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      World Cup 2022 Qatar vs Ecuador LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, kick-off time for opener after stunning ceremony

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      THE WORLD CUP has kicked off with hosts Qatar vs Ecuador taking place RIGHT NOW!But fans in the UK have fumed with BBC after the TV channel did NOT show the entire opening ceremony.
      The Middle Eastern side face the South Americans as they look to gain an early foothold in Group A, which also contains Senegal and the Netherlands.
      The Qataris had never qualified for a World Cup before, but are the current Asian champions so will expect to put up a good fight in front of their own fans.

      Qatar vs Ecuador kick-off time: 4pm
      TV channel: BBC One
      Live stream: BBC website

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      Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
      Qatar 0-0 Ecuador
      5. The free kick is lofted into the box and the keeper came for it and didn’t make it at all.
      The ball is kept alive and played into the six yard box.
      Valencia is there to head home his fourth ever World Cup goal.
      Amazingly it has been ruled out for offside.
      Loud cheer from the home fans.
      Goal – Enner Valencia (Ecuador)
      Qatar 0-0 Ecuador
      3. Free kick is given to Ecuador, Caicedo was caught late.
      He is back up on his feet, walking a little gingerly.
      Chance for them to put a ball into the Qatar penalty box.
      Qatar 0-0 Ecuador
      1. The hosts decide to kick-off before the in-stadium countdown ends.
      Looking to play the ball directly, testing the Ecuador defenders.
      It is all a bit scrappy in the opening exchanges.
      Kick-off: Qatar vs Ecuador
      We are ready to go in the Al Bayt Stadium.
      It is a 60,000 sell-out here today.
      Qatar kick off, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is underway.
      The one that they all want
      We are moments away from the kick-off of the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup.
      The hosts walk out to standing ovations from their fans who have already been in the ground three hours before kick-off.
      As the national anthems of both sides are played, we edge closer to the tournament we have all been craving.
      Credit: Reuters
      Ecuador tipped as dark horses
      Brazil manager Tite has tipped Ecuador as his dark horses for the 2022 World Cup.
      Having drawn with his side on the last two meetings, Tite’s side have struggled to get one over their fellow South Americans.
      Qatar will be hoping they can prove him wrong today.
      Credit: Getty
      Ecuador subs:
      4. Arboleda, 5. Cifuentes, 6. Pacho, 8. Gruezo, 9. Preciado, 12. Ramírez, 14. Arreaga, 15. Mena, 16. Sarmiento, 18. Palacios, 21. Franco, 22. Domínguez, 24. Reasco, 25. Porozo, 26. Rodríguez
      Ecuador starting XI:
      1. Galíndez, 17. Preciado, 2. Torres, 3. Hincapié, 7. Estupiñán, 19. Plata, 20. Méndez, 23. Caicedo, 10. Ibarra, 13. E Valencia, 11. Estrada
      Qatar subs:
      4. Jadoua Al Bayati, 5. Odeh, 7. Abdelmotaal, 8. Thaimn Qambar, 9. Muntari, 13. Djebril Mohamed, 17. Mohammad, 18. Mazeed, 20. Al Hajri, 21. Ali, 22. Barsham, 23. Al Haj Madibo, 24. Al Hadhrami, 25. Abdulsallam, 26. Meshaal
      Qatar starting XI:
      1. Al Sheeb, 15. Al Rawi, 16. Khoukhi, 3. Al Haj Fadlalla, 2. Carvalho Deus Correia, 12. Boudiaf, 6. Mohammed Abdullah, 14. Ahmed, 10. Al Haydos, 19. Abdulla, 11. Afif
      Fans ready for the football
      An impressive opening ceremony has built the excitement with the fans for the festival of football to begin.
      Supporters of both teams are making themselves heard.
      It is a sea of colour in the Al Bayt Stadium.
      Credit: Getty
      Credit: Getty
      Qatar readying themselves for debut
      Felix Sanchez Bas’s men are competing on the biggest international stage for the first time in their history.
      While Ecuador will make their return to the World Cup finals after an eight-year absence.
      Qatar are aiming to become the first World Cup debutants to win their opening match since Senegal beat then defending champions France in 2002.
      Ecuador players wait in the tunnel, tensions building for kick off.
      Credit: Getty
      Credit: Getty
      Spectacle for the eye to see
      As explosions go off all around us, the firework display is something to behold.
      The entire stadium lit up by the display, lighting the night sky.

