David Beckham makes first statement on his Qatar World Cup involvement

The former England captain's endorsements for the host nation have included a promotional film for Visit Qatar. "The modern and traditional fuse to create something really special," he said. In a subsequent video message, he said that the World Cup would be a platform for progress, inclusivity and tolerance.

The endorsements have received stinging criticism, particularly from members of the LGBTQ+ community, who claim that Beckham's support of Qatar runs counter to his image as a supporter of gay rights.

"Some of the things that people like David Beckham are learning is that human rights are universal and non-negotiable," Piara Powar, the director of Fare, an anti-discrimination group, told the Observer last month. "I have no doubt that the LGBTQ+ community in western Europe will see him as somehow a traitor or someone who used to be an ally but no longer is."

Beckham's statement came in the context of a Times article that sought to unpick the football player's relative absence from the games, despite his image being plastered all over Doha.