World Cup 2022

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      Why is Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry coaching Belgium and does he manage a club side?

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      THIERRY HENRY would never have imagined that he would be associated with a team nicknamed ‘the Red Devils’ but thankfully for Arsenal fans, their legend is coaching Belgium rather than Manchester United. The Arsenal legend has made his desires clear as he wishes to become a head coach himself after learning under the likes of Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola during his playing career.
      Thierry Henry and Belgium boss Roberto MartinezCredit: Reuters
      However, for now, he holds the role as second assistant to Belgium boss Roberto Martinez.
      But why is the Frenchman part of the coaching team and does he manage a club side? We have all the answers.
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      Why is Thierry Henry coaching Belgium?
      Embarking on his coaching journey with Arsenal’s youth teams back in 2015, he was later offered the job of under-18’s coach but this decision was overruled by Wenger, wanting a full-time coach for the side rather than Henry, who wished to continue on a part-time basis alongside working for Sky Sports.
      This led the Frenchman to look for roles elsewhere before joining Martinez’s backroom staff at Belgium and remained part of the team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, helping the European giants finish third.
      Thierry Henry and Graeme Souness working for Sky Sports TelevisionCredit: Getty
      Does Thierry Henry coach a club side?
      Henry’s first club role came in October 2018 after speculation surrounding the Bourdeaux job in his home country, but declined this opportunity and took the reigns at his former club Monaco instead.
      However, the manager was dismissed from his role in France while his side were 19th in Ligue 1 with a four wins, five draws and 11 defeats from 20 matches.
      Thierry Henry took charge of MonacoCredit: Reuters
      10 months later, Henry embarked on his second spell in club management after being appointed at Montreal Impact, returning to the MLS for the first time since playing for New York Red Bulls between 2010 and 2014.
      Henry’s time in Canada was more successful than his stint at Monaco, leading his Montreal Impact team to their first play-off finish in four seasons. However, he stepped down in February 2021 to be closer to his children in London, having been unable to travel to see them for the whole of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Two months later, Henry re-joined the coaching staff of Belgium ahead of the rescheduled Euro 2020.
      Thierry Henry’s most recent managerial role was at Montreal ImpactCredit: Reuters
      Is Thierry Henry looking to return to club management?
      The Belgium coach has recently confirmed his intentions to return to club management, stating: “Yes, I would like to think so, maybe. I turned some down because I want to see it through with Belgium and not leave them on the way to the World Cup, because, you know, it’s a weird one to leave.
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      “I just want to go back and help, especially with the youngsters. After that (Monaco) I went to Montreal. People will say that’s not very glamorous, but it’s not about that.
      “It’s about me getting better and also, the best relationships I’ve had at those teams so far is with the youngsters.”
      Therefore, it looks like we could see Henry return to management in the near future. More

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      Do Saudi Arabia own Premier League side Newcastle United?

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      SAUDI ARABIA face Argentina, Poland and Mexico as they have it all to do in the World Cup group stages.The best finish Saudi Arabia have ever seen was when they reached the round of 16 back in 1994 and have only qualified for six World Cup tournaments.
      Saudi Arabia play at their sixth world cup in 2022Credit: AP
      They will be looking to match their highest ever finish but face a tough challenge, going into Group C as underdogs.
      The country were in the news last year when Newcastle United were taken over by a consortium headed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) – but do Saudi Arabia own Newcastle? We have all the details.
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      Do Saudi Arabia own side Newcastle?
      The Magpies were sold by former owner Mike Ashley in a deal worth a reported £300 million to the consortium back in 2021.
      PIF own 80 percent of the club and their chair is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of the king of Saudi Arabia.
      Newcastle United directors Amanda Stavely and Mehrdad Ghodoussi celebrating in the standsCredit: Reuters
      His involvement in the takeover led to opposition from human rights groups, labelling the purchase as “sportswashing”.
      Despite this, the Premier League approved the takeover of Newcastle following “legally binding assurances” that Saudi Arabia would not be in control of the club.
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      The public face of PIF is Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who is Chairman of Newcastle, while PCP Capital Partners received 10 percent of the shares and RB Sports and Media own the final 10 percent.
      Al-Rumayyan and Amanda Stavely, the owner of PCP, are seen as the face of the deal with the country of Saudi Arabia not owning Newcastle as the Premier League were assured. More

