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      Ivan Toney facing huge ban after being charged with 232 breaches of FA betting rules after missing out on England squad

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      IVAN TONEY is facing a huge ban after being charged with 232 breaches of FA betting rules.The news comes just days after the Brentford striker missed out on Gareth Southgate’s 26-man England World Cup squad.
      Ivan Toney was in action for Brentford last weekendCredit: Getty
      Toney, 26, was in September’s England squadCredit: Reuters
      SunSport revealed earlier this month that Toney was at the centre of a match-betting probe.
      In a statement today, the FA confirmed: “Ivan Toney has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breached of the FA’s betting rules.
      “It is alleged that the Brentford FC forward breached FA Rule E8 232 times between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021.
      “Ivan Toney has until Thursday 24 November 2022 to provide a response.”
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      The striker took to Twitter to release a statement on the matter on November 6.
      He wrote: “I’m aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today.
      “I have been assisting the Football Association with their enquiries and will not be making any comment until such investigation has reached its conclusion.
      “I am a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup finals.”
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      Toney dreamed of representing England in QatarCredit: Getty
      The striker modelled the Three Lions’ kits as part of the launchCredit: Getty
      Following today’s news, Brentford released the following statement: “Brentford FC has been informed that Ivan Toney has been charged with breaches of FA Rule E8.
      “The Club has been in discussion with Ivan and his legal representatives about this matter and those conversations will continue privately.
      “We will make no further comment until the matter has been completed.”
      Toney, 26, was in the England squad for their Nations League clashes with Italy and Germany in September, but did not make his Three Lions debut.
      The forward has been in red hot form for Brentford this season.
      He has bagged 10 goals in 14 Prem appearances for Thomas Frank’s side.
      Toney, who has captained his club seven times this season, scored twice during his side’s stunning 2-1 win at Manchester City on Saturday.
      England star Kieran Trippier was penalised for breaking FA betting rules after telling a friend to “lump on” ahead of his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid in 2019.
      Trippier did not directly place a bet but following an investigation he was banned from football activity for ten weeks and fined £70,000.
      In 2016 Joey Barton was found to be in breach of the betting rules after placing 1,260 bets over a period of ten years.
      The following April he was banned for 18 months, effectively ending his career as he retired instead of deciding to appeal his punishment.
      Read More on The Sun
      Former England striker Daniel Sturridge was banned for four months in January 2018 after being found guilty of passing on information relating to his transfer.
      He was also hit with a £150,000 fine and Turkish club Trabzonspor terminated his contract. More

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      Neymar reveals his two favourite England players before World Cup 2022 – including Man Utd star who MISSED OUT on squad

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      JADON SANCHO has been described as “incredible” by Neymar despite not making Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.The Brazilian superstar revealed his two favourite England players and the Manchester United winger was one of them.
      Neymar claims Kane and Sancho are his two favourite England starsCredit: Getty
      The Man Utd star missed out on Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World CupCredit: Getty
      Hot shot Harry Kane – who captains the side bidding to win World Cup for first time in 56 years – was the other.
      Yet the 30-year-old forgot about the Three Lions when discussing who he thinks will lift the trophy.
      Neymar told The Telegraph: “I believe the favourites are Argentina, Germany, Spain, and France.
      “I think those four along with Brazil are fully capable of reaching the final.
      READ MORE ON QATAR WORLD CUP
      “I really forgot about England but obviously they have a chance!
      “I really like Kane and Sancho. They’re two incredible players and I have a special love for them because I like players that have their qualities.”
      Sancho, 22, has endured a difficult start to the 2022-23 campaign so far.
      And it came as little surprise when it was announced that he had been left out of Southgate’s 26-man squad.
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      He has scored just three goals in 14 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
      But he will be buoyed by the nod of admiration from Neymar.
      The PSG striker is out in Doha already, preparing for the global showcase.
      The tournament starts on Sunday with Brazil having to wait until Thursday to kick off against Serbia.
      Neymar stunned his international team-mates with an outrageous show of skill in training.
      The squad were given a test which involved dropping a ball from a height of 35 metres – above even the stadium roof.
      And in typical Neymar fashion he led by example by bringing the ball under immediate control with a ridiculously good first touch.
      With his second touch he used his knee to flick the ball into his hands – cue pandemonium from his team-mates.
      Read More on The Sun
      They immediately began cheering and surrounding their captain gleefully.
      Brazil are also the bookies’ favourites to win the World Cup for a sixth time, having last lifted the trophy in 2002. More

