World Cup 2022

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      BBC beat ITV in World Cup ratings war as almost 20MILLION UK viewers tune in to watch final

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      BBC thrashed ITV with their World Cup final ratings as 20MILLION Brits tuned in across both channels to watch Argentina beat France.Viewers were treated to one of the all-time great spectacles as Lionel Messi inspired his country to a penalty shootout victory after a remarkable 120-minute match ended 3-3.
      Most UK viewers chose to watch BBC’s coverage of Argentina’s win over FranceCredit: Getty
      ITV only managed to attract an audience of around four million for the finalCredit: Rex
      Both BBC and ITV broadcasted the final simultaneously, but it was very one-sided with regards to the share of the audience.
      BBC managed to attract 14.9m people for their coverage spearheaded by former England striker turned presenter Gary Lineker.
      Meanwhile, ITV, boasting pundits such as Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright, could only muster a viewership of 4.3m.
      But the overall total number of people tuning in was significantly up on the 2018 final between France and Croatia.
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      Just 11.4m Brits watched Didier Deschamps’ men lift the trophy in Russia, compared with 19.2m this time around.
      The figures for 2022’s final do not yet account for those who streamed it on services such as iPlayer and ITVX.
      It also does not include those watching in pubs.
      A number of factors can explain this huge rise in ratings – most notably the blockbuster duel between Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
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      It’s safe to say the pair delivered as they registered five goals between them to captivate football fans around the world.
      Then there is also the fact that the tournament was played in winter, so the general public are more likely to be indoors compared with the summertime.
      Speaking after the ratings were announced, Barbara Slater, the director of BBC Sport, said: “One of the greatest World Cup Finals of all time, Argentina and Messi’s victory last night closed off a thrilling four weeks of football.
      “A first ever winter World Cup was a new experience for fans and the BBC has once again demonstrated the value of sport when made freely available to all, breaking new streaming records and providing the highest quality coverage, analysis and entertainment across TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online and BBC Sounds.”
      The most watched BBC match of the 2022 World Cup was Wales vs England – which peaked at an audience of 17.6 million – followed by the final, Holland vs Argentina, France vs Morocco and Spain vs Germany. More

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      ‘THAT’S when you dance’ – Man Utd legend Roy Keane takes final dig at Brazil after Argentina’s World Cup win

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      ROY KEANE aimed one final dig at Brazil following Argentina’s World Cup final victory over France.The ITV pundit was left fuming earlier in the tournament when Brazil’s stars danced after all four goals in their 4-1 win over South Korea.
      Roy Keane took a final dig at Brazil as he praised ArgentinaCredit: Twitter / @itvfootball
      Keane was not fussed at all by Argentina’s wild celebrationsCredit: Getty
      The ITV pundit originally slammed Brazil for their dancing during the last-16Credit: AP
      Neymar and Co were then knocked out in the quarter-finals by Croatia.
      Argentina meanwhile won the tournament with a penalty shootout win over France after an incredible final finished 3-3.
      The players celebrated wildly on the pitch, before continuing the celebrations in the dressing room.
      Manchester United icon Keane didn’t mind this time, pointing out “that’s when you dance” in a cheeky dig at Brazil.
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      He said on ITV after the final: “Look what brilliant scenes, it is just brilliant, dance all you want.
      “They’ll be dancing at the hotel tonight, good luck to them, they’ll be dancing for the next 10 years.
      “That’s when you dance, when you win it.”
      Argentina captain Lionel Messi danced with a $10million cheque in the dressing room after the game, while another person celebrated by diving head first into a wheelie bin.
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      Keane had originally slammed Brazil for “disrespecting” their opponents by dancing during the last-16.
      He famously blasted at the time: “It’s like watching Strictly. I can’t believe what I’m watching.
      “I don’t like this. I think it’s disrespecting the opposition. It’s four [goals] and they’re doing it every time.
      “I don’t mind the first kind of little jig – whatever they’re doing – but they’re still doing it after that and then the manager getting involved with it.
      “I’m not happy with it, I don’t think it’s very good at all.”
      Keane was criticised by members of the Brazil camp for his words, before the five-time champions and pre-tournament favourites crashed out of the tournament in the last-eight.
      And the 51-year-old, who showed off a new look ahead of the final, ended up having the last laugh. More

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      France boss Didier Deschamps explains why he hauled Giroud and Dembele off before half-time of World Cup final

