Germany players placed their hands over their mouths during a team photo ahead of their Group E game against Japan at the Qatar World Cup 2022 on Wednesday, sparking massive outbursts on social media platforms.
In a team photo before their Qatar World Cup 2022 Group E match against Japan on Wednesday, Germany's players covered their mouths due to the ongoing controversy around FIFA's threat of punishment about the "OneLove" armband.
Before the game began, all of the German players made the gesture in front of dozens of photographers on the field after FIFA, the governing body of soccer, had warned seven European teams of punishment if they wore the armband signifying tolerance and diversity.
Nancy Faeser, the interior minister of Germany, wore the armband while she conversed with FIFA President Gianni Infantino while watching the match from the stands.
She had previously criticised FIFA, calling the prospect of fines a mistake and unacceptable conduct.
"This is not alright, how federations are being put under pressure," Faeser said during a visit to a German FA event in Doha before the game. "In today's times it is incomprehensible that FIFA does not want people to openly stand for tolerance and against discrimination. It does not fit in our times and it is not appropriate towards people."
A statement from the German Football Association (DFB) said: "We wanted to use our captain's armband to take a stand for values that we hold in the Germany national team: diversity and mutual respect. Together with other nations, we wanted our voice to be heard."
"It wasn't about making a political statement โ human rights are non-negotiable. That should be taken for granted, but it still isn't the case. That's why this message is so important to us. Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position," the statement added.
The photo of Germany players covering their mouths has sparked a massive social media outburst. "Germany talking about human rights. This is actually quite funny coming from the land of the Nazis lmao," said one football enthusiast.
Another fan added, "Wear the armband, all of you who said you would. The sanctions u'd recieve pales into significance what members of the LGBTQ community deal with living in their truth Make the stand. "
A third remarked, "These ppl played in Israel and didn't bat an eye towards the innocent Palestinian lives that have been murdered."
Here's a look at some of the trolls that flooded Twitter:
Germany talking about human rights ๐ญ This is actually quite funny coming from the land of the Nazis lmao. https://t.co/pD4eQNcFDK pic.twitter.com/pqaQoCRq48
โ Bee โ๏ธ (@BeeQueen0000)๐คฃ๐๐คฃ German Dumb & Dumber https://t.co/E112duCSF3 pic.twitter.com/dZSfJ4uHDj
โ PandhitAdhyasa (@PANDHITADHYASA1)Wear the armband, all of you who said you would. The sanctions u'd recieve pales into significance what members of the LGBTQ community deal with living in their truth
Make the stand. https://t.co/Vg2PIotaej
These ppl played in Israel and didnโt bat an eye towards the innocent Palestinian lives that have been murdered https://t.co/aMWXC0xrOG
โ afโง๊ณ โ โง๊ณ๐บ๐พ (@marcoaseniscoo)Whoever goes to a country must respect that country and its laws, religion and customs, otherwise he is not welcome in that country, just as we respect you, you must respect us as Arabs and as Muslims โช๏ธ๐๐๐ถ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฟ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐น๐ณ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ท๐ฑ๐พ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ช๐ญ๐ฆ๐ช๐ต๐ฐ๐ธ๐พ๐พ๐ชโช๏ธ๐๐ https://t.co/J9MFYzwXiO
โ EYMEN ๐โฝ๏ธ (@elroujiii)Posing like a group of 14 year old birds with a bottle of Lambrini https://t.co/PHLZHPV91o
โ Sam (@sammyg023)Can anyone remind them why Ozil retired from playing with them? https://t.co/4IlniptEqI
โ Omar Elshahat (@OmarElshahatt)Great Tribute https://t.co/6m44aDCskJ pic.twitter.com/3SJETzx72s
โ ALI (@3li9ine)Ironic coming from the Nazis https://t.co/5y9y543j62
โ Hafeez (@CFC_Hafeez)Motherfuckers did the worst most abhorrent crimes in human history and theyโre taking the moral high ground? ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ https://t.co/GzyQkluBsF
โ Melancholy (@NotPrettyBoyo)They were so offended by Qatar's human rights that they all started beat boxing https://t.co/iKRCHpcsJF
โ Andy R (@ghost_of_kicks)Quiet ironic considering that the German government silence anyone who disagrees with the German mainstream https://t.co/tuYEFH5NZL
โ ัะพะพัะฝะพัะตะฝะธะต ๐ฉ๐ช (@its_Plexsure)โCan I have 12 bottles of bleach pleaseโ https://t.co/FEn9BHGf4I pic.twitter.com/iMwmVQhAS0
โ Naim Rahman (@naimrahman73)So denying Ozil his voice when speaking up for Uyghur Muslims in literal concentration camps isn't okay
But now itโs human Rights ๐๐๐ https://t.co/mVEZDOKAkX
I prefer not to speak like Iโm Josรฉ. ๐คซ https://t.co/Dr8kaau1Ng pic.twitter.com/Kudon5d4LJ
โ ZADAYY ๐บโ๏ธ (@IAmZadayy)Bunch of Nazis who did a crime wars towards other countries and the most racist people out there want to give lessons in humanity and can't respect even the country they are in!
Hope fifa will punish their ass! https://t.co/jkLq3fOVlo
Show some spine. Stand up against Russia, Israel, India, ...
Freedom comes before LGBQT whatever rights. https://t.co/6DbnGeXAbT
Empty gesture from Germany and their minister with that armband and mouth gesture.The EU has been abusing the human rights of refugees and paying countries to block their entrance. Why were people left on the Polish border all winter last year? Where those not humans with rights
โ A (@abyaradia)Lol Germany putting their hands on their mouth to make a statement. Should've withdrawn from the worldcup if you want to make statemt, with their fake norms and values.
โ Oumaima Mak (@Oumsmak)