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      Kyle Walker rules himself OUT of England’s World Cup 2022 opener vs Iran despite taking part in training on Wednesday

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      KYLE WALKER has ruled himself OUT of England’s World Cup opener against Iran.Gareth Southgate selected the Manchester City star in his 26-man squad for Qatar, despite him having not played for his club since October 2.
      Kyle Walker took part in England training todayCredit: PA
      Walker, 32, was involved in the session in 32 degree heatCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Walker, 32, gave his manager a boost by taking part in England training today.
      The defender took part in a session at the Al Wakrah SC Stadium – where temperatures reached 32C on Wednesday.
      But the opener vs Iran next Monday will come too soon for the full-back, according to Sky Sports.
      Walker himself claims, however, that he will “raring to go” for their next matches.
      READ MORE ENGLAND NEWS
      The Three Lions take on the USA on Friday, 25 November, before a Battle of Britain tussle with Wales on Tuesday, 29 November.
      Updating fans on Walker’s status when naming his squad for Qatar, Southgate said: “Kyle’s a little bit different in that he’s not back in full training yet but he’s going to be available before the end of the group stage.
      “Of course we had to make a very difficult call with Reece [James] who we think is a fantastic player but he wasn’t going to be available, if everything went perfectly, until the latter stages of the tournament.
      “There are too many unknowns for us on that road to recovery and also I don’t think we can take a player who is not available for the group stages as that would be deemed arrogant in some circles.
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      “But also, if everything went well and he was available and he was ready and we were picking him, then you’d be dropping him into a quarter-final after eight weeks out and that would be really demanding. Tough call.
      “Kyle is a long way ahead of that and is progressing really well.”
      The 70-cap star has made just seven Prem appearances this term, having suffered with a groin injury during the 6-3 win over Man United. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo MISSES Portugal training with Man Utd star suffering from ‘stomach bug’ ahead of World Cup 2022

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has suffered a World Cup scare after coming down with illness.The Portuguese star is currently with the national team in Lisbon preparing for the showpiece in Qatar.
      Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Portugal training today due to a stomach bugCredit: Getty
      The forward is currently preparing for the World Cup after his explosive interview with Piers MorganCredit: Getty
      However, he will miss their training session tonight as he is currently suffering with a stomach bug.
      Portugal take on Nigeria in their capital city tomorrow in their final friendly before the tournament in the Middle East.
      Now it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will feature due to his illness.
      They begin their Group H campaign next Thursday against Ghana before then facing Uruguay and South Korea.
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      Meanwhile, Hollywood superstar Will Ferrell has thrown the door open for Cristiano Ronaldo to reunite with Gareth Bale at Los Angeles FC.
      The Portuguese star has caused shockwaves at Old Trafford after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, which airs tonight.
      He hit out at Manchester United for “betraying” him and making him feel like a “black sheep” as well as blaming him for everything going wrong at the club.
      The striker revealed he does not respect manager Erik ten Hag and blasted the club’s lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013 – the last time they won the title.
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      That has left United debating what to do with the 37-year-old, who failed to secure a summer transfer exit.
      But actor Ferrell, who part-owns MLS club LAFC in the USA, is adamant that he would have no issues in bringing Ronaldo to America.
      However, he says that the forward, who is currently on World Cup duty, may have to accept a significant salary drop from his current £500,000-a-week salary.
      Ferrell told talkSPORT: “Always come to LA! You’re welcome.“We can’t pay you that much, but there’s really nice golf courses and beaches. Just try it!”
      Bale moved to Ferrell’s LAFC in the summer from Real Madrid, where he won the Champions League four times playing alongside Ronaldo.
      The Welshman was celebrating again recently as he inspired his new club to the MLS Cup with a last-gasp equaliser in the final.
      However, David Beckham has made a sensational move to lure Ronaldo to Inter Miami.
      SunSport exclusively revealed Miami’s interest in the United outcast on October 9.
      Read More on The Sun
      And owner Beckham has now spoken to Ronaldo’s representatives and been told he is interested in a switch Stateside.
      Watch ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored: 90 Minutes with Ronaldo’, 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday on TalkTV. Find TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 and Sky Glass 508, live and on demand on the TalkTV app, streaming services and at Talk.TV More

