World Cup 2022

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      Saudi Arabia out to surprise the world by making it to last 16 in Qatar – predicted line up and stats

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      SAUDI Arabia are up against Argentina, Mexico and Poland in Group C.Argentina is naturally expected to finish 1st, and the Mexicans and the Poles should fight for the 2nd place, but depending on their luck, the Arabians will try to surprise the world and make it to the Round of 16.

      Predicted starting XI 
      Saudi Arabia have been alternating between the 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 formations lately and they can play well according to these three types of formations.
      However, Renard is more likely going to opt for the 4-2-3-1 one and might change to the 4-3-3 during the game if needed.
      He will start the tournament with Al Owais as a goalkeeper as he’s more experienced. At the same time, Fawaz Al-Qarni, Mohammed Al Rubaie and probably Nawaf Al-Aqidi will be the backup goalkeepers.
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      The defensive line will be composed of Sultan Al-Ghanam as a right-back, Abdullah Madu and Abdulelah Al-Amri as centre-backs and Yasser Al-Shahrani as a left-back.
      This defence is composed of experienced players who played with each other a lot and therefore it is expected that the defensive line will be solid during this tournament, as team chemistry is always a key asset during international tournaments like the World Cup.
      In midfield, the team will most likely rely on Salman Al-Faraj and Mohamed Kanno as central midfielders while both Fahad Al-Muwallad and Salem Al-Dawsari can play on the wings, knowing that the two players can be very dangerous in these positions.
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      The squad looks balanced on paper even though it lacks players with physical strength. 
      Therefore, the team will have to prove on the field that they are capable of handling attacks like Argentina’s, Poland’s and Mexico’s, and that will certainly not be an easy task. Facing Messi, Lewandowski, and Napoli’s Hirving Lozano surely isn’t going to be an easy task!
      To score goals, they will need to focus on counterattacks, knowing that they have got some quick and efficient attacking players like Salem Al-Dawsari and Hattan Bahebri. 
      Saudi Arabia has some young talent upfront, but still beating teams like their opponents in Group C won’t be easy and even collecting one single point will be a major challenge.
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      Attacking phase
      Saudi Arabia’s attacking statistics are not really encouraging. The team doesn’t win a lot of offensive duels, the players do not shoot on target a lot per match and more importantly, their goalscoring statistics are quite low.
      Shooting from distance is one of the tools Saudi Arabia are good at and they should focus on using this in their favour.
      Long range shooting is one of Saudi Arabia’s greatest weapons
      At the same time, the attacking players will have to be focused 100% on scoring and there will be no excuse for missing chances like the one shown below. 
      Saudi Arabia can struggle to take their chances
      Crossing from the wings can be effective and cutting inside from players like Salem Al-Dawsari can be extremely useful and the coaching staff can build movements and combinations on that. 
      Relying on shooting from distance only would make the team’s moves predictable and defending against such actions will become easier for opponents.
      For example, the player intending to shoot in this action below could have passed to his teammate who was asking for the ball as both of them could have opted for a passing combination to exclude the opposing defenders. 
      Instead, he automatically went for the shot without even looking at what was surrounding him and who was asking for the ball.
      Sometimes selfishness can creep in to Saudi Arabia’s game with players preferring to shoot from long range
      Defensive phase
      Saudi Arabia’s defensive phase will be crucial during the tournament as the level of endurance and resistance of this defence will play a big part in determining Saudi Arabia’s overall result. 
      As opposed to their attacking statistics, Saudi Arabia’s defensive numbers are quite more solid as they win a fairly good number of defensive duels and aerial duels. 
      In this action, Saudi Arabia were lucky because there was an offside position of the striker, but on other occasions, they often defend fairly well.
      Defensive and aerial duels are often won by the Saudis
      In addition, Saudi Arabia will have to avoid keeping the ball too much in dangerous areas.
      Saudi Arabia doesn’t seem to deal well with such pressing and they showed on some occasions that they might make some individual mistakes and concede the ball to opponents.
      In this game against Ecuador, Saudi Arabia’s midfielder tries to keep the ball but puts himself in trouble.
      Holding onto the ball can lead to Saudi Arabia surrendering possession in dangerous areas
      Transitions
      In terms of transitions, Saudi Arabia usually start their actions with Al-Faraj, who is their key midfield player. 
      In the following picture, he passes towards the right and on other occasions, he provides passes to Al-Dawsari who is one of the best in Saudi Arabia in terms of dribbling skills. 
      Therefore, the team often rely on him for progressions from the left wing, cutting inside or early crosses towards the striker.
      Key midfielder Al-Faraj usually starts their transitions
      Whenever possible, Saudi Arabia rely on quick passing combinations to exclude the opposing players and start counter-attacks. And their tactics are often effective, concerning transitions.
      Quick passing combinations push Saudi Arabia forward
      Attackers
      Saudi Arabia has got plenty of powerful attacking options to choose from and Renard will have to choose the best players for each match of the group stage. 
      As wingers, Fahad Al-Muwallad and Salem Al-Dawsari represent great additions to the team, as they are responsible for both wings and especially for supporting the striker and creating opportunities for themselves and for the striker.
      Midfielders
      The midfield will have to resist a lot during this competition and make sure to intercept passes regularly and help the defensive line continuously since it will be impossible for four players to defend against attacks with dangerous players like Argentina’s.
      Therefore, Mohamed Kanno, Salem Al-Dawsari, Hattan Bahebri and perhaps Abdullah Otayf should give a lot of support to the defence in the non-possession phase to concede the minimum number of opportunities or goals. 
      Defenders
      The defensive line will be the most crucial part of this team as the defensive performance of Saudi Arabia will determine if they will have a chance of progressing or not. 
      The back four will have to remain organised throughout the three games and avoid making marking mistakes whether in set pieces or in open play to avoid conceding unnecessary goals.
      Key player
      Salem Al-Dawsari is Saudi Arabia’s key player in this tournament as he is one of the most skilful Saudi Arabian players at the moment if not the best. 
      He is mainly a left winger who plays at Al Hilal and this player can definitely solve Saudi Arabia’s attacking issues given his great individual skills.
      He is a very agile player with excellent technique whether in terms of passing, shooting or dribbling. 
      Renard will have to exploit Al-Dawsari’s abilities in the best possible way to help the team score goals and make positive results. 
      Indeed, defensively speaking, Al-Dawsari is not a player who can be helpful enough, but he makes up for that by being an excellent passer and a very good finisher.
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      Tournament prediction
      Saudi Arabia will have to fight hard for any point they may collect.
      But the World Cup is a special moment and every team has a chance of going forward and reaching the Round of 16. 
      Not so long ago in 2014, Costa Rica finished first in a group with England, Italy and Uruguay, so anything can happen!
      For even more detailed analysis of all 32 teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022, download your copy of the November Total Football Analysis magazine here More