      Stadium filling for the opening game
      It is almost reaching fever-pitch in the stadium now as we edge ever closer to kick off.
      This has been some ten years in the waiting for the people of Qatar.
      In and around the ground you can feel the excitement.
      Credit: Getty
      Firework display
      Fireworks have exploded during the opening ceremony.
      Let’s hope for fireworks on the pitch as the first match of the tournament will do well to live up to the opening ceremony.
      It’s been quite the event in the packed out Al Bayt Stadium ahead of kick-off.

      La’eeb appearance
      The Qatar World Cup mascot made an appearance during the opening ceremony.
      The name La’eeb comes from the Arabic word meaning super-skilled player and the mascot will be seen a lot during the tournament.
      Fifa have declared that everybody is invited to interpret what it looks like.

      Translations now available
      I was right: “Welcome and good luck to all,” the Emir finishes, the signal for a thunderclap of spectacular fireworks to light up the desert night sky.
      Al Bayt is a giant Bedouin tent, with two honking great firepits as well outside.
      But that’s it.
      Credit: Alamy
      Ceremonies continue in Qatar
      My Arabic is slightly shaky, I confess. 
      But I think he’s just welcomed the world to Qatar and declared the World Cup officially open.
      Who do you think he’s cheering for?
      Can’t see too many armbands on that dais, I must admit.
      South Korea sensation
      Jung Kook from BTS was there to perform as the KPOP superstar took to the stage.
      It was high budget for Junk Kook, who will be supporting his country South Korea.
      They kick-off their World Cup campaign on Thursday against Uruguay in Group H.

      Freeman paints a picture
      “Football spans the world,” intones Morgan.
      Just struck me, he was part of the US delegation for the vote in 2010. Along with Bill Clinton, When they lost to Qatar.
      Good to see he’s a man of principle…
      So it goes.
      Shirts as far as the eye can see
      And the music.
      Loads of fan chants from around the world.
      So, “please don’t take me home” and a riff on the Crystal Palace chant. Holmesdale Road meets Al Khor. Lovely.
      Meanwhile, giant shirts of all 32 teams bounce up and down, along with the flags of the competing countries. 
      In case I didn’t say….it’s flipping loud, too.
      Credit: Reuters
      Credit: Reuters
      Famous faces to be seen everywhere
      Here we go, then.
      Al Bayt Stadium
      Morgan Freeman promises us a journey over land and sea…lovely.
      Credit: AP
      Ceremony underway!
      The World Cup opening ceremony has been brilliant.
      Credit: Getty
      Credit: Alamy
      Credit: Getty
      Credit: Getty
      Ceremony fast approaches
      The Sun’s Chief Sports Reporter, Martin Lipton, from Qatar:
      Those at home are watching a video of Arabian tribesmen in the desert. I think that was just basking sharks, too. Nice music, mind.
      Oh, by the way, did I tell you about the absolute nightmare I had getting in? No. Well, I’m here, just.
      And, to be fair, there is a lot of excitement.
      Now for the show.. 
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      Fans all say same thing about dodgy sound on BBC’s coverage of World Cup 2022 after snubbing entire opening ceremony

