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      Watch Lionel Messi and Argentina team-mates troll France with controversial song on international return

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      LIONEL MESSI and his Argentina teammates were poking fun at France during their World Cup homecoming celebrations.The Albiceleste were back on South American soil to play for the first time since their triumph in Qatar.
      Lionel Messi and the rest of the Argentina team were presented with individual World Cup trophies during the celebrationsCredit: Getty
      They faced up against Panama in a friendly which saw Lionel Scaloni’s side wind up comfortable 2-0 winners.
      The events also gave the Argentina squad an opportunity to celebrate with their fans once again and lift the World Cup aloft in front of everyone in the stadium.
      Amongst the celebrations videos emerged that showed Messi and his teammates singing songs about their World Cup final opponents, France.
      The team could be heard singing: “a minute of silence for… France, they are dead”.
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      This isn’t the first time that the team have made a jibe towards the French squad with Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez making similar remarks about Kylian Mbappe immediately after their win in Qatar.
      The Aston Villa shot-stopper asked for a minutes silence for Mbappe back then too, following their dramatic penalty shoot-out win.
      As part of Thursday night’s celebrations in Argentina, Messi made a speech to the crowd following the game.
      The 34-year-old legend said: “Always, personally, I have dreamt of this moment. To be able to celebrate with you all.”
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      He went on to say: “Let’s enjoy this because it took us a long time to win this and we don’t know how long will pass before we will be able to do it again.
      “Hopefully not as many years will pass, but I think we’ve shown that it’s very difficult to win a World Cup.” More

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      Morgan Gibbs-White reveals he is the godfather to Phil Foden’s kids – now he wants to emulate mate and play for England

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      MORGAN GIBBS-WHITE revealed he is the godfather to Phil Foden’s children – and now he wants to emulate his great mate by becoming a senior England international.Nottingham Forest star Gibbs-White first met Foden aged 16 and the pair won the Under-17 World Cup with England in 2017.
      Morgan Gibbs-White has had an impressive season at Nottingham ForestCredit: Getty
      Gibbs-White first met Foden in 2016. They won the Under-17 World Cup togetherCredit: Getty
      They would often room together and are still extremely close today, to the point where the Manchester City man asked Gibbs-White to be a godparent to his son and daughter.
      Foden, 22, has racked up 22 caps for England, the latest of which came in Thursday’s 2-1 Euro qualifying win over Italy.
      Gibbs-White, 23, was this week named England Under-21 captain but is yet to receive a senior call-up – though Gareth Southgate says he is keeping close tabs on the midfielder.
      The Forest ace said: “It’s an honour I’ve even been mentioned and it shows I’m improving on the right path. I have to strive for more.
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      “I’m still in touch with Phil, still really close. I’m godparent to his kids.  It just shows that anything is possible. I was in that Under-17 World Cup team so if those guys can do it, so can I.”
      Jadon Sancho, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Emile Smith Rowe were the other whizkids from that World Cup-winning Under-17 squad to go on to play for the senior team.
      Foden is undoubtedly the pick of the bunch though and a character with whom Gibbs-White clicked instantly.
      MGW explained: “We just had a good connection. I met him at 16, we just got on. 
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      “We roomed together quite a bit. He’s always been a nice kid, Phil.
      “He’s an unbelievable player. He’d play Fortnite until one or two o’clock in the morning every night! Every night. 
      “I’d tell him that if he scored the next day then he could stay on it for another couple of hours!”
      Foden’s missus Rebecca Cooke is also very close to Gibbs-White’s girlfriend, Britney De Villiers.
      The christening is still yet to take place though because of the hectic football schedule.
      Steve Cooper was the manager in charge of that amazing England Under-17 side that triumphed in India.
      And it was the Welshman, now at helm at Forest, who signed Gibbs-White for a whopping £42.5million from Wolves in the summer.
      Back then, the fee was all anyone would talk about when discussing Gibbs-White.
      But it is testament to his fine season, in which he has scored three goals and grabbed six assists in the Premier League, that his hefty price tag is less of a debating point now. 
      Yet the playmaker never felt any pressure at all by how much Forest shelled out on him – and certainly nothing compared to the heat on the team as they battle for survival.
      He said: “It wasn’t me who paid the price! I enjoyed it. It meant more eyes were on me. 
      “I could show myself more. It wasn’t a pressure thing. 
      “The focus was on the price tag and I had to prove people wrong in a sense. You thrive off that situation. You want to prove people wrong and impress.
      “(The battle to stay up) – that is pressure. There are so many good teams down there.”
      Forest are winless in their last six league games, losing four of them, and are just two points above the relegation zone.
      But there is no doubt in Gibbs-White mind that the Tricky Trees will retain the top-flight status they took 23 years to earn by avoiding the drop.
      He said: “One hundred per cent I’m confident we’ll stay up. We’ve proven that in games. We drew 1-1 with Man City. We need to be more consistent.”
      On Saturday though, Gibbs-White turns his attention to captaining his country for the first time ever.
      Despite representing England at nearly every level from Under-16s, the Stafford lad has never actually worn the armband for his nation.
      But that will change on Saturday afternoon when he leads the England Under-21s out for their friendly against France at Leicester’s King Power Stadium.
      He commented: “It was a surprise to be given it. It’ll be the first time I’ve captained an England side. 
      “It’s an honour to receive a call-up and when Lee Carsley told me that I was captain it was a really special feeling. It shows I’ve been doing well at club level and he sees me as a leader in the group. I think I’m the oldest one here so that is why!”
      Southgate’s recent comments suggest it will not be long until Gibbs-White does make that senior step.
      It would be a reward, just as captaining his country will be, for putting everything he’s got into his career and holding nothing back.
      That mentality is reflected by the words he had tattoed on his right hand last summer which read: “Why save the food stuff for later?”
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      Gibbs-White added: “It is just, ‘why say no? Why not do the good stuff now and regret it later?’ I never wanted to regret anything in the future.”
      Good advice to pass onto his godchildren, no doubt – and to help keep Forest up. More

