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      Watch Morocco keeper Bono nearly score outrageous own goal in the opening minutes of World Cup 3rd place playoff

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      MOROCCO goalkeeper Yassine Bounou nearly scored an outrageous OWN GOAL in the early stages of the 3rd place playoff against Croatia.The Africans are hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of their semi-final defeat to France.
      Yassine Bounou almost put into his own netCredit: BBC
      His sliced clearance was heading towards his goalCredit: BBC
      Luckily for him, his effort went just wide of the postCredit: BBC
      But they almost got off to the worst possible start.
      That’s because with barely two minutes on the clock, Bounou came close to putting into his OWN net.

      Having received a pass from Jawad El Yamiq, he was closed down by Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric and panicked under pressure before making a complete hash of his clearance.
      Fortunately for him, his sliced effort landed the right side of the post and only out for a corner.
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      And fans have been reacting on Twitter to bizarre moment.
      One said: “Playing close to the edge there.”

      Another replied: “Petr Cech vibes.”
      A third chimed in with: “Bono, your senses have gone! 😬.”
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      Morocco did fall behind soon after when Josko Gvardiol headed home the opener from an Ivan Perisic assist.
      But the Atlas Lions weren’t behind for long as Achraf Dari restored parity less than two minutes later. More

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      France risk embarrassment after Nike website puts ‘3-star kit’ on sale BEFORE Argentina World Cup final

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      KIT manufacturer Nike may have jinxed France’s chances against Argentina.That’s by putting a “three-star” kit on sale BEFORE Sunday’s World Cup final.
      Nike put a ‘three-star’ France kit up for sale BEFORE Sunday’s World Cup finalCredit: Nike
      France have only won two World Cups but hope to make it three against ArgentinaCredit: Getty
      And France now risk embarrassment should they fail to defend their trophy against Lionel Messi.
      Didier Deschamps’ men are looking to become the first side to win two successive World Cups since Brazil in 1962.
      France’s victory in Russia over four years ago was their second triumph in the competition, having broken their duck on home soil in 1998.
      But kit sponsors Nike appear confident that Kylian Mbappe and Co are on course for a third triumph.
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      That’s because they released a new commemorative France shirt on their website, with the description reading: “FFF (French Football Federation) three stars 2022/23 stadium residence.”
      The hilarious blunder suggests that France have already beaten Argentina, despite the sides not meeting until tomorrow.
      Interestingly, the shirt shown as the product only revealed two stars above the French crest.
      And Nike swiftly took down the “three-star” description after it was spotted by eagle-eyed fans.
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      The blunder could now backfire badly for France, with Argentina’s passionate players sure to be fired up by it.
      There’s already not much to choose between the two sides, with Messi and Mbappe rated as two of the world’s top footballers.
      And like France, Argentina are also looking for their third World Cup win, having triumphed in 1978 and 1986.
      Some French fans believe the final is now already decided in Argentina’s favour due to Nike’s error.
      One said: “It’s bad luck to the bottom. For sure we will lose this final.”
      Another declared: “It will bring bad luck. Already I don’t see them winning.”
      One noted: “They will manage to jinx us.”
      Another added: “They don’t learn the lesson, huh
” More

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      Chelsea star Thiago Silva enjoys Maldives break with stunning wife and kids after Brazil’s World Cup heartbreak

