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      Achraf Hakimi & Richarlison feature in the best Dream Team World Cup XI of the tournament so far

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      WE’RE officially in the nether zone.This is always the most sobering part of a World Cup, when the daily games suddenly comes to a halt, leaving us all bereft.
      Still, at least this pause gives Dream Team World Cup gaffers a chance to take stock and in the spirit of reflection, we’ve assembled an XI of the best performers at the tournament so far.
      GOALKEEPER: Thibaut Courtois (£4.5m)
      You’re still thinking about the bad news…
      Belgium may have crashed out at the group stage but their world-class goalkeeper gave a good account of himself in Qatar.
      Courtois claimed Star Man awards against Canada and Croatia, not forgetting a penalty save to keep the former at bay when it looked for all the world the North Americans would get something from the game.
      The Real Madrid custodian racked up 28 points in three games which is still enough to make him the top performer in his position.
      Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic (£3m) is the best keeper among those still active in the tournament, he’s on 21 points ahead of a daunting meeting with Brazil in the quarter-finals.
      DEFENDERS: Achraf Hakimi (£3m), Harry Maguire (£4m), Daley Blind (£3.5m), Jordi Alba (£4m)
      Morocco’s Panenka hero has been talismanic for his side this winter.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Inarguably the best right-back on display, Hakimi has banked 29 points as a key member of an Atlas Lions side fulfilling the role of likeable underdog in Qatar.
      A class act
      The PSG full-back is not top dog among defenders, however, that title belongs to England’s No6.
      Gareth Southgate’s side have kept three consecutive clean sheets since shipping two late on against Iran and Maguire has been the primary beneficiary.
      Many fans may have felt no individual deserved the Star Man award following England’s drab 0-0 with USA but somebody had to get it and the Man United centre-back edged out his rivals to pocket a 13-point haul.
      Add in an assist and four 7+ ratings and you arrive at Maguire’s impressive tally of 33 points.
      Blind was Netherlands’ unlikely hero of the round of 16.
      Operating as left wing-back, the 32-year-old scored one goal and assisted another as the Oranje booked their place in the last eight at USA’s expense.
      A massive match rating of 9.2 earned him the Star Man award, meaning he more than doubled his overall points total in one fell swoop – he’s now on 28 points.
      Love is BlindCredit: getty
      Alba completes our back four having accumulated 26 points during Spain’s curious campaign.
      Again, if you’re not interested in eliminated players then Luke Shaw (£4m) is the replacement – England’s left-back has 25 points.
      MIDFIELDERS: Bruno Fernandes (£4.5m), Frenkie de Jong (£3.5m), Bukayo Saka (£5m)
      With Cristiano Ronaldo (£7m) now a benchwarmer, the mantle of Portugal’s talisman has defaulted from their No7 to their No8.
      Fernandes has two goals, three assists and two Star Man awards from just three outings and already looks nailed on for a spot in the official Team of the Tournament.
      His tally of 34 points makes him king among midfielders at this juncture.
      The best midfielder on display in QatarCredit: getty
      England’s No17 is Fernandes’ closest competitor having scored two goals against Iran plus a delicate finish to seal the victory over Senegal.
      Saka (26 points) is one of SEVEN Englishmen on 20+ points heading into the quarter-finals – no other team can match that right now.
      As a player who operates in a deeper role, De Jong isn’t the type of midfielder who usually succeeds in the realm of Dream Team but he’s earned his tally of 25 points through two Star Man awards and a rare goal against minnows Qatar.
      The Dutchman has got Phil Foden (£5m) and Hakim Ziyech (£3m) breathing down his neck.
      FORWARDS: Lionel Messi (£7.5m), Richarlison (£5.5m), Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
      You know it’s a star-studded forward line when Cody Gakpo (£4m) misses the cut on 32 points!
      Brazil’s No9 edges out the Dutchman by one point having scored three goals, earned two Star Man awards and provided one assist despite sitting out the final group game.
      Gaffers who stayed cleared of Richarlison because of his Premier League form have been thoroughly punished.
      Making pigeons popularCredit: getty
      Argentina’s captain is carrying the weight of his nation on his shoulders and so far he’s hardly been hampered at all.
      Sure, the Copa America champions slipped up against Saudi Arabia and Messi missed a penalty against Poland but his performances around those moments have been spellbinding at times – his tally of 36 points is only bettered by one man.
      And that man is his PSG team-mate, France’s 23-year-old sensation.
      Read More on The Sun
      With five goals and two assists, Mbappe already has one hand on the Golden Boot and his Dream Team World Cup total of 48 points may already been unbeatable.
      England will have their hands full on Saturday. More