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      DIDIER DESCHAMPS has revealed why he controversially made a double substitution before halftime in the World Cup final.The France manager hooked both Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele after seeing his side go two goals down to Argentina.
      Dider Deschamps hooked Olivier Giroud and Ousmane Dembele in the World Cup finalCredit: Getty
      The French stars were replaced before half timeCredit: EPA
      Lionel Messi scored the first goal from the spot after Dembele fouled Angel Di Maria in the box before the Juventus star then doubled the lead after a quick counterattack.
      The double change came in the 41st minute, just five minutes after Di Maria’s goal.
      Giroud and Dembele were replaced by Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani.
      Giroud was visibly frustrated by the substitution as he was seen throwing a water bottle once he had got to the bench.
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      Deschamps has explained the decision to make the change as he argued that his side was not good enough.
      He said: “If we had been 3-0 down, we couldn’t have complained.
      “We didn’t do the right things for an hour, but then with a lot of courage, energy and quality, we pushed Argentina to the limit.
      “If I made those changes so early, it’s because I was not satisfied and I felt convinced we could do better.
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      “That doesn’t mean the players who went off were more guilty than the others.”
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      He is right to believe that the changes worked as France did manage to force extra time as Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in as many second-half minutes to level the scores.
      Kolo Muani almost paid back the faith from his manager in the 123rd minute of the game, only to see his goalbound effort brilliantly stopped by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
      However, in the end, it was not enough to win the final, as Argentina took home the trophy after coming out on top after a penalty shootout. More

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      Lionel Messi achieved his World Cup dream but he did not do it alone – this was the best Argentina team he’s played in

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      LIONEL MESSI finally got his hands on football’s greatest prize as he led Argentina to World Cup final glory against France.It is obvious and understandable that all the headlines are about him and all the spotlights are on him. 
      Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball as best player at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Messi was backed up by his team-mates as Argentina won their first World Cup since 1986Credit: Getty
      He is a breathtaking talent, and even France fans will find it hard to feel bitter about Messi’s dream coming true.
      But he did not do it alone. 
      Football is a collective sport and this always looked like the best, most functioning team that Messi has ever been part of in an Argentina shirt.
      The man of the match for the first hour was his long time team-mate Angel Di Maria.
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      When Messi and Argentina won the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics it was Di Maria who scored the only goal of the final. 
      When Messi and Argentina won last year’s Copa America – a vital stepping stone on the way to this triumph – once more it was Di Maria who scored the only goal of the final. 
      And it was Di Maria who did much to befuddle the French defence. 
      This time he was used wide on the left. 
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      He often operates on the other flank, sometimes as a wide midfielder in a 4-4-2 rather than as a winger. 
      He can even play in the midfield trio. 
      Whatever the team needs, he does. 
      It is hard to think of another world class player with such little ego.
      Julian Alvarez was brought into the side when it became clear that Messi would be a more sporadic figure than Argentina had planned. 
      They needed the extra mobility of the Manchester City man, a striker with the soul of a midfielder. 
      And his partnership with midfielder Enzo Fernandez, his old colleague from River Plate was vital to the campaign – and a pointer to a post-Messi future.
      Rodrigo De Paul provided midfield thrust, Alexis Mac Allister was full of subtlety and the centre back combination of Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi creaked occasionally but came through the competition better than anyone could have expected. 
      And behind them Emiliano Martinez proved to be the best goalkeeper that Argentina has produced in decades. 
      Over the course of the competition he did not have a great deal to do, but came up with vital saves in both open play – the one from Randal Kolo Muani at the end of extra time averted disaster – and in the penalty shoot outs.
      This was a team effort. 
      As a collective they had to dig deep when they could have been shattered by having victory snatched from them – in the last minutes of normal time against both Holland and France. 
      On both occasions they bounced back well in extra time, snatching back a momentum that seemed to have been stolen by the opposition. 
      For this to happen, everyone had to be on board. 
      A few moments of genius from Messi would not have been enough to guarantee the title.
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      It is fitting, then, that the last kick, the decisive penalty that confirmed Argentina as champions of the world, came from the boot of Gonzalo Montiel, the reserve right back and one of the least glamorous players on the field. 
      It might have been Messi’s World Cup, but he could not do it alone, and there was a kind of poetry in the identity of the last Argentine to take a penalty.
      Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty in the shootoutCredit: Getty More

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      How much World Cup prize money every team won from champions Argentina to England and Wales and Germany for early exits

