World Cup 2022

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      Harry Kane leads England stars as Three Lions land in Qatar bidding to win World Cup for first time in 56 years

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      SKIPPER Harry Kane led England stars off the plane as the Three Lions arrived in Qatar this afternoon.Gareth Southgate’s men have touched down in the Middle East tasked with ending 56 years of hurt – having come so close to winning Euro 2020 last year.
      Harry Kane was first off the plane in DohaCredit: Reuters
      England stars follow their skipper down the stepsCredit: Reuters
      England stars get their first look at QatarCredit: Getty
      Gareth Southgate and Co board a shuttle bus at the airportCredit: Reuters
      Some England stars were in Premier League action as recently as Sunday, before linking up at the national training base at St George’s Park yesterday.
      They were paid a visit by Prince William during their brief stay – as Wills wished the squad luck ahead of their flight to Qatar this morning.
      Earlier today Southgate and Co were given an incredible send-off as they departed St George’s Park.
      The England manager was greeted by a sea of screaming kids waving flags and cheering him on.
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      Many reached out to Southgate and he began high-fiving the children, leaving them ecstatic by doing so.
      With the crowd stretched out so far he had to wave to the others before boarding the coach to the airport.
      Their flight, scheduled for 10am, eventually departed Birmingham Airport at 10:41 this morning – landing at 4:57pm UK time.
      England flew out to Qatar aboard “Rain Bow”, a Virgin Atlantic A350 Airbus that promotes Gay Pride.
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      It features a motif of Oscar — the airline’s LGBTQ+ Union Jack-trailing flying icon — beneath the cabin.
      The gesture was proposed by FA chiefs keen to register concern about gay rights in the strict Muslim state where homosexuality can still carry the death penalty.
      England are set to get their tournament underway against Iran next Monday.
      They will then face the USA on Friday, 25 November – before completing Group B with a home nations clash against Wales on Tuesday, 29 November.
      England are staying at the Souq Al Wakra Hotel in Qatar, with the Three Lions having booked all 101 rooms.
      Three Lions Wags are set to stay on a cruise ship, with Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood among those booked on “HMS Wag”.
      Declan Rice and Jack Grealish are excited to get the tournament underway
      Man City club mate John Stones And Kyle Walker appeared to enjoy their flight
      Harry Maguire and Jordan Pickford shared a snap from the plane More

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      Jamie Carragher trolls Cristiano Ronaldo over icy Bruno Fernandes meeting with hilarious photoshopped picture

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      JAMIE CARRAGHER has trolled Cristiano Ronaldo’s icy meeting with Bruno FernandesThe former Liverpool star has created a hilarious photoshopped picture using an infamous snap of himself shaking hands with Steven Gerrard.
      Jamie Carragher has trolled Cristiano Ronaldo’s frosty meeting with Bruno Fernandes

      Carragher mocked up an infamous picture depicting Ronaldo and Fernandes shaking hands
      Ronaldo has whipped up a media storm around Manchester United by dropping a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
      The Portuguese veteran, 37, stunned his club by blasting their infrastructure and ambition.
      And Ronaldo also had a pop at Erik ten Hag, claiming he has “no respect” for his new boss.
      SunSport can now reveal Man Utd are ready to rip up Ronnie’s contract after the World Cup.
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      And as the legendary forward jetted to Qatar, he had an awkward encounter with Portugal and United teammate Fernandes.
      Video footage captured the frosty moment the duo shook hands as Ronaldo arrived at Portugal’s training camp.
      And Carragher poked fun at the situation by photoshopping a picture of himself and ex-Aston Villa boss Gerrard shaking hands in a bemused manner.
      Replacing the faces with those of Ronaldo and Fernandes, Carragher also posted a series of laughing emojis.
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      The original picture showed Carragher and Steven Gerrard greeting each other unenthusiasticallyCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      And after being snubbed by Ronaldo live on air this season, Carragher did not hold back with his assessment of the interview.
      He said: “I just thought the comments were bizarre. They were bang out of order considering the timing of it.
      “They should be enjoying themselves and then the Ronaldo interview comes out and boom – it’s about negativity.
      “Not the team, not the manager – it’s about Cristiano Ronaldo. And it’s been like that since he’s come back. It’s basically been the Cristiano Ronaldo show.
      “This season he’s not involved and he’s craving the attention that he can’t get because he’s not on the pitch.
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      “The only way he’s going to do that is by causing trouble and that was exactly his intention with the interview.
      “He wants to be sacked, that’s obvious.” More