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      FOOTBALL fans have slammed the BBC’s coverage of the first World Cup game after issues with the sound during the broadcast.Gary Lineker introduced the tournament live from Doha ahead of Qatar’s clash with Ecuador.
      The sound kept cutting in and out during BBC’s coverage of the opening gameCredit: BBC
      They opted against showing any of the opening ceremony in a move criticised by many on social media.
      And those online were then angered even further as the audio began to bizarrely cut in and out.
      Speaking on Twitter, one person said: “Why does it sound like somebody is washing the dishes in the background of the BBC World Cup coverage? 🤣🤣🤣 The audio is horrendous.”
      Another added: “What the f*** is wrong with the sound on BBC1?”
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
      A third said: “Why does it sound like someone is playing with spoons next to a microphone on the BBC??”
      A fourth added: “Is that the stadium still being built in the background on the BBC sound?”
      And another said: “What’s with the sound on the BBC in the studio? Sounds like Gary is talking into a glass box on Teams.”
      The Qatar World Cup has come under severe criticism due to the country’s human rights record.
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      There have also been allegations of corruption during the process of winning the bid.
      But, nearly 12 years after being awarded the tournament, it is now getting underway.
      Qatar’s game against Ecuador is the only match taking place on Sunday.
      It is followed on Monday by three more matches, starting with England vs Iran, before Senegal vs Netherlands and USA vs Wales. More

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      Incredible behind-the-scenes footage reveals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were NOT together for viral chess photo

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      LOUIS VUITTON have released incredible behind-the-scenes footage for their incredible internet-breaking ad featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair were pictured playing chess against one another in the photoshoot, paired with very similar captions.
      Lionel Messi featured prominently in the behind-the-scenes footageCredit: Louis Vuitton
      The footage revealed Messi was not in the same room as his chess opponentCredit: Louis Vuitton
      On Cristiano Ronaldo’s end he was seen meeting with photographers in preparation for the shootCredit: Louis Vuitton
      Both players gave interviews ahead of the World CupCredit: Louis Vuitton
      The image caused a tidal wave on the internetCredit: Instagram @cristiano
      However, it has now been revealed the pair were NOT present in the room together when the photo was taken.
      In fact, for the photo they were both asked to pose in their respective positions before it was spliced together for them both to post it.
      Both superstars also gave interviews ahead of what is likely to be their fifth and final tournaments.
      Argentina captain Messi said: “This will be my fifth World Cup. The most memorable victory was being acclaimed by the Argentinian people. It was a great victory for me.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      “I think it’s spectacular that trophies travel in Louis Vuitton. This trophy is so important, it is the greatest award of all in football. It deserves the best of the best.”
      Meanwhile, Man Utd rebel Ronaldo added: “This will be my fifth World Cup so I think it is a great achievement.”
      The pair have been fighting over the tag of “the greatest of all time” for more than a decade.
      The image caused social media to explode as fans lost their minds at seeing Messi and Ronaldo together.
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      Both men posted similar captions alongside the photo – which the pair shared on Instagram. And between them they have gained almost 60 million likes.
      They read: “Victory is in the Mind. A long-standing tradition handcrafted trunk-building photographed by @louisvuitton.
      “For @annieleibovitz Victory is a State of Mind. A long tradition of crafting trunks photographed by @louisvuitton.”
      Messi’s Argentina side are on a 36-game unbeaten streak that stretches all the way back to July 2019.
      They head into the tournament as one of the favourites, hoping to lift the trophy for the first time since Diego Maradona led them to glory in 1986.

      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s Portugal are not one of the teams tipped to triumph, but still boast a plethora of talent including Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Rafael Leao.
      They have not progressed beyond the last 16 of the World Cup since Ronaldo’s first appearance at the tournament back in 2006. More

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      World Cup 2022 LIVE: BBC SNUB opening ceremony, Qatar vs Ecuador latest

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      BBC decided not to broadcast the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony as Qatar 2022 got underway.The ceremony at the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha was a spectacular affair, with Morgan Freeman part of the show.
      However, the BBC did not show any of the ceremony and this left football fans up and down the country baffled.
      We have all the latest from Qatar as the host nation face Ecuador in the opening game of the tournament.
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      Stay tuned with all the latest ahead from tournament…
      It’s nearly showtime
      No shortage of Ecuadoreans here in the 60,000-capacity stadium.
      The yellow shirts fill half of the lower section behind one goal, with plenty more scattered around the huge bowl.
      At the other end and all around them, though, the traditional white robes, the “thobe”, with predominantly white head-dresses, are absolutely everywhere.
      All the real fan noise, mind, is coming in Spanish and for “La Tri”.
      There’s a giant World Cup Trophy above the centre spot with two huge flags about to be unfurled. Just over Five minutes to go…
      Martin Lipton in Doha

