World Cup 2022: Neuer confirms to wear the 'One Love' armband

The World Cup starts today and it is perhaps the most controversial World Cup in the history of the tournament. From the ill-behaviour to the migrant workers to the homophobic discrimination of the Qatar government towards its LGBT+ community, the hosts are ravaged with criticisms across the globe.

And amid this, Germany captain and custodian Manuel Neuer says that he will be in no fear to wear the 'One Love' armband in the World Cup, which has come to the fray especially to promote human rights in the country, something which has been an area of shortcomings for the hosts.

Neuer said from Germany's training base in Al Shamal on Saturday that he will be wearing the armband to promote diversity and inclusion.

"Firstly, I want to say that we all haven't experienced something like this. The whole tournament is an experiment," Neuer said.

"But we have the complete backing of the (German Football Association), we have no fear," he added.

The 'One Love' armband has become a flashpoint in the lead-up to the tournament, particularly after former Qatari footballer and current tournament ambassador Khalid Salman said homosexuality "damages the mind" and he doesn't wish children in the World Cup to see gay people around them. It will thus depict the human rights issues as well as the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community into the social paradigm.

Germany will be aiming to rectify their mistakes from the last World Cup, when they were eliminated from the tournament in the first round. The 2014 Champions are in Group E along with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica and kickstart the campaign against Japan on 23rd November.