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      England fans must cough up nearly £12 for LESS than a pint in Qatar as World Cup 2022 booze prices shock supporters

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      ENGLAND World Cup fans must cough up nearly £12 for LESS than a pint as pre-tournament promises proved a Doha desert mirage.Qatar 2022 organisers had indicated that the country’s strict drink laws and sky-high prices would be relaxed for fans coming from across the world.
      England fans risk being priced out of beer in QatarCredit: Louis Wood
      While hotel bars were expected to be expensive, suggested prices for beer in the fan zones and at stadiums had been in the range of £7-£8 per pint.
      But now official beer suppliers Budweiser – the only company allowed to sell alcohol in any official site at the World Cup – have unveiled the shock booze news.
      In an advertising flyer posted by the American brewing giant, the price list makes clever that hopes of normal-priced beer for travelling fans have disappeared.
      Urging fans to “Drink Wiser, Cheer Better, Hydrate Between Buds”, a half-litre of Budweiser – equal to seven eighths of a pint – will cost 50 Qatari Rials, or £11.61 at today’s exchange rate.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      Those who want the alcohol-free version of the beer will have to splash out £6.91, with water at £2.30.
      World Cup chiefs have wrestled with the demands from Fifa for drink to be available for fans with the customs of the Gulf State and the desire for supporters to stay under control and not booze to excess.
      Budweiser stated that fans will be limited to a “maximum purchase of four Budweiser units per person.”
      This is to prevent binge-buying and anyone must prove they are over 21 to be able to buy alcohol.
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      There has been signals that there might have been communication with both Fifa and the Qatari government before the final pricing policy was reached.
      The company added: “Budweiser is proud to be served in compliance with the local rules and regulations by Fifa’s appointed concessionaire.” More

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      ‘I don’t think I’ll play much more’ – Lionel Messi, 35, stokes retirement fears as Argentina ace prepares for World Cup

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      LIONEL MESSI has fuelled speculation he is nearing the end of his career by claiming he is “not going to play much more”.The Argentine, 35, is currently preparing to try and win the World Cup for the first time in his career.
      Messi has hinted he could be in the final stages of his careerCredit: Getty
      The South Americans are one of the favourites heading into the tournament in Qatar.
      And Messi is in fine form so far this season, contributing 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 games for Paris Saint-Germain.
      Yet despite his impressive performances, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner insists he is nearing the end of his career.
      As reported by AS, he said: “I love playing it [football] and I enjoy it, the only thing I’ve done all my life is play football and I’m sure it’s related, although I don’t know what. I don’t think I’m going to play much more.”
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      Messi already stated last month that the Qatar tournament will be his fifth and final World Cup.
      He said: “This will be my last World Cup — for sure. The decision has been made.”
      Messi has been heavily linked with a move to David Beckham’s MLS side Inter Miami at the end of the season when his PSG contract expires.
      There has also been speculation about a return to Barcelona.
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      But at the moment his focus is solely on trying to win the World Cup with Argentina.
      And Messi has highlighted the three teams he feels pose the biggest threat to his country in this year’s competition.
      “They are always the same,” he said. “There are some surprises but in general the big ones are the candidates.
      “Brazil, France, England today are a little above the others, but in a World Cup anything can happen.” More

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      Man City fans claim Joao Cancelo ‘wants nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo’ after bizarre training ground encounter

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      MANCHESTER CITY fans claim Joao Cancelo “wants nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo” after a bizarre training encounter went viral.The duo are both in Portugal after being called up by their country for the World Cup.

