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    Marcus Rashford says England training is a ‘million miles’ better under Southgate in swipe at Roy Hodgson era

    MARCUS RASHFORD reckons England under Gareth Southgate is a million times better than the Roy Hodgson era.The Manchester United forward, preparing for Tuesday’s Battle of Britain clash with Wales, attempted to put Friday’s 0-0 bore draw with USA into perspective with a reminder of the humiliating 2-1 loss to Iceland in Euro2016.
    Marcus Rashford says training is a ‘million miles’ better under Gareth SouthgateCredit: Getty
    The star was part of Roy Hodgson’s squad that were dumped out of Euro 2016 by IcelandCredit: PA:Press Association
    Rashford spoke to the media today ahead of England’s clash with WalesCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
    Surprisingly, Rashford delivered a dig at both Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville – along with some of the players.
    The loss to Iceland was only Rashford’s third appearance while he is now hoping to pick up his 49th cap against Wales.
    Rashford, who scored in the 6-2 win over Iran, said: “Training’s been good for the lads who haven’t been getting as many minutes. But I feel for this squad it’s never been an issue, especially since Gareth’s been managing.
    “Maybe before it was a bit of an issue in terms of quality of training and people’s dedication to training. 
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    “I was only there for a short period of time before but the standard of training wasn’t as high as now.
    “If you aren’t training well you can’t expect to play well or go into games and win just because you think you are better players.
    “But since Gareth’s been manager of England, it’s been good, it’s been intense, it’s been challenging. I feel like everyone, me included, is ready to do their bit when they come on to the pitch and if they get an opportunity.
    “We have shown progression in the time I have been here. Back in 2016, if you look at that performance when we got knocked out of the Euros, it is a million miles off where we are now. You cannot really compare the two situations.
    Rashford and his team-mates trained today in Qatar ahead of the Welsh showdownCredit: Getty
    James Maddison continued his progress as he bids to return from injury to featureCredit: Getty
    Rashford is loving life in the England set-up under Gareth SouthgateCredit: Getty
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    “There’s obviously been clear change and improvement. We’ve done much better in the major tournaments.” 
    Incredibly, Rashford’s goal against Iran came after his first touches of the ball since the missed penalty in Euro2016.
    He did not feature for England in the 16 months, mainly due to injuries but also a loss of form.
    He said: “It’s obviously a great feeling to pull on the England shirt again. It’s something I have missed out on since the Euros, so the initial feeling of meeting up with the lads, training, being around them at the hotel, getting back out on the pitch. They’re all great feelings. And then the goal just capped everything off.”
    Rashford also refuses to worry about the draw with the States even though the team was booed off the pitch.
    He said: “It is not a nice feeling but you don’t need fans to boo us to know we’ve not played as well as we could have.
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    “As players, we always want to play our best football but it’s not possible. It’s unrealistic to think you’re going to play your best every single game. We weren;t happy with the way we performed in the last game.
    “It’s not often teams win all three games in the groups, so if we manage to beat Wales, which we are looking to do, it will be considered as a good start.” More

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    Why is David de Gea NOT playing for Spain at the 2022 World Cup?

