World Cup 2022

PAUL GASCOIGNE recalls being caught by Sir Bobby Robson as he sipped a pina colada on the beach during the World Cup.England legend Gazza captured the nation’s imaginations during Italia 90, with a string of breathtaking performances on the Three Lions’ incredible run to the semi-finals.
Paul Gascoigne reminisced about World Cup memories
Sir Bobby Robson caught Gazza out as he enjoyed a drink on the beachCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
And while he was there, Gascoigne loved every minute of his World Cup experience.
Chatting to Sky Sports ahead of Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad announcement for Qatar, the 55-year-old looked back at some of his fondest memories.
He said: “So for me, to be playing football every single day, I loved it, even though I got up to trouble now and again, got caught by Sir Bobby Robson!
“Even got caught having a pina colada on the beach, which he went mad on.
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“I said ‘it’s a milkshake gaffer’. He went ‘no it’s not, it’s got an umbrella on’.
“I went ‘oh yeah, it’s a pina colada’. He went ‘give it us here’.”
On how much fun he had being part of the tournament environment, Gascoigne added: “I wish it was me going out there, given the opportunity to play again.
“It’s important that the players make the most of every day – even in training.
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“I loved training more than I did the matches to be fair. I just loved it, being amongst the lads.
“You think about it, it could be six weeks that you’re playing football.
“I loved playing football anyway.” More

BELGIUM have announced their 26-man World Cup squad.Former Tottenham duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have both been included as they prepare for a third World Cup with the national team.
Alderweireld, left, and Vertonghen, centre, have both been included in the squadCredit: AFP
Divock Origi has been left out of Belgium’s World Cup squadCredit: Alamy
But they will NOT be joined by former Liverpool striker Divock Origi after manager Roberto Martinez decided against taking him to Qatar.
The 27-year-old’s eight-year stint at Anfield came to an end in the summer and he signed for AC Milan.
And he has struggled to find his shooting boots in Italy, scoring just once in 13 appearances for the Serie A giants.
That poor form has ultimately cost him as he has failed to be selected for a second World Cup following his participation in the 2014 tournament.
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But fellow former Liverpool man Simon Mignolet has made the squad behind No1 Thibaut Courtois.
In defence, Leicester’s Wout Faes and Timothy Castagne are included.
Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne leads a superb pool of midfielders – which also features another Leicester man in Youri Tielemans, along with Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Carrasco and Borussia Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard.
And then up front Martinez is blessed with a host of options.
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Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard will captain his country in Qatar.
He will be joined in attack by the likes of Inter Milan loanee Romelu Lukaku, Brighton’s Leandro Trossard, Rennes’ Jeremy Doku, Galatasaray’s Dries Mertens and Fenerbahce’s Michy Batshuayi.
Belgium reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup in Russia, before being knocked out by eventual winners France.
They beat England in the third place play-off to secure their best ever finish in the competition’s history.
Martinez’s men then exited the Euros in the quarter-finals last year, also losing to the subsequent champions, Italy.
Belgium squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Toby Alderweireld (Royal Antwerp), Wout Faes (Leicester), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Timothy Castagne (Leicester).
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Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Youri Tielemans (Leicester), Amadou Onana (Everton), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund).
Forwards: Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Brighton), Dries Mertens (Galatasaray), Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Lois Openda (Lens). More

GERMANY have named their 26-man World Cup squad – with uncapped teenage star Youssoufa Moukoko earning his first call-up.The Borussia Dortmund star has been in sensational form this season and has been rewarded by Hansi Flick.
Uncapped Moussoufa Moukoko has been named in the squadCredit: Getty
Marco Reus has once again missed out through injuryCredit: Rex

The 17-year-old has scored six goals in 13 Bundesliga games and will link up with the senior squad for the very first time in Qatar.
2014 World Cup winning goalscorer Mario Gotze has also made the cut despite not playing for his country since 2017.
Gotze, who has won 63 caps, has resurrected his career with PSV and Eintracht Frankfurt in the last few seasons and will be on the plane.
But ex-Dortmund teammate Marco Reus has had no such luck.
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That’s because the attacker has been left out of the squad due to an ankle injury.
He did make a couple of appearances recently, but he hasn’t started a game since September and has therefore been overlooked by Flick.
Meanwhile, Southampton youngster Armel Bella-Kotchap, who recently made his international debut against England, is also in the 26, as is West Ham man Thilo Kehrer.
Fellow Premier League players Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz are there, but there’s no Timo Werner following a recent ankle injury.
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Germany 2022 World Cup Squad
Manuel Neuer is heading to his fourth World CupCredit: Getty
Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Kevin Trapp
Defenders
Armel Bella-Kotchap
Matthias Ginter
Christian Gunter
Thilo Kehrer
Lukas Klostermann
David Raum
Antonio Rudiger
Nico Schlotterbeck
Niklas Sule
Mario Gotze will be on the plane to Qatar despite his last cap coming in 2017Credit: Getty – Contributor
Ex-Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has been named in the squadCredit: Getty
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 More

