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    Supercomputer predicts World Cup 2022 winners after quarter-finals… will Messi finally get his hands on the top prize?

    FRANCE have been tipped to win the 2022 World Cup by beating Argentina in the final.Les Bleus made it to the semi-finals after dumping England out last week with a controversial 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals.
    France are likely to win the World Cup for the second consecutive time
    France have been tipped to win the 2022 World Cup by beating Argentina in the finalCredit: Getty
    The Tricolores will take on this year’s unlikeliest giant slayers Morocco, who became the first ever African nation to make it to the last four by eliminating Belgium, Spain and Portugal in the process.
    Argentina, on the other hand, face another underdog in Croatia, who eliminated World Cup favourites Brazil in the quarter-finals.
    According to BonusCodeBets, the Albiceleste and the reigning world champions will both make it through and meet in the final at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
    And France have been tipped to become the third country to win back-to-back World Cup titles after Italy and Brazil.
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    The supercomputer prediction has been forecast using a range of informative outright odds markets to formulate how the final fixtures will play out.
    According to the findings, Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will lock horns for the grand prize in Qatar.
    But Messi’s late bid for World Cup glory as Argentina captain will be in vain as Mbappe has been tipped to lead his country to the top of the mountain once more.
    A BonusCodeBets spokesperson said: “We will have a classic Argentina vs France final in our hands on the 18th December.
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    “Lionel Messi versus Kylian Mbappe, old versus young, Ballon D’or winner versus future Ballon D’or winner, what could go wrong?
    “It’s unfortunate for both Morocco and Croatia who will be knocked out against teams who are on another level, but their World Cup journeys have been nothing short of amazing.” More

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    How Dream Team World Cup bosses should replace their eliminated England stars ahead of the semi-finals

    ENGLAND’S players are coming home but football, sadly, is not.The Three Lions were more than competitive against France in the last of the four quarter-finals but the contest boiled down to moments, those taken by Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud and a golden one missed by Harry Kane.
    Several of Gareth Southgate’s troops were among the most-popular players in Dream Team World Cup, leaving swathes of gaffers in need of replacements ahead of the semi-finals.
    Let’s run through the most-appealing options.
    Harry Kane (£7.5m)
    Kane still features in over a quarter of teamsCredit: getty
    England’s skipper is the joint-most expensive player in the game alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
    It just so happens that the latter pair are in a two-horse race to finish the tournament as Dream Team World Cup’s best performer.
    Argentina’s No10 holds a narrow lead at the top of the rankings right now with 50 points to his junior club team-mate’s 48.
    Croatia and Morocco have proven to be defensively resolute but surely it makes sense to back Messi or Mbappe in Kane’s place ahead of the midweek fixtures.
    Alternatively, Olivier Giroud may fit the bill.
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    France’s all-time top scorer has four goals at this tournament, one fewer than Mbappe, and he has 29 points to show for efforts after his headed winner against England.
    Harry Maguire (£4m)
    Morocco are brilliantly organised out of possession but they don’t offer too much going forward.
    Swapping Maguire for Theo Hernandez, France’s most attack-minded defender, seems like a wise move if you think Didier Deschamps’ men will put an end to the Atlas Lions’ impressive underdog run.
    Dream Team World Cup’s top defenderCredit: getty
    Conversely, if you think the North Africans have at least one more upset in them then Achraf Hakimi is your man – he leapfrogged England’s No6 to become Dream Team World Cup’s best defender with a five-point haul against Portugal, taking his overall tally to 34.
    Croatia will hope to mirror the rearguard that frustrated Brazil when they meet Argentina on Tuesday night.
    Dejan Lovren has the most points among their defenders but Josko Gvardiol has looked most impressive to the naked eye – the pair cost £2.5m each, almost half Maguire’s price.
    If Zlatko Dalic’s side have a weakness it’s their relative bluntness up front so perhaps backing an Argentina clean sheet is the way to go, in that case it’s a toss up between certain stater Nicolas Otamendi or right-back Nahuel Molina.
    The latter scored the Copa America champions’ opening goal against Louis van Gaal side – he has 18 points to his name.
    Jude Bellingham (£4m)
    Bellingham is the most-selected of England’s midfieldersCredit: getty
    The two best midfielders still active in Qatar are Hakim Ziyech (18 points) and Adrien Rabiot (16 points) but given the expected pattern of the semi-final, Ousmane Dembele may be a more tempting replacement for England’s teenage star.
    The Barcelona winger is more attack-minded than his team-mate and will probably see more of the ball than Morocco’s talisman.
    Those gaffers with a spare £1m could wait for Argentina’s starting line-up to be announced and then bring in Angel Di Maria if he was selected.
    Read More on The Sun
    The Albiceleste’s No11 is more likely to register a goal involvement than the more defensive-minded midfielders available to Lionel Scaloni such as Enzo Fernandez or Rodrigo de Paul, although the former has contributed in the final third in this tournament.
    Luka Modric is a class act but his efforts have only returned five points so far, Ivan Perisic has three times than total and is the same price as Bellingham. More

