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      Sofyan Amrabat ‘skips Fiorentina training as Barcelona look to beat Liverpool to transfer with £35m loan-to-buy offer’

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      FIORENTINA star Sofyan Amrabat has skipped training to seal a move away from the club, according to reports.The midfielder is a target for Barcelona and Liverpool due to his impressive performances in Serie A and at the World Cup in Qatar with Morocco.
      Sofyan Amrabat reportedly wants to move to BarcelonaCredit: AFP
      The LaLiga side have stolen a march on Liverpool, having offered a loan to buy a deal worth £35million, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      The deal comprises of a £2.64m loan fee with an option to buy him worth £32.5m.
      However, Fiorentina are “not accepting these conditions.”
      But the player is believed to want the move, as Romano later tweeted: “Sofyan Amrabat didn’t show up for Fiorentina training today.
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      “Now forcing possible deadline move after Barca proposal rejected.”
      Amrabat is highly rated in Italy and is seen as one of the best-holding midfielders in the league.
      During the World Cup, he played an important role in Morocco’s run to the semi-finals.
      Liverpool are yet to make an offer to sign the player and are set to miss out on his signature.
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      Barca supposedly want the 26-year-old as they look to identify a replacement for veteran Sergio Busquets.
      The Catalan giants are also keeping tabs on Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi in case they cannot seal the deal for the La Viola ace. More

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      Inside Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup party at The Belfry Hotel, with Argentina-themed walls, trophy, DJ and dance floor

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      EMILIANO MARTINEZ is still celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win more than a month on from the win over France after throwing a lavish party.The Aston Villa stopper returned from international duty after his penalty shootout heroics in Qatar with a target on his back.
      Emiliano Martinez celebrated Argentina’s World Cup win once againCredit: https://www.instagram.com/ferpalaci0/?next=
      Naturally the theme of the party was Argentina’s World Cup triumphCredit: https://www.instagram.com/ferpalaci0/?next=
      Latin artist Fer Palacio was on music duty during the partyCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_
      Martinez’s wife Mandinha was allowed to DJ for a whileCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_
      Other Aston Villa stars such as Brazilian Philippe Coutinho were in attendanceCredit: https://www.instagram.com/ferpalaci0/?next=
      Emiliano Buendia was also at the partyCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-sULJoUh8/?hl=en
      The Belfry Hotel played host to the partyCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_
      Martinez set tongues wagging with his “s***house” celebrations both in the immediate aftermath of the tournament and in the subsequent days.
      But that’s not stopped Martinez from getting the party going again.
      He and his Argentina team-mates took the opportunity to head to The Belfry Hotel, located nine miles from Villa Park, for another shindig with his side out of the FA Cup.
      Videos posted on social media showed the hotel had been decked out in Argentina colours.
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      The walls were plastered in Argentina memorabilia paying homage to the victory in Qatar, including posters and balloons.
      Even the floor was also given the blue-and-white treatment, with the World Cup trophy placed in the middle of floor.
      Guests, which included Emiliano Buendia and Brazilian club-mate Philippe Coutinho, were seen dancing to the music of Latin artist Fer Palacio.
      In accordance with the theme, all guests wore all-white attire.
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      The party is said to have continued later on at a local nightclub.
      Martinez and his Villa team-mates will next be in action against Leicester next weekend, giving the goalkeeper plenty of time to recover.
      Footage showed one guest dancing with the World Cup trophyCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_
      The floor was given a blue colouration with white dots all across itCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_
      Guests donned all-white attire for the eventCredit: Instagram @mandinha_martinez_ More

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      Uruguay pair Jose Gimenez and Edinson Cavani slapped with bans after causing chaos at World Cup 2022

