World Cup 2022

JACK GREALISH says all of England’s fab five are desperate to start against Senegal – but the two that do will rally round the three that do not.Gareth Southgate has a serious headache – albeit a luxury one – over which two widemen to pick against the Lions of Teranga.
Jack Grealish insists England starters and subs are united in the 2022 World CupCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden look in the box seat after netting against Wales, but Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka and Grealish are pushing hard too.
The quintet have all netted at the World Cup too, making Southgate’s selection dilemma for Sunday’s last-16 clash even tougher.
Speaking on the Lions’ Den on the FA’s YouTube channel, Grealish said: “It’s going to be one of those games you’ll be desperate to play in. 
“It’s obviously difficult for the manager because he can only pick 11 players. I’m sure everyone is going to want to play in it. 
Read More on World Cup
“But no matter who he picks we’ll all be supporting each other. 
“Because that’s one thing we have here, we have massive togetherness. I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be a massive occasion.”
Grealish netted in the opening-game 6-2 thrashing of Iran – a moment he labelled the best of his England career so far.
The man signed by Manchester City from Aston Villa for £100million has come in each of the Three Lions’ group games.
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
He is loving life on football’s biggest stage, which is a far cry from the Highgate United pitch, based in Solihull, that he used to play on under another name as a nipper in the Villa academy.
Grealish explained: “I was at Highgate when I was like four or five. Then I went there when I was a bit older, like 10, 11, 12.

“Villa would never let me play in these tournaments but sometimes I would sneakily play in them. Just because it was football.
“[I would play under the name] Jack Greaves. That was my dad’s idea, though. That weren’t mine. 
Manchester City star Jack Grealish insists there is “massive togetherness” in EnglandCredit: Getty
“Back in the day there was no social media, so no one was like ‘that’s Jack Grealish the 10-year-old from Villa’ would they. I wasn’t a big hitter back then!”
England copped flak for their bore draw against USA in the second group game.
But no nation won all three of their group matches and Grealish feels the team should be praised more for being tournament top-scorers.
The 27-year-old added: “We’re the top goalscorers, no one has scored more than us. 
Read More on The Sun
“We’ve only conceded two goals, one being a penalty. It weren’t a penalty either. 
“I think we deserve a bit of credit going into these knockout games.” More

SON HEUNG-MIN turned the air blue as emotions ran away with him during the most dramatic moment of his international career.South Korea’s captain told his team-mates how ‘f*****g’ proud he is at the way they fought back from the brink in the World Cup.
Son gave an x-rated team talk as they waited for confirmation from the other Group H gameCredit: Reuters
The Tottenham star lead the celebrations when qualification to the knockouts were finally realisedCredit: Rex
An injury time goal on Friday set up by the Tottenham striker secured a shock 2-1 win over Portugal but there was still an anxious wait for the other Group H game to finish before qualification to the last 16 was confirmed.
Son will now lead his team against awesome Brazil in Monday’s knockout game.
And he said: “It was the longest six minutes of my life. But in the circle we were really positive. The guys were saying, we deserve this. 
“Then I said, ‘look whatever happens, even if Uruguay score one more goal, I’m f***ing proud of this team and very happy we gave everything, we’ll see what is going to happen’. 
READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
“And everyone was just waiting but those minutes were long minutes.
“Everyone gave everything and I’m very happy and very proud to me with this team.
“We are spending more time together than with our friends and families. In the camp, the guys have already been here for more than a month so we are close, really close. 
“I’m grateful because those who didn’t play could be really sad but they didn’t show their disappointment, they gave everything on the bench to support us and this makes a huge difference to be one team. I’m happy and grateful to lead this team. It makes a huge difference.”
Most read in Football
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
The South Koreans are renowned for their demure ways and politeness, making Son’s X-rated address even more remarkable.
They will be huge underdogs against the five-times world champions but now it is down to a straight fight in a one-off game there is the chance to land one fatal punch.
South Korea’s Portuguese coach Paulo Bento will be back in the dugout after serving a one match touchline ban.  
He was given a red card by English ref Anthony Taylor for his outburst at the end of the second group game when his team was not given time to push for an equaliser against Ghana.
Son said: “The boss is really important. We didn’t want his last game to be not on the bench so the players knew we had to give everything to be all together so until yesterday we were training together. We trained well. He believed in us and in his coaching staff so it was perfectly done by him.” More

