Bruno Fernandes has chosen to speak out against Qatar’s human rights record (Picture: Getty Images)
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen took their chance to speak out against human rights abuses in Qatar after their last Premier League match before the World Cup.
Both players will be playing in Qatar this winter, with Fernandes starring for Portugal and Eriksen in the Denmark squad.
However, neither is happy about the tournament being hosted in the country and Fernandes led the way in making his feelings clear after Manchester United beat Fulham 2-1 on Sunday.
‘It’s strange, it’s not exactly the time we want to be playing in the World Cup,’ Fernandes told Sky Sports. ‘For players and fans it;’s not the best time, kids will be at school, people will be working, the timings will not be the best for people to watch the games.
‘We know the surroundings of the World Cup, what has been in the past few weeks and months, about the people who have died in the construction of the stadiums.
‘We are not happy for that at all, we want football to be for everyone and want to be included and involved in the World Cup because the World Cup is the world, it doesn’t matter who.
‘These kind of things should not happen at any time, but for the World Cup is more than football, it’s a party for fans, players and something that is a joy to watch should be done in a better way.’
Christian Eriksen scored his first Manchester United goal at Fulham on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)
Eriksen added: ‘I totally agree with Bruno. It’s been written a lot and a lot of focus on how the World Cup has happened and why it’s in Qatar, I think everyone agrees it hasn’t gone the right way.
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‘But in the end we’re footballers, we play football, so the politics is something above us to make that decision.
‘Of course we try to say our thing and do what we can to get focus on it, but of course the change has to come from somewhere else.’
MORE : Roma director hits out at Gareth Southgate over Tammy Abraham and Chris Smalling’s World Cup snubs
MORE : French football chief warns players to ‘respect’ Qatar ahead of planned rainbow armband protest
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The Red Devils stars speak out.