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      URUGUAY’S Jose Gimenez has escaped a FIFTEEN game ban after elbowing a Fifa official at the World Cup but has been hit with a suspension.And team-mates Fernando Muslera, Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin have also been banned by the governing body after the shocking scenes following their elimination last month.
      Four Uruguay players have been banned after their angry World Cup exitCredit: Reuters
      Edinson Cavani, right, is one of those to have been sanctioned by FifaCredit: AP
      South Korea’s 2-1 win over Portugal sent the South American side home packing on December 2 in their final group clash despite them beating Ghana 2-0 in a controversy-filled game.
      Uruguay were furious that they had been denied a late penalty after Cavani had been brought down in the box and after the final whistle that anger boiled over.
      The 28-year-old defender Gimenez completely lost his cool as he tried to confront the referee while he was walking off the pitch, leading to team-mates holding back the Atletico Madrid star as he shouted and chased ref Daniel Siebert.
      And amidst the chaos, Gimenez elbowed a Fifa representative in the back of the head before he shouted down a TV camera: “They [the referees] are all a bunch of thieves these sons of b***hes. Yes, record me. Son of a b***h.”
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      That led to reports that he could receive a whopping 15-match international ban.
      Goalkeeper Muslera, 36, also angrily confronted the match officials while defender Godin was also involved in the shocking melee.
      Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United forward Cavani punched the VAR monitor as he trudged off the field to land himself in hot water.
      Now Fifa have finally announced what punishment they have dished out to the shamed foursome.
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      Both Muslera and Gimenez have received four game bans each for aggressively confronting the team of officials.
      And Cavani and Godín have been hit with one-match ones.
      All four players have also been ordered to carry out community service on a soccer project and pay fines of up to £17,450 by Fifa.
      The Uruguayan soccer federation had been fined also for the incident a total of £43,624 and must close some of its stadium for one home game. More

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      World Cup’s hottest fan Ivana Knoll flaunts her legs in barely-there outfit as she compares muscles to Cristiano Ronaldo

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      IVANA KNOLL has compared her leg muscles to those of Cristiano Ronaldo.The ex-Miss Croatia – often hailed as the ‘World Cup’s hottest fan’ – made the claim in an Instagram story.
      Ivana Knoll showed off her muscular legsCredit: Instagram – @knolldoll
      She compared them to Cristiano Ronaldo’s legsCredit: Getty
      Knoll posted the short video on her Instagram storyCredit: Instagram – @knolldoll
      Knoll has a huge following on the platform of 3.6million people.
      She has recently been on holiday in the Maldives, as she showed fans her tan lines.
      She gained the followers during her appearances at the World Cup in Qatar as she gained attention in her Croatian-themed racy outfits.
      Knoll posted a video of herself showing off her leg muscles while at a gym on to her Instagram story.
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      In the video, she flexes her leg muscles while wearing white socks and trainers.
      She captioned the short video: “Ronaldo who?”
      Ronaldo has extremely muscular legs and he has proven that he never skips “leg day” in the past.
      The 37-year-old is currently playing his football in Saudi Arabia after joining Al-Nassr.
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      He made the move after the World Cup in Qatar following the termination of his contract at Manchester United.
      The decision to leave the Old Trafford side came after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      She shared the video for her 3.6million followersCredit: Instagram – @knolldoll
      Knoll rose to fame during the World Cup in QatarCredit: Instagram – @knolldoll
      She caught the eyes of the world with he Croatia style outfitsCredit: Getty More

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      Lionel Messi voted best footballer of 2022 after World Cup win.. but GOAT rival Cristiano Ronaldo not even in top 50

