The World Cup in Qatar is becoming more and more political, as shown by a silent protest on stage during the group game between the German national team and Spain.
While the two teams are engaged in an exciting duel on the lawn, a group of hangovers forms. Equipped with pictures and drawings by Mesut Özil, the men protest and demonstratively cover their mouths. And why all this?
It's not (yet) possible to say for sure. It is quite possible that the men want to remember the Mesut Özil scandal of 2018. At that time, Özil posted a photo of himself and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the World Cup and gave the controversial ruler a jersey with the inscription "For my President".
After weeks of harsh criticism, the former international made a lengthy statement announcing his retirement from the national team. "It is with a heavy heart and after much deliberation that I will no longer play for Germany at international level because of the recent events as long as I feel this sense of racism and disrespect," he said. "I'm a German when I win and an immigrant when I lose," one of the key phrases in his statement.
Most likely, the silently protesting Qatari want to remind exactly after the German national team initiated a silent protest before the first group game against Japan. Because they and other European teams were not allowed to wear the "One Love" armband, they demonstratively covered their mouths for the team photo before the game. You forbid us to have an opinion – that's the message behind it.
By holding Özil's likeness in the air, the cats may accuse the German team of double standards.
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