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      This winter will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last dance at the World Cup – are Dream Team World Cup bosses overlooking him?

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has scored 117 goals in international football, more than any other player in the history of men’s football.Since his 30th birthday, he’s scored 66 goals in 73 appearances for Portugal.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s pedigree is well known, yet it’s worth repeating on the brink of the 2022 World Cup – and amid the launch of Dream Team World Cup! – as Qatar is likely to play host to his last dance at the most prestigious tournament of the lot.
      Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time and victory at Euro 2016 ensured he ticked off an international trophy on his elite checklist (he also collected a Nations League medal in 2018/19) but the World Cup has rarely been a joyous stage for him.
      Whereas Pele and Diego Maradona both defined their legacies with World Cup triumphs, the Portuguese No7 and his contemporary, Lionel Messi, have achieved greatness despite frustrations on the biggest stage of them all.

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      Ready for the last danceCredit: getty/DREAM TEAM
      In 2006, Ronaldo was one of the most promising young talents on display but he was developing as a more traditional winger, hence why he scored just the one goal as Portugal finished fourth in Germany.
      In South Africa in 2010, his only goal came in a 7-0 thrashing of North Korea – a strike which ended a rare drought of 16 months in international football.
      Four years later, he played through a injury and was noticeably hampered, not even his late winner against Ghana could drag Portugal to the knockout stages.
      This was a case of terrible luck and timing for Ronaldo as the tournament in Brazil coincided most closely with his peak years – he scored 61 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid in the season that followed.
      All this meant that by the time he was preparing for his fourth edition of the tournament in 2018, his record at the world’s most-watched sporting event read: three goals in 14 games.
      Injuries hindered Ronaldo at the 2014 World Cup
      Ronaldo set about realigning the numbers with a superb hat-trick against Spain in his first outing in Russia – his most memorable World Cup moment to date.
      A goal against Morocco in the following group game bolstered his record further but defeat to Uruguay in the round of 16 meant Portuguese fans were once again left disappointed with their side’s efforts at the tournament that matters most.
      Now 37 years old, Ronaldo is ready for one final throw of the dice in a World Cup setting and anyone who has observed his career even casually will know his mentality towards the task at hand, such is his relentless desire for accomplishments.
      And it’s his state of mind that could be his greatest asset in Qatar now that his speed and physical sharpness have diminished with age.
      Erik ten Hag has made sparing use of Ronaldo for Man United this season and, truth be told, the Red Devils have generally played better without their legendary No7 on the pitch.
      Still Ronaldo possesses a sense of inevitability and hunger for goals that is unmatched in world football.
      Fernando Santos, whose stint as Portugal coach has coincided with the best years of Ronaldo in international football, will hope to harness his captain’s main character energy in Qatar and may even be thankful that his workload at club level has been managed this term.
      Ronaldo has conquered Europe but the World Cup has eluded himCredit: getty
      And it wasn’t that long ago Ronaldo claimed the Golden Boot at Euro 2020, which is why it’s surprising how few Dream Team World Cup gaffers have included him in their provisional teams so far.
      It’s early days but an ownership of 6.5% makes him just the 12th-most popular striker in the game.
      Portugal have been drawn against Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea in Group H and while that promises to be one of the more competitive sets of fixtures, Santos’ side are favourites to come out on top.
      Darwin Nunez and Aleksandar Mitrovic currently appear in more teams.
      Ronaldo may be at the tail end of his career and his record of seven goals in 17 World Cup games might not align with his greatness in other competitions but at the end of the day he is still Ronaldo – betting against him in rarely profitable.
      Dream Team World Cup managers are encouraged to select provisional teams now, prices and updated squads will be finalised next week – you can make as many changes to your XI as you like until the tournament gets underway.

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      Jason Cummings named in Australia World Cup squad despite playing twice for Scotland

