Written by: Ayman Ragab
A group of football associations in Africa and a number of countries issued a statement attacking UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
The football associations of Egypt, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa expressed their deep disappointment and firm rejection of the statements made by him.
Ceferin had described some of the expanded World Cup matches as uninteresting.
In its attack, the continental federations stressed that there is no unimportant match in the World Cup, and that these claims ignore the sacrifices and aspirations of the players, the football system and fans around the world.
A historic achievement
She noted that qualifying for the World Cup represents a historic achievement and a dream for generations in countries such as Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, while returning to the global stage after a long absence has a special meaning for millions of fans in Congo and Haiti.
She emphasized that the strength of football stems from its global nature and its lack of restriction to a limited group of countries, stressing that participation in the tournament inspires generations, contributes to the development of the game, and is a source of pride and unity for societies.
She stressed that every team that qualified for the tournament earned its place with merit and deservingness, and deserves full respect, and that every match carries value and meaning for millions of people.
Absolute rejection of the statements
They affirmed their rejection of the European Union president's statements, reiterating the need for football to continue growing in creating opportunities, inspiring new generations, and promoting the true global nature of the game.
The statement was signed by the Cape Verde Football Federation, the Curaçao Football Federation, the Uzbekistan Football Federation, the Congo Football Federation, and the Haitian Football Federation. The statement was made in solidarity with the Algerian Football Federation, the Tunisian Football Federation, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the Egyptian Football Federation, the Ghanaian Football Federation, the Senegalese Football Federation, the Ivorian Football Federation, and the South African Football Federation.
