Manchester United legend Eric Cantona says he will not be watching November's World Cup in Qatar due to the circumstances surrounding the competition.
Question marks were raised about the awarding of the showpiece event to the Middle Eastern country in 2010 and since the preparations have brought a number of controversies, including surrounding its successful bid and severe safety concerns during the construction of stadia.
The tournament, for the first time in history, will be held during November and December in order to combat the blistering heat of the Qatar summer months.
Cantona argues past hosts South Africa and the United States helped promote the tournament and the sport of football in their respective countries.
He is reluctant to support the Qatar edition of the prestigious FIFA competition due to the motives and difficulties surrounding it.
"To be honest, I don't really care about the next World Cup, which is not a real World Cup for me. In the last decades, you had a lot of events like the Olympic Games or World Cups in countries that are emerging - like in Russia or China," he told the Mail.
"But Qatar - it's not the country of football. I'm not against the idea of hosting a World Cup in a country where there is a possibility to develop and promote football, like in South Africa or the United States in the '90s.
"Football is the most popular feminine sport in the United States, there is a lot of South American immigration, and a big potential for the sport to develop."
Already, 13 teams have qualified for the tournament as Qatar, as hosts, are joined by Germany, Denmark, Brazil, France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands and Argentina.
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Cantona added: "In fact, now in the United States, the sport which has the most licensed people is football. But in Qatar, the truth is that there is no such potential. There is nothing. It's only about money I think.
"It's only about money and the way they treated the people who built the stadiums, it's horrible. And thousands of people died. And yet we will celebrate this World Cup.
"Personally, I will not watch it. I understand football is a business. But I thought it was the only place where everybody could have a chance.
"And I still think that young players can grow up in a very poor area - most players come from poor areas. And they become footballers and have a chance to save themselves and save their family which is great. And if you are good, you are good. It's a meritocracy - if you're better than the next guy, you will play and it's fair.
"So it's why, maybe, if meritocracy and potential is the essence of football, it's even more surprising that we can organise a World Cup in Qatar, and people actually voted for that.
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