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      N’Golo Kante facing World Cup heartbreak after Chelsea star suffers injury setback just five weeks before Qatar 2022

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      N’GOLO KANTE has reportedly suffered an injury setback and is due to be OUT for the next five Chelsea games.The Frenchman, 31, will also now be a potential doubt for the World Cup, starting 20 November.
      Kante is reportedly due to miss the next five games for ChelseaCredit: Getty
      L’Equipe report the Blues midfielder has relapsed from his hamstring injury.
      Didier Deschamps is due to name his France squad for the Qatar showcase in just under three weeks.
      Kante last played in mid-August, limping out of the 2-2 draw on August 14 against Tottenham.
      Chelsea fans were hoping to have him back soon after he was training with the first team again.
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      The Stamford Bridge outfit play NINE games in a grueling October and need all the help they can get.
      But Graham Potter revealed the ace broke down in training earlier in the week.
      Chelsea’s medical team are now awaiting the test result to determine the damage.
      Potter said: “N’Golo, we are just waiting — he has had a reaction in training so we are just waiting on the news from that.
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      “It’s certainly not ideal and it’s disappointing for him and for us. We have to wait and see the extent of it and go from there.”
      Meanwhile, a fresh report has claimed that Kante does NOT want to leave Chelsea next summer.
      He is available on a free transfer in 2023 when his Blues contract expires.
      Negotiations have stalled between Kante and the West Londoners over the length of a potential extension. More

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      Furious Gary Lineker slams ref selling £3million match ball from Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal against England

