World Cup

CRISTIANO RONALDO left his Portugal team-mates baffled with a “revolutionary” prank during training.Ronaldo helped his national team advance to the 2022 World Cup’s Round of 16 after topping Group H ahead of Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea, who joined them in the knockouts.
Cristiano Ronaldo put together a “revolutionary” prank during Portugal’s trainingCredit: Twitter@MadridPreeti
And before Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Koreans, the Portugal captain proved he hasn’t lost his flare despite his 37 years of age as he left his team-mates in awe with a stunning fake header.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner picked the ball up and was ready to head it towards a team-mate on his left.
But the star forward instead headed it to his team-mate in front of him with a moment of brilliance.
Ronaldo then pointed to the one on his left with a cheeky smile and let out a big chuckle.
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Fans were also stunned as they took to Twitter to praise their idol’s skills.
One fan tweeted: “[Lionel] Messi could never.”
Another posted: “Ronaldo literally does anything: THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY.”
A third wrote: “Fake headers are Ronaldo’s specialty.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo left his Portugal team-mates baffled with his fake headerCredit: Twitter@MadridPreeti
This fan commented: “F**k that was Insane.”
And that one tweeted: “I NEED to see him do this in a game.”
Ronaldo is currently a free agent after his dramatic exit from Manchester United following a bombshell interview in which he slammed the club from top to bottom.
The Real Madrid legend is currently focused on the World Cup but has received some lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs Al Nassr and Al Hilal. More

MEMPHIS DEPAY’S World Cup is up and running.He finished possibly the best front-to-back move this tournament will see to open the scoring at the Khalifa Stadium.
Memphis Depay opened the scoring with a rasping finish in the tenth minuteCredit: Getty
Daley Blind doubled the Oranje’s leadCredit: REX
Haji Wright’s neat flick set up a nervy finish for the DutchCredit: GETTY
When Daley Blind added a second in first-half injury time that had the Dutch in command.
Why were Depay and Blind off-loaded by Manchester United again?
The USA would respond through Haji Wright on 75 minutes, but Denzel Dumfries made things safe with a side foot volley six minutes later having assisted the first two Dutch goals.
Depay was the star of Holland’s qualification campaign with 12 goals and six assists but he has had to be eased into this tournament having not played since mid-September due to a hamstring injury.
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Louis van Gaal said he had to pace his return right so he could have the best of him in the knockout phase and that is what he has got.
Perhaps we are starting to see the best of the Dutch too despite criticism of Van Gaal’s style of play back home.
This was a third win out of four to go with a draw out here in Qatar to extend his unbeaten run since returning for a third stint in charge of the Netherlands to 19 games.
How much further can the legendary boss take them? Well not much was expected of his 2014 side in Brazil and they went within penalty kicks of the final.
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The way they controlled this game and brilliantly executed their goals will have other countries with designs on the big prize taking notice.
The opening goal on ten minutes was at odds with much of what we have seen from the Dutch, which has been effective but dull.
It involved 20 uninterrupted passes, the most by a Dutch team at a World Cup since these statistics began being record in 1966.
The defence to attack first time passing of the ball finished with Cody Gakpo spreading it wide to Denzel Dumfries who spotted Depay had slowed his run to hang just inside the area.
He picked him out and the Barcelona man’s first time finish from 16 yards with his instep was perfect, across Matt Turner and into the far side of the goal.
Dumfries assisted for the second also.
He was found by Davy Klaassen and the pull-back was perfect again this time finding Blind who had ghosted into the centre of the box from his left wing-back position to execute the first time finish.
Off he went to the Dutch dug out in celebration and after being mobbed by the substitutes he had a special hug with dad Danny who is assistant to Van Gaal.
To think the USA had started off so well having a great chance to take the lead after just three minutes when Tyler Adams hooked the ball over the Dutch defence for Christian Pulisic to be left one on one.
The save from Andries Noppert was out the top draw as he flung out his left leg to deflect the ball wide off his shin.
Denzel Dumfries made sure of the Oranje’s progression into the last eightCredit: REUTERS
The USA responded at the start of the second-half and Tim Ream saw his chance to get his country back into it denied when Gakpo hacked the ball of the line.
Then on 76 minutes they were back in it thanks to more than a slice of good fortune.
Not even scorer Haji Wright will be able to explain quite how he did it as Pulisic’s cross sliced off the top of his boot and looped over Noppert and in.
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Game alive, but not for long as five minutes later the excellent Dumfries met fellow wing back Daley Blind’s cross to turn a side foot volley in.
The Dutch march on to the last eight. More

ENGLAND star Luke Shaw told Jack Grealish that Manchester City players stand out while on national team duty. Grealish, 27, was speaking to the media ahead of the Three Lions’ huge last-16 tie versus Senegal and he revealed what Shaw had told him about his club teammates.
Jack Grealish and his Man City teammates stand out in England’s campCredit: Getty
Luke Shaw has started all three England games at the World CupCredit: Getty
The attacking midfielder opened up on a video of Phil Foden doing kick-ups that has gone viral online, Grealish said: “Me and Phil do that all the time.
“Luke Shaw said to me ‘when I come away with England you can tell who the City lads are as you always have a ball.’
“It’s true. Me, Phil, even Kyle [Walker] are always wanting a ball, whether it be back home, at the camp, or here.
“At Aston Villa players would be sitting there on their phones, then at City you’re sitting there and balls are flying across the changing room.”
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It appears that Man City players constantly have the ball at their feet and seem football obsessed.
And the never-ending practice seems to be working with Pep Guardiola’s English talents impressing at the World Cup so far.
Grealish scored in the 6-2 hammering of Iran, Foden netted in the win over Wales and John Stones has been excellent at the back alongside Harry Maguire.
Additionally, Walker formed part of the back four that kept a clean sheet versus the Dragons and Kalvin Phillips played 30 minutes in the game.
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England boss Gareth Southgate now faces a selection dilemma for the game against Senegal with so many players on top form.
The positive displays of the City stars will be music to the ears of Guardiola with his team needing to be at their best on the return of Premier League action on Boxing Day.
Man City have work to do as they trail Arsenal in first by five points. More