CRISTIANO RONALDO left his Portugal team-mates baffled with a “revolutionary” prank during training.Ronaldo helped his national team advance to the 2022 World Cup’s Round of 16 after topping Group H ahead of Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea, who joined them in the knockouts.
Cristiano Ronaldo put together a “revolutionary” prank during Portugal’s trainingCredit: Twitter@MadridPreeti
And before Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Koreans, the Portugal captain proved he hasn’t lost his flare despite his 37 years of age as he left his team-mates in awe with a stunning fake header.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner picked the ball up and was ready to head it towards a team-mate on his left.
But the star forward instead headed it to his team-mate in front of him with a moment of brilliance.
Ronaldo then pointed to the one on his left with a cheeky smile and let out a big chuckle.
Read More on World Cup
Fans were also stunned as they took to Twitter to praise their idol’s skills.
One fan tweeted: “[Lionel] Messi could never.”
Another posted: “Ronaldo literally does anything: THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY.”
A third wrote: “Fake headers are Ronaldo’s specialty.”
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
Cristiano Ronaldo left his Portugal team-mates baffled with his fake headerCredit: Twitter@MadridPreeti
This fan commented: “F**k that was Insane.”
And that one tweeted: “I NEED to see him do this in a game.”
Ronaldo is currently a free agent after his dramatic exit from Manchester United following a bombshell interview in which he slammed the club from top to bottom.
The Real Madrid legend is currently focused on the World Cup but has received some lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs Al Nassr and Al Hilal. More

MEMPHIS DEPAY’S World Cup is up and running.He finished possibly the best front-to-back move this tournament will see to open the scoring at the Khalifa Stadium.
Memphis Depay opened the scoring with a rasping finish in the tenth minuteCredit: Getty
Daley Blind doubled the Oranje’s leadCredit: REX
Haji Wright’s neat flick set up a nervy finish for the DutchCredit: GETTY
When Daley Blind added a second in first-half injury time that had the Dutch in command.
Why were Depay and Blind off-loaded by Manchester United again?
The USA would respond through Haji Wright on 75 minutes, but Denzel Dumfries made things safe with a side foot volley six minutes later having assisted the first two Dutch goals.
Depay was the star of Holland’s qualification campaign with 12 goals and six assists but he has had to be eased into this tournament having not played since mid-September due to a hamstring injury.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Louis van Gaal said he had to pace his return right so he could have the best of him in the knockout phase and that is what he has got.
Perhaps we are starting to see the best of the Dutch too despite criticism of Van Gaal’s style of play back home.
This was a third win out of four to go with a draw out here in Qatar to extend his unbeaten run since returning for a third stint in charge of the Netherlands to 19 games.
How much further can the legendary boss take them? Well not much was expected of his 2014 side in Brazil and they went within penalty kicks of the final.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
The way they controlled this game and brilliantly executed their goals will have other countries with designs on the big prize taking notice.
The opening goal on ten minutes was at odds with much of what we have seen from the Dutch, which has been effective but dull.
It involved 20 uninterrupted passes, the most by a Dutch team at a World Cup since these statistics began being record in 1966.
The defence to attack first time passing of the ball finished with Cody Gakpo spreading it wide to Denzel Dumfries who spotted Depay had slowed his run to hang just inside the area.
He picked him out and the Barcelona man’s first time finish from 16 yards with his instep was perfect, across Matt Turner and into the far side of the goal.
Dumfries assisted for the second also.
He was found by Davy Klaassen and the pull-back was perfect again this time finding Blind who had ghosted into the centre of the box from his left wing-back position to execute the first time finish.
Off he went to the Dutch dug out in celebration and after being mobbed by the substitutes he had a special hug with dad Danny who is assistant to Van Gaal.
To think the USA had started off so well having a great chance to take the lead after just three minutes when Tyler Adams hooked the ball over the Dutch defence for Christian Pulisic to be left one on one.
The save from Andries Noppert was out the top draw as he flung out his left leg to deflect the ball wide off his shin.
Denzel Dumfries made sure of the Oranje’s progression into the last eightCredit: REUTERS
The USA responded at the start of the second-half and Tim Ream saw his chance to get his country back into it denied when Gakpo hacked the ball of the line.
Then on 76 minutes they were back in it thanks to more than a slice of good fortune.
Not even scorer Haji Wright will be able to explain quite how he did it as Pulisic’s cross sliced off the top of his boot and looped over Noppert and in.
Read More on The Sun
Game alive, but not for long as five minutes later the excellent Dumfries met fellow wing back Daley Blind’s cross to turn a side foot volley in.
The Dutch march on to the last eight. More

