World Cup

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

ARSENE WENGER has suggested that winter World Cups could become more regular after it “worked” in Qatar.The current tournament was moved by FIFA to the winter due to it being deemed unsafe to play in the summer in Qatar due to the heat.
Arsene Wenger has suggested that winter World Cups could happen more oftenCredit: Getty
The switch has led to severe match congestion for domestic clubs who have had to play their league and cup tournaments around the World Cup.
But on the flip side, this year’s winter edition of the World Cup has been praised by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as he called the group stages’ “the best ever.”
Former Arsenal manager Wenger is now working as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development and he has suggested that winter tournaments could become more common.
He told L’Equipe: “If we want to democratise football, we will have to go to African countries where it is impossible to play a World Cup in the summer.
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“We can see it with this edition in Qatar, a World Cup in the winter works.
“Of course, many players did not have the usual time to prepare physically but at least they all approached this competition with real mental freshness, which has not always been the case in the past.
“I remember teams starting a World Cup psychologically tired because their preparation period had gone badly.”
The Frenchman suggests that the decision to play World Cups in the winter could be chosen based on the temperature of the countries.
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He notes that like Qatar, African countries would be too hot to play in the summer.
The 73-year-old also let it be known that suggestions of a World Cup every two years are not in the current plans.
He added: “I had been asked to think about it (a tournament every two years), and I thought it was not a bad idea.
“But such a change would have required a complete review of the qualifying calendar.
“We are not heading towards that today, but rather towards four-year cycles alternating with a World Cup, the Women’s World Cup – which is becoming more and more important – and the Euros.” More