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      Ex-Chelsea manager Avram Grant confirmed as shock new Zambia national team boss after four-year break

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      AVRAM GRANT has accepted the “challenge” of becoming Zambia boss.The former Chelsea and West Ham manager has signed a two-year deal with the African nation, who are ranked 88th in Fifa’s rankings.
      Avram Grant has one of the most diverse CVs in football managementCredit: Getty
      He replaces caretaker Moses Sichone who took charge in September following the departure of former Croatia international Aljosa Asanovic.
      Grant said: “I was looking for the right challenge and that’s why I chose Zambia. 
      “I came here because of the challenge and I hope when I leave here I will look around and say we did a good job and made a good foundation for the future.
      “Zambia has the potential, we have set the targets of what we want to achieve.”
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      Grant led Ghana to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final before resigning after finishing fourth two years later.
      The Israeli boss was once a regular face in English football after being named as the shock successor to Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese boss was sacked at Chelsea in 2007.
      He would have been a Champions League winner had John Terry not slipped during a crucial penalty in the shootout against Manchester United in 2008.
      Grant would also take crisis club Portsmouth to an FA Cup Final in 2010, before taking charge of West Ham and leading them to relegation a year later.
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      The 67-year-old’s first senior job in management was all the way back in 1986, while his last job was in 2018 as interim boss of Indian football club NorthEast United FC, who were only founded in 2014.
      Elsewhere, Poland boss Czeslaw Michniewicz will leave at the end of the month following their last-16 World Cup exit.
      The Polish FA have decided not to extend the 52-year-old’s contract after 11 months in charge. 
      Poland drew 0-0 with Mexico, beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 and lost 2-0 to Argentina in their group games before being dumped out by France.
      Polish FA president Cezary Kulesza added: “Michniewicz took over the team at a difficult moment.
      “Despite these circumstances, he managed to earn qualification to the World Cup and also kept the team’s place in the Nations League elite.
      “He also led the national team to the first World Cup knockout stage in 36 years. For this, Michniewicz deserves thanks.”
      Poland appointed the ex-Legia Warsaw boss after parting ways in January with Portuguese Paulo Sousa, who asked to be relieved of his duties in December 2021. More

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      Salt Bae posts unrecognisable throwback photo as a fresh-faced 12-year-old without his trademark sunglasses