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      World Cup 2022 odds boost: Kylian Mbappe to win the Golden Ball at 12/1 with William Hill

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE properly burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old at the 2018 World Cup.Now big things are expected of him heading to Qatar this time around and William Hill have a special price boost to mark the occasion.
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      Mbappe will form part of a star-studded French forward line as the defending champions look to go back-to-back.
      They will be hoping the World Cup winners curse evades them this time around.
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      With Australia and Tunisia games either side of Denmark, the PSG superstar will be eager to rack up a good goal tally early in the competition.
      He won the Young Player of the Tournament in 2018 and matched some of Pele’s records on route.
      He became the second teenager after the Brazilian legend to score in a World Cup Final, the second teenager after Pele to score twice in one match and also France’s youngest ever scorer in the World Cup.
      His trajectory hasn’t stopped at club level and if France are to go deep in the competition, he’ll likely have a huge part to play.
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      Match ball from Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal ‘sells’ for £2MILLION at auction by shameless ref

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      THE match ball Diego Maradona punched during his notorious “Hand of God” goal has sold for £2million.Referee Ali Bin Nasser decided to sell the ball which he had kept since England’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat at the 1986 Mexico World Cup.
      Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal sent England out of the 1986 World Cup in MexicoCredit: Getty
      Ref Ali Bin Nasser kept hold of the ball after the controversial World Cup quarter-final gameCredit: Darren Fletcher
      The ball now is partially deflated after so many yearsCredit: AFP
      Argentina legend Maradona, who aged 60 in 2020, famously said he scored with “a little with the head of Maradona, a little with the Hand of God”.
      He also scored his “goal of the century” winner in the match, weaving past five England players and goal keeper Peter Shilton.
      Tunisian Bin Nasser, 78, has previously insisted his view of the infamous handled goal was blocked so he followed FIFA rules by checking with his linesman before allowing it.
      The bumbling ref was recently criticised for making money out of his blunder by flogging the ball for a fortune.
      But when approached by The Sun he said: “I’m still selling it. I don’t care what you think.”
      England legend Gary Lineker was less than impressed with the move.
      The former Three Lions striker, who played in the match in Mexico, said: “How the hell did the referee end up with the ball?
      “I’m so thrilled he’ll cash in on his cock-up.”
      Before the sale, auctioneers Graham Budd estimated the partially deflated Adidas Azteca ball – the only one used for the entire 90 minutes of the match – would fetch  £2.5m to £3m.
      Read More on the World Cup
      However, because the bid of £2m didn’t meet the reserve price, negotiations are now taking place.
      A spokesman for the auctioneers said after the sale: “It was sold for £2million, but that did not meet the reserve price.
      “There are now negotiations taking place between the bidder and seller to see if that sale price is acceptable.”
      The ball is formed of 32 pentagonal panels with a black and white design inspired by the architecture and murals of the Aztec civilisation that flourished in central Mexico through the 14th to 16th centuries.
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      The auctioneers’ notes stated: “After 36 years the ball is partially-deflated. Buyers should seek professional conservation advice before attempting to re-inflate the ball.” 
      Meanwhile, the one penny coin used by the referee for the 1966 World Cup final toss was sold for £9,000 – more than four times the auctioneer’s anticipated final sale price of between £1,000 and £2,000.
      The coin was flipped by Swiss ref Gottfried Dienst – with Bobby Moore winning the toss – before England beat Germany 4-2 at Wembley to record the country’s only World Cup win.
      Dienst kept hold of the copper alloy penny until it was acquired from him by British football memorabilia collector Bryan Horsnell, who put it up for sale.
      It bears Queen Elizabeth II’s profile on one side and Britannia on the other.
      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, former England goalscoring hero Sir Geoff Hurst’s white 1970 World Cup shirt, when England went out to Germany in the quarter-final in Mexico, fell well short of the dizzying figures of his 1966 Wembley winning top, which in 2000 sold for £91,750.
      England’s less successful fortunes saw the later No. 10 Umbro, Airtex, short-sleeved jersey with the three lions badge go for £8,500  – still well over the auctioneer’s pre-sale best estimate of £3,000.
      Maradona, centre, scored twice in the qualter-final game against EnglandCredit: AFP More