    MANCHESTER UNITED goalkeeper David de Gea has been on fine form for the Red Devils this season is not playing at the 2022 World Cup for Spain.The 32-year-old has made 45 appearances for his national team and was once seen as one of the best goalkeepers in football.
    David de Gea has been on fine form for Manchester United so far this seasonCredit: Reuters
    However, he is not featuring for Luis Enrique’s side at the World Cup in Qatar as they prepare to face Germany.
    And we have all the details regarding the reasoning behind De Gea not playing for his national team.
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    Why isn’t David de Gea playing for Spain?
    De Gea was seen as Spain’s clear number one for years after the retirement of icon Iker Casillas.
    However, this is not the case anymore as the Spaniard was not included in Enrique’s squad for the World Cup despite being the number one in the 2018 tournament.
    Luis Enrique did not call David de Gea up for the Spain squad ahead of the World CupCredit: AFP
    The shot stopper hasn’t featured for Spain since a 1-0 loss to Ukraine on back in 2020 but was named in the Euro 2020 squad last summer.
    However, Unai Simon was preferred ahead of him as the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper keeps his place ahead of De Gea for the World Cup.
    De Gea wasn’t even included in a 55-man shortlist ahead of the final squad announcement as he fell out of favour with Enrique, who has outlined his preference in goal.
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    Speaking to the press earlier this year, Enrique said: “A goalkeeper should start the play and generate the first superiority, they must dominate the aerial play.
    “I need a goalkeeper that transmits peace and calmness to me, that doesn’t mean they won’t make mistakes, errors are part of football. What they generate I like a lot.”
    It appears that De Gea does not match what Enrique is looking for in a goalkeeper and therefore is not in the World cup squad for the Spaniards. More

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    Why isn’t Toni Kroos playing for Germany at World Cup 2022?

    TONI KROOS is one of the most iconic midfielders in world football.The German midfielder, 32, has won the Champions League five times in his storied career.
    Toni Kroos decided to stop playing for Germany after Euro 2020Credit: Getty Images – Getty
    And he won the World Cup with die Mannschaft in 2014, playing a key part as they decimated Brazil 7-1 in the semi-finals.
    But World Cup fans will have noticed his absence in the German team during this winter’s tournament.
    Especially after his superb form in the Champions League and given his Real Madrid midfield team-mates for their win in May, Luka Modric and Casemiro – who is now at Manchester United – are in Qatar.
    But Kroos has taken a different path during the latter stages of his career.

    Why isn’t Toni Kroos playing for Germany at the 2022 World Cup?
    Kroos decided to step down from international football following Germany’s campaign at the Euros last summer.
    The tournament was delayed by a year – but after they were eliminated by England in the last 16, he decided it was time to call time on his international career.
    While Kroos has never used the term ‘international retirement’ he has made himself unavailable for Hansi Flick’s squad.
    So Germany have had to press on with Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gundogan in midfield.
    He said: “I’ve played for Germany 106 times.
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    “There won’t be another time. I made the decision to quit after this tournament a long time ago.
    “It has been clear to me that I would not be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.”

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    Marcus Rashford HOPES England face dramatic penalty shoot-out at World Cup to get redemption for Euro 2020 miss

    MARCUS RASHFORD is hoping for a dramatic penalty-shoot at the World Cup – so he can earn redemption for his Euro 2020 penalty miss.The Manchester United forward was one of three players who suffered heartbreak from the spot in the loss to Italy in the final 16 months ago.
    Marcus Rashford is ready to step up for a penalty shootout at the World CupCredit: Alamy
    The England ace is ready to put his Euro 2020 final heartbreak behind himCredit: Getty
    But Rashford has made it clear he will step up if needed by Gareth Southgate here in Qatar.
    Rashford, whose team face Wales on Tuesday, said: “I’m hoping that we get to take another penalty in the tournament. So, I’m looking forward to it.
    “You never want to miss a penalty. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for forwards, especially, to score goals and obviously they are big moments and as an individual I’ve always been comfortable and I enjoy being in big moments.”
    Harry Kane, who suffered a foot injury in the first game, has yet to score at the World Cup and Rashford is ready to take over if Kane is rested against Wales in the final group stage tomorrow.
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    He said: “Harry’s alright. He’s happy. He’s enjoying his football. But for any forward you want to be scoring goals. I’m sure if he keeps doing what he’s doing he’ll score.”
    Incredibly, Rashford scored against Iran with his first touches of the ball since missing the penalty against Italy.
    While that game was played at 4pm local time, the goalless draw with the United States started at 10pm local – the same time as Tuesday’s match – and Rashford said he is struggling to get to sleep.
    He said: “You have to adapt a little bit in terms of preparation with the late kick-offs. We have a lot of time before the game.
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    “For me it’s not much of a difference to what we are used to doing. It’s more that it affects recovery a little bit. You are not having the best of sleeps.”
    Meanwhile, Rashford was part of the Euro 2016 team which lost to Iceland,sparking mass celebrations among the Welsh players.
    Luke Shaw claimed the reaction of the Wales squad, with the video being leaked online, “wasn’t nice”
    But Rashford insisted: “To be honest we’ve not mentioned it. For me, any game in a World Cup’s a big game. We want to go there and give everything to win the game. We tried to do that against the USA. 
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    “They defended really well, their midfield worked tremendously hard to stop our players. They made it difficult for us and we couldn’t quite get the goal.
    “It makes it more important to go and win this game against Wales.” More