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      ‘Gets in places where water can’t’ – Steve McClaren lookalike who went viral at World Cup spotted at England vs Italy

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      STEVE MCCLAREN’S viral lookalike was spotted at last night’s clash between Italy and England. The super fan likes to follow the Three Lions around whenever he can and gained popularity when he was spotted in the crowd during the World Cup.
      Steve McClaren’s double was in the crowd last night as Harry Kane made England historyCredit: Alamy
      His striking similarity to former England manager and current Manchester United coach McClaren helped him become an overnight celebrity among England fans.
      And one Twitter account picked him out in the away end in Naples last night as England bid to secure their first win it Italy since 1961.
      McClaren’s double could be seen with a wide smile as he watched the game with two mates.
      And fans online were delighted to see a man who they are now becoming very familiar with.
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      One said on Twitter: “Haha this guy pops up everywhere!!!”
      Another said: “What a legend. Club and country home and away, always with a smile. Love it”
      While another added: “Living the dream! Just cruises round the world watching football!”
      And another England fan said: “Gets in places where water can’t that man.”
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      McClaren’s lookalike was in the crowd for some England history as Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot.
      It was the 29-year-old’s 54th international goal which took him one clear of Wayne Rooney and made him England’s all-time record goalscorer.
      Declan Rice got the other goal to give England a 2-1 victory. More

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      Watch Panama players fight EACH OTHER for Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez’s shirt and beg Messi to sign kit

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      PANAMA players were spotted fighting over Enzo Fernandez’s shirt while others got Lionel Messi to sign their tops after their defeat to Argentina.The World Cup winners are still flying high after their glorious triumph in Qatar back in December.
      Panama players were fighting each other to get Enzo Fernandez’s shirtCredit: Twitter
      They were queuing up to try and get the Argentina midfielder’s jerseyCredit: Twitter
      Following a thrilling 3-3 draw with France, Argentina held their nerve in the shootout to win the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
      A huge party back in the South American nation ensued for several days after they returned home with the trophy.
      However, last night was the first time that they had actually taken to the pitch since their World Cup win and the scenes were INCREDIBLE at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires to celebrate.
      As the Argentine national anthem rang out from the 80,000-plus crowd, fireworks soon began to light up the sky while Messi struggled to contain his emotions while Emi Martinez broke down in tears.
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      Martinez did go on to keep a clean sheet as Argentina capped the night off with a victory – although they left it late against Panama.
      Thiago Almada finally broke the deadlock with just 12 minutes remaining to get the crowd rocking once again.
      And then in the dying seconds it was Messi’s turn to celebrate as he fired home his 800th career goal, and his 99th for Argentina, with a brilliant free-kick.
      After the final whistle, despite suffering a loss, excitable Panama players were caught on camera almost wrestling each other to try and get Chelsea’s new £106m British record signing Fernandez’s No.24 shirt.
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      And another Panama player, Ivan Anderson, also managed to get himself a precious memento as he pulled out a pen in front of Messi and got him to sign his jersey.
      Martinez then recreated his X-rated World Cup celebration last night – leaving his wife red-faced before she eventually joined in.
      He was awarded the individual accolade for being the best goalkeeper in Qatar and when he was handed the trophy, Martinez reacted in an unique way.
      The 30-year-old shook hands with Fifa representatives, including Gianni Infantino, before holding the gold award in front of his privates while leaning back and pulling an odd face.
      That led to a massively split reaction from fans and pundits, with Graeme Souness branding him a “vulgar clown”.
      But that did not stop Martinez, along with several team-mates, reenacted his infamous celebration while his wife, Mandinha, covered her face with her hand.
      However, she didn’t take much persuasion to copy her fella’s antics as she shared a snap of her and several other Argentina WAGs pulling the same stunt on the pitch.  More

