Last month, Qatar 2022 won as “the best World Cup” in a BBC Sport poll, which saw Doha garner the vote of 78% of football fans.

German companies secured billions of dollars in profit during the 2022 FIFA World Cup despite criticism over Qatar’s hosting of the major tournament, a Berlin football official said.

“German companies have earned double-digit billions there with various projects. I haven’t heard any criticism of that,” Vice-President of the German Football Association Ralph-Uwe Schaffert told German media last week.

Schaffert made headlines earlier this month after a problematic comparison of the German national team to “little monkeys” for covering their mouths at their World Cup opening game.

The football official later apologised for the choice of words while clarifying that he referred to the popular three wise monkeys symbol.

Germany was among many western countries that criticised Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup, the first to ever take place in an Arab and Muslim country. 

Much of the criticism, driven by western media outlets, was centred on Qatar’s alleged abuse of migrant workers and its stance on the LGBTQ+ community.

Schaffert took aim at the criticism directed at Qatar, slamming them as “false” and “hypocritical”.

“If a World Cup is only to be held in countries that you think are good, then there are not many left. Maybe Luxembourg or Switzerland,” he said.

In the lead up to the World Cup, Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faesar triggered a spat between Berlin and Doha after criticising the Gulf state’s human rights record. 

The dispute came at a critical time for Germany as it sought an alternative to Russian gas amid the ongoing war on Ukraine. Shortly after, it secured a deal with the Gulf state.

While Faesar quickly backtracked on her comments, she drew attention during the World Cup by wearing the LGBTQ+ “one love” armband to protest FIFA’s decision to ban it on the pitch.

Commenting on her decision to show up with the armband, Faesar said that it was “important” for her to take a stance, adding that she got the armband from the German Federation.

Meanwhile, German media made several remarks that have been widely slammed as “racist” throughout the tournament in Qatar.

A German television anchor compared Moroccan players, who made history during the World Cup, with the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).

The Welt anchor showed an image of three national team players after a successful World Cup game, in which they raised their index fingers.  

This is a common gesture for billions of Muslims around the world who praise God by professing the concept of Tawhid, or ‘Oneness’.

However, the anchor likened the players to ISIS, claiming the gesture caused “irritation”.

Another German commentator, Sandro Wagner, came under fire for describing the traditional white Qatari men’s clothing as “bathrobes”.

Qatar made history last year as the first ever Arab and Muslim country to host the World Cup, which served as a key opportunity to break cultural barriers while introducing the west to the region.

The tiny Gulf state was able to step up to criticism by hosting what has been widely dubbed as “best” and the “safest” version of the World Cup.

Last month, Qatar 2022 won as “the best World Cup” in a BBC Sport poll, which saw Doha garner the vote of 78% of football fans.