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    Croatia 4-1 Canada – World Cup 2022 LIVE RESULT: Superb Croatians turn it around to hand Canada early World Cup EXIT

    CANADA are OUT of the World Cup after losing 4-1 to Croatia.Alphonso Davies put the Canadians ahead after just 68 second before Croatia started to turn the screw.
    Andrej Kramaric netted twice to condemn Canada to their World Cup exit, joining hosts Qatar as the two eliminated teams so far.

    Result: Canada 4-1 Croatia
    Croatia XI: Livakovic, Juranvoic; Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Livaja, Kramaric, Perisic
    Canada XI: Borjan; Johnston, Vitoria, Miller; Laryea, Hutchinson, Estaquio, Davies; Buchanan, David, Larin

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    Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
    Who else is in action today?
    These group stage days are an absolute dream aren’t they?
    Football on TV from 9am- 9pm, it is 12 hours of dreamland.
    Later on today we have the 7pm kick-off, which sees Spain face off against Germany in what is a World Cup clash of the titans.
    That is all from us on SunSport for this game, but join us for coverage of Spain vs Germany up next and check out the lineups for that one here.
    Thank you very much for reading as always, and enjoy the rest of what is set to be a brilliant night of football!
    Who’s up next?
    Up next for Croatia they face what may well be a tougher test as they are up against Belgium on the first of December.
    As for Canada, things don’t get any easier as they face a Morocco side that are tipped to be dark horses by many, after beating Belgium and drawing with Croatia.
    Both teams gave a pretty good account of themselves this afternoon, despite the scoreline maybe not reflecting that, but will have to be at their very best to get a result in their next game.
    Classy Croatia.
    Croatia looked like a side that were back to their best tonight.
    Kramaric will get most of the plaudits for his two superb finishes, which could have been three if his first one wasn’t ruled out for offside.
    But it was that magical midfield of Kovacic, Modric and Brozovic that proved their worth on the world stage tonight.
    The three of them were brilliant in taking the pace out of the game, and then injecting it back in at just the right time.
    Croatia looked deadly on the counter attack, and brilliant in terms of their build up play, they ultimately just had too much quality for Canada to deal with.
    They will be feeling positive ahead of facing Belgium, who are looking like the tournaments great under-performers so far…
    Modric and Kovacic dictated the tempo as Croatia beat Canada 4-1.Credit: Getty
    Positives for Canada…
    Canada are out in the groups at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and were mercilessly beaten by a classy Croatia side by four goals to one.
    But, there are a number of positives that they can take from this tournament…

    A first World Cup goal.

    Alphonso Davies gave Canada the lead against Croatia after he scored the fastest goal of the tournament so far, inside just two minutes, it was also Canada’s first goal in a World Cup finals, and will be remembered eternally, not just by Davies, but the nation.

    Co-Hosts next time…

    In 2026 the World Cup is being held in Canada, The USA and Mexico, which will be a huge boost for a country that is not typically a footballing nation, this could really boost their chances of doing well in that tournament, and they could well be dark horses.

    Young players getting experience.