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      Harry Kane is the only England player he’d take in his Golden Generation team, claims Sven-Goran Eriksson

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      SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON has declared England captain Harry Kane is the only current player he would add to his “Golden Generation” team.Kane overtook Wayne Rooney’s record as England’s all-time leading scorer with a goal against in Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier, and his other attributes mean Eriksson would have loved to have him.
      Sven-Goran Eriksson managed the England national team between 2001 and 2006Credit: Getty
      Harry Kane is the only player who would get into the golden generation according to ErikssonCredit: Rex
      Each of Eriksson’s attempts to win an international trophy ended at the quarter-final stageCredit: AFP
      Speaking to BoyleSports, Eriksson said: “If there was one player I’d love to have playing for me from this current England team, it’s very easy, Harry Kane.
      “He is a golden goalscorer, wherever he plays and you always need that.
      “He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a target player, he can make assists, he’s big, he’s a good header, good feet, he’s strong, not the quickest in the world but he’s quick.
      “He has everything and he could be the one who wins the World Cup for England and maybe he’ll be the top goalscorer at this World Cup. Every team needs a player like that.
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      “It’s only one of them, he’s very special. I like him and I suppose he will be one of the most important players for England.” 
      Eriksson, 75, managed England for five years between 2001 and 2006.
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      At his disposal, he had what many believe to be the most talented set of players England have ever produced.
      But the Three Lions never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in any of the three tournaments they participated in under the Swede.
      The likes of Rooney, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Joe Cole and Michael Owen among others were not enough for England to clinch international glory again. More

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      England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley drops huge hint over Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun’s England vs USA decision

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      LEE CARSLEY has confirmed he will still pick Flo Balogun for this summer’s Under-21 Euros even if the on-loan Arsenal forward has not committed his future to England.Balogun, 21, is at the centre of an international tug-of-war with the USA keen to prise him from the Three Lions’ grasp.
      Flo Balogun has been in sensational form for Reims in Ligue Un this seasonCredit: Getty
      He has seven goals in 13 England Under-21 caps, but the USA want him to switchCredit: Getty
      Interim US boss Anthony Hudson has been in talks with the Reims hotshot and his camp, while Gunners and US goalie Matt Turner has said his club team-mate would make an excellent addition to the States’ side.
      Just this week Balogun, who is also eligible to play for Nigeria, said he had not made a final decision as to the country he wishes to play for in the long term.
      Balogun has seven goals in 13 caps for England’s Under-21s side, though is out of Saturday’s friendly against France and Tuesday’s clash with Croatia with a tight hamstring.
      Young Lions chief Carsley has been in regular contact with the forward and hopes he will ultimately commit to England.
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      Yet when asked if he would still select Balogun for June’s major tournament in Georgia and Romania if the forward had not made his mind up by then, Carsley replied: “Yeah I would.
      “I can only go off the relationship that we’ve got and the conversation that we’ve had, he’s never given me any inkling that he’s looking elsewhere. 
      “I have spoken to him quite a bit.
      “He said he was looking forward to the summer and all the rest of it so I will follow that up after camp. I’ll make sure that I go over (to France). 
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      “I’ve been to France a couple of times now to watch the players and I’ll make a point of going over and meeting Flo.”
      Balogun, who has hit 17 goals on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims this season, is the latest player that England face a battle to keep hold of because of having more than one nationality.
      The Three Lions already lost midfielder Yunus Musah to the US, Jamal Musiala to Germany and, most recently, Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey to Ghana.
      Carsley commented: “You can’t twist someone’s arm to play for England. 
      “We can only make him feel as welcome as we can. We rate him highly. We’ve supported him when things weren’t great. We called him into the 21s when he was playing for Arsenal’s U23s because I knew what potential he had. 
      “Obviously he had the loan move to Middlesbrough which was OK. He’s done excellent this season, he’s really going in the right direction.
      Morgan Gibbs-White will captain the England Under-21s against FranceCredit: AFP
      “If you think about the development that he’s on he’s going in the right direction and hopefully we can still be a part of that. He is is a big player for us. 
      “You’ve seen the campaign that we’ve had, he’s been really integral to that. 
      “Beyond the Under-21s we can only hope that he still feels that he’s got a chance with us, and I feel that’s the case. But, you know, ultimately it will be down to him.”
      Meanwhile, Morgan Gibbs-White will captain England’s Under-21s for their clash with France on Saturday at Leicester’s King Power Stadium.
      The Nottingham Forest star was recently namechecked by Gareth Southgate as someone not far away from a senior call-up.
      Carsley added: “Gareth watches probably more games than any coach in the pathway in terms of the Premier League, so he will have seen Morgan play a lot at Forest. 
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      “Like two or three of the players, he’s in a strong position, he just needs to keep going. 
      “The more assists he gets, the more goals he scores, it gives him a stronger opportunity (of making the seniors).” More

