Fifa

ENGLAND and Wales have been confirmed as being in the TOUGHEST group at this year’s World Cup.Fifa’s final rankings before the big kick-off in Qatar in November saw Gareth Southgate’s England remain in fifth place in the global listings despite their six-game winless run.
Based on Fifa’s latest rankings, England have drawn the short straw in Qatar
Southgate has a good record in international tournaments so far, including a semi-final appearance at the last World CupCredit: PA
Captain Kane is looking to lead England beyond the group and all the way to gloryCredit: Getty
But with Rob Page and his Red Dragons 19th, USA 14th and Iran in 22nd, Group B’s average ranking per team is 15th, significantly higher than the other seven groups.
The next tightest, according to Fifa at least, is group E, featuring Spain (seventh), 11th-placed Germany, Japan in 24th and Costa Rica (34th) for an average ranking of a fraction under 19th.
That compares with Group A, where only Holland (11th) and Senegal (18th) are in the top 20, with Ecuador (44) and hosts Qatar (48) meaning an average ranking across the four teams of 29.5.
Brazil retain their position at the top of the charts, with Belgium second, holders France third and Argentina fourth.
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Indeed, the only riser in the top 10 is Italy, up to sixth after beating England and Hungary last month to win their Nations League group.
But it will be scant consolation for Azzurri boss Roberto Mancini to know his side will NOT be the highest-placed side in the history of the rankings NOT missing out on a World Cup after their play-off disaster last year.
That unwanted record remains held by Colombia, who were fourth in the Fifa standings ahead of the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea.
The World Cup is only six weeks away with holders France and Brazil among the favourites to grab football’s most prestigious trophy.
Gareth Bale has played a big part in helping get Wales to the World CupCredit: Getty
Christian Pulisic will be hoping to impress after a difficult spell at his club side ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Hosts Qatar will kick off the opening game against Ecuador after a last-ditch effort by Chile to get the South American side kicked out of the tournament failed.
Then England will host Iran the next day as they look to begin their campaign on a high.
Debate continues to rage about who should make Southgate’s World Cup squad, with James Maddison putting himself further in the frame after his performance against Nottingham Forest for Leicester.
Meanwhile, with a busy club schedule until the tournament begins in Qatar players will be desperate to avoid an untimely injury.
Kyle Walker’s place in the 26-man squad is already in doubt after it emerged he had suffered an abdominal injury. More

NEYMAR is three goals away from breaking Pele’s Brazilian record, according to Fifa.But the Brazilian Federation’s statistics say the Paris Saint-Germain forward is still a huge 21 behind the three-time World Cup winner.
Neymar is closing in on the Brazilian goalscoring recordCredit: Reuters
Pele is widely regarded as Brazil’s greatest ever playerCredit: Rex
Neymar currently has 74 goals for his country, while Pele finished his international career with 77 Fifa-registered goals.
Brazil take on Ghana and Tunisia in the next four days, so Neymar could theoretically break the record in those matches before the World Cup later this year.
However, the Brazilian Federation insist Pele netted 95 times.
This is because they count 18 goals he scored in friendly matches against the likes of Malmo, AIK, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Chivas Guadalajara, Leon, Bahia and Atletico Mineiro.
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As a result, even if Neymar nets four times in Brazil’s upcoming two matches, his home football association is still not expected to consider him their record scorer.
Neymar’s 74 goals have come in 119 appearances – a ratio of 0.62 goals per game.
Pele managed his official tally of 77 in just 92 matches.
The 81-year-old also lifted the World Cup three times in 12 years – with Brazil’s triumphs coming in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
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Neymar is yet to win the tournament with his country – his nearest attempt coming on home turf in 2014 when they reached the semi-finals before being humiliated 7-1 by Germany.
Now he heads to Qatar hoping to help Brazil claim their sixth World Cup and first in 20 years.
The five-time champions are in Group G alongside Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. More