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      SALT Bae shared a throwback photo from his childhood looking unrecognisable without his trademark sunglasses and slicked-back ponytail.The celebrity chef was pictured looking fresh-faced as a boy in 1995 without his signature props to hide behind.
      The celebrity chef looked unrecognisable in the throwback snap he sharedCredit: Alamy
      A young Salt Bae was seen looking fresh-faced as a 12-year-oldCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae has sparked fury after invading the pitch as Argentina celebratedCredit: instagram
      The Turkish social media star – real name Nusret Gökçe – uploaded the adorable snap to his Instagram highlights.
      He was seen at the tender age of 12 sitting behind a cash register – forecasting his money-making career as a world-renowned restauranteur.
      The young Salt Bae sported his usual serious stare while posing in a white shirt paired with a matching cap.
      Gökçe simply captioned the snap: “Salt Bae 1995.”
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      Fans of the controversial Nusr-et frontman hardly recognised him without his signature shades and perfectly groomed ponytail.
      The fame hungry chef seems to be digging old throwbacks to quell the controversy surrounding his World Cup antics.
      He posted an old video of him hugging Lionel Messi from their only known previous meeting in 2018 after the Argentinian star snubbed him on the pitch.
      Messi and his wife dined at Gökçe’s steakhouse in Dubai before embracing after chowing down an extortionate meal.
      Most read in World Cup 2022
      But Salt Bae’s 50million Instagram followers branded it “cringe” and accused him of a desperate attempt to prove he is pals with Messi after getting the cold shoulder days earlier.
      The outlandish chef was seen badgering the superstar as he revelled in Argentina’s World Cup win.
      He grabbed Messi’s arm repeatedly until the footie ace finally relented and posed for a picture.
      The fury continued after he posted pics on Instagram of him holding the 18-carat gold trophy – a privilege reserved for the winning team and heads of state.
      Salt Bae muscled in among the squad to grab the limelight and even snatched the trophy from Cristian Romero’s baby.
      He then acted out his trademark salt-sprinkling trick over the £17million award as irritated players watched on in confusion.
      It seems Salt Bae had worked up an appetite with his embarrassing antics – as he took a chunk out of Franco Armani’s winner’s medal.
      Gökçe looked like he was craving one of his extortionate gold-encrusted steaks as he gnawed at the goalkeeper’s award.
      He posed with the medal between his teeth while it was still tethered around Armani’s neck in the awkward snap.
      Other images show him boldly grabbing Argentinian players’ medals just moments after they had been awarded them.
      Influencer Dan Bilzerian even spoke out amid the controversy, claiming Gökçe has been harassing him for years.
      The “King of Instagram” said he knew the chef was “weird” after he bombarded him with wacky pictures of himself.
      The disgraceful spectacle reportedly broke Fifa’s rules and saw BBC host Gary Lineker brand him a “pest.”
      Fifa has now launched an internal investigation into how Salt Bae invaded the pitch at the World Cup Final.
      Gökçe is said to be pals with controversial Fifa chief Infantino, who praised him as “number one” after visiting his Qatar steak house during the tournament.
      He was filmed saying: “Football unites the world and Nusrat unites the world as well.”
      If he was given “access all areas” accreditation, that would open the governing body to allegations of cronyism or special treatment for Infantino’s friends, reports The Times.
      The controversy prompted footage of Diego Maradona mocking the Nusr-Et tycoon’s gimmick right in front of him to resurface.
      The Argentinian legend poked fun at Sat Bae during a visit to one of his restaurants in 2018.
      But the chef bit back with another publicity stunt – by sharing a video showing a “permanently reserved” table as a shrine to the late and great footballer.
      Former Brazil striker Ronaldo and left back Roberto Carlos – world cup winners in 2002 – enjoyed a slap-up meal at his Qatar branch on November 28.
      Current squad players Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Éder Militão and Bremer also joined the party after they beat Switzerland.
      England’s Jack Grealish, Poland ace Robert Lewandowski and the Spanish team also visited during the tournament.
      Read More on The Sun
      Last month, Salt Bae sparked fury for boasting how a group racked up a bill for £140,584 at his diner in Abu Dhabi.
      A single steak from the evening was over £1,000, and the group spent almost £115,000 on wine alone.
      Fans of the social media star could hardly recognise him without his signature sunglasses and ponytailCredit: Social Media
      Salt Bae has undergone an incredible transformation since his younger yearsCredit: Instagram More

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      Emi Martinez set to miss Aston Villa vs Liverpool on Boxing Day as Argentina ace yet to return from wild World Cup party

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      EMI MARTINEZ looks set to miss Aston Villa’s Boxing Day clash against Liverpool as he is yet to return from Argentina.The goalkeeper has been at the centre of wild World Cup celebrations following the penalty shootout win over France on Sunday.
      Emi Martinez appears set to miss Aston Villa’s Boxing Day game against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Martinez is yet to return to training after helping Argentina to World Cup gloryCredit: Getty
      Martinez, 30, was due to hold talks with Aston Villa boss Unai Emery over his return after the game, according to the Mail.
      However, the club are yet to confirm whether the stopper will be available to play against Liverpool.
      It’s claimed the game at Villa Park will come too early for Martinez, who is still in talks with the club.
      Instead the New Year’s Day trip to Tottenham seems to be a more likely return fixture for Martinez.
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      Aston Villa gave all of their World Cup representatives a week off when their respective tournaments ended.
      Their return to Premier League action on Boxing Day comes eight days after the World Cup final win over France.
      Martinez has been enjoying the celebrations after helping Argentina to victory on Sunday.
      He made a crucial save late in extra-time to deny Randal Kolo Muani before stopping Kingsley Coman’s penalty in the shootout and seeing Aurelien Tchouameni fire wide.
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      Martinez then taunted France ace Kylian Mbappe by holding a doll with the attacker’s face on it during the celebrations back in Argentina.
      He also held a minute’s silence for the “dead” Mbappe in the dressing room.
      A French minister has claimed Fifa should investigate Martinez and Argentina fans that abused Mbappe.
      Martinez, who won the Golden Glove at the World Cup, has been linked with a move away from Villa following his stunning performances in Qatar.
      His agent hinted that the goalie is targeting a Champions League move in the future. More

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      Haaland, De Bruyne and Salah start after World Cup break as Man City face Liverpool in Carabao Cup