      Kane to wear One Love armband
      Harry Kane WILL wear the One Love armband in the Three Lions’ opener against Iran – despite a threat that he could be BOOKED for doing so.
      German FA chiefs were warned that there was a possibility that any team skipper wearing the armband in defiance of Fifa’s demand to only wear the official slogan could be cautioned before the game started.
      With two bookings bringing a one-match ban, such a policy could have a major impact of the tournament.
      England are the first of the eight European teams committed to the policy to go into action when they kick off against Iran on Monday.
      Martin Lipton in Doha

      Unhappy Van Gaal
      Louis van Gaal has now insisted he will not be drawn on any political issues surrounding the World Cup and has ordered his players to do the same.
      Van Gaal was the most critical off all the 32 managers leading their nations into the finals about the choice of Qatar as hosts.
      Back in March he said: “It’s ridiculous that the World Cup is there. Fifa says they want to develop football there. That’s bullshit. It’s about money, about commercial interests.”
      But yesterday in his pre-match press conference for Holland’s game against Senegal he refused to be drawn on the controversy surrounding some captains wearing the OneLove anti-discrimination armband. 
      Van Gaal said: “I am no longer going to speak about political issues. I am focusing on this coming match, and I put a full stop on all these issues after we invited the migrant workers to watch our practice session.
      “I have requested all my players to stop doing that too because I want them to focus on football and focus on the game against Senegal.”
      In full flow
      The opening ceremony is well underway.
      My Arabic is slightly shaky, I confess. 
      But I think he’s just welcomed the world to Qatar and declared the World Cup officially open.
      Who do you think he’s cheering for?
      Can’t see too many armbands on that dais, I must admit.
      I was right: “Welcome and good luck to all,” the Emir finishes, the signal for a thunderclap of spectacular fireworks to light up the desert night sky.
      Al Bayt is a giant Bedouin tent, with two honking great firepits as well outside.
      But that’s it.
      Quite nice but not exactly one to remember for ever.
      There had been a whisper we would see Alicia Keys. We didn’t even get Richard Keys. And he lives here these days.
      Oh well. Let the Games commence
      Martin Lipton in Qatar

      Team news
      The teams have been confirmed.
      Qatar XI: Al Sheeb; Al-Rawi, Khoukhi, Hassan; Miguel, Hatem, Boudiaf, Al-Haydos, Ahmed; Ali, Afif
      Ecuador XI: Galindez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra; Estrada, Valencia

      It’s loud
      And the music.
      Loads of fan chants from around the world.
      So, “please don’t take me home” and a riff on the Crystal Palace chant. Holmesdale Road meets Al Khor. Lovely.
      Meanwhile, giant shirts of all 32 teams bounce up and down, along with the flags of the competing countries. 
      In case I didn’t say….it’s flipping loud, too.
      Martin Lipton in Doha

      More from the opening ceremony
      Way, way, way below me, on the pitch, traditionally-clad women are swaying rhythmically, creating human sand-waves, lit in gold.
      The music harkens back to a distant time.
      Then again, this entire nation was still sand, bedouins and pearl fishers 50 years ago.
      Before they found oil, then gas, and became a nation transformed.
      A nation of 300,000 Qataris – and 1.8m migrant workers – who can hold the biggest prize in sport.
      Now I can see that Morgan Freeman is down on the pitch too.
      Lots of talk about unity, learning from each other, bringing nations together.
      “With tolerance an respect, we can live together, in one big home”.
      Unless you’re gay, presumably…
      You can see there’s been no expenses spared on this ceremony.
      Then again, it’s been calculated that Qatar has spent £220BILLION getting to this point since the World Cup was awarded to them in 2010.
      I’d want to be excited at that price.
      Morgan again: “Through our different languages, there is a common thread of understanding and respect.” Mmmmm 
      And: cue the dancing soldiers…
      Martin Lipton in Doha
      Credit: AFP
      Opening ceremony
      But first, it’s down to the opening ceremony.
      Those at home are watching a video of Arabian tribesmen in the desert. I think that was just basking sharks, too. Nice music, mind.
      Oh, by the way, did I tell you about the absolute nightmare I had getting in? No. Well, I’m here, just.
      And, to be fair, there is a lot of excitement.
      Now for the show.. 
      Martin Lipton in Doha

      75 minute warning
      After all the talk, we’re just one hour and 15 minutes away from the start of the World Cup.
      Fans of Qatar and Ecuador are inside the ground and ready for action.
      We will have team news coming shortly.

