Roy Keane has claimed the World Cup is ‘stained’ due to human rights concerns in Qatar, where this edition of the tournament has been held.
There have been reports of thousands of migrant worker deaths in the state, which is known to have anti-LGBT+ laws and attitudes.
Speaking of “human rights” during the ITV build-up to Sunday’s final between Argentina and France, Keane said: “This World Cup is stained, that’s what it comes down to.
“The football has been great, but the football would always be great because you have world-class players, but it’s stained.”
It is not the first time that the former captain of Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland has criticized the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar.
During Argentina’s shock group stage loss to Saudi Arabia, 51-year-old Keane said: “The World Cup shouldn’t be here. It shouldn’t be here.
“[There’s] the corruption related to [global football governing body] FIFA, [and] you have a country, the way they treat migrant workers, gays.
“They shouldn’t have the World Cup here. You can’t treat people like that. We all love football, we love football, we are spreading the game. Putting human rights aside just because of a football tournament… that’s not right.
“Basically we are talking about common decency, how you treat people. Football, the biggest sport in the world, there is so much money involved; there will be corruption. But let’s get back to basics, you have to treat people decently. It should start and end with that.”