    Canada have a number of brilliant young players, and the future looks bright for them. Buchanan, Davies, David and Laryea amongst others all showed their talent, and could well be players of serious, developed quality by the time 2026 comes around…
    Overall they will be disappointed tonight, but there are plenty of positives for them to take from this tournament, and they could still go out and get a win against Morocco next week.
    Alphonso Davies will be 26-years-old when Canada co-host the next World Cup.Credit: Reuters
    FT. Croatia 4-1 Canada.
    The referee calls the second-half to a close, and that sees Canada eliminated by a merciless Croatia side.
    It is full time, Croatia 4-1 Canada.
    90+4. Croatia 4-1 Canada.
    It’s four for Croatia, and a horrible mistake by Kamal Miller as the ball slips through his legs.
    Orsic was all over it like a rash, and burst down the left-hand side with too much pace for Miller to keep up.
    It was two on one with Majer bursting forward, and the pass across left the latter with a simple finish high into the net.
    90+2. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    Canada may be out, but that hasn’t stopped Junior Hoilett going for goal of the tournament just now.
    The ball fell to him on the half-volley on the edge of the box, and he smashed a dipping shot with his laces towards goal, that ended up just wide of the left post.
    90. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    A poor shot from Orsic is comfortably saved by Borjan.
    There will be six added minutes at the end of the second half.
    88. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    You have to applaud that Canada have not dropped their standards here, they are still playing their game, and that is credit to them.
    Worth noting also that they are co-hosts of the next World Cup tournament, alongside Mexico and the USA.
    They could be a team to really look out for in four years time.
    86. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    There is a yellow card each for Kamal Miller and Luka Modric, and there is a triple change for Croatia too.
    Perisic, Modric and Mateo Kovacic are off to be replaced by Pasalic, Orsic and Majer.
    83. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    Canada have been great to watch in this tournament, and can consider themselves somewhat unlucky after missing their penalty against Belgium.
    They do have a pretty young squad, with a lot of young stars in their ranks, the likes of Davies and David.
    The next World Cup could see them get their first win, if they don’t spring a surprise on Morocco next week…
    80. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    A bit more end-to-end stuff here before the end of this game, including a great double save from the Serbian born Canadian goalkeeper.
    Perisic hit a low shot at him after being played in by Mateo Kovacic, before the rebound fell to Brozovic.
    His shot was then saved, and Canada escaped on the break with Davies, who had a shot saved…
    76. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    This has been a bit of a footballing lesson for Canada…
    That midfield of Kovacic, Brozovic and Modric has really shown its worth against this Canadian side.
    When they went 1-0 down after just two minutes they kept their composure and eventually broke down the Canadian side repeatedly breaking the lines and creating chances for Kramaric up front.
    74. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    A few changes here for both sides…
    A grand ovation for Andrej Kramaric, who is replaced by Nikola Vlasic.
    For Canada, Atiba Hutchinson is off for Sam Adekugbe, who will slot in at left back, and Lucas Cavallini replaces Jonathan David.
    72. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    That is a great touch and finish from Andrej Kramaric.
    Ivan Perisic got down the left hand side, and whipped the ball in towards Kramaric stood in the back post area.
    He takes a touch, and switches the ball onto his left foot, before dispatching it into the bottom left corner.
    Great finish from the ex-Leicester city man.
    70. Croatia 3-1 Canada.
    It’s three for Croatia! It could be all over for Canada!
    It is Andrej Kramaric at the double!
    68. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    Great work from Mateo Kovacic in midfield for Croatia, as he changes the pace and drives forward for his side.
    He beats two players, but his final pass is just a little to heavy for Petkovic to latch onto.
    66. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    Canada are just seeking ways to get forward against Croatia here, and Buchanan has now swapped to the left wing, instead of the right.
    He has really impressed in this tournament so far, and don’t be surprised if there are a queue of clubs waiting to sign him in January.
    64. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    Laryea for Canada is being replaced by Junior Hoilett, and Alphonso Davies wins a free-kick right on the edge of the box…
    Davies takes the free-kick, but it only reaches as far as Brozovic in the Croatian wall.
    62. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    A change for Croatia, as Bruno Petkovic, who scored against Chelsea in the Champions League this season, is replacing the scorer of Croatia’s second goal, Marko Livaja.
    60. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    There is an urgency about Canada now with just half an hour to go.
    Buchanan gets a lovely nutmeg on Josko Gvardiol, but Perisic is behind his team mate to ensure that there is no further threat from the tricky Canadian.
    58. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    What a save by Livakovic!
    It is almost an equaliser for Canada, as Jonathon David hits a curling effort from the edge of the box, which is tipped over by the Croatian keeper.
    Dejan Lovren is booked for a foul in the build up.
    Lille’s Jonathan David almost levelled the scoring for Canada…Credit: Getty
    56. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    Kramaric has to score, it should be all over!
    Really lovely play from Croatia, who make it look so simple…
    A reverse ball from Modric inside the box finds Kramaric, who just has to slot it into the back of the net, but it is saved by the keeper!
    Huge save, and a potentially huge miss from Kramaric…
    54. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    The next goal in this game is oh so crucial.
    If it goes Croatia’s way it could be all over in Qatar for Canada.
    If Canada get the next goal, you get the feeling that the momentum could just carry them all the way through to win it.
    52. Croatia 2-1 Canada.
    It’s a half-chance for Croatia, as a teasing ball from Sosa on the left-hand side goes in towards Perisic before being saved by the goalkeeper.
    Buchanan picks up a yellow card for a late challenge on Gvardiol.
    Load more entries… More

