World Cup 2022

WORLD CUP fans were left baffled after Neymar failed to take a penalty in Brazil’s shoot-out defeat to Croatia.Brazil were dumped out of the World Cup after Rodrygo and Marquinhos missed from 12 yards.
Neymar broke down in tears following Brazil’s World Cup exitCredit: Reuters
Defender Marquinhos stepped up before Neymar and missed the deciding spot-kickCredit: Getty
Rodrygo (right) missed the first penalty of the shoot-outCredit: Reuters
Neymar scored a brilliant goal in extra-time before Bruno Petkovic equalised to set up a penalty shoot-out.
But Neymar was selected as Brazil’s fifth penalty taker and since the order could not be changed he did not even get the opportunity to to take one as Croatia won 4-2 on penalties.
That left fans puzzled with many questioning why Neymar was not the first man to step up.
One fan said: “I can’t get my head wrapped round why neymar didn’t take the first penalty.”
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Another added: “Neymar is a clown for not taking a penalty. How have you not learned from the past that the 5th penalty isn’t guaranteed? Take it and get it over with.”
And a third said: “You put your best first. Just cowardice from Neymar.”
Another commented: “Marquinhos taking a penalty before Neymar😂😂.”
Neymar perhaps wanted to claim the glory as being the man to score the key penalty to send Brazil through.
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Cristiano Ronaldo attempted the same in a Euro 2012 semi-final against Spain but he did not get the chance to step up after Portugal missed two penalties.
ITV pundit Jurgen Klinsmann was also shocked by Brazil’s tactics for the shoot-out and questioned why Neymar was the fifth taker.
He said said: “Managers have totally different approaches.
“Recently we have seen the best penalty takers take the first penalty.
“Set the tone. Don’t keep them for the fifth because you might not get the chance to take one.
“For me Neymar would have been the No1 penalty taker. Set the tone and calm everyone else down.
“The momentum was with Croatia after the equaliser. Then if you are a Brazilian suddenly you are scared.

“The whole nation is expecting you to go through to the semis and you start to panic.
“You are then far more nervous. You don’t get any time to calm down.”
Neymar scored but couldn’t prevent Brazil crashing out More

KYLIAN MBAPPE’S pace has England fans nervous — but he is not even in the top two fastest Frenchmen.The Three Lions take on France in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday and Mbappe is viewed as the biggest threat to Gareth Southgate’s side’s hopes.
Kylian Mbappe is not the fastest player in the France teamCredit: Getty
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele has hit the highest speed out of any of the French playersCredit: Getty
Theo Hernandez has clocked the second fastest speed in the teamCredit: Getty
Champions League data shows the PSG star was the third-quickest French player in this season’s groups.
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele is at the top of the rankings having registered 36.6kmh, exactly level with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Ukrainian hotshot Mykhailo Mudryk.
Dembele has not been brilliant for the La Liga side this season but has still chipped in with some valuable contributions.
His four goals and five assists in the league helped the team claim top spot before the break for the World Cup.
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At the tournament, he is yet to find the net but has provided two assists.
With Luke Shaw expected to keep his place at left-back, the Manchester United defender will have to be on form to keep the winger quiet.
AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez was the next French star, in tenth at 35.7kmh, with Mbappe behind him in 11th.
Hernandez will likely be playing behind Mbappe in the match against England.
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He has already provided two assists at the tournament, continuing his fine form in Serie A.
For his club, Hernandez has been very good defensively and has also scored two and assisted two more in his 13 league appearances.
While Kyle Walker is believed to be put Mbappe duty, whoever Southgate plays at right-wing will have their fair share of defending to do.
Bukayo Saka could be the choice in that case, as he has previously been used as a wing-back at times in his career.

Portugal’s AC Milan forward Rafael Leao (36.5kmh) then Real Madrid’s Uruguay midfield ace Federico Valverde (36.3kmh), and another Portuguese star — Marseille’s Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares (36.2kmh) — complete the top five.
Should England beat France, they will then face either Portugal or Morocco in the semi-finals of the World Cup for a spot in the final. More

ALEX SCOTT had a hilarious theory behind Brazil’s struggles against Croatia.And she took a cheeky swipe at Roy Keane in the process.
Alex Scott wanted to see more Brazilian samba styleCredit: Getty
Brazil put on a show as they crushed South Korea 4-1Credit: AP
The former England defender was on BBC punditry duties for the first of the four World Cup quarter-finals.
But despite dominating large parts of the clash with Croatia, Brazil struggled to break through the 2018 finalists, eventually crashing out on penalties.
It was a stark contrast to the swashbuckling, fluid football displayed on Monday night as they thrashed South Korea 4-1.
The Brazilians turned on the style with their slick samba dancing – much to the annoyance of Roy Keane on ITV.
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But Scott reckons that extra flair was the missing piece in the jigsaw on Friday evening.
She told fellow pundit Micah Richards, who works with Keane for Sky Sport: “You need to have a word with your mate from the other channel.
“Bring back the samba dancing.”
Keane was passionate in his frustration at the Selecao’s celebrations on Monday.
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The notoriously-grumpy Irishman, who went home for a few days during the tournament, said: “I can’t believe what I’m watching. Obviously brilliant, brilliant by Brazil.
“Fantastic finish by Vinicius, great start to the game. But I’ve never seen so much dancing.
“It’s like watching Strictly. I can’t believe what I’m watching.”
He added: “I don’t like this. People say it’s their culture. But I think that’s really disrespecting the opposition.
“It’s four goals, and they are doing it every time.
“I don’t mind so much the first jig, it’s the one after that, and the manager getting involved. I’m not happy about it. I don’t think it’s good at all.”
Souness also found the dancing distasteful, calling it a “shambles”.
He added: “It’s only a matter of time before someone goes right through one of these Brazilians.”
Neymar scored a wonderful goal to put Brazil in front against Croatia – but the celebrations were more relief than joy.
However, Bruno Petkovic pegged them back four minutes from the end of extra-time.
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And it was more World Cup heartbreak for Brazil in the penalty shootout as Rodrygo and Marquinhos missed to send the pre-tournament favourites home.
Roy Keane was not impressed with Brazil’s dancingCredit: YouTube
The dancing turned to dejection as they were sent packing by CroatiaCredit: AP More

