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      Who is Costa Rica vs Germany referee Stephanie Frappart and is she the first female official at a the World Cup 2022?

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      FOR the first time ever. a female official has been selected for a men’s World Cup – and she’ll be in charge of Costa Rica vs Germany.France’s Stephanie Frappart has been selected as a group of female match referees and will make history in Qatar – a country that suppresses women’s rights.
      Stephanie Frappert is making history at World Cup 2022
      Frappert lining up before officiating Juventus vs Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League
      The Frenchwoman acted as a fourth official at Euro 2020, making history by doing so.
      Frappart also made history in December 2022 by becoming the first female to referee a men’s Champions League game.
      She officiated the Group G clash between Juventus and Dynamo Kiev in Turin.
      The 37-year-old was also in the middle for the 2019 Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as the women’s World Cup final in the same year.
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      In October 2020 Frappart refereed her first Europa League game – overseeing Leicester’s game with Zorya Luhansk.
      Frappart has reffed sixteen times this season in the French Ligue 1, showing 62 yellows at an average of 3.88 per game.
      She has sent off just one player in the league this season.
      Frappert officiated the 2019 Super Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool that the Reds won 5-4 on penalties.
      Frappert showed three yellow cards in the UEFA Super Cup game between Chelsea and Liverpool

      Who is Stephanie Frappart?

      Born – Herblay, France
      Age – 37 years old
      Debut – 2011, French men’s third tier
      April 2019 – First female referee in Ligue 1
      December 2020 – First female referee in the Champions League
      June 2021 – First female referee at a men’s major tournament

      Stephanie Frappart poses with her medal after refereeing the 2019 UEFA Super Cup

      After officiating the 2019 Super Cup between Chelsea and Liverpool Frappart told CNN:
      “It was a pretty special feeling when you walked out in the stadium and the crowd were actually cheering for us, I’ve never experienced that and in such a big, big match.
      “In the warm-up I looked around and I was like, the other teams aren’t here so they have to be cheering for us.”
      “When you looked up at the crowd, I normally don’t engage with the crowd, they were looking at us and a few were waving and giving us thumbs up and congratulations. I thought that was pretty special.”
      Euro 2020 gets underway on June 11 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome as Turkey take on Italy

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      Watch Morocco fan dance with Senegal supporters in stands as they celebrate World Cup win over Ecuador

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      A MORROCO fan was spotted dancing alongside Senegal supporters as the African champions celebrated their place in the last-16.The Lions came out on top in their must-win game against Ecuador, reaching the knockouts of the World Cup for just the second time ever.
      A Morocco fan looked delighted as he joined the celebrations with Senegal fansCredit: Twitter
      Ismaila Sarr’s penalty put the 2022 AFCON winners on course to qualify, but the pendulum swung back the South American’s way when Moises Caicedo levelled on 67 minutes.
      But Senegal weren’t to be denied as Kalidou Koulibaly’s first international won the game.
      Participating in just their third World Cup, they made it past the groups for the first time for 20 years.
      The result led to Senegal fans partying in the stands at the sheer delight of seeing their winter carnival continue.
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      But it wasn’t just the Senegal faithful who were happy.
      A Morocco fan joined in the celebrations as he danced away with a red and green scarf around his neck.
      Despite being rivals in African football, it was a lovely moment which encapsulated what the World Cup is all about.
      And many fans on social media recognised that.
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      One said: “We used to be one nation, one empire, that’s the reason.”
      Another welcomed the support by saying: “Thanks to our Moroccan brothers for the support always.”
      A third replied: “Morocco and Senegal are brothers all the time.”
      Senegal’s reward for their victory is a last-16 meeting with England on Sunday night.
      Morocco will join them in the second round if they avoid defeat against Canada on Thursday, but they will still progress if they lose, providing Croatia beat Belgium. More

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      Inside luxury £3k-a-night villa used by England Wags for World Cup including private pool, roof terrace and beach access

