“My request to all of you is to consider a temporary truce for a month during the World Cup.”
(Fifa President Gianni Infantino is calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine at the G20 summit in Bali. Before the World Cup, he had called for football and not political debates to be the focus of the tournament. To the comment.)
“I don’t know if we Germans are inferior to you (English, note) when it comes to drinking beer.”
(The then DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, when asked by a journalist how the Germans saw it, that no alcoholic beer was being served in the stadiums after all. For English fans, beer and football necessarily belonged together. To the comment.)
“Hopefully it will be a little cooler. We’re sweating just walking around the hotel.”
(Wales international Mark Harris is struggling in Qatar’s high temperatures.)
“Today I feel very strong feelings, today I feel Qatari, today I feel Arab, today I feel African. Today I feel homosexual. Today I feel disabled, today I feel like a migrant worker.”
(Fifa President Infantino at a press conference on his feelings before the start of the World Cup. This was followed by a fundamental debate in which he settled accounts with Europe and the “double standards” regarding the World Cup host Qatar. to the text.)
As expected, has a positive view of the World Cup in Qatar: Fifa President Gianni Infantino.
(Photo: Nick Potts/Imago/PA Images)
“Coach, bring me, I’m ready to play.”
(US President Joe Biden at the beginning of a call to national team coach Gregg Berhalter. Before the first World Cup game against Wales, he got in touch with the team to wish them every success.)
“Get out your cell phones and you can take a picture with Messi.”
(Saudi Arabia coach Hervé Renard to his players during the half-time break against Argentina. He was not happy with the Argentine playmaker’s coverage. to the text.)
“Let the players play the game. They just want to play football for their country like any other player can.”
(Iran coach Carlos Queiroz appealed to journalists after the 6-2 loss to England not to constantly confront the players with the protests at home. to the text.)
“The assists were better this time. I couldn’t miss at all.”
(France striker Olivier Giroud after beating Australia 4-1, in which he caught up with record goalscorer Thierry Henry. He failed to score in the World Cup triumph four years ago. to the text.)
“It should have been a sign from us as a team that Fifa is silencing us.”
(Federal coach Hansi Flick on the team picture before the first World Cup game, in which the German players covered their mouths with their hands. to the text.)
Have lost the “One Love” bandage, but not their values: The DFB-Elf in the first World Cup game.
(Photo: Matthias Koch/Imago)
“You could have given it to me.”
(Portugal’s André Silva on the goal to 1-0 against Uruguay. This was attributed to Bruno Fernandes, but Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the goal for himself. Until then, Silva had not played. to the text.)
“The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500. I don’t have the exact number.”
(The secretary-general of the organizing committee, Hassan al-Thawadi, confirms for the first time the deaths of several hundred guest workers in the course of the World Cup preparations.)
“It’s not like we’re being courted by everyone here. It’s a drama with the tickets.”
(A German “fan leader” who was paid for flight, accommodation and the opening game by the Qatar World Cup organizing committee complains that he did not also get tickets for the DFB team’s games.)
“Ecuador has the game well under control, here in this arena in the Khalifa stadium. The difference in the World Cup games: unlike in the circus, the clowns sit in the stands.”
(Commentator Christian Straßburger at the game between Ecuador and Senegal as the TV cameras pan to Fifa President Infantino.)
“He helped me to avoid controversy about my message of peace and then they released me. He said: ‘You again, why, why, Qatar is very dangerous for you”https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/.”
(Flitzer Mario Ferri about Fifa President Infantino and his liberation campaign. At the game between Portugal and Uruguay he ran onto the lawn with a rainbow flag. His T-shirt read the messages “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian Woman”. to the text.)
He races for everything that moves the world: Mario “Falco” Ferri is known for his space attacks.
(Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP)
“Football is a simple game. 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and in the end the Germans always win. If they make it through the group stage.”
(England football legend Gary Lineker is amused by the early failure of the DFB team and adds a note to his famous saying.)
“I hope that you Germans don’t follow our path and now have to wait 36 years until you get through a group stage again.”
(Poland coach Czesław Michniewicz to a German journalist after the 3-1 draw against France in the round of 16. Poland had made it through the group stage for the first time since 1986.)
“They could be my grandchildren and I have a connection with them. If I have to dance to connect with them, then I will continue to dance with them.”
(Brazil’s former national coach Tite when asked if he would dance with his players again after scoring if they asked him to do so.)
“Death is a natural part of life, whether at work or asleep.”
(WM Managing Director Nasser al-Khater would rather talk about the “successful World Cup” than about a guest worker from the Philippines who died in the tournament.)
“I would pick all the shooters that way again. The only one I would change would be Bono, the opponent’s goalkeeper.”
(Spain coach Luis Enrique after the 3-0 penalty shoot-out defeat by Morocco. The favorite missed all three of his penalties, with Bono saving twice. to the text.)
Frenetically celebrated after saving two penalties: Morocco’s goalkeeper Bono.
(Photo: Charlotte Wilson/Imago/Offside Sports Photography)
“If you have a recipe for me how to stay young: please give it to me.”
(Croatia’s Luka Modric when asked by a journalist if he would still play at the 2026 World Cup at the age of 41.)
“Here next to me is Memphis. He was also in Manchester. And now we kiss on the mouth.”
(Ahead of the World Cup quarter-finals against Argentina, Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal counters criticism from Angel Di María, who called him his worst coach.)
“I usually switch off immediately after the game. I didn’t do it once, but I will do it again in the future.”
(Freiburg coach Christian Streich is annoyed by the criticism from TV experts. As professionals, they used to be upset about similar statements.)
“We are the Rocky Balboa of this World Cup. Morocco is showing the world what passion can do even if you don’t have the greatest talent or the most money.”
(Coach Walid Regragui on his team’s historic World Cup success. Morocco is the first African team to reach the semi-finals. to the text.)
“If I were a woman, I would want a child from him.”
(ZDF expert Christoph Kramer after Béla Réthy’s last assignment as a TV commentator. After the World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco it’s over for him. To the interview.)
“For me, the World Cup was an incredible success in all areas.”
(As expected, Fifa President Infantino drew an extremely positive conclusion. Even before the tournament started, he had praised it as “the best World Cup of all time”. to the text.)