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      Why did Ben White leave the World Cup?

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      BEN WHITE has left the England World Cup camp early – and he didn’t get to play for a single second at the tournament.The FA revealed that White missed training during the tournament due to illness.
      Ben White has left England’s World Cup squad earlyCredit: Getty
      But now, the Arsenal star has been permitted to fly home and he is not expected to return to Qatar to rejoin his Three Lions teammates.
      Find out more on Ben White’s early England exit below…
      Why has Ben White left England’s World Cup squad?
      White, 25 left the England camp ahead of their last-16 clash with Senegal for “personal reasons”.
      An FA statement confirmed: “Ben White has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons.
      Read more on England
      “The Arsenal defender is not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament.
      “We ask that the player’s privacy is respected at this moment in time.”
      Ben White’s club side Arsenal also tweeted: “We’re all with you, Ben.”

      What happened in England’s last-16 clash against Senegal?

      England’s World Cup last-16 clash with Senegal took place on Sunday, December 4.
      The Three Lions came out on top, beating the African side 3-0.
      Goals from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka saw Gareth Southgate’s side advance to the quarter-finals, where they face France.

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      Liverpool vs Lyon: TV channel, stream, kick-off time and team news for Dubai Super Cup friendly match

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      LIVERPOOL prepare for their Premier League return with a huge Dubai Super Cup friendly against French giants Lyon.The Reds currently find themselves FIFTEEN points off table-topping Arsenal after having a disastrous start to the season.
      Liverpool beat Southampton in their final game before the World Cup breakCredit: Reuters
      And injuries to key forwards such as Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota alongside defensive pillar Joel Matip has been a contributing factor to Jurgen Klopp’s side’s inconsistency.
      However, the six-time Champions League winners did secure a 3-1 victory over Southampton in their final game before the break.
      Furthermore, a warm-up friendly against Lyon gives absentees a chance to regain some fitness in their legs before Boxing Day.
      When is Liverpool vs Lyon?

      Liverpool’s mouth-watering friendly with Lyon will take place on Sunday, December 11.
      It is scheduled to get underway from 2pm UK time.
      Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai is the allocated arena for this clash and it can host approximately 15,058 spectators.
      The Reds ran out 3-1 winners when the two sides met in a 2019 club friendlies encounter.

      Read more on Liverpool
      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Liverpool vs Lyon will be shown LIVE on LFCTV in the UK.
      Viewers also have the option to stream the entire action on LFCTV GO.
      A monthly subscription for LFCTV GO can be purchased for £4.99 or an annual subscription is available for £49.99.

      What is the team news?
      Jurgen Klopp ended the first half of the season without Naby Keita, Luis Diaz, Joel Matip and Diogo Jota.
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      But the quartet have been named in Liverpool’s 33-man squad who travelled to Dubai.
      However, loanee Arthur Melo will still be unavailable following his ‘really’ serious injury.
      Liverpool’s 33-man squad:
      Goalkeepers: Adrian, Kelleher, Davies, Mrozek, Pitaluga.
      Defenders: Gomez, Tsimikas, Ramsay, Robertson, Matip, Phillips, Chambers, Quansah.
      Midfielders: Thiago, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott, Arthur, Clark, Bajcetic, Cain, Corness.
      Forwards: Firmino, Salah, Jota, Diaz, Carvalho, Gordon, Frauendorf, Stewart, Doak.
      Meanwhile, Lyon boss Laurent Blanc has no fresh injuries concerns to deal with and he also has the option of playing Alexandre Lacazette who knows Liverpool very well from his time at Arsenal. More

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      When is England vs France – World Cup quarter-final? Kick-off time, TV channel, stream FREE, team news for clash

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      ENGLAND have reached the World Cup quarter-final and they will play France THIS SATURDAY!All eyes will be on the Al-Bayt Stadium when the Three Lions take on the current World champions in a mouth-watering tie.
      England were in mouthwatering form in attack against Senegal and will hope to score against FranceCredit: AP

      France made it through to the quarters after a 3-1 win over Poland, in which Olivier Giroud became their record scorer of all time.
      The World Cup’s top scorer Kylian Mbappe added the second and third.
      While England overcame Senegal to sail into the quarters.
      When is England vs France?

      England vs France takes place on Saturday, December 10.
      The match kicks off at 7pm UK time.
      The Al-Bayt Stadium plays host.

      Kylian Mbappe is in stunning form for France
      What TV channel and live stream is England vs France on?

      England vs France will be broadcast live on ITV 1.
      It will be live-streamed on ITV X , the mobile app which is available for download.