      Update from outside the ground
      Total chaos at Al Bayt stadium with gridlocked traffic causing mayhem and raising the prospect that thousands of fans and media will miss the opening ceremony.
      Cars being stopped to allow vip’s early access has meant a huge backlog of traffic in the stadium 30 miles out of Doha in the Qatar desert.
      World Cup officials and troops are equally perplexed with nobody quite sure where anybody is supposed to go.
      So much for 12 years of preparation…
      Martin Lipton in Doha
      Booze ban hack exposed
      SunSport has exposed a World Cup cover up by supporters.
      This is a photo doing the rounds revealing an ingenious way to beat the stadium booze ban which has caused so much controversy.

      Fans are ready
      The excitement is building and supporters of both Qatar and Ecuador are beginning to arrive for the opening game of the tournament.
      We’re just over two hours away from the 22nd edition of football’s greatest show and the first ever in the Middle East.
      It kicks off at 7pm local time, which is 4pm in England.

      Credit: AFP
      Maddison misses training again
      Things aren’t looking good for James Maddison.
      Once again he’s not part of England training and this time he hasn’t even taken part in the huddle before the work starts.
      But the Foxes schemer can’t be replaced because the deadline has passed (24hours before the first game) and in any case it was an existing knee problem that he felt in the game at West Ham.

      Chaos ahead of opener
      The World Cup isn’t off to the best start.
      Qatar against Ecuador is less than three hours away, but there’s severe traffic outside the Al Bayt Stadium.
      As you can below, this was around 3pm local time, which is around four hours before the game gets underway.

      Captain America
      Leeds midfielder Tyler Adams has been named as USA’s captain for the World Cup.
      The armband has been shared around in the lead up to the tournament, but Adams has been given the honour in Qatar.
      Adams has captained the side on eight occasions previously, but not since the draw with Mexico back in March.

      Living crisis reaches Qatar
      The cost of living crisis has reached the desert sands of Qatar.
      ‘Gold’ petrol is the elite brand sold at the pumps out here in Oil land where apparently there is enough crude beneath our feet for the next 402 years.
      But in a shock move the price of Gold on the forecourt has rocketed from 2 to 2.1 Rials per litre in the past few days.
      That is the equivalent of going from 46p to 49p.

      France won’t replace Benzema
      Didier Deschamps has confirmed that he will not be calling up a replacement striker for injured superstar Karim Benzema.
      The 34-year-old world player of the year has returned home after suffering a thigh strain in training yesterday and will play no part in the competition.
      Deschamps said: “Of course it’s a big blow. Karim had done everything to be fit, he was in a training session and with an almost innocuous action he hurt his left thigh.
      “It wasn’t even the same leg as the hamstring injury he’s had before. So it wasn’t a relapse, it was a new injury.  It wasn’t even on a sprint or a kick. 
      “It’s never good when an injury like this happens. It doesn’t make you smile. We’d already lost Christopher Nkunku and everyone was very sad.
      “But this is Karim, and unfortunately the examinations have confirmed that the tear is too big in relation to the deadlines facing us.
      “So he has already left the squad and I have decided that I will not replace him because we have enough attacking players.”
      Fifa not providing team-sheets
      Any World Cup fans wanting Qatar 2022 team-sheets will be left disappointed – because Fifa will NOT be printing any out.
      The initial team list for Brazil’s 1998 Final side against France – which did not include ronaldo – became a prized possession for collectors.
      But in a break from tradition, Fifa will send ALL match information only by computer link.
      Fifa’s Hans hultman said: “We’re trying to be sustainable and all the information can be downloaded.”
      Martin Lipton in Doha
      Wales train ahead of USA clash
      Gareth Bale and co are training this morning for the final time before their meeting with USA on Monday night.
      Joe Allen aside, Rob Page has a full bill of health ahead of the opener.
      The Swansea City midfielder is in attendance, but isn’t fit enough to take part.