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      ARGENTINA will receive £34.5MILLION for lifting the World Cup in Qatar.Lionel Messi inspired his country to a third title on Sunday night as they beat France on penalties after an iconic 3-3 draw over 120 minutes.
      Argentina won the World Cup in remarkable fashion on Sunday nightCredit: Getty
      The triumph means they will now help themselves to a HUGE prize pot of nearly £35m.
      That is an increase of more than £3m from four years ago when France claimed the trophy in Russia.
      And Les Bleus’ dramatic defeat this time around means they are set to receive £10m less than Argentina.
      There is much more of a disparity when it comes to the financial reward between first and second compared with second and third.
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      France’s £24m is only a touch more than third-place Croatia’s £22m and fourth-place Morocco’s £21m.
      But the prize pot then drops significantly once more for those who were beaten quarter-finalists.
      Portugal, England, Brazil and Holland will all earn themselves £14m for their last-eight exit.
      It then falls a further £3m for the eight teams knocked out in the last-16.
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      In Qatar, that was Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Senegal, South Korea, Japan, Australia and USA.
      Lastly, those who made the finals but failed to get beyond the group stage will pocket £7m.
      Among those 16 nations are four-time winners Germany, two-time winners Uruguay, 2018 semi-finalists Belgium, hosts Qatar, and Wales.
      The other countries include Ghana, Serbia, Cameroon, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Iran and Ecuador. More

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      Notoriously harsh critics L’Equipe name England star in team of the World Cup… but only ONE player gets a rating above 7

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      NOTORIOUSLY harsh football critics L’Equipe have named England star Bukayo Saka in the World Cup Team of the Tournament… and only gave one player above a SEVEN.Arsenal ace Saka was one of England’s shining lights in their World Cup campaign, scoring three goals in their run to the quarter-finals.
      England’s Saka has been named in L’Equipe’s Team of the TournamentCredit: PA
      Mbappe (left) was given the highest tournament rating, followed by World Cup winner Messi (right)Credit: Getty
      L’Equipe’s tournament ratingsCredit: l’Equipe
      But they were dumped out by France in a narrow 2-1 victory.
      Argentina won the winter edition of the tournament after defeating World Cup 2018 champions France in the final.
      The two sides couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes of football.
      The 3-3 draw saw Argentine greats Angel Di Maria and captain Lionel Messi score.
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      While France legend-in-the-making, Kylian Mbappe, became the second-ever player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
      Argentina then held their nerve in the penalty shootout, running out 4-2 winners, collecting their third-ever world title.
      And notoriously harsh football critics, L’Equipe, have put together their Team of the Tournament.
      But only one player was given above a SEVEN and it wasn’t World Cup-winning captain Messi.
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      France star Mbappe was given a 7.17 overall score for the Qatar World Cup – the highest in the team.
      The 23-year-old scored eight goals, picking up the Golden Boot.
      Messi, meanwhile, was given the second highest rating of 6.71 after scoring seven, assisting three, and winning the tournament.
      Morocco captain and ex-Wolves ace Romain Saiss came in at third with an overall score of 6.60.
      He is joined in defence by Morocco team-mate Achraf Hakimi with a score of 6, Josko Gvardiol on 6.43 and Marcos Acuna picking up a 6.25 rating.
      That back four sits in front of goalkeeper of the tournament, Dominik Livakovic, who single-handedly stopped pre-tournament favourites Brazil from marching into the semis.
      The Dinamo Zagreb ace was rated at 6.57.
      In midfield, World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez was given a 6.40, while Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat and Croatia icon Luka Modric were each given 6.29.
      Saka joined Messi and Mbappe in attack with a 6.50.
      L’Equipe’s World Cup final ratings were just as harsh, with Barcelona ace Ousmane Dembele being brutally slammed.
      Dembele lasted just 41 minutes as he was subbed off for Randal Kolo Muani with France 2-0 down.
      Dembele was totally ineffective with his one-on-ones against Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico.
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      However, his worst moment came in the 23rd minute as he fouled Di Maria in France’s box to give away a penalty for Messi’s opener.
      L’Equipe refused to give him a match rating. More

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      How France could line up in 2026 World Cup with XI predicted including Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku & Kylian Mbappe