ENGLAND skipper Harry Kane and other captains could be prevented from wearing rainbow armbands at the World Cup.The FA have joined together with nine other European countries to support a season-long ‘OneLove’ campaign for inclusion and fight against discrimination.
Harry Kane might be BANNED from wearing the OneLove armband at the World CupCredit: PA
But Fifa are yet to give permission for skippers to wear the armbands in Qatar, which will promote diversion, inclusion and anti-discrimination.
Kane will wear the armband when the Three Lions face Italy in Milan tonight while Gareth Bale wore one in Wales’ loss to Belgium on Thursday.
But now the FA and the other nations must play a waiting game.
Hosts Qatar, along with Fifa, will now decide whether to accept the requests from the European countries.
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Announcing he will wear the armband, Kane said: “I am honoured to join my fellow national team captains in supporting the important OneLove campaign.
“As captains we may all be competing against each other on the pitch, but we stand together against all forms of discrimination.
“This is even more relevant at a time when division is common in society.”
And Kane revealed sessions with a secret fitness guru have helped him stay injury free in the build-up to the tournament.
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The Tottenham striker, who was once dogged with both ankle and hamstring issues, has suffered barely any problems since he started working with a  Spanish expert.
In fact, since January 2020, Kane has missed just five games in total.
The England captain said: “I’ve found a physio and he’s been really great.
“We’ve worked for hours and hours, built up a really good relationship — he’s really helped me.
“I’ve seen changes in terms of what my ankles were like before and now after. I’m just in a  different place.
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“I was at a period where I struggled to play consistently over a season. Especially  for the major tournaments, it’s great to know your body is in a good place.
“When you’re free in your mind and playing consistently, it helps.” More

ECUADOR have kept their place in the World Cup Finals – after a Fifa panel ruled defender Byron Castillo WAS eligible to play for the country.South American rivals Chile had claimed Castillo was not a legitimate player because he was actually born in Colombia and is three years older than his documents suggest.
Chile claimed Ecuador ace Byron Castillo was ineligible for the World Cup qualifiersCredit: Getty
FIFA ruled in favour of Ecuador, who are expected to play in the World CupCredit: AP
The initial case ended in a victory for Castillo and Ecuador in June but a formal appeal was launched as Chile insisted they had “compelling evidence” of their case.
Chile demanded Ecuador forfeit all eight qualification games in which Castillo had featured with a 3-0 defeat, which would have seen them jump from seventh to fourth in the 10-team table and take the last automatic South American qualification place.
That would have meant Chile replaced Ecuador alongside Qatar, Netherlands and Senegal in Group A and been potential last 16 opponents for England or Wales.
Chile’s case was bolstered as it emerged Castillo had made admissions about his birthplace and age in an interview with Ecuadorean officials in 2018.
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Castillo declined to attend, either in person or virtually, for the hearing by Fifa’s Appeal Committee in Zurich on Thursday.
But less than 20 hours after the hearing was ended, Fifa announced the verdict which gives Ecuador the Qatar 2022 green light.
Fifa said: “Having analysed the submissions of all parties and after a hearing had been conducted, the Appeal Committee confirmed the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to close the proceedings initiated against the Ecuadorean Football Association. 
“Amongst other considerations, it deemed that on the basis of the documents presented, the player was to be considered as holding permanent Ecuadorian nationality in accordance with Fifa Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes.”
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The statement confirmed Fifa had informed the Ecadorean, Chilean and Peruvian FAs – who had joined Chile in appealing the initial decision – while world chiefs anticipated a further appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But with barely two months to the opening game of the World Cup – which will be Qatar versus Ecuador at the Al Bayt Stadium north of Doha – it seems unlikely that the appeal verdict will be overturned.
According to Sky, though, Chile have confirmed they’ll go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A statement read: “The weight of evidence is clear & we urge the (FIFA) Appeal Committee to deliver the grounds of the decision very quickly because there were enough unjustifiable delays” More

