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      Harry Maguire could be handed instant Man Utd lifeline with start against Burnley with Varane and Martinez resting up

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      HARRY MAGUIRE could be handed an instant Manchester United lifeline.The England star only returned to training along with eight other club-mates yesterday following Qatar duty.
      England centre-back Harry Maguire hopes to face Burnley in the EFL Cup for an early chance to revive his Man Utd fortunesCredit: PA
      Lisandro Martinez is still on a huge high after Argentina’s World Cup gloryCredit: Rex
      But with Argentinian World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez and beaten finalist Raphael Varane still resting, Old Trafford boss Erik ten Hag is short of defenders for the  EFL Cup fourth-round clash with Burnley on Wednesday night.
      His only senior centre-back available for their return to action is Victor Lindelof, while prospect Teden Mengi, 20, damaged a knee a week ago in a friendly with Cadiz in Spain.
      And fellow centre-half Axel Tuanzebe has not figured once this season.
      Ten Hag has told £85million signing Maguire he can go if he does not want to fight for a place.
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      He headed for Qatar as fourth choice at the club.
      But while yesterday was the first United  session for him, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw following quarter-final agony, he could be thrown straight back into action.
      Before joining up with England, Ten Hag only gave  him seven games and just one Prem start, having dropped him in the wake of their 4–0 defeat by Brentford.
      The Dutchman could deploy midfielder Scott McTominay alongside Lindelof at the back — yet the United manager is also light on  numbers in the middle of the park.
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      Meanwhile, United triggered one–year contract extensions with Rashford, Fred, Diogo Dalot and Shaw. Had the club not acted, all three could have talked to interested parties next month.
      United are desperate to keep Rashford — a target for Paris Saint–Germain.
      The forward  rubbished claims he is set to sign a new £400,000-a-week deal but Ten Hag is anxious to ensure he is tied down long-term.
      Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea’s contract expires next summer, though there are doubts over whether he will be kept on.
      Triggering an extension on the 32-year-old’s deal would mean continuing to pay him his eye-watering £375,000-a-week wages.
      Raphael Varane will take a longer break from action as he recovers from the mental and physical strain of losing the World Cup finalCredit: Rex More

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      Argentina World Cup parade ABANDONED after fans leap off bridge to get into team bus in chaotic scenes

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      ARGENTINA’S World Cup winners were evacuated by HELICOPTER as a victory parade was abandoned when fans leapt off a bridge onto the team bus.At least one supporter in the massive crowd was carried away on a stretcher as Lionel Messi and Co were escorted away overhead.
      Incredibly this Argentina fan was thought to have escaped without serious injury from this leap onto the team bus
      Huge throngs in Buenos Aires sparked safety problems
      The players had crawled through the crowd before problems hitCredit: AP
      Fans clambered down from a bridge in Buenos Aires onto the vehicle when it passed underneath but one MISSED it as he plunged head first onto the side of the bus.
      Chaotic scenes suddenly became distressing ones.
      But, incredibly, it’s understood he was able to walk away from his shocking fall.
      The squad’s trip was due to cover 50 miles after departing from the Argentinian Football Association grounds.
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      But it was stopped early on security advice.
      Some reports suggested up to four million people had gathered to hail their heroes.
      And from the start a joyous, raucous atmosphere was mixed with fans jostling for space.
      But all seemed peaceful, if not calm, until the bridge incident.
      Fans gathered at the famous Obelisk ahead of the players’ arrival by busCredit: Getty
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      And Argentine football chiefs admitted their disappointment at ending the tour early – with the players instead completing their journey by helicopter.
      A spokesman for the Argentina FA said: “The players of the Argentine soccer team ended the festivities by flying over in a helicopter over the crowd of fans who gathered in the city.
      “They made that decision after verifying that they could not continue advancing by bus in the middle of the crowd.”
      And AFA president Claudio Tapia said: “They don’t let us get to greet all the people who were at the Obelisk.
      “The same security agencies that escorted us don’t allow us to move forward.”
      Supporters had little space to move as the capital city came out in force
      Argentinians came from all angles to greet the homecoming heroesCredit: AP
      Lionel Messi waved to fans from the bus before the parade was haltedCredit: AP More

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      France star Pavard accused of ‘leaking dressing room secrets’ during World Cup after ‘toxic’ fallout with Deschamps