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    World Cup 2022 LIVE: Thomas Tuchel in frame for England job after Qatar exit as Gareth Southgate considers future

    THOMAS TUCHEL is in the frame for the England job after the Three Lions came crashing out of the World Cup.Aurelien Tchouameni’s long-range strike saw the French take the lead but Harry Kane netted from the spot to level the score.
    However, Olivier Giroud netted to put France ahead towards the end of the game and they have since returned home.
    Gareth Southgate is set to consider his future, with two years left remaining on his contract.
    Elsewhere, a new ball has been unveiled ahead of the semi-finals as Morocco shocked the world to make the next round.
    They join Argentina and Croatia, who both progressed, and will face France.
    Keep up to date with all of the action from our live match blogs ahead of the semi-finals:

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    Stay tuned with all the latest from the tournament…
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    USA’s Reyna upset team-mates
    The majority of the USA squad were unhappy with the efforts of their midfielder Gio Reyna at the World Cup.
    The Borussia Dortmund star, 20, was a peripheral figure in Qatar, and American boss Greg Berhalter revealed: “We had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field.
    “[It was] one of 26 players – so it stood out.”
    ETH: Rashford can emulate Mbappe
    Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag believes their striker Marcus Rashford can reach the same level as Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.
    Ahead of Rashford and England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Mbappe and France, Ten Hag drew parallels between the two pacy forwards.
    He said: “I believe when Marcus’s positioning is on the back of the defending line, there is almost no better player in the world.
    “There is Mbappe in this moment, a type like him.
    “But when he (Rashford)’s getting in that position, he’s great and you see he’s really improved also out of possession.”
    Morocco’s Bounou believes in miracles
    Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou says their run to the World Cup semi-finals proves that “miracles” can happen.
    The Atlas Lions face holders France on Wednesday with a chance to progress to a final against either Argentina or Croatia.
    Sevilla star Bounou, 31, has been key to their success, and said: “I am in the same state as every fan of this team – I keep thinking, ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming’.
    “To get this far, we have had to change mentalities, get rid of this feeling of inferiority.
    “We are able to face anyone, regardless of the level of the competition.
    “Future generations will know that Morocco can perform miracles.”
    Four Gunners available after Qatar
    A number of Arsenal’s World Cup stars are available for them again after national team duty in Qatar.
    Swiss star Granit Xhaka, England’s Ben White, Ghana’s Thomas Partey and American Matt Turner have rejoined the squad ahead of a Dubai Super Cup friendly against AC Milan tomorrow.
    Ready for Martinez vs Varane?
    The World Cup final could well see two Manchester United team-mates go head-t-head.
    Argentina centre-half Lisandro Martínez will be hoping to shut out Croatia in one semi-final in Qatar.
    And France defender Raphael Varane will be hoping to shackle Morocco in the other last-four tie.
    However it goes down in Sunday’s final, Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag will want them both back fit and focused for a Prem visit from Nottingham Forest on December 27.
    Does Saka really need rest?
    England’s exit from the World Cup means Bukayo Saka will be heading back to Arsenal for club duty now.
    Gunners boss Mikel Arteta may well give his 21-year-old winger a rest – but does he really need it?
    The guys on the Arsecast Extra podcast discussed this very issue in their latest episode, and it seems to be a point of debate.
    A promo for the show says: “We had an interesting question on the Arsecast Extra yesterday about the return of World Cup players.
    “[It was pointed] out that in the same time period last season, Saka played more minutes for Arsenal than he did for England in Qatar. Is there really any need for rest?”
    Last Gunner standing in Qatar
    The only Arsenal player still in with a chance of winning the World Cup is… William Saliba.
    Four Gunners – England duo Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka, Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli, and France’s Saliba – were called up for Qatar.
    Now it is only the 21-year centre-half, who is having a breakthrough season at the Emirates, in with a chance of becoming a world champion as the tournament enters the last-four stage.
    Holders France face Morocco on Wednesday for the right to meet either Argentina or Croatia in Sunday’s final.
    Ferdinand critical of Southgate substitutions
    Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand felt England boss Gareth Southgate got his substitutions wrong in their World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
    All four of the Three Lions’ changes came after Oliver Giroud had put the French 2-1 up and Manchester City’s mercurial Jack Grealish only got two minutes of injury-time to make an impact.
    Ferdinand, 44, who won 81 caps for England, said on his Vibe with Five podcast: “Our substitutions is where I think Gareth Southgate let us down.
    “I think he’s been pitch-perfect, touch-perfect in almost every decision he’s made up to this point.
    “But you get into a game like yesterday where this is really where it matters now, and I think Gareth Southgate came up short in the tactical element in terms of substitutions.”
    Referee Lahoz’s World Cup exit
    Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz has been sent home from the World Cup after his display in the fiery last-eight clash between Argentina and Holland, according to Cope.
    Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries was sent off and 15 players were booked during the chaotic clash at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
    USA’s Reyna upset team-mates
    The majority of the USA squad were unhappy with the efforts of their midfielder Gio Reyna at the World Cup.
    The Borussia Dortmund star, 20, was a peripheral figure in Qatar, and American boss Greg Berhalter revealed: “We had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field.
    “[It was] one of 26 players – so it stood out.”
    Gunners tracking Chelsea star Pulisic
    Arsenal are one of a number of clubs interested in Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic, according to the Mirror.
    The 24-year-old United States play-making forward caught the eye with his displays at the World Cup and bagged a crucial winner over Iran to help them progress to the knock-out stages.
