Soccer analysts on Qatar’s Alkass Sports channel mocked the German team on air after its World Cup exit on Thursday.
A video on the channel’s Twitter page shows former Kuwaiti player Jamal Mubarak covering his mouth with his left hand and waving goodbye with the right, before calling on former Egyptian goalkeeper and fellow analyst Essam El-Hadary to join him. Soon after, El-Hadary and almost all other analysts then covered their mouths and waved goodbye in celebration of Germany’s exit.
German players posed with their right hands in front of their mouths before their World Cup game against Japan on Nov. 23 as a protest to FIFA’s decision to ban the “OneLove” armband that many European captains had been hoping to wear in Qatar.
“It wasn’t about making a political statement – human rights are non-negotiable. That should be taken for granted, but it still isn’t the case. That’s why this message is so important to us,” the German Football Federation said in a series of tweets last week. “Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position.”
Germany’s 4-2 victory against Costa Rica on Thursday was not enough to advance, with Japan and Spain going through to the last 16.
“Thank God, today all the Arab and Muslim nation is praying that Japan qualifies with any team, but the most important thing is Germany’s exit,” Mubarak said on Alkass Sports channel.
The segment aired on the channel’s al-Majlis show and was hosted by Qatari presenter Khalid Jassem and featuring Arab football analysts, including Mubarak, El-Hadary and Iraqi former player Younis Mahmoud.
Following Germany’s 1-1 draw against Spain last Sunday, Jassem said in al-Majlis episode that he was shocked at Germany’s actions.
“You [Germany] are supposed to respect our customs, traditions, culture and religion in the same way we respect your customs, traditions and culture,” Jassem said. “When we go to Germany or other places, we respect the rules and laws, and respect everything that is dear to the society there.”