World Cup

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Kennedy Alexa displays fine form as she prepares to join England WAGS making World Cup debuts

      by

      WAG Kennedy Alexa displays fine form as she gets ready to join the England wives and girlfriends making their World Cup debuts.Alexa, 28, will be cheering on partner and Leicester City star James Maddison, 25, in Qatar.
      Alexa Kennedy, 28, will be cheering on partner and Leicester City star James Maddison, 25, in QatarCredit: Instagram
      Aine May Kennedy, 25, will be cheering for Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher, 22,Credit: Instagram
      Conor Coady, on loan at Everton from Wolves, is taking proud wife Amie, also 29Credit: Instagram
      The pair have a 16-month old son, Leo.
      Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher, 22, will be supported by his better half Aine May Kennedy, 25.
      And 29-year-old Conor Coady, on loan at Everton from Wolves, is taking proud wife Amie, also 29. 
      She wrote on Instagram: “So unbelievably proud of you, what an achievement!
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP 2022
      “You have worked your whole life for this moment.
      We can’t wait to watch you live your football dream!
      We will be with you every step of the way.”
      Leicester City star James Maddison is heading to the tournamentCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Chelsea star Conor GallagherCredit: Getty
      Conor Coady is currently on loan at EvertonCredit: Getty
      Most read in Football More

    • 300 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      England can win World Cup 2022 to end 56 years of hurt and Kane can equal my final hat-trick record says 1966 icon Hurst

      by

      SIR GEOFF HURST is the only man ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.But the England legend told SunSport that his 1966 feat could finally be equalled in Qatar.
      Harry Kane will lead the line for England at the World CupCredit: PA
      Kane was England’s top goalscorer at the 2018 World Cup in RussiaCredit: THE TIMES
      Sir Geoff Hurst believes Kane can fire The Three Lions to glory in QatarCredit: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB
      And Three Lions skipper Harry Kane is the man who can do it.
      In an exclusive interview, Sir Geoff said: “Harry Kane can score a hat-trick in the World Cup final.
      “It will happen again. If anybody has a chance of doing it, it will be Harry, his goalscoring record is fantastic. I have the utmost confidence in him.”
      Many fans are downbeat about the chances of success for Gareth Southgate’s side, who have not won since March, at the first winter World Cup.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      Sir Geoff, though, is excited about the tournament, which starts a week tomorrow.
      And he believes England can go one better than they did last summer, when they lost to Italy in the final at the Euros.
      The 80-year-old former West Ham striker said: “England can win the World Cup again.
      “We have had some disappointing results recently, there has been a little bit of negativity that I do not go along with.
      Most read in Sport
      PLAY OUR DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP FANTASY FOOTBALL GAME TO WIN A SHARE OF £50k
      “We have got the best bunch of young players.”
      Having listened to fans booing in 1966 after drawing 0-0 with Uruguay in the opening match of that World Cup on home soil — and others calling for him to be dropped for the final, Hurst knows all about proving doubters wrong.
      If England are to win the World Cup they need players with his inner strength.
      Faced with career setbacks and personal tragedies, Sir Geoff has never been the type to let anything keep him down.
      Rather than going into the 1966 group stages upset about not starting, this modest and quietly spoken man was happy to be part of a “brilliant 22”.
      Even after scoring the winner in the quarter-final and creating another in the semi-final he did not expect to play in the final at Wembley because he did not consider himself to be “technically the best” player.
      He said: “To achieve what I achieved, you can’t be the type of character who was down when they didn’t start a tournament, like I did when Jimmy Greaves and Roger Hunt started. Some players could be disillusioned.
      “I was just happy to be there among a brilliant 22. The attitude was so important, that was one of my characteristics. I remember clearly sitting on the bench in the World Cup, not picked for the first game, I was thrilled to bits.”
      In the final against West Germany he netted the “perfect hat-trick”, one with his head, one with his right foot and the other with his left, in the unforgettable 4-2 victory.
      That stoicism helped him find a way through the kind of heartache that would floor many people for good.
      Sir Geoff gets emotional about the loved ones he has lost in a Sky documentary titled Hurst: The First and Only, which airs tomorrow.
      In the past, the father-of-three found it too painful to talk about the death of his eldest daughter Claire from brain cancer in 2010 at the age of 46.
      Sir Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick in England’s World Cup triumph in 1966Credit: GETTY
      Hurst reckons Kane can replicate his feat in Qatar next monthCredit: THE SUN
      Now, though, he opens up about those dark days. He recalls his “beautiful” daughter speaking out loud the words no father wants to hear as he gave her a lift home.
      “It’s a killer, Dad,” she told him a couple of years before the end.
      Claire had kept the deadly condition at bay for over 20 years and the England legend did not want to accept it would ever be fatal.
      Sir Geoff said: “She was 23 when she initially had the problems, it was misdiagnosed for a while.
      “So almost half of her life she was having treatment, operations, dealing with that brain tumour. She coped brilliantly.
      “I don’t think you ever accept it is going to happen, you don’t think so really, right until the end, she was really brave, she was a beautiful girl.
      “Every day I’ve got pictures in the house in prominent positions, I see her every day as I walk out and walk back in.”
      He also broaches the subject of his younger brother Robert’s suicide in 1974 and the loss of so many team-mates.
      Robert was four years younger and he said: “I wasn’t aware there were issues.
      “I can’t say he acted strangely or was difficult at all. It was a complete shock.”
      The 1966 heroes Hunt, midfielder Nobby Stiles and defender Jack Charlton all died during the Covid pandemic.
      Sir Geoff is one of three surviving members of the 1966 team, with right-back George Cohen and midfielder Bobby Charlton, who it was revealed two years ago has dementia.
      Read More on The Sun
      He added: “One of the player’s wives referred to us as family and we were that close and remained so for decades.”
      Hurst: The First and Only will be shown on Sky Documentaries on Sunday. More