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      FRANCE defender Benjamin Pavard “leaked dressing room secrets” and created a “toxic” atmosphere during the World Cup, sensational reports have claimed.Pavard, 26, started France’s opening game as they thrashed Australia 4-1, but was replaced by Jules Kounde late on and did not play again in Qatar.
      Benjamin Pavard did not play after France’s first game at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Didier Deschamps is thought to have had some strong words for PavardCredit: Getty
      Didier Deschamps’ men went on to reach the final but lost on penalties to Argentina in one of the most dramatic games in World Cup history.
      Now a L’Equipe report, translated by French journalist Romain Molina, has alleged that Pavard made “inappropriate comments” about his own team-mates from the bench during the loss.
      Deschamps reportedly had “big words” with the player in response to his behaviour.
      It comes after claims earlier on in the tournament that the French squad had become divided over Pavard’s inconsistent performances.
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      Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele was reportedly among those who were “railing against” him.
      However, the full-back received the backing of some of his veteran colleagues, such as captain Hugo Lloris and France’s all-time top scorer Olivier Giroud.
      But now allegations of leaking team details to the media are said to have left Deschamps and his coaching staff “very disappointed”.
      Speaking about Pavard’s omission from the team after the group stage, the France head coach said: “I took the decision not to play him, I won’t go into the details.”
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      Pavard played an integral role in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph – scoring one of the goals of the tournament in their last-16 4-3 victory over Argentina.
      But he has struggled for form at club level in recent times, going through some difficult periods at Bayern Munich.
      Pavard joined Bayern from Stuttgart in 2019 and has racked up 140 appearances, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists. More

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      Lionel Messi’s bisht cost just £1,650 and Qatari tailor made two in different sizes in case Hugo Lloris lifted World Cup

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      THE bisht that Lionel Messi wore to lift the World Cup reportedly cost £1,650.Argentina triumphed in an all-time classic on Sunday as they beat France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Qatar.
      The bisht was put on by Lionel Messi moments before the trophy liftCredit: Rex
      He the lifted the trophy alongside his team-mates while wearing the bishtCredit: Getty
      Captain Messi then had the responsibility of lifting the trophy for his country in his fifth and final World Cup.
      But seconds before he did so, Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani placed a bisht – which is a a traditional men’s cloak popular in the Arab world – over his shoulders.
      Messi then joined the rest of his team-mates and proceeded to celebrate with the iconic gold trophy.
      It has now been revealed that the two bishts – each worth £1,650 – were custom-made for the respective captains, Messi and France skipper Hugo Lloris.
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      Qatar-based tailor Muhammad Abdullah Al-Salem was responsible for making the items of clothing.
      He told Esquire Middle East Arabic: “At first, we were not aware when we were asked to design this bisht that it was for the World Cup champion.
      “We were surprised that the bisht that Messi wore was from our store, and I felt proud when my knowledge is that our store was the first choice of officials to manufacture this bisht.”
      Speaking specifically about what the design had to be, he then added: “The required specifications were for the bisht to be light, which we understood later and seemed logical to us, and its purpose is for the winning team’s uniform to appear clearly from behind the bisht.”
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      Messi won the Golden Ball for his sensational performances at the World Cup – which included seven goals and three assists.
      But he narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot as Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick saw him rack up eight goals in Qatar.
      Argentina’s triumph is their first since 1986 when Diego Maradona inspired them to glory.
      And their fans celebrated in their thousands on Tuesday as they flocked to the centre of Buenos Aires for the open top bus parade. More

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      OnlyFans star who claims to be last virgin on site blames World Cup for lost profits because men ‘prefer footie to sex’

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      A BRAZILIAN OnlyFans model has blamed the Qatar World Cup for impacting her earnings by taking away male attention.Kerolay Chaves, 21, known as White Fairy on social media platforms, has complained that the tournament had a devastating impact on the adult market.
      Kerolay Chaves was supporting Brazil during the World Cup
      Her OnlyFans revenue took a major downturn during the tournament
      Chaves, whose OnlyFans income reportedly decreased by 60 per cent during the World Cup, said: “I don’t have a favourite, my biggest victory will be to get men’s attention back.
      “They prefer football to sex, they bet much more than they pay for my content.”
      But despite the income drop, the ex-mobile phone technician, who claims to be the “last virgin” left on OnlyFans, says she likes football.
      She reportedly owns a Neymar-signed national jersey which she bought thinking it was a real autograph before discovering it was fake.
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      She is looking forward to customers returning after the World Cup finished
      Kerolay insists she did enjoy the World Cup despite the loss of profits
      She claims to be the only virgin left on OnlyFans
      Earlier this month, she posted a pair of custom-made panties with a picture of Tottenham forward Richarlison on Instagram.
      She then said: “[I] customized a pair of panties with Richarlison’s face.
      “I know he won’t play tomorrow, but this is my lucky charm for us to win HEXA in this Cup! Go Brazil!”
      Chaves explained that she plans on posting new and exclusive content on the platform to compensate for her losses during the World Cup – which ended on Sunday as Argentina lifted the trophy.
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      She then added: “Let’s see if they go back to preferring a woman over men chasing a ball…”
      The gorgeous model made headlines when she claimed she was the “last virgin on OnlyFans” following hymenoplasty surgery to rebuild her hymen in July.
      At the time, she explained it by saying: “I thought about making one of the biggest requests I’ve receive on the platform because I am very grateful for the independence I gained with it.”
      Chaves is known as “White Fairy” on social media More

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      Mexico cult hero Guillermo Ochoa set for move to Europe on free transfer after World Cup heroics