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      THE England squad were treated to a day off by Gareth Southgate on Wednesday following their 3-0 win over Wales.The Three Lions have five days to prepare for their last 16 clash with Senegal and enjoyed some well-earned downtime before the knockout stages.
      The Wags are staying in this incredible villaCredit: Hilton
      It is impressively decked out with a luxurious feelCredit: Hilton
      England’s players were given a day off on Wednesday after the Wales winCredit: Instagram
      Amie Coady shared a video of their pool to social mediaCredit: Instagram
      It appears to be a glorious villa with wonderful sceneryCredit: Instagram
      A couple of their partners – the Wags of Kalvin Phillips and Conor Coady – have been sharing a gorgeous villa in Qatar.
      And these images of the impressive house show that they have been living a life of luxury.
      Amie Coady and Ashleigh Behan have been treated to a private pool and rooftop terrace.
      They are also a stone’s throw away from the beach and have been making the most of the location.
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      Kalvin Phillips alongside partner Ashleigh BehanCredit: Instagram
      Ashleigh wore an England top for the USA game on FridayCredit: Instagram
      Coady met wife Amie in the stands after England’s win over WalesCredit: Getty
      Amie snapped a picture with husband Coady on Wednesday and added the caption: “A day with you.”
      But the two Wags are not staying with a number of the other footballers’ partners.
      A host of them have taken residence on a £1billion cruise liner for the World Cup.
      They include Eric Dier’s partner Anna Modler, Jack Grealish’s girilfriend Sasha Attwood, Aaron Ramsdale’s fiancee Georgia Irwin, Harry Maguire’s wife Fern Hawkins, and Raheem Sterling’s wife-to-be Paige Milian.
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      A bunch of the Wags were greeted by their partners after the win over Wales on Tuesday night.
      The England players climbed into the stands to meet their families and enjoy a bit of quality time with their loved ones.
      They will return to training camp on Thursday ahead of a crunch clash against Senegal.
      If successful on Sunday, Gareth Southgate’s men then face the very real prospect of taking on defending champions France in the quarter-finals. More

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      Why is Tunisia’s Ellyes Skhiri wearing a mask against Australia at the 2022 World Cup?

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      VIEWERS of the Group D clash between Tunisia and Australia will have noticed a unique feature about Ellyes Skhiri for the African side.The FC Köln midfielder has hit 50 appearances for his national side, a feat to be proud of.
      Ellyes Skhiri is not backing out of challenges despite his face maskCredit: Getty
      But when facing Denmark and Australia, he has been sporting a mask over his face and fans may not have recognised him, and he is currently in action.
      We have all the details on why he is masked up during the 2022 World Cup.
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      Why is Ellyes Skhiri wearing a mask at the 2022 World Cup?
      So far this tournament, we have seen Son Heung-Min take to the field for South Korea in a mask.
      And the reason for this is similar to that of Skhiri, with both players suffering injuries.
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      Skihiri suffered a broken cheekbone in late October but would not let this ruin his World Cup dream.
      The midfielder returned a week later wearing a mask as he was determined to play at the World Cup for his country, who are looking to make it out of the group stages for the first time in their history.
      Wearing a mask will protect his cheekbone as it recovers, ensuring that it cannot be further damaged during his time on the pitch. More

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      Fans not impressed with Lionel Messi’s Call of Duty character as they spot glaring errors with appearance

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      FOOTBALL fans are outraged after Call of Duty unveiled a new Lionel Messi character.The Argentina star is the latest footballer to be introduced on the video game as part of a World Cup crossover.
      Fans are upset with Lionel Messi’s Call of Duty characterCredit: Twitter / @CallofDuty
      Messi’s sleeve tattoo is missingCredit: Twitter / @CallofDuty
      Neymar and Paul Pogba also have characters in the gameCredit: Activision / Resetera
      Brazil hero Neymar and France midfielder Paul Pogba have also been re-imagined on CoD Modern Warfare 2.
      A short clip showing Call of Duty Messi was released on the game’s official Twitter account.
      It has racked up 2.1million views but many fans have been left with a sour taste in their mouth as they picked out a number of faults with the character.
      The CoD version of the Paris Saint-Germain star does not bear Messi’s large sleeve tattoo on his right arm.
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      The character also uses his right arm to pull the trigger of his gun despite Messi famously being both left-footed and left-handed.
      One outraged fan responded to the video saying: “They didn’t put his tats on him??”
      Another added: “He’s too tall.”
      A third said: “But why does he look more like Cesc Fàbregas.”
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      And another remarked: “This Messi is not short 😏.”
      The real Messi remains firmly focused on football and has scored two goals in two games for Argentina at the World Cup. More

