Raphael Stevens

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    Waving the Palestinian Flag, Celebrating the World Cup’s Unofficial Team

    Arab fans and Arab teams have been using the tournament’s global stage to elevate the Palestinian cause in the stands and on the field.AL RAYYAN, Qatar — In the tumult, in those minutes of unrestrained joy after Morocco became the first Arab team to reach the quarterfinals of soccer’s World Cup, the players took a moment to come together after their famous victory and huddle for a photograph to capture the moment. Together on the turf where they had labored for more than two hours to outlast Spain, cheering and smiling and with the throng of red-clad Moroccan fans roaring behind them, the players and their coaches pressed together and waited as a flag was unfurled.It wasn’t Morocco’s flag.There in the middle of the team photo, stretched out so it could be displayed in all its glory, was the Palestinian banner. Morocco, the best Arab team at the first Arab World Cup, had set off celebrations across North Africa and beyond with its win. Now, in its moment of triumph, as the World Cup’s 32 teams were whittled to a final eight, it stopped to draw attention to a place, and a cause, that unites many Arab fans and citizens in sympathy.Morocco’s players and coaches posed with a Palestinian flag after beating Spain.Glyn Kirk/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images“Palestine is the 33rd country in the World Cup,” said Abdullah Mansouri, a Moroccan fan trying to make himself heard above the horns and drums that accompanied his country’s win. “Palestine is our cause, our struggle in the Arab world, in all the Arab world.”One of the features of the first World Cup to be played in the Muslim world has been the ubiquitous presence of the red, white, green and black colors of a team that is a member of FIFA but not a full member of the United Nations. The tournament has offered a rare moment of Arab solidarity, with fans from different countries cheering on one another’s teams — and expressing support for the Palestinian cause — even as some Arab governments, including Morocco’s, have recently normalized relations with Israel.That kind of normalization is not mirrored on the Arab street, as it is known, revealing a disconnect with the Arab leadership, and a sense that the Palestinian cause still resonates widely with people across the Arab world and the Arab diaspora.On the ground and in the stadiums in Qatar, for example, Palestinian flags, Palestinian armbands and even black-and-white headdresses, or kaffiyehs, featuring the Palestinian flag have all been on display throughout the monthlong tournament. And as the other Arab and Muslim nations that had qualified have left the tournament, Morocco, the last one still playing, has become the standard-bearer for the Palestinian cause.A Brief Guide to the 2022 World CupCard 1 of 9What is the World Cup? More

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    Every Team Left in Qatar Is a Contender

    France and England, Argentina and Brazil, Messi and Ronaldo: The quarterfinals offer everything except an easy path to the trophy.DOHA, Qatar — And then there were eight. In a little more than two weeks, the World Cup has whittled its field from 32 hopefuls to eight genuine contenders, most of whom would regard anything less than the ultimate success as something of a failure.Not all of them, of course. Morocco, the standard-bearer for both Africa and the Arab world, has made the quarterfinals for the first time. It will not go lightly now, but anything else, from this point on, will be a welcome bonus. A rational analysis would suggest this may be Croatia’s limit, too.All of the others, though, were never here for the atmosphere. They are in Qatar for glory. England and France have a depth of resources none of other teams can match. Portugal wants to deliver a final triumph for Cristiano Ronaldo, even if he is not starting. Louis van Gaal, the Dutch coach, has repeatedly said that playing soccer is pointless if you’re not trying to win.And then there are the twin South American giants: Brazil, probably the most impressive side in the tournament so far, the scent of a sixth World Cup in its nostrils; and Argentina, inspired by and devoted to Lionel Messi, determined that it should be here that his career reaches its climax.Vinícius Júnior, Lucas Paquetá and Neymar of BrazilManan Vatsyayana/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesCroatia vs. BrazilFriday, 10 a.m. ET, Al RayyanThere is no sight more ominous for the teams left in this tournament than that of Brazil having fun. Its last three World Cup campaigns, at least, have been long months of angst and tension and inevitable heartache. In Qatar, Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of Tite’s team are light-footed, spring-heeled, and all the more menacing for it.A Brief Guide to the 2022 World CupCard 1 of 9What is the World Cup? More

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    Gonçalo Ramos: The World Cup Spotlight is Now His

