Qatar, a nightmare start. Fans leave the stadium en masse in the 45th minute: "FIFA worried"

Qatar was hoping for a much better debut. Felix Sanchez's team lost the opening match of the World Cup 2-0 against Ecuador; a clear and deserved defeat, which provoked the reaction of the public present in the stands of the Al-Bayt stadium; L'Equipe speaks of an "at times terrifying" performance on the pitch and a crowd of spectators "that aroused a mixture of sadness and anger". The rest of the international press has not been kind to the behavior of the home fans who, as Marca points out, have "abandoned their team. FIFA is worried because thousands of local fans left at half-time". The BBC goes further and writes: "The dream turns into a nightmare for Qatar and its supporters. After a lavish opening ceremony, led by actor Morgan Freeman, fans fell silent as Ecuadorians enjoyed the day ".