The opening of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was attended by a huge number of world stars, whether in sports, art and media. Some of them spoke to Al Jazeera Net about their opinion on the opening ceremony, and Ecuador's victory over Qatar in the first match in the World Cup, which is held on Arab soil for the first time in its history. .

Among the prominent football stars at the African and international levels was the top scorer of Ivory Coast and the current president of its local federation, Didier Drogba, who spoke to Al-Jazeera Net, saying, "Congratulations to Qatar for the opening and for organizing the World Cup, and I think this is wonderful, and I am waiting for the next in the rest of the competitions."

Drogba with Nasser Sadiq, Al-Jazeera Net correspondent (Al-Jazeera)

Former Senegalese star Abdo Diouf also confirmed that the opening ceremony was wonderful, and responded to a question by Al-Jazeera Net, "Is the World Cup in Qatar the best World Cup he attended?"

He replied, "Yes," referring to the good start of the tournament, stressing that the most important thing for him is for his country to succeed.

CAF Vice President: The best opening I've seen

As for the Vice-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmed Ould Yahya, he told Al-Jazeera Net that the opening was great and dazzling, up to the level, and even greater than expectations, and he expressed the Arab and Islamic culture, and, “For me, it is the best opening I have seen since I watched the Cup the scientist".

He added, "I was not surprised by the quality of the opening ceremony, because by virtue of my position as Vice-President of CAF, I saw many of Qatar's preparations several years ago, and I have constant contact with the Qatari brothers, and I know the level of preparation and the great enthusiasm they possess, in order for them to give a good picture of the Arab world." As His Highness the Emir said in his opening speech, the World Cup is in Qatar and in the Arab countries.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Football Association, received in his office His Excellency Mokhtar Ould Dahi, the Mauritanian Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, in the presence of Ahmed Ould Yahya, President of the Mauritanian Federation pic.twitter.com/GAKDbr4bXP

– Al-Kass channels (@alkasschannel) March 20, 2022

Ould Yahya added, "Qatar represented the Arabs in the best way in all aspects, including the stadiums that were designed as best as possible. Rather, they are the best stadiums that hosted the World Cup in the history of the tournament. The level of hotels is at the highest level, and everyone in FIFA is impressed, as well as all the federation presidents who I met them, with this very precise organization, and we hope that it will be completed well - God willing - so that it will be the best version of the tournament in history.

On the reason for Qatar's defeat against Ecuador, the CAF vice-president said that "it is due to a mistake committed by the Qatari national team by excluding the national team's players from the local official competitions for several months, and contenting themselves with friendly matches in foreign camps," stressing that "the best contact for the player is the official competition, whatever its level, because it will benefit him." More than playing the world's biggest teams in a friendly."

Abu Trika expected Qatar's creativity at the opening, and he did not expect Al-Annabi to lose

In exclusive statements to Al-Jazeera Net, the former star of the Egyptian national team and Al-Ahly, and the analyst of "BN Sports" channels, Muhammad Abu Trika, agreed with Ahmed Ould Yahya that one of the reasons for Qatar's defeat in the opening match of the World Cup against Ecuador, 0-2, is "Al-Annabi was affected by the departure of his players for a while." For a long time, he refrained from official contact in league matches, contenting himself with friendly matches and the many camps he attended.

Abu Trika told Al-Jazeera Net after the end of the analytical studio of the match - which was next to the Al-Bayt stadium that hosted the opening ceremony and the match - that "the opening of the World Cup was wonderful, even dazzling, and that was expected from Qatar, which - after its creativity in the opening of the World Cup - became the best Arab country in Organization".

Muhammad Saadoun Al-Kuwari and a selfie with Al-Jazeera Net correspondent, Abu Trika and commentator Youssef Saif after the opening of the World Cup (Al-Jazeera)

Stars of Egypt talking about the opening and Annabi

The match was attended by a group of former stars and coaches of the Egyptian national team, whom Al-Jazeera Net met, and the former star and coach of the Egyptian national team, Hamada Sidqi, said, "The organization is wonderful, of course, and the opening ceremony is at a good level befitting Qatar."

He expressed his happiness at being invited to the opening and participation in the midst of a large constellation and a party where everything is beautiful and wonderful, he said.

He praised the level of preparations, transportation, hotels, stadiums and infrastructure in general.

As for the goalkeeper of Zamalek and the former coach of the Egyptian national team, Ahmed Suleiman, he praised the opening ceremony and the organization of Qatar, saying, "Everything from the organizational point of view of the World Cup is a source of pride for every Arab that a sister country organizes this global event, receives all nationalities in the world, and accommodates all the stars. An honorable thing." He's really legendary, and I hope he stays until the end of the World Cup and the last game."

Suleiman expressed his admiration for the tournament stadiums, saying, "The stadiums are at the highest level in terms of construction, reception of guests, big personalities, fans, delegations, and general coordination. Everyone, from presidents to fans, entered the stadium smoothly and easily. This is really progress."

As for the star of the Egyptian national team and the former Zamalek club, Khaled Al-Ghandour, he told Al-Jazeera Net that "the opening ceremony was more than wonderful, a legendary matter and a pride for every Arab, and I liked very much what Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, said, as his speech was very beautiful."

Al-Ghandour believes that the failure of the Qatar national team - the Asian champion - to appear at its level is due to the fact that "the players could not bear the pressure on it, because the pressure of Ecuador on its stadium - for the first time in the World Cup - made them the lowest level of all the tournaments in which they participated before, whether when they played in South or North American Championship and the Arab Championship.

Good luck to the State of Qatar in this event, and I was pleased with his beautiful companions, who supervised Egypt pic.twitter.com/qpuE5CUDYC

- AhmedSoliman (@ASoliman) November 19, 2022

He agreed with Hamada Sidqi and Ahmed Suleiman and with Al-Ghandour's suggestion regarding the defeat of the Qatari team, wishing him to compensate in his next two matches.

Gamal Allam, President of the Egyptian Football Association, said, "Qatar is a brotherly Arab country, and we are proud of it, the opening that befits the Arab countries. Qatar worked very well, and we all watched the beautiful opening and the wonderful stadiums that I previously witnessed in the match between Zamalek, the Egyptian champion, and Al-Hilal, the Saudi champion."

As for Ahmed Kano, the former captain of the Oman national team, he told Al-Jazeera Net about the opening ceremony of the World Cup, "I felt so proud of the opening ceremony that I posted parts of it on Snapchat, although I do not like appearing on social media."

Khadija Ben Qena: The start of the World Cup is the real victory for Qatar

The media, Khadija Bin Qena, praised the opening ceremony of the World Cup, telling Al-Jazeera Net, "The real victory for the State of Qatar is the launch of the World Cup after all the confusion and fabricated controversy that we have seen and the owner of the World Cup trip since 2010 until now, which has increased its intensity during this year."

She added, "The Qatar World Cup is the first in everything, the first in an Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern country, and the first in winter, wishing continued success until the end of the tournament."