World Cup 2022

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      ‘Ask Southgate about Afghanistan’ – Angry Iran boss Carlos Quieroz confronts BBC reporter over protest question

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      ANGRY Carlos Queiroz confronted a BBC reporter for asking about Iranian protests, demanding: Why don’t you ask Gareth Southgate about Afghanistan? Iran’s players refused to sing the national anthem in support of anti-government dissenters before being battered 6-2 by England.
      Carlos Queiroz was an assistant manager at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson during the noughtiesCredit: Getty
      But coach Queiroz took exception to a journalist urging striker Mehdi Taremi – sat beside him when talking to the media ahead of facing Wales – to provide a message for those who have taken to the streets against the authoritarian regime. 
      The Portuguese made a beeline for the reporter at the end of the press conference. 
      And he insisted: “Why do you ask us these questions? 
      “Is it not fair to ask these questions to the other coaches? 
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      “Why don’t you ask Mr Southgate about England and the United States when they left Afghanistan?” 
      Mass protests have been met with a fierce crackdown in recent months. 
      They were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September after she was detained for allegedly breaking strict rules around head coverings. 
      Before the outburst, Queiroz said: “It is the right of journalists but they should ask the same questions of the others causing problems around the world. 

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      “To make them the only people that need to give answers about human’s problems is not fair or right. 
      “It is time to ask other coaches and players about other issues.
      “The word I use is ‘respect’ for 3,000 years of Iran. It is an amazing place.” 
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      Striker Taremi refused to answer an earlier question before admitting he was not worried about going back to Iran following the team’s protest. 
      He added: “We came here to play football – I cannot change anything.”  More

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      Who is Jack Grealish’s young friend Finlay and what does the celebration mean?

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      JACK GREALISH celebrated his first World Cup goal in style after netting against Iran.England came out 6-2 victors in Group B’s opening match and put the pressure on Wales and the USMNT.
      Jack Grealish blew a kiss to the camera after scoring against Iran
      And Grealish netted the final goal in the clash after Gareth Southgate’s side put up an impressive performance.
      But just what was Grealish’s celebration and who is Finlay, the child he performed the celebration for at the World Cup?
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      Who is Jack Grealish’s young friend Finlay and what does the celebration mean?
      Finlay is an 11-year-old Manchester City supporter who has cerebral palsy.
      The young fan penned a letter to Grealish and got the ultimate surprise when the winger visited him earlier this year.
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      When meeting the City star, Finlay was offered the chance to choose Grealish’s next celebration.
      The England international said: “I’ll do a little celebration for you. What would you like me to do?”
      And then, Finlay responded: “Do the worm!”
      Jack Grealish pulled out ‘the worm’
      However, this was not the usual ‘worm’ dance that you may have thought as the 11-year-old demonstrated it with his arms, and Grealish duly obliged next time he scored.
      Netting against Iran, he celebrated with his teammates before pointing to the camera and pulling off the celebration for Finlay. More

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      ‘He nearly died’ – Watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s heart-in-mouth reaction to Portugal keeper’s last-minute howler vs Ghana

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO was left paralysed with fear in the dying seconds of Portugal’s World Cup opener with Ghana.The former Manchester United forward, 37, scored from the penalty spot to give his country the lead in the 65th minute.
      Portugal keeper Diogo Costa did not spot Inaki Williams behind him in stoppage-timeCredit: Reuters

