The World Cup in Qatar began with fireworks. From the host nation’s point of view, however, this was not so much about what was happening on the pitch, as Qatar lost the opening match against Ecuador 0:2. Numerous greats of world football did the honours.

Former England international Wayne Rooney said, “Enjoy it, it’s World Cup! No matter what country you compete for, it’s a great honour to be in a World Cup. The important thing is to enjoy it. I am sure it will be a great celebration.”

“The players have to enjoy it, I wish all the players good luck. The World Cup is a unique event that only happens once every four years,” said Brazilian Romario, who was World Champion in 1994.

According to FIFA, some 67,000 people attended the opening match in the stadium. However, many left the stands before the final whistle.

euronews contributor Aadel Haleem comments: “The atmosphere at the fan festival in Doha was rousing. For people who are in Qatar but don’t have a ticket, this is the second best thing to do during the World Cup. Football, music and culture come together here. Thousands of people had to be turned away when the limit of 40 000 was reached here just before kick-off. If this is an indication of the enthusiasm that can be expected here, the start of the hunt for the World Cup in Qatar has been very successful. “