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Tag: World Cup

  • Man suffers facial paralysis after staying up to watch World Cup games for a week

    A 26-year-old man wound up with facial paralysis after wasting several nights watching the World Cup football games for an entire week.

    The World Cup is always an exciting time for football fans all over the world, but keeping up with the action is a huge challenge, especially during the group stages, and even more so when the host country is in a very different time zone. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t die-hard fans out there who will sacrifice sleep for nights in a row to make sure they don’t lose a single game. Unfortunately, that can take a terrible toll on one’s body, as a 26-year-old man in China recently learned at his own expense.

    Mr. Cao, a Chinese football fan from Wuhan, in Hubei province who lost not one night but an entire week’s worth of sleep trying to watch all World Cup games, wound up in the hospital with facial paralysis. Even though China didn’t even qualify for this year’s World Cup, Cao would make it a priority to drive straight home after work and watch the games from around 6 pm to 6 am, and then go to work a couple of hours later.

    The 26-year-old man was fine for a few days, but it wasn’t long before he started noticing that the lack of sleep was taking a toll on him. And by that time it was already too late.

    “On November 30, I slept for two hours after watching the match, and when I woke up, I felt extremely tired,” the man told reporters. “I didn’t think much about it and decided to rest for a bit in the office, but after a while, my condition didn’t seem to improve and it was affecting my work progress.”

    Sadly, the worse was yet to come. At one point, Cao felt his lips suddenly tilting to the side, and became unable to move his eyelids. He didn’t panic, thinking that it was only temporary, but the symptoms only got worse and started interfering with his work, so he finally decided to go to the hospital.

    Mr. Cao was diagnosed with facial paralysis and needed to undergo specialized treatment to mitigate the symptoms, but he is expected to eventually make a full recovery.

    Doctors believe that the accumulated lack of sleep, coupled with cold weather and a strong breeze caused the paralysis and advised other football fans not to follow Cao’s example.

    Source: Oddity Central

  • MEP denies Qatar bribery after €1.5m is seized

    Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP, has denied involvement in a World Cup host country Qatar-related bribery scandal at the European Parliament.

    After discovering €1.5 million (£1.3 million) in two homes and a suitcase, Belgian investigators charged four suspects, including her.

    By a vote of 625 to 1, MEPs decided to remove Ms. Kaili from her position as one of its 14 vice presidents.

    Roberta Metsola, the speaker of the parliament, has mentioned “difficult days for European democracy.”

    “[Eva Kaili] declares her innocence and that she has nothing to do with bribery from Qatar,” her lawyer, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, told Greek TV on Tuesday.

    There was uncontested evidence, he added in a later statement, that “every move, contact and statement made by Eva Kaili regarding Qatar was made in execution and application of the official policy of the European Union”.

    Prosecutors carried out a string of searches over several days and said cash worth about €600,000 had been found at the home of one suspect, €150,000 at the flat of an MEP and €750,000 in a suitcase in a Brussels hotel room.

    Belgian police released a photo on Tuesday showing piles of notes in €200, €50, €20 and €10 denominations.

    The cash was found in several places
    IMAGE SOURCE,BELGIAN POLICE Image caption, Belgian police published a photo of the cash they had found
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    Sources said the €150,000 was found at Ms Kaili’s flat. Asked if that was true, her lawyer said: “I have no idea if any money was found or how much was found.”

    The suspects arrested by Belgian police have been charged with “participation in a criminal organisation, money-laundering and corruption”, prosecutors said on Sunday. They will appear before a pre-trial court on Wednesday.

    The allegations have cast a shadow over the role of lobby groups at the European Parliament. A recommendation to allow visa-free travel to the EU for Qataris was set to be voted on by MEPs this week, but has now been shelved.

    Searches have taken place in Italy as well as in Brussels. Since Friday, the IT resources of 10 parliamentary employees have been “frozen” to prevent the disappearance of data necessary for the investigation.

    Parliament, sitting in Strasbourg, voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to strip Ms Kaili of her role as vice-president. The door to her office in the parliament building was sealed with a notice saying “access forbidden”.

    She has also been suspended from the parliament’s Socialists and Democrats Group and expelled from the Greek centre-left Pasok party.

    Greek authorities have frozen assets belonging to her, her husband and immediate family members.

    The activities of a property company set up about two weeks ago by the MEP and her partner in Athens have also been frozen.

    European Parliament President Roberta Metsola speaks during the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 13 December 2022.
    IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS Image caption, Parliament President Roberta Metsola said there would be no impunity or “sweeping under the carpet”

    Six people were detained on Friday as part of the investigation into allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to win influence. Two were later released.

    The three others accused are all Italian citizens. Ms Kaili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, who is a parliamentary assistant, is among those reportedly charged.

    Former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who now runs human rights group Fight Impunity, is also among the four, sources say. His wife and daughter were also reportedly arrested. Mr Giorgi had formerly worked for him as a parliamentary assistant.

    The other suspect, according to Italian news agency Ansa, is Niccolò Figa-Talamanca. He runs lobby group No Peace Without Justice, which is housed in the same building in Rue Ducale in Brussels’ European quarter.

    The head of the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, Luca Visentini, was questioned and later released. He said later he had been able to answer all questions put to him.

    BBC Brussels correspondent Jessica Parker says details released by Belgian authorities in the last few days left many people’s jaws on the floor in EU circles.

    MEPs who spoke to our correspondent said they were shocked by both the scale and blatancy of the accusations.

    Ms Metsola said ahead of the vote to strip Ms Kaili of her leading role at the Parliament that “European democracy is under attack and our free and democratic societies are under attack”. She and the Parliament would do everything they could to fight corruption, she added on Tuesday: “There will be no impunity, there will be no sweeping under the carpet.”

    Watchdogs and MEPs said the bribery investigation could represent one of the biggest corruption scandals in the parliament’s history.

    Prosecutors said they suspected a Gulf state had been influencing economic and political decisions of the parliament for several months, especially by targeting aides.

    Although reports widely named the state as Qatar, the Qatari government said any claims of misconduct were “gravely misinformed”.

    Ms Kaili’s responsibilities as vice-president included the Middle East.

    Eva Kaili

    EP/Reuters
    The World Cup in Qatar is proof, actually, of how sports diplomacy can achieve a historical transformation of a country with reforms that inspired the Arab world.
    Eva Kaili
    Greek MEP on 21 November 2022
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    Last month, while other colleagues drew attention Qatar’s human rights violations, she gave an effusive speech to the parliament praising Qatar for hosting the World Cup and for its role as a “frontrunner in labour rights”.

    Addressing a debate in the Parliament on Tuesday, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said there was an initial presumption of innocence but this was now a serious criminal investigation: “To anyone accepting payoffs kickbacks, bribes, I say shame on you… for violating the trust of the people of Europe.”

    Green MEP Daniel Freund, who heads a cross-party anti-corruption group, told the BBC that the parliament had “reasonably good lobby transparency rules” but that third countries like Qatar were excluded from them: “So I think these third countries should go on the lobby register.”

    The European Parliament is the EU’s only directly elected institution. Some 705 members of parliament, elected by voters in the 27 nations which make up the EU, meet to scrutinise proposed legislation and vote through European law.

    MEPs generally enjoy immunity from prosecution, but not in cases where “a member is found in the act of committing an offence”, the parliament says.

  • World Cup: Suarez praises Messi after Argentina’s triumph

    Luis Suarez has hailed his former Barcelona team-mate, Lionel Messi, after he helped Argentina qualify for the 2022 World Cup final.

    Messi scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot in the 34th minute and assisted Julian Alvarez in scoring a second goal to complete Tuesday’s spectacular 3-0 triumph over Croatia.

    After finishing as Argentina’s runner-up in 2014 when Germany defeated La Albiceleste 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner now has a chance to win Argentina’s first World Cup since Diego Maradona led them to victory in 1986.

    “You never get tired of showing that you are the best in the world,” Suarez, who spent six years with Messi at Barcelona from 2014 to 2020, wrote on Instagram.

    “The whole world stops to applaud this guy and what he’s given to football. Incredible my friend!”

    Messi’s longtime La Liga rival with Real Madrid, defeated Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, claimed the Argentinean deservingly won the World Cup.

    “Hopefully [Messi] wins this World Cup, he is the best player in history and he deserves it,” Modric told reporters after the game.

    Argentina will play the final on Sunday against either reigning world champions France or Morocco, who will meet at Al Bayt Stadium in the second semi-final on Wednesday.


     

     

  • I am proud to be able to finish my World Cup journey playing this final – Messi

    Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, announced that Sunday’s championship game against either France or Morocco will be his final World Cup appearance as he looks to go out in a flourish.

    With a goal and an assist, the 35-year-old was instrumental in Argentina’s 3-0 semifinal victory over Croatia.

    Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi had previously stated that this will be his final World Cup, a statement he reaffirmed following Tuesday’s victory.

    “I am proud to be able to finish my World Cup journey playing this final,” Messi told reporters. “What I’m experiencing is exciting. Sunday will be my last game in a World Cup.

    “It will be many years before the next one [2026] and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, so I hope I can finish in the best way.”

    With his 11th goal against Croatia, Messi surpassed Gabriel Batistuta to become his nation’s all-time best scorer at World Cups.

    In addition, Messi scored his 16th goal for Argentina in 2022, giving him the most international goals in a single year of his career.

    “I’m enjoying it all very much,” Messi said about the 2022 World Cup. “I feel good. I feel strong to face every game. We have been making a big sacrifice.

    “The last game we played was with extra time. That was not easy at all. We were tired, but the group got strength. We played a very important game. We knew it was going to be the match it was.

    “I’m very happy. Throughout this World Cup I’ve been having a lot of fun and, luckily, I was able to help the group to get things done.”

    Messi will be gunning for the ultimate crowning glory with his maiden World Cup title on Sunday, having played in 2014 when La Albiceleste were runners-up.

    Argentina are into their sixth World Cup final, with only Germany (eight) having reached more in the competition.

  • Brazil advised to change shirt stars to hearts to celebrate Pele’s World Cup wins

    Brazilian football officials have been urged to replace three of the five stars on their jerseys with hearts as a tribute to Pele by South American football authorities.

    Brazil presently sports five stars on its well-known yellow jerseys to signify their five World Cup victories, which is the most of any other country.

    Pele was a member of the team during three of the World Cup victories, and no other player has scored more goals for Brazil. After scoring his 77th Selecao goal in Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal loss to Croatia, Neymar has now equaled Pele for the record.

    That loss came in the wake of the news that Pele had been hospitalised back home in Sao Paulo, though it was reported the 82-year-old is making “progressive improvement”.

    CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, sent Pele its best wishes while proposing Brazil make an alteration to their kits.

    It said in a statement: “A hundred people gathered this Sunday, December 11, at the CONMEBOL Tree Of Dreams in Doha, Qatar, to honour Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known sportingly as Pele, the only player in soccer history to win three world titles.