FOOTAGE showing Cameroon manager Rigobert Song explaining why keeper Andre Onana was axed from their team at the World Cup appears to have been leaked.The 26-year-old Inter Milan shot-stopper got into a heated row with head coach Song before their second group game against Serbia.
Rigobert Song, right, dropped Andre Onana, left, after a row about his style of playCredit: AFP
Leaked footage has shown Song explaining the Onana situation while at a desk
He is believed to be telling a member of his coaching staff
The disagreement was reportedly over the style of goalkeeping, with the manager concerned by the chances Onana was taking with his feet.
And when they could not come to a resolution, the Inter man was sent home before their 3-3 draw with Serbia and 1-0 win over Brazil.
Despite the positive results, an opening 1-0 defeat to Switzerland ultimately cost them as they failed to progress through to the last-16.
But a clip has now emerged of Song appearing to explain to a member of his coaching staff about the situation regarding Onana.
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And the Cameroon boss was subsequently forced to come out and explain the situation.
In the video, Song tells a colleague: “The day of the game with Serbia I told Onana that I needed to talk to him and he started crying.
“I told him, ‘I don’t have time to discuss these issues. I called you yesterday and you didn’t talk to me. I had chats with Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting and Anguissa, who are the most representative players in the team; why shouldn’t I talk to you?’
“Onana puts on a show in training but takes too many risks during games.
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“I told him repeatedly, ‘You should take no risks. Pass the ball wide, not in the middle’. 
“He told me, ‘I am playing, I don’t have time to talk to you’.
“When he was at the hotel, he didn’t talk to me, but went to President Samuel [Eto’o] and he sent him I don’t know where.”
Cameroon’s group-stage exit was the sixth World Cup in a row where they have failed to reach the knockout stages.
They have not made the last-16 since they made it all the way to the quarter-finals in 1990 – the first African nation to do so.
Three other African countries have managed the same since then – Senegal in 2002, Ghana in 2010 and Morocco in 2022.
And Morocco will make history if they beat Portugal on Saturday to reach the semi-finals. More

A NEW YORK-based teacher won a staggering £900,000 after betting on Morocco to knock Spain out of the World Cup.The huge win came despite the gambler not knowing a single Moroccan player’s name.
A lucky punter won £900,000 after Morocco reached the quarter-finals of the World CupCredit: AP
The elementary school teacher staked £74,000 on the North African country to reach the quarter-finals.
Having surprised many by advancing from their group, Morocco then took World Cup 2010 winners Spain to penalties in the round of 16 and didn’t let the European giants score one spot-kick.
The game ended 3-0 on penalties in Morocco’s favour, setting up a date with Portugal on Saturday.
The lucky punter said on his knowledge of Morocco to Action Network: “Nothing.
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“I don’t know one player’s name.”
He continued: “I’m not going to lie and say I knew what I was doing.
“At the end of the day it was a bet that just got lucky.
“I’m a regular degenerate dude.”
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Morocco ace Sofiane Boufal predicted his team-mates would reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
And had punters listened to the ex-Southampton ace in September, as well as had £74,000 to stick on a bet, they could’ve enjoyed a similar cash windfall.
Boufal said: “You’re going to think I’m a crazy person.
“But if we get past the group stage, and we will Inshallah, we are going to the quarter-finals, we will be the surprise.
“We will do what Ghana did in 2010.” More

BRAZIL star Danilo avoided a red card despite a reckless high tackle on Croatia ace Josip Juranovic.The full-back was perhaps lucky to only get away with a yellow from Premier League referee Michael Oliver.
Danilo avoided a red card for this tackleCredit: Getty
The Brazil full-back made contact with Croatia ace Josip JuranovicCredit: Reuters
Premier League referee Michael Oliver booked Danilo for the tackleCredit: AP
Danilo, who is naturally a right-back, filled in on the left for the quarter-final against Croatia with Alex Sandro nursing an injury.
And the 31-year-old was caught out of position by Juranovic in the first half.
Celtic ace Juranovic got in behind Danilo after a long ball over the top, only for the Brazil star to clean him out with a high boot.
Danilo made contact with the ball first, before following through on Juranovic.
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Referee Oliver was quick to brandish the yellow card, which VAR did not overturn.
It appeared as though Danilo made contact with Juranovic JUST below the Croatian defender’s head, which may have saved him from a red card.
But some fans reckoned the challenge was worthy enough of a sending off.
One wrote on Twitter: “That’s a red card on Danilo surely.”
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While a second said: “Danilo is lucky there I’ve seen red cards given for that type of high tackle.”
Others pointed out that Danilo was saved from a sending off by a matter of inches, as his boot made contact with Juranovic just below the head.
One wrote: “Danilo was about an inch away from a red card there.”
While another said: “Danilo was inches away from a red card. Good Lord.” More