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    Fifa Fifpro 2022 shortlist for best world XI revealed including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and just one Englishman

    THE 26-man Fifa Fifpro 2022 shortlist has been revealed as Lionel Messi AND Cristiano Ronaldo both make the cut.The star-studded list, which is compiled from nominations by players, will eventually be trimmed down to a best world XI.
    Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both made the shortlistCredit: AFP
    The 26 players shortlisted for the Fifa Fifpro XICredit: @FIFPRO
    But for now fans are being left to speculate who will make the team from three keepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and seven forwards.
    And just one Englishman made it into the elite group of players.
    Messi was nailed on to be in the shortlist after he ended the year by winning the World Cup for Argentina.
    But the inclusion of Ronaldo was more of a surprise.
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    The Portuguese star, 38, did end the 2021/22 campaign with 24 goals for Man Utd.
    However, he registered just three for the Red Devils in the first half of this season, before leaving for Al-Nassr.
    Referencing Ronaldo’s inclusion in the list, Piers Morgan said: “Interesting to see his peer group show him a lot more respect than most of the football media”.
    The other five forwards listed as possibilities for the XI are Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
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    Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a sensational 12 months with PSG and FranceCredit: Getty
    But there is no place for Brazilian Vinicius Junior – who was integral in winning Real Madrid the Champions League.
    The only England star to make it into the list is Borussia Dortmund teenager Jude Bellingham.
    His sensational 12 months at club level have coincided with a breakout year for the Three Lions.
    He is joined by seven midfielders on the shortlist – Casemiro, Kevin de Bruyne, Enzo Fernandez, Gavi, Luka Modric, Pedri and Fede Valverde.
    Half of the eight defenders listed spent at least part of 2022 in the Premier League – Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva.
    They are joined by Alphonso Davies, Josko Gvardiol, Achraf Hakimi and Theo Hernandez.
    And the three keepers in contention are Alisson Becker, Thibaut Courtois and Emi Martinez.
    Jude Bellingham is one of the most exciting young stars in EuropeCredit: Getty More

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    Fifa set to trial new offside rule with semi-automatic system deemed ‘too accurate’

    FIFA are reportedly set to trial a new offside rule after the semi-automatic system they introduced was deemed “too accurate”.The system, which uses 10 cameras to track 29 body points of each player, was brought in by the governing body for the World Cup.
    Fifa chief Gianni Infantino brought in the semi-automatic offside system for the World CupCredit: Reuters
    It has allegedly been deemed ‘too accurate’ with a new one set to be trialledCredit: Getty
    The semi-automatic offside technology was initially meant to be rolled out for the opening fixture of the tournament in Qatar.
    But Uefa stole a march on Fifa as it was deployed in the Super Cup fixture between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt.
    However, now it seems that the accuracy of the semi-automatic offsides were restricting attacking play.
    And now they are considering changing the rule so if any part of the body you can score with is level with the defender you are not offside.
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    A trial will have to be held first before any change goes through, with Gianluca DiMarzio claiming that Italian U18 matches could be used to try it out.
    He wrote: “Fifa is thinking of a new modification that would go against the canons of semi-automatic offside.
    “In fact, the latter has such a high degree of accuracy that it limits the teams’ offensive play.
    “It is therefore decided to consider an attacker in play who has at least one part of the body good for scoring in a regular position , bringing the concept of ‘light’ out into the open.
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    “Another reason for this hypothetical change could also be the fact that players are often penalised for a part of the body that does not even benefit them.”
    He added: “Before definitively inserting this new rule, however, it must be tested at lower levels.
    “For this reason, Fifa has chosen, among others, the Italian U18 championship to verify the feasibility and collect significant data.”
    No official announcement has yet been made by Fifa regarding the potential rule change or trial. More

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    Prem clubs get HUGE cash boost after £488m EA Sports deal that QUADRUPLES previous agreement after record transfer spend

