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      Lisandro Martinez arrives back at Man Utd with World Cup medal allowing club to end Luke Shaw centre-back experiment

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      LISANDRO MARTINEZ has returned to Manchester United following Argentina’s World Cup triumph.The defender, 24, lifted the iconic World Cup trophy last month after Argentina defeated France in an action-packed final.
      Martinez returned to training wearing his World Cup medalCredit: https://twitter.com/ManUtd
      The defender won the World Cup with Argentina last monthCredit: Getty

      Following the historic victory he, along with fellow Premier League stars Emiliano Martinez and Alexis Mac Allister, was given extra time off over the Christmas period.
      He returned to Carrington last week, one day after the Red Devils’ 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
      And he rocked up to training wearing his World Cup winners medal.
      Martinez is expected to return to action on Tuesday when United take on Bournemouth.
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      During his pre-match press conference on Monday, Erik ten Hag revealed that he was “optimistic” that the defender will be ready to star.
      He said: “We have to see. Both [Martinez and Scott McTominay, who has been ill] were training yesterday and today, so I am quite optimistic about them returning to the squad, both of them.”
      Martinez will likely replace Luke Shaw, who has been playing out-of-position as a centre-back for the past week.
      Ten Hag also praised Shaw for his “fabulous” performances in defence against Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
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      He added: “We have seen the last two games. I think he did fabulous and was impressing, we know also he is really good as a left full-back but it’s an extra option and [that] is always good for a team.”
      Man Utd currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, 11 points behind Arsenal. More

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      World Cup’s ‘hottest fan’ Ivana Knoll parties with Jamie Foxx in Miami after squeezing into tiny bikini

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      THE World Cup’s ‘hottest fan’ Ivana Knoll partied with Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx in Miami after squeezing into a tiny dress.The model wowed supporters in Qatar last month with her bold outfit choices which went against Qatar’s conservative dress codes.
      Fans were given a treat as the model showed off her frame in a small black bikiniCredit: INSTAGRAM
      It was a New Year’s party to remember for Ivana Knoll as she partied with film star Jamie FoxxCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Foxx smiles for the camera as he enjoys a lively bash in MiamiCredit: INSTAGRAM
      And she’s started off the New Year in equally eye-catching fashion as she attended a big party in Miami.
      Former Miss Croatia winner Knoll kept fans up to date with her night with a series of Instagram posts.
      Before that, she gave followers a treat as she showed off her figure in a black bikini.
      The star later videoed herself in into a small and tight blue outfit as she prepared for a New Year’s bash.
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      The busty influencer would have left jaws on the ground with the sizzling snap where she wore black heels and showed off a lot of leg.
      Knoll then arrived at her party and snapped herself with “friend” Jamie Foxx.
      Ivana Knoll has 3.6m followers on Instagram
      The Croatian beauty has never been shy about showing off her many outfits
      The actor and singer, who has starred in films such as Django Unchained and Spider Man, can be seen sitting next to the beauty at a lively party.
      He smiles and playfully wags his finger while music plays in the background.
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      Later she dances in front of the camera before again giving viewers a glimpse of Foxx.
      Knoll remains stood next to him when he grabs the mic and starts singing along to the music, and later when he wishes partygoers a happy 2023.
      The Croatian stunner has 3.6m Instagram followers and regularly posts snaps of herself enjoying life.
      She regularly went viral at the World Cup with spectacular and revealing pictures which set pulses racing. More

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      Pele mourners line the streets to say final farewell to football legend at his boyhood club before he is laid to rest