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      LIONEL MESSI has been voted as the best footballer of 2022, but arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo did not even make the TOP 50. The Argentine, 35, enjoyed a great year as he won the Ligue 1 title and won the World Cup for the first time ever, while also receiving the gong for best player at the tournament.
      Lionel Messi was named the best player in 2022Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema completed the top threeCredit: Getty
      Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were among a host of England stars to make the top 100 listCredit: Alamy
      Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo did not make even make the top 50Credit: Getty
      However, Ronaldo has seen his year go from bad to worse.
      A bright start to the year individually was overshadowed by Manchester United’s failings all around him.
      After being dropped by Erik ten Hag upon his arrival after failing to gain a summer transfer away from the club, Ronaldo then conducted an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      His contract at United was subsequently terminated, with Ronaldo then landing a record-breaking contract to play to in play in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr.
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      But a poor start to life there saw rival fans taunt Ronaldo with chants of “Messi, Messi, Messi.”
      Regardless, a list from the Guardian naming the “100 best male footballers in the world” revealed the pair’s huge gap.
      While Messi took top spot, French duo Kylian Mbappe – who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final – and Karim Benzema completed the top three.
      Benzema won the Ballon d’Or for his performances at Real Madrid in 2022, while Mbappe’s prowess has been evident throughout the year despite off-field drama surrounding him.
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      Manchester City’s Erling Haaland came in fourth as he continues his ridiculous record of scoring goals for fun.
      Team-mate Kevin De Bruyne came in sixth, with Luka Modric sandwiched in between them.
      Robert Lewandowski, Vinicius Jr, Thibaut Courtois and Mo Salah completed the top 10.
      Outside of the top 10, ex-Liverpool ace Sadio Mane was put at number 11 after winning the African Cup of Nations with Senegal while Brazil superstar Neymar was 12th.
      Man United linked Harry Kane came in 13th with England prodigy Jude Bellingham directly behind him in 14th, while Man Utd star Casemiro came in directly behind them.
      The top 10 stars from the Guardian’s list plus a few notable names
      World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez came in 20th, while Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka came in 22nd ahead of Rafael Leao and Phil Foden.
      Other Prem stars in the top 30 were Son Heung-Min, Virgil van Dijk, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
      There were slimmer Prem pickings from 31-50, with Julian Alvarez, Alisson, Martin Odegaard, Joao Cancelo and new Liverpool ace Cody Gakpo.
      Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo ranked in the 51st spot.
      Further down, in-form Marcus Rashford was ranked 58th best directly behind Riyadh Mahrez and in front of Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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      Declan Rice, tipped to leave West Ham in the summer for £100million transfer, came in at 88th.
      Some other stars from England’s top division who made this 100-strong list included Gabriel Jesus (62), Hakim Ziyech (63), Cristian Romero (72), Lisandro Martinez (81), Darwin Nunez (82), Aleksandar Mitrovic (83) and Reece James (94). More

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      Gareth Southgate reveals family persuaded him not to QUIT as England boss after World Cup and opens up on fan abuse

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE admits his family persuaded him not to quit as England boss following his World Cup heartbreak.And the Three Lions boss has shrugged off abuse from irate fans, vowing: “I can deal with it.”
      Gareth Southgate admits his family convinced him to stay on as England bossCredit: Getty
      Southgate’s position came under the spotlight when England crashed out of the World CupCredit: Getty
      Southgate’s England team looked destined for potential greatness as they cruised through the group stage in Qatar.
      Captain Harry Kane and Co made light work of Iran before bouncing back from their USA draw with victory against Wales.
      England were equally impressive in their 3-0 win over Senegal in the last 16.
      But Southgate’s plan was undone in the quarters by a stubborn France side, with Kane missing a late penalty as the eventual runners-up edged through 2-1.
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      The fallout saw Southgate’s position come under the spotlight, with some questioning how he could survive after missing out at three successive tournaments.
      However, the FA were eager for their man to remain, with Southgate eventually deciding to stay on for Euro 2024.
      But the England boss, 52, admits it was his family who persuaded him to give the job another go.
      Southgate is married to wife Alison, also 52, and the pair have two children in Mia, 22, and Flynn, 18.
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      And the trio convinced the tactician to have one more shot at glory with his country.
      Southgate told ITV: “They (my family) left Doha saying you’ve got to give this one more go and try to get this trophy.
      “There was negativity about me being in charge and the last thing I wanted was for that to be the over-arching feeling going into a World Cup when you need the fans and everybody behind the team.
      “You need that energy; you need that sense of togetherness.
      “And if the debate was only going to be about finding flaws in what we were doing, in order that I go at the end, then that would have been very difficult for the team to perform at their best.”
      As for any resentment and abuse from fans, it’s all been water off a duck’s back.
      Southgate added: “I don’t think anybody would choose to walk over at the end of a game and get abuse, but I’ve also been in football long enough to know that.
      “I can deal with it, and you’ve got to lead your players through those moments as well.
      “I don’t think anybody could say they enjoy it, but it also isn’t going to determine exactly what I do and what I don’t do.” More

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      Chelsea legend Didier Drogba poses for pic with unrecognisable World Cup legend – can you tell who it is?