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      ERLING HAALAND and Mo Salah are both STARTING tonight’s Carabao Cup clash between Manchester City and Liverpool.Kevin De Bruyne is in for City too after a disappointing World Cup with Belgium.
      Mo Salah and Erling Haaland are both starting Manchester City’s Carabao Cup meeting with LiverpoolCredit: AFP
      Haaland was not at the World Cup after Norway failed to qualifyCredit: Getty
      Kevin De Bruyne starts for Manchester City against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Jack Grealish pictured arriving at the Etihad tonightCredit: Getty
      But England’s World Cup representatives only make the bench for both teams.
      Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker are all in the squad for City and could feature.
      Meanwhile Jordan Henderson has been named on the bench for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last-16 clash.
      De Bruyne is one of six City starters who featured at the World Cup.
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      Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), Aymeric Laporte (Spain), Nathan Ake (Holland), Rodri (Spain) and Ilkay Gundogan (Germany) all play after returning from Qatar.
      Portugal’s Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva are on the bench having also played at the World Cup.
      Darwin Nunez is Liverpool’s only starter who featured at the World Cup after his group stage exit with Uruguay, but Brazil’s Fabinho is on the bench alongside Henderson.
      However, Brazilian goalkeeper duo Alisson and Ederson are not involved for Liverpool and City respectively.
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      It’s a first taste of competitive action in over a month for Haaland and Salah after Norway and Egypt both failed to qualify for the World Cup.
      Bosses Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have both named teams with a mix of youth and experience.
      Tonight’s winners will go into the hat for the quarter-final draw.
      The draw takes place this evening immediately after the match. More

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      Salt Bae savaged again as more pictures emerge of him grabbing and BITING World Cup winner medal after Argentina victory

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      SALT Bae has been savaged online again after more pictures emerged showing him BITING a World Cup winner’s medal. The fame-hungry restauranteur has been ridiculed after invading the pitch and stealing Argentina’s spotlight as they celebrated their victory.
      Salt Bae was pictured taking a chunk out of the medal tethered to Argentina’s Franco ArmaniCredit: Instagram
      Social media users compared the chef’s stunt to one of Homer Simpson’s blunders
      He was seen eyeing up Leandro Paredes’ medal moments after the player was awarded itCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae has sparked fury after breaking Fifa etiquette by handling the World Cup trophyCredit: instagram
      Players were forced to humour the Turkish chef as he gatecrashed the special moment in true Salt Bae style.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      The Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – then snatched the 18-carat gold trophy from Cristian Romero’s baby.
      The irritated squad were then forced to endure watching the celebrity chef perform his trademark salt-sprinkling trick over the £17million cup.
      READ MORE ON SALT BAE
      It seems Salt Bae had worked up an appetite with his embarrassing antics – as he then took a chunk out of Franco Armani’s winner’s medal.
      Gökçe looked like he was craving one of his extortionate gold-encrusted steaks as he gnawed at the goalkeeper’s award.
      He posed with the medal between his teeth while it was still tethered around Armani’s neck in the awkward snap.
      Other images show him boldly grabbing Argentinian players’ medals just moments after they had been awarded them.
      Most read in World Cup 2022
      Armani, who didn’t play a single minute in the World Cup, thankfully appeared unphased by Salt Bae’s intrusive stunt.
      But the image reignited fury on social media regarding his bizarre presence on the pitch badgering the champions.
      One user even compared the thoughtless chef to Homer Simpson in a hilarious meme.
      They twinned Gökçe’s picture with one of the infamous cartoon character being handed the key to Springfield – with teeth marks on it.
      The loveable fool then tells Mayor Quimby: “I thought there was chocolate inside!”
      People proceeded to flood the comment section with some choice words for Salt Bae.
      One wrote: “What an idiot. Trying to make it all about him.”
      Another joked: “He probably thought it was one of his overpriced burgers.”
      And a third fumed: “That’s what you get when the internet makes some random talentless person famous.”
      Influencer Dan Bilzerian even spoke out amid the controversy, claiming Gökçe has been harassing him for years.
      The “King of Instagram” said he knew the chef was “weird” after he bombarded him with wacky pictures of himself.
      But others suggested he was simply teasing the players, as in Turkish culture brides often bite gold coins gifted for their wedding to check they are real.
      Salt Bae was slammed after posting a series of boastful pictures on Instagram of him holding the World Cup trophy – a privilege reserved for the winning team and heads of state.
      The disgraceful spectacle reportedly broke Fifa’s rules and saw BBC host Gary Lineker brand him a “pest.”
      Fifa has now launched an internal investigation into how Salt Bae invaded the pitch at the World Cup Final.
      Gökçe is said to be pals with controversial Fifa chief Infantino, who praised him as “number one” after visiting his Qatar steak house during the tournament.
      He was filmed saying: “Football unites the world and Nusrat unites the world as well.”
      If he was given “access all areas” accreditation, that would open the governing body to allegations of cronyism or special treatment for Infantino’s friends, reports The Times.
      The controversy prompted footage of Diego Maradona mocking the Nusr-Et tycoon’s gimmick right in front of him to resurface.
      The Argentinian legend poked fun at Sat Bae during a visit to one of his restaurants in 2018.
      But the chef bit back with another publicity stunt – by sharing a video showing a “permanently reserved” table as a shrine to the late and great footballer.
      Former Brazil striker Ronaldo and left back Roberto Carlos – world cup winners in 2002 – enjoyed a slap-up meal at his Qatar branch on November 28.
      Current squad players Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Éder Militão and Bremer also joined the party after they beat Switzerland.
      England’s Jack Grealish, Poland ace Robert Lewandowski and the Spanish team also visited during the tournament.
      Last month, Salt Bae sparked fury for boasting how a group racked up a bill for £140,584 at his diner in Abu Dhabi.
      A single steak from the evening was over £1,000, and the group spent almost £115,000 on wine alone.
      Read More on The Sun
      Salt Bae, a former butcher from Turkey, became famous for his crowd-pleasing gimmick of sprinkling salt down his elbow after slicing steak at the table.
      He now has 50million Instagram followers and an empire of 22 steakhouses around the world flogging gold wrapped beef at eye-watering prices.
      Lionel Messi finally gave in and posed for a selfie with the celebrity chefCredit: instagram
      He riled players by performing his signature salt-sprinkling trickCredit: Twitter – @@JCUStreaks10
      Salt Bae was seen cruelly snatching the trophy away from Cristian Romero’s babyCredit: Twitter – @@JCUStreaks10 More