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      Poland national team escorted on way to Qatar by F1 fighter jets after deadly missile strike on Ukraine border

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      POLAND’S national team were escorted by F-16 fighter jets as they headed to Qatar for the World Cup.The global showcase begins on Sunday as the host nation takes on Ecuador in the opening game.
      The Poland football team were escorted on their way to the Qatar World Cup by F1 fighter jetsCredit: Twitter / @LaczyNasPilka
      No risks were taken after the deadly missile strike on the Ukraine border on TuesdayCredit: Twitter / @LaczyNasPilka
      Poland begin their tournament against Mexico next week
      On Thursday, two army aircraft flanked superstar Robert Lewandowski and his team-mates, who are looking to guide Poland to the knockout stages for the first time since 1986.
      The reason for the top-class escort was the death of two Polish citizens on a farm four miles from the Ukrainian border on Tuesday.
      An emergency Nato meeting followed the passing of the two farmers.
      But Poland’s president Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday that a Ukrainian air defence missile had most likely caused the “unfortunate accident”.
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      NATO’s secretary general also hinted that there was no indication of a deliberate attack from Russia.
      But that didn’t stop the impressive defensive escort to the Polish border on route to the Middle East.
      The Twitter account for the national team posted: “We were escorted to the southern border of Poland by F16 planes!
      “Thank you and greetings to the pilots!”
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      The Poles finished comfortably behind England in qualifying but then received a bye in their play-off semi-final, ironically due to Russia being disqualified following the invasion of Ukraine.
      That left them with just a home tie against Sweden to make it to the World Cup, and they duly triumphed 2-0 over Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co.
      They take on Mexico on Tuesday in their first Group C clash.
      Saudi Arabia lie in wait after that on Saturday, November 26.
      Then things get really tricky as Czeslaw Michniewicz’s team takes on tournament favourites Argentina. More

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      Phil Foden is already a World Cup winner.. and he’s confident his England U17 triumph is about to be repeated