    “It is in honour of this unprecedented event that the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) proposes to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) that they change three of the five World Cup stars that appear on the chest of their shirt for three hearts, in recognition of Pele.

    “Another central focus of the act was the message of encouragement and great strength to Pele, admitted since November 29 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he is recovering satisfactorily from a lung infection, according to the doctors.”

    Alejandro Dominguez, the CONMEBOL president, added: “We are on his side in this game that he is playing. It is the right time to pay tribute to him again and let him know that he will live in the heart of anyone who loves football. Our job is for people to continue to know and love Pele.”


  • World Cup: ‘I still haven’t learned to lose’ – Neymar admits

    Neymar has admitted that he “still hurts like hell from loss” as a result of Brazil’s World Cup elimination.

    Favorites entering the tournament Croatia eliminated Brazil from the World Cup 4-2 on penalties after the game had tied 1-1 after extra time.

    Neymar, who scored an outstanding goal in extra time but chose not to take a penalty kick in the 4-2 penalty shootout loss, wrote on Instagram on Saturday that the defeat had left him “psychologically destroyed” and reiterated that sentiment in a second post on Sunday after arriving back in his native country.

    “On Brazilian soil… still hurts like hell from loss, we were so close, so close,” Neymar wrote. “Unfortunately or fortunately I still haven’t learned to lose. Defeats make me stronger, but they hurt me too much and I’m still not used to it.

    “Anyway, we have to move on… life moves us on, even if it hurts and the hurt takes time to heal, we have to move on.

    “Once again I want to thank the Brazilian people for their support and affection. Hearing from you that we fought, delivered until the end comforts a little of our pain.

    “Thank you Qatar for everything. The cup was beautiful and she had to be from Brazil to crown it all, but by God’s destiny it wasn’t.”

     

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    Neymar, 30, has been rumored to be playing in his final World Cup, and after the match he was hesitant to say whether he will continue to play for his nation.

    He added on Instagram: “We keep going… Now it’s to turn off the key, take advantage of family and friends, recharge energies because dealing with this defeat will be very difficult, it still hurts me A LOT! FAITH.”

    Neymar also reserved a special ‘open letter’ post for 61-year-old Brazil head coach Tite, who has stepped down from the role following the World Cup after six-and-a-half years in charge.

    “I knew you as a coach and I already knew you were very good but as a person you are MUCH BETTER!,” Neymar wrote. “I come here to openly thank you for everything, all the teachings you’ve given us… and there were so many.

    “You will always be one of the best coaches I’ve ever had or will have, I will always lift you up. We had beautiful moments but we also had moments that hurt us a lot and the latter will hurt us for a long time.

    “You deserved to be crowned with this cup. We all deserved it for everything we did and for everything we gave up to try to achieve our biggest dream. But God didn’t want it that way, patience. God has given us EVERYTHING!”

     

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  • Southgate ‘conflicted’ on future with England after World Cup exit

    Gareth Southgate, the manager of England, is “conflicted” as he considers staying in the position after the team lost to France in the World Cup quarterfinals.

    After Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Les Bleus, Southgate made it plain that he would take his time making a decision about his future. The Football Association has left that decision up to Southgate.

    The England manager has been in charge since 2016 and is under contract until December 2024. He guided the team to the 2018 World Cup semifinals and the Euro 2020 final.

    “I’ve found large parts of the last 18 months difficult,” Southgate said. “For everything that I’ve loved about the last few weeks, I still have… how things have been for 18 months.

    “What’s been said and what’s been written. The night at Wolves. There’s lots of things in my head that’s really conflicted at the moment.

    “What I want to make sure, if it’s the right thing to stay, is that I’ve definitely got the energy to do that. I don’t want to be four or five months down the line thinking: ‘I’ve made the wrong call’. It’s too important for everybody to get that wrong.”

     Southgate has transformed England since their disappointing Euro 2016 last-16 exit to Iceland, becoming a genuine title contender with a new wave of exciting talent.

    The ex-England defender had no timeframe on when he would make a decision on his future, stating he was eager to overcome the emotion of the defeat before making a call.

    Gareth Southgate, the manager of England, is “conflicted” as he considers staying in the position after the team lost to France in the World Cup quarterfinals.

    After Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Les Bleus, Southgate made it plain that he would take his time making a decision about his future. The Football Association has left that decision up to Southgate.

    The England manager has been in charge since 2016 and is under contract until December 2024. He guided the team to the 2018 World Cup semifinals and the Euro 2020 final.

    Southgate added that he was not sure when he was ever going to get over England’s latest World Cup exit, but spoke with a sense of pride about their performance.

    “I don’t think I have got over the last one [Euro 2020] but this feels a little bit different because when we reflect on what we’ve done, I’m not sure what more we could have done or given,” he said.

    “I think we’ve given a really good performance against a top team. It was a significant psychological step for those players.

    “I have been involved in nights where we have played top teams and been on the back foot for the majority of the game and been dominated. We wanted to be bold in the tournament and I think we went toe-to-toe with them.

    “We have said we want to be competitive all the way through with England and we are, I believe, in that top table … the last three tournaments, we have restored credibility.

    “The rest of the world look at us as a good side, but we are here to win, and we haven’t won.”

  • Brazil approached Guardiola to coach national team – Ronaldo reveals

    Ronaldo stated before Pep Guardiola renewed his contract with Manchester City, the Brazilian national team asked him to become their new coach.

    The Selecao is getting ready for life without Tite, who led them to the World Cup quarterfinals before they lost to Croatia on Friday in a heartbreaking penalty shootout.

    Regardless of how the five-time champions performed in Qatar, the 61-year-old stated in February that he would step down from his position.

    Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach Guardiola decided to prolong his tenure at the Etihad Stadium until 2025, according to legendary striker Ronaldo, who claims the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had spoken with him.

    “There was interest in Guardiola; it was discussed with Guardiola’s coaching staff, but he preferred to renew his contract with City,” the 2002 World Cup winner said on his YouTube channel.’

    “Perhaps it would be difficult for the CBF to reach an agreement; he is the highest-paid coach in the world.”

    Ronaldo believes the CBF should now turn their attention to the “Brazilian Guardiola” in Fernando Diniz – the Fluminense head coach renowned for his attractive possession-based style of play.

    “Perhaps Diniz would be an attraction for the Brazilian national team,” he added. “He’s a guy who plays well, puts on a show.

    “It is a very important decision for the next cycle. The sooner you present the name and start working on the philosophy of the coach, the better it will be. And we’ll see. I’m curious. I think big names are coming here.”

  • Morocco deserve semi-final spot, Fernandes says

    When Portugal‘s World Cup run come to an end on Saturday due to the Atlas Lions, Bruno Fernandes recognised Morocco as deserving World Cup semi-finalists.

    Inflicting yet another upset at Al Thumama Stadium, Morocco became the first African team to ever make it to the tournament’s last four thanks to Youssef En-goal, Nesyri’s which was scored only in the game.

    The result incited an outraged response from some Portugal players, with Pepe calling the selection of Argentinian referee Facundo Tello “awful” after Tello decided against giving a penalty when Fernandes fell down under a challenge from Achraf Hakimi.

    In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, the playmaker concurred with Pepe’s assertions, claiming that the referees had “tipped the field” against Fernando Santos’ team.

    However, the Manchester United man struck a different tone when he took to social media on Sunday, praising Morocco’s display and outlining his pride in Portugal’s efforts.

    “It’s difficult to express in a few words everything we felt yesterday after the game ended,” he wrote on Twitter. “Our dream fell apart when we did everything to make it end differently.

    “It’s sad and painful because representing our team means much more than just playing football.

    “Despite the elimination, I am very proud to be Portuguese and even more proud of all those who represented our country with me in this World Cup.

    “I would also like to congratulate the Moroccan team for the great game and for deservedly qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup.”

    Portugal’s defeat to Walid Regragui’s men was their first at the quarter-final stage of a World Cup, with the Selecao having progressed from their two previous last-eight ties at the tournament.

  • World Cup 2022: American sports writer Grant Wahl passes away in Qatar

    A prominent football journalist from the United States has died while covering the World Cup in Qatar.

    Grant Wahl, 48, collapsed as extra time began in the Argentina-Netherlands game on Friday night.

    Early reports suggest he may have had a heart attack, but this has yet to be officially confirmed.

    Last month Mr Wahl was briefly detained by Qatari authorities for trying to enter a stadium wearing a rainbow shirt, in support of LGBT rights.

    “Fans of soccer and journalism of the highest quality knew we could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists,” it said.

    In a tweet, Mr Wahl’s wife, Céline Gounder, said she was in “complete shock”, adding that she was “so thankful” for the support she had received from friends.

    Mr Wahl celebrated his 48th birthday on Thursday with friends in Qatar, a day before he collapsed. He wrote on his website on Monday that he had been unwell in the last 10 days and was on a course of antibiotics for suspected bronchitis.

    “My body finally broke down on me,” he wrote. “What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.

    “I didn’t have Covid (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic and the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis.”

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Mr Wahl’s love for football was “immense”, adding that his reporting would be “missed by all who follow the global game”.

    Tributes have poured in from several UK journalists. Piers Morgan described Mr Wahl as a “brilliant journalist”, while the Times’ Henry Winter said he was a “fine man” and “giant of the press box”.

    BBC Sport’s Dan Roan tweeted: “Grant Wahl was a renowned and hugely respected journalist and the flood of tributes is testament to the esteem in which he was held.”

    Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber tweeted: “We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken over the tragic passing of Grant Wahl. He was a kind and caring person whose passion for soccer and dedication to journalism were immeasurable.”

    US tennis icon Billie Jean King also paid tribute to Mr Wahl, describing him as an “advocate for the LGBTQ community and a prominent voice for women’s soccer”.

    A spokesperson for the Qatari body responsible for planning the World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of the US journalist Grant Wahl.

    “Grant was known for his enormous love of football and was in Qatar to cover his eighth Fifa World Cup.

    “He fell ill in the Lusail Stadium media tribune, during last night’s quarter-final match between Argentina v Netherlands. He received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital.

    “We are in touch with the US Embassy and relevant local authorities to ensure the process of repatriating the body is in accordance with the family’s wishes.”

    Earlier this week, Mr Wahl was presented with an award by Brazilian football legend Ronaldo for reporting on eight consecutive World Cups – his first was in the US in 1994.

     

    Source: BBC

  • Clemente criticises Luis Enrique departure as Spain boss

    Javier Clemente, a former La Roja head coach, said that Spain’s choice to fire Luis Enrique after their World Cup departure was “yet another mistake.”

    Two days after Morocco eliminated the 2010 world champions on penalties in the round of 16, the former Barcelona manager’s resignation was officially announced on Thursday.

    After the finals, Luis Enrique’s contract was about to expire, and the Royal Football Federation (RFEF) decided not to renew it. Instead, they named existing Under-21 manager Luis de la Fuente as the new manager.