    • 263 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Conte warns Southgate to be careful with Harry Kane at World Cup 2022 despite starting ‘really tired’ ace in Carabao Cup

      by

      ANTONIO CONTE told England boss Gareth Southgate: Look after Harry Kane.The Tottenham striker has played more minutes than any other Premier League star this term.
      Harry Kane has played more minutes than any other Premier League player this seasonCredit: Rex
      Spurs chief Antonio Conte is concerned by the amount of minutes Kane has playedCredit: Rex
      The Italian has urged England boss Gareth Southgate to look after the strikerCredit: GETTY
      Boss Conte, who admitted his skipper is “really, really tired”, even started him in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
      The Italian is expected to pick Kane against Leeds on Saturday — but wants Southgate to go easy on him.
      England face Iran in their World Cup opener in nine days and Conte warned: “There’s a big risk. All the players have played a lot.
      “Coaches of national teams have to be very good to manage the situation.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      “When you are a player like Harry that gives everything in every game, it’s very difficult to give him rest, to put him on the bench.
      “After our game against Leeds there are eight days to prepare for the World Cup.
      “Until now, we have managed the situation and, believe me, it was really, really difficult.
      “To play 13 club games in 43 days, mentally you could be a bit tired.”
      Most read in Football
      PLAY OUR DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP FANTASY FOOTBALL GAME TO WIN A SHARE OF £50k
      Marathon man Kane — scorer of 11 Premier League goals — has played 1,845 minutes this season in all competitions for Tottenham.
      Incredibly, that is the most playing time of ALL Prem players of all nationalities this term.
      And players’ union Fifpro warned stars are being “pushed past acceptable limits” by a “saturated” schedule to allow for the winter tournament in Qatar.
      Fifpro general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann said: “There is a lot of concern.
      “You have players who play all the time. This is the number one topic for many players that they see really impacting their careers.”
      Conte added: “Harry is working very well. We are talking about a player with great experience to manage his body.
      “Top players have to be good to manage these situations.
      “You make the difference by managing these situations in the right way.
      “When you’re a top player it’s very difficult for the manager to put them on the bench.
      “You need your top players to play.”
      Kane, 29, was subbed after 59 minutes of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup defeat at Forest.
      But ahead of today’s Prem clash against Leeds, Conte added: “When I watch Harry, I see a player that wants to play every game.
      “This is good. This is important for me because it means he feels well. He feels a lot of energy in his body.
      “Tottenham is now at the top of his thoughts. Until Saturday.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Then for sure, he is the captain of England, the most representative player. His eyes are full of energy.
      “The fans must not be worried for him. Harry is going to play a fantastic World Cup.”
      Harry Kane played 59 minutes in Spur’s Carabao Cup defeat to Nottingham ForestCredit: Rex More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Qatar is too hot, too prejudiced, too sober and too restricted for a World Cup.. Fifa has sunk so low