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      Luis Suarez and his family arrive at Lionel Messi’s house to join Argentina captain in World Cup celebrations

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      LUIS SUAREZ headed to best pal Lionel Messi’s house for Christmas following Argentina’s World Cup victory.Messi was given a hero’s welcome by adoring fans as he returned to his boyhood city of Rosario.
      Luis Suarez landed in Argentina on ThursdayCredit: AFP
      The Uruguayan will reportedly spend Christmas with Lionel Messi’s familyCredit: AFP
      Suarez was pictured arriving in Rosario, Messi’s boyhood cityCredit: AFP
      Suarez was later filmed arriving at Messi’s houseCredit: Twitter
      Suarez and Messi became good friends when they were team-mates at BarcelonaCredit: Instagram / @leomessi

      He will reportedly spend Christmas holed up in his home after being greeted with wild scenes on his return.
      And Suarez will also spend Christmas with the Messi family, according to ESPN.
      The 35-year-old was pictured today landing in Argentina accompanied by one of his sons to celebrate the World Cup triumph with Messi.
      Footage posted to Twitter then showed Suarez arriving at Messi’s house.
      READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI
      Suarez touched down in Rosario on a private plane just before 1pm local time having jetted in from the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo.
      His wife Sofia Balbi, and their two other children, were also there, according to Mundo Deportivo.
      The two families grew close when Messi and Suarez were team-mates at Barcelona.
      As well as enjoying great success on the pitch, they became best buds off it.
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      The pair holidayed together in Ibiza earlier this year alongside Cesc Fabregas and their families.
      Suarez, who suffered group stage heartbreak at the World Cup with Uruguay, congratulated Messi on his success after the penalty shootout victory over France.
      He wrote on Twitter: “Congratulations friend! YOU ARE WORLD CHAMPION. Let them say what they want, you are and will be the best.”
      The pair also FaceTimed each other after the final, with Messi showing off the World Cup trophy to a beaming Suarez.
      Suarez posted a picture of the pair chatting to each other to his Instagram story.
      Lionel Messi and wife Antonela Roccuzzo, Luis Suarez and wife Sofa Balbi, plus Cesc Fabregas and wife Daniela Semaan are all close friendsCredit: Instagram @antonelaroccuzzo
      The two families grew close when Messi and Suarez played together at BarcelonaCredit: Instagram / @leomessi
      Suarez and Messi holidayed together earlier this yearCredit: EPA More