    Former Spain manager Clemente believes Luis Enrique shouldn’t be held accountable for his team’s second straight last-16 defeat after losing to host nation Russia at the same level four years prior. Clemente coached Spain at the World Cup in 1994 and 1998.

    “I think it is not a success to have dispensed with Luis Enrique as coach,” he told El Programa de Ortega. “This is yet another mistake.

    “Luis Enrique is a very good coach, with his ideas, with his personality, friendly, pleasant, man of the house. The problem of the Spanish team is a problem of Spanish football.

    “[Morocco] stood up and closed well behind, and the players did not have the temperament to overcome it.

    “You always talk about the coaches, but when you play badly, you also have to talk about the players. Is Luis Enrique to blame [for the penalties]? Not really.

    The RFEF is expected to officially announce De La Fuente as Luis Enrique’s successor on Monday.

    The 61-year-old has spent close to a decade coaching Spain’s age-grade sides, winning the Under-19 European Championship in 2015 and the Under-21 equivalent in 2021.

    He also took charge of the Under-23 side at the Beijing Olympics last year and won a silver medal following defeat to Brazil in the final.

    “You don’t imagine he’ll end up as a coach,” said Clemente, who coached De La Fuente at Athletic Bilbao during the early stages of his playing career.

    “I think it’s good, he’s been in the Under-21s, and he’s had good results. He’s done well, he already knows the kids. I don’t know how he coaches, but I tell you he’s very good because he’s a friend of mine.”

  • Give World Cup spots to Euros and Copa America winners – Barella urges FIFA

    The Azzurri should have qualified for the World Cup “by right,” according to Italy player Nicolo Barella, after winning the European Championship.

    Italy was eliminated after a shocking 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in a play-off qualification match in March. Despite being nearly completely dominant, Italy let up the game’s lone goal in stoppage time.

    It resulted in Italy, the four-time champions, missing out on two straight World Cups—a first in their history—and Inter star Barella has felt reluctant to watch the competition because of his grievance that he should be taking part.

    In fact, he advocated for giving World Cup spots automatically to the most recent champions of Europe and South America. Unless they were also included in such an agreement, confederations from other continents would probably not be too happy about such a move.

    Italy, who prevailed in the postponed Euro 2020 finals last year, is still in disbelief at its World Cup qualifying misstep.

    “I haven’t seen half a match of the World Cup yet, I can’t understand the feeling I feel,” Barella said.

    “They say that the pitch is always right, but for me in this case it gave an unfair response. Today it was our turn, maybe tomorrow it will be the turn of others: whoever wins a European Championship or a Copa America deserves to go to a World Cup by right.”

    The statement made by Barella is comparable to one made last month by Italy’s head coach, Roberto Mancini. Mancini added that every continent’s champions need to have an automatic berth in the World Cup.

    Barella can see himself staying at Inter through the 2026 competition, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

    Barella, who has a contract with Inter that expires in 2026, has been linked to a number of teams, including Chelsea and Liverpool from the Premier League.

    “We have to get there first,” he said of the next World Cup, “but yeah, I see myself on the pitch in 2026 still as an Inter player.”

    Whether Milan Skriniar remains at Inter for so long must be in major doubt.

    Paris Saint-Germain wanted him in the last transfer window and may come back in January, and the 27-year-old Slovakian centre-back is due to lapse out of contract at the end of the season.

    Barella will let Skriniar make his own decisions about the future, insisting others should not play any part.

    “I will never allow myself to give him advice,” Barella said. “Everyone makes their choices. Then, at the end of his career, we will see if they were right or wrong. I hope he stays because in addition to being incredibly strong, he is a brother.”

  • FIFA to feature anti-discrimination messages to mark International Human Rights Day

    In honor of International Human Rights Day, FIFA will broadcast anti-discrimination messages during the World Cup quarterfinal games on Friday and Saturday.

    The #NoDiscrimination hashtag will be shown on the enormous screens and LED boards within the stadiums thanks to a partnership between FIFA and the World Health Organization (WHO).

    The World Cup in Qatar has drawn significant criticism for the host country’s standards of human rights, particularly for its attitudes toward same-sex marriage and its treatment of the migrant workers who built the tournament’s infrastructure.

    The Athletic reported on Wednesday that a Filipino man in his early 40s passed away while working at the Saudi Arabian base during the group round.

    When questioned on the incident the chief executive of Qatar 2022, Nasser Al Khater, told the BBC: “Death is a natural part of life, whether it’s at work or in your sleep.”

    FIFA also declined to comment on the reports, with its secretary general Fatma Samoura saying to Reuters: “We’ve already elaborated… about what we are doing in Qatar.

    “We are talking about things we have already discussed for months and months, time and time again.”

    However, FIFA announced its decision to observe International Human Rights Day on December 10, stating in a press statement that discrimination is one of the most widespread types of abuse and violation of human rights.

    “FIFA and the World Health Organization (WHO) will mark International Human Rights Day on Saturday, 10 December by reinforcing the message that there is no place for discrimination of any kind, either in football or in society in general.

    “During the FIFA World Cup quarter-final matches on 9 and 10 December, the #NoDiscrimination message will feature on giant screens and LEDs in stadium and, as during the whole of the tournament, on the captains’ armbands.”

  • Morocco ‘would be delighted’ if Ronaldo is on Portugal bench – Regragui

    Walid Regragui, the coach of Morocco, hopes to see Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench once more despite the fact that Portugal may have looked better in the round of 16 without him.

    After getting into a heated dispute with Portugal’s head coach during their final World Cup group match against South Korea, Ronaldo was benched by Fernando Santos.

    Portugal defeated Switzerland 6-1 despite the absence of Ronaldo, 37, who was replaced by Goncalo Ramos, who scored an incredible hat-trick.

    When his team faces Morocco in the quarterfinals, Santos will undoubtedly field the same lineup once more, but Regragui would rather not.

    “I don’t know if Ronaldo will start. I hope he won’t,” Regragui said. “As a coach, I know he’s one of the best players in history. I’d be delighted if he didn’t play.

    “But we’re not going to focus on Portugal. They’re hungry, they also want to get into the history books.

    “We’re going to have more supporters in the stadium, and we can do it.”

    Throughout his pre-match news conference on Friday, Regragui outlined his ambition to make history, with Morocco already enjoying their best run at a World Cup.

    Discussing pre-tournament predictions that had Morocco failing in the group stage, he said: “They all thought they knew who was going to win the World Cup. We are here, too.

    “Our players are hungry. We’re not satisfied with what we’ve done so far.”

     

  • Ronaldo did not ask to leave Portugal camp in Qatar, Santos says

    Although Cristiano Ronaldo has never requested to leave the Portugal World Cup team, manager Fernando Santos did acknowledge that the veteran striker was unhappy about being benched for the match against Switzerland.

    The 37-year-old was not included for Portugal’s 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the round of 16 to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup with Morocco.

    It was categorically refuted that Santos and Ronaldo had a huge falling out and that the latter had threatened to leave.

    Santos said: “We had a conversation. I don’t do that with all the players but he’s the captain of the squad. You know what he represents for Portuguese football, for the Portuguese people and for the national team.

    “It was on the day of the match after lunch. I explained to him why he would not play and said in terms of our strategy ‘I think it would be better if you did not start. I think the game will be difficult and I will save you for the second half’.

    “Cristiano was obviously not very happy as he has always been a starting player. But we had a normal conversation in which I explained my points and he accepted them.

    “He never told me he wanted to leave the national team.”

    Santos frequently has a frustrated expression, but the persistent inquiries about the former Manchester United and Real Madrid great really baffled him.

    “It’s high time we stopped with this conversation and look at what he did in the match,” he added.

    “He warmed up with his colleagues, he celebrated all the goals and he was the one who invited the players to applaud the fans at the end. It’s time for you [the media] to leave Cristiano alone.

    “Ninety per cent of the questions are about Cristiano.”

    Ronaldo’s replacement against Switzerland, Goncalo Ramos, scored a hat-trick as part of a team that displayed more verve and attacking threat than in previous games in Qatar.

    Santos refused to confirm whether Ramos would keep his place against Morocco or if Ronaldo would return.

    “Just because a team wins doesn’t mean you can’t change it,” he said. “The team we play on Saturday will present different challenges, they are a very different team to Switzerland.

    “They are well-organised with many players who play for the biggest clubs in the world. This will not be an easy game.”

    Playmaker Joao Felix was another who shone against the Swiss, arguably playing his best game of the tournament. Asked if he felt the shackles had been released with Ronaldo absent, he said: “I don’t think it’s mandatory to pass to Cristiano. We try to pass to the player that’s available.

    “Independent of Cristiano being on the field, we have the same tactics, the ones we’ve been using for all four games. He has skills that other players have and vice-versa. We, as a team, have our own identity and we focus on that.”

     

  • Messi’s legacy to be intact even without World Cup trophy, Guedioura says

    According to Adlene Guedioura, Lionel Messi does not require a World Cup victory to establish his legacy.

    Messi, a seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, has eight league championships and four Champions League trophies to his name.

    Messi hasn’t had much luck with Argentina’s international teams, though he did win the Copa America last year after three previous runners-up finishes.

    Messi came very close to winning the World Cup in 2014, but Mario Gotze’s extra-time winner ended up being La Albiceleste’s final heartbreak.

    Some have claimed that the 35-year-failure old’s to win international football’s greatest honor will damage his legacy in comparison to players like Pele and compatriot Diego Maradona.

    Messi may have one more chance to win the World Cup at the current tournament in Qatar, where his Argentina team will play the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Friday.

    Guedioura is of the opinion that Messi’s legacy will not be damaged even if Argentina fails in their quest to win a third World Cup in Qatar.

    Asked if he feels the potential gap in Messi’s trophy cabinet will impact how he is remembered, the former Algeria midfielder told Stats Perform: “Not at all. We’ve enjoyed him for such a long time with [Cristiano] Ronaldo.

    “I think, of course, a title with Argentina will put him on the top of everything. But watching him in Barcelona and with Paris Saint-Germain is something special.”

    Argentina came into the tournament on a run of 36 matches unbeaten, but that streak came to a stunning end when they were beaten 2-1 by Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener.

    La Albiceleste have steadied the ship, though, finishing top of Group C and beating Australia in the round of 16 to set up the meeting with the Netherlands.

    Despite Argentina’s improvement, Guedioura highlighted rivals Brazil as the team more likely to take the trophy back to South America, explaining: “Argentina started poorly with Saudi Arabia.

    “Maybe, it was a little accident or a little warning for them. But compared to Brazil, I feel Brazil they are stronger than Argentina.”

    Guedioura played for Algeria at the 2010 World Cup, and though his nation failed to qualify this year, fellow African sides Senegal and Morocco made it to the knockout stages, with the latter set to face Portugal in the last eight.