      by

      THE mistake was, said ex-Fifa president Sepp Blatter with the air of the man who had just found the Mary Celeste, that Qatar was too small for a World Cup.The handsome merchant brigantine — that’s the ship not Blatter — was found drifting minus the whole crew and later sold off only to be deliberately wrecked in an insurance scam.
      Controversy has followed Qatar ever since it was awarded World Cup hosting rightsCredit: AP
      Rather like the supreme committee who elected Qatar. They have also disappeared, one or two of them to prison, most others in hiding tarnished by accusations of bribery, fraud and money laundering.
      They left us all with the biggest sporting event after the Olympics to be held in a desert. Old man Blatter’s confession understates the country’s unsuitability with a schoolboy excuse.
      Too small? It’s also too hot, too prejudiced, too sober, too restricted, too male-orientated, too undemocratic. Readers might wish to add to this list.
      Now some chap who was once a local footballer — and incredulously said that homosexuality is “damage to the mind” — asks us all to be kind to Qatar and leave it in peace to get on with hosting.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      So has Fifa chief Gianni Infantino, who by the way moved to Doha a year ago. They are entitled to their opinion, as are we all.
      Mine is simple. When Qatar launched what was to be its surprisingly successful bid (an obvious choice once the Cayman Islands wasn’t available!) it should have done so in the knowledge that there was going to be a lot of verbal stone-throwing.
      The guilty parties who voted for Russia and Qatar were not only politically blind but geographically stupid.
      The original proposal for summer football in Qatar, despite promises of air-conditioned stadiums, was preposterous.
      Most read in Football
      PLAY OUR DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP FANTASY FOOTBALL GAME TO WIN A SHARE OF £50k
      When that sank in, the competition dates were changed to November and December, which capsized domestic leagues across the globe.
      At this point, Fifa should have pulled back and chosen a summer competition in countries where there are already plenty of big stadiums and football is played and watched by millions.
      My suggestion would have been the UK and the Republic or Ireland, where summers are warm rather than devastatingly hot. We have the infrastructure. Grounds would be full, the welcome generous and tolerant.
      I am told we have no chance of a successful bid for decades to come but there are a number of European countries who would have been ideal. 
      But no, promises had been made and money paid so it will be played among Doha’s towers, or in outlying deserts among the oil wells and camels.
      Gareth Southgate leads England to this unique mid-season tournament in the Middle EastCredit: PA
      Qatar is insanely rich and constantly looking for ways to spend its oil money.
      Until the 1960s the Emirates was a British protectorate, now it’s one of the UK’s greatest investors in property.
      It now owns property which spans more than 1.5 times the area of London’s Hyde Park worth £40BILLION, including The Shard, Harrods and part of the London Stock Exchange.
      But even if it repaired the Houses of Parliament and rebuilt Hadrian’s Wall, human rights protesters wouldn’t be silenced. Nor should they be.
      If the media had not reported the deaths of hundreds of stadium workers in Qatar, would anything have been done? We have to doubt it.
      I am sure the Qataris hoped that hosting the World Cup would put them on the world stage.
      It certainly has, which is why you must be careful what you wish for. More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      World Cup will be a superspreader event – I know the best way you can protect yourself from a flu outbreak