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      PHIL FODEN has that World Cup-winning vibe again — having already ruled the planet at youth level.The Manchester City star said he “knew” England would win the Under-17 World Cup five years ago.
      Phil Foden is hoping to conquer the world again with EnglandCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      He was part of the U17s squad that won the World Cup five years agoCredit: Getty
      And now he has  the same feeling as the seniors aim to end their 56-year wait for glory.
      Foden, who scored twice in the 5-2 final hammering of Spain in India, said: “I do strongly remember the Under-17s just being so confident. Not being big-headed but we just knew we were going to win because of how good we were and the talent we had.
      “Even when we were behind in the final, we carried on playing the same way and believed we were going to win it.
      “It was very special. I definitely have the same feeling now.
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      “Obviously, from the Euros last year, making it to the final gives the team a big lift.  
      “Harry Kane has already touched on it. He sees us as one of the favourites. We’ve just got to be confident and believe in that.”
      Foden, 22, is the only member of that U-17s starting XI to be included in Gareth Southgate’s Qatar squad — although Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher came on as sub.
      And the City forward, preparing for Monday’s opener against Iran, reckons that ‘life-changing’ victory gave his career a major boost.
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      He said: “It was at youth level but there were still a lot of people watching — and it changed some of our lives forever.
      “It’s all about gaining experience for when it comes into big games like this. You know how to handle situations.”
      Asked whether his current Lions team-mates had quizzed him about that U-17s triumph, Foden replied: “I don’t think they realise.
      “I’m going to have to tell them that I’ve already won the World Cup, aren’t I?” More

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      England stars escape sweltering 33C heat for an indoor training session that includes some BASKETBALL and weights

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      IT’S the hoop that gets you…England switched training from a 33C cauldron outdoors in Doha to a cool court indoors as they prepared for Monday’s World Cup opener against Iran in Doha with a spot of basketball.
      Declan Rice shows the focus needed on the football field as he lines up this effort on the basketball court at the Al Wakrah StadiumCredit: Getty
      For once Trent Alexander-Arnold tries not to step on it in trainingCredit: Getty
      Jack Grealish takes centre stage but has plenty of work to do to earn a starting spot for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions in QatarCredit: Getty
      Kieran Trippier hopes to muscle into the team for the opener vs IranCredit: Getty
      The Three Lions’ hopes of finally emulating their 1966 triumph will be slam sunk, morale wise, if they fail to win that Group B clash.
      But boss Gareth Southgate took the heat off his squad by adjusting to the sweltering conditions.
      England players toiled in the Thursday morning sun before varying their routine with a move inside at the Al Wakrah Stadium.
      The Three Lions swapped sweating buckets for netting baskets, with Declan Rice showing the composure of an NBA pro as he calmly popped in some hoops.
      It’s looming large for Marcus Rashford, four days before England’s first matchCredit: Getty
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      But Trent Alexander-Arnold wore the broadest smile as he jigged his way through a footwork routine.
      James Maddison, however, had to skip the full session in another way – as he is nursing his knee back to full fitness.
      Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker has already ruled himself out of Monday’s game as he eases back following groin surgery.
      But he was comfortable enough to take part in Thursday’s training.
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      And fellow defender Conor Coady insists the Three Lions are unfazed by the extreme temperatures.
      The Everton hero said: “Training this morning was fantastic. It’s a different environment. We want to enjoy it – it’s a World Cup.
      “We must not think about the heat or worry about it. Let’s enjoy playing in the sun – we do not get it too much at home so we must enjoy it.”
      Midfielder Rice looks just as comfortable with the ball in his hands as at his feetCredit: Getty
      Defender Ben White and midfielder Kalvin Phillips stretch it out during the indoor phase of England’s training on ThursdayCredit: Getty More

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      Major change to Baddiel & Skinner’s Three Lions as they give it Christmas revamp for England’s 2022 World Cup bid

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      COMEDIANS David Baddiel and Frank Skinner today unveil their new Christmas version of Three Lions ahead of the World Cup.The duo have reworked their 1996 anthem, with new lyrics exclusively revealed in The Sun. Sir Geoff Hurst and Lionesses Jess Carter and Beth England also star in a festive video.
      World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst appears in the video for the new track
      David Baddiel and Frank Skinner unveil their new Christmas version of Three Lions ahead of the World Cup
      The team behind the song hope it can go to No1 next Friday and help give the England team a boost — just like it did in Euro 96
      As England prepare for Monday’s opener versus Iran, Frank said: “We just had to do it.”
      The comedians have also reunited with singer Ian Broudie to record the new version.
      The original famously referred to “30 years of hurt” for England’s footballers but that has now been raised to “56” — though it is a mere “20 weeks” for the women.
      The Sun first revealed in September that Baddiel, 58, Skinner, 65, and Lightning Seeds singer Broudie, 64, were updating their hugely popular song.
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       They officially released the track today — three days before England kick off against Iran in Qatar on Monday — and shared their new lyrics exclusively with Sun readers.
      Skinner said: “We just had to do it. Christmas World Cup songs are not like buses.
      “If we’d let this opportunity pull away, it would have been a very long wait for the next one.”
       Baddiel quipped: “It’s between me and Mariah Carey for who really is the voice of Christmas.”
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      The trio have included some of the highlights of the past 26 years – notably the Lionesses’ Euros win at Wembley in July.
      It kicks off with them in England’s victorious press conference – with Skinner singing: “Loving that Lionesses win.”
      The first chorus then gets in the festive spirit, with: “Three Lions on a sleigh, with She-Lions inspiration. Santa says let’s play, the Christmas tree formation.”