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      PELE mourners lined the streets today at Santos football stadium to say a final farewell ahead of the legend’s funeral. Three-time World Cup winner Pele died on Thursday aged 82 after a long battle with cancer.
      Mourners stand in line outside Vila Belmiro stadiumCredit: Getty
      Fans line up to see Pele’s coffinCredit: Getty
      People line up to pay their respects to PeleCredit: AP
      Pallbearers carry the casket of Brazilian soccer legend PeleCredit: Reuters
      Pele’s widow Marcia Cibele Aoki and son Edinho as Pele lies in an open casketCredit: Reuters
      Pele died at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancerCredit: Getty
      His funeral will be held in the stadium where he played some of the best matches of his career.
      Pele had been receiving treatment for a tumour in his colon – but stopped responding to care.
      On Thurday evening the news broke that the greatest player in history has sadly passed away due to multiple organ failure as a result of his cancer.
      Pele died with his family by his side and holding his hand.
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      The South American nation is now preparing to say goodbye to the football legend as his funeral takes place today and tomorrow.
      His coffin arrived at the Santos pitch early on Monday after travelling from hospital in Sao Paulo.
      Pele will be placed in the centre of the field and fans will be able to pay their respects for 24 hours before a procession through the streets of Santos to celebrate the icon.
      Visitation will start at 10am today and finish on Tuesday at the same time.
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      Pele’s coffin will then be carried through the streets and will pass in front of the home of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste.
      The burial will take place at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica and only family will attend.
      His final resting place will be in a unique “vertical cemetery” in a 14-floor building which includes 14,000 vaults, a waterfall and a car museum.
      It includes crypts, rooms to hold services, a crematorium, and a mausoleum “for families who want to preserve their legacy in a more personal and private way”.
      It even contains a tropical garden that includes a small rooftop cafe and a waterfall also.
      Brazil also announced three days of national mourning for Pele.
      Nicknamed The King, Pele won three World Cups with Brazil between 1958 and 1970 – the only player in football history to achieve the feat.
      His amazing haul of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which included friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record.
      He also scored a remarkable 77 goals in 92 games for the national team – a record equalled by Neymar at the recent World Cup.
      The current Brazilian No.10 has led the huge outpouring of tributes to the late, great superstar along with modern day greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
      Pele made his debut for his local team Santos aged just 15 and won his first cap for the Brazil national team at 16. 
      He won the World Cup in 1958 aged just 17, and then won it again in 1962 and 1970.
      The South American superstar racked up 643 goals in 659 appearances for club side Santos across his 18-year spell.
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      He also played for the New York Cosmos and retired in 1977, in an exhibition match between the Cosmos and Santos.
      The hearse carrying Pele’s coffin arrives at Santos ahead of the football legend’s funeral in the stadiumCredit: Getty
      The hearse carrying the body of Pele arrives to the Vila Belmiro stadiumCredit: AP
      His funeral will be held in the stadium where he played some of the best matches of his careerCredit: AFP
      Pele will be placed in the centre of the field and fans will be able to pay their respects for 24 hoursCredit: AFP
      Brazil is preparing to say goodbye to the football legendCredit: AFP More

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      World Cup penalty hero Harry Kane rakes in eye-watering sum from sponsorship, image rights and property investments

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      WORLD Cup penalty flop Harry Kane is on target in business, bagging a £22million fortune.Accounts show that the 29-year-old Tottenham and England star is raking in the cash through a pair of companies.
      Kane, 29, investments have risen by a combined £4.3million over the course of the past yearCredit: Getty
      HK28 Ltd, which handles his image rights and sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike and Mars, had its best year and has more than £9million in assets.
      Meanwhile, Edward James Investments holds properties worth £13.1million.
      His investments have risen by a combined £4.3million over the course of the past year.
      The accounts, filed at Companies House last week, are dated up to March 31 2022.
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      The England skipper runs the property firm with his brother Charlie and parents, Kim and Patrick.
      The couple sealed a dream move earlier this year – after moving into a 1million-a-year rented mansion.
      His sprawling seven-bed property has its own spa, cinema room, staff quarters and lift system.
      The Spurs marksman has been on fire once again this season, bagging 14 goals in 23 games for the Lilywhites and equalling Wayne Rooney’s 53 goal record for England during the World Cup.
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      Harry, on £200,000 a week at Spurs, missed a crucial penalty in England’s quarter-final defeat by France in Qatar. More

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      Lionel Messi and stunning wife Antonela end historic 2022 at World Cup winner’s Rosario mansion with water slide