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      THE bungling ref who awarded Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal against England is trying to sell the match ball for £3million.Tunisia’s Ali Bin Nasser, 78, has kept it in a cupboard since the 1986 World Cup.
      The ref who awarded Maradona’s Hand of God goal against England is trying to sell the match ball for £3millionCredit: Getty
      Gary Lineker slammed ref Bin Nasser, saying: ‘How the hell did the referee end up with the ball? Am I over it? Yeah, of course I am. Not’Credit: Rex
      Tunisia’s ref Ali Bin Nasser and Diego Maradona met years after the incident in 2015
      Bin Nasser kept the adidas Azteca in a cupboard at home in Tunisia and aims to flog it at an auction where it could fetch £3millionCredit: PA
      Gary Lineker, who scored in the 2-1 loss to Argentina, said sarcastically: “I’m so thrilled the ref will cash in on his cock-up.”
      England footie heroes and fans last night blasted the rubbish Maradona Hand of God referee for selling the match ball.
      Tunisian Ali Bin Nasser grabbed the ball at the end of the 1986 World Cup clash in which he gifted the cheating Argentina ace the first goal despite blatantly punching it.
      Bin Nasser kept the adidas Azteca in a cupboard at home in Tunisia and aims to flog it at an auction where it could fetch £3million.
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      England striker Gary Lineker, 61, who scored our late consolation in the 2-1 quarter-final defeat, slammed Bin Nasser yesterday, saying: “How the hell did the referee end up with the ball? Am I over it? Yeah, of course I am. Not.”
      He added in a tirade on TalkSport: “I’m so thrilled the ref will cash in on his cock-up.”
      Bin Nasser’s sale comes on the eve of the World Cup and six months after Lineker’s teammate Steve Hodge made more than £7million by selling Maradona’s No10 shirt which he received in a swap.
      BBC Match of the Day host Lineker added: “I mean, it was fair with Steve Hodge.
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      “But the gall of the referee keeping the ball in his cupboard for all his time and now he’s going to cash in on the biggest referee’s mistake in the history of World Cup football. I mean, really?”
      Bin Nasser, now 78, has two grown-up sons and intends to split the proceeds of the London sale with his family.
      He never officiated at a World Cup again after the glaring error.England fan and retired council officer John Millar, 65, of Stourbridge, West Mids, said: “It’s outrageous. He’s profiting from the worst decision in football history.
      “Maradona was a cheat but at least he was a great footballer. This guy has no shame.”
      Trucker Carl Jackson, 35, from Newcastle, added: “Why was he allowed to keep the ball? Surely it’s the property of Fifa.
      “The ball is only famous because of his terrible decision. The auction should be stopped.”
      Chelsea fan Richard Wilson, 61, from West London, added: “It’s enough to make your blood boil.
      “How could the ref make so much money from this and why has he got the ball? He’s clearly profiteering and selling just before the World Cup to make as much as he can. He’s a disgrace.”
      Maradona was pictured hugging and kissing Bin Nasser on a visit to his home in Tunisia in 2015.
      The ace presented him with a signed Argentina shirt and hailed him as his “eternal friend”.
      Bin Nasser insisted he did not see Maradona punch the ball over England goalkeeper and captain Peter Shilton even though it was obvious on TV replays.
      Maradona said later it was scored “a little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God”.
      ‘Cash in on his cock-up’
      He admitted it was a punch in 2005.
      Bin Nasser has since said officiating when Maradona scored his second goal after dribbling 50 yards past England defenders was the greatest moment of his career.
      Announcing the London auction, he said: “Refereeing the 1986 match was a dream come true.
      “After Lineker’s goal bringing the scoreline to 2-1 my clearest memory is just hoping England would score an equaliser so that the crowd and I would get another 30 minutes of this magical match.
      “As for Maradona’s first goal I couldn’t see the incident clearly, the two players Shilton and Maradona were facing me from behind.
      “As per Fifa’s instructions issued before the tournament I looked to my linesman for confirmation of the validity of the goal.
      “He made his way back to the halfway line indicating he was satisfied that the goal should stand.
      “At the end of the match the England head coach Bobby Robson said to me, ‘You did a good job but the linesman was irresponsible’.”
      Bin Nasser added: “This ball is part of international football history. It feels like the right time to be sharing it with the world.
      “I hope the buyer is in a position to put it on display or share it with the public in some other way.
      “England is the home of football, and has been since the game started.”
      Bin Nasser has said he awarded the Hand of God goal because his Bulgarian assistant referee Bogdan Dochev did not signal that he had seen an infringement.
      World Cup legend
      TV footage shows Bin Nasser looking at Dochev after the goal as screaming Shilton gestures that Maradona used his hand.
      But Dochev blamed Bin Nasser, saying that at the time assistant referees were not allowed by Fifa to discuss decisions with referees, whose decision was final.
      Argentina won the final 3-2 against West Germany in Mexico City.
      Maradona became a World Cup legend before his death aged 60 in 2020.
      Adam Gascoigne, of Graham Budd Auctions, which is running the sale, said: “Unlike today where you have a multi-ball system at games, this was the only one used in the match from start to finish. There is no doubt it was the ball used to score the Hand of God goal.
      “It has just been sitting in a cupboard for years and Mr Bin Nasser has decided now is the right time to sell. When you look at how much the Maradona shirt sold for, it is no surprise that the estimate for the ball is between £2.5million to £3million.
      “The Argentina v England quarter-final is one of the most famous matches in World Cup history.
      “It had the Hand of God goal, which is the most controversial incident in a World Cup match.
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      “It had one of the best goals ever scored at the World Cup by Maradona five minutes later, and then it had Gary Lineker’s goal to win the Golden Boot for the competition.”
      The auction takes place on November 16, four days before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar.
      Lineker said: ‘The gall of the referee keeping the ball in his cupboard for all his time and now he’s going to cash in on the biggest referee’s mistake in the history of World Cup football. I mean, really?’Credit: Getty
      Striker Lineker scored England’s late consolation in the 2-1 quarter-final defeatCredit: Sporting Pictures (UK) Ltd
      Maradona shakes hands with Peter Shilton under the watchful eye of ref Ali Bin NasserCredit: Getty
      Lineker’s teammate Steve Hodge made more than £7million by selling Maradona’s No10 shirt which he received in a swapCredit: BPM More

