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      How old is Zlatko Dalic and which football teams has Croatia World Cup boss managed before?

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      ZLATKO DALIC has proven himself to be one of the best coaches at the World Cup.He has guided his Croatia side to the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament, just four years on from reaching the final in Russia.
      They face Argentina TONIGHT, looking to repeat the feat from 2018.
      Zlatko Dalic has a strong desire to prove himself on the biggest stagesCredit: EPA
      How old is Zlatko Dalic?
      BORN in Livno, the Croatian played as a defensive midfielder and enjoyed a 17-year career.
      After two spells at Hadjuk Split, he settled at Varteks and enjoyed a successful period of 108 appearances between 1992 and 1996.
      Dalic hung up his boots in 2000 and returned to Varteks in 2005 as boss.
      Jobs all around Europe and the Middle East followed, before he took over as Croatian boss in 2017.
      Dalic was born in October 1966 and is currently 51-years-old.
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      Which football teams has the Croatia boss managed before?
      SINCE going into management just over a decade ago, Dalic has been at eight domestic clubs.
      He joined Croatia only last year and was given a rolling contract that would be reviewed if he failed to qualify for the World Cup.
      And it’s fair to say he has exceeded expectations, leading Croatia to their first-ever World Cup final.
      Dalic’s full club history is as follows:

      2005–2007: Varteks
      2007–2008: Rijeka
      2008–2009: Dinamo Tirana
      2009–2010: Slaven Belupo
      2010–2012: Al-Faisaly
      2012–2013: Al-Hilal B
      2013: Al-Hilal
      2014–2017: Al-Ain
      2017–present: Croatia

      When is the Fifa The Best Awards?
      The awards ceremony will take place TODAY.
      It will get underway at 6.30pm.
      The show is being held at London’s Royal Festival Hall – home to the London Philharmonic Orchestra. More

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      Why do footballers spit on the pitch, and why do they spit out water after drinking?

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      THE World Cup is rolling on at pace in Qatar.The tournament is being watched by billions across the globe each day as footballers play for the game’s biggest prize.
      Lionel Messi spits during a game for Argentina
      Cristiano Ronaldo spits out his water on the touchline
      But you may have picked up a couple of trends that footballers seem to do in every game…spitting on the pitch and also spitting out their drinks on the touchline.
      Though there is a very scientific reason for this.
      Why do footballers spit?
      Players need to spit while performing exercise as excess saliva develops.
      Additionally, players often spit their drinks out onto the pitch after taking a small swig from the bottle.
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      This is due to a tactic called carb rinsing, which can reportedly improve performance.
      According to a New York Times article on England players at the 2018 World Cup: “Carb rinsing refers to the practice of swishing with sports drinks for five to ten seconds during exertion, but then spitting it out instead of swallowing.”
      Harry Kane spits water out after drinking
      The European Journal of Sport Science published a report in 2017 which found that carb rinsing boosted performance in a range of activities.
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      Running magazine added that during exercise: “Swishing with a carb-laden drink is refreshing and lets you avoid the feeling of bloating or cramping that may come with swallowing liquid.”
      Spitting is not an offence in football, so does not warrant any disciplinary card.
      However spitting at another player or official is a red card.

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      Why does the flag go up so late for an offside at the World Cup 2022?

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      THERE’S nothing more exciting than seeing your football team go through on goal – until the assistant referee raises their delayed flag for offside.Argentina was on the bitter end of this in their shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
      Messi saw his expertly taken goal denied for offsideCredit: Getty
      But it has been something that referees have been instructed to do since the 2020/21 campaign.
      Find out why below…
      Why do assistant referees delay raising their flag for offside?
      Referees were told at the beginning of the 2020/21 season that they must keep their flags down during an immediate goal-scoring opportunity even if they think it is offside.
      And they must only raise their flag once the passage of play has come to an end.
      However, if a goal is scored and the assistant referee opts to call for offside, the incident will then be reviewed by VAR.
      VAR will then confirm or rule against the decision depending on what is shown on the monitor.
      When has this happened at the World Cup?
      Footballing legend Lionel Messi fell victim to the delayed flag during Argentina’s 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia.
      Messi, 35, thought he had dispatched his second of the day when coolly slotted home past Saudi goalkeeper Mohamed Alowais.
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      However, his celebration was cut short after seeing the assistant referee eventually raise their flag for offside.
      And Lautaro Martinez was haunted by the same problem minutes later.
      What else do they use for offsides at the World Cup?
      A semi-automatic offside tool has been used at the World Cup and it is a piece of technology introduced to make VAR decisions quicker and more accurate.
      It will be done by a system using a computer tracker of 29 body parts of each player, combined with a microchip inside the ball.
      Semi-automatic VAR has been used at the World Cup
      This is expected to determine the positions of the players at the exact moment the ball has been played.
      So in the case of an offside situation, the video operations room will receive an automated alert alongside an automatically selected point and instantly drawn lines within seconds of the incident.
      Match officials will then have to validate the proposed selected kick point and the drawn offside line before VAR communicates the final decision on the pitch.
      Extra VAR officials will be in charge of calling offsides with the algorithm providing a 3D animation to explain a call in an average of 25 seconds.
      And that illustration is then available on the giant screens within the stadium for TV viewers to take a look at in the next stoppage of play. More