    PREM clubs have cashed in with a huge new £488m deal with video games giant EA Sports.A fall-out with world bosses means the company’s marquee football game will no longer have the “Fifa” tag from next year.
    EA Sports’ football game will NOT wear the Fifa tag anymore next yearCredit: Getty
    But the six-year deal, signed off by club bosses, represents almost a QUADRUPLING of the previous three-season agreement.
    That deal had been worth around £23m per year, adding up to just over £1m per club.
    But the new contract to run from the start of next term will be worth £81.3m each year.
    The new agreement will extend the relationship between EA Sports and the Prem, which started in 1998, to 31 years.
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    Prem January spending almost doubled the previous record last month.
    A total of £815million was splurged by English top flight clubs during the mid-season transfer window.
    Chelsea accounted for a staggering £326m of this sum – with big money buys including Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk.
    The Blues’ spend was more than that of clubs in Spain, Germany, Italy and France put together.
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    The Premier League spent more than all the other top five leagues in January
    Meanwhile, Prem clubs have ridiculed rebooted “reverse Brexit” plans for a European Super League WITHOUT English teams.
    Conspirators Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are refusing to give up on their breakaway project despite it crashing and burning inside 48 HOURS two years ago.
    Now the three rebels are using Madrid-based sports marketing firm A22 to rehash another version of the plan that would see up to 80 clubs leave Uefa to form a new competition.
    But that would NOT include any Premier League clubs, with A22 using the success of English football as a justification for the new tournament.
    Prem club bosses last night accused the Super Leaguers of wanting to boot English teams OUT of Europe. One insider revealed: “This is a reverse Brexit.
    “We are talking about a closed league that is trying to justify itself by pitting Europe against England.
    “At the same time, they claim they want to emulate the Prem’s success. To say people are bemused is an understatement.”
    Real Madrid chief Florentino perez is refusing to give up on the hated Super League projectCredit: EPA More

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    Josef Bican was ‘Czech Cristiano Ronaldo’ who would cost £300m today, but Portugal star still well off his 1,468 goals

    JOSEF BICAN would have been as famous as Pele if he had played in a different era.That is the view of a Fifa historian as Cristiano Ronaldo remains miles off is unofficial 1,468 goal tally.
    Josef Bican is the highest official goalscorer of all timeCredit: Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo overtook Bican’s 805 goal haulCredit: Getty
    Although no one is certain of the exact number of goals he bagged as Bican’s career spanned from 1931 to 1955 when record keeping was not quite as efficient as it is in 2022.
    But the most common tally credited to the former Slavia Prague ace is 805 goals – 779 for club and 26 international – according to Fifa.
    As with the late Pele, the lines are somewhat blurry when it comes to official and unofficial goals scored.
    The Brazil legend changed his Instagram bio to read ‘Highest goalscorer of all time (1,283)’ in a bid to cling onto his self-awarded title.
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    Pele is actually only credited with 757 official strikes – with his higher total generally understood to include goals scored in friendly and tour matches.
    Ronaldo, now 38, returned to Manchester United the summer before last and bagged 24 goals – as well as becoming international football’s all-time leading scorer – to surpass Pele’s total.
    However, he has since left the club for Al Nassr after a fallout with the Red Devils and opened his account in his second game for the club.
    He has 820 goals to his name in his career, according to records.
    But even on unofficial goals, Fifa still give the crown to Bican with a staggering 1,468 – even though Ronaldo has now overtaken his official tally of 805 goals.
    Fifa note on their website: “The Brazilian legend [Pele] includes in his tally goals scored in unofficial games.
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    “And if we were to do the same for Bican, his mark would be an estimated 1,468 – even if these figures are difficult to verify given their era.”
    Bican was born on September 25, 1913 in Vienna and died in Prague on December 12, 2001.
    He is believed to have scored his stunning 805 goals in just 530 games – a goal rate which would surely see him worth at least £300million in today’s market.
    Bican played for Austria at the 1934 World Cup in Italy before switching his allegiance to his adopted homeland of Czechoslovakia – now the Czech Republic.
    He scored 14 goals in 19 games for the Austrians before making the switch – which was still permitted in the 30s.
    Having played for Hertha Vienna – like his father had – Bican switched to Rapid Vienna in 1931 and started his professional career where he spent six years.
    In 1937, Bican transferred to Slavia Prague where he fell in love with the club and the country.
    Bican played for Slavia for 11 years and later became their manager.
    During his time in Prague, he successfully applied for Czech citizenship and played for the country 14 times between 1939 and 1949 – scoring 12 times.
    Bican did not represent his new nation at the 1938 World Cup in France because of an admin error. And the next two tournaments were cancelled because of World War II.
    Pele claimed he holds the crown but his 1,283 unofficial tally includes goals scored in friendlies and tour matchesCredit: Instagram / @pele
    Czechoslovakia – along with several other Soviet countries – refused to participate in the 1950 World Cup.
    And these World Cup absences are why Fifa historian Radovan Jelinek thinks the goal machine was not more well known.
    He said: “Bican was incredibly unlucky at the height of his career. There was no World Cup in 1942 or 1946 because of the war.
    “If the 1942 edition had taken place, for example, he would surely have become more widely known. Perhaps he might even have been as famous as Pele.”
    Describing his goalscoring prowess on Czech TV in 1990, Bican said: “When I talk to young reporters, they always say, ‘Mr Bican, scoring was easier back in your day.’
    “So I ask them, ‘How come? Look, are there opportunities today?’ And they tell me, ‘Of course there are, many of them’.
    “And I say, ‘There you go. If there weren’t opportunities, it would be difficult. But if there are, scoring is the same as it was a hundred years ago, and it’ll be the same in a hundred years’ time too. It’ll always be the same.”
    Reports suggest Bican could run 100m in 10.8 seconds – just half a second slower than the world record at the time.
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    Bican’s father Frantiesk fought in World War I and returned unscathed but ironically it was football that killed him.
    The Hertha player picked up a serious kidney injury during a game and eventually died from the problem. More

