"World Cup shouldn't be here": Roy Keane attacks Qatar

Former Manchester United legend and current ITV analyst Roy Keane has made his opinion quite clear on the World Cup in Qatar. The 51-year-old former Republic of Ireland international lambasted FIFA for allowing the Middle Eastern country to host the tournament.

“The World Cup shouldn’t be here. It shouldn’t be here,” Keane said live on air on Tuesday. “You’ve got a country and the way they treat migrant workers, gay people.”

FIFA has been under pressure for years since they allowed Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup. Corruption, money laundering, a migrant worker crisis, treatment of women, and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments have made the current tournament very controversial.

Roy Keane slams Qatar hosting 2022 World Cup

Keane also previously had his say on teams being sanctioned if their captains wore the OneLove armbands as well. “I think the players could have done it for the first game and took the punishment, whatever that might be,” Keane explained on Monday.

Captains would reportedly receive a yellow card if they wore the special armbands during the tournament. The teams essentially agreed not to wear the OneLove armbands out of fear of possible suspension if given too many yellow cards.

Specifically speaking about the England and Wales teams, Keane said that the two nations missed a big opportunity. “[Harry] Kane, obviously you’re risking if he’s going to get a yellow card, if that was going to be the punishment, but that would have been a great statement. Do it for the first game. If you get your yellow card, what a message that would have been from Kane or [Gareth] Bale.”

“Take your medicine and then the next game you move on,” continued Keane. “You don’t wear it [the next game] because obviously you don’t want to be getting suspended. But I think it was a big mistake. I think both players should have stuck to their guns and done it. If that’s what you believe, then go with it.”

PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images