      by

      YES, I know, I know. It’s happening at the wrong time of year in the wrong kind of place and we’ll doubtless end up with the wrong result.But once it gets going, all that will be forgotten.
      Social distancing will be long forgotten as bars pack out for the World CupCredit: Reuters
      We’ll be watching and we’ll want to be watching it together.
      Because — despite Fifa’s best efforts to mess things up — this is what football does and it’s what the World Cup does in spades.
      And the great nation coming together is one aspect of this World Cup which could be really special, precisely because the timing is all wrong.
      The atmosphere, as we crowd into pubs and so on to watch the games, is going to be something else.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP
      It’s always great during the usual summer tournaments but, crammed indoors with winter raging outside, it’s going to be so much more intense.
      While frosty winds will blow their worst outside, inside we’ll be heating ourselves up to fever pitch watching the football together.
      This will be the 28th international football tournament in my lifetime.
      The other 27 I’ve watched over long summer days and evenings. And I’ve loved them.
      Most read in The Sun
      DELIGHTING AND DESPAIRING
      Now I’m really looking forward to being part, for once, of some wintry World Cup fervour.
      But, but, but. As ever in football, there is a big but.
      If we can catch football fever from each other jammed in pubs delighting and despairing at the drama, there will be other bugs we can pick up from each other too.
      When Covid came along we had to learn a whole new way of living and new vocabulary to go with it.
      There was that thing called social distancing, and the notion of certain environments being great vectors for infection, and certain occasions becoming known as superspreader events.
      I don’t think you need to be very highly qualified in epidemiology to work out that hundreds of football fans, in a confined space, shouting, chanting, jumping around, kissing and crying, will facilitate the passing of germs.
      They’ll be getting sprayed around the place like nobody’s business.
      But, whatever, the craic will be so great that a few coughs and colds will be a price worth paying.
      Some catarrh thanks to Qatar? So what?
      Except, if we’re not careful, it could be about a whole lot more than an outbreak of winter sniffles.
      Covid is always threatening to send a new wave to break over us, quite possibly in the form of worrying new variants.
      And then there’s that annual killer, winter flu.
      Something we don’t worry about enough, which is daft, because it’s not rare and it’s well worth not getting because it’s extremely unpleasant and could even finish you off.
      If only there was something we could do to keep us safe from all this, freeing us up to whip up our football passions and hug and kiss strangers without fear of spreading anything other than joy or despair.
      If only the NHS that we applauded so loudly could somehow help us out.
      If only more of us realised that, of course, the NHS not only can vaccinate us but is desperate to do so.
      Yes, join The Sun’s campaign and get jabbed for Covid and jabbed for the flu. Do The Double.
      If you haven’t done that, then ask yourself why not, especially if you’re planning to spend large parts of the next month in confined spaces with others like you, shouting at TV screens.
      I’m sorry, but if you stood and applauded the NHS but now don’t help them out by doing the double, this winter of all winters, then you’re possibly a bit of a hypocrite.
      It really isn’t hard. It can’t be that hard. Because I’ve done it.
      First I got the flu one done, then the Covid booster a week later.
      The only challenging thing was explaining to jabber number two why I still had the plaster on covering jabber number one’s work a full week earlier.
      I assured him I did wash regularly, just not very thoroughly.
      GLORIOUS WORLD CUP
      As one of Britain’s leading hypochondriacs and a serial sufferer of terrible man-colds, I’m happy to report that the side-effects amounted to not very much at all.
      I felt a little bit rough after the Covid jab but it can’t have been so bad because that very afternoon I went to see West Brom at QPR.
      And we won, which restored me to rude health anyway.
      So come on, let’s do this. Let’s get right behind England and Wales in what yet could be a glorious World Cup for us.
      Read More on The Sun
      Let’s Do The Double, then get ourselves down the pub, shut out the bleak mid-winter and enjoy the ride.
      Or, to put it another way, Do The Double so if and when the football does end in tears, you don’t have flu or Covid adding to your misery.
      Do the double and get jabbed for Covid and the winter flu More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      England’s World Cup stars look unrecognisable in cute childhood photos – but can you tell who is who?

      by

      FOR these footie-mad cheeky chappies their dreams have come true – they’re going to play at the World Cup.Some of the players named in England’s squad by manager Gareth Southgate on Thursday celebrated by posting cute throwback pics of themselves.
      James Maddison began his career in Coventry City’s academyCredit: Instagram
      Leicester City midfielder James Maddison showed he was England-crazy as a kid – complete with St George’s cross face paint.
      The in-form star was the big late addition to the squad heading to Qatar.
      There is one weekend of Premier League matches left before the squad fly out to the tournament.
      Here are some of the England players when they were dreaming of World Cup glory  . . . and where their footie dreams began.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP
      Mason Mount has came through the Chelsea Academy into their first teamCredit: Instagram
      Declan Rice started in the Chelsea Academy before joining West HamCredit: INSTAGRAM/MASON MOUNT
      Kalvin Phillips started out with Wortley FC Juniors before joining Leeds UnitedCredit: INSTAGRAM/KALVIN PHILLIPS
      Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford began with Washington Envelopes, Tyne and Wear
      Raheem Sterling played for Alpha & Omega FC in North West London
      Kyle Walker came through the Sheffield United youth system
      Harry Kane began with Ridgeway Rovers in Chingford, North London
      Jude Bellingham went from the Birmingham City academy to the first teamCredit:
      Marcus Rashford began with Fletcher Moss Rangers FC, West Didsbury, Manchester
      Phil Foden starred for the Manchester City Academy and won the Premier League for their first teamCredit: Instagram @philfoden
      Jack Grealish started out with Highgate United FC, SolihullCredit: More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      World Cup 2022 prize money: How much will the winner earn?