    LUSAIL, Qatar — By the fourth goal, even Cristiano Ronaldo, standing and clapping in front of the Portugal bench, could not complain. After the fifth, he only offered a wry smile. Portugal was in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, and for a day even he knew that was a story bigger than Cristiano Ronaldo.Ronaldo does not step out of the spotlight easily. Thirty-seven years old and newly unemployed, he has desperately wanted to make his mark at what is almost certainly his final World Cup. His performances in the group stage, though, had not matched his substantial legend, and so on Tuesday night his coach, Fernando Santos, somewhat ruthlessly turned the page. Ronaldo was dropped from Portugal’s lineup for its game against Switzerland. Gonçalo Ramos, a 21-year-old striker from the Portuguese team Benfica, got the nod instead, earning his first start for Portugal and the unenviable job of replacing the most prolific scorer in his country’s history. In a little more than an hour, Ramos achieved an even more remarkable feat: He made an entire nation, and an entire World Cup, wonder why he hadn’t been starting over Ronaldo all along. “Not in my biggest dreams,” Ramos said, “did I think about starting in the knockout phase.”Imposing himself with a veteran’s cool and a gunslinger’s goal celebration, Ramos scored a 67-minute hat trick to power Portugal to a 6-1 victory over Switzerland, and to a date with Morocco in the quarterfinals on Saturday.The first goal was probably the best of the bunch: a quick turn in the penalty area and a shot fired so hard and so fast into the roof of the net that it was past goalkeeper Yann Sommer before he could get his hands in its way. Or maybe he just thought better of it. A Brief Guide to the 2022 World CupCard 1 of 9What is the World Cup? More

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    Cristiano Ronaldo Benched in Portugal’s World Cup Game Against Switzerland

    After seething at Cristiano Ronaldo’s petulant reaction to being substituted against South Korea, Portugal’s coach, Fernando Santos, opted to sit him for the team’s knockout-round clash today against Switzerland. Santos hinted at the possibility when asked on Monday about Ronaldo’s status, telling reporters in Qatar that he provides the lineup in the locker room and that he was not about to change. “Otherwise,” he said, “the matter is over and everyone is available.” Ronaldo walking in 👀 pic.twitter.com/1U1jhiRAYh— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 6, 2022
    Though it keeps one of the world’s elite scorers on the bench to start, the measure could be as unifying, perhaps, as it is punitive — proof that Santos will not tolerate, or reward, actions that he perceives as potentially jeopardizing the team. Ronaldo came out late in Portugal’s first two group-stage matches, but he was replaced in the 65th minute of its 2-1 loss to South Korea and responded by raising a finger to his lips, as if he were gesturing for quiet. Here are the lineups, with Pepe elevated to the captaincy:Portugal: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Rúben Dias, Pepe, Raphael Guerriero; Otávio, William Carvalho, Bruno Fernandes; Bernardo Silva, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix. Switzerland: Yann Sommer; Edimilson Fernandes, Fabian Schär, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodríguez; Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka; Xherdan Shaqiri, Djibril Sow, Ruben Vargas; Breel Embolo. More

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    Spain, fond of passing, bows out meekly when forced to shoot.

    AL RAYYAN, Qatar — The noise had been building, rising from raucous to deafening and beyond, until it became something all-encompassing, vaguely elemental. The tension, too, as Morocco drew closer and closer to achieving what had seemed almost impossible.Spain missed one penalty. Spain missed another penalty. Spain missed a third. Suddenly, after two arduous, attritional hours, Morocco stood on the edge. A place in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, its finest ever performance in the tournament, was in its grasp. The pressure, the sound, became almost unbearable.At that point, Achraf Hakimi — born in Spain, having spent all of his childhood in Spain, who might in another world have been playing for Spain — stepped forward and took the gentlest, deftest penalty imaginable, nothing more than a silken, slight touch of the ball, a moment of utter calm before the mayhem descended.Spain’s defeat, on penalties after a 0-0 draw, was, in many ways, entirely fitting. For all its talent, for all its dominance of possession, it had rarely given the impression of knowing how to score over the previous two hours. Álvaro Morata flashed an effort across the face of goal from an impossible angle. He strained to reach a header. Dani Olmo had a speculative free-kick punched away by Yassine Bounou. That Spain could not score any of the penalties it took did not come as a surprise.Spain missed all three penalties it took in the shootout.Julian Finney/Getty ImagesIndeed, by the time the game was reaching its closing stages, Rodri, a defensive midfielder deployed in this tournament as a central defender, was striding forward and shooting from 35 yards. It served as something close to an admission of defeat, an acceptance that Spain had officially run out of ideas.The chances did not come often, but when they did, it was to Morocco. Nayef Aguerd headed wide in the first half; twice in extra time, Walid Cheddira — a striker employed by the Italian second division team Bari and thrown on as a substitute — found himself with the goal looming in front of him. The first time he shot straight at Unai Símon, Spain’s goalkeeper. The second he was closed down, at the last second, by Rodri.Spain might have claimed victory with the last kick of the game, Pablo Sarabia clipping the post, but by that stage it had become abundantly clear that Luis Enrique’s team did not know how to score. Penalties brought no improvement. Spain missed all three, and there was Hakimi, the coolest man in the chaos, to take Morocco over the line. More