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      LIONEL MESSI ended his World Cup-winning year alongside his stunning wife Antonela and their three kids at their Rosario mansion. The legendary footballer, 35, captained Argentina to their third World Cup triumph in December.
      Messi and his family posed for a picture to celebrate a historic 2022Credit: Instagram @leomessi
      Messi’s Rosario mansion has a waterslideCredit: Instagram @leomessi
      Messi’s wife and kids cheered him on as he won his first and possibly his only World CupCredit: Instagram @leomessi
      Messi scored seven goals and assisted three in Qatar, including a brace in the dramatic final win over France.
      Argentina’s 26 heroes, and staff, then returned home and were met by millions of fans.
      But before returning to Europe to rejoin his club, Paris Saint-Germain, Messi saw out 2022 in his hometown of Rosario in his mansion – that comes complete with a waterslide – alongside stunning wife Antonela and three kids Mateo, Thiago and Ciro.
      They also enjoyed family parties while back in town.
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      The Messi family posed for a photo in their stunning house, celebrating the historic year.
      Messi will hope for more goals, assists and trophies in 2023.
      He is just 26 goals behind long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has played 142 more games.
      Ronaldo’s Champions League goal-scoring records are also up for grabs.
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      Messi is trailing the Al-Nassr new boy by 11 goals.
      And a Champions League win in May alongside Kylian Mbappe and Co would see Messi lift his fifth European title.
      A Ligue 1 title win before that would see Messi draw level with former Barcelona team-mate Dani Alves as the most decorated footballer in history.
      Messi is also one of the favourites for the Ballon d’Or, which would be his eighth golden ball.
      Messi scored a brace in the World Cup finalCredit: Getty
      Messi and Antonela are childhood sweetheartsCredit: Getty
      The Messi clan after the finalCredit: Getty More

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      Argentina joker Emi Martinez makes gesture to Hugo Lloris as World Cup finalists meet for first time since Qatar

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      EMI MARTINEZ again consoled Hugo Lloris again as the World Cup final keepers met just two weeks after their shootout drama in Qatar. But if Martinez was seen as a joker in the Middle East, Lloris was judged by some as a clown at Tottenham Hotspur stadium as his error gifted Aston Villa the opener in a 2-0 win.
      Emi Martinez made a point of commiserating with Hugo Lloris once more, this time at club levelCredit: Getty
      Two weeks earlier Martinez was consoling Lloris after Argentina won the World Cup final against France following a shootoutCredit: Rex
      Once more, though, the Argentina No1 showed his more sporting side to his rival stopper.
      Villa sub Martinez sought out Lloris for a knowing handshake.
      Just a fortnight ago, the ex-Arsenal keeper had done the same after Argentina won the World Cup final 4-2 on penalties following a 3-3 draw.
      That epic triumph was thanks in part to Martinez dancing around to distract France’s spot-kick takers.
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      He then spiced up that controversy with suggestive antics when celebrating with his winner’s medal.
      But he only had a watching brief this time as Sweden keeper Robin Olsen had a solid game to help Villa ease into mid-table.
      It left Spurs fifth as pressure mounts on manager Antonio Conte.
      Argentinian winger Emi Buendia punished Lloris’ blunder on 50 minutes and Villa’s linchpin midfielder Douglas Luiz drilled a neat clincher.
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      Martinez was also spotted in the tunnel before kick-off singling out Lloris for their first greeting since returning from Qatar.
      But when Lloris slipped up for Buendia’s simple goal, Paddy Power couldn’t resist a reference to the final in Qatar.
      The bookie posted: “I don’t know how, but, somehow, Emi Martinez is responsible for sh**housing that mistake out of Hugo Lloris.” More

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      I starred at the World Cup and almost beat France – now I’m homeless in London but I’ll never stop fighting