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      Can you drink alcohol in Qatar?

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      THE 2022 World Cup in Qatar is expected to attract millions of football fans from all corners of the globe.And many of them might fancy an alcoholic beverage once they land. But can you drink alcohol in Qatar? Here’s everything you need to know.
      Can you drink alcohol in Qatar?
      Alcohol isn’t illegal in Qatar, but there is zero tolerance for drinking in public and being drunk in public is a crime.
      Local law and customs reflect the fact that Qatar is an Islamic country – therefore you should respect the rules at all times and ensure your actions do not offend.
      Drinking in a public place could result in a prison sentence of up to six months – and/or a fine up to QAR3,000, which converts to £696.29.
      You can only purchase alcohol at licensed hotel restaurants and bars.
      Alcohol can only be purchased at licensed hotel restaurants and bars
      There is also a single state-controlled off-licence, but alcohol can only be obtained using a permit system.
      Visitors are not allowed to bring alcohol into the country, nor are they permitted to shop at the nation’s lone liquor store located on the outskirts of Doha. 
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      The legal drinking age in Qatar is 21, and establishments serving alcohol will ask for original photo ID upon entry.
      Fifa chiefs have agreed with the Muslim host nation that bars at stadiums will be shut between kick-off and the final whistle – during the 2022 World Cup.
      But fans will be able to buy beer, wine and spirits before and after matches when they get to the grounds – in designated special drinking zones.
      Formal confirmation of drinking rules will come before the tournament, which starts in Doha on November 21, 2022.
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      International hotels will serve alcohol as will the official Fifa fan zone in Al Bidda Park in the centre of the capital city – although bars will have restricted hours.
      How much does alcohol cost in Qatar?
      In 2019, Qatar introduced the “sin tax” – doubling the prices of alcohol overnight.
      It was introduced by Qatar’s General Authority of Customs, in a 30-page list of new prices for beer, wines and spirits – citing the introduction of a 100 per cent “excise tax”.
      The price of alcohol varies – however, visitors can expect to pay through the nose for an alcoholic beverage of their choice.
      Examples of the cost of alcohol in Qatar include – a 100cl bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin costing a staggering £73.
      A 75cl bottle of wine costs £18.50 and a 24-pack of Heineken 330ml beers cost £84.
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      With this being said, football fans can expect the prices of alcohol to be eye-watering – with beers expecting to cost around £10 a pint.
      Qatar’s average pint costs £9.98, more than double the UK’s price of £4.07. More

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      Who is Melissa Reddy? Sky Sports presenter at 2022 World Cup

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      THE World Cup is here and amongst the action is Sky Sports presenter Melissa Reddy, who has been reporting from Qatar.There has been plenty of talking points already from the tournament, with a number of major upsets turning heads around the world.
      Melissa Reddy is a presenter for Sky SportsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_reddy/?hl=en
      She has been openly critical of FIFA president Gianni InfantinoCredit: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_reddy/?hl=en
      Who is Melissa Reddy?
      Melissa Reddy is a South African author and football journalist.
      She left her role as Senior Football corespondent at the Independent earlier this year, moving to Sky Sports.
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      The 36-year-old has been outspoken on issues regarding sexism and racism, discussing the barriers that women face in the workplace.
      She went viral on social media after picking apart FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s recent speech.
      Reddy stated “I think this will be the World Cup that really underpins just how dirty the game is.”
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      She is also rumoured to be dating Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane.
      The pair are thought to have met during an interview whilst Mane was still playing for Liverpool.
      However, neither have confirmed the rumours to be true. More

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      Which France players could miss the World Cup 2022 final against Argentina through illness?

