but they are willing to stay in tents for dozens of days just to follow their beloved team.
The historic breakthrough of the Moroccan team is inseparable from the home atmosphere created by enthusiastic Moroccan fans. After the “Atlas Lions” broke into the semi-finals, they walked to the sidelines and knelt down to thank the fans.
During the final, we met a fan who traveled thousands of miles from Buenos Aires to Doha and spent $20,000 just to witness the Argentine team being crowned…
On December 18, Argentine player Lionel Messi (top left second) celebrated with the Hercules Cup after the game.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Can
This scene can always touch the softest place in my heart.
I hope that the Qatar World Cup will bring us the beauty of football, not like the fireworks over the Lusail Stadium drifting away with the wind, but like photos, frozen moments, long-lasting memories. I also hope that, as media practitioners, we can live up to this love and look forward to our reunion four years later.