    Juventus keen on Chelsea’s Mount
    Juventus are lining up a surprise swoop for Chelsea star Mason Mount, according to CalcioMercatoWeb.
    The midfielder, 23, is coming into the final 18 months of his Blues deal and was on show with England at this winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
    Apparently, the Old Lady are prepared to sell Weston McKennie and Adrien Rabiot and return on-loan Leandro Paredes to Paris Saint-Germain to fund a move to bring Mount to Serie A.
    Rashford set for deal extension
    Manchester United are set to trigger a one-year contract extension for England World Cup star Marcus Rashford.
    The Red Devils forward justified his selection for Qatar with three goals in five games and is said to be attracting interest from French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
    Now United boss Erik ten Hag has confirmed they are ready to exercise their option to extend his deal at Old Trafford.
    Five potential Southgate successors
    Will he stay or will he go now? Gareth Southgate is said to be considering his future as England boss and SunSport have come up with five potential successors.
    Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is said to be interested if approached. The German is still a free agent after being sacked by the Blues in September.
    Fellow former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is another option. He has not pulled up any trees as Everton gaffer but he never let the Three Lions down as a free-scoring midfielder.
    Newcastle chief Eddie Howe has taken them from relegation battlers to Champions League hopefuls, albeit with a very decent transfer kitty. And with Toon stars like Callum Wilson coming into the England reckoning, Howe could fit the bill.
    Steve Cooper has done a terrific job in brining giants Nottingham Forest back to the top flight after a painful 23-year absence so he knows how to handle the pressure and expectation which would come with the England job.
    And finally, free agent Mauricio Pochettino could do it. He performed heroics at both Southampton and Spurs as – as a former PSG boss – he will have the inside track on Kylian Mbappe if the Three Lions ever come up against France again!
    Good morning footy fans!
    England’s stars and staff have touched back down on home turf following Saturday night’s heartbreaking World Cup exit.
    The Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals at the Al Bayt Stadium.
    Les Bleus controversially opened the scoring with Aurelien Tchouameni’s long-range stunner and Harry Kane levelled things up from the penalty spot before Olivier Giroud extended his scoring record with 53 goals.
    England’s heroic captain had the chance to equalise once more with another spot-kick but he sadly missed the target.
    That meant that our boys were on the next plane home – but not before they showed their class off the pitch this morning.
    England showered hotel staff with gifts as they left to fly home from Qatar.
    Gareth Southgate claims England went “so close” to glory in Qatar and are now consistently “feeding at the top table of world football”.
    Southgate told England’s YouTube channel: “Ultimately we’ve fallen short, I can’t get away from that.
    “But we’re feeding at the top table of European and world football consistently now.
    “If we’re in that place with the depth of squad that we’ve got, then that’s exciting and important for England.
    “It’s a difficult time for everybody. We’re really aware of that. I think the players have represented them in the right way, played in the right way.”
    Olivier Giroud was reportedly seconds from being subbed when he broke England’s hearts.
    The Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals at the Al Bayt Stadium last night.
    Get French Football News stated: “Didier Deschamps had decided to take Olivier Giroud off for Marcus Thuram before France’s all-time scorer netted – just 1 more stoppage in play & he would have been off. Fine margins indeed.”
    Kylian Mbappe has hailed “GOAT” Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford – after initially irking England fans.
    The France striker celebrated with a huge mocking laugh when Three Lions’ skipper Harry Kane missed a late match-saving penalty in the World Cup quarter-final.
    But he responded positively after icon Ronaldo and England sub Rashford posted touching messages following their weekend exits from Qatar.
    Manchester United discard Ron, 37, hinted he is considering his international future after appearing to accept his greatest remaining dream – Portugal winning the World Cup – is now over.
    Mbappe replied to the social media post with a GOAL emoji.
    And when Rashford posted to say England had given everything, Mbappe sent a heart emoji.
    Tuchel wants England job
    Thomas Tuchel wants the England job — if  Gareth Southgate decides to walk away.
    The former Chelsea chief is back in Germany after being sacked by the Blues in September.
    But Tuchel, 49, would love to make a swift return to England as boss of the Three Lions.
    He has seen first-hand all the young talent at the country’s disposal, both at Stamford Bridge and in opposition teams.
    Chelsea stars Mason Mount, Reece James, Conor Gallagher, Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell have all been part of the current set-up.
    The FA is desperate for Southgate to stay on despite Saturday’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
    Giroud ‘seconds from being subbed’ before goal
    Olivier Giroud was reportedly seconds from being subbed when he broke England’s hearts.
    The Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals at the Al Bayt Stadium last night.
    Get French Football News stated: “Didier Deschamps had decided to take Olivier Giroud off for Marcus Thuram before France’s all-time scorer netted – just 1 more stoppage in play & he would have been off. Fine margins indeed.”
    ‘We were so close’ says Southgate
    Gareth Southgate claims England went “so close” to glory in Qatar and are now consistently “feeding at the top table of world football”.
    Southgate told England’s YouTube channel: “Ultimately we’ve fallen short, I can’t get away from that.
    “But we’re feeding at the top table of European and world football consistently now.
    “If we’re in that place with the depth of squad that we’ve got, then that’s exciting and important for England. 
    “It’s a difficult time for everybody. We’re really aware of that. I think the players have represented them in the right way, played in the right way.”
    England arrive home
    England’s stars and staff have touched back down on home turf following last night’s heartbreaking World Cup exit.
    The Three Lions suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals at the Al Bayt Stadium.