      What is the team news?
      Mbappe has sparked concern among the France camp after missing Tuesday’s training with an injury.
      It would be a huge body blow to Les Bleus’ chances against the Three Lions if he is out.
      QUARTER-FINALS
      Friday, December 9
      Most read in Football

      Saturday, December 10

      SEMI-FINALS
      Tuesday, December 13

      Match 61: Croatia or Brazil vs Netherlands or Argentina (7pm)

      Wednesday, December 14

      Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs England or France (7pm)

      THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
      Saturday, December 17

      Losers of Match 61 vs Losers of Match 62 (3pm)

      Read More on The Sun
      FINAL
      Sunday, December 18

      Winners of Match 61 vs Winners of Match 62 (3pm) More

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      Why did Cristiano Ronaldo not start for Portugal in their World Cup last-16 tie against Switzerland?

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO is one of the most famous players in the history of football and arguably the most famous person in the world.He has scored eight goals in 20 World Cup matches and holds the world record for international goals scored.
      Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring for Portugal against Ghana in the group stagesCredit: Getty
      Over 20 years, his record has been simply stunning.
      Therefore it was a surprise that he was not in the Portugal team for their last-16 World Cup tie against Switzerland.
      However, the decision by Fernando Santos to bench Ronaldo was fully vindicated – as they went on to win 6-1, with the striker coming on with 17 minutes of normal time to go.
      He had started all three of Portugal’s World Cup group games previously and will be in contention for their quarter-final against Morocco.
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      Why didn’t Cristiano Ronaldo start against Switzerland?
      The Portuguese icon, 37, was dropped for their game against Switzerland.
      Fernando Santos has opted to go with Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, 21, instead.
      Incredibly, Ramos went on to score a stunning hat-trick for Portugal.
      It meant Ronaldo found himself on the bench again, a place he got all-too familiar with for Manchester United earlier this season.
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      That is, before he and the club mutually agreed to tear up his contract.
      Perhaps Santos was hedging his bets, knowing that if the tie went to extra time and penalties, it would have been more useful having Ronaldo come off the bench and score a penalty.

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      Morocco vs Portugal: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for big World Cup quarter-final

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      PORTUGAL will certainly fancy their chances as they face Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The North African side were epic in their penalty shootout win over Spain, having conceded just once all tournament.
      Achraf Hakimi dinked his side into the World Cup quarter-finalsCredit: AP
      Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick for Portugal against SwitzerlandCredit: Getty
      But Portugal are in top form after thrashing Switzerland 6-1 in the last of the round of 16 clashes.
      Goncalo Ramos scored a brilliant hat-trick after coming into the XI for Cristiano Ronaldo.
      But they can’t get too complacent against Morocco, who have the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech and Sofiane Boufal in their ranks.
      When is Morocco vs Portugal?

      Portugal’s clash with Morocco will take place on Saturday, December 10.
      The game will be held at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
      Portugal vs Morocco will get underway from 3pm GMT.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Morocco vs Portugal will be shown live on ITV 1 in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      Coverage of the game will get going from 2pm UK time.

      Most read in Sport
      Can I watch for FREE?
      Yes, you can watch Morocco vs Portugal for FREE, so long as you have a valid TV licence.
      Odds

      Morocco – 5/1
      Draw – 11/4
      Portugal – 4/7

      *Odds courtesy of Betfair and correct at time of publication More

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      Who is France manager Didier Deschamps’ wife Claude and how many children do they have?

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      DIDIER Deschamps is one of the best known figures in football, thanks to his highly successful playing career, as well as a trophy-laden spell as a manager.What isn’t well publicised is his family life. So who is Deschamps’ wife Claude and how did they meet?
      Claude Deschamps has been married to current France manager Didier since 1989
      Who is France’s manager Didier Deschamps’ wife Claude?
      Claude Deschamps was born in 1966, in Concarneau, in Brittany.
      She studied speech therapy.
      Claude has been married to French national team manager, Didier, since 1989.
      They tied the knot in the same year that Deschamps signed for Marseille, a side he would later captain.
      READ MORE ON DESCHAMPS
      When did they meet?
      They first met in Nantes, when Didier had just graduated from the FC Nantes academy.
      They have been together for over 35 years, meeting when Deschamps was 18 and she was 20.
      How many children do they have?
      The couple have one child, called Dylan, who was born in 1996.
      He is a master of science and lives in London with his girlfriend, entrepreneur Mathilde Cappelaere.
      Most read in Football
      How long has Didier Deschamps been France manager for?
      Deschamps has been manager of France since 2012, replacing his former international teammate Laurent Blanc in the hot seat.
      Qatar 2022 is his third World Cup in charge of the team, having led them to the quarter-finals in 2014, hosted by Brazil, as well as winning the cup in Russia in 2018.
      In winning the title, Deschamps became only one of three men to have won the World Cup as a player and a manager, following Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer.
      Deschamps was captain of the victorious 1998 winning team, that also won the European championships two years later.
      Deschamps has also overseen two European championships as manager, losing in the final in Paris in 2016, before an early round of 16 exit against Switzerland in the delayed 2020 tournament.
      He successfully led France to the Uefa nations league title in Italy in the 2020/2021 season.
      They took the title 2-1 in the final making Deschamps the second France manager to win two major trophies as manager, after Roger Lemerre. More

