World Cup

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

A SUPERCOMPUTER has predicted how the knockout rounds of the World Cup will go… and it’s heartache for England.With an exciting group stage having concluded yesterday, the tournament will now begin to reach its business end.

England are tipped to go out in the quartersCredit: Getty
There are set to be plenty more thrills – but the Three Lions are being tipped to go home at the quarter-final stage.
Boffins and brainiacs over at FairBettingSites.co.uk have crunched the numbers to determine the most likely outcomes.
They reckon that the Netherlands will beat the USA this afternoon, with Argentina following suit against underdogs Australia.
Japan defied the odds in the group stage, beating Germany and Spain to go through top of the pile – and they are being backed to add Croatia to their list of scalps in the round of 16.
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But it could be the end of the road for South Korea, who dramatically battled through yesterday – with Brazil expected to beat them on Monday.
England face Senegal tomorrow, with the African side without Sadio Mane, the suspended Idrissa Gueye and potentially coach Aliou Cisse, who is unwell.
The Three Lions are expected to come through unscathed, although France will likely book a quarter-final with Gareth Southgate’s men by beating Poland.
Spain are then backed to take out surprise package Morocco, with Switzerland tipped to end Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup campaign by beating Portugal.
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Argentina are tipped to beat the Netherlands to book a place in the semi-final – where the supercomputer reckons they’ll meet old rivals Brazil after the Selecao take out Japan.
On the other side of the draw England’s campaign is backed to end at the hands of reigning champions France, with Spain knocking out Switzerland in the remaining quarter-final.
Brazil are tipped to overcome Argentina in their mouthwatering semi, booking a place in the final against France – who are backed to eliminate 2010 winners Spain.
This would make for an amazing climax to the tournament, with Brazil dethroning France to bring the trophy back to South America for the first time since they last won it in 2002.
Richarlison and Co are expected to beat France to become world championsCredit: Getty
France could go all the way to the finalCredit: Getty More

CRISTIANO RONALDO has been named in the World Cup’s WORST XI of the group stages.The free agent scored Portugal’s first goal of the tournament against Ghana, but has contributed little since.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored once in three group stages gamesCredit: Getty
And even that was a penalty.
Ronaldo thought he netted in the victory over Uruguay, but his effort was eventually awarded to Bruno Fernandes despite the ex-Manchester United star wheeling away in celebration.
He then rounded off the group stages with another underwhelming showing against South Korea.
The 37-year-old registered just one shot and had only 26 touches as Portugal suffered a shock defeat.
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As a result, he was named in Sofascore’s WORST team of the groups, with his with an average rating across his three outings a disappointing of 6.37.
Qatar’s Meshaal Barsham is between the sticks, while the back four is made up of Francisco Calvo and Oscar Duarte, Costa Rica’s centre-backs, and Homam Ahmed and Alistair Johnston.
Abdulelah Al-Malki and Karim Boudiaf make up the heart of midfield and are joined out wide by another Canadian Tajon Buchanan, and Mathew Leckie.
Ronaldo is up front alongisde Qatar’s Almoez Ali.
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Despite Ronaldo’s questionable form, his side still won Group H to set up a last-16 tie with Switzerland.
Portugal will be expected to progress, but they’ll need far more from the forward, who’s cut a frustrated figure for much of the World Cup so far. More

ANDRE AYEW’S seven-year-old daughter collapsed and was rushed to hospital after her dad missed a penalty for Ghana against Uruguay, according to reports.Claims in Ghana suggest his child collapsed and was taken for treatment in Qatar.
Andre Ayew’s daughter reportedly collapsed during the match with UruguayCredit: EPA
She is now supposedly okay and it may have been the reason he was surprisingly substituted at half-time.
Images on social media appear to show Ayew holding his young daughter in a hospital room.
Ayew had his spot-kick saved in the opening 45 minutes of the game with the match goalless.
Ghana went on to lose 2-0 and crash out of the World Cup to bitter rivals Uruguay.
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Ayew, 32, has been capped 112 times by his country and now plays for Al Sadd in Qatar having previously featured for West Ham and Swansea.
His younger brother Jordan, who plays for Crystal Palace, was also taken off by manager Otto Addo at the break.
The Ghanaian team only needed a draw to qualify for the last-16 but were beaten by two strikes from Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
South Korea defeated Portugal 2-1 in the other match in the group which meant both Uruguay and Ghana are out of the tournament.
Tensions boiled over after the final whistle as Edinson Cavani punched the VAR monitor and Jose Gimenez elbowed a Fifa official as the players lost the South Americans lost their cool.
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Luis Suarez was seen in tears at the end of the game but despite getting knocked out Ghana saw this as a reason to celebrate.
The two nations have a feud ever since 2010 when Ghana were dumped out the World Cup by Uruguay after Suarez prevented a certain goal with a handball on the line. More