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      FORMER Canada international Paul James who featured at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico is now homeless in London.The Cardiff-born 59-year-old – who went to the same school as Garath Bale – played 47 times for his country.
      James in action against the USSR
      Paul is now sleeping rough on the streets of LondonCredit: Getty
      And he played against some of football’s best, including France great Michel Platini.
      Canada lost all three of their World Cup 86 group games to France, the USSR and Hungary.
      But they put in a good account of themselves, especially against France, narrowly losing 1-0.
      Speaking to the Daily Mail, James said: “What we achieved at that World Cup was phenomenal, when I think of how good we weren’t.
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      “We performed miracles to keep the score lines so predictable.”
      But despite turning out at the Olympics and a World Cup, James is now homeless in London having been unemployed for the last 13 years and without a permanent home for six.
      Pre-pandemic, James had been living in Canada, but returned to the UK angry at his treatment in the country he represented.
      James felt he faced discrimination for his history of using crack cocaine.
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      He says this was evident when he lost his job as head football coach at York University in Toronto in 2009.
      James feels York had a duty of care to offer him support – which he didn’t get – and he says he was forced to resign.
      He said: “I don’t think you should call anyone a drug addict, a crack addict, a junkie.
      “The words conjure up irrationality and a series of labels which view those exposed as: criminal, scary, irrational, unreliable, to be avoided, diseased, loser, dirty, lazy, scum, non-employable. Can you see how disgusting that language is?
      “How do you ever recover from being labelled a homeless crack addict? You don’t.”
      Before finding shelter at a hostel near Holborn in Central London, James had been living on scraps of cardboard at Charing Cross or Westminster Cathedral.
      James carries around most of his belongings in a black sports bag, and has picked up bits of work, like sweeping the roads on Oxford Street.
      But a knee injury made it impossible to continue in that line of work.
      Despite this, James is determined not to give up and wants to regain his independence.
      On why he wants to support himself, James declared: “To be independent.
      “To regain a semblance of normality. To be able to wear my own clothes and shoes and not second-hand ones. To not have to fundraise to purchase my own items.
      “To regain independence from the metaphorical prison condemned as an innocent for thirteen lost years, not by the UK to whom I feel indebted, but Canada as a nation.
      “To find and rekindle the passion, enthusiasm, and positivity I once had.
      “And, on top of everything, to find an avenue to connect with people.”
      James has reached out to former team-mates and colleagues since moving back to the UK.
      Read More on The Sun
      And one night sleeping in Victoria, his former team-mate Paul Peschisolido, husband of West Ham vice-chair and SunSport columnist Karren Brady, took him a blanket and some food.
      Peschisolido recently brought James some new trainers and a coat for his birthday. More

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      Watch Hugo Lloris’ horror gaffe as Tottenham goalkeeper continues nightmare World Cup final form to gift Buendia goal

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      HUGO LLORIS blundered horribly in his first game since his World Cup final woe as Tottenham slumped to a costly 2-0 home loss against Aston Villa.The France keeper gifted Villa the opening goal as he spilled a Douglas Luiz long-ranger and scrambled in vain as Ollie Watkins teed up Emi Buendia to slot home.
      Hugo LLoris scrambles in vain as he tries to rectify his costly mistake
      Hugo Lloris will not want to see this again! 😲Emi Buendía makes the Tottenham ‘keeper pay for his mistake with a calm finish! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gzHt5vcdXK— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 1, 2023

      Lloris’ display in the Qatar showpiece against Argentina came under fierce scrutiny.
      And at 36, his Spurs future beyond this season might be in doubt unless he regains his best form.
      Needing victory to leapfrog Manchester United back into fourth place, Tottenham succumbed tamely, Buendia and Luiz firing home after the break.
      And fans on social media were merciless about Lloris’ contribution as Spurs took their poor run to just one win in seven games.
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      One observer said: “He’s used to bottling. Did it for France and make Martinez (Argentina keeper) look big.”
      Another said: “I’m not a Spurs fan, but all Lloris seems to do is make mistakes?”
      An armchair critic who definitely was a Tottenham supporter posted: “We need a shake-up. Hugo is not up to PL any longer.
      “The defence is very poor midfield non-existent. If Harry (Kane) doesn’t score, where are the goals?”
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      In contrast to Lloris, Argentina counterpart Emiliano Martinez watched from the bench – two weeks after his key but controversial role in the World Cup final shootout win over France.
      The South Americans triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw, with Martinez saving one spot-kick and dancing around to put failed taker Aurelien Tchouameni off.
      Hugo Lloris reflects on his misery as Spurs dropped out of the top fourCredit: Reuters More