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      Why is Son Heung-min wearing a mask at the World Cup for South Korea?

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      SOUTH KOREA superstar Son Heung-min is set to wear a mask during his time at the winter World Cup – and it’s not to hide his identity.The Tottenham Hotspur ace was almost ruled out of the huge Qatar tournament before confirming that he wouldn’t miss it ‘for the world’.
      Son Heung-min wore a mask during South Korea’s World Cup trainingCredit: AFP
      And now, Son has been pictured in training wearing a marvel-type mask.
      Find out why the tricky winger has been forced to wear a mask below…
      Why is Son Heung-min wearing a mask?
      Son Heung-min is wearing a protective mask following a fractured eye socket he sustained in a Champions League win a couple of weeks ago.
      Son suffered a fractured eye socket in a Champions League win over MarseilleCredit: Reuters
      Son was forced to come off early in the win against MarseilleCredit: Reuters
      The Spurs star had a sickening collision with Marseille defender Chancel Mbemba’s shoulder.
      Read more on Son Heung-min
      And as a result, Son required immediate attention, before coming off the field early where he then needed to undergo surgery a few days later.
      Thankfully for the South Korea captain, the surgery was a success and he was then called up to the Asian giants World Cup squad.
      What has Son Heung-min said?
      The Tottenham forward revealed how honoured he is to play for his country and that it will take a lot more than a fractured eye socket for him to miss the World Cup.
      Son said: “Playing for your country at the World Cup is the dream of so many children growing up, just as it was one of mine too.
      “I won’t [miss] this for the world. I can’t wai to represent our beautiful country. See you soon. Sonny.”
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      Harry Maguire has ‘achieved MORE’ for England than icons John Terry & Rio Ferdinand ahead of World Cup 2022 says O’Hara

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      HARRY MAGUIRE has “achieved MORE” for England than either John Terry or Rio Ferdinand.That’s according to Jamie O’Hara, who is backing the Manchester United captain to make a lasting impact at the Qatar World Cup.
      Harry Maguire has made more of an impact for England than two legends, says Jamie O’HaraCredit: Getty
      O’Hara reckons Maguire outshines Rio Ferdinand and John Terry when it comes to the Three LionsCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      Maguire, 29, has started just five games for United this season, leading to questions over his inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
      But not only is the centre-back part of the 26-man side, he is also set to start in Monday’s group opener against Iran.
      Southgate sees Maguire as a key part of his Three Lions set-up and has no plans to cut him out yet.
      The decision for Maguire to get in ahead of players including Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi is not a popular one with fans.
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      But pundit O’Hara believes the ex-Leicester man is more than deserving of his place in England’s starting XI.
      Indeed, the former Tottenham man reckons Maguire has contributed more towards the national team than either Chelsea legend Terry or Utd icon Ferdinand, both regarded as two of the greatest defenders ever.
      Speaking on TalkSport, fellow pundit Jason Cundy asked O’Hara: “When was the last time we [England] had a top, top, top class centre-half?”
      O’Hara responded: “They got to the European final and the World Cup semi-final.
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      “Harry Maguire has been in the team of the tournament in the World Cup and the Euros.”
      Cundy then said: “But you can’t put him in the same bracket as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.”
      O’Hara then retorted: “No you can’t at club level, but why can’t you at international level? He has achieved more than what they’ve done.
      “Harry Maguire has achieved more than Rio Ferdinand and John Terry at international level.” More