    The Al-Duhail midfielder thinks African nations pull together at tournaments in a way that is not replicated across other regions of the world. “This is maybe a difference when you have England or Scotland,” he observed.

    “When Scotland is not qualified, it’s like they don’t want England to do well. For us, I don’t think it’s like this. Any team that does well, all of Africa support them because they are the hope for the country and for the continent really.”

     

  • Luis Enrique receives tributes from Azpilicueta, others after Spain exit    

    Following Luis Enrique‘s resignation as head coach on Thursday, a number of Spain players paid tribute to him.

    Luis Enrique lost his job as a result of Spain’s shocking elimination from the World Cup round of 16 by Morocco on Tuesday.

    As his contract was slated to expire at the conclusion of the competition, the Royal Football Federation said on Thursday that it would not be extending it. Later, it was reported that Luis de la Fuente, who had previously been in charge of Spain’s Under-21 team, would take over.

    After the announcement, Luis Enrique’s former players thanked him, with Cesar Azpilicueta posting his congratulations on social media.

    “We had all imagined another ending after months of work, passion, dedication and commitment,” Azpilicueta posted on Instagram.

    “Thank you very much for the trust, Luis Enrique, and all the coaching staff I wish you the best in the future.”

    Luis Enrique gave Gavi his Spain debut last year, making him the youngest player in the history of La Roja at just 17 years and 62 days old.

    “I wish you luck and success in the future, you gave everything for the team and we will always be grateful to you!”

    Pedri also enjoyed his maiden international outing under the stewardship of Luis Enrique and is one of the young stars that look to have given Spain a promising future, despite the disappointment in Qatar.

    “Thank you very much for everything, Luis,” Pedri added on Instagram. “For your trust and support from the very beginning, and for always believing in and caring for this group.

    “We haven’t gotten where we wanted in this World Cup, but I’m sure the future will bring you new successes.”

  • Luis Enrique no longer Spain manager after World Cup last-16 exit

    Following Spain’s shocking World Cup elimination against Morocco, Luis Enrique has resigned from his position as manager.

    The 52-year-old took over in 2018 and led Spain to the Euro 2020 semifinals.

    The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said a “new initiative” should begin but did not specify when a new manager would be named.

    “We would like to thank Luis Enrique and his entire coaching staff,” the RFEF said in a statement.

    The former Spain midfielder took a brief leave of absence from his position in 2019 due to the diagnosis of bone cancer in his late daughter before returning for the team’s great performance at the Euros in the competition that was postponed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The eventual champions Italy eliminated Spain from the Euros after their semifinal match ended in a penalty shootout.

    They defeated Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening World Cup group match, but after drawing 1-1 with Germany and losing 2-1 to Japan, they were criticized for playing a “boring” possession-based style of football.

    Spain was held to a scoreless draw by Morocco on Tuesday before losing once more in a penalty shootout and being eliminated.

  • World Cup: Sterling to return to England camp

    Raheem Sterling will re-join England’s World Cup team on Friday before the quarterfinal match against France following a quick trip home.

    After what appeared to be a break-in at their home, during which several priceless items were taken, the Chelsea forward traveled to be with his family.

    With manager Gareth Southgate stating that Sterling was leaving for home, the 28-year-old was not a part of England’s victory over Senegal in the round of 16 on Sunday.

    Following the raid’s report on Saturday, Surrey Police opened an inquiry.

    The force said there had been “no threat of violence… as the items were discovered stolen retrospectively”.

    The Football Association said in a statement on Thursday: “Raheem Sterling will return to England’s World Cup base in Qatar.

    “The Chelsea forward temporarily left to attend to a family matter but is now expected to rejoin the squad in Al Wakrah on Friday ahead of the quarter-final with France.”

    Given that he has missed three crucial training sessions, it might imply that Sterling’s comeback is too late for him to have any chance of starting Saturday’s match against the reigning champions.

    In 81 senior appearances for England, Sterling, who turned 28 on Thursday, has 20 goals to his credit. His only goal at the World Cup thus far came in the opening 6-2 victory over Iran.

  • We will advance if we keep this team together- Salis Abdul Samed

    Salis Abdul Samed wants the Black Stars‘ new coach to stick with the present lineup despite the team’s World Cup group stage elimination.

    After falling to Uruguay 2-0 on Friday, the four-time African champions were eliminated from the competition.

    Ghana finished bottom of Group H with three points after losing to Portugal and Uruguay, having beaten South Korea in between.

    “It was a good experience for us. We learnt many things from it [World Cup].”

    “We don’t know one another much but if we continue to keep this group we will get better,” Samed told Daily Graphic.

    “We need to work together and be more compact when we’re defending and help each other as we did against Portugal – the first half they got zero chance, but scored in the second half through counter-attacks when we had more spaces between us.”

    Otto Addo will leave his post as Ghana coach at the end of December 2022.

  • World Cup 2022: Fifa ‘deeply saddened’ after reported migrant worker death

    Fifa expressed its sorrow over the alleged death of a migrant worker at a World Cup facility in Qatar.

    The organisation says it is “deeply saddened” following the reported death of a migrant worker at a World Cup facility in Qatar.

    The Filipino national fell to his death while carrying out repairs at a resort used as a training base by the Saudi Arabian team, The Athletic reported.

    Football’s world governing body said it had been made aware of an accident, without giving details of the incident.

    It added it was in touch with the local authorities to request more details.

    “Fifa is deeply saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts and sympathies are with the worker’s family,” it said.

    “Fifa will be in a position to comment further once the relevant processes in relation to the worker’s passing have been completed.”

    Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers has been one of the main controversies overshadowing the build up to the World Cup.

    A report by the Guardian newspaper last year said 6,500 migrant workers had died in Qatar since the country was awarded the World Cup in 2010.

    That figure has been rejected by the Qatari authorities, who say there have been three work-related deaths in construction related directly to the tournament and a further 37 non work-related deaths.

    World Cup officials say a number of reforms to improve the health and safety standards for migrant workers have been implemented in recent years, and that they are “committed” to making more improvements as a legacy of the tournament.

    Human rights organisations and a number of football associations whose countries are involved in the tournament say they will “continue to press” Qatar and Fifa to establish a compensation fund for migrant workers and their families, as well as the establishment of a migrant worker centre in Doha.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • World Cup: Halilhodzic watches Morocco success from afar

    Vahid Halilhodzic believes he was left “out in the rain” as he watched Morocco advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.

    With a 5-2 overall victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the third round of CAF qualifying in March, Halilhodzic ensured Morocco’s qualification for the finals in Qatar.

    Halilhodzic, however, was fired in August, which was his third firing from a national team position prior to a World Cup after guiding a side to qualification.

    The Bosnian lost to Japan in 2018 and Ivory Coast in 2010, although he did guide Algeria to the round of 16 in 2014.

    Halilhodzic came under fire for not picking enough locally based players and leaving out Hakim Ziyech, who did not feature in the qualification campaign.

    “When you arrive in a country, you don’t know all the good players. So we have to look for them,” Halilhodzic added.

    “How many tapes I watched in Morocco! At least a thousand. I updated 80 per cent of the team. We have to find them, the players who can play for the national team.

    “What makes a coach credible are the results. And never has the Moroccan team got better results than with me in the World Cup qualifiers. Seven wins, one draw having scored three goals per game on average.

    “What I didn’t appreciate were the smear campaigns, to create animosity between supporters of different clubs, between locals and Moroccans abroad, that locals would be prevented from playing for their country.

    “This pressure from the federation had already been going on for a long time. They wanted me to take three-four players, while the team had achieved results without them. I did not give in, because you lose your credibility when the players feel that we decide for you.

    “Some refused to play for Morocco because they had entourages who preferred them to play for Spain, Italy or France. And afterwards, they change their minds when there is a World Cup!

    “I felt that with the Moroccan team that I had built, we could do something at the World Cup. I would have liked to end my career with a successful World Cup and say enough!”

     

  • World Cup: Konate anxious for Mbappe-Walker battle

    When France plays England in the World Cup quarterfinals, Ibrahima Konate is eager to get a close-up view of Kylian Mbappe and Kyle Walker’s struggle.

    Following their victory against Poland, Didier Deschamps’ team will now face one of the few remaining unbeaten teams in Qatar 2022 when they face Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.

    The tournament’s top performer thus far has been forward Kylian Mbappe, who leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals.

    But in England right-back Walker, he will likely have his biggest test to date. Konate is eager to watch the two clash.

    “Walker and Mbappe are two very great players,” he said. “Walker is one of the best right-backs in the world, I cannot wait to see this battle.

    “[But] it’s complicated [to defend against Mbappe]. Kylian is impressive. Each year, he evolves and becomes even better.

    “I don’t know where he will stop. We are lucky to have him in our team and not against us.”

    Mbappe missed team training on Tuesday, instead completing routines inside away from the rest of the squad, sparking fears of a potential injury knock.

    But Konate shut down such talk, suggesting instead it was a preordained decision as part of his post-match recovery process.

    “It was a little recovery session, the day before we had a day off,” he added. “I think he decided to stay indoors with the coach.

    “There is nothing to worry about. We are counting on him as on all the players in the group. Everyone must be in good health to face England.”

     

     

     

  • ‘Best group stage of a FIFA World Cup ever,’ Infantino says

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino has asserted that the 2022 World Cup has been a “fantastic success,” pushed along by the best group stage in the competition’s history.

    Speaking on the first rest day of the World Cup, Infantino said: “I have seen all the matches, indeed, and put very simply and very clearly, this has been the best group stage of a FIFA World Cup ever.

    “So, it’s very promising for the remainder of the FIFA World Cup.

    “The matches have been of great, great quality in beautiful stadiums – we knew that already. However, as well, the public who was there was incredible. Over 51,000 on average.

    “Record-breaking figures on TV – we already had over two billion viewers, which is really incredible.

    “Two and a half million people in the streets of Doha and a few hundred thousand every day in the stadiums, all together, cheering together, supporting their teams, fantastic atmosphere, great goals, incredible excitement and surprises.”

    Following an unprecedented opening address in which he disregarded several critiques and controversies surrounding the finals, FIFA president Infantino was under fire as Qatar 2022 got underway.

    Even though there have been more of these incidents during the tournament, most notably the controversy surrounding the OneLove campaign, Infantino thinks the product on the field has improved.

    No side finished the group stage with nine points out of a possible nine, since there were several surprises, most notably Argentina’s defeat to Saudi Arabia and Germany’s early exit.

    These surprises have continued into the round of 16, with Morocco eliminating Spain on Tuesday via penalties.

    “For the first time as well, national teams from all continents going to the knock-out phase, for the first time in history. This shows that football is really becoming truly global.”

    Infantino expects the finals to conclude in a similarly entertaining manner.

    “We hope that the FIFA World Cup continues and concludes as it has started – a fantastic success,” he said. “I am sure that we will reach the five billion viewers around the world.