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      JASON CUMMINGS has been named in Australia’s World Cup squad… despite twice being capped by Scotland.The Edinburgh-born striker represented the Tartan Army in friendly matches against the Netherlands and Hungary during the 2017-18 season.
      Jason Cummings scored on his Australia debutCredit: Getty
      Cummings, 27, earned two Scotland capsCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow
      Holding dual-nationality thanks to his Australian mother, Cummings opted to switch allegiances after falling out of the Scotland fold.
      The forward was eligible to do so having only played in non-competitive internationals for Scotland – and having already held Aussie citizenship at the time of his Tartan Army debut.
      He received his first Socceroos call-up in September, scoring from the bench in a friendly victory over New Zealand.
      Cummings, 27, will now head to Qatar after sufficiently impressing boss Graham Arnold during his cameo.
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      The forward began his senior career at Hibernian, before joining Nottingham Forest in 2017.
      He swiftly fell out of favour at the City Ground, however, returning north of the border to join Rangers on loan.
      Further temporary spells at Peterborough and Luton followed, before a permanent switch to League One Shrewsbury.
      A year back in Scotland with Dundee would then follow, Cummings bagging 14 goals in 36 games for the Den’s Park side.
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      In January of this year he left Dundee for a new adventure Down Under, penning an 18-month contract with A-League side Central Coast Mariners.
      He’s been a hit with the Aussie outfit, scoring 12 goals and assisting a further eight since making the move.
      Cummings is joined in the Australia World Cup squad by plenty of other UK-based players.
      Sunderland’s Bailey Wright and Middlesbrough’s Riley McGree are in there – as well as Cummings’ Central Coast Mariners team-mate Garang Kuol, who has agreed to join Newcastle in January.
      Cummings isn’t the only Scottish-born star in Arnold’s squad – with Harry Souttar and Martin Boyle also making the cut.
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      Hearts trio Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles and Cameron Devlin have been selected – as well as Celtic’s Aaron Mooy and St Mirren’s Keanu Baccus.
      Former Arsenal goalkeeper Mathew Ryan will skipper the side.
      Cummings is joined in the squad by Newcastle new boy Garang KuolCredit: Getty More

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      When will England’s final 2022 World Cup squad be announced?

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      ENGLAND will be hoping to bring the World Cup home when Gareth Southgate’s side travel to Qatar in November.The England boss is set to name his World Cup squad before the tournament starts – and there will be some disappointed players.
      Ben Chilwell will NOT be part of the England squad after the Chelsea full-back picked up an injuryCredit: PA
      England were among the favourites to lift the trophy in Qatar, but a recent horror run of results has seen the Three Lions slide down the reckoning.
      However, Harry Kane and Co would have had the perfect send off had they completed an incredible comeback against Germany.
      Here is all you need to know about when England will name their squad and what to expect…
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      What date will Gareth Southgate name England’s 2022 World Cup squad?
      A provisional long list of 55 players will be picked on October 20 for visa and admin purposes, though this won’t be publicly announced.
      Gareth Southgate then has right up until the deadline of Sunday, November 13 to submit his squad for the finals.
      England are not playing any warm-up games for the tournament, so the defeat to Italy and draw to Germany were the last matches the Three Lions played before the tournament.
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      How many players can be named in a World Cup squad?
      England are planning to name their squad on Thursday, November 10.
      All 32 World Cup managers can name 23 to 26 players in their squads.
      The deadline for the World Cup squad announcements is November 13. More

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      Reece James injury update with Chelsea star set to hand Southgate huge World Cup selection dilemma

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      REECE JAMES has been told he could be fit in three weeks – leaving England boss Gareth Southgate with a massive selection dilemma.Chelsea defender James is recovering from a knee injury and Southgate names a 26-man squad for the World Cup in just 48 hours.
      Reece James is a major doubt for the World CupCredit: REX
      The Chelsea defender is still recovering from a knee injuryCredit: AP
      James, however, is doing everything in his power to make it on the plane to Qatar 2022Credit: SIMON JONES
      James is refusing to give up on his dream of joining them in Qatar and has spoken to specialists who believe he could be ready to play by the end of the month.
      England face Wales in their third and final Group B game on November 29 and are hopeful of progressing to the first knockout round and beyond.
      Fullback James, 22, was in blistering form for Chelsea prior to getting hurt and was Southgate’s first-choice right-back for the tournament.
      The England head coach must now decide whether to take a huge gamble and include James in the tour party heading to the desert.
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      England first play Iran and the USA before the home nations clash against the Welsh.
      James would miss those two opening games and still have to work flat out to be ready after that.
      The absence of James has caused a massive headache for Southgate and England.
      Fellow right-back Kyle Walker of Manchester City has not played since undergoing groin surgery on October 6.
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      He has been declared fit to go to the tournament but is woefully short of match sharpness.
      Liverpool’s out-of-sorts Trent Alexander Arnold and even Arsenal’s converted centre-back Ben White are being considered for the right-back slot.
      Taking James would be a big gamble on a player who only recently was on crutches after damaging ligaments playing for Chelsea in a Champions League match at Milan.
      But it has happened before. Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson took crock striker Wayne Rooney to the World Cup in Germany even though he was still on his way back after breaking bones in his foot.
      Southgate named Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson in his Euro 2020 squad last summer despite the pair carrying injuries into the tournament.
      Reece James hasn’t given up hope of turning out for the Three Lions later this monthCredit: SIMON JONES
      Southgate submits a final squad list to governing body FIFA on Monday, 24 hours before flying out to Qatar.
      Despite being forecast to be out until mid-December, James has remained optimistic about his chances of playing in his second major tournament for The Three Lions.
      He told SunSport: “I need to keep working hard over the next few weeks and see where I am on call-up day.
      “I will try and not rule myself out. It is still slow and in the early stages.
      “I have been in rehab for two weeks, so I am still taking it day by day.
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      “The Chelsea medical staff have not given me a percentage of my chance of being back for the World Cup.
      “It is down to how I feel closer to the time and how stable it is.” More

