Qatar World Cup started with criticism and apprehension. Before the start of the World Cup, many had announced the boycott of this event. However, the World Cup is moving forward with all fears behind.
After a surprising group stage, the last sixteen has also been crowded. According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, this group stage is the best ever. He said, at the end of the day, their aim is to put a smile on people's faces.
Since the start of the World Cup, Gianni Infantino's face has often been seen on TV during games. Sitting alone enjoying the game was a regular sight.
Talking about his experience with the World Cup, Infantino said, 'I have seen all the matches of this World Cup. To put it simply and plainly, this was the best World Cup group stage ever. Which makes the rest of the FIFA World Cup look very promising.'
Praising the audience in Qatar, the FIFA president added, 'We already know, of course, that great games have been played at the beautiful stadium. Also the people who were present here were great. An average of 51,000 visitors were present here.
Not only in the stadium or on the streets of Doha, the number of spectators enjoying football on television has also set a new record, said the FIFA president, 'The number on television has broken the record. We have already got over 200 million visitors, which is really incredible! 2.5 million people lined the streets of Doha and millions came to the stadium every day to watch the game. They cheered in unison and supported their team.'
This year's World Cup has seen one surprise after another since the beginning. Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Tunisia and Morocco have also shown that they are no longer to be underestimated on the football stage. Morocco beat former world champions Spain to reach the last eight.
Infantino said about these great surprises, 'Now there is no such thing as a big team and a small team. All values were close. For the first time, national teams from all continents advanced to the knockout stages. It shows that football is now a truly global game.'
Referring to all these achievements and milestones just to put a smile on people's faces, Infantino said, 'We hope that the FIFA World Cup will continue as it has started. I am confident that we will reach the milestone of 5 billion viewers worldwide. And speaking of stadiums, literally all the matches are sold out. And finally we want to bring a little joy and smile to people around the world. That's what football is for. This is why the football world cup.