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      World Cup 2026 could see penalty shootouts used in GROUP STAGE as Fifa mull huge changes for USA, Canada & Mexico

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      FIFA chiefs are plotting another major overhaul of the World Cup by introducing PENALTY SHOOTOUTS to group matches.Footie’s global governing body is already planning to expand the competition from 32 teams to 48 for the 2026 tournament – which will take place in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
      FIFA are expanding the 2026 World Cup from 32 teams to 48Credit: GETTY
      Footy chiefs are weighing up the possibility of introducing group-stage penalty shootoutsCredit: Reuters
      FIFA’s chief officer for technical development, Marco van Basten, is a proponent of the ideaCredit: GETTY
      And according to reports, they’re trying to put an end to drawn group matches with the introduction of additional shootouts.
      That’s according to The Athletic, who claim FIFA are “considering” introducing shootouts to determine whether or not teams should be awarded a bonus point if matches are drawn.
      The potential introduction of group-stage penalty shootouts is due to the possibility of groups being made up of three teams.
      The bonus-point shootouts could take place before kick-off or following the full-time whistle.
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      The potential introduction of group-stage penalty shootouts isn’t a new idea by any stretch of the imagination.
      It was first mooted back in 2017 and championed by FIFA’s chief officer for technical development, Marco van Basten.
      The Dutchman said: “Shootouts could indeed be an option for tournaments with groups of three in which you play against two opponents.
      “It can get pretty tight.
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      “If one team for instance draws one match 0-0 and wins the other 1-0, there’s a high risk that all three teams are level on points and goals in the end.”
      Former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld is a proponent of three-team groups.
      The 73-year-old said: “The third match in the group stage in the World Cup is often boring since the big nations are usually already through.
      “With this format, tension would be guaranteed from the beginning and we would swiftly move to the knockout stage.”
      The group stages of Qatar 2022 are coming to an end.
      The Netherlands, Senegal, England, France, Brazil, Portugal and the USA have already qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament.
      Teams could bag a bonus point with victory in group-stage shootoutsCredit: Getty More

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      England’s top penalty takers for World Cup shootouts revealed including shock marksman.. and should Pickford be in goal?

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      ENGLAND won their first World Cup penalty shootout in Russia four years ago, ending a run of three successive spot kick defeats in the competition.The dreaded 12-yard duty has become a major part of the Three Lions’ international history ever since the semi-final defeats to Germany at World Cup ’90 and Euro ’96.
      Harry Kane is England’s regular penalty takerCredit: Getty
      How England’s players compare at taking penalties for club and country
      England won their first World Cup penalty shootout against Colombia in 2018Credit: Getty
      And they have gone on to be eliminated from four more major tournaments on penalties – Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup to Portugal, and Euro 2012 and Euro 2020 to Italy.
      All that is to say Gareth Southgate will want to have an idea who is going to take the spot kicks should England be taken to another shootout in Qatar.
      Among the 26-man squad, all but two of the players have taken a penalty in their careers – keepers Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope the only ones yet to do so.
      Even Jordan Pickford stepped up and dispatched one with aplomb in a Nations League win over Switzerland three years ago.
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      But who are England’s five most accomplished names from the spot?
      Well, captain Harry Kane will undoubtedly be the first man to step up for the Three Lions – providing he is still on the pitch come the end of the game.
      The Tottenham man has scored 60 of his 69 career penalties for club and country – giving him the best percentage of anybody in the squad that has taken two or more (87 per cent).
      Following shortly behind him are fellow forwards Callum Wilson and Marcus Rashford – both of whom also boast a penalty success rate of more than 80 per cent.
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      Then it becomes a little trickier as you look down the rest of the list.
      James Maddison, Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount have all taken 10 or more penalties in their careers.
      However, Maddison and Mount have missed nearly 30 per cent of the time – while Sterling has failed to hit the back of the net in exactly HALF of his spot kicks since 2013.
      As a result, a standout candidate is Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire.
      He has missed just one of six penalties he has taken – with only Kane and Wilson boasting a better success rate.
      The ex-Leicester defender has also already shown he can cope with huge pressure after coming into the tournament in poor form and turning it around to be one of England’s best players in the group stage.
      He was also one of only two penalty takers, along with Kane, to score from the spot in the Euro 2020 final.
      The fifth and final penalty taker is then up for grabs with a host of possible candidates including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kalvin Phillips and Bukayo Saka.
      But perhaps the best option is Eric Dier.
      He may not be as technically gifted as those mentioned above, but he has scored four of five career penalties.
      And, maybe most crucially, he experienced a hugely pressurised shootout in 2018 when he tucked home the winner against Colombia.
      How England’s three keepers compare at facing penalties
      Another talking point is whether Southgate will decide to go all Louis van Gaal and swap out first choice keeper Pickford for a shootout.
      It is highly unlikely he would – even though Pope does have a marginally better penalty-saving record than the Everton man (17.1 per cent for Pope compared with 16.1 per cent for Pickford).
      Pickford has earned the right to be in between the sticks for England shootouts.
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      He stopped the crucial kick against Colombia four years ago and then saved two in the defeat to Italy last summer – including a superb one to deny penalty specialist Jorginho.
      SunSport’s penalty picks for England: Keeper – Pickford. Takers – Kane, Wilson, Rashford, Maguire, Dier.
      Eric Dier scored the winning spot kick against Colombia four years agoCredit: Getty More