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    A Beer Run in Qatar, and an Oasis That Isn’t Open to All

    At the only government-sanctioned store selling alcohol during the World Cup, strict rules keep it out of reach for most residents.DOHA, Qatar — The questions spilled out almost as soon as the car doors closed.Was it crowded? How was the selection? And what about the prices?The taxi driver, who went by Shaj, then peered into the rearview mirror and politely asked to see my receipt. I passed it forward, and he scanned it up and down as we swayed through traffic.Shaj had picked me up along a side street on the southern fringes of Doha, inside the razor-wire-topped walls of the Qatar Distribution Company. The Q.D.C., as it is widely known, is the sole importer and distributor of alcohol in Qatar, a Muslim country where the sale and consumption of booze is heavily regulated. Cocktails, wine and beer are served at a smattering of luxury hotels in the country, but the Q.D.C.’s two branches are the only places that sell alcohol for home consumption.“It’s probably one of the happiest places in Doha,” said Rachel Harris, who is originally from Australia but has lived in Qatar for 15 years.The Q.D.C. has stood for years as a colorful example of a broader, delicate dance within Qatari society that predated the World Cup: The country’s effort to balance its conservative values — including, in this case, a religion that forbids alcohol consumption — with its desire to open itself to the world. That line between tradition and accommodation rarely seems fixed in place.“Everyone is welcome to come to Qatar,” Hassan al-Thawadi, the head of the World Cup’s local organizing committee, said in an interview during the long run up to the tournament. “What we ask is that when people come, just to respect that we’re a relatively conservative nation.”For international residents looking for a taste of home, then, the Q.D.C. offers a boozy lifeline. Access to the store is granted through a state-run application process. The privilege was extended in recent weeks to teams, sponsors and news media organizations here for the World Cup. (Fans were not allowed to apply.)On a visit one recent morning, three employees of the United States national soccer team were pushing around three shopping carts piled high with bottles and cases of beer — and wondering aloud if they should grab a fourth.Access to the Qatar Distribution Company is granted through a state-run application process. A permit grants the holder a monthly quota of 2,000 Qatari riyals, roughly $550.Andrew Keh/The New York TimesThey were presented with an international selection of drink options: aperitifs from France, sake from Japan, wines from Chile and Australia, beers from Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines. There was even a separate room stuffed with freezers and devoted entirely to pork products, which are otherwise unavailable in restaurants and grocery stores around the country: frozen pepperoni pizzas and shrink-wrapped pork chops, cans of Spam and cocktail wieners, overstuffed packs of bacon. A sign above the door was both a label and a warning: “Pork Shop,” it read, “For non-Muslims.”Signs around the building announced special deals tied to the World Cup. Artificial stadium crowd noise filtered out through speakers near the entrance. A German journalist in loafers examined a bottle of Italian wine.A Brief Guide to the 2022 World CupCard 1 of 9What is the World Cup? More

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    Black and Spanish: A National Team Starts to Reflect All of Its Nation