      The comedians also poke fun at themselves, with Skinner referring to his past booze addiction.
      Baddiel sings: “When they decided on Qatar, should have checked VAR. It’s too hot, and too far – so we’ll be snowflakes watching it here. This is our time of year, we’ll be having a beer . . . ” 
      The exclusive look at the song’s revamped lyrics
      The Lionesses get honoured in the new version – but it’s just ’20 weeks of hurt’ for the womenCredit: Rex
      To which Skinner chips in: “Actually I won’t because I’ve got alcohol issues.”
      Christmas gets more mentions as a commentator says during a match: “What a cracker of a game . . . England are giving them a real good stuffing . . . Ding Dong Merrily on Sky . . . oh no it’s not on Sky . . . it has to be on terrestrial doesn’t it? . . . for legal reasons.”
      Baddiel and Skinner also had to lengthen England’s trophy drought — but only for the fellas. In one of the final choruses they change “30 years of hurt” to “56 years of hurt – for the men’s game”. The comedians, along with a child choir, then sing: “20 weeks of hurt, for the women’s game obviously.”
      In the video, Baddiel and Skinner come face to face with their 1990s selves, as they sit on their tatty old telly furniture.
      The pair also decorate a Christmas tree — topped with the Jules Rimet Trophy from 1966 — while wearing festive jumpers.
      England’s 1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst turns up on a doorstep with kids singing carols before tearing open his coat to reveal a festive sweater. Also singing in the video are Lionesses Jess Carter and Beth England, while moments from their Euros success play throughout.
      The team behind the song hope it can go to No1 next Friday and help give the England team a boost — just like it did in Euro 96. 
      Released in May that year, it hit No1 where it stayed for three weeks. The first reworking, Three Lions ’98, also topped the charts during the World Cup two years later.
      In total it has sold almost two million copies – and been streamed tens of millions of times. In 2018 it was played 450,000 times in a day when England beat Colombia at the Russia World Cup.
      Earlier this year Baddiel revealed that fans wrongly believe he rakes it in from royalties. 
      He said: “I want to say to them, ‘Do you know how much you get from Spotify?’” He claimed it had been calculated that 16 million plays earns the three writers about £900 between them, adding: “I can’t retire on that.” 
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      Last month Broudie spoke of his pride at the Lionesses belting it out at manager Sarina Wiegman’s winning press conference. He said: “They all ran in and danced on the tables, singing Three Lions. That was a great thing for me.”
      It comes as a new set of photos of England players with boss Gareth Southgate are released, below. 

      THE new version of Three Lions is out now to buy and stream.

      The video sees England’s 1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst turns up on a doorstep with kids singing carols before tearing open his coat to reveal a festive sweater
      Harry Kane will be leading the England men’s team out on Monday as they attempt to follow the Lionesses and bring football homeCredit: Getty
      Arsenak and England ace Bukayo Saka will also be hoping England can go all the way in QatarCredit: Getty More

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      He won’t shirk the responsibilities’ – James Maddison tipped to be World Cup 2022 game-changer by ex-England star Cole