ENGLAND star Luke Shaw told Jack Grealish that Manchester City players stand out while on national team duty. Grealish, 27, was speaking to the media ahead of the Three Lions’ huge last-16 tie versus Senegal and he revealed what Shaw had told him about his club teammates.
Jack Grealish and his Man City teammates stand out in England’s campCredit: Getty
Luke Shaw has started all three England games at the World CupCredit: Getty
The attacking midfielder opened up on a video of Phil Foden doing kick-ups that has gone viral online, Grealish said: “Me and Phil do that all the time.
“Luke Shaw said to me ‘when I come away with England you can tell who the City lads are as you always have a ball.’
“It’s true. Me, Phil, even Kyle [Walker] are always wanting a ball, whether it be back home, at the camp, or here.
“At Aston Villa players would be sitting there on their phones, then at City you’re sitting there and balls are flying across the changing room.”
READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
It appears that Man City players constantly have the ball at their feet and seem football obsessed.
And the never-ending practice seems to be working with Pep Guardiola’s English talents impressing at the World Cup so far.
Grealish scored in the 6-2 hammering of Iran, Foden netted in the win over Wales and John Stones has been excellent at the back alongside Harry Maguire.
Additionally, Walker formed part of the back four that kept a clean sheet versus the Dragons and Kalvin Phillips played 30 minutes in the game.
Most read in Football
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
England boss Gareth Southgate now faces a selection dilemma for the game against Senegal with so many players on top form.
The positive displays of the City stars will be music to the ears of Guardiola with his team needing to be at their best on the return of Premier League action on Boxing Day.
Man City have work to do as they trail Arsenal in first by five points. More

MOROCCO’S hottest fan has jetted to Qatar to cheer on her team at the World Cup as they get ready to face off Spain.Ilham hopes the North African side can make history by cruising into the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Ilham with her pal at Morocco’s clash with Canada on ThursdayCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
The brunette at Al Thumama Stadium after Morocco’s win against BelgiumCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
She hopes her team can go all the wayCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
She had a pitchside seat at Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday as Walid Regragui’s men saw off Canada for a place in the last 16.
The brunette, who works as a real estate agent, posed with a pal in a football top as she beamed and waved a flag following the 2-1 win.
She captioned the Instagram post: “Closer than ever.”
Ilham was also at the stadium just days earlier to watch Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Belgium.
More World Cup news
With her hair half up and half down, she threw a peace sign and she grinned by the pitch.
Ilham has been supporting her team in Doha since the tournament kicked off.
She captioned one post from the city: “Moroccan vibes always win”.
Ilham headed to Morocco’s first clash against Croatia on November 23 at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Most read in The Sun
She hopes to cheer her side on all the way to the final after Morocco reached the final 16 for only the second time this tournament – their best World Cup performance since 1986.
They will play against Spain on Tuesday at 3pm GMT.
It comes after Poland’s hottest fan who has been dubbed “Miss World Cup” has revealed why she has snubbed this year’s World Cup – and which England player she has her eye on.
Model and football fan Marta Barczok announced she would skip the controversial tournament in Qatar.
The influencer had attended various tournaments in the past including Euro 2016, 2020 and World Cup 2018.
But she told The Sun she would not be going to Qatar due to the country’s human rights record and fears of “corruption”.
Marta said she predicts England will reach the top four.
And she revealed her favourite Three Lions star- Harry Kane.
Marta told The Sun: “I think England will be in the top four, you have a really great squad and of course Harry Kane, who in my opinion is one of the best strikers in the world.
“I watch him live during Tottenham games, I support Spurs and I am on most of the home games.”
The model predicted that France would go to the finals and shared her hopes Poland would reach the semi-finals.
Read More on The Sun
She said that “looking at the first game I don’t think this will be that easy”.
The estate agent, who is in Doha, said ‘Moroccan vibes always win’Credit: Instagram/ilhm_di
Ilham outside Al Bayt StadiumCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di More