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      England and Man City star Jack Grealish reveals secret behind his big calves and why he wears his socks low

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      ENGLAND superstar Jack Grealish has revealed the secret behind his low socks and massive calves.The £100million Manchester City midfielder, 27, has a eye-cathing look on the pitch and has lifted the lid on his style.
      Jack Grealish has revealed the superstitious reason behind his famous low socksCredit: AP
      England ace Grealish has also opened up over his huge calvesCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      On those famous calves, he claimed it is all genetics, saying to the Daily Mail: “I actually don’t do anything. It’s just something that runs in the family.
      “My grandad always had big calves when he used to play football.
      “But I don’t do any calf exercises or calf routines in the gym or anything. Honestly, it’s just something that I’ve had since I was young.”
      And on those well-known low socks Grealish shared that superstition is the reason behind it.
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      He said: “I think I was about 14 or 15 and we were sponsored by Macron at Aston Villa and the socks used to shrink in the wash.
      “In training I couldn’t get them over my calves because the socks were so small.
      “So I started wearing them below my calves in training — and that season I ended up playing really well.
      “So then I started wearing my socks below my calves in games. It was just something that stuck because I’d had such a good season.”
      Fans had their say on Grealish’s calves when he played for the Three Lions in Qatar at the World Cup last year, with one saying: “So like, how big are Grealish’s calves going to get?”
      Another wrote: “Was very into the US-England game until noticing Jack Grealish’s mutant calves, which became my entire focus afterwards.”
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      One declared: “Jack Grealish wears his socks so low cause if he pulls them over his calves he’ll lose circulation to his legs.”
      Another added: “Someone hit me up with Grealish’s calves workout.” More

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      Ex-England star David James claims he smoked 20 cigarettes a day and drank at bar until 3am as a Three Lions hero

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      DAVID JAMES has revealed that he would smoke 20 cigarettes a day when he first joined up with the England squad.The goalkeeper, who would go on to win 53 caps for his country, has opened up about what it was like in the Three Lions camp back in the 1990s.
      David James won 53 caps for EnglandCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Chatting to his former boss Harry Redknapp on the 76-year-old’s podcast, Jamo said: “Peter Taylor was the first one to take me for a warm up.
      “It was weird: ‘we are going to go out for a warm up.’ He put me through my paces.
      “I thought – ‘hang on a minute. I’m knackered.’ The fact that I smoked 20 fags a day didn’t help.”
      He then continued: “Things change. We used to meet up in the England squad back in the early 90s and the first thing you’d do is meet the whole staff in the bar down at Burnham Beeches.
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      “It was like.. well done this weekend guys. We will be training tomorrow at some point.
      “And you’d be in the bar until two or three o clock in the morning. And that was just standard.
      “You can imagine now. I can’t imagine Gareth Southgate saying come on lads meet you in the bar.”
      James, now 52, also admitted that players in the England set-up back then largely had freedom to do whatever they wanted.
      Jamo won the FA Cup under Redknapp in 2008Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
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      He added: “The squad then.. Paul Gascoigne was part of that squad. Wrighty was part of that squad.
      “We used to have The Queen Vic, which was Ince’s room.
      “We’d go in The Queen Vic each night – drink beers – play computer games and smoke fags.
      “Not everyone – but whoever wanted a drink could have a drink and whoever wanted a smoke.
      “It was a communal space. Really, really good.”
      James went on to be selected by his country for three World Cups and a European Championship, as well as winning the FA Cup under Redknapp with Pompey in 2008. More