Toni Kroos does not mince words when it comes to the World Cup in Qatar. The 31-year-old Real Madrid midfielder speaks in the podcast Einfach mal Luppen as one of the first top football players to expressly expressly about the human rights situation in the oil state. Kroos states, among other things, that it is too late for a boycott, but wants to take action in Qatar.
“The migrant workers have to work non-stop at 50 degrees Celsius. They have to contend with a lack of nutrition and a lack of drinking water, which is insane at those temperatures. And that’s not only true for the construction of the World Cup stadiums, but also elsewhere in the country “, Kroos describes the situation in the podcast he is making with his brother Felix. “Safety is not guaranteed at all, there is no medical care. It is a form of violence that must be denounced.”
Kroos calls it wrong, partly because of the working conditions and gay rights in Qatar, that the World Cup was assigned to the country in 2022. “But the discussions about a boycott started too late. I think it is better to bring the problems to the attention before and during the tournament. Perhaps something will improve. Not only are the working conditions a theme, but there is more you can speak out about. For example, that homosexuality is a criminal offense in Qatar. “
Normally, Kroos is a regular base player in the German national team, but the midfielder had to pass the current international period due to an injury. Kroos is therefore missing on Wednesday in the World Cup qualifying match against North Macedonia. Die Mannschaft will then issue another statement against Qatar, after the German players wore black shirts with a white letter on them prior to the game against Iceland. Together, those eleven letters formed the message ‘Human rights’.
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