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      PSG go public in Jude Bellingham transfer race as they join Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid in £130m battle

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      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN have joined Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the £130million race for Jude Bellingham.The Ligue 1 champions have even gone public with their admiration for the England and Borussia Dortmund star.
      PSG have publicly declared their admiration for England star Jude BellinghamCredit: Getty
      Bellingham, 19, has been the Three Lions’ main man at the Qatar World Cup.
      The midfielder shined in several roles before coming into his own as a tenacious No10 against Senegal.
      And Bellingham will be at the forefront of England’s quarter-final clash against France on Saturday.
      But outside the World Cup, things are heating up regarding his club future.
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      Borussia Dortmund expect to lose Bellingham next summer, and want £130m for their star man.
      Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid have all throw their hats in the ring.
      But there’s a new suitor for Bellingham in Ligue 1 champions PSG.
      They already boast the world’s best young forward in Kylian Mbappe.
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      And it appears they want Bellingham to join him in the French capital next year.
      President Nasser Al-Khelaifi has now gone public in his praise of the England ace.
      But he concedes it will be a tough transfer battle as “everybody” wants to sign Bellingham.
      Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “Amazing player, what a player.
      “England are lucky to have him, to be honest. He’s one of the best players in the tournament.
      “Amazing – his first World Cup. He’s calm and relaxed, confident – amazing.
      “Everybody wants him, I’m not going to hide it.
      “He’s at his club and we have respect, so if we want to talk to him we’ll talk to the club first.” More

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      Spain star Rodri fires parting shot at Morocco for ‘offering absolutely NOTHING’ in shock World Cup win over Spanish

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      MOROCCO’S victory over Spain has left Rodri with a bitter taste in his mouth.The North African side stunned Spain on penalties in a dramatic last-16 tie on Wednesday night.
      Rodri claims Morocco offered ‘absolutely nothing’ despite beating Spain in the last-16Credit: Rex
      Luis Enrique’s side dominated for 120 minutes in Qatar but failed to find the breakthrough they needed.
      And, after the Spanish missed their first three penalties of the shootout, Achraf Hakimi coolly stepped up to Panenka the winner past Unai Simon.
      Rodri, 26, said that Spain deserved the win, despite being dumped out.
      According to the Daily Express, he said: “Morocco offered absolutely nothing, without disrespecting them.
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP 2022
      “In the game, they did nothing. They just waited for the counters. They stayed behind and tried to counter us.”

      The Man City midfielder spoke to RTVE and admitted it was one of the lowest moments of his career.
      He added: “They were very clear about how they wanted to play
      “There’s not much more to say, penalties are like that. We’re going home, it’s one of the worst days. 
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      “We expected 11 guys behind, it’s complicated, it’s frustrating. I wish someone up there would have helped us.
      “Football is cruel sometimes. The team gave it our all, I think we deserved to go through.” More

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      ‘I’m not going to roll out the red carpet for him’ – Kyle Walker warns Kylian Mbappe ahead of England vs France

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      KYLE WALKER has issued a warning to Kylian Mbappe ahead of England’s crunch World Cup clash with France.The Manchester City full-back, 32, has enjoyed several battles against the 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward during the Champions League.
      Kyle Walker has issued a stern warning to Kylian Mbappe ahead of England’s game with FranceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      The French forward comes into the clash as the tournament’s top scorerCredit: Getty
      Now the whole planet will get to witness their next one with the both men set to come face-to-face again when the Three Lions face Les Bleus in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
      Mbappe, who gave the French a scare yesterday by sitting out training, comes in to the game in red-hot form.
      He scored twice in the 3-1 victory over Poland in the last-16 to make him the tournament’s current top scorer with five.
      However, many believe that Walker’s pace and experience make him the ideal man to stop the French’s most-dangerous player.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS

      And the England star is adamant that no “red carpet” will be rolled out for the superstar as he warned him it’s “do or die” come kick-off at the Al-Bayt Stadium.
      Speaking to the media today, Walker said: “The game isn’t England v Mbappe, it’s England vs France.
      “We will give respect but I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him to score. It’s do or die as if we lose we go home.
      “I do understand what I need to do and that’s to stop him. It’s probably easier said than done but I don’t underestimate myself. 
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      “I’ve come across great players before so I just treat it like another game. 
      “I’ll give him the respect he deserves but not too much because this is England. No one player makes a team. This isn’t tennis, it isn’t a solo sport.”
      Former England stars Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand have both stated that boss Gareth Southgate possesses the “only defender on the planet” that can stop Mbappe in Walker.
      Neville told Sky Sports: “It looks like a collision course waiting to happen doesn’t it? Mbappe versus Walker. 
      “We’ve got the perfect right back to deal with Mbappe if anyone can – physical, pace, experience.”
      While Ferdinand told his YouTube channel: “For me, Kyle Walker is the only defender on the planet right now that will stand there and go to Mbappe: ‘Right, 1-v-1, let’s have a race’.
      “He will back himself too. We saw it in the Euros. He’s got the confidence to do that and he’s the only one capable of doing that I think.” More

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      ‘World Cup disaster’ – Luis Enrique on brink of sack after humiliating exit to Morocco as Spanish papers turn on boss

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      SPAIN’S World Cup inquest has begun after their shocking round of 16 defeat to Morocco yesterday.La Roja attempted to hypnotise opponents with their volume of passes, but left themselves toothless up front.
      Spain were eliminated by Morocco on penaltiesCredit: PA
      The Spanish papers have gone in on Luis Enrique
      Their campaign began with a rampant 7-0 victory over Costa Rica that saw them become one of the favourites to win the tournament.
      They led 1-0 at half-time against Germany in their second match, but then everything changed.
      Spain surrendered their lead to draw 1-1 with the Germans, before losing top spot in their group by falling to Japan.
      Regardless, they were expected to beat Morocco yesterday, but fell on penalties despite having had 77 per cent of the ball.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      During the tournament, boss Luis Enrique initially charmed fans with his amusing Twitch streams.
      But with the dust beginning to settle on their campaign, the Spanish papers have turned on Enrique.
      Marca led today with the headline “World Cup is beyond us” – before claiming: “Enrique’s future up in the air.”
      AS went for “That’s that”, followed by: “Spain out after lots of possession and no shots. FA doubt Enrique should go on.”
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      AS wrote ‘That’s That’
      Super Deportes pulled no punches
      Super Deportes called the campaign a “World Cup disaster”.
      They then added: “After the mirage of the first game, Spain leaves through the back door with usual vices and Luis Enrique in the firing line.”
      Mundo Deportivo damningly wrote: “Spain out again in last-16, unable to even score a penalty.”
      While Diario Sport simply went with: “Shame.”
      Enrique first took charge in 2018, after Fernando Hierro had managed La Roja at the World Cup following Julen Lopetegui’s dramatic sacking.
      He stepped down for four months the following year, after the tragic death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana.
      Upon his return he guided Spain to Euro 2020, where they were unlucky to lose to Italy on penalties in the semi-finals.
      During his reign he also managed his country to the 2021 Uefa Nations League final, losing 2-1 to France.
      Mundo Deportivo were left flabbergasted by Spain’s inept performance
      Sport called Spain’s showing a ‘Shame’ More

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      Tickets for England’s World Cup showdown with France on sale for staggering £5,000 – more than 28 TIMES face value

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      TICKETS for England’s World Cup quarter-final with France are up for sale for a whopping £5,000 – over 28 TIMES the original value. England face the reigning champions on Saturday evening with a chance to book a second semi-final spot in a row.
      England stars train ahead of the clash against FranceCredit: Getty
      England fans are being charged a huge amount on re-sale sitesCredit: Rex
      This ticket on Ticombo is 28 times the normal value of the ticket
      A pair of official category 2 tickets normally costs £175 to buy.
      However, with fans desperate to get in on the action, some have sniffed out an opportunity to up their money.
      This has led to a number of tickets appearing on re-sale sites ahead of the game – with some staggering inflation to boot.
      The aforementioned pair of Category 2 seats may cost £175 at normal price, but on Ticombo a pair have gone up for a staggering £5,000.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP

