An interview with some England fans who ended up back at a Sheikh’s palace while searching for beer in Qatar has gone viral.
As unbelievable as it sounds, they’re actually telling the truth – and there’s video footage to prove it.
With the 2022 World Cup having now officially kicked-off, and Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad set to face Iran for their first match in the group stage at 1pm today, England fans out in Qatar have been soaking up the atmosphere that comes along with a football’s flagship tournament, and have been trying to enjoy themselves as much as possible.
But, unlike in the majority of World Cups in the past, it’s a much more sober affair for fans this time round, as Qatar’s strict laws on alcohol mean that beer has officially been prohibited by the country in and around stadiums.
It’s thought that fans hoping to enjoy a drink before heading to the match, or to celebrate successes afterwards, will have to get a little more creative in their search for beer.
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And for a couple of England fans, that search took them all the way to a Qatari Sheikh’s palace.
In an interview with talkSPORT – which is currently going viral on social media – the excited Scouse duo explained that they’ve just been “having a good time” and “enjoying ourselves” since landing in Doha, but that things took a bit an unexpected turn when they began exploring the streets of the Qatar capital city in the search for a drink.
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“We met one of the Sheikh’s sons & he took us back to the palace!” 😮
“We were on the hunt for beers and we ended up at a big palace, we saw his monkeys & exotic birds!” 🐒
“We’ve just been having a good time, having a mooch, and trying to get our bearings,” one of the fans explained, adding that the “set-up’s spot on”.
His mate Joe then chimed in to admit that they met one of the Sheikh’s sons last night and he “took us back to the palace and showed us he had lions and everything”, before adding that the royalty and Qatar locals have made them “feel so welcome”.
The other lad then divulged even further about how they ended up back at the palace, and described the whole experiences as “nuts”.
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“Basically we were on a bit of a hunt for some beers and he was like ‘yeah, we sort beers, we sort beers’, so we jumped into the back of his Toyota Landcruiser, ended up at a big palace,” he explained.
“He showed us his monkeys, his exotic birds – it was nuts.”
With the interview having now gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views and thousands of interactions, understandably, many people are a bit skeptical about the validity of the story and whether or not the two fans were actually telling the truth.
Popular Twitter account Didn’t Happen of the Year Awards even admitted in response to the video that it’s “not often I’m speechless like this.”
But, in what is an absolute turn up for the books after someone went in search of proof the chain of events is real, video footage from the visit to the palace shared on the fans’ Snapchat has been recovered and made its way onto social media.
The Three Lions’ first game against Iran kicks-off at 1pm GMT, with their second group game against the USA taking place on 25 November, and the final clash of the group stage coming against Wales on 29 November.
Featured Image – talkSPORT (via Twitter)
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær says just three players have spoken to him since leaving Manchester United
Danny Jones
Club legend and ex-Manchester United player turned manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, has revealed that just three of his former players have been in touch since leaving Old Trafford.
Solskjær was sacked from the role as Man United head coach back in November 2021 after having been given the job permanently following an impressive winning run as interim manager.
The practically perfect start back at the helm of the club – where he starred as the ‘super sub’ during his playing days – was followed by a big slump, and the final decision was ultimately made in the wake of a 4-1 loss to Watford.
However, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s’ popularity among the players and the fans alike was never in question, so it’s come as somewhat of a surprise to many fans that Solskjær has said only a specific trio of United players have got in touch with him since his dream job came to an end.
At least two of the names read out might not surprise fans, as not only was then-club captain Harry Maguire one of his first statement signings, but so was Bruno Fernandes, who now has the armband, and both have remained key players and leadership figures pretty much ever since.
Speaking to BBC Sport on the senior duo, Ole said, “For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter”, and never had any doubts about him deputising for him on the pitch, before going on to label both the centre-back and Bruno as “top human beings.”
As for the third, although Victor Lindelöf looks set to leave the club this summer, he’s actually been a long-serving squad member, having joined back in 2017 and been a seemingly popular figure around the dressing room, even if injury problems have sometimes hampered his minutes.
He also went on to discuss other matters regarding the club, including confessing that it’s “hard to watch” United amidst their present struggles, both under previous manager Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim – even with a potential Europa League trophy consolation on the cards.
The retired striker also stated that he found the decision to let midfielder Scott McTominay go more than surprising, especially given the incredible performances he’s put on display since moving to Serie A.
Co-op Live has been named the number one arena in Europe following its debut year
Danny Jones
Despite a rocky opening month or so, Manchester’s Co-op Live made the ultimate instant recovery and has now been named the number one arena not just in the UK but all of Europe.
Manc music venues being best in class? Sounds about right.
Yes, even despite some obstacles, delays and early hiccups, Co-op Live‘s debut year as a live music and indoor entertainment venue has seen it beat out the likes of the long-established and iconic O2 in London to take the top spot.
The inaugural 12 months of the arena have not only seen it welcome all manner of music legends, as well as live sporting events such as the UFC and WWE, but the arena welcomed more visitors than any other venue across the continent during that time.
Names to have graced the industry-leading stage so far include Liam Gallagher, Stevie Nicks and Take That; Peter Kay, Elbow, Sabrina Carpenter, Paul McCartney, and so many more.
Commenting on the successful start, Tim Leiweke (CEO and chairman of the Oak View Groupbehind the venue) said: “Our ambition was to bring the world’s best music arena to one of the world’s greatest music cities and we are thrilled with the reaction from fans and artists alike over this past year.
“Co-op Live’s revolutionary acoustics investment has already attracted some of the world’s biggest artists and events to Manchester, with many more to come. And our sustainability commitment will ensure we remain responsible contributors to Manchester and the planet for years to come.
“We believe that amazing venues can transform cities for the better, and Co-op Live has done just that.”
It’s fair to say we’ve had some truly unforgettable nights in there already – and that’s just in the last month alone. Case and point:
With a continued commitment to achieving ‘Net Zero’ status too, the venue’s carbon reduction technologies, solar panels, heat pumps and rainwater harvesting, not to mention the recently refreshed CityLink walking in partnership with the Climate Pledge, are all things we can be proud of.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, went on to add: “We are delighted with the success of Co-op Live’s first year, and to see it taking the top spot off London.
“It shows Manchester is the home of live music in the UK, with Co-op Live bringing so many exclusives from artists like Bruce Springsteen to the city and Oasis playing massive hometown shows this summer – 2025 is going to be one of the biggest ever for our city’s music scene.”
Meanwhile, things are feeling less fortunate at the grassroots end of the spectrum, as the Music Venue Trust is imploring people to get behind a vulnerable Manc music institution.
Emily Sergeant -
21st November 2022 