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      Dejected Wales supporters get best consolation prize ever after bumping into ‘World Cup’s hottest fan’

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      DEJECTED Wales supporters were given the best consolation prize ever after bumping into the World Cup’s hottest fan.Heartbroken footie enthusiasts were consoled by Croatian beauty Ivana Knoll after The Dragons crushing defeat.
      Ivana Knoll consoled Wales fans after their crushing defeat against the Three LionsCredit: The Mega Agency
      She put a smile on the face of two blokes who bumped into her at NAMMOS beach clubCredit: Instagram
      The 30-year-old posed with the pair while sporting her country’s coloursCredit: Instagram
      The stunning superfan offered a pair of forlorn fans a shoulder to cry on after the Three Lions roared to victory.
      She lent her support to the deflated duo while taking a day off from her cheerleading duties before Croatia takes on Belgium.
      The 30-year-old had spent a day relaxing at the boujie NAMMOS beach club ahead of tomorrow’s crucial clash.
      She had shared a clip of herself strutting down a beach in a chequered swimsuit to rally fans.
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      But Ivana was happy to interrupt her downtime to help cheer up Welsh fans after their World Cup dreams were dashed.
      She shared an Instagram story showing her posing sweetly as two beaming blokes, clutching a Welsh flag, wrapped their arms around her for a snap.
      The model and influencer again sported her country’s signature colours by donning a red and white swimsuit, tucked into some stylish white shorts.
      Both of the men were visibly uplifted after running into the social media star – and offered her a fist bump as thanks.
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      Ivana then returned to her table with a huge grin, clearly elated to have done her good deed for the day.
      At least the lads weren’t dealt a double blow like this Welshman – who defied his girlfriend’s ultimatum and flew out to Qatar to watch the 3-0 defeat.
      Ivana is constantly swarmed by fans when she enters the stadium who are desperate to grab a selfie with her.
      She has continued to put smiles on the faces of footie fans across the world with her jaw-dropping outfits.
      Many of her figure-hugging displays are in the distinctive red-and-white chequerboard design of the Croatian flag.
      For the Balkan team’s World Cup opener against Morocco, Ivana was pictured in a full-length red-and-white checked dress with a hood.
      At Croatia’s last game against Canada, the beautiful brunette went one step further when she was filmed in a short low-cut dress red-and-white checked dress with matching socks that exposed her shoulders.
      Ahead of the tournament, she also shared two pictures of herself in a Croatian-inspired thong bikini which she claimed were taken on a beach in Qatar.
      Ivana has already received abuse online from trolls calling for her to better respect the cultural code of Qatar.
      And she admitted she frustrated was when she heard about the modesty rules before flying to the Middle East for the World Cup.
      But Ivana revealed she has been delighted with the response since she landed in Doha – and she has no fear of being arrested by cops.
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      “I think how can my dress or bikini can hurt someone? Please explain me that,” she said.
      The 26-year-old said the authorities are “not making any problems” for her at the stadiums.
      Ivana has shown off her assets – and support – for her team during the World CupCredit: Instagram/knolldoll
      Ivana has also been posting her daring bikini photoshoots in QatarCredit: INSTAGRAM/KNOLLDOLL
      Even as his team were battered by Croatia, this Canadian fan beamed with IvanaCredit: Getty More