IT takes some doing to be BANNED from playing in the Fifa World Cup – but a few have managed it and Ecuador could become the latest.The South American nation sealed a spot at the 2022 tournament in Qatar after finishing fourth in their World Cup qualifying group.
The World Cup starts in November but Ecuador might be blocked from competingCredit: Reuters
Ecuador’s Byron Castillo is embroiled in fake passport allegations, putting his country’s World Cup spot in doubtCredit: AFP
But a complaint was made to Fifa against Ecuador by the Chilean FA in April.
Chile have claimed Bryon Castillo used a fake birth certificate and was an illegal immigrant.
Castillo has ten caps for Ecuador and helped them reach the finals.
The Chilean FA stated Castillo was, in fact, born in Colombia in 1995 instead of Ecuador in 1998.
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A report by the Daily Mail also claims the confession to a false birth certificate was made in an official investigation and was COVERED UP by the Ecuador Football Federation.
And as a result, Ecuador face being booted out of the World Cup, which starts in November.
An official decision on the matter is expected on Thursday.
Chile are hopeful they will be able to take Ecuador’s place in Qatar.
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With an early World Cup exit on the cards for Ecuador, SunSport looks back at the seven other countries that have managed to be banned from football’s most prestigious tournament.
Germany & Japan – 1950 World Cup
Wars have consequences.
The 1942 and 1946 World Cups were cancelled due to World War II, but the tournament returned in 1950.
However, Germany and Japan were not allowed to be involved due to their role in the six-year global conflict.
South Americans Uruguay went on to win the tournament, beating Brazil 2-1 in their own back yard.
Sweden finished third and Spain fourth.
Uruguayan forward Juan Alberto Schiaffino scoring in the 1950 finalCredit: AFP
South Africa – 1961-1992
South Africa introduced its first racist policy in sport in 1956.
Leagues had been divided by race, and black-owned football clubs were officially not recognised as equal members to white-owned clubs, according to South African History Online.
And in 1961, during apartheid, South Africa were expelled from Fifa.
They were reinstated in 1963, but expelled again after proposing to send an all-white national team to play in the England 1966 World Cup and a Black national team to play in the Mexico 1970 World Cup.
South Africa were reinstated in 1992, a move motivated by the government’s release of all political prisoners and the open negotiation process of all political parties in the country.
Fifa would later hand South Africa the 2010 World Cup – becoming the first African country to host the tournament.
Mexico – 1990 World Cup
A two-year ban saw Mexico miss out on Italia 90.
Mexico were banned by Fifa after fielding four players that were above the age limit in the qualifying round of the world junior tournament.
West Germany went on to win the tournament, beating Argentina in the final.
Host nation Italy finished third, followed by England in fourth.
West Germany went on to win the 1990 World Cup… a tournament Mexico were banned fromCredit: Getty
Chile – 1994 World Cup
Chile goalkeeper Roberto Rojas pretended to be hurt by a flare thrown by a fan during a clash with Brazil in 1989.
But it was Rojas who hurt himself, using a hidden blade in his glove.
As a result, Fifa banned Chile from the 1994 tournament and Rojas was banned for life.
The World Cup held in the States went on to be won by Brazil, who beat Italy in the final.
Brazilian forward Romario kisses the FIFA World Cup trophy after 1994 winCredit: AFP
Myanmar – 2006 World Cup
Myanmar pulled out of a 2002 World Cup qualifying match that was scheduled to be played in Iran.
Fifa fined Myanmar £20,000 and banned them from competing in the 2006 edition of the tournament held in Germany.
Italy went on to claim their fourth world crown, beating France on penalties in a game which saw Zinedine Zidane sent off for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
Zidane’s iconic headbutt came in the 2006 World Cup finalCredit: AFP – Getty
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Russia – 2022 World Cup
Russia were globally condemned, for the most part, following their invasion of neighbouring Ukraine earlier this year.
Fifa decided Russia would be banned from participating in the Qatar World Cup and booted them out of the play-offs, where they were due to face Poland.
Poland went on to win their play-off route to reach the finals after beating Sweden 2-0.
Russia were booted out of the World Cup play-offs this year following Putin’s invasion of UkraineCredit: Getty More