      This figure is more than 28 TIMES the value of the original tickets.
      A travelling supporter would also need to add on the cost of accommodation and the cost of travel to their expenses.
      As many as 9,500 Three Lions fans are expected to be in attendance at the Al Bayt Stadium.
      But fears are mounting after Declan Rice missed England training just days before the crunch clash.
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      The West Ham man has played in every one of England’s games in Qatar so far.
      Rice missed the session today due to illness, with the clock ticking down to Saturday’s clash against Kylian Mbappe and Co.
      Callum Wilson was also absent from the session after previously missing a session on Monday for Gareth Southgate’s reserve stars. More

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      Netherlands vs Argentina bonus: Get money back as CASH if you lose, plus 110-1 tips, preview and prediction – 18+ T&Cs

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      PADDY POWER are offering punters up to £20 back as cash if their bet on Netherlands vs Argentina loses.New customers who sign up and stake £20 on the World Cup quarter final showdown at Lusail Stadium will get their money straight back if they’re not successful!
      Paddy Power are offering punters up to £20 back as cash if their bet losesCredit: GETTY
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      Bet £20 and get it back as CASH if it loses*

      We’re now down to eight sides left in the World Cup and Netherlands and Argentina scrap it on Friday to reach the semis.
      The bookies reckon it’s in the stars for Lionel Messi to form part of that final four line-up as Paddy Power make them the 8/13 favourites to progress.
      Unbeaten Netherlands should prove a tough test, though. Their 5/4 price to conquer the South Americans could look good value.
      In Cody Gakpo they have one of the stars of this competition, with goals in every single group stage game.
      He also played the full 90 minutes as they came through against USA in the last 16.
      Argentina have one or two decent players too…
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      And in Messi they have a man who has also struck three times in the tournament, with his latest in the 2-1 win over Australia.
      Both teams can score and clearly can concede based on those results.
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      Netherlands vs Argentina: TV channel, kick-off time, stream FREE, team news and prediction for World Cup quarter-final

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      NETHERLANDS and Argentina are set to go at it for a World Cup semi-final spot in Qatar – and fans can expect fireworks this weekend.Goals from Memphis Depay, Daley Blind and Denzel Dumfries helped the Dutch to secure a spot in the last-8 against USA.
      Memphis Depay opened the scoring for the Netherlands against the USACredit: Getty
      Lionel Messi (L) and Julian Alvarez (R) both scored against AustraliaCredit: AP

      And Argentina followed suit courtesy of a 2-1 win over Australia where Lionel Messi was the star of the show once again.
      Messi, 35 is desperate to emulate footballing legend Diego Maradonna by guiding the Argentines to World Cup success.
      Furthermore, that is the only major piece of silverware that Messi has competed for and never got his hands on.
      However, Holland will be on a revenge mission for what happened when the sides met during the 2014 edition.
      Read more on World Cup
      When is Netherlands vs Argentina?

      Netherland’s mouth-watering fixture against Argentina will take place on Friday, December 9.
      The World Cup quarter-final clash is scheduled to get underway at 7pm UK time.
      Lusali Stadium is the allocated arena for this eye-catching contest and it can host a staggering 88, 966 supporters.
      Argentine sent Holland crashing out of the semi-final stage on penalties in 2014.

      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Netherlands vs Argentina will be shown LIVE on BBC One in the UK.
      Coverage is set to commence from 6:15pm UK time – 45 minutes before kick-off.
      Viewers also have the option to stream the game live via the BBC iPlayer app or through the BBC Sport website.

      Can I watch it for free?
      YES! Fans in the UK can watch Netherlands’ match against Argentina for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license.
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      What are the odds?
      After 90 mins

      Netherlands 5/2
      Draw 2/1
      Argentina 6/5

      To qualify

      Netherlands 13/10
      Argentina 6/10

      *Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct at time of publication More