>
‘Maybe you have a good argument, but I don’t see one’: Eric Cantona questions David Beckham’s role as ambassador for the World Cup in Qatar… after previously criticizing his former Manchester United teammate for committing a ‘big error’
- Eric Cantona has questioned the role of ambassador of David Beckham in Qatar
- The Frenchman stated that he “can’t see” a good argument for him to take the role.
- Beckham agreed to be a leading figure in the build-up to the 2022 World Cup
- Cantona previously suggested Beckham had made a ‘big mistake’
- The tournament was overshadowed by a series of social problems in the country.
Eric Cantona has again criticized former Manchester United teammate David Beckham for taking on an ambassadorial role for the World Cup in Qatar.
The former England captain faced intense scrutiny before and during the World Cup for his decision to be a ‘face’ of the tournament, despite being overshadowed by a raft. of social issues related to Qatar’s human rights record and the persecution of the LGBTQ+ community.
Cantona criticized Beckham before the tournament and has again questioned his decision.
David Beckham faced strong criticism for his role as Qatar World Cup ambassador
Eric Cantona says he “can’t see” a good argument for why Beckham decided to take on the role
When asked how he feels about Beckham’s ambassadorial role in Qatar, Cantona told the Times: ‘If he really thinks he has to do that promotion for the right reasons, I don’t know what the right reasons are, that’s fine.
‘But if it’s just for money, it’s completely different. You have to ask her why she did it. You may have a good argument, but I don’t see any.
It was announced in February last year that Beckham had signed a £10m deal to become the country’s ambassador for the decade, resulting in his role for the 2022 World Cup.
Cantona knows Beckham well from their time together at Manchester United during the 1990s.
During an interview for Neville’s Sky Bet-sponsored YouTube show The Overlap, Beckham said: “Speaking as a fan, I’ve been coming to Qatar for a number of years.” I have seen the hospitality, the warmth of the people.
“We talk about football being for everyone, we talk about the World Cup being for everyone and this is the first time the World Cup has been hosted in this region and that’s an incredible moment.”
In September, Cantona insisted that Beckham was making a “big mistake” and questioned whether the English hero knew what was happening in Qatar.
When asked if he would ever take on a role similar to Beckham’s, Cantona said the athletic: ‘I wouldn’t do it at all. I do completely the opposite. In January 2022, I started saying that. Maybe I was the first.
The former England captain signed a £10m contract last February to become ambassador
Cantona said his former teammate “doesn’t know what happened” in Qatar
But I am free to do it. And of course, a former player paid to do this kind of thing… They may not know what happened there. Or, if they do, I think they did it wrong. I think they made a big mistake. A big, big mistake.
Beckham only addressed the criticism in December, when he stated that he believed “sports has the power to be a force for good in the world.”
The statement, issued through a spokesman, said: “We understand that there are deeply held and differing views on engagement in the Middle East, but we find it positive that debate on key issues has been directly stimulated by the first World Cup. World that takes place in the region.’
The World Cup was overshadowed by a series of social issues related to Qatar’s human rights record.
He added: “We hope that these conversations lead to a greater understanding and empathy for all people and that progress is made.”
Beckham’s relationship with Qatar dates back to his time as a player at Paris Saint-Germain.
The ambassadorial deal is understood to have come about as a result of Beckham’s close friendship with PSG Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi when the former Manchester United star was playing for the club in 2013.
The couple was photographed laughing together at an international match in Qatar in 2019 and Beckham has become a frequent visitor to the country.