    “When it comes to stadium attendances, the stadiums are sold out, full practically at every match. The fan festivals, the different fan zones, are also very crowded with people celebrating and enjoying [themselves].

    “And at the end [of the day], we simply want to give some joy and some smiles to people all over the world. That’s what football is about, that’s what the FIFA World Cup is about, and that’s what should also happen from now until the end.”

  • World Cup: Switzerland player apologises after worrying defeat to Portugal

    Xherdan Shaqiri expressed regret for Switzerland’s performance in their 6-1 defeat to Portugal, giving credit to their opponents while emphasizing that his team needed to improve.

    Switzerland was humiliated by a Portugal team that started Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench and was eliminated from the World Cup in the last-16.

    Ronaldo was substituted by Goncalo Ramos, who scored one of the game’s two goals in the first half before completing a hat trick in a raging second half.

    The only time Murat Yakin’s team managed to get back into the game was when Manuel Akanji bundled in from a corner to make it 4-1.

    “We are all disappointed, the whole team,” Shaqiri said afterwards. “I just want to apologise to all the people in Switzerland, because we were not at our best today.

    “We lost the game already in the first half against Portugal, who are a very good team. You saw the kind of goal they can score. With all respect, we have to do better.

    “We have to learn from our mistakes, and if we are behind 2-0 against Portugal, it’s always very, very difficult to come back. We just were not at our best today, from everybody.”

    Yakin had altered his tactics, beginning with a three-man defense, but he did not think this was the cause of his team’s difficulties.

    “We had a clear plan, we have practised it, we also had test games, the team was familiar with the system,” the Switzerland coach said. “We tried to put pressure on using the flanks, but unfortunately it didn’t work.

    “Ronaldo or not, our players are able to play in every position. Yes, our opponents got a good start in the game, we saw many things not work out for us. There’s nothing we could’ve done today.”

    Shaqiri showed the breadth of skill Portugal has available by not dwelling on Ronaldo’s exclusion.

    “It’s the whole team,” he said. “You saw today: he was on the bench, and they scored a lot of goals, too. The quality is there from the whole team, and we saw this today.”

    The winger added: “Portugal is for me a favourite and also was before the tournament. They have a good team, a quality team, and we will see in the end how far they’re going to go.

    “You saw today, in the offensive, they are very good. They can go very far.”

  • World Cup: Ronaldo elated over Portugal’s last-16 victory 

    Cristiano Ronaldo praised Portugal’s “historic” World Cup victory over Switzerland on social media.

    Ronaldo, 37, came off the bench last night as the Selecao defeated the Swiss 6-1 to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup with Morocco.

    After leaving Manchester United, the Portuguese superstar became a free agent, and he was the center of attention before the game.

    But Goncalo Ramos, who took his spot in the starting lineup, made headlines with a hat-trick and an assist in the round-of-16 match.

    Ronaldo, who had a goal disallowed for offside, said on Instagram: “Amazing day for Portugal, with a historic result in the biggest contest in world soccer.

    “Luxury display by a team full of talent and youth.

    “Congratulations to our national team. The dream is alive! To the very end! Come on, Portugal!”

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)

  • World Cup: Mbappe ahead of Messi for the Golden Boot

    The competition to score the most goals during the World Cup is definitely in full swing.

    The eight teams who are still in the running will be aiming to win the renowned Jules Rimet trophy, but individuals can make history by taking home the Golden Boot.

    We examine the contenders for Qatar 2022’s most effective shooter ahead of the quarterfinals, with one star out in front and a sizable group of others trailing behind.

    Kylian Mbappe (France) — Five goals, two assists

    Kylian Mbappe, a sensation in France, is unquestionably in the lead heading into the final eight after scoring five goals in his first four games.

    The Paris Saint-Germain attacker has been in incredible form, scoring the opening goal for Les Blues against Australia before registering a spectacular match-winning double to defeat Denmark in the group stage.

    In their round of 16 match against Poland, the 23-year-old struck again, scoring their opening goal before skillfully curling in his fifth of the year late in the game.

    Lionel Messi (Argentina) — Three goals, one assist

    Lionel Messi has spearheaded Argentina's charge to win a first World Cup since 1986
    Lionel Messi has spearheaded Argentina’s charge to win a first World Cup since 1986

    Lionel Messi’s hopes of finally delivering a World Cup triumph are still alive and no Argentina player has done more than the diminutive magician to help them get to this stage.

    The 35-year-old got off the mark from the spot only 10 minutes into his first game at the 2022 showpiece, though that match ultimately ended in a shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.

    With La Albiceleste facing a disastrous early exit, Messi struck home a crucial effort from distance against Mexico on their way to a 2-0 win.

    Having reached the last 16 by beating Poland by the same scoreline, their talisman came to the fore yet again as his delightful finish broke the deadlock in a 2-1 victory over a resolute Australia side.

    Goncalo Ramos (Portugal) — Three goals, one assist

    Goncalo Ramos netted a superb hat-trick for Portugal in his first World Cup start
    Goncalo Ramos netted a superb hat-trick for Portugal in his first World Cup start

    Not many expected 21-year-old striker Goncalo Ramos to feature in Portugal’s last-16 clash with Switzerland, but he grasped his opportunity in blistering style.

    An extraordinary performance saw the youngster beat Yann Sommer at his near post with a vicious strike after 17 minutes before two further finishes made him the first hat-trick scorer of Qatar 2022.

    Having also provided the assist for Raphael Guerreiro, Ramos now finds himself second alongside Messi in the scoring charts.

    Marcus Rashford (England) — Three goals

    Marcus Rashford scored an exceptional free-kick for England against Wales
    Marcus Rashford scored an exceptional free-kick for England against Wales

    Leading a group of five players tied on three goals still in contention to surpass Mbappe’s tally, England forward Marcus Rashford is next on this list thanks to his superior ratio of 2.05 strikes per 90 minutes.

    The Manchester United attacker only recently won back his place in Gareth Southgate’s squad after a difficult period since his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final shootout defeat to Italy.

    He netted just minutes into his international return against Iran before playing a starring role from the start against Wales with two goals — the first an excellent free-kick past Danny Ward.

    Bukayo Saka (England) — Three goals

    Bukayo Saka nets England's third goal against Senegal in the last 16
    Bukayo Saka nets England’s third goal against Senegal in the last 16

    Rashford’s Three Lions team-mate Bukayo Saka also has a trio of goals to his name, after dinking a neat finish in England’s 3-0 last-16 win over Senegal.

    The Arsenal starlet, 21, is a key component of Southgate’s side and made himself an early contender for the prize with a lovely brace in his World Cup debut against Iran.

    If Saka is selected for the quarter-final clash with France, he will be a key man for Didier Deschamps’ world champions to watch out for.

    Olivier Giroud (France) — Three goals

    Olivier Giroud has become France's all-time top scorer at Qatar
    Olivier Giroud has become France’s all-time top scorer at Qatar

    There is every chance Olivier Giroud would have barely kicked a ball for France had Karim Benzema been fit for this World Cup.

    Now Les Blues’ all-time top scorer with 52 goals, it would be foolish to discount the 36-year-old centre forward out of the race at this stage.

    A brace against Australia was followed by an important opener in the last-16 encounter with Poland and now the former Arsenal and Chelsea man will hope to end England’s run in Qatar.

    Richarlison (Brazil) — Three goals

    Tottenham striker Richarlison finished off a delightful Brazil team goal against South Korea
    Tottenham striker Richarlison finished off a delightful Brazil team goal against South Korea

    Brazil outlined their credentials to go all the way with a superb 4-1 win over South Korea in the last 16, with Tottenham striker Richarlison finishing off a fine team move to score arguably the pick of the bunch.

    The Selecao No9 can also lay claim to another contender for goal of the tournament with an exceptional touch and scissor-kick effort in the South American’s opener against Serbia.

    Having netted both of Brazil’s goals in the 2-0 win that night, he is likely to stay in the Golden Boot conversation as the tournament favourites target their first World Cup title in 20 years.

    Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) — Three goals

    Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo's transfer value keeps rising with his World Cup displays
    Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo’s transfer value keeps rising with his World Cup displays

    PSV Eindhoven ace Cody Gakpo was already one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards before the World Cup — and his performances for the Netherlands have shown exactly why that is.

    The 23-year-old nodded home six minutes from time to help the Oranje overcome Senegal in their opener, before netting against both Ecuador and Qatar in an impressive group-stage showing.

    Interest from the likes of Manchester United will only hot up if he can inspire his country past Argentina into the semi-finals.

    Source: Livescore

  • World Cup 2022: King of Morocco commends team for reaching quarter-finals for first time in history

    The King of Morocco Mohammed VI praised the senior national team for achieving World Cup history by defeating Spain on penalties to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time.

    After 120 minutes, there was no way to separate the two teams, and Spain’s three penalties—two of which goalie Bounou expertly saved—went unconverted.

    That left Hakimi to win it for the North Africans with his nerveless spot-kick and spark jubilant scenes in the stands at the Education City Stadium.

    The King hailed the historic performance of the members of the national team who have lived up to the expectations and aspirations of the large and valiant Moroccan public that supports them in Morocco, Qatar and around the world, calling on them to stay the course in this competition, to continue to honor the national soccer and to carry high the flag of the Kingdom.

    V

    Several Heads of State have congratulated King Mohammed VI for this great performance.

    The King thus received phone calls from the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, and the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba. The Sovereign also received a phone call from Prince Hassan Ibn Talal of Jordan.

    They all expressed in these calls their warm congratulations to the King following this historic achievement.

    Morocco are the last African side following the exit of African champions Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia and Cameroon.

    Coach Walid Regragui’s side are also only remaining Arab team left in the tournament and will face Portugal in the quarterfinals in Qatar.

  • World Cup: Van Dijk hoping for clash with Argentina superstar Messi

    Virgil van Dijk asserts that Lionel Messi will pose a threat to the Netherlands even when he is “chilling” and that the Dutch must have a “good plan” to deal with Argentina’s great player.

    In a match with a long World Cup history, the Dutch and La Albiceleste will renew their hostilities on Friday in Qatar.

    The Netherlands fell to Argentina in the 1978 championship game, but Louis van Gaal will get the chance to exact retribution because he was in command when his team lost to Messi and co. on penalties in the semifinals eight years ago.

    When Liverpool overcame Barcelona in the 2018–19 Champions League semifinals, Van Dijk faced off against Messi, who has already scored three goals in Qatar, including one in the 2-1 last-16 victory over Australia.

    So, naturally, he knows the Paris Saint-Germain star and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is a player you can never take your eyes off.

    “The difficult thing about him is when we are attacking, he is chilling somewhere in a corner or something,” Van Dijk said.

    “You have to be so very sharp in terms of defensive organisation. They always looked for him to try to make it difficult for us on the counter.

    “It is an honour to play against him. It is not me against him, or the Netherlands against him, but the Netherlands against Argentina.