GABRIEL MARTINELLI’S inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad has been slammed as a “joke” that shows a “lack of respect” for football.Former Selecao star turned pundit Neto has blasted manager Tite for picking the Arsenal ace over Flamengo star Gabriel Barbosa.
Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli has earned three caps for the SelecaoCredit: AFP
Neto starred for Brazil between 1988 and 1993Credit: Getty
Tite, 61, also snubbed Liverpool star Roberto Firmino from his 26-man group.
Neymar, Richarlison, Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Raphinha, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Antony and Pedro will make up Brazil’s formidable forward line in Qatar.
But speaking on Os Donos da Bola, Neto revealed his disgust at Tite’s decision making.
He said: “This is a shame, a joke! I feel ashamed! Not because of Dani Alves’ story. What is Martinelli’s story? 33 career goals.
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“This is a shame, a lack of respect for football.
“Doing this with football shows that you don’t deserve the position you are in.
“Calling up Martinelli and not calling up Gabigol is a lack of respect. The biggest shame of all the call-ups.”
Neto, who won 16 caps for the Selecao between 1988 and 1993, then scathingly added that the Arsenal star is unknown in Brazil.
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Brazil’s 26-man squad
Goalkeepers:
Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Man City), Weverton (Palmeiras)
Defenders:
Dani Alves (UNAM), Danilo (Juventus), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Alex Telles (Sevilla), Bremer (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
Midfielders:
Casemiro (Man Utd), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Man Utd), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)
Forwards:
Antony (Man Utd), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Neymar (PSG), Pedro (Flamengo), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Richarlison (Tottenham), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

He added: “Nobody knows who he is.
“Calling up Martinelli shows that you, Tite, shouldn’t hold the position you do, because you’re not fair to Gabigol (Barbosa).
“The guy (Martinelli) who scores five goals in the season, who walks around the mall here, nobody knows who he is…
“And not taking Gabigol, the guy who scored the goal of the Libertadores title, who scored 29 goals in the season.”
Neto, 56, then stuck the boot into the Gunners, saying: “What has Martinelli done in European football? Arsenal are not even in the Champions League. This is a calamity!”
Martinelli, 21, has earned three senior caps for Brazil – all coming earlier this year.
Jesus also found himself caught in Neto’s crossfire.
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He asked of the former Manchester City star: “How many goals has Gabriel Jesus scored in these last games? Oh, none.
“In the World Cup? Zero. In the qualifiers? Zero. He hasn’t scored in eight games.”
Gabriel Jesus’ form for Brazil was questionedCredit: EPA
Neto wanted Gabriel Barbosa to be pickedCredit: AFP More

NEIL WARNOCK has picked his 26-man England squad for Qatar… with four wildcards included.Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate will name players selected for the World Cup at 2pm on Thursday.
Neil Warnock has made some tough callsCredit: AP
Gareth Southgate names his squad at 2pm this afternoonCredit: AFP
Never short in expressing an opinion, English managerial legend Warnock has given his view on who should make the cut.
The 73-year-old, who retired from football back in April, made no surprise selections between the sticks – with Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope his goalkeepers.
Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold are Warnock’s right-backs – although he did spring some surprises in the rest of his defence.
Uncapped Newcastle ace Dan Burn is among his centre-backs following his great form for the Magpies.
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He joins Harry Maguire, John Stones, Ben White and Fikayo Tomori.
Warnock unsurprisingly picked Luke Shaw at left-back, as well as Crystal Palace ace Tyrick Mitchell in the absence of Ben Chilwell.
In midfield he went with Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount – as well as the fit-again Kalvin Phillips.
He would also pick one-cap ace James Maddison, following his brilliant form for Leicester.

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Southgate has a number of exciting attacking players to choose from, with Jadon Sancho just one of many to miss out on Warnock’s squad.
In the wide areas he has selected Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka.
And Warnock would take Callum Wilson to back up Harry Kane – ahead of the likes of Ollie Watkins, Tammy Abraham and Ivan Toney.
Southgate, 52, has had to make some brutal decisions.
According to the Telegraph, Abraham, Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori have all failed to make the cut.
Neil Warnock has picked his 26-man squadCredit: @Warnockofficial Twitter More