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    Fans say Lionel Messi has ‘won the statue battle’ over Cristiano Ronaldo as he is honoured with incredible sculpture

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    LIONEL MESSI has been honoured with an incredible sculpture after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.And fans reckoned he’s easily “won the battle of the statues” against rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Lionel Messi has been honoured with a statue after leading Argentina to the World CupCredit: Reuters
    Fans reckon Messi has easily beaten Cristiano Ronaldo in the battle of the statuesCredit: EPA
    Messi, 35, spurred Argentina to victory against France in December’s thrilling final.
    And he has now been rewarded with a life-size statue at the headquarters of the South American Football Federation in Peru,
    The sculpture shows Messi in his Argentina kit holding the World Cup trophy.
    And it will go next to statues of fellow football legends Diego Maradona and Pele.
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    Messi said: “I had never dreamed or thought about this. My dream was to enjoy what I liked when I was little, to be a pro soccer player, to do what I always loved in this life.
    “I had a very long road, many decisions and defeats, but I always looked ahead and wanted to go for a triumph, for a victory.
    “I think that is the most important thing, to fight for your dreams, that everything is possible and to enjoy the game, which is the most beautiful thing there is.”
    Messi’s statue looked very realistic — which is more than can be said for the iconic bust of rival Ronaldo in Portugal.
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    The bust of Ronaldo went on display at Madeira’s international airport in 2017Credit: PA:Press Association
    Many fans felt the sculpture looked nothing like RonaldoCredit: Getty
    The hilarious sculpture was put on display at Madeira’s international airport in 2017.
    But many at the time thought it looked nothing like ex-Man Utd and Real Madrid star Ronaldo.
    And fans on social media declared Messi to be the grand winner of the statue face-off.
    One said: “If only Ronaldo had a World Cup they would have paid more attention to sculpting his statue.”
    Another declared: “Messi won the statue battle.”
    One noted: “Even Messi’s statue won the World Cup but where is Ronaldo?”
    Another added: “Whoever designed the Ronaldo statue was definitely a Messi fan.” More

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      Brand new footage emerges of Messi and Weghorst’s World Cup spat as it’s revealed what sparked snub

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      BRAND new footage has emerged of Lionel Messi and Wout Weghorst’s World Cup spat.The duo famously collided as Argentina dumped Holland out of the tournament in a dramatic penalty shootout.
      Fresh footage has emerged of Lionel Messi’s rant at Wout WeghorstCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      Weghorst stared at Messi from behind a wall, prompting the Argentine’s blast
      Weghorst’s equaliser ELEVEN minutes into stoppage time set up another brilliant half hour.
      But the Manchester United striker was not smiling at the final whistle as eventual winners Argentina booked their place in the semis with a 5-4 shootout win.
      Tensions had already hit boiling point during normal time, with Leandro Paredes sparking a mass brawl when he booted the ball at Holland’s bench.
      And in the tunnel there was an incredible outburst from Messi aimed directly at Weghorst as he gave a post-match interview.
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      The Paris Saint-Germain ace said to his opponent: “Who are you looking at, stupid? Go ahead, you stupid.”
      But fresh footage has now revealed what exactly happened in the build-up to Messi’s rant.
      As the Argentina ace started giving his thoughts on the game, Weghorst could be seen peering round a WALL while watching intently on the other side of the cameras.
      Weghorst continued to look at Messi until the legendary forward caught his eye.
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      And after they made contact, Messi unleashed his now-iconic bombardment.
      The video then shows the moment Weghorst reached out to Messi with an outstretched hand.
      But the veteran had no intention of taking it, leading to Weghorst complaining: “I was waiting for him and wanted to give him a hand. And he’s doing that? That’s disrespectful.”
      Messi has since admitted he regretted the entire incident, saying: “I don’t like this picture. I don’t like what I did.
      “There was a lot of tension and it came out naturally. A lot had happened with this player and two others during the match.
      “It came out naturally. I don’t like this image.” More

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      Harry Kane is the only England player he’d take in his Golden Generation team, claims Sven-Goran Eriksson

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      SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON has declared England captain Harry Kane is the only current player he would add to his “Golden Generation” team.Kane overtook Wayne Rooney’s record as England’s all-time leading scorer with a goal against in Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier, and his other attributes mean Eriksson would have loved to have him.
      Sven-Goran Eriksson managed the England national team between 2001 and 2006Credit: Getty
      Harry Kane is the only player who would get into the golden generation according to ErikssonCredit: Rex
      Each of Eriksson’s attempts to win an international trophy ended at the quarter-final stageCredit: AFP
      Speaking to BoyleSports, Eriksson said: “If there was one player I’d love to have playing for me from this current England team, it’s very easy, Harry Kane.
      “He is a golden goalscorer, wherever he plays and you always need that.
      “He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a target player, he can make assists, he’s big, he’s a good header, good feet, he’s strong, not the quickest in the world but he’s quick.
      “He has everything and he could be the one who wins the World Cup for England and maybe he’ll be the top goalscorer at this World Cup. Every team needs a player like that.
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      “It’s only one of them, he’s very special. I like him and I suppose he will be one of the most important players for England.” 
      Eriksson, 75, managed England for five years between 2001 and 2006.
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      At his disposal, he had what many believe to be the most talented set of players England have ever produced.
      But the Three Lions never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in any of the three tournaments they participated in under the Swede.
      The likes of Rooney, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Joe Cole and Michael Owen among others were not enough for England to clinch international glory again. More