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      Arsenal agree to face AC Milan during Qatar World Cup as Premier League clubs organise glamour friendlies

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      ARSENAL have reportedly agreed to play AC Milan in a friendly during the World Cup.A host of Mikel Arteta’s squad will be jetting off to Qatar come the middle of November.
      Arsenal are heading to Dubai for a training camp during the World CupCredit: Getty
      The Gunners will face AC Milan in a friendly in the Middle EastCredit: Getty
      However, those not involved at the World Cup will not be sitting at home with their feet up watching all of the action unfold.
      The Gunners are heading to the Middle East themselves for a warm weather training camp in Dubai.
      And the Daily Mirror states that the Premier League leaders have agreed to face Milan during it.
      The report also states the club “are also looking at another big-name opponent” to take on before domestic action resumes.
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      Arsenal have opted to base their camp in Dubai so that players can link up with them from Doha once their respective World Cup campaigns are over.
      Dubai is only just over half an hour away on a plane and several other clubs have also decided to head there.
      Most of the Premier League bosses will give players not involved at the showpiece some time off.
      But the camps are being set-up in order for them to maintain fitness prior to the top-flight restarting on Boxing Day.
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      Liverpool are another club that will set-up camp in the Middle East during the tournament.
      And the Reds have also allegedly agreed to take on last season’s Serie A champions Milan. More

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      Who is Genoveffa Darone? The wife of Italy star Lorenzo Insigne

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      LORENZO INSIGNE recently left his beloved Napoli and the city of Naples, where he met his beloved wife.Genoveffa Darone does not hog the limelight, allowing for her husband to boss the back pages in Italy, as he did during their Euro 2020 campaign.
      Lorenzo Insigne was key to Italy as they lifted Euro 2020Credit: Getty
      Insigne was one of the outstanding performers for Roberto Mancini’s side as they lifted the European Championship at England’s expense.
      We know all about the Italian winger, but who is key to his success behind the scenes?
      Who is Genoveffa Darone and how old is she?
      Genoveffa, often referred to as Jenny as her Instagram suggests, was born on September 24, 1992 to her Italian parents in Frattamaggior.
      She is currently 29-years-old, two years younger than her husband Lorenzo.
      At a young age she is said to have helped her family financially as she took a job working as a saleswoman in a haircare shop but now she is tasked with the responsibility of looking after her family.
      Lorenzo Insigne and his wife Genoveffa Darone
      Genoveffa Darone poses on holidayCredit: jenny__darone/instagram
      When did they get married?
      Meeting her now-husband during a loan spell at Pescara, they began dating.
      The couple dated for just seven months before getting married but there was something unique about their wedding day.
      Tying the knot on December 31, 2012 – the pair opted for a New Years wedding. It remains unclear why they chose this date but there is speculation that it could be due to Lorenzo’s work schedule in Italy.
      They have been married for over 10 years now, with Genoveffa seeing her husband become a Napoli icon in this time before supporting him in his move to Toronto FC this summer.
      Lorenzo Insigne full of emotion celebrating for former club Napoli, where he spent 16 yearsCredit: Reuters
      Does Lorenzo Insigne have any children?
      The pair welcomed their first son on April 4, 2013 and named him Carmine.
      Two years later they added another son, Christian, to their family while Insigne remained at Napoli.
      Sadly, Genoveffa suffered a miscarriage in October 2022 and Lorenzo announced this to the press in the MLS.
      Genoveffa Darone alongside Ciro Immobile’s wife, JessicaCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      He said: “It’s well known that I have had to deal with personal problems in the last few weeks, but perhaps not everyone knows the reasons. So let me make it clear, my wife and I have lost a daughter, who will remain in our hearts forever.
      “But we had a big family problem. I find it hard to explain why I don’t feel like it. But we had a big loss together with my wife and it was not easy. We are trying to move forward together as we always have. 
      “We have two other beautiful children, they allow us to be carefree, but our thoughts are always with us. It’s always in our thoughts what happened to us.”
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      Does Genoveffa Darone attend Lorenzo Insigne’s matches?
      Genoveffa often attends Lorenzo’s matches, most notably during Euro 2020.
      She was spotted in the crowd every step of the way as Insigne and Italy lifted the trophy, watching her husband’s matches over Europe.
      Genoveffa Darone in attendance at an Italy clash
      Lorenzo’s wife lived in Naples with him and would be in regular attendance of Napoli’s games with her sons.
      However, it remains unclear as to whether she has attended any matches since his move to Toronto. More