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    Argentina launch quadruple country bid to host World Cup 2030 with Uruguay part of bid to make 100th anniversary

    SOUTH America’s four nation bid to host the 2030 World Cup has been formally launched in Buenos Aires.Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile have joined forces in a bid to mark the centenary of the first tournament in 2030.
    Argentina are part of a four country South American bid to hos World Cup 2030Credit: EPA
    Argentina are joined by Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay in the joint bid
    All games in that first World Cup were played in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo.
    The planned bid would see the Final played in the same Estadio Centenario as in 1930.
    South American confederation head Alejandro Dominguez said: “The 2030 World Cup is not just one more version.
    “It deserves a celebration and recognition to mark 100 years of the tournament.
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    “Fifa has the chance to demonstrate a gesture of greatness and award the World Cup to the place where it originated.”
    Europe’s candidate is a joint bid by Spain and Portugal.
    There are some games also planned in Ukraine.
    But the biggest rivalry for the South Americans is likely to come from the Saudi Arabian campaign.
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    That also currently includes Egypt and Greece.
    That Saudi bid is set for unofficial backing from Fifa President Gianni Infantino. More

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    Watch Tottenham pair Emerson Royal and Lucas Moura taunt Richarlison with pigeon dance during bizarre FIFA game

    TOTTENHAM duo Emerson Royal and Lucas Moura hilariously mocked team-mate Richarlison by doing his own pigeon dance celebration after scoring on FIFA.The former Everton forward, 25, faced Royal and Lucas in a two-on-two clash on the video game – with Richarlison accompanied by Brazilian internet personality Iran Ferreira, popularly known as Luva De Pedreiro.
    Emerson Royal and Lucas Moura scored against Richarlison on FIFACredit: Instagram
    They then mocked the ex-Everton man by doing Richarlison’s pigeon danceCredit: Instagram
    Royal and Lucas revelled in making fun of RicharlisonCredit: Instagram
    The Brazilian looked annoyed after conceding the goalCredit: Instagram
    And he paid the price when conceding against his Brazilian compariots.
    Royal and Lucas revelled in their FIFA goal by performing the pigeon dance – which has become Richarlison’s customary celebration in recent years.
    And the ex-Watford man had a face like thunder as he watched his Spurs pals lap up his disappointment.
    Both teams played as Tottenham on the game, with Lucas and Royal scoring through talisman Harry Kane.
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    Reacting to the social media clip, one fan said: “😭😭😭 Emerson and Lucas do the celebration so perfectly”.
    Another added: “Just love the Brazilian guys 😃😃😃”.
    And a third replied: “I’d keep Lucas for the entertainment alone 😂”.
    The clip came just 24 hours after Antonio Conte’s men had produced one of their best performances of the season.
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    Royal starred for Spurs as they beat Man City 1-0 on Sunday afternoon, with Kane’s winner breaking Tottenham’s all-time goalscoring record.
    But Richarlison was an unused substitute in the game as his wait for a first Premier League goal for Tottenham continues.
    And Lucas Moura has not been unavailable since the turn of the year due to an ongoing tendon injury.
    Richarlison has done the pigeon dance celebration on several occasionsCredit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail More

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    UK broadcast outlets reportedly agree deal with Fifa to televise this year’s Women’s World Cup