      Kehrer to put West Ham woes to one side
      Thilo Kehrer refuses to let Premier League struggles with West Ham dent his dreams of winning the World Cup with Germany, writes Andy Dillon.
      The robust defender has played more minutes for Die Mannschaft than anyone else in the squad since Hansi Flick took over as national team boss last year.
      Kehrer joined West Ham for £10.5 million in the summer and came to Qatar with The Hammers just a point off the relegation zone.
      He insists it was still the ‘perfect’ move for him and looks certain to be a main part of Germany’s campaign to win a fifth World title.
      “West Ham have been underperforming and we haven’t got the number of points we would have wished for. We haven’t got what we deserved.
      “Nevertheless I come here brimming with confidence because I have my rhythm. While the results haven’t been there we have played reasonable football.
      “It has not dented my self confidence in the least with the national team and I come here ready to contend with any of my team-mates and with any opponent.
      “I am playing in the best league in the world and feel fit for the World Cup. One of the biggest reasons for signing for West Ham was to play in the Premier League and I have played in 13 Premier League games.
      “I am very well prepared for whatever task is thrown at me.  It was the perfect move for me.”
      Wales’ World Cup debut is coming
      All the focus today is on Qatar against Ecuador and then England vs Iran tomorrow.
      But Wales’ first World Cup match for 64 years is also on the horizon.
      The Dragons are in action on Monday at 7pm and will take a giant step towards the knockout stages with victory, especially with the Three Lions up next.
      Everything you need to know about the clash is right here.
      White didn’t watch Colombia shoot-out win
      Ben White has revealed that England’s 2018 World Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Colombia wasn’t on the TV in his house.
      When asked about his World Cup memories, the Arsenal man said: “There are not many that stick out.
      “Obviously the disappointments and I remember Eric Dier’s penalty against Colombia and the feeling.
      “But the game wouldn’t have been on in the house.
      “I didn’t grow up watching football in my house as it wasn’t on. It’s never been in my life or my mum and dad’s.”

      Lewandowski hoping to achieve dream
      Robert Lewandowski says scoring at a World Cup would be a dream come true.
      The Barcelona striker played at 2018 but failed to find the net in three appearances as Poland finish bottom.
      He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think about the last World Cup for sure.
      “To score at a World Cup would be a huge dream and I’m going to do everything for this dream. I hope in this World Cup it will happen.”
      Sterling set to start against Iran
      Raheem Sterling is expected to start England’s World Cup opener against Iran, according to the Telegraph.
      The Chelsea winger has struggled following his move from Manchester City, scoring three goals in 12 Premier League outings.
      Regardless, Sterling, who started all seven games at the Euros, looks set to get the nod tomorrow.

      Heartbreak for Benzema
      Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup.
      The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner suffered a muscle tear in training and will now miss the tournament.
      The French football federation said: “Karim Benzema is out of the World Cup.
      “After hurting the quadriceps on his left thigh, the Real Madrid striker is forced to give up on taking part in the World Cup.”
      “He went for an MRI scan in a hospital in Doha, which unfortunately confirmed a tear.”
      According to o L’Equipe, Anthony Martial, Wissam Ben Yedder and Moussa Diaby are the frontrunners to replace him in the squad.