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      FIFA ‘launches probe’ into how Salt Bae gatecrashed World Cup closing ceremony – with ‘action to be taken against staff’

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      FIFA is conducting an internal investigation to find out how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup final.The famous chef, 39, was pictured with bemused Argentinian players on the pitch holding the trophy after their win on penalties against France in Qatar.
      FIFA is conducting an internal investigation into how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup closing ceremony
      Salt Bae also badgered Lionel Messi after the game
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – was seen wearing a Fifa VIP badge round his neck on Sunday night.
      Footage shows him pestering the Argentina squad as they celebrated their cup glory with their families after the nailbiting shootout.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      Bae’s persistence paid off as he finally got a selfie with the striker hailed the greatest of all time.
      MORE ON SALT BAE
      The chef was also seen forcing himself into lineups of other stars as they clutched the famous golden trophy.
      He has now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup.
      Now FIFA is said to be conducting an internal investigation to see how the chef got onto the pitch as he has no commercial relationship with FIFA and was not invited onto the pitch by Gianni Infantino.
       Action will be taken against staff who allowed him access after social media footage showed his cringeworthy exchanges with players including Lionel Messi, who did his best to avoid Salt Bae.
      Most read in Sport
      In a series of videos posted on his own Instagram, the steakhouse magnate interrupted the likes of Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez as they posed with the World Cup, leaving the trio looking awkward.
      Gokce is known to be a close friend of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and actually breached the world governing body’s strict regulations regarding who is allowed to touch the World Cup trophy.
      “Its current design dates back to 1974,” FIFA’s website reads.
      “As one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original FIFA World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state.”
      Salt Bae’s actions sparked fury among football fans.
      It comes after he was banned from attending a US sporting event after his behavior at the final.
      The US Open Cup tweeted: “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.”
      The US Open Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments.
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s not known whether Salt Bae had the 2023 event on his radar.
      But now the decision has been taken out of his hands by the tournament chiefs. More

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      Watch Alvaro Morata’s wife prank Spain star by pretending her waters have broken leaving ex-Chelsea ace unimpressed

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      ALVARO MORATA was left red-faced after his pregnant wife pretended her waters had broken.Model Alice Campbell already has three children with the football ace.
      Alice is pregnant with her and Alvaro’s fourth child – and decided to have some fun with her husbandCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Alice Campbell has over three million Instagram followers and regularly posts photos of her familyCredit: Instagram / @alvaromorata
      And with the fourth one on the way, she decided to have some fun with the former Chelsea striker.
      A video uploaded to her Instagram page shows the moment she pranked her husband.
      Alice sprays a bottle of water through her jogging bottoms, leaving a puddle on the floor while stood in the hallway.
      Barely able to contain her excitement, she then calls her hubby into the hallway as he watches football on TV in the living room.
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      Morata slowly walks towards her before reacting to the news that her waters had supposedly broken, the first sign a woman is going into labour.
      The 30-year-old forward looks concerned as he inspects his wife and sees the liquid on the floor.
      But before Alice could take the prank any further, she bursts into laughter.
      An annoyed Morata then marches back to the sofa.
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      Sneaky Alice tricks her husband using a water bottleCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Morata was enjoying the football before being interrupted by the trickCredit: INSTAGRAM
      The post has gained over 226,000 likes with Alice’s followers finding the clip hilarious – and expressing sympathy for the fooled Morata.
      The pair married in Venice in 2017 after Morata proposed on the stage of a magic show in 2016.
      He is preparing for the return of the La Liga season with Atletico Madrid after Spain’s World Cup campaign unravelled.
      After starting with a 7-0 win over Costa Rica, the 2010 world champions stumbled to the last-16 before suffering a penalty shootout calamity and being knocked out by Morocco.
      Despite Spain’s difficulties, Morata can be fairly happy with his contribution as he scored three times in Qatar.
      Since leaving Chelsea after two difficult seasons in 2019, he has bounced between Juventus and Atletico Madrid with varying degrees of success. More