Christian Eriksen among those wearing protest kits at 2022 Qatar World Cup
Manchester United and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen is set to be one of several players who will be wearing a protest shirt against the 2022 Qatar World Cup during the tournament this winter.
The 30-year-old and his teammates will be donning the special jersey after his country became the latest to voice their opposition against the Qatari state and the numerous controversies surrounding this year’s World Cup.
In order to make a statement on the biggest stage, the Nordic nation has collaborated with its kit manufacturer Hummel to create a bespoke and crucially understated shirt for this year’s competition.
As confirmed in a collaborative statement shared by the sports brand on Instagram, the kit itself is not only a throwback to the Euro ’92 winning team “but also a protest against Qatar and its human rights record.”
As explained in the caption: “we’ve toned down all the details for Denmark’s new World Cup jerseys, including our logo and iconic chevrons. We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.”
Denmark isn’t the only nation that has expressed its dismay in Qatar 2022 going ahead despite suppressive laws surrounding gender and sexuality, abuse and death of migrant workers building the stadiums, as well as various other marks against their human rights record.
Though they didn’t qualify for this year’s tournament, Norway were one of the first to call for a boycott against the Gulf nation hosting the World Cup and United legend David Beckham has also come under criticism for promoting the country’s tourism board.
While many have flagged that protesting a tournament they are still participating in is somewhat hypocritical, they have responded by stating that they “support the Danish national team all the way [and] that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation.”
They concluded by declaring: “We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement.”
Read more:
- Road to Victory: Europe’s biggest World Cup fan zone is heading to Depot Mayfield
- The 3pm blackout for live football could be scrapped by the EFL
- England hero Geoff Hurst is helping feed older fans for the World Cup this winter
Denmark’s World Cup group (D) is completed by Australia, Tunisia and reigning world champions, France. Eriksen himself will be hoping to stay fit for the World Cup and for no further health problems after having collapsed during Denmark’s game against Finland at Euro 2020.
The Dane has been a mainstay in Erik ten Hag‘s United side ever since joining in the summer and following his ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) surgery, still looks to be one of the first names on the team sheet for his country.
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Featured Image — Christian Eriksen (via Instagram)