      Cristiano Ronaldo was left gobsmacked when Costa made the mistakeCredit: ITV
      Ronaldo appeared to console Costa for his error after the gameCredit: Getty
      Costa was left thoroughly disappointed after almost costing his teamCredit: Getty
      Andre Ayew then levelled for Ghana, before Joao Felix and Rafael Leao seemed to put the game to bed for the Euro 2016 champions.
      But Osman Bukari pulled one back for the Black Stars in the final moments of normal time, before a remarkable end left Ronaldo shell-shocked.
      Portugal keeper Diogo Costa claimed the ball in the ninth minute of stoppage-time in what seemed to be the last action of the game.
      All of the players ran out of the penalty area, but Inaki Williams sneakily remained behind Costa.
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      And the Porto shot-stopper did not see the Athletic Bilbao forward as he threw the ball on the floor, with Williams stealing in to try and score.
      Fortunately for Portugal, Williams slipped as he reached the ball and allowed Ruben Dias to get back and tackle him, before Danilo Pereira cleared it away to ensure they won the game 3-2.
      And Ronaldo, whose Manchester United contract was terminated earlier this week, reacted in a thoroughly eye-catching way as he put his hand on his head and dropped his jaw in disbelief.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “They almost killed the old man LOL. Don’t do that, Diogo Costa.”
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      Another added: “Ronaldo nearly died 😂😂😂. Diogo Costa, please.”
      A third said: “Diogo Costa, you’ve just shaved five years off Ronaldo’s lifespan.”
      And a fourth added: “Ronaldo was more shocked than when he got his Man Utd contract termination.”
      Costa’s error did prove to be Ghana’s final opportunity of the game as Portugal sealed a dramatic first victory at this year’s World Cup.

      Ronaldo also helped himself to another record during the game, becoming the first player to score in FIVE World Cups.
      Next up for Fernando Santos’ side is a clash with Uruguay on Monday, before they face South Korea four days later. More

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      We spent more than £80 on TINY cold burgers & bottled beer in Qatar hotel… even our chips were dry, says World Cup fan

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      WORLD CUP fans have told how they spent £80 on five bottled beers and two hilariously tiny burgers at a luxury hotel in Doha. Wales fans piled into the ritzy bar and managed to drink it dry as they endured the expensive booze and food.
      Pictures shared of the grey-looking mini served in QatarCredit: news.com.au
      The fans spent £80 five beers and the two small burgersCredit: news.com.au
      The high price and questionable quality of food and drink in Qatar is becoming a major talking point for fans at the World Cup.
      And one group of fans revealed their experience as 1,600 fans packed into a lavish hotel bar with just two toilets, reports news.com.au.
      Booze has become even more of a precious commodity after it was banned from stadium complexes on orders of the Qatari Royals.
      So fans either have to wait for it to go on sale at the one of the fanzones – with the bars opening at 6.30pm.
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      Or they have to hunt out the licenced hotel bars dotted around the cities which can sell alcohol to foreigners and non-Muslims.
      Welsh fans endured the high prices as they watched national hero Gareth Bale thump home a penalty to net them a 1-1 draw with the US.
      But one group of fans paid £79 for five bottles of beer – or around £16 a bottle.
      It did come with some food, but they ended up with some unappetising looking cold “mini-burgers” and a small portion of dry wedges.
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      “It is what it is really,” said Wales fan Ieuan.
      “We’d rather pay this than walk around struggling to find somewhere to have a drink.
      “We’re staying on a cruise ship where the drinks are about the same price, so it’s just nice to get off that today.”

      Fans queued up from 1.30pm to get inside the bar before the Wales game kicked off at 10pm.
      The tiny burgers are the latest piece of scran to cause a stir at the World Cup.
      Fans were left baffled by a £9 “Greek” salad being served in a fanzone – which looked like a bag of supermarket salad with one olive.
      And they were stunned by the breakfast allegedly being served at the near £200-a-night ten accommodation.
      It was a hodgepodge of items that was compared to a child’s packed lunch from a school trip.
      Qatar has already faced questions over organisation of the World Cup – with reports weeks before the start that the nation simply was not ready.
      Confusion over the sale of beer, infrastructure problems and reports of crowd trouble at the fanzone have already surfaced.