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      Are World Cup groups sorted by goal difference or head-to-head?

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      THE World Cup group stage promises to be an exciting affair this winter in Qatar.England will face Iran, the USMNT and Wales as they look to progress to the knock-out stages of the tournament.
      England will be looking to compete at the latter stages of the World CupCredit: Reuters
      No game will be easy as the Three Lions anticipate a tight group, with Gareth Southgate’s side taking to the biggest stage in November.
      But what will happen if teams finish on the same number of points in their group? We’ve got all the answers for you.
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      England may need to go out to score as many goals as possible during the group stages.
      How are teams that finish level on points sorted in the 2022 World Cup?
      Teams that finish level on points in the World Cup group stage are sorted by the following criteria.

      Points obtained in all group matches
      Goal difference in all group matches
      Number of goals scored in all group matches
      Points obtained in the matches played between the teams level on point
      Goal difference in the matches played between the teams level on points
      Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams level on points
      Fair play points in all group matches

      The fair play point deductions are as follows (only one deduction can be applied to a player in a single match):

      Yellow card: -1 point
      Indirect (second yellow) red card: -3 points
      Direct red card: -4 points
      Yellow card and later a direct red card: -5 points

      These rules were present during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and came into play in Group H.
      Japan and Senegal finished level on points, with the above criteria followed as the two sides were also level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded.
      In this case, it went to the fair play points and Japan progressed with a deduction of -4 in comparison to Senegal’s -6 points.
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      What is the World Cup 2022 song?

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      FOOTBALL fans are preparing to hear the official World Cup song this winter as the tournament in Qatar approaches.Famous World Cup songs from the past include Wavin’ Flag and Waka Waka.
      Stadiums in Qatar are ready for the World CupCredit: Reuters
      Last tournament saw Nicky Jam’s song Live It Up featuring Will Smith and Era Istrefi as the official theme for when Russia hosted the tournament.
      With the first ever tournament at the back-end of the year, the Qatar World Cup will also see a new format for the anthem.
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      Rather than the usual one song for the World Cup, the tournament in Qatar will see multiple.
      What is the World Cup 2022 song?
      The World Cup has upped its output, releasing a playlist for fans to enjoy rather than a single tune.
      “As part of FIFA’s revamped music strategy, the multi-song soundtrack will bring passionate fans closer to the spirit of the FIFA World Cup like never before,” the football organisation confirmed.
      Doha has been hit by World Cup feverCredit: Reuters
      FIFA began by releasing the first single, Hayya Hayya (Better Together) as part of the official soundtrack. The song featured Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha.
      Months later, FIFA confirmed a second song for the soundtrack, titled Arhbo which is a slang word for welcome. Latin singer Ozuna and French Congolese rapper Gims are the artists for this song.
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      Atlanta rapper Lil Baby is one of the most notable names on the playlist, coming together with band Tears for Fears to produce The World Is Yours To Take.
      The final song is called Light The Sky, with four of the Arab world’s most notable singers featuring on the track. Balqees, Manal, Norah Fatehi and Rahma Riad released the song along with a music video celebrating female referees at the World Cup for the very first time. More