      Cristiano Ronaldo approached Joao CanceloCredit: Twitter
      The Manchester City star remained stony faced during the interactionCredit: Twitter
      During their training camp, fans spotted a strange interaction between the duo, following in the wake of Ronaldo’s bombshell interview with The Sun’s Piers Morgan.
      In a clip circulating online, Manchester United forward Ronaldo can be seen approaching his club rival and former Juventus team-mate.
      As the 37-year-old walks towards him, Cancelo doesn’t raise his head or glance at him at all.
      Ronaldo then grabs him by the sides of his head with both hands.
      READ MORE ON RONALDO
      Cancelo, 28, doesn’t smile at any point during the interaction – instead gently brushing Ronaldo’s hands off.
      The five time Ballon d’Or winner walks off with a smirk on his face, while Cancelo remains stony faced.
      Posting the clip, one City fan wrote: “Joao Cancelo wants nothing to do with Cristiano Ronaldo.”
      A second commented: “My full back.”
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      While another joked: “Joao was like na bro i ain’t talking to Pep for you.”
      Ronaldo recently delivered an extraordinary interview to The Sun’s Piers Morgan, during which he admitted he doesn’t respect Man United boss Erik ten Hag.
      Footage has since emerged of a frosty interaction between United talisman Bruno Fernandes and Ronaldo upon the former’s arrival into the Portugal camp.
      The attacking midfielder gave his club team-mate a less than enthusiastic embrace, briefly muttering a few words and shaking his hand before walking off.
      This footage didn’t go unnoticed by fans online – but Portugal star Joao Mario quickly claimed that the strange scene was a joke between the two Red Devils stars.
      He said: “I was in the dressing room at that moment. I’ve seen the footage.
      Read More on The Sun
      “It was a joke between them because Bruno was one of the last to arrive and Cristiano asked him if he had come by boat.
      “They’re always messing around.”
      Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes’ interaction on Portugal duty got the internet talkingCredit: Twitter More

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      Pick up your FREE World Cup wallchart and 32-page World Cup guide with The Sun and The Sun on Sunday this weekend

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      THIS weekend pick up your FREE World Cup wallchart and 32-page World Cup guide to Qatar with The Sun and The Sun on Sunday.World Cup fever is beginning to grip the nation ahead of the big kick off on Sunday afternoon.
      Get your wallchart in The Sun on Saturday
      In The Sun on Sunday is our 32-page pull out World Cup guide
      And then on Monday, Gareth Southgate’s boys get their campaign under way with their opening Group B game against Iran.
      Across the weekend The Sun and The Sun on Sunday will provide all you need to get clued up on the tournament and spark your World Cup fever.
      In Saturday’s copy of The Sun we have a pull-out poster-size wall chart so you can plot England’s path to the final (hopefully).
      Kick-off times and full details for all 64 fixtures are provided so you can map out the tournament as it unfolds.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
      And then, in The Sun on Sunday, we have a pull-out World Cup guide with all the details you need.
      Featuring run downs on all 32 teams competing in Qatar from their star men to the managers, it’s as comprehensive as it gets.
      Plus we delve into the five greatest matches of all time, reveal the rising stars who could surprise in the desert plus much much more.
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      World Cup 2022 squads: England squad CONFIRMED while Portugal, France, Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Spain announced