    Les Bleus controversially opened the scoring with Aurelien Tchouameni’s long-range stunner and Harry Kane levelled things up from the penalty spot before Olivier Giroud extended his scoring record with 53 goals.
    England’s heroic captain had the chance to equalise once more with another spot-kick but he sadly missed the target.
    That meant that our boys were on the next plane home – but not before they showed their class off the pitch this morning.
    England showered hotel staff with gifts as they left to fly home from Qatar.
    Mbappe hails Ronaldo
    Kylian Mbappe has hailed “GOAT” Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford – after initially irking England fans.
    The France striker celebrated with a huge mocking laugh when Three Lions’ skipper Harry Kane missed a late match-saving penalty in the World Cup quarter-final.
    But he responded positively after icon Ronaldo and England sub Rashford posted touching messages following their weekend exits from Qatar.
    Manchester United discard Ron, 37, hinted he is considering his international future after appearing to accept his greatest remaining dream – Portugal winning the World Cup – is now over.
    Mbappe replied to the social media post with a GOAL emoji.
    And when Rashford posted to say England had given everything, Mbappe sent a heart emoji.
    New ball, please
    FIFA have revealed their new World Cup ball for the semis and finals.
    The “Al Hilm” ball – which translates to “The Dream” in Arabic – replaces Al Rihla – “The Journey”.