    “No one can do it on his own, we will have to come up with a good plan.”

     

  • Quarter-final draw, dates and venues for World Cup

    In the final round of 16 match, Goncalo Ramos scored a sensational hat-trick to secure Portugal‘s place in the World Cup quarterfinals as Switzerland was trounced 6-1.

    The 21-year-old striker for Benfica only recently made his debut for his country in November, but he took advantage of the chance presented by his unexpected call-up to score the first triple-goal haul at Qatar 2022.

    Morocco, who earlier in the day defeated Spain in a nail-biting penalty shootout, will be the Portuguese’s next opponent.

    Spain struggled to score any of their three penalty kicks after extra time had failed to yield a goal, but Morocco scored three out of four to earn the victory.

    Netherlands kicked off the knockout phase, cruising to a 3-1 victory over the United States.

    Louis van Gaal’s men will face Argentina in Friday’s late game after Lionel Messi inspired the South Americans to a 2-1 win over Australia.

    Olivier Giroud became France’s all-time top scorer as they overcame Poland 3-1, while England saw off Senegal 3-0 following some hairy moments in the first half to set up a clash with Les Bleus on Saturday.

    Croatia booked their place in the last eight with a penalty shootout win over Japan, following a 1-1 draw.

    Their reward is a quarter-final clash with Brazil, who looked majestic as they swept South Korea aside 4-1.

    Qatar 2022 round of 16 results

    Saturday, December 3

    Netherlands 3-1 United States (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)

    Argentina 2-1 Australia (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan) 

    Sunday, December 4

    France 3-1 Poland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha) 

    England 3-0 Senegal (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor) 

    Monday, December 5

    Japan 1-1 Croatia (Croatia won 3-1 on penalties, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah) 

    Brazil 4-1 South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)

    Tuesday, December 6

    Morocco 0-0 Spain (Morocco won 3-0 on penalties, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan) 

    Portugal 6-1 Switzerland (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail) 

    Quarter-final draw

    Friday, December 9 

    Croatia vs Brazil (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm, BBC)

    Netherlands vs Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, 7pm, BBC)

    Saturday, December 10

    Morocco vs Portugal (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, 3pm, ITV1)

    England vs France (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 7pm, ITV1)

    Semi-finals: Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14

    Third-place play-off: Saturday, December 17

    Final: Sunday, December 18

    All kick-off times are GMT.

     

  • World Cup 2022: Despite exiting the round of 16, Senegal has not failed – Macky Sall

    Even though Senegal exited the World Cup at the round of 16 stage in 2022, President Macky Sall commended his team’s performance.

    At the knockout stage, Africa’s champions lost 3-0 to England without their key players.

    England opened the scoring through Jordan Henderson before Harry Kan scored his first goal of the tournament to double their advantage. Bukayo Saka put the icing on the cake after converting Phil Foden’s cross in the 57th minute to seal a comfortable win for Gareth Southgate’s side.

     

    In a tweet, Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance at the tournament.

    He said: “Dear Lions, You have not failed. And you played without Sadio [Mane], [Cheikhou] Kouyate and [Idrissa] Gana. You are among the top 16 teams in the world and England were a strong opponent.”

    Morocco are now the last African side following the exit of African champions Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia and Cameroon.

  • World Cup 2022: Round of 16 draw, dates and results

    Only two positions remain in the World Cup quarterfinals after the booking of places by the Netherlands, Argentina, France, England, Croatia, and Brazil.

    The round concludes this evening when Cristiano Ronaldo will try to motivate Portugal to victory over Switzerland. Group G winners Morocco will face off against Spain today.

    The knockout phase got under way with Netherlands cruising to a 3-1 victory over the United States.

    Louis van Gaal’s men will face Argentina in the last eight after Lionel Messi inspired the South Americans to a 2-1 win over Australia.

    Olivier Giroud became France’s all-time top scorer as they overcame Poland 3-1, while England saw off Senegal 3-0 following some hairy moments in the first half to set up a clash with Les Bleus.

    Croatia booked their place in the last eight with a penalty shootout win over Japan.

    Their reward is a quarter-final showdown with Brazil, who looked majestic as they swept South Korea aside 4-1.

     

     

     

    Qatar 2022 round of 16 fixtures and results

     

    Check out the key information for all the last-16 fixtures below.

    Saturday, December 3

    Netherlands 3-1 United States (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)

    Argentina 2-1 Australia (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan) 

    Sunday, December 4

    France 3-1 Poland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha) 

    England 3-0 Senegal (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor) 

    Monday, December 5

    Japan 1-1 Croatia (Croatia win 3-1 on penalties, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah) 

    Brazil 4-1 South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)

    Tuesday, December 6

    Morocco vs Spain (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm, ITV1) 

    Portugal vs Switzerland (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, 7pm, ITV1) 

    Quarter-finals. Friday, December 9 

    Croatia vs Brazil (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm)

    Netherlands vs Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, 7pm)

    Saturday, December 10

    Morocco or Spain vs Portugal or Switzerland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, 3pm)

    England vs France (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 7pm, ITV1)

    Semi-finals: Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14

    Third-place play-off: Saturday, December 17

    Final: Sunday, December 18

    All kick-off times are GMT.

  • World Cup 2022: Uruguayan Football Association intends to extend coach Diego Alonso’s contract

    President of the Uruguayan Football Association Ignacio Alonso has reiterated his intention to maintain Diego Alonso as head coach of the Uruguay team

    He revealed this in an interview on Radio Oriental, when asked about Diego Alonso’s contract.

    “the agreement remains as from day one. We talked a year ago and we’ve kept talking. The link ended and you have to sit down to talks in a few days when the anger passes,”

    “You have to talk between the parties and we will see what the aspiration of each one is,” he said and was forceful: “ours is that he continue in office, we said it to covered letters before the World Cup,”

    “We raised it with Diego and we will have to have a definition in the next few days,”

    On Uruguay’s early exit from the tournament, Ignacio Alonso said: “it is a tremendous pain because we narrowly missed the classification, we could have arrived, but it did not happen. Korea’s goal came late on and there we had a chance to convert the third. It was a negative and painful outcome,”

  • Ghana’s penalty miss in 2010 haunts them 12 years on

    Ghana’s attempts to forget the painful World Cup memories of their last match with Uruguay failed on Friday as they were forced to revisit the trauma by being eliminated from the tournament in Qatar.

    The South Americans let a big lead slip and finished last in the standings due to another missed penalty against them and a 2-0 loss in their last Group H match.

    Friday was supposed to be a chance to not only extract revenge but also book a place in the next round — and set a new mark for African football, which has never had three teams advance past the first round at a single World Cup.

    But where Morocco and Senegal succeeded in reaching the last 16, Ghana did not, even after being in second spot in the standings going into the final round of group games.

    The country remains fixated on the drama of the 2010 quarter-final against Uruguay, when they came within a whisker of being the first Africans to reach the World Cup last four.

    Back then they were about to score a last-gasp winner in extra time, on a bitterly cold night in Johannesburg, when a goal-bound effort from Asamoah Gyan was stopped on the line by the hand of Uruguay forward Luis Suarez.

    While Suarez was sent off, Gyan hit the resultant spot kick, that would have put Ghana through, against the crossbar, taking the tie into a post-match shootout, which Uruguay won.

    PENALTY HEARTACHE

    The penalty heartache was revived all over again on Friday at the Al Janoub Stadium as Ghana were given a chance to take the lead when Mohammed Kudus was brought down.

    But skipper Andre Ayew, the lone survivor of the 2010 squad, hit a feeble effort which was saved by Sergio Rochet and after that the Black Stars’ challenge visibly deflated.

    To make matters worse, Uruguay scored twice not long after the botched penalty to leave Ghana the difficult task of fighting their way back, which proved beyond them.

    Ghana had always been expected to struggle at this World Cup after an unconvincing qualifying campaign in which a Nigerian goalkeeping howler saw them win a fortunate place in Qatar.

    They had also been humiliated by the tiny Comoros Islands at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in January, exiting early after which they fired their coach.

    The appointment of German-born former international fullback Otto Addo in February raised eyebrows as his only previous coaching experience was with the youth teams of Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund.

    Addo made it clear he was only staying on for the World Cup and Ghana must now look to start afresh, again having to make a decision on whether to go with a local or bring in a coach from Europe or Latin America.

    Whoever takes charge has lots of promising talent to mould. Ghana had the youngest average squad age at the tournament of 23.5 years old and the World Cup experience will stand them in good stead, however bitter it might taste right now.

     

  • FIFA dismisses France’s appeal over disallowed Griezmann goal

    FIFA has rejected France’s appeal about the disqualification of Antoine Griezmann’s goal in the shocking 1-0 World Cup loss to Tunisia last week.

    In the eighth minute of stoppage time at Education City Stadium, Griezmann volleyed home, believing he had neutralized Wahbi Khazri’s goal.

    Griezmann’s goal was disallowed by referee Michael Conger for an offside violation after the cheers subsided and the game reached its conclusion.

    A Tunisia defender assisted Aurelien Tchouameni’s ball into the path of the Atletico Madrid forward, who was deemed to have been offside when he fired in.

    However, the French Football Federation (FFF) believed that the goal should have been allowed because play had temporarily resumed when VAR intervened, which is against the rules.

    “We are writing a complaint after Antoine Griezmann’s goal was, in our opinion, wrongly disallowed,” the FFF said last Wednesday.

    The result would have changed to 1-1 if France had been successful in their appeal, but the group D standings would not have changed.

    FIFA stated in a statement on Monday that they will not be looking into the situation any further.

    “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has dismissed the protest submitted by the French Football Association in relation to the Tunisia v France match,” the statement read.

    Khazri’s superb strike ended reigning world champions France’s nine-game unbeaten run in the competition stretching back to the 2014 quarter-finals.

    Les Blues went on to beat Poland 3-1 in Sunday’s last-16 tie and will now face England in the quarter-finals on Saturday.


  • Saka brushes off comparisons with Mbappe

    Before England’s match against France, Bukayo Saka rejected comparisons between his performance at the 2022 World Cup and Kylian Mbappe’s breakout campaign four years prior.

    In Sunday’s last-16 match, England overcame a shaky beginning to defeat Senegal 3-0, setting up a heavyweight quarterfinal matchup with Les Bleus. Saka scored his third World Cup goal as England advanced.

    The next time England plays, Saka would be expected to help limit Mbappe after the Paris Saint-Germain star moved onto five goals for the tournament in his side’s 3-1 victory over Poland. Saka started three of England’s four games in Qatar from the right.

    Saka does not want to contrast his own rookie season with that of the Frenchman, Kylian Mbappe, who became just the second youngster to score in a World Cup final in 2018 after Pele.

    Asked whether he could follow in Mbappe’s footsteps by being named young player of the tournament, Saka said: “Thank you for the compliment, but there’s only one Kylian Mbappe.

    “At the same time, there’s only one of me. I just want to be myself and help my team in the best way I can.