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      SOME of football’s most talented superstars are set to go up against each other THIS MONTH at the Qatar World Cup – but a few won’t be on the flight.Winter’s blockbuster event is edging closer with the opener scheduled to get underway on Sunday, November 20.
      Japan were the first side to announce their World Cup squadCredit: Getty
      All eyes were on the managers beforehand as they had to rack their brains to select their squads for the huge tournament in Qatar.
      Japanese head coach Hajime Moriyasu wasted no time by becoming the first manager to name his full team.
      And Gareth Southgate can finally focus on England’s opening match against Iran now that he has officially named his squad for Qatar.
      SunSport have ALL of the confirmed 32 squads below.
      When was the deadline for the World Cup squads?
      Managers had until Friday, October 21 to submit their 55-player release list to FIFA.
      Find out more info on the World Cup squads below…
      Read more on World Cup
      However, FIFA gave managers up until Monday, November 14 to decide on their final 26-player squad.
      And once confirmed, each final listing was made public before the World Cup begins.
      Given the possibility of Covid-19 or injuries, each team is able to replace affected players up to 24 hours before their first encounter but they have to be selected from the initial 55-man list.
      What are the confirmed World Cup squads?
      Group A
      Ecuador
      Dangerous attacking duo Enner Valencia and Kevin Rodriguez have made the cut.
      But Ecuador boss Gustavo Alfaro decided not to include Byron Castillo due to previous legal restrictions.
      Ecuador take on hosts Qatar in the very first game of the tournamentCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Alexander Dominguez, Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramirez.
      Defenders: Pervis Estupinan, Angelo Preciado (Gent), Piero Hincapie, Xavier Arreaga, Diego Palacios, Jackson Porozo, Robert Arboleda, Felix Torres, William Pacho.
      Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Jose Cifuentes, Alan Franco, Jhegson Mendez, Carlos Gruezo, Gonzalo Plata, Angel Mena, Ayrton Preciado, Romario Ibarra, Jeremy Sarmiento
      Forwards: Enner Valencia, Michael Estrada, Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez.
      Netherlands
      The Premier League trio of Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Tyrrell Malacia have made the cut.
      Frenkie de Jong and former Tottenham attacker Steven Bergwijn will be on the plane to Qatar too.
      And they’ll be joined by promising PSV youngsters, Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simons.
      Netherlands have a tough encounter against Senegal in their opening group gameCredit: Getty
      Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow, Remko Pasveer and Andries Noppert.
      Defenders: Daley Blind, Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, Denzel Dumfries, Nathan Ake, Jurrien Timber, Tyrell Malacia and Jeremie Frimpong.
      Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Marten de Roon, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenneth Taylor and Xavi Simons.
      Forwards: Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong, Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen, Wout Weghorst, Cody Gakpo and Noa Lang.
      Senegal
      Chelsea duo Eduoard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have both made the cut for Senegal.
      But the AFCON champions are reportedly set to be without talisman Sadio Mane who sustained a tendon injury against Werder Bremen.
      However, Mane is still named in the squad with the Senegal boss prepared to take a gamble.
      Senegal will be looking for more international glory after winning AFCON in FebruaryCredit: AP
      Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Gomis, Seny Diang
      Defenders: Bouna Sarr, Saliou Ciss, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Abou Cisse, Abdou Diallo, Ibrahima Mbaye, Abdoulaye Seck, Fode Ballo Toure, Cheikhou Kouyate
      Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr, Pape Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Moustapha Name, M. Loum Ndiaye, Joseph Lopy
      Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Bamba Dieng, Keita Balde, Habib Diallo, Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, Mame Babe Thiam
      Qatar
      Pedro Miguel is in the squad and he’ll be joined by top strikers Almoez Ali and Hassan Al-Haydos who scored in their last outing against Chile.
      Qatar will start the World Cup tournament against EcuadorCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousuf Hassan
      Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Musaab Khidir, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al Rawi, Khoukhi Boualem, Abdelkarim Hassan, Ismael Mohammed, Homam Al Amin
      Midfielders: Jassim Jabir, Ali Asad, Mohammed Waad, Salem Al Hajri, Assim Modibo, Mustafa Meshaal, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatim, Naif Alhadhrami
      Forwards: Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohammed Muntari, Ahmed Alaa, Khalid Muneer
      Group B
      England
      Kyle Walker and Kalvin Philips have both battled through their injuries to make it on the plane to Qatar.
      Arsenal duo Ben White and Bukayo Saka get the call up following their sensational starts to the season.
      But the two major talking points is James Maddison who gets hasn’t made an England appearance since 2019.
      And Callum Wilson, who was picked over the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ivan Toney.
      England start their World Cup journey against Iran on November 21Credit: Getty
      Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
      Defenders: Luke Shaw, John Stones, Eric Dier, Harry Maguire, Ben White, Conor Coady, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold
      Midfielders: Mason Mount, James Maddison, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips
      Forwards: Harry Kane, Callum Wilson, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka
      Iran
      The ‘Iranian Messi’ Sardar Azmoun has been called up to the Iran side who feature in the same World Cup group as England.
      Iran will take on the mighty England in their first World Cup matchCredit: EPA
      Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Hossein Hosseini, Payam Niazmand, Amir Abedzadeh.
      Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian, Abolfazl Jalali, Hossein Kananizadegan, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Mortza Pouraliganji, Majid Hosseini, Sadegh Moharrami, Milad Mohammadi, Ehsan Hajisafi.
      Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi, Ahmad Nourollahi, Ali Karimi, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Vahid Amiri, Mehdi Torabi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Ali Gholizadeh, Saman Ghoddos.
      Forwards: Sardar Azmoun, Karim Ansarifard, Mehdi Taremi.
      United States
      Arsenal’s second choice goal keeper Matt Turner has been included in the squad despite some recent injury issues.
      He’ll be joined by Leeds duo Brenden Aaaronson and Tyler Adams as well as Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic.
      United States open their World Cup account against WalesCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Matt Turner
      Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergino Dest, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman
      Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan
      Forwards: Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright.
      Wales
      Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will be both on the plane to Qatar this winter.
      And they’ll be joined by Premier League duo Dan James and Brennan Johnson.
      Wales will take on United States in their first World Cup group matchCredit: Rex
      Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies.
      Defenders: Ben Davies, Ben Cabango, Tom Lockyer, Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Gunter, Neco Williams, Connor Roberts.
      Midfielders: Sorba Thomas, Joe Allen, Matthew Smith, Dylan Levitt, Harry Wilson, Joe Morrell, Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey, Rubin Colwill.
      Forwards: Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris, Brennan Johnson, Dan James.
      Group C
      Argentina
      Lionel Messi will be captain of this Argentinian side for potentially his last World Cup.
      And under his guide, the legendary footballer has the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez.
      Argentina won the Copa AmericaCredit: AFP
      But there was no space for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnarcho in the side.
      Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Geronimo Rulli, Franco Armani
      Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuna
      Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Alexis Mac Allister, Alejandro Gomez, Enzo Fernandez, Exequiel Palacios
      Forwards: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala, Joaquin Correa, Nicolas Gonzalez
      Mexico
      Wolves striker Raul Jimenez will be on the plane to Qatar this winter despite lack of game time for his club due to ongoing injuries.
      Mexico open their World Cup campaign against PolandCredit: EPA
      Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa, Rodolfo Cota, Alfredo Talavera
      Defenders: Nestro Araujo, Jesus Gallardo, Gerardo Artega, Hector Moreno, Jorge Sanchez, Johan Vazquez, Cesar Montes, Kevin Alvarez.
      Midfielders: Erick Gutierrez, Orbelin Peneda, Hector Herrera, Carlos Rodriguez, Andres Guardado, Roberto Alvarado, Edson Alvarez, Luis Chavez, Uriel Antuna, Luis Romo
      Forwards: Hirving Lozano, Rogelio Fuenes Mori, Henry Martin, Raul Jimenez, Alexis Vega
      Poland
      Robert Lewandowski could be featuring in his final World Cup as he gets the call-up for Qatar.
      Poland start their World Cup tournament against Saudi ArabiaCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny, Bartlomiej Dragowski, Lukasz Skorupski
      Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Kamil Glik, Robert Gumny, Artur Jedrzejczyk, Jakub Kiwior, Mateusz Wieteska, Bartosz Bereszynski, Matty Cash, Nicola Zalewski.
      Midfielders: Krystian Bielik, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Kamil Grosicki, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Jakub Kaminski, Michal Skoras, Damian Szymanski, Sebastian Szymanski, Piotr Zielinski, Szymon Zurkowski.
      Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Krzysztof Piatek, Karol Swiderski
      Saudi Arabia
      Dangerous duo Firas Al-Buraikan and Saleh Al-Shehri will be on the plane to Qatar.
      Salman Al-Faraj has also been selected to captain the squad.
      Saudi Arabia start their World Cup campaign with a tough opener against ArgentinaCredit: AP
      Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Mohammed Al-Yami
      Defenders: Hassan Tambakti, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Abdullah Madu, Saud Abdulhamid, Sultan Al-Ghanam, Mohammed Al-Breik, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Ali Al-Hassan
      Midfielders: Abdulellah Al-Malki, Riyadh Sharahili, Abdullah Otayf, Mohamed Kanno, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Salman Al-Faraj, Sami Al-Najei, Salem Al-Dawsari, Hattan Bahebri
      Forwards: Fahad Al-Muwallad, Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, Haitham Asiri, Firas Al-Buraikan, Saleh Al-Shehri
      Group D
      Australia
      Experienced central defender Trent Sainsbury was a surprise omission while wonderkid Garang Kuol and former Scotland international Jason Cummings have been called up.
      Australia have a tough opener scheduled against World champions FranceCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne
      Defenders: Harry Souttar, Milos Degenek, Bailey Wright, Thomas Deng, Fran Karacic, Nathaniel Atkinson, Aziz Behich, Kye Rowles, Joel King
      Midfielders: Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine, Ajdin Hrustic, Cameron Devlin, Riley McGree, Keanu Baccus
      Forwards: Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Duke, Jason Cummings, Garang Kuol, Awer Mabil, Mathew Leckie, Craig Goodwin, Martin Boyle
      Denmark
      Christian Eriksen has been named in Denmark’s squad 17 months after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
      Denmark kick off their World Cup campaign against TunisiaCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Oliver Christensen
      Defenders: Simon Kjaer, Joachim Andersen, Joakim Maehle, Andreas Christensen, Rasmus Kristensen, Jens Stryger Larsen, Victor Nelsson, Daniel Wass
      Midfielders: Thomas Delaney, Mathias Jensen, Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
      Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen, Jesper Lindstrom, Andreas Cornelius, Martin Braithwaite, Kasper Dolberg, Mikkel Damsgaard, Jonas Wind
      France
      Manager Didier Deschamps has found room for Raphael Varane in his squad, despite the Manchester United star’s injury.
      France are the current World Cup holdersCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda
      Defenders: Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Koundé, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Raphael Varane
      Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, Eduardo Camavinga, Matteo Guendouzi, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jordan Veretout
      Forwards: Karim Benzema, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Christopher Nkunku
      Tunisia
      Arsenal defender Omar Rekik failed to make the final 26-man Tunisia squad for the World Cup.
      However, Manchester United wonderkid Hannibal Mejibri is included after only swapping allegiances from France in 2021.
      Tunisia are scheduled to face Denmark in their opening World Cup group matchCredit: PA
      Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Mouez Hassen, Aymen Balbouli, Bechir Ben Said
      Defenders: Mohamed Dräger, Wajdi Kechrida, Bilel Ifa, Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Yassine Meriah, Nader Ghandri, Ali Maâloul, Ali Abdi
      Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri, Aissa Laidouni, Ferjani Sassi, Ghaylen Chaaleli, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Hannibal Mejbri
      Forwards: Seifeddine Jaziri, Naim Sliti, Taha Yassine Khenissi, Anis Ben Slimane, Issam Jebali, Wahbi Khazri, Youssef Msakni
      Group E
      Costa Rica
      Paris Saint-Germain veteran Keylor Navas makes the cut and so has former Arsenal forward Joel Campbell.
      Costa Rica are scheduled to face Spain in their first World Cup match this monthCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado, Patrick Sequeira
      Defenders: Francisco Calvo, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Oscar Duarte, Daniel Chacon, Keysher Fuller, Carlos Martinez, Bryan Oviedo, Ronald Matarrita
      Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Youstin Salas, Roan Wilson, Gerson Torres, Douglas Lopez, Jewisson Bennette, Alvaro Zamora, Anthony Hernandez, Brandon Aguilera, Bryan Ruiz
      Forwards: Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras, Johan Venegas
      Germany
      There’s no place for injured Marco Reus but Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan and Chelsea’s Kai Havertz make the cut.
      However, the big surprise is that Moukoko, 17, will be on the plane to Qatar.
      Germany will take on Japan in their World Cup openerCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
      Defenders: Armel Bella Kotchap, Mathias Gintar, Christian Gunter, Thilo Kehrer, Lukas Klostermann, David Raum, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Sule
      Midfielders: Julian Brandt, Niclas Fullkrug, Leon Goretzka, Mario Gotze, Ilkay Gundogan, Jonas Hofmann, Joshua Kimmich
      Forwards: Karim Adeyemi, Serge Gnabry, Kai Havertz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane
      Japan
      Arsenal ace Takehiro Tomiyasu has been selected while Celtic stars Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate failed to make the cut.
      Japan will take on Germany in their opening World Cup matchCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
      Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Shogo Taniguchi, Miki Yamane, Ko Itakura, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito
      Midfielders: Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Daichi Kamada, Yuki Soma, Kaoru Mitoma, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Takefusa Kubo
      Forwards: Takuma Asano, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda, Shuto Machino
      Spain
      Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte have made the cut.
      Spanish veteran Sergio Busquets will be guiding the likes of Gavi and Pedri in midfield.
      But Manchester United’s first-choice keeper David de Gea has NOT been included in the squad.
      Spain play Costa Rica in their World Cup openerCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez and David Raya.
      Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba and Jose Gaya.
      Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Pedri, Carlos Soler, Koke and Marcos Llorente.
      Forwards: Alvaro Morata, Ferran Torres, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Marco Asensio and Ansu Fati.
      Group F
      Belgium
      Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Leandro Trossard make it on the plane to Qatar for the Red Devils.
      Former Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard takes up his spot too but no place ex-Liverpool star Divock Origi.
      Belgium start their World Cup campaign against Canada in Group FCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels
      Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes
      Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier
      Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Loïs Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard
      Canada
      Bayern Munich ace Alphonso Davies will be on the plane to Qatar and John Herdman has registered him as a forward.
      Canada find themselves with a tough opener against BelgiumCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, James Pantemis, Dayne St Clair
      Defenders: Kamal Miller, Steven Vitoria, Joel Waterman, Derek Cornelius, Sam Adekugbe, Alistair Johnston, Richie Laryea.
      Midfielders: Atiba Hutchinson, Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Sam Piette, Ismael Kone, Liam Fraser, David Wotherspoon
      Forwards: Tajon Buchanan, Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Junior Hoilett, Cyle Larin, Lucas Cavallini, Liam Millar, Ike Ugbo.
      Croatia
      Midfield veteran Luka Modric, Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovcic and Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic will all be on the plane to Qatar.
      But Rangers’ Antonio Mirko Olak was cut from the preliminary squad.
      Croatia got the semi-final in the 2018 World CupCredit: EPA
      Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic
      Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo
      Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic
      Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
      Morocco
      Achraf Hakimi has got the call up and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech makes his return to the fold.
      Morocco face Croatia in their first World Cup matchCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Yassine Bono, Munir, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti
      Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Romain Saiss, Achraf Dari, Jawad El-Yamiq, Yahia Attiat-Allal, Badr Benoun
      Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilel El Khanouss, Yahya Jabrane