    AN agreement to air this year’s Women’s World Cup on television in the UK is thought to have been reached, according to reports.  This comes just over six months after the launch of Fifa’s tender process for the sale of tournament media rights to UK broadcasters.  
    A deal to air this year’s Women’s World Cup matches on UK television has reportedly been agreed between Fifa and broadcastersCredit: Reuters
    It is reported the deal could see the BBC and ITV share coverage of the tournament’s games including matches involving the LionessesCredit: Prime Media
    Earlier this week The Independent reported a deal was still outstanding with sources informing the paper that offers from UK channels were “lowballing Fifa”.
    Talks were also said to still be ongoing. 
    Today the Daily Mail reports a “major breakthrough” has been reached in regard to the contest being aired on national television. 
    It is claimed an agreement is expected to be confirmed and publicised in the near future. 
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    And it also thought the deal could potentially see coverage shared by BBC, who along with Sky Sports broadcast Women’s Super League games, and ITV. 
    This year’s World Cup will take place a year after the Euros hosted in England with the Lionesses and their rivals pulling in record stadium crowds and television viewers. 
    Last July’s Euros final, broadcast on BBC One and won by Sarina Wiegman’s players at Wembley, was watched by a peak TV audience of 17.4 million viewers. 
    The viewing figures made it the most watched women’s football match in the history of UK television and the most-viewed TV event of last year. 
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    And in December the FA revealed 23.3million people watched the final on TV or online. 
    Last summer’s Euros attracted record numbers of television viewersCredit: PA
    It is hoped England’s success at last year’s Euros will lead to high numbers of viewers of the World Cup in July and August with the Lionesses and the Republic of Ireland among the 32 sides competing. 
    Due to the time difference between the UK and the World Cup’s hosts Australia and New Zealand, England’s matches will be taking place when many viewers will be asleep or out at work. 
    However, with tournament timing coinciding with the school holidays, coverage of matches could see younger audiences engaged with rising interest in the game amongst girls as well as women. More

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    Martinez faces punishment for World Cup final antics as Fifa open proceedings against Argentina for ‘rule breaches’

    FIFA have launched an investigation into Argentina’s behaviour in the World Cup final. Football’s governing body announced it has “opened proceedings” against Lionel Messi and Co for potential violations of Fifa’s disciplinary code.
    Argentina were crowned champions in QatarCredit: Getty
    Emiliano Martinez’s conduct in Qatar was criticised by manyCredit: Getty
    But his tactics paid dividendsCredit: Alamy
    During the award ceremony Martinez made a crude gestureCredit: Getty
    And his controversial antics carried on during the celebrations in ArgentinaCredit: @ESPNFC
    The statement read: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association due to potential breaches of articles 11 (Offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play) and 12 (Misconduct of players and officials) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, as well as of article 44 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Regulations in conjunction with the Media and Marketing Regulations for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, during the Argentina v. France FIFA World Cup final.”
    Following their dramatic shootout victory over France in the final, many were critical of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
    Martinez used the dark arts to get into the heads of the French players – a tactic which ultimately paid dividends as his nation won the shootout.
    But it was his antics after the final whistle which caused the most controversy.
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    During the award ceremony, Martinez made a crude gesture with the Golden Glove award.
    In the celebrations in the dressing room, Martinez also called for a minute’s silence for Kylian Mbappe.
    This continued at the trophy parade back in Argentina.
    The ex-Arsenal stopper was spotted holding a baby doll with a picture of Mbappe’s face.
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    And now, almost one month after the final, Argentina’s FA could face a sizeable fine over their conduct.
    Argentina was not the only nation in Fifa’s cross hairs following the tournament.
    Sanctions have already been levelled towards Mexico due to discriminatory chanting, which resulted in an £88,000 fine and the order to play one game behind closed doors.
    Serbia and Ecuador also faced punishment, with both being hit with partial stadium closures for breaching the discrimination clause, though Serbia also broke the misconduct clause.
    This also landed Serbia a fine of £44,000, while Ecuador were handed a fine just under £18,000.
    2018 finalists and third placed nation Croatia have also had an investigation opened against them for their own conduct against Morocco.
    The charges against Croatia refer to “potential violations of articles 13 (discrimination) and 16 (order and security at matches) of the Fifa disciplinary code.”
    Tottenham star Cristian Romero hit back at critics of Argentina’s antics.
    In an interview with Sky Sports, he said: “Yes (people make too much of it). Only because people just see the photos.
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    “People don’t think about what was said before for us to get to this point. Against Holland, they spoke too much before actually entering the pitch and we were annoyed with that.
    “They said we lacked respect but that’s not true. You can understand what would go on to happen.” More