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    Croatia 4 Canada 1: Kramaric double earns huge win after World Cup’s fastest goal can’t stop plucky underdogs going out

    AFTER all the talk of John Herdman and his nuts before the game, three nutmegs during it left his side’s World Cup campaign well and truly knackered.An incensed Croatian newspaper had mocked up the Canada boss wearing nothing but two maple leaves, covering his mouth and manhood, on Friday.
    Croatia celebrate completing their turnaroundCredit: Getty
    John Herdman’s side were caught out on the break late onCredit: Getty
    Andrej Kramaric nets the first of his doubleCredit: Reuters
    It was in response to Herdman’s comments that his side were going to “eff Croatia” following his side’s unlucky defeat to Belgium.
    The eye-catching front page came with the caption “You have the mouth but do you have the balls as well?”
    The Englishman’s team certainly looked like they did when star man Alphonso Davies headed them in front on 67 seconds – the fastest goal of the tournament so far.
    But Croatia, who finished as runners-up in Russia four years ago, turned things around before the break with two goals assisted by passes through a Canadian’s legs.
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    Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic made Celtic-bound right-back Alistair Johnston look silly for the first one, teeing up Andrej Kramaric who slotted into the corner.
    Then it was the turn of Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic to poke the ball in between the legs of centre-back Steven Vitoria, allowing Marko Livaja to belt it into the corner.
    Kramaric put the game beyond doubt after the break by firing a shot that nutmegged centurion midfielder Atiba Hutchinson on its way in.
    The defeat dumped Herdman’s side out of the competition with only two games played.
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    It is a shame given their exciting approach and red army of raucous fans have been one of the highlights of this tournament – not that the Croats will show any sympathy.
    The game had started so well too for Herdman’s side as Bayern Munich ace Davies leapt like a salmon to meet Tajon Buchanan’s delivery and powered home a header.
    But Croatia are not ones to panic when going behind, as England know only too well from that semi-final heartbreak against them at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium in 2018.
    Kramaric thought he had levelled with an excellent solo goal only to see it chalked off as Livaja was offside in the build-up.
    Ex-Leicester flop Kramaric did not have to wait too much longer though to restore parity.
    On 36 minutes, Perisic’s clever, reverse pass went through Johnston to Kramaric who had the time and space to pick his spot.
    Eight minutes later the turnaround was complete. Kovacic rolled the ball to Livaja, via the gap between Vitoria’s legs, and the centre-forward did the rest from the edge of the area.
    Herdman, born in County Durham, responded by making two changes at half-time.
    One of them, Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osario, came within a whisker of an equaliser when his 25-yard shot drifted agonisingly wide.
    Ligue Un champion Jonathan David then went even closer from distance, but Croatian keeper Dominik Livakovic was alert to the danger and palmed his effort over.
    Kramaric missed the chance to kill the game for good when failing to beat the keeper from ten yards after meeting Luka Modric’s cutback.
    But Croatia’s No9 did have his second with 20 minutes to go when expertly controlling Perisic’s cross and finding the corner. 
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    The strike nutmegged 100-cap Hutchinson as it went in to send Herdman’s side home with their tails – and the ball – between their legs.
    Croatia rubbed salt in Canada’s wounds when sub Lovro Majer finished off a blistering counter-attack in stoppage time – though this time there was no nutmeg. More