      Forwards: Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal, Zakaria Aboukhlal, Ez Abde, Amine Harit, Ilias Chair, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Walid Cheddira
      Group G
      Brazil
      Arsenal’s attacking duo Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli were both selected for the Brazilian squad.
      However, their defensive teammate Gabriel Magalhaes has been left out and so has Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino.
      Brazil come up against Serbia in their World Cup openerCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
      Defenders: Bremer, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, Danilo, Dani Alves
      Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta
      Forwards: Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Neymar, Raphinha, Richarlison, Pedro, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr
      Cameroon
      Experienced captain Vincent Aboubakar will feature in yet another World Cup for the African giants.
      And he’ll be supported up top by Bayern Munich’s Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
      Cameroon open their World Cup account against PanamaCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Andre Onana
      Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto, Enzo Ebosse, Collins Fai, Olivier Mbaizo, Nicolas Nkoulou, Tolo Nouhou, Christopher Wooh
      Midfielders: Martin Hongla, Pierre Kunde, Olivier Ntcham, Gael Ondoua, Samuel Oum Gouet, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
      Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar, Christian Bassogog, Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting, Souaibou Marou, Bryan Mbeumo, Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, Jerome Ngom, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Jean-Pierre Nsame, Karl Toko Ekambi
      Serbia
      In form Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has got the the call-up and he’ll be joined by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luka Jovic.
      Serbia are scheduled to play Brazil in their first World Cup fixtureCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Marko Dmitrovic Predrag Rajkovic, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic
      Defenders: Stefan Mitrovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Milos Veljkovic, Filip Mladenovic, Strahinja Erakovic, Srdjan Babic
      Midfielders: Nemanja Gudelj, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic, Marko Grujic, Filip Kostic, Uros Racic, Nemanja Maksimovic, Ivan Ilic, Andrija Zivkovic, Darko Lazovic
      Forwards: Dusan Tadic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic, Filip Duricic, Luka Jovic, Nemanja Radonji
      Switzerland
      Granit Xhaka will captain the Swiss team as they go for glory in Qatar and he’ll be joined by former Liverpool attacker Xherdan Shaqiri.
      Switzerland open their World Cup campaign with a fixture against CameroonCredit: EPA
      Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel, Philipp Kohn, Jonas Omlin, Yann Sommer
      Defenders: Manuel Akanji, Eray Comert, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Silvan Widmer
      Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Edimilson Fernandes, Fabian Frei, Remo Freuler, Ardon Jashari, Fabian Rieder, Xherdan Shaqiri, Djibril Sow, Renato Steffen, Denis Zakaria, Michel Aebischer
      Forwards: Breel Embolo, Christian Fassnacht, Noah Okafor, Haris Seferovic, Ruben Vargas
      Group H
      Portugal
      Cristiano Ronaldo has been called up for what could be his last World Cup.
      And the Portuguese legend will be joined by the likes of Joao Cancelo, Rafael Leao and his Manchester United teammate, Bruno Fernandes.
      Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his side out against Ghana in their first group gameCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Jose Sa, Rui Patricio, Diogo Costa
      Defenders: Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Danilo Pereira, Antonio Silva, Nuno Mendes, Raphael Guerreiro
      Midfielders: William, Ruben Neves, Joao Palhinha, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Otavio, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Mario
      Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, Ricardo Horta, Andre Silva, Goncalo Ramos
      Ghana
      The Black stars have a whole host of Premier League players featuring in their 26-man World Cup squad.
      Mohammed Salisu, Tariq Lamptey, Daniel Amartey and Jordan Ayew have all made the cut.
      And Arsenal talisman Thomas Partey has made the cut too.
      Ghana’s first World Cup fixture will be against PortugalCredit: AFP
      Goalkeepers: Danlad Ibrahim, Manaf Nurudeen, Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
      Defenders: Mohammed Salisu, Tariq Lamptey, Daniel Amartey, Baba Abdul Rahman, Alexander Djiku, Alidu Seidu, Gideon Mensah, Denis Odoi, Joseph Aidoo.
      Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Elisha Owusu, Salis Samed, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Mohammed Kudus.
      Forwards: Inaki Williams, Kamal Sowah, Osman Bukari, Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, Fatawu Issahaku, Kamaldeen Sulemana.
      South Korea
      Tottenham ace Son-Heung-min has battled through his fractured eye injury to make it on the plane to Qatar.
      Son Hueng-min and co will be taking on Uruguay in their first World Cup matchCredit: AP
      Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu, Jo Hyeon-woo, Song Bum-keun
      Defenders: Kim Min-jae, Kim Jin-su, Hong Chul, Kim Moon-hwan, Yoon Jong-gyu, Kim Young-gwon, Kim Tae-hwan, Kwon Kyung-won, Cho Yu-min
      Midfielders: Jung Woo-young, Na Sang-ho, Paik Seung-ho, Son Jun-ho, Song Min-kyu, Kwon Chang-hoon, Lee Jae-sung, Hwang Hee-chan, Hwang In-beom, Jeong Woo-yeong , Lee Kang-in
      Forwards: Hwang Ui-jo, Cho Gue-sung , Son Heung-min
      Uruguay
      The deadly striking trio of Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Edinson Cavani have all got the phone call for the trip to Qatar.
      Darwin Nunez and Luis Suarez are among the dangerous strikers union for UruguayCredit: Reuters
      Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet, Fernando Muslera, Sebastián Sosa.
      Defenders: Diego Godín, José María Giménez, Ronald Araujo, Sebastián Coates, Martín Cáceres, Mathiás Olivera, Guillermo Varela, José Luís Rodríguez, Matías Viña.
      Midfielders: Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Betancour, Matías Vecino, Lucas Torreira, Manuel Ugarte, Nicolás de la Cruz, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Facundo Pellistri, Facundo Torres, Agustín Canobbio.
      Forwards: Luis Suárez, Darwin Núñez, Edinson Cavani, Maximiliano Gómez. More