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      DIDIER DROGBA posed for a selfie with a totally unrecognisable World Cup legend.Chelsea hero Drogba, 44, took to Instagram to post the photo.
      Didier Drogba smiled with his idol – but who is the mystery footballer?Credit: Instagram @didierdrogba
      The Ivorian wore a black shirt and sunglasses to go with his shaved head and beaming smile.
      And his “idol” – also in shades – was clearly also happy to hang out with the 2012 Champions League winner.
      He wrapped his arm around Drogba’s shoulder in a black blazer to go with his grey curly hair and goatee beard.
      And the 55-year-old completed the look with a No18 necklace.
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      However, this former Ballon d’Or winner is far more associated with wearing the No10 and his luscious long locks on the biggest stage of all.
      He scored 291 club goals in his 643 games for the likes of Fiorentina, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus.
      The attacker lifted the Serie A trophy twice as well as the Coppa Italia and the Uefa Cup.
      On the international scene, his return was an impressive 27 goals in 56 senior caps for Italy.
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      That included seven World Cup strikes, four of which came as Italy reached the final in 1994.
      However, it was his penalty miss in the shootout that secured Brazil victory in the final.
      Even to this day, the former footballer admits he has not forgotten the moment he skied Italy’s dreams.
      He said in 2022: “I will never forget it. That was a childhood dream come true and then it ended in the most absurd fashion and I never got over it.
      “The people always showed me great love and affection, they understood my suffering, but I am very demanding with myself.
      “I had a thousand opportunities to miss a penalty in my career, that was the one I really couldn’t miss.”
      The mystery footballer is of course… Roberto Baggio.
      Baggio ditched the iconic long hair a while back – and shocked fans with his new look when he touched down in Qatar ahead of the World Cup final.
      But he is still a popular figure in football at home in Italy and around the world.
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      Baggio retired in 2004 and spent time as Italian football’s technical director alongside his various charity work.
      Away from football, he has three children with wife Andreina Fabbi, who he married in 1989.
      Roberto Baggio is an Italy legend and scored at three World CupsCredit: Action Images – Reuters More

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      World Cup’s hottest fan Ivana Knoll pulls down bikini to reveal her tan lines as she suns herself in the Maldives

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      WORLD CUP sensation Ivana Knoll left little to the imagination as she shared photos from her trip to the Maldives.The Croatian has been busy since leaving Qatar and decided to unwind in the sun on the Indian Ocean islands.
      Ivana Knoll left little to the imagination in a skimpy bikiniCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Days earlier the Croatian posed topless on the beachCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana often wows her 3.6million followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      The former Miss Croatia shot to fame at the World CupCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana has been busy since leaving QatarCredit: Splash
      Ivana took the world by storm with her appearances at the World Cup, and she has now built up an Instagram following of 3.6million.
      The 30-year-old treated her followers to some saucy snaps by posing in a skimpy black bikini.
      She even pulled down her bra to reveal tan lines, writing: “Finally some tan lines.”
      Ivana later showed off her athletic figure with some beach snaps.
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      She smiled from ear to ear and appears to be thoroughly enjoying her trip to the Maldives.
      Last week Ivana shared a topless beach pic that attracted over 200,000 likes in an hour.
      The former Miss Crotia has had a busy start to the year and recently shared a clip of her pole dancing.
      She saw in the new year alongside actor Jamie Foxx and later attended a star-studded party alongside Drake held by Leonardo Di Caprio.
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      Some fans have questioned Knoll’s authenticity, questioning whether she has had any surgery.
      When asked if her lips were natural by a fan, Knoll replied: “Yes!!!! My mother also has big lips and guess some ppl have natural big lips.”
      Another fan went a step further and questioned whether her bum was real.
      Knoll insisted: “No! I didn’t do BBL and I don’t have implants.
      “Just genetic. Lot of food and workout.” More