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      Chelsea star Thiago Silva labels Fifa Best voting ‘a joke’ as he fumes at bit-part Man City ace beating Lewandowski

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      THIAGO SILVA has blasted Fifa’s best-player voting as a “joke” after Julian Alvarez came seventh – ahead of Kevin De Bruyne and Robert Lewandowski.Summer arrival Alvarez has struggled for a regular spot at Manchester City but bagged four goals in helping Argentina win the World Cup.
      Julian Alvarez had a breakthrough World Cup but being voted the world’s seventh best player surprised many. including Thiago SilvaCredit: Getty
      Thiago Silva has suggested the voting was more than a bit mixed upCredit: AFP
      Lionel Messi topped the poll of FIFPro players, selectors, journalists and fans with 52 votes.
      And the next four on the list were also no great surprise.
      French hitmen Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema notched 44 and 34 votes respectively.
      Then came Croatia’s evergreen midfielder Luka Modric and Etihad goal machine Erling Haaland.
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      But controversy hit once the list got down to players with fewer than 20 votes.
      Sadio Mane was sixth, ahead of Alvarez and Moroccan stylist Achraf Hakimi.
      The next four places were taken by Neymar, De Bruyne, Vinicius Junior and Lewandowski.
      And Chelsea’s Brazil defender Silva, 38, broke ranks when he saw that ranking.
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      Responding to protests over Alvarez’s bit-part role, Silva wrote: “It’s a joke”.
      But the City man’s Argentina team-mate Messi has defended him, saying: “During the whole World Cup, he was extraordinary.
      “He ran everything. He fought for everything – creating chances, fighting. For us, he was the surprising discovery, and he deserves everything that has happened to him because he is a lovely guy.”
      But to make the Fifa ratings even more embarrassing, Fifa initially listed alvarez under “Spain”.
      In fact, no Spanish players made the top 14, while England’s only representative was Jude Bellingham. More

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      Watch TV reporter’s SAVAGE response after being blanked by Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk at awards ceremony

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      A TV reporter came up with a savage response after being blanked at the Fifa awards ceremony by Virgil van Dijk.The Liverpool defender won another accolade as he was voted in the FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World XI for his performances in 2022.
      Virgil van Dijk was not in the mood for questions with the star avoiding one reporterCredit: Getty
      But the journalist from TyC Sports had a sassy reply waiting after being blankedCredit: TyC Sports via Twitter / @TyCSports

      He was one of a number of stars to win gongs at Fifa’s showpiece event with Lionel Messi awarded the Best FIFA Men’s Player award.
      But as van Dijk was attempting to cross the media pen, one reporter from TyC Sports, an Argentine TV station, tried to ask him question.
      He said: “One minute, just two questions, please.”
      The 31-year-old walked right past and ignored the journalist.
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      The reporter then quipped: “Well, Virgil van Dijk told me no… it doesn’t matter. Argentina won the quarter-finals…”
      Some fans loved the sassy exchange but others believed the comment was over of line.
      One person wrote: “This shows that [van Dijk] did very well not to give him statements. Shame [from a] ‘journalist’.”
      It was an incredible 2022 from van Dijk with the defender at the centre of a Liverpool team chasing the quadruple.
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      The Reds did win the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last season but lost in the Champions League final and fell just short in the Premier League.
      Van Dijk managed to bring that leadership to the international team where Holland scrapped their way into the quarter-finals.
      Despite being 2-0 down to Argentina with eight minutes to go, the Netherlands managed to take a fiercely-contested game all the way to penalties before losing 4-3 on spotkicks. More

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      Fans are just realising Pepe’s real name as Portugal legend, 40, takes Cristiano Ronaldo’s vote in Fifa Best awards

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      FANS are just discovering Pepe’s real name after the 40-year-old voted in the Fifa Awards.Despite being the captain of Portugal in last year’s World Cup, Ronaldo did not cast his votes for Fifa’s best male player like the other international captains.
      Ronaldo and Pepe are the two most experienced heads in the Portugal national teamCredit: Getty
      That duty instead fell for Pepe, who opted to vote for Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema in first, second and third respectively.
      But fans were less interested in who he voted for and more so in the name that was down on the official Fifa documents.
      Instead of referring to him as Pepe, as he is commonly known in football circles, Fifa instead called him by his real name.
      He was listed down as Kepler Ferreira, with Pepe just a nickname for the defender.
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      It came as a surprise for some football fans who had long known him only by his nickname.
      On Twitter, one person wrote “Pepe??” when they saw Ferreira’s name on the document.
      When another tweeter explained it to them, they said: “wtf I feel ashamed.”
      Pepe has had and continues to have a long and distinguished career playing football at the top level.
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      He began his senior career at Portuguese side Maritimo between 2001 and 2004.
      The centre-back then left for Porto for three years when he began to establish himself as a top level defender.
      From 2007 he then spent a decade at Real Madrid and made well over 200 appearances.
      In recent years he has spent time at Besiktas and then returned to Porto in 2019.
      Along with a number of league titles and three Champions League trophies at club level, Pepe also won the Euros with Portugal in 2016 and the Nations League in 2019. More