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      Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo tells Portugal squad secret to winning World Cup 2022 is to ‘stay humble’

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED star Cristiano Ronaldo has told the Portugal squad that the secret to winning the World Cup is to “stay humble”.The 37-year-old has experienced most things in football during his illustrious career and he is captain of the Portuguese side heading to Qatar.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has asked for his team to “stay focued”Credit: Getty
      He believes being “humble” is important for World Cup gloryCredit: Getty
      The tournament in Qatar could be Cristiano Ronaldo’s lastCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo has offered some words of wisdom ahead of the tournament and is confident his country can go all the way.
      He said: “Of course we’re there to win and I believe we have the squad to do it.
      “But then there are a number of top teams out there with world-class talent so we have to stay focused, stay humble, and go out there and show what we can do. The rest will follow.”
      Ronaldo knows how to win on the international stage as he was part of the team that won Euro 2016 and the inaugural edition of the Nations League with Portugal.
      READ MORE ON RONALDO
      But he has never lifted a World Cup and this will be his record equalling sixth attempt at glory.
      Portugal’s best result in the tournament with Ronaldo playing came in 2006 when the team reached the semi-final. Portugal didn’t make it past the Round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup.
      But Ronaldo will not live in the past saying: “It’s hard to compare one generation with another.
      “Everyone who plays for Portugal, whether in the past or today, has overcome so much to compete at the top level.
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      “There has always been and there always will be rising stars at the top level. I have no doubt that the World Cup will unveil the next generation of talent ready to change the game.”
      Portugal play Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea in the group stage.
      And all eyes will be on CR7 after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      He slammed Man Utd for “betraying” him and hit out at manager Erik ten Hag and his former boss Ralf Rangnick.
      He also hit out at former teammates Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney for criticising him.
      But Ronaldo has moved on and is training for the World Cup looking to turn around a poor season.
      Most read in Sport
      He shared a photo of himself online training captioning it: “Total and absolute focus on the work of the National Team. A united group, towards a single objective: to fulfil the dream of all Portuguese people!”
      There may be some difficulties in camp though after Bruno Fernandes appeared to give him an icy welcome on international duty. More