Billions of dollars bought Qatar a World Cup, but not loyal fans in opener

DOHA, Qatar -- By the clip referee Daniele Orsato blew the last whistle Sunday for Qatar's 2-0 nonaccomplishment successful the 2022 World Cup opener, the full ocular palette of the Al-Bayt Stadium had changed.

What was erstwhile a sizable spot of Ecuadorian yellow, a clump of burgundy from the ultras conception supporting Qatar, and a preponderance of unmistakable achromatic (for the women) and achromatic (for the men) successful accepted formal had been transformed. The yellowish was inactive there, and the burgundy had thinned, but present determination were immense patches of airy reddish -- the colour of bare seats astatine the Al-Bayt.

It is improbable that overmuch much than one-third of the announced 67,372 successful attendance remained and, indeed, you could spot location supporters record retired arsenic aboriginal arsenic the extremity of a archetypal fractional which saw Qatar spell 2 goals down.

- Report: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador | World Cup fixtures and features

This is my seventh World Cup, and lone erstwhile earlier person I seen these galore location fans wantonness a stadium early. That was 8 years agone successful Belo Horizonte, erstwhile Brazil took connected Germany successful a World Cup semifinal and famously fell down 5-0 by halftime. But that was the Mineirazo (rough translation: "the agony of Mineirão," the stadium wherever the crippled was played) -- it was the eventual time of shame for the Seleção, an imponderable travel into football's twilight portion as Brazil mislaid 7-1.

This walkout successful Doha was different. This was Qatar's first-ever World Cup game. And, portion they weren't playing well, they were 2 goals down against Ecuador, not immoderate powerhouse, which offered anticipation for the 2nd half. And, sure, adjacent though they were connected their mode to becoming the archetypal big federation successful World Cup past to suffer the opening crippled (though they could not person known it astatine the time), Qatar inactive had -- and person -- 2 much opportunities against Senegal and the Netherlands.

Qatar's travel to the World Cup has been, astatine once, meticulous, costly and, let's look it, Machiavellian. They won the bid successful dubious circumstances successful 2010, they built a world-class grooming halfway (the Aspire Academy) and filled it with the champion younker coaches wealth could bargain arsenic good arsenic talented kids from astir the satellite (who might, 1 day, beryllium naturalized via residency).

They spent much than $220 cardinal connected this World Cup -- much than doubly the erstwhile 8 World Cups combined. They built stadiums and hotels and a brand-new airport. They bankrolled a home nonrecreational league with superstar coaches and players, from Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez to Colombia prima James Rodriguez.

And yet, connected this night, Qatar came up abbreviated successful the 1 country they simply could not control.

No, I'm not talking astir the show connected the pitch. Ecuador were substantially better, but that wasn't a surprise. Other than a impermanent quality successful the Gold Cup, this Qatar squad haven't played immoderate authoritative competitions (unless you number the Arab Cup, and you astir apt shouldn't) since they won the Asian Cup successful 2019. That's a precise agelong clip successful football. Ecuador, successful summation to having amended players, came done the battle-hardening warfare of attrition different known arsenic CONMEBOL qualifying.

I'm referring alternatively to the location supporters. The radical who, you know, would beryllium the ones to really attraction and beryllium passionate astir supporting their squad -- the squad their state had invested truthful overmuch in. At the archetypal bump successful the road, however, galore -- not all, by immoderate stretch, but a important magnitude -- were gone.

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga and much (U.S.)

Cultural differences? Not existent fans? Random Qatari who were attending retired of curiosity alternatively than a existent passionateness for their team? It's hard to tell. And, to beryllium clear, galore stayed until the end. But those bare seats, frankly, volition consciousness similar a footwear successful the (crown) household jewels.

Why spell done each this -- everything it took to get a World Cup, each the effort -- if not for nationalist pride? Why person your fans conscionable locomotion retired good earlier the extremity of the game?

It jars with the messaging that Qatar has often told us, which is that Qatar is simply a football-loving federation afloat of fans with a passionateness for the sport. It's what Qatar claimed successful 2010 successful bidding to big the World Cup, and we've heard it ever since.

It's besides a reminder that, yeah, this is simply a tiny state with astir 300,000 citizens, counting the aged and toddlers. And it's astir apt already a feat to get one-tenth of that colonisation into a stadium similar Al-Bayt. To expect them to besides instrumentality astir for a decision mightiness person been excessively overmuch to ask. And that's a spot depressing.

Money and an emir determined to big and vie successful a World Cup tin bargain you a lot. What it can't bargain you is 90 minutes of committed enactment for your nationalist squad from your population. Not erstwhile that colonisation is itself affluent and privileged -- Qatar has the highest GDP per capita successful the satellite -- and if they don't similar what they see, they'll ballot with their feet. And cipher tin halt them.