      by

      IN just days time, the ball will be rolling in Qatar, where 32 teams will battle it out for World Cup glory.And it’s not just pride they will be playing for.
      France won the 2018 World Cup in RussiaCredit: PA
      As well as lifting the iconic trophy, the winners can expect a hefty cash prize for their contribution.
      FIFA are notorious for giving out ground-breaking sums as prizes for tournaments.
      Read More on World Cup
      And this year is no different, with huge financial rewards up for grabs.
      How much will the winner earn?
      Earlier this year, FIFA confirmed that the tournament winners will receive a record £35million, a £3m increase from 2018 and a whopping £27m increase from the 2006 World Cup.
      However, it’s not just the winners who will profit from Qatar. Every side will walk away £1.2m richer just for qualifying.
      Individual players can also expect to fill their pockets. Australia are reportedly set to pay each of their players £128,000 with an extra £164,000 to be awarded if they reach the knockout stages.
      Here is a breakdown of how much teams will earn based on how far they progress in the tournament.

      Group stage – £7.5m
      Round of 16 – £11m
      Quarter-finals – £14m
      Fourth place – £21m
      Third place – £23m
      Runners-up – £25m
      Winners – £35m

      Most read in Football More

    • 238 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      ITV pundits pick their World Cup 2022 winners with Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Lee Dixon all in disagreement

      by

      ITV PUNDITS have predicted their winners for the World Cup – but the experts are deeply divided on who will lift the trophy. The tournament in Qatar is a little over a week from kicking-off and anticipation is high for the unique mid-season World Cup.
      Gary Neville believes Gareth Southgate’s men could pull off a World Cup to rememberCredit: ITV
      Ian Wright was alone among ITV pundits in his pick for who the World Cup winners could beCredit: PA
      Predictions vary among fans on will make it to the end, suggesting viewers could be in for an exciting and unpredictable month of football.
      And even pundits can’t agree on which nation will be claiming the Jules Rimet trophy.
      Seven ITV pundits put forward their guess on the eventual winners – and only one went for England.
      Neville – who will also be doing analyst work for BEIN Sports – believes Gareth Southgate’s side can go one better than their Euros 2020 campaign.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP

      The Three Lions lost on penalties to Italy in the final last year but Neville thinks they can go one step further and replicate the infamous 1966 team.
      But Wright has opted for an Argentinian win in what will be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup.
      Argentina have previously won the tournament twice in 1978 and 1986 but have since lost in two finals in 1990 and 2014.
      Popular pundit Ally McCoist was one of three ITV pundits to go for a Brazil win – alongside Lee Dixon and John Hartson.
      Most read in Football
      PLAY OUR DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP FANTASY FOOTBALL GAME TO WIN A SHARE OF £50k
      Brazil’s squad is so packed full of talent that Liverpool’s in-form Roberto Firmino could not even find his way into it.
      Meanwhile like Neville, Nigel de Jong has opted for his own country to win it and believes the Netherlands can end their World Cup hoodoo.
      The Dutch hold the record for most World Cup finals without winning it, having made their way to the grand finale in 1974, 1978 and 2010.
      And finally Andros Townsend believes France will retain their trophy after their 2018 World Cup win.
      As is tradition, BBC and ITV will share the matches with ITV set to air their first match on Monday November 21 with Senegal v the Netherlands.
      Kylian Mbappe will be looking to add another World Cup to his collection after he scored against Croatia in the 2018 finalCredit: AFP More