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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Stephen Killen & Charlotte Coates

'Shouldn't be here' - Roy Keane and Graeme Souness hit out at FIFA after World Cup decision

Roy Keane and Graeme Souness have come together to launch a passionate argument against the FIFA World cup taking place in Qatar after much controversy has surrounded the decision.

The decision was made 12 years ago that Qatar would be the host of the most famous competition in the world and former Manchester United midfielder Keane believes the ' World Cup shouldn't be here'.

Speaking on ITV ahead of Argentina vs Saudi Arabia, Souness thinks Qatar could be scrutinised 'forever' because of the problems that have been highlighted.

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"Football is such a vehicle for good and bad," Souness said. "The sportswashing that’s going on in our own country, Newcastle, there’s no way the Saudi’s should have Newcastle United - nowhere near it. But it’s not an ideal world, the Saudi’s have been invested in our country for decades.

"Football has such a profile now, Saudi see it, Abu Dhabi see it, America see it, it’s a chance to improve whatever brand they’re involved in. Right now it’s a good news story about Manchester City, that brand, Man City and other teams they have bought it’s only good news about them.

"I suppose Qatar will look upon Abu Dhabi with a bit of jealousy and they’ll be hoping after this tournament… it’s in their hands to improve workers' rights, in their hands to improve diversification of the country.

"The LGBTQ community won’t go quietly, they’ll be on it all the time after the World Cup and that’s the risk they’ve taken, they’ve highlighted the problems within this country and people will be on them for the foreseeable future, if not forever."

Keane replied: "The World Cup shouldn’t be here...you’ve got a country here the way they treat migrant workers, gay people and I think it’s great it’s been brought up, they shouldn’t have a World Cup here, they can’t treat people like that.

"We love football, soccer and we want to spread the game but just to dismiss human rights flippantly because of football, it’s not right, it shouldn’t be here."

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