    An increasingly diverse Spain squad is drawing in fans who had once seen it as a symbol of their country, but not necessarily of them.DOHA, Qatar — Lucía Mbomío was never a particularly devoted soccer fan. When she was a child, the sport intruded on her consciousness only rarely, whenever a World Cup or a European Championship rolled into view. As she watched, though, she found herself cheering not only for her native Spain, but also for France, the Netherlands and even England.Those other teams appealed to her not because they played with any particular beauty or because they could be relied on to deliver glory, and it was not because they had an individual player she idolized. Instead, she said, it was something more visceral that drew her in. When she saw those teams, she realized, she saw herself reflected back.“I felt close to them,” said Mbomío, a 41-year-old journalist and author. “I was happy when they won because they had Black players. These were countries with white majorities, but in their teams they had people like me. They were recognizing those people. It was a message. It said to me, ‘I exist.’”For a long time, Spain could not make her feel the same way. In the 1990s and 2000s, Spain’s national team had a smattering of Black players, but often — as in the cases of the midfielders Donato and Marcos Senna and the striker Catanha — they were Brazilians who had been given citizenship after moving to Spain to play professionally.“There was always a suspicion that they had been naturalized purely for sporting reasons,” said Moha Gerehou, a Spanish writer who focuses on racism and immigration. “They didn’t represent the normalization of Spain’s diverse communities.” That, perhaps, explains why Mbomío found herself particularly drawn to the exception, Vicente Engonga, who was born in Spain to Guinean parents. “He was like me,” she said.A generation later, Mbomío can look at Spain’s national team and, for the first time, start to see in it a reflection both of herself and her community. There are four Black or mixed heritage players on Luis Enrique’s World Cup squad this year: the reserve goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, the defender Alejandro Baldé and the forwards Ansu Fati and Nico Williams.Nico Williams, left, and Alejandro Baldé started for Spain in its final group game. Julio Cortez/Associated PressTheir roots are different — they can variously trace their families’ origins to Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Dominica and Ghana — but their backgrounds are the same. Fati has lived in Spain since he was 5. The other three were all born in the country. These are not players who have, in effect, been recruited to bolster the team’s hopes. “They are Black and Spanish,” Mbomío said.They have appeared only occasionally during the tournament so far — a couple of substitute appearances and one start each for Baldé and Williams, a bit of time off the bench for Fati — but their presence alone is significant, said Rúben Bermúdez, a Spanish director and photographer. “Representation may not be the most important thing in the fight against racism, but it is something that matters,” Bermúdez said. “Seeing these players in the national team of the country where they were born or grew up is very important.”A Brief Guide to the 2022 World CupCard 1 of 9What is the World Cup? More

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    U.C.L.A. Adds a Title to the ‘Conference of Champions.’ Will It Be Its Last?

    The Bruins beat North Carolina in the women’s soccer final as officials are set to weigh in next week on whether to allow the university’s planned move to the Big Ten from the Pac-12.With its run of men’s basketball dominance under John Wooden, a five-peat in women’s water polo and three-peats in sports like softball and men’s volleyball, U.C.L.A. has long given credence to the Pac-12’s claim as the conference of champions. With the Bruins set to leave for the Big Ten Conference, pending an intervention from the University of California Board of Regents, they made sure they would add at least one more title before they go.U.C.L.A.’s women’s soccer team staged a rousing comeback to beat North Carolina, 3-2, in two overtimes to take the Division I national championship on Monday in Cary, N.C. The program won its second championship, after having won in 2013, and the 120th in the university’s athletic history.Bruins goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy held the ball as the final seconds ticked down, then punted it down the field and ran toward her teammates, who came rushing from the sideline. Margueritte Aozasa received a bath from a water cooler after capping her first season as a head coach with a championship.But as late as the final minute of regulation, it looked as if North Carolina, playing a 30-minute drive from its campus, would be the team celebrating with its fans.The Tar Heels had taken a 2-0 lead by the 75th minute on two second-half headers by Avery Patterson. The Bruins scored in the 80th minute to cut their deficit in half, but they still needed a goal to force overtime as the clock wound to zero. (The clock counts down in N.C.A.A. Division I soccer rather than up, as in the World Cup and other professional ranks.)A corner kick in the final 30 seconds would most likely be U.C.L.A.’s last chance. Brzykcy joined her attacking teammates in the penalty area. With 20 seconds on the clock, Ally Lemos struck a ball with her right foot that headed toward the back post, where Reilyn Turner headed it past the keeper.The first 10-minute overtime period passed without a goal. A second scoreless period would have sent the game to penalty kicks — just like last year’s final, when Florida State topped Brigham Young, and just like in the second round of this year’s tournament, when No. 1-seeded U.C.L.A. nearly fell to Central Florida.U.C.L.A. narrowly managed to avoid leaving it up to the shootout this time, though. With less than four minutes remaining in the second overtime, Maricarmen Reyes raced to the rebound after a save by North Carolina’s Emmie Allen and slid it underneath Allen’s dive into the goal.It was the first time in Women’s College Cup history that a team overcame a two-goal deficit to win a title, according to ESPN Stats and Info. And Aozasa became the first N.C.A.A. women’s soccer coach to win a title in the first season as a head coach.The Bruins’ win came after the school’s football team finished the regular season in the top 20 of the College Football Playoff rankings and with both basketball teams in the top 20 of the Associated Press poll. It’s the type of success U.C.L.A. hopes to continue heading into its planned move to the Big Ten in 2024. Because U.C.L.A. is a public school, unlike Southern California, which also announced it would leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, the California regents could block the move.Regents have expressed concerns over how traveling to states like Michigan, Illinois and Pennsylvania for competitions could affect athletes’ academics, and they have worried that U.C.L.A.’s departure would adversely affect Cal-Berkeley, which is also in the Pac-12. The regents said last month that they would have a special session on Dec. 14 to resolve the matter. More