    Lionel Messi’s Argentina, who beat Netherland’s, face Croatia on Tuesday night.
    A day later, reigning champions France face Morocco following their dramatic win over England.
    Saka’s breaks silence
    Bukayo Saka has broken his silence after England’s World Cup exit with a touching social media post thanking the “special” squad, Gareth Southgate and supporters.
    He wrote: “I can’t explain how I feel today, but we gave everything out there and we really wish we could have brought it home for you all this time.
    “I just wanted to say a genuine thank you to our fans, you’ve all been amazing both at the games and at home this tournament and we felt it.
    “This group are really special and talented, so although we are disappointed now, I am really excited for our future. Thank you to my @England family – my team mates, Gareth, the coaching and all the backroom staff for all their hard work and dedication to help us get this far.
    “We will build from this and with your support we will keep improving and making progress together. See you all soon.”
    Fury supports England’s heroes
    Tyson Fury sent out a message of support to the heartbroken England squad after their World Cup KO.
    He tweeted: “Hold your heads up lions. We Go Again @EnglandFootball.
    “Support Our Team. Support Our Boys. Support Our Team. In Victory and In Defeat.”
    Generous England
    Caring England stars showered hotel staff with gifts as they left to fly home from Qatar following an agonising World Cup exit.
    The Three Lions departed as classily off the pitch as they had on it with their unlucky 2-1 quarter-final loss to France.

    England players handed out signed shirts and hugged workers, who in turn said Gareth Southgate’s 25-man squad had “made them feel like princes” and became “like family”.
    Midfield sensation Jude Bellingham urged fans to “stick with us” as he went over to chat outside the hotel and sign autographs.
    Dave the Cat heading to UK
    It wasn’t all doom and gloom for England after their heartbreaking World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.
    The Three Lions’ unofficial tournament mascot, Dave the cat, began his journey to the UK as Gareth Southgate’s squad also headed for home.

    Dave became the squad’s mascot after joining England stars at meal times during their stay in Qatar.
    John Stones and Kyle Walker pledged to adopt their furry friend if England won the World Cup.
    But, despite crashing out 2-1 to France on Saturday, Dave is still heading to the UK to be rehomed.
    He was seen being loaded into a crate to begin his journey shortly after Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire and Co left their Souq Al Wakrah hotel today.
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    Youssef En-Nesyri jumped 9ft 1inch for Morocco’s World Cup winner vs Portugal.. higher than Ronaldo for Juventus in 2019

    MOROCCO became the first ever African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals thanks to a bullet header from Youssef En-Nesyri.The striker put Cristiano Ronaldo to shame – jumping to a whopping 9FT 1INCHES to crash home the winner.
    Youssef En-Nesyri was clocked at 9ft 1in in the air for his winning goal against PortugalCredit: Alamy
    En-Nesyri jumped eight inches higher than Cristiano Ronaldo did for his famous header back in 2019Credit: AFP
    En-Nesyri’s goal saw Morocco become the first ever African nation to reach a World Cup semi-finalCredit: Getty
    Ronaldo famously scored for Juventus against Sampdoria with a stooping header back in 2019.
    The Portugal forward, who was knocked out of the World Cup by En-Nesyri’s goal, rose to an incredible 8ft 4in.
    He was then hailed for his superhuman athleticism after the strike.
    But Sevilla star En-Nesyri took things to a whole new level with his effort on Saturday.
    Read More World Cup News
    Both men stand at 6ft2, but En-Nesyri’s quarter-final strike saw him jump eight inches HIGHER than Ronaldo did three years ago.
    The Morocco man rose to a staggering 9ft 1in as he leapt above Ruben Dias to send his nation into the last four, according to the Daily Mail.
    En-Nesyri almost seemed to float in the air as he jumped into the gods to connect with Yahia Attiyat Allah’s cross.
    In doing so he set up a semi-final meeting with France on Wednesday.
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    Even Ronaldo was pictured looking impressed as he watched on from the bench as En-Nesyri powered home.
    The goal settled the game, and reduced Ronaldo tears at the final whistle.
    Ronaldo was seen crying as walked down the tunnel after the game, before he said in an emotional statement that his “biggest and most ambitious dream” of winning a World Cup has now ended.
    He is now jobless after being axed by Manchester United just days before the World Cup.
    En-Nesyri meanwhile will be looking to repeat the feat when he takes on Kylian Mbappe and Co for a place in the final.
    Whoever comes out on top will take on the winners of Argentina vs Croatia for the right to lift football’s greatest prize. More