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      Ivana Knoll shows off bum with figure-hugging gym leggings as World Cup’s hottest fan gyrates in low cut top

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      IVANA KNOLL worked out at the gym this morning as she continues to enjoy life in London.The Croatia megafan shot to fame during the World Cup in Qatar.
      Ivana Knoll took a mirror selfie from a London gymCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana gyrates in a black topCredit: INSTAGRAM / @knolldoll
      Ivana has 3.5million Instagram followersCredit: INSTAGRAM / @knolldoll
      She has since been a globetrotter, enjoying a trip to New York before heading to London.
      Ivana arrived in the UK a fortnight ago ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City.
      She was gifted a Gunners top as she attended the match, before partying later in the week.
      The 30-year-old attended the Baftas afterparty, then headed to restaurant Ours in South Kensington as Floyd Mayweather enjoyed his 46th birthday party there.
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      Ivana subsequently attended Mayweather’s exhibition bout with Aaron Chalmers on Saturday night.
      She has continued to have a brilliant time, sharing a video of herself gyrating last night.
      The Instagram star has also made sure to keep working hard in the gym.
      She shared a mirror selfie while working out earlier today.
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      Ivana donned a grey top and tight grey leggings as she worked up a sweat.
      She remained in the UK capital, tagging London in her post.
      Back in January, she dined with US superstar Jamie Foxx.
      And the American actor and artist was also in attendance at Mayweather’s birthday party last week.
      The Insta star attended Floyd Mayweather’s exhibition bout on SaturdayCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana attended the Baftas afterpartyCredit: Splash
      The 30-year-old has been embracing life in LondonCredit: Splash More

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      Kylian Mbappe gives stone-faced reaction as Emi Martinez wins Fifa Best Goalkeeper award after mocking him at World Cup

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE was clearly unimpressed when Emi Martinez was named Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper.World Cup final hat-trick scorer Mbappe sat stony-faced as the Argentina hero who mocked him after that epic clash in Qatar received his award.
      Kylian Mbappe looked on without emotion while PSG pal Lionel Messi appeared to be hanging on Emi Martinez’s every wordCredit: Getty
      Argentina star Martinez won the best keeper award after transforming his career with a move from Arsenal to Aston Villa in September 2020Credit: Rex
      Mbappe gave a chilling look but Martinez warmed the hearts of others in the audience, such as Lionel Messi and Arsene Wenger, with a tribute to his hard-working parents.
      The Aston Villa stopper beat Morocco and Sevilla keeper Yassine Bounou and Belgium’s Real Madrid No1 Thibaut Courtois to the prize.
      Martinez stunningly foiled Mbappe’s France strike-partner Randal Kolo Muani near the end of extra time in a classic World Cup final.
      He then saved Kingsley Coman’s shootout penalty and distracted Aurelien Tchouameni before the Real Madrid midfielder pulled his spot-kick wide.
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      Martinez was one of the first to console Mbappe after Argentina’s 4-2 shootout triumph following a 3-3 draw.
      But he later faced a major backlash for his strange dressing-room celebrations and taunting of the beaten PSG superstar.
      The former Arsenal second-choice keeper called for a minute’s silence for “dead” Mbappe and held up a baby doll with the frontman’s face on it.
      Martinez’s antics were particularly eccentric as he was right next to Mbappe’s club-mate Messi, who did not appear to react.
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      Mbappe has insisted he was not bothered by the stopper’s behaviour
      And Martinez has tried to rubbish claims he was trolling the pacy ace.
      The 30-year-old told France Football: “I held it [baby doll] for like two minutes and I threw it away, that’s all. 
      “How can I make fun of Mbappe? He scored four past me. Four goals in a final! He must think I am his toy baby! I have huge respect for Mbappe.”
      When receiving his Fifa award, Martinez said: “They always ask me who my idols are or who I watched when I was a kid… 
      “Watching my mum clean buildings for eight or nine hours and watching my dad work. They are my idols.”
      Meanwhile, Messi pipped Mbappe to be named best male player.
      World cup final opponents but PSG team-mates Messi and Mbappe were of course named in the men’s best world XICredit: Rex More

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      PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi ‘investigated over alleged kidnap and torture in Qatar’ as French judges launch probe