      The tiny country is expected to welcome more than one million fans during the tournament – when the country only has a population of 2.9million.
      Billions have been spent to try and ready the nation for its first attempt at holding an event of this scale. More

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      ‘He can shut all the IDIOTS up’ – Roy Keane backs Cristiano Ronaldo to perform at World Cup after Man Utd axing

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      ROY KEANE has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to prove his critics wrong by performing at the World Cup. Ronaldo is now a free agent after having his contract terminated by Manchester United in the aftermath of his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      Cristiano Ronaldo in action tonight for PortugalCredit: Getty
      Roy Keane said he wanted Ronaldo to do his talking on the pitchCredit: Getty
      But Utd legend Keane has backed the Portugal star to bounce back at what is likely his final World Cup – something which may have contributed to his flood of emotion prior to kick off with Ghana.
      While working as a pundit on ITV, Keane said: “I am looking forward to seeing him play. It will settle down now. He has done his talking with a couple of interviews.
      “He has to do his talking on the pitch. I hope he performs on the pitch and I believe he will. He can shut a few people up, all the idiots who have been criticising him.
      “I am lucky to have played with him and am glad to be watching him tonight.”
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      Ronaldo led the line for Portugal as they took on Ghana in their World Cup opener.
      The 37-year-old had the ball in the net in the first half but saw his strike ruled out after the referee deemed him to have fouled a Ghana defender to win the ball back – leaving him fuming.
      He has also been on the other end of striker fortunes, with his first touch letting him down for an early one-on-one chance before he squandered a good headed opportunity.
      But eventually he found his breakthrough from the penalty spot and became the first player to ever score at five World Cups.
      Portugal held on to record an opening-game 3-2 win against a gallant Ghana side.
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      The former Juventus and Real Madrid star got back on the scoresheet for the first time for Portugal since scoring a brace against Switzerland in June.
      Ronaldo has struggled with his form at club level this season, scoring just once in the Premier League before his United contract was terminated.
      His future is up in the air at the moment, but an official contract offer for him has been placed by 14th-tier side AFC Crewe for a club-record £35-a-week.
      During his tell-all interview, Ronaldo said he felt the club had betrayed him and that he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag.
      Ronaldo also fired a stinging shot at the Glazers as he said they did not care about the club.

      Whether it was a contributing factor or simply a coincidence remains to be seen, but the Glazers have since put the Old Trafford outfit up for sale.
      This has sparked debate over who might take over the mantle of the club, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, David Beckham and even tech giants Apple among the names tossed into the hat for an ownership bid. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo fumes as Ghana star scores against Portugal at World Cup 2022 and copies his ‘Siu’ celebration

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO was left fuming after Ghana’s Osman Bakari scored against Portugal – and then copied his famous ‘Siu’ celebration. The 37-year-old had been enjoying his evening after his penalty gave his nation the lead.
      Osman Bukari cheekily used Ronaldo’s celebration as he pulled Ghana back into an entertaining gameCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo looked far from happy in the dugoutCredit: ITV
      Ronaldo had, of course, earlier used his own celebration after opening the scoring with a penaltyCredit: Reuters

      Portugal then pulled away into a commanding 3-1 lead after quickfire goals from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao as Ronaldo was subbed off.
      But the game was not over as Bakari popped up in the Portugal box to pull one back for the African side just before another lengthy stoppage time period.
      He then raced over to the corner flag alone before audaciously copying the ‘Siu’ goal celebration.
      A stunned Ronaldo watched on from the dugout and was seen shouting and throwing his arms up in frustration.
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      Football fans found the moment hilarious and the moment quickly went viral.
      One person said on Twitter: “The thought of the Ghana players running back to the centre circle while Bakari was doing the siu has me with tears in my eyes.”
      Another said: “Haven’t stopped laughing at that Ghana player doing the siu at 3-2 down.
      Ronaldo has done his iconic celebration for several years now after hitting the back of the net.

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      It sees the star propel himself high into the air as he does a full 180 spin.
      As he lands on the ground, the former Real Madrid forward throws his arms across his body to strike a formidable pose.
      Bakari was not able to get the same height on his leap but certainly seemed to get a reaction out of Ronaldo.
      Football fans also could not believe their eyes at the cheeky celebration steal.
      One wrote on Twitter: “Very entertaining second half of football. Loved Bakari’s celebration and Ronaldo’s face!”
      Another said: “Haha Ghana’s Bakari with the most shameless celebration after a goal that I’ve seen in a while. How do you ‘siuuu’ while CR7 is on the bench. Hilarious stuff.”