    “There are many young players in this tournament, I can name so many.

    “Even in our team, alongside me there’s another young player doing unbelievably well in Jude Bellingham. I’m just happy that we’re all here and doing well.

    “The priority is to try to win the tournament, rather than to be the player of the tournament or young player of the tournament.”

    Asked about Bellingham’s displays in the England midfield, Saka added: “He’s a special player. I don’t really know the words to describe him.

    “I just hope he can continue to keep progressing because, for sure, he has a massive, massive future.”

    Saka’s previous major tournament campaign ended with him missing the decisive penalty in England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, but the Arsenal winger believes his World Cup displays have gone some way to helping him banish that memory.

    “Personally, I feel like I’ve tried to move on from that moment,” Saka said. “I know I can never really forget about it, it’s going to be history, but at the same time, coming out here and scoring those three goals has lifted me a lot.

    “And of course, the love from the fans that I keep receiving lifts me a lot as well. It gives me a lot of confidence and I love to see it.”

    With the prospect of taking part in another penalty shoot-out if the France match is a tight one, Saka insisted he would have no qualms about stepping up once again.

    “I have matured and progressed a lot since that moment – I wouldn’t have stepped up the number of times I have for Arsenal if I was not confident,” he said.

    “If the moment comes and I am selected to take it, I will be more than happy to.”


  • Luis Enrique refuses to focus on the negatives ahead of Morocco meeting

    Coach Luis Enrique of Spain is choosing not to dwell on the shortcomings of his team’s defeat to Japan and is instead emphasizing how brilliantly La Roja performed throughout their World Cup group stage matches.

    Japan defeated Spain 2-1 on Thursday to win Group E, sending Germany home early and securing a matchup with Croatia in the round of 16.

    In comparison to Japan’s 228 passes, Spain attempted 1,058 passes, had 82.3% of the possession, and had 12 shots—five of which found the target.

    However, Japan’s six attempts totaled out to a combined anticipated goals (xG) of 1.45, with Ritsu Doan and Junya Ito scoring in the span of three second-half minutes, compared to Spain’s 1.04 total.

    If media allegations in Spain are to be accepted, Luis Enrique, a former coach of Barcelona, may not remain in charge of Spain after the World Cup, but he is fully confident in his strategy going into Tuesday’s match with Morocco.

    “We are talking about 270 minutes if I’m not wrong, plus added time [in the group stage],” Luis Enrique said in a press conference when he was asked if his team failed to recover from setbacks during matches.

    “Out of 300 minutes in total, you focus on 10 minutes that you didn’t like. As far as we progress, you will see more of these minutes.

    “We are footballers and the opponents also play. There are things to be improved, and I’m sure we will be bitten by Morocco in some moments of the game.

    “We can’t take blows? What about them? Did Germany take it well when we scored? We are in a competition where the score dictates the risk you are willing to take.

    “Other teams pull back but we keep attacking and of course we need to improve that.”

    Asked if his team lacked the experience required to see out spells of pressure, Luis Enrique replied: “It’s such a cliche, we have to try and get rid of this idea.

    “I don’t believe they lacked experience. Experience in what? Being builders, carpenters? When you lose, people talk about issues and if you win, they don’t.

    “I don’t share this analysis. This team will be recognised by the way we play, analyse our matches, our philosophy but not these sorts of issues.

    “Mistakes happen, we are talking about a very complex, unfair sport, 11 players on a huge field, it’s impossible to control all the aspects.

    “At the end of the day the ones making the decisions are the players, I want them to implement my idea and I want them to buy the whole package when they lose, it’s not fair to only buy it when we win.”

    Spain have only made it beyond the round of 16 once at the last four World Cups, when they went on to win the trophy in South Africa in 2010. This record, though, is of no concern to Luis Enrique.

    “This is not our usual trend, to look at everything from a negative perspective,” he said.

    “I am not concerned about those results. I want to control the things I can control as a coach. I want my team to play in a certain way, I want my players to forget about the result.

    “Football is not fair but if you have more merit you usually win the game. I am convinced we will have more merit than Morocco. Our objective was to play seven games, so we want to play seven games.”

  • Mohammed Kudus: Ghana ace set for £40m move to England after impressive World Cup

    Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus is attracting interest from English Premier League clubs ahead of the winter transfer window.

    The 22-year-old increased his stocks after a magnificent debut World Cup, scoring two goals and providing an assist in three matches.

    His performances has seen him pop up on the radar of several clubs including Spanish giants Barcelona, but the Catalans wont make a move for the player in the transfer window.

    Ajax will be demanding $40 million pounds for the midfielder, who has been used as a striker this season.

     

    GHANASoccernet.com can reveal that Liverpool sent scouts to watch the player during Ghana’s World Cup opener against Portugal.

    Chelsea have been keeping close tabs on the versatile midfielder following his impressive display at the tournament in Qatar.

    Kudus was in contact with Everton during the summer transfer window, but the Right to Dream Academy graduate will only join a club that plays in the UEFA Champions.

    During the summer pre-season, Tottenham sent scouts to watch Kudus but failed to make a move for the player.

  • World Cup 2022: Nigerians react as Ghana coach Otto Addo steps down

    Football fanatics in Nigeria have reacted to Otto Addo’s decision to step down as coach of the Black Stars after the World Cup exit.

    The Black Stars were eliminated after the first round of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.

    After defeating South Korea in their second group game, the Black Stars needed a draw or win against Uruguay to advance to the last 16 stage.

    But the team failed to negotiate for points against their ‘enemies’ Uruguay.

    At the post-match conference, the Germany-based trainer announced he has stepped down as coach of the Black Stars to concentrate on his role as the talent development coach of Dortmund.

    “It was always clear that I would stop after the World Cup. My family and I see our role in Germany. I like my life at (Borussia) Dortmund (where he works as a talent coach, and wants to carry on there.” he said.

    Source: Ghanaweb

     

  • 2022 World Cup: Otto Addo has not done better than Kwesi Appiah – Dan Kwaku Yeboah

    Ghanaian sports journalist, Dan Kwaku Yeboah believes that Otto Addo has not done a better job with the Black Stars than coach Kwesi Appiah did in 2014.

    Although Kwesi Appiah was the first Ghanaian coach to lead the Black Stars to the World Cup, he never won a match with the team but Otto Addo led the Black Stars to their first victory under a Ghanaian coach at the World Cup.

    However, Dan Kwaku Yeboah argues Otto Addo cannot be said to be a better coach than Kwasi Appiah.

    He argued that Kwasi Appiah faced harsh treatment during his time which he believes Otto Addo wouldn’t have survived.

    “My primary teacher taught me that the best way to compare two things is to give them the same platform. In 2022 Nana Addo’s government never assured that players would be paid during their training tour neither did he say they would be paid in Doha so there is no need to compare,” Dan Kwaku Yeboah said.

    “I have read posts from people saying that Otto Addo has done better than Kwasi Appiah, but if Otto Addo experienced what Kwesi Appiah went through maybe we would have conceded 20 goals. Government made every provision available” he added.

    Both Kwasi Appiah and Otto Addo were unable to qualify Ghana out of the group stages at the World Cup.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Qatar 2022: Black Stars will be back hungrier than ever – Elisha Owusu

    Ghana international, Elisha Owusu, says the Black Stars will look to play with more hunger in their next assignment following their elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    The Black Stars suffered a group-stage exit in Qatar following their 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in their final group game at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday, December 2.

    Ghana needed a draw to stand a chance of progress from the group heading into the final game but that result proved a difficult task as they succumbed to defeat.

    Reacting to the exit, Owusu, who was one of six not to have gotten any minutes from the three games, said the team will be back better than ever while also thanking the fans for their support.

    “First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge and thank our great fans for their consistently amazing support throughout the tournament,” he wrote on his Instagram page.

    “Although we were not able to qualify, I am proud of my teammates for the hard work they put in on and off the pitch. I am sure with this determination and fight, that we will be back to give the wonderful fans of Ghana the performances they deserve.

    “On a personal note, I am very thankful to have experienced the World Cup as this has always been a dream of mine. This would not be possible without God, which is why I am always grateful. I will continue to put in the hours off the pitch to ensure the future is bright.

    “The Black Stars will be back stronger and hungrier than ever!” he added.

    The exit from the group stage now means Ghana has suffered back-to-back exits in the first round of the World Cup in their last two apearances.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • England silencing pre-tournament critics with World Cup performances – Rice

    England have “silenced” their pre-tournament critics with “faultless” performances on their way to the World Cup quarter-finals, says Declan Rice.

    Gareth Southgate’s side comfortably beat Senegal 3-0 on Sunday to set up a quarter-final against reigning world champions France.

    England have won three and drawn one of their four matches in Qatar.

    “I don’t think we get the credit we deserve in our performances,” said West Ham midfielder Rice, 23.

    “If you look at other teams, like the Netherlands and Argentina, they win their games comfortably and they get called ‘masterclasses’.

    “With us, it always gets picked off. The negative things always come that way. If you look at the last couple of games, it’s been faultless. I think countries should be starting to fear us now because we’re a great team.”

    England have scored 12 goals in four matches in Qatar – the country’s joint-most at a major tournament, level with their 12 goals at the 2018 World Cup.

     

    They have also kept a clean sheet in their past three games at the World Cup – their best run of games without conceding a goal in the competition since 1982.

    “Going into the tournament, there was a lot of talk that we don’t score enough goals. That’s another one we’ve kept people quiet on,” added Rice.

    “There was a lot of scrutiny around the defence and conceding goals, but it’s been solid. We’re going to keep building and pushing.”

    Faced with the prospect of coming up against Paris St-Germain and France superstar Kylian Mbappe in Saturday’s quarter-final (19:00 GMT kick-off), Rice said England have nothing to fear.

    “These are the games we want to play in. They only come around once. England versus France, quarter-final – it doesn’t get bigger than that,” he added.

    “I’m sure the world will be watching. We really want to progress. There’s no point buzzing [about victory over Senegal] if we can’t push on and beat France.”

    Tottenham defender Eric Dier added: “When you get to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, everyone is going to be very good. It is to be expected.

    “No-one will fear anyone. They’re a great team with very great players – but so are we.”

     

  • Sterling misses England game after armed intruders raid family home

    Raheem Sterling reportedly missed England’s World Cup match against Senegal because he had to return to England after an armed intruder raid on his home.

    In Sunday’s 3-0 victory over the winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, Gareth Southgate’s team was without the Chelsea forward.

    It is uncertain whether Sterling will return to Qatar in time to play against France in the quarterfinals next Saturday after England officials explained it to be “a family concern” before the game.

    The BBC stated that on Saturday night, a break-in took place at the London house of 27-year-old Sterling.

    Manager Gareth Southgate said after England‘s victory: “Raheem is having to deal with a family situation. He’s going back to England.

    “We have to give him time to try to resolve that, or be there for his family. That’s the most important thing. We are going to give him that space.