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      World Cup 2022 – England vs Iran: Date, TV channel, live stream and kick-off time for Three Lions’ first Qatar match

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      ENGLAND’S World Cup campaign begins in under two weeks as they take on Iran in their first clash in Qatar. The Three Lions’ last World Cup campaign ended in agony as they lost 2-1 to Croatia in the semi-finals of the 2018 edition in Russia.
      England play Iran in their opening World Cup game in QatarCredit: Getty
      But four years on from then, and with a Euro 2020 final appearance in the bag too, Gareth Southgate’s men are looking to finally overcome the very last hurdle.
      It’s been 56 years since England won their first and only World Cup, and expectations of the team continue to grow every four years.
      Iran will be their first test, before further group stage clashes with rivals Wales and 2010 World Cup group rivals USA.
      This tournament could be make or break for Southgate, who may view the Qatar showpiece as his last opportunity to finally win major silverware as England boss.
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      When is England vs Iran?

      England’s 2022 World Cup opener with Iran will get underway from 1pm UK time on Monday, November 21.
      The game will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar’s capital Doha.
      The stadium was opened in 1976 and can hold up to 45,000 fans.

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

      England vs Iran will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The game is FREE to watch on the BBC, so long as you have a TV licence.

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      When will England’s 26-man squad be announced?
      After a rule change by FIFA, World Cup squads will now be allowed to name 26-man squads rather than the previously permitted 23.
      Each manager has to select their 26-man squad by November 13, a week before the tournament starts. More

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      Watch Neymar’s shock reaction to Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli making Brazil World Cup squad ahead of Rberto Firmino

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      NEYMAR was seemingly left stunned by Gabriel Martinelli’s inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad.The Arsenal hitman – who has been a shining light in Mikel Arteta’s side over the last two seasons – was selected in Tite’s 26-man squad for Qatar 2022 on Monday.
      Gabriel Martinelli’s form for Arsenal has earned him a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squadCredit: GETTY
      Neymar looked surprised to hear of Gabriel Martinelli’s inclusion in the squad
      Neymar watched the squad announcement with his two childrenCredit: @neymarjr
      And although his inclusion in the squad didn’t come as a surprise to fans of the Premier League, it appeared to be a massive shock to Neymar.
      The Paris Saint-Germain ace hitman seemingly raised his eyebrows in disbelief after hearing Martinelli’s inclusion – at the expense of Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino – in the squad before his own name was announced on Brazilian TV.
      Footage of his reaction quickly went viral and became the talk of social media, with one footy fan saying: “The reaction to Martinelli.
      “I would love to see Gabi finding out he made it.”
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      Another said: “Nelli’s coming for his spot soon, that’s why.”
      And another said: “Neymar hearing Martinelli’s before his name made him shook.”
      One remarked: “He knows he needs to up his game or else Martinelli is gonna bench him.”
      Another chimed in: “Neymar thought his spot was in danger for a moment.”
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      Gunners star Martinelli is part of the 11-man Premier League contingent of Brazil’s squad for Qatar 2022.
      Manchester United trio Antony, Casemiro and Fred have all made the cut – despite the Red Devils’ inconsistent season.
      Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva will be one of the oldest outfield players in the tournament at the age of 38 following his selection.
      Liverpool duo Fabinho and Alisson have also been called up to the squad – as well as Arsenal and Tottenham stars Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison.
      Read More on The Sun
      Newcastle and West Ham stars Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta have also made the final squad for the tournament – as well as former Leeds ace Rafinha.
      But there was no room in Tite’s squad for Firmino or Gabriel Magalhaes, both of whom have enjoyed strong seasons with Liverpool and Arsenal respectively. More

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      Prince William makes awkward comment to Harry Kane ahead of World Cup