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      Bournemouth star David Brooks scores a hat-trick on his first start since his cancer battle

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      DAVID BROOKS hit a hat-trick on his first start since his cancer battle.The Bournemouth ace, who had a cameo at Aston Villa last weekend, netted three in a 45-minute outing as the development side beat Portsmouth 5-2 in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
      David Brooks came on after 536 days on the sidelines following his cancer battle as a second half substitute against Aston Villa last weekendCredit: PA
      Brooks netted his treble by bundling in the first from close range before a strike with both his left and right foot in front of the watching Cherries boss Gary O’Neil at the Vitality Stadium.
      Bournemouth’s official twitter account tweeted: “The perfect return for @DRBrooks15.
      “The winger netted a hat-trick for the development squad this evening.”
      It was the first time Brooks has scored since August 2021 when he found the back of the net against Nottingham Forest.
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      The 25-year-old has battled back from his Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2021.
      But the Wales attacker revealed he was ‘cancer free’ last October.
      After 529 days, Brooks was in the Bournemouth matchday squad and an unused sub against Liverpool earlier this month.
      Then Brooks, who has 21 Welsh caps, came off for the final 11 minutes of the Cherries’ 3-0 Prem defeat at Villa Park on Saturday.
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      But Brooks will hope his goalscoring return can provide a personal boost ahead of the season run-in and a possible Wales return for Euro 2024 qualifiers in June.  More

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      Man City ace Phil Foden has unusual hobby that ’95 per cent of football lads don’t enjoy’ but it helps him rest his legs

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      ENGLAND star Phil Foden has revealed his favourite hobby outside of football – and it’s not what you might expect.Foden, 22, has been a regular presence in Pep Guardiola’s squad since he made his debut five years ago – and has rediscovered his form in the past month.
      Phil Foden is a star for club and countryCredit: Reuters
      He has already accumulated a long list of accolades which includes four Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup as well as two PFA Young Player of the Year awards for his individual performances.
      But what Foden gets up to in his spare time is very different compared to those at the same level.
      The young star revealed that his favourite pastime is fishing.
      In an interview with Man City, he said: “The odd one likes fishing, so when people find out they say: ‘What a weird sport to enjoy’. They don’t understand why you enjoy it.
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      The Man City star has revealed that his favourite hobby is fishing
      He regularly makes time for fishing trips with his dad
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      “I think it’s the perfect hobby to rest your legs and have some down time.”
      Foden’s dad ignited his passion for the sport at a young age, so much so that the pair still regularly travel across the UK and Spain for fishing trips.
      The winger even admitted that he MISSED City’s 2018 Premier League title celebrations so that he could go on a pre-planned trip with his dad.
      He claimed that it’s the “buzz” that has made him want to keep going, as well as the quality time he gets to spend with his old man. More

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      Wales consider shock reunion with recently departed England backroom staff member

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      WALES are weighing up a return for psychologist Ian Mitchell.SunSport revealed on Wednesday that Mitchell has left his post as the Football Association’s head of performance and psychology.
      Ian Mitchell (left) has had successful spells with both Wales and England under Chris Coleman and Gareth Southgate
      Dragons boss Robert Page stated earlier this year that he was keen to bring a psychologist on board to provide an extra edge in the post-Gareth Bale era.
      Wales have not had one since Mitchell left for the FA in February 2018 after becoming a key figure in Chris Coleman’s set-up which included the memorable run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals.
      Highly-rated Mitchell was popular among Football Association of Wales staff and he will not be short of offers following his departure from Gareth Southgate’s backroom staff.
      Wales are now on red alert after the development that his services have become available.
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      Page said in January: “I want to bring in a full-time psychologist. Every other association has got one. We haven’t.
      “We need to keep evolving, progressing and improving. That’s certainly an area we need.
      “The players will thrive on that. The psychologist will come in and be a part of the culture and make sure the new players buy into that.” 
      Wales kick-off their Euro 2024 qualifiers against World Cup semi-finalists Croatia in Split on March 25 followed by a home match with Latvia in Cardiff three days later.
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      The Dragons, now captained by Aaron Ramsey, have reached three of the last four major tournaments.
      But they must overcome the obstacles of retirements from talisman Bale, Joe Allen, Chris Gunter and Jonny Williams.
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      Is Ben White in the latest England squad and why did he leave the World Cup early?

