I really hope that the authorities of Qatar football realize that this is not just a revenue stream through which they will be able to make money. I hope they realize that they have a really good chance of showing the world what they can do in football. There should not only be a focus on getting money from this world cup, but also on having some people looking for really skilled players in Qatar as a result of this world cup. And I expect that the people of Qatar will also be very interested in football after this world cup happens.
It does feel sad that Italy did not qualify for the world cup. But I think that's okay. They are a capable team and they probably deserved to play in the world cup, but nothing can be done now.
I would like to think of football as something noble, but the reality is different.
Romantic football, in which money was not important, and clubs like Steaua or Crvena zvezda could be champions of Europe, lasted until 1991, when the Champions League started and profit became the most important thing.
It is clear that the main reason why Qatar's leaders decided to organize this world championship is solely for profit, and everything else, including sports motives, are irrelevant and that is the reality.
I believe that many neutral football fans are sorry that we will not see Italy again in this World Cup, but that is the reality and nothing can be changed.
It cannot be denied that football has become a source of profit for a large number of people if not most of them. For instance, if you look at teams like Chelsea or Manchester City, you will see that the method works. As a matter of fact, they are swimming in the pool of Arab money and whatnot. In addition to hosting these matches, Qatar is also using this opportunity to make some money from the event. Nowadays, money and football have become synonymous, and that is quite a sad thing that we have to deal with.
The game of football was once regarded as a symbol of creativity, love, and passion among many people. There is just money nowadays, and it has become a competition of who can generate the most revenue to be the biggest.