As the England manager entered the five-star Souq Al Wakra hotel just south of Doha, fans beat drums, blew horns and even fell through a police barrier to get a better view. There were loud cheers for the captain, Harry Kane, and even bigger cheers for Gareth Southgate, especially when the manager turned to the arm. There were also familiar cries of “England! England!” as well as the rather unusual “Southgate is our super manager! Sterling is our superstar! Pickford is our super goalkeeper”. It was another sign that this World Cup, the first in the Middle East and the first to be held in winter, will be very different from the 21 tournaments that have gone before it. There have been suggestions on social media that some locals are being paid by the Qataris to add some spice, but the half-dozen or so fans the Guardian spoke to promised they were the real deal. They insisted they made their own shirts, bought their own match tickets and supported England having grown up watching the likes of David Beckham. They were also happy to talk about the latest developments in the Premier League – and were clearly unhappy that a Scandinavian newspaper over the weekend had questioned their authenticity. Quick guide
Qatar: beyond football
projection This is a World Cup like no other. For the past 12 years the Guardian has been covering the issues surrounding Qatar 2022, from corruption and human rights abuses to the treatment of migrant workers and discriminatory laws. The best of our journalism is brought together on our dedicated Qatar: Beyond Football page for those who want to delve into issues beyond the pitch. Thanks for your response. Sajidh, a 29-year-old mechanical engineer who did not want to give his full name, described suggestions that he and others were being paid to be cheerleaders as “fake news”. He said: “None of us get paid. We are die-hard England fans. “My favorite player was Beckham, but now he is [Bukayo] Satchel. If someone offered to pay us to support England, we’d turn them down. We are genuine supporters. Many of us grew up watching Beckham and Michael Owen. Our love is for this team.” Another fan, Niyas, from Kerala, estimated there were 700,000 fans in his home area and showed the Guardian an 80ft cardboard of Kane and a mural of the England team in his home state. It also showed a WhatsApp group of supporters with nearly 1,000 members. “We made these tops of England ourselves,” he said. “No one gave them to us. Argentina is the most supported team among Indians in Qatar, followed by Brazil. But then it’s England.” As the England squad arrived below, Kane insisted everyone was fit and ready for the first game against Iran on Monday. “It’s going to be huge,” he said. “I remember when we were out in Russia in our own little bubble. We’ve seen all the home videos go crazy – it makes a big difference, it motivates us to succeed. “We want to make the fans proud and happy. Of course, there will be some in the stadiums – we always have great support – but most will be at home and we just want to make them proud.”