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      ARSENAL star Ben White has been left of the latest England squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers.The Three Lions are set to take on Italy and Ukraine during the next international break.
      Ben White left England’s World Cup squad earlyCredit: Getty
      The England manager has recently explained his decision to leave out Ben White.
      He said: “With Ben, it’s similar with Ben and Trent really.
      The three boys that are in as right full-backs, we’ve got them as just ahead of those two.
      “We are blessed in that position with the depth of talent.
      “It’s the hardest position to pick, albeit it’s never straightforward criteria, and it’s always shifting around a little bit on form as well.
      “Kyle and Tripps are obviously the ones that played during the World Cup, started the games during the World Cup, have been consistent.
      “And Reece coming back is another top player. So yeah we’d love to have that depth in every position on the field really.”
      Why did Ben White leave England’s World Cup squad?
      The FA explained that White left the England camp ahead of their last-16 clash with Senegal for “personal reasons”.
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      An FA statement confirmed: “Ben White has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons.
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      “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.”
      But it was later revealed that White reportedly had a bust-up with England assistant coach Steve Holland.
      Reports also claimed that the Gunners full-back became unhappy in the camp and struggled to mix with his fellow teammates.
      What did Gareth Southgate say about Ben White’s exit?
      England boss Gareth Southgate was quizzed on Ben White’s alleged bust-up with Steve Holland.
      Southgate said: “Well, not really. What I’ve been shown was alleged and there was another word that was used.
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      “I think by commenting on the story I could be giving it any form of credibility, really.
      “We explained why Ben left the camp and I think it’s important that that is respected, really.” More

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      ‘It is beautiful’ – Smug Tottenham ace Cristian Romero opens up on celebrating in Mbappe’s face as he makes NO apologies

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      CRISTIAN ROMERO claims it was “beautiful” to celebrate in Kylian Mbappe’s face during Argentina’s World Cup final triumph over France.The Tottenham centre-back even appeared to blame his antics on the hat-trick scorer “saying very bad things” to Enzo Fernandez.
      Cuti Romero: “The photo is beautiful. We are always the bad guys in the movie, but Mbappé was saying very bad things to Enzo. Leo just scored the goal and it came from inside me to do that.” @gastonedul 🗣️🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/vfLNiVcE4V— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) March 3, 2023

      Defender Cristian Romero had a right old tussle with France striker Kylian Mbappe before Argentina won the World Cup final on penaltiesCredit: Alamy
      Romero clenched his fists and roared at Mbappe from point-blank range after Lionel Messi had put Argentina 3-2 up in extra time.
      Mbappe’s spot-kick then took the Qatar showpiece to a shootout that Argentina won 4-2 – helped by keeper Emi Martinez controversially leaping around.
      And questioned about his reaction in the December 2022 final, Romero revealed he is delighted the incident has been immortalised in picture form.
      He told TyC Sports: “The photo is beautiful.
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      “We are always the bad guys in the movie, but Mbappe was saying very bad things to Enzo.
      “Leo just scored the goal and it came from inside me to do that.”
      Romero also claimed that, although winning the World Cup has taken the pressure off his career, he can’t revel in it too much as it makes his Spurs team-mates “angry”.
      He said: “Surely for the next few years I’ll be more calm, without this pressure in the national team for having achieved everything.
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      “Being world champion is the most important thing to happen to me as a player, but recently, I have relaxed a little. 
      “I leave it a bit aside otherwise my Tottenham team mates get a bit angry.”
      Romero’s Argentina colleagues Lisandro Martinez and Fernandez returned from Qatar to help inspire Manchester United to third in the Premier League.
      But while the Red Devils are still in the hunt for the Quadruple, Romero’s Spurs only have Champions League glory left as a realistic target. More

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      Fans are just realising Pepe’s real name as Portugal legend, 40, takes Cristiano Ronaldo’s vote in Fifa Best awards

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      FANS are just discovering Pepe’s real name after the 40-year-old voted in the Fifa Awards.Despite being the captain of Portugal in last year’s World Cup, Ronaldo did not cast his votes for Fifa’s best male player like the other international captains.
      Ronaldo and Pepe are the two most experienced heads in the Portugal national teamCredit: Getty
      That duty instead fell for Pepe, who opted to vote for Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema in first, second and third respectively.
      But fans were less interested in who he voted for and more so in the name that was down on the official Fifa documents.
      Instead of referring to him as Pepe, as he is commonly known in football circles, Fifa instead called him by his real name.
      He was listed down as Kepler Ferreira, with Pepe just a nickname for the defender.
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      It came as a surprise for some football fans who had long known him only by his nickname.
      On Twitter, one person wrote “Pepe??” when they saw Ferreira’s name on the document.
      When another tweeter explained it to them, they said: “wtf I feel ashamed.”
      Pepe has had and continues to have a long and distinguished career playing football at the top level.
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      He began his senior career at Portuguese side Maritimo between 2001 and 2004.
      The centre-back then left for Porto for three years when he began to establish himself as a top level defender.
      From 2007 he then spent a decade at Real Madrid and made well over 200 appearances.
      In recent years he has spent time at Besiktas and then returned to Porto in 2019.
      Along with a number of league titles and three Champions League trophies at club level, Pepe also won the Euros with Portugal in 2016 and the Nations League in 2019. More