THE WORLD CUP is in full swing and the group stages are all done already. Brazil and Portugal both lost on Friday meaning no teams progressed through with a perfect 100 per cent win record.
Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire have impressed at Qatar 2022Credit: Getty
This is SunSport’s team of the tournament after the group stages
Belgium and Germany crashed out as did Wales and Denmark while Argentina survived an almighty scare.
But now as we head into the knockout stages, SunSport rounds up the best players of the tournament so far…
GK: Wojciech Szczesny
Probably the easiest pick of all is the man between the sticks as Poland No1 Szczesny gets the gloves.
Wojciech Szczesny saved two penalties during the group stages. including one from Lionel MessiCredit: Getty
He saved not one but TWO penalties in the groups – denying Salem Al-Dawsari and then Lionel Messi – while his saves helped Poland scrape through at Mexico’s expense.
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DF: Harry Souttar
Centre-back Souttar has joined an elite list of Scotland-born players to reach the knockout stages of a men’s major tournament – with the actual national team never doing so.
Harry Souttar looks the real deal as the beast at the backCredit: EPA
But the 24-year-old Stoke ace proved a rock at the back with his manager tipping him for a Premier League transfer – after only just returning from an ACL injury.
DF: Harry Maguire
To say there were question marks over his inclusion in the squad would be an understatement but Maguire has blocked out the noise and let his defending do the talking.
A colossus through the groups, he crashed the bar with a booming header, set up Bukayo Saka and proved unbeatable against USA and Wales.
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Harry Maguire looks to be enjoying himself alongside John Stones for EnglandCredit: Getty
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DF: Jordi Alba
Playing at his sixth major tournament for Spain, the experienced left-back is still Luis Enrique’s first choice – and for good reason.
Jordi Alba has excelled for Spain adding assists from left-backCredit: Getty
He grabbed two assists in the opening two games as Spain progressed to the last 16.
RM: Marcus Rashford
Three goals, six shots on target and one beaming smile – Rashford has been a revelation for England.
Marcus Rashford is playing his best football in an England shirt for a long timeCredit: Getty
Again, some considered him fortunate to be in Qatar, but he has more than justified it with his goal immediately after coming on against Iran – his first action since the penalty miss against Italy – then banged in a couple more past Danny Ward.
CM: Gavi
It’s easy to forget this lad only turned 18 in August as he runs the show in the middle of the park for Spain.
Gavi has shown great maturity and experience for an 18-year-oldCredit: Getty
He secured a team-high seven tackles in the groups and chipped in with a goal in the 7-0 Costa Rica thrashing to become the third-youngest scorer in World Cup history.
CM: Casemiro
The pre-tournament favourites Brazil can reel off an embarrassing list of attacking talent.
Casemiro stepped up with a special winner against SwitzerlandCredit: Getty
But in the absence of Neymar, it was the United man who blasted in a cracker to see off Switzerland – at the other end he helped the Selecao to two clean sheets before being rested for the Cameroon defeat.
LM: Cody Gakpo
Memphis Depay’s injury concerns threatened to wreck Holland’s relatively-routine Group A campaign – Gakpo stepped up, though.
Cody Gakpo has been one of the standout performersCredit: Reuters
He grabbed a goal in all three games and no doubt added a few millions to his transfer value at home with PSV.
CAM: Bruno Fernandes 
After his frosty welcome for Cristiano Ronaldo, it is the current Manchester United man making more of a mark on the World Cup.
Bruno Fernandes scored twice against Uruguay to add to his two assistsCredit: AP
He chipped in with two assists in the opener against Ghana then got both goals in the 2-0 victory over Uruguay – the first a cross which Ronaldo did NOT get a touch on and then his controversial penalty.
RS: Enner Valencia
What an eventful three games for the Ecuador striker who lit the World Cup up in the opening game with two goals – plus had THAT goal ruled out in the opening couple of minutes.
Enner Valencia got the World Cup off to a fantastic startCredit: Reuters
Then the ex-West Ham man added another against the Netherlands before being taken off on a stretcher and making a stunning recovery as the South Americans were knocked out by Senegal.
LS: Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe carried on where he left off in Russia four years ago with a goal against Australia and two past Denmark.
Arguably the best player in the world right now and was clearly missed when he was given a rest for France’s defeat to Tunisia.
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Kylian Mbappe has been bamboozling defenders in QatarCredit: Getty
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A few notable mentions must go to the likes of Jamal Musiala, Enzo Fernandez, Mohammed Kudus, Alvaro Morata, Jude Bellingham and Pedri.
Tyler Adams, Tajon Buchanan, Christian Pulisic and Richarlison have also impressed at Qatar 2022 – with only the Canadian star the only one heading home early. More