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    Harry Kane ‘given a week to get over World Cup penalty heartbreak’ as Conte ‘plans talks to assess his mental state’

    HARRY KANE will be given just a week to recover from his World Cup penalty heartache.And then Tottenham boss Antonio Conte plans to sit down with his star striker to assess his mental state.
    Harry Kane has just a week to recover before returning to Tottenham trainingCredit: Getty
    Antonio Conte plans to sit down with the skipper to assess himCredit: Getty
    Kane, 29, missed the critical spot-kick in the closing minutes of England’s quarter-final defeat to France as the Three Lions crashed out.
    The skipper – who landed back in the UK on Sunday – was understandably devastated and inconsolable after he blazed over, admitting it “will hurt for a while”.
    But he will not have long to get over the mental and emotional disappointment.
    According to the Daily Mail, Kane and team-mate Eric Dier are due back in for Spurs training on Monday, December 19.
    READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
    The report adds Kane will be checked up on by his manager Conte to see how he is coping.
    Kane added after his painful miss: “It is a really tough night to take.
    “I am gutted, the team are gutted. We had full belief that we could achieve something special at this World Cup but it came down to small details.
    “It is hard to take for sure but I can be proud of the group, proud of each other for what we’ve done.
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    “This will hurt for a while but we will dust ourselves down to get ready in the future.
    “It comes purely down to execution so I will take it on the chin and of course it hurts now, and it will hurt for a long time, but that’s part of being captain and a leader in the team.
    “You have to take responsibility and I will take that for today.”
    Tottenham return to action against Brentford with the lunchtime kick-off on Boxing Day.

    And they will be desperate to have an in-form Kane scoring the goals to continue their charge for a top-four finish.
    Spurs are currently fourth on 29 points, three clear of Manchester United who have a game in hand.
    Kane will be reunited with Hugo Lloris at the Hotspur Way training ground after beating his pal from the spot once against France – but failing with his second attempt.
    Lloris will be in action in either the World Cup final on Sunday or the third-fourth place play-off on Saturday so will likely have a later return date than the English contingent. More

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    Portugal star Pepe played on with a BROKEN ARM in his side’s World Cup quarter-final loss to Morocco

    PORTUGAL’s veteran warrior Pepe played with a BROKEN ARM in the World Cup quarter-final loss to Morocco.The 39-year-old took up the captain’s armband while Cristiano Ronaldo manned the substitutes bench for the knockout stages.
    Pepe played on against Morocco with a broken armCredit: EPA
    The fracture didn’t stop Pepe from fuming at the Argentina officialsCredit: Getty
    But World Cup dark horses Morocco sealed an historic 1-0 win to become the first African country to reach the final four.
    Adding insult to injury, Pepe played the game with a BROKEN ARM, the Portuguese FA has confirmed.
    Pepe visited a Doha hospital which found a fracture to his left arm.
    However, his broken arm didn’t stop him from fuming at the game’s Argentine referees.
    READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
    The Portuguese indulged in conspiracies surrounding the officials after the game.
    Porto centre-back Pepe fumed to SIC, as relayed by Record: “It’s unacceptable for an Argentine referee to referee our game.
    “After what happened yesterday, with [Lionel] Messi talking, all of Argentina talking and the referee comes here to blow the whistle.
    “I’m not saying that he comes here conditioned… But what did we play the second half?
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    “The goalkeeper dropped to the ground. There were only eight minutes of stoppage time.
    “We worked seriously and the referee gave eight minutes [of added time]? We didn’t play anything in the second half.
    “The only team that played football was us. We are sad. We had the quality to win the World Cup and we didn’t manage to. I can bet that Argentina will be champion.
    “A very big waste of time, the referee spoke twice with the goalkeeper to put the ball in play as quickly as possible. We always try to play our game, we were true to who we are, we worked hard.
    “I’m proud of that. We fought until the last minute, but we didn’t manage to win. Very sad, feeling of sadness.
    “90 minutes that Morocco always wanted to stop our game with little fouls. The referee didn’t give a warning, not paying attention and that was the game.
    “We tried to play, put the ball on the ground, the balls they recovered were kicks forward and trying to win the second ball.
    “They were then happy to score the goal. But I am proud of my team-mates. We did a lot to be able to win today.”
    Just like Cristiano Ronaldo – who left the pitch in tears following the shock KO – this World Cup is expected to be Pepe’s last.
    Read More on The Sun
    Morocco face world champions France for a spot in the final on Wednesday.
    Should the African country progress, they’ll face either 2018 finalists Croatia or Argentina. More

