David Beckham '£150million Qatar 2022 World Cup deal' rubbished
A UK media report that David Beckham has landed a £150 million deal to be the face of the Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup has been rubbished by football experts.
The former England captain was reported to have been offered £15 million a year over the next decade for the World Cup ambassador role, The Sun claimed.
The huge figure quoted by the British tabloid has been questioned by experts in Qatar.
"As usual, tabloids like The Sun have opted for sensationalism rather than facts in a cheap attempt at clickbait," a source told Doha News.
They said that the touted ten-year deal would be impractical given that the World Cup takes place next year.
Qatar's hosting of the World Cup has been celebrated across the Arab World, although some rights groups have highlighted concerns about workers' rights and LGBT issues.
Qatar inaugurated the fifth stadium that will host World Cup games in 2022 with a domestic cup tie watched by thousands https://t.co/cdNNgwRdJy
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 23, 2021
The World Cup has been hailed by many who see Qatar's hosting as another opportunity for the Arab World to experience the joy of the games.
The football-mad region has never hosted the World Cup despite Morocco's attempts in the past.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering bidding for the 2030 World Cup with Italy.