The Australian national team released a video protesting against the upcoming World Cup

As we approach 20 November, the day when Qatar, host country of the next World Cup, will open the tournament against Ecuador at the Al Bayt stadium, criticism of FIFA and its decision is beginning to flare up. After Norway's protest several months ago, now it is the turn of Australia, which with a video posted on the Socceroos' twitter account called for "an effective and quick remedy for the problems of migrants and the decriminalisation of homosexual relations." The protest was joined by 16 players of the selection who, with a black and white video, firmly condemned all the human rights violations that have been talked about in recent years and denounced by numerous institutional and non-institutional associations. A video made above all to "create an opportunity to raise everyone's awareness of some important issues, so as to stimulate change on a local and global level." The video then ends with all the footballers reciting the same phrase, "One that football can truly be proud of", a clear message that leaves no room for further interpretation.

We will see if this video will have an effect among the other national teams, until now in fact both FIFA and Qatar have not commented on the matter, letting the tweet fall on deaf ears. Australia, despite the protests, will still participate in the competition, which will see it engaged in the tough round against France, Denmark and Tunisia. And with this totally unexpected video, as reported by several national newspapers, the Australian selection may have definitively compromised its bid to host the next World Cup in 2034, since even if there is no explicit reference in the video it is clear the players have indirectly criticised the absenteeism of the world's top body both over the deaths of the workers and the controversial choice to play in Qatar.