Kick-off in Doha, red card in Paris, package for Benzema… The news for this Sunday, November 20 – Liberation

Find essential information on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on this first day of competition.

A fully publicized opening ceremony

We were promised a thirty minute show “full of surprises”. The only real surprise, apart from the already announced BTS star Jungkook and Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi, was Morgan Freeman. In a stadium with lights off, in the middle of dancers, the 85-year-old American actor appeared. We have seen and heard him discuss inclusion, tolerance and diversity at length with a young, handicapped Qatari without legs. A number of com to silence the critics not really convincing. The ceremony then retraced the history of Qatar. Traditional dress, desert, camels: everything is there. Until the images of a seemingly distant past where the Qataris were already kicking the ball, a yellow and orange jersey on their backs. T-shirt that the Emir signed live in the stadium, alongside Mohammed Ben Salman and Gianni Infantino, and that each of the spectators was offered. The big show with an Olympic touch – we even showed a giant flame in front of the stadium – ended with a pyrotechnic show, based on fireworks, a flying mascot and giant jerseys in the colors of the 32 qualified nations. All after a speech by the Emir, warmly applauded by the spectators, the vast majority of Qataris. By our special envoy to Qatar.

Karim Benzema on the flank and not replaced

Against all logic, the French coach had bet on his Madrid striker while he was still recovering from an injury. His presence in Qatar, however, raised questions with regard to a golden rule that you never take an injured player to a final phase of competition. Benzema having never played more than twenty-six minutes of play since October 19, the toxicity of the player in question being precisely proportional to his brilliance since everyone – starting with the media environment – ​​is focusing on a possible return. The Ballon d’Or finally relapsed this Saturday, darkening the horizon of the Blues a little more. Didier Deschamps has decided not to replace him. The analysis of our special correspondent in Qatar.

Darmanin with the Blues (of football)

Appointed to represent France at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Doha this Sunday afternoon, the Minister of the Interior took the opportunity to visit the French players in the morning. Result: a photo of all smiles with Didier Deschamps, and a tight hand grip with defender Dayot Upamecano (here from the back).

The Insoumis regret the French silence

“Why do we have the most timorous national team in the world on these issues?, asked Alexis Corbière this Sunday on France info, citing the example of other teams, such as Denmark or Germany, which have taken a position on human rights and ecological issues linked to the World Cup. The rebellious deputy judged that Captain Hugo Lloris “should have been silent” when he said it was important to “show respect” to the culture of Qatar. “Culture is not women who need a man as a guardian. When homosexuality is repressed, it’s not culture, it’s reactionary. I am for human rights everywhere”, lamented Corbière. For her part, the leader of the LFI deputies Mathilde Panot judged on BFMTV that «le minimum» would be to have “a political boycott” et “diplomatic” du Mondial, deploring the presence of the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin at the opening ceremony.

A “die-in” in Paris for the dead from construction sites

A few hours before the start of the competition in Qatar, several groups gathered this afternoon in Paris, on the Place de la République, to denounce the ecological damage and the violation of human rights of this event. After a brief football match to music, activists waved “a red card for the world cup in Qatar”, before throwing burst balloons in the center of the field, and suddenly collapsing at the foot of the Monument to the Republic. A “die-in”, representing the 6,500 dead on the construction sites of the World Cup. By our reporter on site.

First commercial flight between Israel and Doha

The first commercial flight between Israel and Qatar, two countries without diplomatic relations, took place this Sunday between Tel Aviv for Doha, as part of a special program on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup. soccer. “History is being written with this first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Doha”, said Lior Hayat, the spokesman for Israeli diplomacy, affirming that this flight was the result of negotiations between the Jewish state and Fifa. Cypriot airline Tus Airways is planning six direct flights from Tel Aviv to Doha and six in the opposite direction during the World Cup period.

Ask for the program of the day

After the inaugural Qatar-Ecuador match on Sunday evening, three matches are scheduled for Monday: England against Iran (2 p.m.), Senegal against the Netherlands (5 p.m.) and the United States will face Wales (9 p.m.).