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    Plan revealed to change three stars on Brazil’s World Cup shirt to HEARTS to honour stricken legend Pele

    BRAZIL are planning to pay tribute to Pele by changing three of the five stars on their shirt to hearts.The 82-year-old has been suffering with illness and was rushed to hospital recently due to swelling over his body.
    Pele has been battling bower cancerCredit: AFP
    Brazilian players lifted a banner after their game with South KoreaCredit: Getty
    This is what Brazil’s new crest could look like with three stars changed to hearts
    Pele has been battling with bowel cancer and is said to no longer be responding to chemotherapy.
    As a result, he was put on end-of-life care earlier this month.
    But the legend has since provided a positive update on his health by admitting that he is “strong” and “full of energy”.
    He said on Instagram: “My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive.”
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    “I’m strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual.
    “I want to thank the entire medical and nursing team for all the care I have received.
    “I have a lot of faith in God and every message of love I receive from you all over the world keeps me full of energy. And watch Brazil in the World Cup too!
    “Thank you so much for everything. 🙏🏾.”
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    In response, the Brazil team paid homage to him after their last-16 victory over South Korea last week by holding up a banner with his name and a photo of him lifting the World Cup.
    And the Samba Boys are set to honour him once again.
    That’s because they’re planning to change three of the five stars on their shirt.
    The stars represent the five World Cups they’ve won, which is more than anyone else.
    Three of those came with Pele in the side in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
    Brazil begin the road to the 2026 World Cup in March and while the opponents of their first game haven’t been announced, it’ll give them the opportunity to wear the jersey for the first time. More

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    Gary Neville reacts to footage of Cristiano Ronaldo crying following World Cup exit after he blasted ex-United team-mate

    GARY NEVILLE says it was “horrible” to see Cristiano Ronaldo crying following Portugal’s shock World Cup quarter-final exit to Morocco. The ex-Manchester United team-mates aren’t on the best of terms after Neville criticised the 37-year-old before his contract was ripped up.
    Ronaldo was in tears at full-time after Portugal were dumped out of the World Cup by MoroccoCredit: Getty
    Neville says it was ‘horrible’ to see Ronaldo cryingCredit: Sky Sports
    Ronaldo famously snubbed the Sky Sports pundit pitchside in October.
    He then claimed Neville is not a friend of his in a bombshell interview with SunSport columnist and TalkTV main man Piers Morgan.
    Despite this, Neville says it was “horrible” to see the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in floods of tears after Portugal’s World Cup heartbreak.
    They were dumped out by dark horses Morocco 1-0 in the quarters, ending Ronaldo’s dream of lifting the World Cup.
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    Neville told his Sky Sports podcast: “I do want to mention Cristiano Ronaldo, because I saw that image of him crying in the tunnel. That was a horrible image for me.
    “That’s that moment where he knows his dream of winning the World Cup for his country has gone. 
    “We’ve all been there at the end of our careers, but he’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time. 
    “It was horrible to see him like that. He’s had a tough couple of months.”
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    Ronaldo will now step up his search for a new club following his exit from United.
    There hasn’t been any takers so far in Europe but there’s strong interest from the Middle East.
    Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a move to Al Nassr.
    However, the Saudi side now have their sights set on another Premier League attacker in Roberto Firmino. More