The 2022 FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar from 18 November to 20 December. The final will take place on 20 December marking the end of the 22nd edition of the competition. Coincidentally, or maybe not, Qatar celebrates its National Day on 20 December, the day of the final.

The entire Qatar is busy preparing for the WC, but they have failed to impress many, including soccer legend Eric Cantona. The former Manchester United star has openly criticized the nation for getting the hosting rights. He also called out his former teammates, including David Beckham, for their ambassadorial role in the tournament.

Former Manchester United and LA Galaxy star, David Beckham, has been closely associated with soccer even after his retirement. He is very popular among soccer circles and continues to inspire many. However, Beckham has recently been in news for his position as Qatar WC ambassador.

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Earlier this year, Eric Cantona expressed his desire to not watch the World Cup due to the controversies surrounding hosts, Qatar. He also went on to criticize his former teammate at United, David Beckham.

Eric Cantona reacts to David Beckham taking up the ambassadorial role in Qatar WC

Earlier this year, Cantona sat down with ‘The Athletic‘ for an interview. During the interview, Adam Crafton asked him if he would take up the same role offered to David Beckham and other former soccer legends. Cantona wasn’t interested in the role and called it a ‘big mistake’.

Cantona said: “I would not do it at all. I do completely the opposite. In January 2022, I started to say that. Maybe I was the first one. But I am free to do it. And of course, an ex-player paid to do this kind of thing…”

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“It could be they don’t know what has happened there,” he counters. “Or, if they know it, I think they did wrong. I think they made a big mistake. A big, big mistake,” he continued.

Apart from David Beckham, Gary Neville has also joined the Qatar-owned BeIn Sports for the World Cup. Former soccer legends Tim Cahill, Cafu, Samuel Eto’o, Xavi Hernandez, and Ronald de Boer are also on the star-studded list of players alongside Beckham to hold ambassadorial positions.

Eric Cantona will not be watching the Qatar World Cup

United legend Eric Cantona once criticized the decision to give the hosting rights to the middle-east nation. He went on to call the event ‘not a real World Cup’ and called out Qatar for its controversies.

“To be honest, I don’t really care about the next World Cup, which is not a real World Cup for me,” Cantona told the Daily Mail.

He continued: “I’m not against the idea of hosting a World Cup in a country where there is a possibility to develop and promote football, like in South Africa or the United States. But Qatar – it’s not the country of football. It’s only about money and the way they treated the people who built the stadiums, it’s horrible.”

Ever since the buildup to the soccer world cup started, hosts Qatar have been making the headlines for the wrong reasons. Many fans and players have criticized them for their controversies over the years. Recently, the German government criticized the Qatar WC ambassador for his controversial remarks.

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This is the 2nd time an Asian nation is hosting the World Cup after South Korea. Despite the criticism, fans are excited about the tournament which could be the last one for many legends, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar.

Which team will lift the World Cup trophy in Qatar? Let us know your predictions in the comment section below.