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      MEXICO hero Gulliermo Ochoa looks set to move to Italian side Salernitana, according to reports.The 37-year-old has risen to fame over the years featuring at five World Cups for his country.
      Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is a World Cup cult heroCredit: EPA
      Ochoa currently plays in his homeland with Club America, but he looks set for a January transfer as his contract expires at the end of 2022.
      The goalkeeper has played 424 times for the Mexican side across two spells lasting a total of 12 seasons.
      Reports from Sky Sports claim that Ochoa is ready to move back to Europe and join Salernitana.
      He is set to sign a short-term contract at I Granata that will run until the end of this season.
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      Salernitana are in their second successive season in Serie A after narrowly avoiding relegation last year by one point.
      The team are performing much better this campaign and currently sit in 12th place in the table.
      Ochoa will compete with fellow stopper Luigi Sepe for a spot in the starting XI.
      It will not be Ochoa’s first time in Europe having played for the likes of French side Ajaccio and Spanish duo Malaga and Granada.
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      He is one of the most experienced keepers around having been capped 134 times by the Mexico national team.
      He announced himself at a World Cup in 2014 when he kept out host nation Brazil to secure a memorable clean sheet.
      He also kept a clean sheet in 2018 against then world champions Germany, making a total of nine saves and after was named man of the match.
      Ochoa, who has amassed 11 World Cup appearances, saved Robert Lewandowski’s penalty in the 0-0 draw with Poland in Qatar but they did not make it out the group stage. More

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      Watch Lionel Messi’s reaction as fan throws Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy at him in cheeky attempt to taunt Mbappe

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      LIONEL MESSI was left in hysterics after an Argentine fan threw a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toy at him in a sly dig at Kylian Mbappe.Messi’s men beat Mbappe’s France on penalties in an all-time classic World Cup final on Sunday.
      Rodrigo De Paul pointed out the fan with the turtleCredit: Twitter
      Lionel Messi caught the turtle and had a quick look at itCredit: Twitter
      He then began cracking up along with the rest of his Argentine team-matesCredit: Twitter
      Messi then threw it back to the person who had hurled it at himCredit: Twitter
      Kylian Mbappe’s PSG team-mates previously bought him a Ninja Turtle maskCredit: @Layvin Kurzawa
      The pair of superstars both shone in the game as Messi bagged two and Mbappe netted a hat-trick.
      But it was Argentina who enjoyed a parade through their home streets on Tuesday after Emi Martinez’s heroics in the shootout.
      And as the players interacted with the fans, one supporter took it upon themselves to lob a Ninja Turtle toy at Messi.
      This has significance as Mbappe has been nicknamed Donatello (one of the Ninja Turtles) in the past by Neymar and other team-mates.
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      Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes all saw the funny side of the toy being chucked at them.
      And the Barcelona legend proceeded to throw it back to them while in fits of laughter.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “Messi threw it away 🤣🔥.”
      Another added: “The way they laugh…THEY KNOW!! 😂😂👍🏼.”
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      A third replied: “Why you throwing Mbappe? 😭.”
      And a fourth responded: “Messi: that’s Mbappe. De Paul and Parades: 😂.”
      Messi contributed seven goals and three assists during Argentina’s triumphant World Cup campaign.
      He picked up the Player of the Tournament award for his sensational performances, but narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot as Mbappe pipped him following his hat-trick in the final.
      The superstar duo will return to the same team in the coming weeks as Paris Saint-Germain prepare to resume their campaign.
      Christophe Galter’s side did not lose any of their 15 Ligue 1 matches before the World Cup break and opened up a five-point lead on the rest of the chasing pack.
      Mbappe scored the first World Cup final hat-trick since 1966Credit: Getty More

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      Poundshop World Cup lookalikes mocked after mingling with fans in Qatar… can you guess who they’re meant to be?

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      As Argentina rides the wave of it’s triumph at the World Cup, two revellers in particular were singled out by the crowd. Could it be? Two integral members of the team that brought the golden trophy home after 36 years are out celebrating in the crowds?
      The two lookalikes found each other amongst the crowdCredit: Twitter
      Seeing double? Messi and Di Maria celebrate during the World Cup final after Messi’s goalCredit: Getty
      Dressed similar, albeit more budget, what looks like the superstar forward and his feisty winger were caught within the ruckus as crazed fans excitedly snapped pictures.
      Lookalikes of both Argentina’s caption Lionel Messi and star player Angel Di Maria found themselves going viral on Tuesday after they were papped out partying.
      Amongst all the utter joy of Argentine fans in the comments, a good-natured mocking was also taking place.
      One user joked: “Messi and Di Maria but with life struggling and loans.”
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      Another commented: “Messi and Di Maria from Walmart”.
      Specsavers even quipped: “Great to see them out celebrating with the public, so humble.”
      The real heroes of the game were welcomed home as royalty on Tuesday by crowds lining the streets and a national holiday devoted to the team’s win.
      Captain Messi departed the plane with the World Cup in hand before parading around on an open top bus for thousands to admire.
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      The crowds went wild as they screamed for the team that brought the South American champions their third win – a win they had waited 36 years for.
      The real Messi and Di Maria drink in the euphoria of the crowds as they travel through the capitalCredit: AP
      One million people were reported to have gathered around the Obelisk monument in Buenos AiresCredit: AFP
      From London to Brazil, fans all over the world rejoiced at the momentous victoryCredit: AFP More