      And a third tweeter wrote: “Ghana’s Osman Bakari might be my new favouite player for hitting the Ronaldo celebration against Portugal.”
      Aside from the copycat move, it was an enjoyable and historic night for the Portuguese talisman after a long week off the field.
      Just days after he agreed with Manchester United to mutually rip up his contract, Ronaldo won and scored a penalty against Ghana.
      The strike meant he became the first player in history to score at five different World Cups.

      Bakari’s goal meant the game had a nervy conclusion which became even more dramatic after keeper Diogo Costa almost dropped an enormous and extraordinary clanger.
      But Portugal held on to win 3-2 in a game that had been goalless until the 65th minute.
      Bukari scored a late goal for Ghana before copying Ronaldo’s trademark poseCredit: Reuters
      His goal set up a very nervy ending to the match but Portugal managed to hold on 3-2Credit: Reuters More

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      Portugal 3 Ghana 2: Cristiano Ronaldo scores in tense World Cup 2022 win just days after Man Utd axing

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO became the first player to score in FIVE World Cups in his first game since THAT interview.But he was forced to share the limelight with whizkids Joao Felix and Rafael Leao whose strikes chalked off Andre Ayew’s leveller and ensured a Portugal victory.
      Ronaldo celebrates after hitting the opener after having a goal disallowedCredit: EPA
      Ronaldo scorched home Portugal’s penalty breakthrough to become the first player to score at five World CupsCredit: Reuters
      Joao Felix curves the goal of the game to make it 3-1 to PortugalCredit: Getty
      Portuguese megastar Ronaldo had made it a jaw-dropping 118 goals in 192 Portugal appearances by converting a second-half penalty to down Ghana.
      Cries of ‘Siu’, the sound to his iconic celebration, belted around Doha’s Stadium 974 as his adoring fanbase went wild.
      It capped Ronaldo’s first performance since he sent the footballing world potty – and sparked his own acrimonious split from Manchester United – with his internet-breaking chat with Piers Morgan on Talk TV.
      Ex-Swansea star and Ghana captain Andre Ayew had threatened to take the shine off Ronaldo’s evening when levelling eight minutes later.
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      But Bruno Fernandes – now an ex-United colleague of Ronaldo – set up both Felix and Leao to seal the win.
      Ghana sub Osman Bukari also netted with a late header and had the temerity to do his own ‘Siu’ celebration – which did not go down well with an already-subbed Ronaldo.
      All eyes were on Ronaldo from the off after his Old Trafford split had been all anyone wanted to talk about in the build-up to Portugal’s campaign.
      He looked pumped in the warm-up, where he was greeted with huge cheers from his supporters, and looked like he had something to prove.
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      But Bruno Fernandes – now an ex-United colleague of Ronaldo – set up both Felix and Leao to seal the win.
      Ghana sub Osman Bukari also netted with a late header and had the temerity to do his own ‘Siu’ celebration – which did not go down well with an already-subbed Ronaldo.
      All eyes were on Ronaldo from the off after his Old Trafford split had been all anyone wanted to talk about in the build-up to Portugal’s campaign.
      He looked pumped in the warm-up, where he was greeted with huge cheers from his supporters, and looked like he had something to prove.
      Ronaldo also appeared to well up when singing A Portuguesa, his nation’s ultra-patriotic national anthem ahead of his own fifth World Cup.
      His first half display appeared to sum up why United were willing to wash their hands of the 37-year-old.
      Ronaldo had Portugal’s best two chances but fluffed both of them, proving how he is not the player he once was and therefore deemed not worth the trouble.
      His first saw him played clean through by Otavio but his touch was heavy and allowed the goalkeeper to rush out to block his shot.
      Osman Bukari sparked a worrying finale for Portugal by heading Ghana back into it late on but Ronaldo and Co held onCredit: Reuters
      Cristiano Ronaldo tucked home this first-half effort but saw it ruled out for offsideCredit: Reuters
      Ronaldo then made a characteristically-stratospheric leap to meet Raphael Guerreiro’s cross but his header went weakly wide.
      The former Real Madrid icon did have the ball in the net just after the half hour but a foul had already been given for his push on the defender.
      His moment finally arrived in the 65th minute after a somewhat soft penalty had been given when he fell to the ground under a challenge from Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu.
      Ronaldo kept his cool and smashed the spot-kick past stopper Lawrence Ati-Zigi for his moment of history.
      Ayew had not read the script though and levelled when converting a cutback from Mohammed Kudus – tipped by many to be a world star.
      Order was restored when Fernandes sent through Atletico Madrid man Felix, 23, who clipped the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.
      Fernandes then teed up AC Milan goal-getter Leao to net with his first touch and put some daylight between the two sides.
      Ronaldo had a chance to make it four when sent racing past the Ghana backline but he could not beat Ati-Zigi.
      Ronaldo initially didn’t realise his early strike had been disallowedCredit: EPA
      Ousted Man Utd legend Ronaldo should have done better with this headerCredit: PA
      Free agent Ronaldo can’t believe his misfortune as Portugal pushed for a breakthrough against Ghana in DohaCredit: Getty
      The former Red Devil, who turns 38 in February, was then withdrawn with the game looking done as a contest.
      But sub Bukari had other ideas as he found the corner with a header – before pulling off his cheeky Ronaldo impression in celebration, leaving the real deal looking less than impressed in the dugout.
      Ronaldo watched on in horror towards the end of NINE minutes of injury time as Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa almost had a Shay Given moment when putting the ball on the floor,  not realising Inaki Williams was behind him.
      Williams raced round him, just as Coventry striker Dion Dublin did Newcastle stopper Given in 1997, and nicked the ball.