MOROCCO’S hottest fan has jetted to Qatar to cheer on her team at the World Cup as they get ready to face off Spain.Ilham hopes the North African side can make history by cruising into the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Ilham with her pal at Morocco’s clash with Canada on ThursdayCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
The brunette at Al Thumama Stadium after Morocco’s win against BelgiumCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
She hopes her team can go all the wayCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di
She had a pitchside seat at Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday as Walid Regragui’s men saw off Canada for a place in the last 16.
The brunette, who works as a real estate agent, posed with a pal in a football top as she beamed and waved a flag following the 2-1 win.
She captioned the Instagram post: “Closer than ever.”
Ilham was also at the stadium just days earlier to watch Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Belgium.
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With her hair half up and half down, she threw a peace sign and she grinned by the pitch.
Ilham has been supporting her team in Doha since the tournament kicked off.
She captioned one post from the city: “Moroccan vibes always win”.
Ilham headed to Morocco’s first clash against Croatia on November 23 at the Al Bayt Stadium.
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She hopes to cheer her side on all the way to the final after Morocco reached the final 16 for only the second time this tournament – their best World Cup performance since 1986.
They will play against Spain on Tuesday at 3pm GMT.
It comes after Poland’s hottest fan who has been dubbed “Miss World Cup” has revealed why she has snubbed this year’s World Cup – and which England player she has her eye on.
Model and football fan Marta Barczok announced she would skip the controversial tournament in Qatar.
The influencer had attended various tournaments in the past including Euro 2016, 2020 and World Cup 2018.
But she told The Sun she would not be going to Qatar due to the country’s human rights record and fears of “corruption”.
Marta said she predicts England will reach the top four.
And she revealed her favourite Three Lions star- Harry Kane.
Marta told The Sun: “I think England will be in the top four, you have a really great squad and of course Harry Kane, who in my opinion is one of the best strikers in the world.
“I watch him live during Tottenham games, I support Spurs and I am on most of the home games.”
The model predicted that France would go to the finals and shared her hopes Poland would reach the semi-finals.
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She said that “looking at the first game I don’t think this will be that easy”.
The estate agent, who is in Doha, said ‘Moroccan vibes always win’Credit: Instagram/ilhm_di
Ilham outside Al Bayt StadiumCredit: Instagram/ilhm_di More

ALEX SCOTT has worn the “orangest of orange dresses” today for the Netherlands vs USA World Cup match.Fans loved the coincidence and the 38-year-old seemed delighted with the 2-0 half-time score.
Scott wore an orange outfit very similar to a traditional Dutch national strip
She admitted she didn’t mean to sport their colours
Scott has 140 appearances for England women – who have a fierce rivalry with the US side.
The Three Lions have just about forgiven Alex Morgan for her tea-sipping celebration when she dumped them out of the semis at the 2019 World Cup.
But today Scott admitted: “I didn’t mean to wear an orange dress today, I came in neutral!”
The orange dress even had white collar and cuffs, reminiscent of a traditional Dutch national team kit.
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One fan on social media asked: “Why has Alex Scott decided to wear orange at the Netherlands USA game?”
Another added: “Thanks for wearing an orange dress for our Dutch game, Alex!
“Greetings from Holland”
And one joked: “BBC are your pundits expected to be neutral in their dress code?
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“If so, Alex Scott didn’t get the memo before putting on the orangest of orange dresses.
Netehrlands were firmly in command of the last-16 clash with USA.
Memphis Depay opened the scoring, sweeping home after a fine passing move.
And Daley Blind made it two just before half-time in what looked like a carbon copy of the first goal. More

THIS is the hilarious moment an INFLATABLE KANGAROO was stuffed through a World Cup security scanner.Australia fans were spotted taking an inflatable of their national animal into a fan park on Saturday.
Australia supporters carry inflatable kangaroos as a national symbolCredit: AFP
And Qatar staff sent the poor creature head first into the x-ray scanner.
News outlet First Edition tweeted footage of the roo being manhandled.
Footy supporters on social media are loving the kanga’s special moment.
One wrote: “Check its pouch.”
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Another added: “Checking for concealed and loaded rainbow flags.”
While one joked: “It will probably have had worse done to it…”
The kangaroo was recognised as an official symbol of Australia when it was included on the nation’s coat of arms in 1908.
Fans will be excited as they enter the Al-Rayyan Stadium tonight.
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The Aussies face Argentina this evening as both teams look to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Lionel Messi and Co will not be taking the Socceroos lightly at all after they beat Denmark to qualify for the last-16.
The South Americans have put together a good run of results after losing to Saudi Arabia on the opening group match.
And they must be in form if they are to progress past a resilient Australia side, with a solid defence marshalled by Harry Souttar.
This will be the first time since 2006 that Australia have reached this stage of a World Cup, and only the second time in the nation’s history.
Graham Arnold’s men will be hoping to go one step further than 16 years ago however which saw them narrowly lose to eventual winners Italy at this stage. More