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      PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is being investigated over allegations of kidnap and torture.The Qatari footie boss is being probed as three investigating judges have been appointed in Paris.
      PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi is being investigated by three French judgesCredit: Getty
      Al-Khelaifi pictured after signing Lionel MessiCredit: Getty
      Al-Khelaifi pictured after signing Kylian MbappeCredit: Alamy
      The allegations relate to the alleged kidnapping and torture of lobbyist Tayeb Benabderrahmane, 42, reports Lequipe.
      Al-Khelaifi denies all allegations against him – and has vowed that “justice will run its course”.
      Benabderrahmane alleges that he was snatched in Qatar in 2020.
      He claims he possessed documents with compromising information on Al-Khelaïfi.
      His lawyers, Maïtres Romain Ruiz and Gabriel Vejnar, have said they are “very satisfied” with the decision to investigate the case.
      “We are very happy that the real file of this story is finally the subject of an investigation by the French justice,” they told AFP.
      It is alleged the case was linked to sensitive documents regarding the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
      And the awarding of television rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cup to BeIN Media – of which Al-Khelaifi is chairman.
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      In a statement, Al-Khelaifi said: “You are talking about professional criminals.
      “They’ve changed their lawyers more times than they’ve changed their stories and their lies.
      “It is the ultimate media manipulation. I’m just amazed so many people have taken their lies and contradictions as credible – but that’s the media world we’re in today.
      “Justice will run its course – I don’t have time to talk about petty professional criminals.”
      Benabderrahmane claims he was detained for six months in Qatar after being arrested in January 2020.
      He claims he was tortured during this period before being placed under house arrest.
      The lobbyist says he was then allowed to leave in November after signing a document promising not to divulge “sensitive” documents linked to Al-Khelaïfi.
      French news outlets, including Le Point and L’Independant, report the Benabderrahmane filed a civil action – which allows a judicial investigation to be launched.
      Al Khelaifi, 49, was previously investigated over the World Cup bid over his relationship with former FIFA member Jerome Vackle – but he was acquitted.
      It is the latest blow for PSG – and it comes after Morroco-born ace Achraf Hakimi being accused of rape.
      PSG are currently leading Ligue 1, but have seen a dip in form since the World Cup.
      Al-Khelaïfi was a member of the organising committee of the World Cup and is the chairman for Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).
      He is a former tennis player – reaching a career-high ranking of 995 in 2002.
      Al-Khelaïfi was made president and CEO on PSG after QSI took over the club in 2011.
      He has spearheaded the Paris side’s regeneration and made it the dominant force in French football – winning the Ligue 1 title eight times since 2012/13.
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      The boss oversaw the signings of players such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar Jr.
      The club however have so far failed to win the Champions League since the takeover – but face a key Round of 16 clash next week against Bayern Munich. More

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      ‘Did Garth Crooks pick this team?’ – Fans baffled by Fifa’s ‘horrendous’ FIFPRO World XI

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      FOOTBALL fans have been left puzzled by the ‘horrendous’ FIFPRO World XI.The Best Fifa awards were held on Monday with Lionel Messi picking up the main prize to equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s haul of two.
      The FIFPRO Best XI used a strange 3-3-4 formation
      Emi Martinez was left out of the line-up despite winning the Fifa Best goalkeeper awardCredit: Getty
      Lionel Messi scooped up the top prize for a second timeCredit: Getty
      The Paris Saint-Germain star was a shoo-in for the award following his World Cup win and he was also included in the FIFPRO World XI.
      But he had to be shoehorned into a line-up that included three other forwards, including team-mate Kylian Mbappe.
      Fans were left confused by the strange 3-3-4 formation that was used to fit in Karim Benzema and Erling Haaland.
      Many also took aim at the defence and the decision to pick Thibaut Courtois in goal over World Cup hero Emi Martinez, despite the latter winning the Fifa Best goalkeeper award.
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      The presence of Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk in defence also baffled some supporters.
      He is joined in defence by Achraf Hakimi and Joao Cancelo, while a midfield three consists of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Kevin De Bruyne.
      Mystified fans hit out at the line-up with one describing it as “horrendous”.
      Another made a joke in reference to a BBC pundit who regularly picks controversial weekly best XIs: “Did Garth Crooks pick this team?”
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      And a third said: “What a joke 😂”
      Another commented: “Who chucked Van Dijk in?😂” More

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      Lionel Messi equals Cristiano Ronaldo tally as he wins Fifa The Best Men’s Player award for 2022 after World Cup heroics