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      JOE COLE believes James Maddison has the “personality” to be a World Cup game-changer for England.Of all the players that Gareth Southgate picked in his 26-man squad, Maddison was the name that brought Cole the most pleasure.
      Former Three Lions midfielder Joe Cole is ‘so happy’ to see Maddison in the England squadCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      The former Three Lions star said: “The big one for me was James Maddison.
      “Form-wise and quality-wise he should be playing, but also because of his personality – he’s an England player.
      “He won’t shirk the responsibilities; he’ll get on the ball.
      “There will be times later in the tournament when the game might be in the balance and you need to be brave and accept the ball as a midfield player and he will do that.
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      “You can play number 10s deeper now and we need to set the tempo of our games.
      “I’m so happy he’s in.”
      But ex-Chelsea winger Cole believes Southgate should drop Blues star Raheem Sterling.
      Cole, who played for England at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, said: “As much as I love Raheem [Sterling], he’s not in form.
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      “[Bukayo] Saka’s playing for the team at the top of the league, and the same could be said with Maddison.”
      It remains to be seen whether Southgate will make the big call of leaving out Sterling, a hero of both 2018 World Cup and last year’s run to the final of the Euros.
      But Cole remains upset that the Football Association “bottled it” when failing to appoint Harry Redknapp as England boss in 2012.
      The former West Ham trainee said: “In 2012 I was in France and I was playing well with Lille.
      “I went home for the night and went for dinner with my mum and dad in Essex.
      “Harry Redknapp’s in the restaurant and he comes over, it was at the time when the England manager job was up for grabs, and he says ‘I think I’ve got it! You’re going to come into the next tournament, I know what you’ve got, I’ve been watching you, you’re back in!’
      “Fast forward three days, there’s an announcement on the radio that Roy Hodgson’s got the job. I was just deflated, that was me done.
      “He thought he had it. I think the FA bottled it in the last minute, he was the right man for the job 100 per cent.
      “We’ve all seen what Harry’s done throughout his career – at that stage he would have got another level out of that squad.
      “He has a way with players. He would have been absolutely brilliant and it’s one of their biggest mistakes.
      “I think whoever’s making the decision just lost their nerve at the last minute and went with the safer option.
      “Roy’s a brilliant manager as well but Harry would have been unbelievable.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Cole’s starting XI for England’s World Cup opener against Iran on Monday would be:
      Pickford, Trippier, Stones, White, Shaw, Rice, Bellingham, Mount; Foden, Kane, Saka.
      Joe Cole was speaking to William Hill’s Stripped Podcast More

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      England’s football stars guarded by elite camel patrols at World Cup team hotel

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      ENGLAND’s stars are being guarded by elite camel patrols at their World Cup team hotel, it was revealed yesterday.Specialist security teams aboard the stately ships of the desert were spotted in a 14-strong column outside the player’s Souk Al Wakra hotel base.
      Qatar’s palace guard are a famed ceremonial sight – like Britain’s Household CavalryCredit: Dan Charity
      Anyone threatening the traditional village-style complex is certain to get the hump from the palace guard team, normally reserved for the protection of the Arab state’s ruling emir.
      England have been rated a high security risk ahead of Monday’s curtain raiser clash with Islamist nation Iran – in the news after 10 Iranian plots to kill Brits in the UK were exposed.
      MI5 Spy chief Ken McCallum said death squads planned “to kidnap or even kill” British citizens and dissidents seen as enemies of the crumbling Tehran regime.
      Qatar’s palace guard are a famed ceremonial sight – like Britain’s Household Cavalry – but are thought to have been introduced in Al Wakra in a dual role.
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      Guards riding the humped beasts offer a high and mobile vantage point to warn of potential threats – but are also a low key deterrent which will not alarm tourists.
      A procession of 14 of the animals was spotted patrolling the seafront in front of England’s low-rise village style HQ shortly after the squad arrived.
      Riders in matching white robes and head-dresses armed only with short stick which doubles as a riding crop – but were in touch with security teams shielding the complex.
      Police and other security forces are now posted 24-hours-a-day every few metres forming a ring of steel around England’s base.
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      A local source said: “There’s no question that these camels are from the emir’s guard – it’s a sign that our honoured guests are receiving the very best protection.” More

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      Who is World Cup star Marcus Rashford’s fiancée Lucia Loi and how long has she been dating Man Utd ace?

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      MARCUS RASHFORD may have not hit the heights expected of him last season – but he has done enough this campaign earn a World Cup call-up by Gareth Southgate.And the Manchester United is hitting expected heights off the field having put together a romantic engagement proposal to long-term partner Lucia Loi.
      Marcus Rashord proposed to long-term partner Lucia Loi in LA
      Who is Marcus Rashford’s fiancée Lucia Loi?
      Lucia Loi is a business graduate having studied at the University of Manchester.
      The stunning brunette was spotted in the stands during the England vs Colombia match at the 2018 World Cup, as she showed her support for Manchester United star Rashford.
      She says in her work bio that she loves “fitness, art and cooking” and “enjoys travelling”.
      Loi’s following on Instagram has drastically increased since dating the England international – she currently has 101k followers.
      How long have they been dating?
      The pair initially kept their relationship away from the public eye but they can now be spotted together across both of their social media accounts.
      It is thought that the pair have been dating for nine years.
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      Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi have reportedly been dating for almost four years
      Rashford and Loi have enjoyed multiple holidays together More