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      PRINCE William risked an awkward clash with Harry Kane — by saying England defeats have helped him deal with life’s disappointments.The royal sat down for a chat with the England skipper and fellow Three Lions’ ace Declan Rice, a fortnight from their opening World Cup match in Qatar.
      Prince William sat down with Harry Kane a fortnight before England’s World Cup opening matchCredit: YouTube/COPA90 Football
      William photographed with footie royalty – World Cup hopefuls Harry Kane and Declan Rice
      Discussing football’s effect on mental health, William told them that England crashing out of previous tournaments had taught him valuable life lessons.
      He also revealed he loved the “carnage” of school football matches, and how he modelled his own game on former England defender Rio Ferdinand, though far less successfully.
      Meanwhile, Rice spoke about the current England squad’s positive mindset — and revealed the Euro final loss to Italy at Wembley last year had brought them closer together.
      William, 40, told the pair: “You learn by playing a number of times, and many other things in life, that disappointment is part of life and how you handle it is crucial.
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      “Handling some of those really disappointing England results in the past, that was hard.
      “I found that really difficult, because again the same euphoria that we had comes crashing down.
      “You feel high and all together, and then normal life just gets on again.”
      William told how at school he would sometimes join in four games with 60 pupils playing at the same time.
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      He said: “Some of the greatest friendships are born from playing games and being pushed together in slight adversity.
      “The sheer size and scale and just the fun of everyone running around chasing each other, I loved it.
      “I was a defender, I was stuck at the back and told to just tackle.”
      The prince said he looked to former Man United defender Rio for “inspiration” but joked: “He was ahead of me just a little bit as time went on.”
      He added it was a “big moment for me” when then-boy wonder Wayne Rooney made his first England appearance at the age of 17.
      West Ham captain Rice, 23, told how the heartache of losing to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley last summer was eased by manager Gareth Southgate.
      The prince said it was a ‘big moment’ for him when Wayne Rooney made his first England appearanceCredit: PA
      He said: “There was a special moment after that game, the togetherness when we all came into a huddle after we’d lost that, and Gareth said some really important words.
      “As a group, I think that brought us forward together because then we had to qualify for a World Cup in the next round of games.
      “We really overcame that setback of losing that final, showed our togetherness and our strength and I feel that we are in a really good place as a national team.”
      In the 25-minute video chat – released a fortnight before England play Iran – William praised the work of Shout, a free and confidential 24-hour text messaging service for people struggling with their mental health.
      Kane, 29, revealed his love of football began when his dad gave him a fiver after he scored his first goal aged five.
      And he was now trying to help youngsters himself, as Shout has worked with his charitable Harry Kane Foundation.
      Read More on The Sun
      The Spurs forward said: “My aim is to, especially to the younger generation, talk to them and try and provide ways of talking about mental health and wellbeing.
      “The more we talk about it and open up, it will definitely help solve and hopefully encourage people not to be afraid to ask for help, especially when you are feeling a little bit lower.”                    More

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      Watch Brazil stars including Man Utd new boy Antony’s incredible reactions as they find out they are in World Cup squad

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      PREMIER LEAGUE trio Antony, Richarlison and Bruno Guimaraes’ emotional reactions to being selected for Brazil’s World Cup squad have gone viral.The Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle stars were confirmed as part of Tite’s 26-man team for Qatar 2022 later this month.
      Antony waited patiently for selection to be announcedCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONY00
      The Manchester United man was overcome with emotion after being selectedCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONY00
      Toon star Bruno Guimaraes was mobbed by his family after his selection was announcedCredit: @Marcelo_Hazan
      Richarlison wore his own Brazil shirt as he celebrated hearing his name read out in a room full of familyCredit: Instragram: Richarlison
      All three had their respective families with them as they watched the squad announcement live on Brazilian television.
      Antony’s loved ones wore Manchester United tops and sat on the sofa as the squad was being announced.
      And they leapt for joy as the 22-year-old name was announced.
      The former Ajax winger shared the heartwarming clip on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
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      His accompanying caption read: “For you!!! Thank you, God!!
      “Thank you everyone… friends, family, mom, dad, brothers!! Love you!!! Too much emotion!!”
      Spurs star Richarlison – who was surrounded by his family – couldn’t look at the TV as the announcement was made.
      But he was the picture of happiness after his name was read out, leaping to his feet and embracing his loved ones.
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      Guimaraes and his loved ones – including his newborn son – also sat on the sofa as they waited for the Toon star’s name to be read out.
      And they jumped to their feet as the midfielder’s selection for the tournament was confirmed.
      Guimaraes’ celebration, however, was somewhat mooted as he was holding his little bundle of joy.

      Newcastle fans were quick to comment, with one saying: “Well deserved Bruno.”
      Another said: “Haway, Bruno.”
      And another said: “Well deserved, Bruno.”
      Antony, Richarlison and Guimaraes are three of 12 Premier League stars who will be on Brazil’s plane to Qatar.
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      Alisson, Ederson, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli have all made the cut.
      But Selecao chief Tite has opted not to pick Arsenal and Liverpool stars Garbriel Magalhaes and Roberto Firmino – the latter of whom has scored nine goals so far this season. More