      But unlike Dublin, he could not find the net and Costa got away with it.
      Ronaldo was fuming with his goalkeeper after the final whistle eventually blew – as his first game back was almost ruined by such a moment of madness. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo scores in first game after Man Utd axing and makes World Cup history as he sets incredible record

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has become the first player ever to score at FIVE World Cups after breaking the deadlock against Ghana. Former Manchester United ace Ronaldo was brought down in the penalty area before dispatching it to the left side of the goal.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored in five World CupsCredit: Reuters
      Ronaldo won the penalty and then did the business from the spotCredit: Reuters
      It is Ronaldo’s first Portugal goal since scoring a brace against Switzerland in June.
      The 37-year-old struck an emotional tone before the game as he enters what is likely to be his final appearance at a World Cup.
      He appeared to be close to tears as he was given a hero’s welcome from the Portugal faithful.
      Ronaldo had the ball in the net during the first half as well, but he was deemed to have fouled a Ghana defender in order to win the ball back – a decision which left him fuming.
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      But he was not prepared to allow this game to by him without a goal, and subsequently scored his nations opener.
      There was then a goal glut in the game.

      Andre Ayew equalised for Ghana before a quick double from Joao Felix and Rafael Leao put Portugal back in front.
      But the West Africans were not done yet, and ensured it was a nervy finish for CR& and co when Osman Bukari brilliantly finished in the 89th minute.
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      He then went on to anger recently-subbed Ronaldo by copying his famous ‘siuuuu’ celebration.
      Roy Keane admitted earlier today he was looking forward to watching Ronaldo play in order to “shut a few people up.”
      Ronaldo has been in the news throughout the build up to the Qatar after conducting an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      The aftermath of the interview has seen Ronaldo released by Man Utd after taking a particularly stinging swipe at the Glazers.

      Whether it was a contributing factor to the American family’s decision to put Man Utd up for sale remains to be seen, but fans are now debating over who might take over the reins at the club.
      Tech giants Facebook, Amazon and Apple have all been linked along with INEOS CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe and David Beckham. More