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      Southgate confirms Walker and Maddison OUT of World Cup 2022 opener and hints Maguire and Sterling start vs Iran

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has confirmed Kyle Walker and James Maddison will miss England’s World Cup opener against Iran on Monday.But the Three Lions’ boss hinted Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling will start, despite their troubled club seasons.
      England midfielder James Maddison is recovering from a knee injury sustained on the eve of the tournament and misses Monday’s clash vs IranCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Kyle Walker has joined in training but won’t play MondayCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Manchester City right-back Walker is not yet ready after a groin operation and Leicester playmaker Maddison has not trained in Qatar due to a knee injury.
      Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Kyle Walker is a little bit short for this game but is progressing really well.
      “We are ahead of where we thought he might be at this point.
      “James [Maddison] hasn’t been able to train since we arrived so he will not be able to make the game tomorrow.”
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
      Southgate also suggested the big-game know-how of Manchester United centre-back Maguire and Chelsea attacker Sterling remain important.
      Maguire has rarely played in the Premier League since Erik ten Hag took over as Old Trafford chief in the summer.
      And Sterling’s summer switch from champions Man City has been far from smooth, including a spell at wing-back.
      But Southgate said: “We have to consider so many things when you are selecting a team.
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      “There’s the balance of the group. There’s definitely experience in these moments that’s key because not every player knows what it feels like to carry the England team.
      “Sometimes you don’t know how people are going to respond to that until they are in there and some don’t cope.
      “The likes of Raheem and Harry have thrived in that spotlight and they are used to being relied upon for their clubs as well.” More

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      World Cup 2022 cooling break: How long is the drinks break and when will it happen?

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      THE WORLD CUP is finally here taking place over in Qatar.For the first time, football’s biggest tournament is on in the winter to cope with the blazing temperature in the Middle East.
      Water breaks will be back again at the Qatar World Cup
      The temperature will be around 30C in the desert for the big tournament.
      And although stadiums will be air-conditioned, there will still be breaks allowed for the players during the matches.
      The World Cup has kicked off on November 20 and runs until the huge final on December 18.
      Brazil are the bookies favourite for the tournament on 7/2 with Spain 10/1.

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      Read more World Cup
      What is the cooling break at the World Cup 2022?
      Fifa have stated that the responsibility is with the referee as of when to implement the cooling breaks.
      In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil the breaks were approximately 30minutes into each half, and lasted three minutes.
      While at Euro 2020 the breaks lasted around 90 seconds.
      Fifa state in their official rules: “Extreme weather conditions may warrant cooling and/or drinks breaks to be implemented during the course of a match in accordance with the protocols established by the FIFA Medical Committee and/or documented in the FIFA Football Emergency Medicine Manual. Such breaks would be considered on a match-by-match basis.
      “Responsibility for implementing and controlling coolingbreaks resides with the referee.”

      World Cup 2022Everything you need to know about the World Cup More

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      England fans all say same thing as Man Utd star Harry Maguire shows off outrageous Maradona skill in World Cup training

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      ENGLAND fans have been left in shock after Harry Maguire was seen showing off his attacking skill in training. In the video that has been viewed four million times online, the Manchester United star danced around the Three Lions defence before unleashing a shot.
      Harry Maguire turned Phil Foden with easeCredit: England, FA
      Harry Maguire thenn sent Conor Coady before shootingCredit: England, FA
      Harry Maguire could be in line for a start versus IranCredit: Reuters
      The 29-year-old beat Bukayo Saka to the ball carried it forward before tunring Phil Foden with a Diego Maradona-esque spin and fooled Conor Coady with a change of direction.
      Maguire then had a shot but it was saved by a diving Nick Pope.

      The centre-back has been criticsed by England and United fans within the last year due to some poor performances but supporters loved his training ground skill.
      One wrote on Twitter: “Harry Maguire has turned into Ronaldinho. This is not a drill.”
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      Another said: “His talent is being wasted as a centre-back.”
      A United fan was hopeful that it may be sign Maguire is back to his best: “Bro my jaw fully dropped looks like he’s entering his 2018 Leicester form again.”
      More reacted: “Harry Maguire has turned into prime Lionel Messi just in time for the World Cup.”
      Maguire has struggled at United this season and even lost his place in the starting lineup despite being captian.
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      However he still got a place in the England squad going to Qatar with manager Gareth Southgate trusting the players that performed well in the last World Cup and in the Euros.
      The likes of Maguire and Raheem Sterling, who is yet to hit top form at Chelsea, could start for England versus Iran.
      Southgate has a nearly fully fit squad to choose from for the opening game with just James Maddison not training on the eve of the match, Kyle Walker is also out. More