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      FRANCE are in the World Cup final against Argentina and they’ll be hoping they have a fully fit squad available.Les Bleus have been clinical so far in Qatar, topping their group before beating Poland, England and Morocco en route to the final.
      Five players missed training for France in preparation for ArgentinaCredit: Reuters
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      But against Morocco, France were missing two of their stars.
      And for their huge clash with Argentina in the final, they could be without some more big stars.
      A mix of injuries and a bug which has swept its way through the French camp has caused their personnel crisis.
      Which France players could miss the final through illness?
      Against Morocco, both Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot were missing through illness.
      “In Doha, temperatures have fallen a little bit, you have air conditioning which is on all the time,” France boss Didier Deschamps said.
      “We’ve had a few cases of flu-like symptoms.
      “We are trying to be careful so it doesn’t spread and players have made great efforts out on the pitch and obviously their immune systems suffer.
      “Dayot Upamecano felt sick immediately after the match (against England).
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      “It happens when you make such an effort, your body is weakened and you are more prone to be infected by these viruses.
      “We are taking all necessary precautions, we are trying to make sure it doesn’t spread but viruses are of course infectious and we have to take precautions against it.
      “We separated him from others and Adrien as well.”
      And since the Morocco game, both centre-backs Raphael Varane and Ibrahim Konate, who started against the African side, have reportedly been struck down with flu, missing training on Friday.
      Kingsley Coman also missed training with the flu after feeling feverish in the week.
      Aurelien Tchouameni and Theo Hernandez also skipped training on Friday, but they’re suffering with respective hip and knee problems.
      Rabiot and Upamecano are expected to be back for the final.
      But it remains to be seen whether Tchouameni, Hernandez and Varane will be okay to start.
      Konate is likely to start from the bench. More

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      World Cup 2022 results: Rundown of entire Qatar tournament including groups and knock-outs plus final

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      FOOTBALL’S biggest tournament is sadly coming to an end with the World Cup final participants officially pencilled in for Sunday.Reigning champions France will be determined to be the first nation in 60 years to retain their title.
      France have the chance to retain their World Cup trophyCredit: Rex
      Argentina sealed their World Cup final spot with a 3-0 hammering on CroatiaCredit: Rex
      But Les Bleus have the tall order of Argentina to get by after their convincing 3-0 victory over Croatia.
      Furthermore, the Argentinians have a little magician named Lionel who is Messi desperate to bow out of international football with a World Cup winners medal.
      Find out how the tournament unravelled below…
      World Cup full RESULTS
      Below is the entire results list from the group stages, right through to the knock-outs.
      Group stage
      Sunday, November 20

      Monday, November 21

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      Tuesday, November 22

      Wednesday, November 23

      Thursday, November 24

      World Cup 2022Everything you need to know about the World Cup

      Friday, November 25

      Saturday, November 26

      Sunday, November 27

      Monday, November 28

      Tuesday, November 29

      Wednesday, November 30

      Thursday, December 1

      Friday, December 2

      Last 16
      Saturday, December 3

      Sunday, December 4

      Monday, December 5

      Tuesday, December 6

      Quarter-finals
      Friday, December 9

      Saturday, December 10

      Semi-finals
      Tuesday, December 13

      Wednesday, December 14

      Saturday, December 17

      Final
      Sunday, December 18
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      Based on UK time zone More

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      When is Croatia vs Morocco? TV channel, live stream and kick-off time for World Cup third place play-off match

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      CROATIA and Morocco are set to battle in the one match which all teams participating in the World Cup hope to avoid – the third place play-off.Luca Modric and Co were the first team slip into the play-off having fell victim to a remarkable Argentina side inspired by Lionel Messi.
      Luka Modric failed to guide his nation to another World Cup finalCredit: Getty
      Morocco were beaten by reigning champions France in the semi-finalCredit: Getty
      And they were joined by a history making Moroccan side 24 hours later who lost their mouth-watering semi-final against France.
      England were comfortably beaten by Belgium in the 2018 third place play-off edition.
      But the 2022 World Cup final warm-up event is expected to be a tighter affair and SunSport has all the information needed.

      When is Croatia vs Morocco?

      The World Cup third place play-off between Croatia and Morocco is taking place on Saturday, December 17.
      It is expected to get underway from 3pm UK time
      Khalifa International Stadium in Doha is the allocated arena for this huge fixture and it can host approximately 45,000 spectators.
      Belgium beat England 2-0 in the 2018 third place play-off contest.

      Read more on World Cup
      What TV channel is Croatia vs Morocco on and can it be live streamed?

      Croatia’s encounter against Morocco will be shown LIVE on BBC One in the UK.
      Coverage is set to commence from 2:30pm UK time – 30 minutes before kick-off.
      Viewers also have the option to stream the entire action through the BBC iPlayer app or BBC Sport website.

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      Can the third place play-off match be watched for free?
      YES! The third place play-off encounter can be watched for FREE as long as you hold a valid TV license in the UK. More