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    Who is Luka Modric’s wife Vanja Bosnic, when did Croatia star get married and how many children does he have?

    LUKA MODRIC is a key figure for Croatia in the World Cup and Real Madrid – having lifted his FIFTH Champions League title in 2022.And he has been inspired every step of the way by his wife and agent Vanja Bosnic.
    Modric and his wife sharing a loving kissCredit: Getty – Contributor

    Who is Vanja Bosnic?
    Vanja Bosnic is three years older than her husband, Luka Modric, at 36-years-old.
    The pair met in 2007 while Vanja was working at the sports agency of former Dinamo Zagreb executive director Zdravko Mamic.
    Modric’s wife would later take over as his agent and secure a monumental deal to take him to Real Madrid in 2012.
    But unlike many WAGs today, she prefers to keep a low profile, and doesn’t even have a public Instagram account.

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    When did Modric marry Vanja and how many children do they have?
    The two got married in May 2010 in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.
    Modric’s former Tottenham and Croatian team-mate Vedran Corluka was the best man at their wedding.
    The couple’s first child, son Ivano, was born just three weeks after their wedding.
    Since they have had two daughters,Ema and Sofia. More

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    Portugal vs Uruguay: Stream FREE, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for World Cup 2022 Group G clash

    PORTUGAL face off against South American giants Uruguay in their huge match in Group H.Cristiano Ronaldo has already lit up the tournament after scoring a penalty to become the first player to score in FIVE World cups.
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring in his FIFTH World Cup after netting a penalty against GhanaCredit: Getty
    Portugal’s path to Qatar has been rocky to say the least.
    After failing to top their group, Fernando Santos’ side were forced to do it the hard way, beating Turkey and then North Macedonia to book their place at this year’s tournament.
    Despite winning the Euros in 2016, the World Cup has continued to evade the European side, failing to progress past the round of 16 since 2006.
    They won’t have fond memories of Uruguay either, losing 2-1 at the round of 16 stage of the 2018 World Cup.
    Portugese fans will hope that their supposed ‘golden generation’ can step up a gear this year, and go all the way in Qatar.
    When is Portugal vs Uruguay?

    Portugal’s clash with Uruguay will take place on Monday, November 28.
    The match will kick-off at 7pm UK time.
    Portugal vs Uruguay will be held at the Lusail Stadium, which will also host the tournament final.
    The two sides’ last and only meeting was in the 2018 World Cup, and the game finished 2-1 to Uruguay.

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    What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

    Portugal vs Uruguay will be shown live on ITV in the UK.
    You can also live stream the action via the ITV Hub, which can be downloaded onto your mobile or tablet device.

    Can I watch it for FREE?
    Yes, you can! The game is available to watch for FREE in the UK, so long as you have a TV licence.
    What is the team news?
    Nuno Mendes and Danilo are both injured for Portugal and will not play.
    After the win over Ghana it emerged that Danilo had broken a RIB – but still completed the 90 minutes.
    Uruguay will be without Ronald Araujo, who has been injured since September.
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    What are the odds?
    Portugal win 10/11
    Draw 23/10
    Uruguay victory 16/5
    Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct as of November 25. More