Manchester United star Christian Eriksen will wear a shirt which protests against Qatar at this winter's World Cup.
The tournament, which begins on Sunday, November 20, has created controversy not only for the unusual start time, which has been approved to avoid the heat of Qatar's summer, but also for the human rights record the host country has. It has been reported that migrant workers in the Middle East country have been mistreated while building stadiums and that LGBTQ+ people are being persecuted within the country.
Qatar’s Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy says that 36 workers on World Cup projects they oversee have died since 2015, but Amnesty International says there is no estimate of how many workers have died on other infrastructure projects linked to the delivery of the tournament and the real figure could in fact be 'thousands'. United legend David Beckham has also been criticised for becoming an ambassador for Qatar ahead of the tournament.
However, while many participating countries have condemned Qatar, Denmark have decided to go one step further. The Danish national team's kit designers Hummel have toned down their badge as well as that of their national team so as not to be visible at the tournament. Explaining their decision in a statement, the Danish manufacturer said: "With the Danish national team’s new jerseys, we wanted to send a dual message.
"They are not only inspired by Euro 92, paying tribute to Denmark’s greatest football success, but also a protest against Qatar and its human rights record. That’s why we’ve toned down all the details for Denmark’s new World Cup jerseys, including our logo and iconic chevrons.
"We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives. We support the Danish national team all the way, but that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation.
"We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement."
Eriksen is likely to be called up for the World Cup having played a key role in Denmark's recent matches including being heavily involved in their two goals as they beat France in the Nations League. The 30-year-old arrived at Old Trafford in the summer and has impressed with his performances in the centre of midfield for the Reds.