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      Will Kylian Mbappe play for France against England and is he injured?

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE has been the best player in the World Cup so far.The France icon, 23, has already won the tournament four years ago – and is hoping to emulate Pele by winning it a second time in a row.
      Kylian Mbappe has been the outstanding player of the World Cup so farCredit: Getty
      Mbappe is the top scorer in the World Cup thus far, with five goals to his name in this tournament, making him the current favourite for the golden boot.
      But the PSG forward MISSED France’s training session on Tuesday, sounding alarm bells over his fitness on the south side of the Channel.
      France are set to play England in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
      Is Kylian Mbappe injured and will he play against England?
      Mbappe has not missed a club match since August when he was absent for PSG’s match against Clermont.

      Since then he has played in every match for club and country, so he has a robust fitness record this season.
      He played all 90 minutes of France’s 3-1 win over Poland, scoring two goals and extending his lead in the chase for the golden boot.
      But he missed France’s training session on Tuesday, with reports that it is currently a precaution.
      However, the French will not want to be sweating on an injury for their biggest star.
      Most read in Football
      Les Bleus have already lost Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Christopher Nkunku and Presnel Kimpembe before the tournament even started.
      And they lost Lucas Hernandez to a knee ligament injury during their first game against Australia.
      Do France have any other injury concerns?
      Yes, Theo Hernandes is also a potential injury problem for Deschamps.
      He picked up an ankle injury in training last week but came through their win over Poland. More

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      What counts as handball in football and how does the rule work?

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      HANDBALL is one of the most well known terms in football.So what happens when the ball touches a hand or arm during a football match? Here’s what we know about the handball rule.
      It is deemed a foul if an outfield player handles the ball in play
      What counts as handball in football?
      The only player who is allowed to handle the ball during a match is the goalkeeper – as long as they’re in their designated area.
      They are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands outside the penalty area, as this would be a handball offence.
      However, it’s off-limit for outfield players to handle the ball anywhere on the pitch, and they will be penalised if they do.
      Despite its name, handball refers to contact from the player’s hand to the top of their arm.
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      A goal scored from a player’s shoulder is not handball, whereas a goal from the top of the player’s arm is handball.
      Handball is given when the player has their hand in an unnatural position when the ball strikes it.
      The referee will penalise the player and a foul will be given.
      According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB) handball will also be given when the player deliberately touches the ball with a hand or arm.
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      Throw-in’s are not counted as a handball offence, as technically the ball is off the pitch and out of play when it is thrown.
      Rules were changed for the 2021/2022 Premier League season with Mike Riley stating: “An arm extended away from the body makes that body bigger, in an unnatural position.
      “If the ball strikes that arm, particularly if it is blocking a shot on goal, there is a greater likelihood we will penalise that.”
      An accidental handball in the lead-up to a goal will not penalised unless it is from the scorer.
      What is the difference between handball and ball to hand?
      Ball to hand is usually used by referees to describe an accidental handball.
      This is usually used to describe incidents where a player is close to the ball, and cannot reasonably move their hand out of the way quick enough to avoid contact with their hand.
      Handball on the other hand is called when a player either deliberately touches the ball with their hand, or if the players arm is in an unnatural position when the ball is played.
      If a player is judged to have been trying to break their fall when the ball hits their hand, for example, a defender sliding in to stop an attacker from scoring, this is not considered a handball.
      Does VAR intervene on handball offences?
      VAR can intervene on handball offences, as seen in the Premier League.
      There are several reasons for VAR intervention in these situations.
      One of which is that it is illegal for a player to touch the ball with their hand and score directly after that situation.
      This will be given as a foul and a free kick will be awarded to the other team.
      This also applies to when the ball touches a player’s hand in the immediate build-up to a goal.
      Read More on The Sun
      A player who is adjudged to have stopped a goal scoring opportunity by using their hands will receive a red card if they are the last player between the attacking team and a chance of scoring.
      VAR will be used to make sure that the referee has the clearest view of the incident as they may not have seen it initially. More