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      LIONEL MESSI continued his stellar season after being named World player of the year at the FIFA Best Awards in Paris tonight.The Paris Saint-Germain star, 35, crowned his career by leading Argentina to their first World Cup since 1986 in December and scooped a second Best men’s player title here.
      Messi has won FIFA’s The Best AwardCredit: Reuters
      Lionel Messi was joined by his wife AntonelaCredit: Getty
      Messi exchanges a look with his PSG team-mate Kylian MbappeCredit: Getty
      The pair pose with their FIFPRO World XI awardsCredit: Reuters
      Man Utd ace Casemiro jetted to Paris for the ceremony with his WagCredit: AFP
      Man City ace Joao Cancelo, on loan at Bayern Munich, was also at the doCredit: Reuters
      Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez and his wife were in attendanceCredit: Reuters
      The Argentina World Cup winner picked up the Best Goalkeeper awardCredit: Reuters
      England star Mary Earps picked up the Women’s Goalkeeper award after helping the Lionesses to Euro gloryCredit: Getty
      Fellow England star Beth Mead was also at the glitzy ceremonyCredit: Getty
      But Mead was snubbed for the Best Women’s Player award, which went instead to Alexi PutellasCredit: Getty
      Messi, who scored twice in the final against France, also won the Golden Ball in Qatar, having claimed the Ligue 1 title with PSG earlier in the year. His 12 league goals this season have helped the champions to an eight point lead in defending their title this term.
      Messi, whose Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni was named as the best men’s coach ahead of Pep Guardiola, pipped PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema to the award.
      Messi has now won two ‘The Best’ awards, meaning he is level with Robert Lewandowski and his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo who have also been honoured twice.
      The former Barcelona man also now has ten individual gongs across both the FIFA Best, Ballon d’Or and FIFA player of the year awards, two more than Ronaldo.
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      He said: “It is an amazing pleasure to be here, alongside Benzema and Mbappe, who had a wonderful year.
      “It was an amazing year and I achieved a dream that I had been hoping for for so long.
      “I want to pay tribute to all of my teammates and my coach, without them I wouldn’t be here.”
      The star attended the exclusive bash alongside his wife Antonela and a host of fellow stars.
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      Kylian Mbappe was there with his dad Wilfried and was named in the FIFPRO World XI alongside Messi, but lost out on the Best Player award to his PSG team-mate.
      Prem stars including Emi Martinez – who won Best Goalkeeper – and Casemiro and Virgil van Dijk, both also named in the Team of 2022, attended with their other halves.
      In the Women’s game, England boss Sarina Wiegman and Manchester United’s Mary Earps won best women’s coach and goalkeeper respectively following their Euro 2022 glory last summer.
      Earps said: “I don’t really know what to say, thank you to everyone who voted for me. I feel really honoured to be holding this really heavy trophy. I want to say thank you to my loved ones who have picked me up off the kitchen floor to be here today, not today but in the past.
      “This is for anyone who has ever been in a dark place. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. There’s only one of you in the world, be unapologetically yourself.”
      Wiegman, winning the award for a third time, added: “The Euros were incredible, as the English say we brought it home.”
      Meanwhile Beth Mead was pipped to the best women’s award by Alexia Putellas but she was named in the women’s World XI alongside three Lionesses teammates, Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh.
      Other huge names at the star-studded do in Paris included Brazil legend Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Arsene Wenger, Joao Cancelo and, of course, FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
      Jermaine Jenas was there to host the event – which left fans hugely impressed with the job of his agent.
      As many had expected beforehand, the night belonged to Messi, who has been enjoying yet another record-breaking season for both club and country.
      Since the start of the 2022-23 campaign he has recorded an incredible total of 17 goals and 16 assists in 28 appearances for PSG.
      And he also managed to finally get his hands on the only trophy to have eluded him previously – the World Cup.
      Messi led his Argentina teammates to glory in Qatar last year and claimed the prestigious Player of the Tournament Award in the process.
      His red-hot form has continued into 2023 with PSG in pole position to retain their Ligue 1 title.
      Messi left fans stunned when he scored his 700th career club goal on Sunday.
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      He netted once for PSG during the club’s 3-0 win over Marseille and claimed the assist for both of Mbappe’s goals.
      So it hardly came as a surprise to fans when he took to the stage in Paris to accept ‘The Best’ award.
      Virgil van Dijk, who was named to the FIFPRO World XI, was at the event with his familyCredit: Getty
      Jermaine Jenas hosted the FIFA Best ceremonyCredit: Getty
      Mbappe showed up to the Paris bash with his dad WilfriedCredit: Reuters
      Former Premier League ace Dimitri Payet was on the green carpet with his wifeCredit: Reuters
      FIFA President Gianni Infantino was, of course, presentCredit: AP
      Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on the green carpetCredit: Getty
      Brazil legend Ronaldo made an appearanceCredit: AP
      Ex-Chelsea star Didier Drogba was also thereCredit: Getty More