    “It didn’t impact team selection. I spent a lot of time with Raheem this morning, so you have days where events happen and you have to deal with them.

    “He’s on his way home. We are obviously mindful of him being allowed space and respect his privacy, so we don’t want to talk about it in too much detail.

    “It’s not ideal for the group ahead of the big game, but it pales into insignificance – the individual is more important than the group in these moments.”

    England’s opening goalscorer Jordan Henderson told ITV: “I hope everything’s OK with Raheem’s family at home and I hope he goes back and can sort everything out.

    “Hopefully he can then come back, but I suppose he’ll have to assess when he gets there. All our thoughts and support is with him.”

    England defender Eric Dier added: “We all wish him and his family well. We hope everyone’s OK.

    “I just found out before the game. I don’t know more than that, just wish him all the best.”

    Midfielder Declan Rice indicated the day had begun as any other, with Sterling in camp.

    He said: “I literally saw him at breakfast this morning and then the manager said he’s had some difficulty with his family at home.

    “We’ll send him a message and wait to hear more.”

    Sterling’s Chelsea team-mate Kalidou Koulibaly, who captained Senegal tonight, was unaware of the reports.

    He said: “Really? I didn’t know. I really didn’t know, I’m really surprised.

    “I hope that his family is good. Now I will call him and see what happened, I just hope he is good and his family is good.”

  • Neville claims Bellingham is close to the complete player

    Since Jude Bellingham ignited a World Cup triumph over Senegal, veteran England defender Gary Neville believes the midfielder is nearly a complete player.

    Another outstanding performance by the teenager helped Gareth Southgate’s team win 3-0 on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals in Qatar.

    The midfielder Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund has emerged as a vital player for the Three Lions during this competition and appears to have cemented his spot in the starting lineup.

    Neville claimed the 19-year-old has earned his spot and added that he appears to already possess a mastery and maturity in an England jersey that few others possess.

    “It’s very rare you see a midfield player as comfortable in his own half as in the attacking half,” he told ITV. “He looks like he can do absolutely everything.

    “Is he a holding player, an attacking player? He’s everything in one. He’s fantastic, [and] so young, but it’s the composure, maturity and fearlessness I can’t get my head around.

    “I watched players play for England for many years, the weight of the shirt was enormous. He just doesn’t feel it at all, he looks like he belongs out there, like he wants it and needs it in his life.”

    Bellingham and England will face holders France in their quarter-final tie, with the pair set to meet on Saturday in the concluding match of the last eight.

  • World Cup 2022: Round of 16 draw, dates and venues

    Four last-16 games remain, but Netherlands, Argentina, France, and England have already secured their places in the World Cup quarterfinals.

    On Monday, Brazil will face South Korea and surprise package Japan will play Croatia.

    The round concludes later that day when Cristiano Ronaldo will try to motivate Portugal to victory over Switzerland. On Tuesday, group G champions Morocco face off against Spain.

    Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 fixtures

    The elimination round began with Netherlands easily defeating the United States 3-1.

    The South Americans defeated Australia 2-1 thanks to Lionel Messi, and Louis van Gaal’s team will now play them in the round of eight.

    In addition to France’s victory over Poland and England’s 3-0 victory over Senegal, which came after some tense first-half moments, set up a matchup with Les Bleus. Olivier Groud became France’s all-time leading scorer.

    Check out the key information for all the last-16 fixtures below.

    Saturday, December 3

    Netherlands 3-1 United States (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)

    Argentina 2-1 Australia (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan) 

    Sunday, December 4

    France 3-1 Poland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha) 

    England 3-0 Senegal (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor) 

    Monday, December 5

    Japan vs Croatia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, 3pm, BBC One) 

    Brazil vs South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha, 7pm, ITV1) 

    Tuesday, December 6

    Morocco vs Spain (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm, ITV1) 

    Portugal vs Switzerland (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, 7pm, ITV1) 

    Quarter-finals: Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10

    Semi-finals: Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14

    Third-place play-off: Saturday, December 17

    Final: Sunday, December 18

    All kick-off times are GMT.

  • Senegal ‘have not failed’ at World Cup – president

    It was a night of disappointment for Senegal at the World Cup in Qatar on Sunday after they lost 3-0 to England at the knockout stage.

    The Teranga Lions were without their key players which proved to be a blow to them as the England midfield dominated play.

    England will meet France in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

    In a tweet, Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance at the tournament.

    He said: “Dear Lions, You have not failed. And you played without Sadio [Mane], [Cheikhou] Kouyate and [Idrissa] Gana. You are among the top 16 teams in the world and England were a strong opponent.”

    Talisman Sadio Mane expressed similar sentiments on Twitter.

    “The people are very proud of your journey which has warmed the hearts of the supporters, defending the national flag with dignity.”

    He added: “The learning continues. We will go in search of other trophies.”

    Source: BBC.com 

  • Messi primed for World Cup glory after ‘liberating’ Copa America triumph – Aguero

    Former teammate Sergio Aguero says Lionel Messi is enjoying his pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup ambition after feeling liberated by last year’s Copa America victory.

    Argentina defeated Australia 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals against the Netherlands thanks to a goal from Messi, who scored his ninth World Cup goal and first in a knockout match.

    With his goal, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner surpassed Diego Maradona’s record of eight World Cup goals for Argentina. He finished with his trademark left foot after cutting inside from the right. Only Gabriel Batistuta (10) now contributes more to the nation.

    Messi highlighted his “beautiful” bond with Argentina’s supporters after the win, but Aguero believes that is a recent development, one which came about as a result of the Albiceleste ending a 28-year wait to win the Copa America last July.

    “Leo is going to do everything possible to achieve the goal that we all want,” the former Argentina international told ESPN.

    “Leo is happy and content. The Copa America changed his life, it gave him life. After the Copa America, he was happy again in the national team, like when we were in the under-20s.

    “He lived with criticism and lost finals for a long time. The Copa America was liberating for him.”

    Messi had the disgrace of losing four important international finals before to Argentina’s victory over the hosts Brazil last year, failing to carry his team to victory in the 2014 World Cup or the 2007, 2015, or 2016 Copa Americas.

    Aguero suggested Brazil, who might face Argentina in the World Cup semifinals, would not enjoy a rematch after that victory in Rio de Janeiro.

    “If we made it to the quarter-finals, let me be excited,” Aguero said. “Do you think that Brazil wants to meet Argentina in the semi-finals?

    “Brazil has just lost the Copa America final, I think they don’t want that match.”

  • Wenger suggests ‘political demonstrations’ contributed to Germany’s shock World Cup exit

    Germany’s decision to participate in “political demonstrations” in Qatar, according to Arsene Wenger, may have contributed to their early exit from the World Cup.

    Germany failed to bounce back from a shocking 2-1 loss to the Samurai Blue on matchday one, exiting the group stage for the second time in a row as Japan and Spain advanced.

    Before the match, Germany’s players protested FIFA’s decision to forbid captain Manuel Neuer from donning the OneLove armband, which was meant to spread a message against discrimination in Qatar, where homosexuality is prohibited. The players covered their mouths in the team photo.

    A statement from the team said “denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice”, but some – most notably Belgium winger Eden Hazard – claimed the protest may have distracted Germany’s players.

    Wenger, the head of FIFA’s Technical Study Group for the tournament, agreed with that suggestion, saying: “When you go to a World Cup, you know you can’t lose the first game.

    “The teams who have the experience to perform in tournaments like France and England played well in the first game.

    “The teams who were mentally ready, with a mindset to focus on competition, and not the political demonstrations.”

    Speaking after the defeat to Japan, Germany coach Hansi Flick insisted his players were “not at all” distracted by their decision to take a stand on the OneLove debate.

    Germany were one of several European teams to initially commit to wearing the armband, but each backed down ahead of the World Cup after facing the apparent threat of sporting sanctions.


  • Neymar in line to return for Brazil against South Korea

    Neymar has resumed training in preparation for Brazil’s World Cup match against South Korea, and if the team’s medical staff gives him the all-clear, he will play.

    Since the Selecao’s 2-0 victory against Serbia in their opening Group G match, Brazil’s talisman has been absent from action in Qatar.

    Neymar left that game early due to an ankle injury, making him unavailable for the remainder of the group stage.

    The 30-year-old posted images from his return to training on social media on Saturday, along with the caption “I feel good, I knew that I would now”, and it was confirmed in Brazil’s pre-match press conference that Neymar will be available as long as he comes through a session unscathed on Sunday.

    “Neymar’s going to practice today,” Brazil coach Tite said.

    “If he practices okay then he will be playing. There’s a specific training today. He will practice and if everything is okay, he will play.”

    Tite insisted, however, the final call will be with Brazil’s medical experts.

    “We play a price to be the best, we want to be at our most competent but we never put health at risk,” Tite added when asked if Neymar would start if he came through the training session without any issues.

    “Neymar being in the line-up depends on the medical department clearing it.

    “I prefer to use my best from the start. Myself, as a head coach I have to take that responsibility, and that is my preference.”

    Tite also confirmed Danilo is available for selection, though Alex Sandro is not. Gabriel Jesus and Alex Telles, meanwhile, have been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

     

  • Reduce continuous dependence on devt partners to fund capital expenditure – SEND Ghana to gov’t

    A social advocacy group focused on enabling local communities to engage the government and ensure they benefit from national policies and programmes, SEND Ghana, has advised government to slow down on its dependence on development partners to fund its capital expenditure.

    In a press statement released on Thursday, December 1, 2022, the group noted that government’s contribution to the country’s capital expenditure continues to dwindle year after year.

    The report reveals that in the 2023 budget, government funds amounted to 1.8 percent, while development partners contributed to 92.22 percent of the total allocations.

    “Our analysis of the national budgets (2019-2023) shows that the government still relies heavily on Development Partners (DPs) to fund its capital investments for some major ministries. Investments in the provision of Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) services in the last four years have largely been donor driven. In the 2019 budget for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, 70.26 percent of projected allocation was sourced from DPs. In 2020, it increased to 82.39 percent,” part of the release read.

    “This trend continued in 2021 with projected funds from DPs, for purposes of capital expenditure, constituting 75 percent, while the GoG, Internal Generated Funds (IGF), and the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) collectively make up just about 25 percent. In the 2023 budget, a whopping 92.22 percent of the total allocation is expected to come from DPs while GoG’s contribution reduced from 8.48 percent in 2022 to 1.8 percent in 2023,” it added.

    SEND Ghana acknowledged that while a massive contribution by development partners to the capital expenditure was essential for economic growth, over-reliance on external supports may hinder government’s agricultural modernization and industrialization initiative.

    “While investment in CAPEX is critical in stimulating growth, over reliance on donor support, which is characteristically unpredictable, puts at risk the government’s drive in pursuing agricultural modernization and industrialization,” it added.

    Parliament is expected to debate the 2023 budget in the coming week.