David Beckham has faced more criticism for his status as a Qatar ambassador after declaring that the World Cup will be a platform for advancement, inclusion, and tolerance.
Beckham, who is said to be worth £150 million to the Qataris, provided a positive appraisal in a video greeting presented to visitors at the Supreme Committee’s “Generation Amazing” youth event in Doha, where he also urged those in attendance that “today is your day to dream.”
The subject of workers’ and LGBTQ+ rights has been a recurring theme in the buildup to this World Cup, as have doubts about how much Qatar has evolved since winning the event in 2010. Beckham, on the other hand, seems unconcerned about how far the country had come.
“Qatar dreamed of bringing the World Cup to a place that it had never been before, but that it wouldn’t be enough just to achieve things on the pitch,” he said. “The pitch would be a platform for progress.”
“He also said: “Dreams can come true. That is why you are here. You share Generation Amazing’s twin passions for the game of football and for making the world a more tolerant and inclusive place.”
Beckham has come under growing fire from LGBTQ+ organizations, with Di Cunningham, co-founder of the Three Lions Pride group, declaring last week that he should no longer be regarded a great ally due to his paid ambassador status.
However, Beckham stated that Qatar and its ambassadors were improving people’s lives.
“Every one of the great players I was lucky enough to play with started exactly the same way,” he said. “In a back garden, park, or a street outside their home with just a ball and an imagination that they dared to let run wild.
“Almost two decades ago a small group of football lovers from Qatar had an equally fantastic dream: that they could bring the greatest football show on earth to their home country and to the Middle East for the very first time.
“And now we are here. Because when dreams are harnessed and mixed with dedication and hard work, they are no longer dreams. They become reality.”
He added: “I want to say to all of you, ‘today is your day to dream’. Because there are no limits to what you and your teammates can achieve in our beautiful game.
“Even before this festival kicks off, more than a million lives have been touched to create an inspirational global community of coaches, educators and new young leaders. It all began as a dream. That is now yours. So please be inspired and pass it on.”