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      Qatar brushes off World Cup controversy with spectacular opening ceremony – as tournament finally kicks off

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      THE most controversial World Cup ever kicked off tonight in spectacular style with a stunning opening ceremony in Qatar.The light-filled show took place at the Al Bayt Stadium before hosts Qatar take on Ecuador at 4pm in the tournament’s first game.
      The Qatar World Cup has opened in spectacular styleCredit: Getty
      The country ignored the controversy surrounding the event for a stunning opening ceremonyCredit: EPA
      Morgan Freeman appeared in person to narrate the openingCredit: Reuters
      He spoke with FIFA World Cup ambassador Ghanim al-MuftahCredit: EPA
      Fireworks lit up as the stadium as the country attempted to brush off the scandals it has been dogged by in the first-ever winter World Cup.
      The impressive pyrotechnics turned the sky pink and orange as jubilant fans partied in the stands of the brand-new arena.
      Actor Morgan Freeman made a surprise appearance – telling the 60,000 gathered fans that the tournament is open to the whole world.
      But there was confusion as the BBC failed to broadcast the stunning show – meaning Brits missed out on seeing the stunning display.
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      Jung Kook of K-Pop sensations BTS performed to a packed Al Bayt Stadium in a shimmering sequin blazer.
      A sea of flags representing all 32 teams were waved across the arena punctuated by fan chants from around the world.
      There were also bouncing, former mascots being puppeteered from stage hands below – including a giant lion for England.
      They were joined by the Qatar World Cup mascot La’eeb, which comes from the Arabic word meaning super-skilled player.
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      After the formalities, all eyes will turn to the 2022 World Cup curtain-raiser between the hosts and the South Americans.
      The Qataris had never qualified for a World Cup before, but are the current Asian champions so will expect to put up a good fight in front of their own fans.
      Elite leagues around the world have paused to allow the best players to head out to the Middle East to do battle for the most prestigious trophy of the lot.
      Meanwhile, England will get their World Cup campaign underway tomorrow when they take on Iran.
      The Three Lions will face Iran, USA and Wales in Group B as they look to make it to their first World Cup final since 1966.
      Qatar has a population of less than three million but is expecting an influx of 1.2million football fans.
      The tournament is planned to last just 29 days – making it the shortest World Cup since Argentina in 1978.
      It has been marred by controversy – from allegations of corruption to outrage over the country’s human rights practices.
      Thousands of migrant workers have reportedly died in the Qatari construction industry since the World Cup was awarded to them in 2010.
      Some football players have also raised concerns over the rights of fans travelling to the event – especially LGBT+ individuals and women, who rights groups say Qatari laws discriminate against.
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      In Qatar, being gay is illegal and is punishable under the country’s penal code with up to seven years in prison or even the death penalty for Muslims under sharia law.
      A tournament ambassador for Qatar was recently slammed after describing homosexuality as “damage in the mind” less than two weeks before the contest kicks off.
      All eyes were on Qatar for the opening ceremonyCredit: EPA
      Fireworks filled the air around the stadiumCredit: PA
      Jung Kook performs at the opening ceremony
      A giant lion in a Union Jack shirt floats above the stageCredit: Reuters
      The stadium is lit up by the firework displayCredit: Getty
      A shirtless drummer was among the performersCredit: Getty
      The Qatar World Cup mascot La’eeb makes an appearance
      The World Cup has been tipped as the most controversial ever
      The show featured a stunning light showCredit: Reuters
      The tournament has already been plagued by scandalsCredit: AFP
      The country was given the rights to the World Cup back in 2010Credit: PA
      The tournament is planned to last just 29 days
      A giant England top is paraded through the stadium
      The stadium was lit up by an impressive set of fireworksCredit: AP
      Ecuador fans gear up for the opening gameCredit: PA
      Fans during the Qatar Fan Festival at Al Bidda ParkCredit: Getty More