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      FRANCE could have an exciting new look at the 2026 World Cup.Didier Deschamps’ men suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Argentina during yesterday’s final in Qatar.
      Kylian Mbappe is set to become France’s main central striker at the 2026 World CupCredit: Splash
      And reports claim Zinedine Zidane is now set to lead a new wave of stars for the next World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
      Players including Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud could be done with international football by the time it rolls around.
      Meanwhile, the likes of Jules Kounde and Ousmane Dembele will be sweating over their places after dismal performances against Argentina.
      Here, SunSport’s Anthony Chapman looks at how France could potentially line up at the 2026 World Cup…
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      GK – MIKE MAIGNAN (AC MILAN), 27
      Unlucky to miss this World Cup after suffering an injury having become Serie A’s top stopper.
      Has gone from strength to strength since winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille in 2020.
      And he is the natural successor to outgoing captain Lloris.
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      How France could look at the 2026 World Cup
      RB – BENJAMIN PAVARD (BAYERN MUNICH), 26
      A breakout star in France’s 2018 triumph, he found himself dropped for Kounde after the first group game.
      But a centre-back can never do the job of a natural right-back properly, and Pavard may get the chance to reclaim his spot under Zidane.
      CB – IBRAHIMA KONATE (LIVERPOOL), 23
      Impressed in starts against Australia, Tunisia and Morocco but was axed for yesterday’s final.
      Konate is already excelling as a modern-day defender and should ease into France’s XI as he also takes over Liverpool’s backline.
      CB – WILLIAM SALIBA (ARSENAL), 21
      Was hoping to see more action in Qatar as he spent most of time warming the bench.
      But Saliba is already a Premier League star and his chance with France is sure to come soon.
      LB – THEO HERNANDEZ (AC MILAN), 25
      Had a stinker in the final but on his day is one of the best wing-backs around.
      Provides a natural attacking threat which should give him the nod over brother Lucas of Bayern.
      Aurelien Tchouameni won’t forget his penalty miss in a hurryCredit: Getty
      CM – AURELIEN TCHOUAMENI (REAL MADRID), 22
      Will be out for revenge after blasting spot-kick wide of Emi Martinez’s goal.
      Already running the show at Real Madrid and will continue to grow into N’Golo Kante’s role for France.
      CM – EDUARDO CAMAVINGA (REAL MADRID), 20
      Is on the cusp of becoming Tchouameni’s Real midfield partner and will undoubtedly carry that link into the national team.
      Has everything in his locker to become a complete midfielder and is certain to be one of Zidane’s favourites.
      RW – RANDAL KOLO MUANI (EINTRACHT FRANKFURT), 24
      Almost an unknown before bursting onto world’s biggest stage yesterday.
      Will rue his wasted late chance in injury time but could be set to take advantage of Dembele’s awful performance.
      Christopher Nkunku is likely to be a Chelsea player by the time 2026 rolls aroundCredit: AFP
      AM – CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (RB LEIPZIG), 25
      Injured in training on the eve of the tournament, he is now set to join Chelsea in a mega-money move.
      Nkunku is a true goalscoring threat from deep and is ready to take charge of the No10 role.
      LW – MARCUS THURAM (GLADBACH), 25
      Almost became the first father-son duo to win a World Cup after dad Lilian.
      Exciting blend of pace and power could help him nail down spot on left wing.
      ST – KYLIAN MBAPPE (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN), 23
      Probably the best player on the planet after making history with first World Cup final hat-trick since Geoff Hurst in 1966.
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      Moving from the wing to natural No9 position should result in even more goals by time Mbappe crosses the Atlantic.
      And he’s definitely another who won’t forget the sting of losing the biggest game in football. More

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      Argentina star Emiliano Martinez reveals why he performed X-rated celebration with World Cup Golden Glove trophy

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      ARGENTINA penalty shootout hero Emiliano Martinez has lifted the lid on his X-rated celebration with the Golden Glove trophy.The 30-year-old held the award in front of his privates while leaning back and pulling an odd face.
      Emiliano Martinez caused controversy with his X-rated celebrationCredit: Getty
      Aston Villa goalkeeper Martinez was superb during the World Cup, helping his side win shootouts over Holland and France.
      He also produced an incredible stop to deny Randal Kolo Muani a last-gasp winner for France in extra time of Sunday’s final.
      The stopper was presented with the Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament during the trophy ceremony.
      After shaking hands with various Fifa representatives, Argentina goalie Martinez performed the X-rated gesture.
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      And he later revealed the exact meaning behind the crude celebration.
      He told Argentinian broadcaster TyC Sports, via Bild: “I did it because the French booed me.
      “I can’t relate to their arrogance.”
      Martinez’s comments come despite him dancing on the pitch after Aurelien Tchouameni missed his penalty in the shootout.
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      He also unsportingly threw the ball away from Tchouameni before the France man missed from the spot.
      Later on, Martinez mocked hat-trick hero Kylian Mbappe by demanding a minute’s silence for the “dead” France star in Argentina’s dressing room.
      Martinez and Co had quite the party after the lifting the trophy, with Messi dancing holding a $10million cheque and one person even diving head first into a wheelie bin.
      But Chris Sutton slammed Martinez for his “despicable” actions.
      He told the Mail: “I wasn’t overly enamoured with Martinez’s antics in the shootout.
      “I thought it was a pretty despicable thing to do (throwing the ball away). I can understand the mind games and heat of the moment you do whatever it takes.
      “But I thought that was totally unnecessary. If you’re Tchouameni walking past Martinez (in the guard of honour) you probably feel like biffing him one.”
      Chris Sutton slammed Martinez for his penalty shootout anticsCredit: Getty More