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      THIAGO SILVA is enjoying a family holiday in the Maldives before returning to Chelsea.The Brazilian, 38, suffered World Cup heartbreak last Friday when his country were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Croatia on penalties.
      Thiago Silva headed to the Maldives on holidayCredit: Instagram/ @bellesilva
      Thiago and Belle were feeling the love on the luxury islandCredit: Instagram/ @bellesilva
      The group made the most of the sun and seaCredit: Instagram/ @bellesilva
      The couple were joined by their sons Isago and IagoCredit: Instagram/ @bellesilva
      And with the defender due back at Cobham for Blues training in the coming days, he jetted off to the luxury Indian Ocean island for some downtime with his stunning wife and their kids.
      Silva’s partner Isabelle posted a series of snaps from their beach holiday for her 631,000 Instagram followers.
      She wrote: “Returning home, returning to our home.
      “With renewed energy but still feeling like something is missing. And missing!
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      “Time and God will take care of adjusting everything.
      “The important thing is that whatever happens, we will always be together, united.”
      Thiago and Belle were joined by their two sons Isago and Iago as well as other close friends or family.
      The centre-back wore a black Gucci t-shirt and denim shorts while his wife opted for a white top and blue shorts.
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      The four photos posted online include a couple of candid family snaps as well as a lovely one of Belle giving her man a kiss on the cheek and a big group shot on the shoreline in front of a golden sunset.
      The Silvas got married way back in 2005 after growing up as childhood sweethearts in their hometown of Rio de Janeiro.
      She has followed Thiago to Portugal, Russia, Italy, France and England for his illustrious club career.
      And she was in Qatar cheering on Brazil – but now attention will return to Premier League action in the British winter.
      Graham Potter’s side return to action on December 27 when they host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
      The Blues are looking for their first Premier League win since October 16, losing their last three before the World Cup break.
      Silva and Neymar suffered heartache when Croatia won the shootoutCredit: Getty
      Belle married her footballer partner in 2005Credit: Instagram @bellesilva More

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      World Cup’s ‘hottest fan’ Ivana Knoll shows her support for Croatia in racy crop-top ahead of play-off with Morocco

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      IVANA KNOLL posed in a racy crop-top in the colours of her beloved Croatia as she prepared to watch the World Cup third-place play off.The superfan – dubbed the “World Cup’s hottest fan” – was in already in the stadium ahead of her beloved side’s game with Morocco.
      Ivana wearing a racy crop top in the stadium ahead of the matchCredit: Rex
      The Croatia superfan was in a playful moodCredit: Rex
      Ivana poses in a bikini on the beachCredit: INSTAGRAM / @KnollDoll
      She has became synonymous for her Croatia-themed outfitsCredit: Alamy
      Ivana, 30, has seen her fandom rise and rise during the World Cup, and couldn’t believe she’d reached three million followers on Instagram.
      In her latest snap she was seen in racy Croatia-themed crop-top in the style for which she’s become famous.
      With the name of the team’s talismanic midfielder and captain Luka Modric on the back, it’s clear who her favourite Croatia player is.
      It comes as she donned a bikini and showed off her bum as she relaxed away from the football.
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      Celebrating the milestone, she captioned her latest snap: “3 MILLION đŸ™ˆâ€ïžđŸ«¶đŸŒ
      “WOW GUYS! 3 MILLION almost population of my country đŸ‡­đŸ‡·
      “THANK YOU SO MUCH, LOVE YOU ALL â€ïžđŸ«¶đŸŒ”
      Ivana received over 400,000 likes in seven hours, and plenty of comments from her adoring followers.
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      One joked: “In this World Cup you did more than Cristiano Ronaldo.”
      Fans have been desperate for selfies with Ivana during the tournamentCredit: Getty
      The model has been mobbed around the stadiumsCredit: The Mega Agency
      Even fans of other teams wanted to meet herCredit: The Mega Agency
      Another asked: “Why Croatia didn’t win with such an asset?”
      With Croatia still having to play in Saturday’s Third Place Play-Off against Morocco, fans were thrilled to learn that Ivana would be sticking around a little longer.
      They were stunned to see her ditch her Croatia-themed outfits, however, as she attended France vs Morocco in a figure-hugging black number.
      Such is Ivana’s star power at the tournament, that she has been mobbed by fans demanding selfies.
      But one fan that has NOT been showering her with love is Miss BumBum – who mocked her for Croatia’s semi-final exit.
      Ivana ditched her Croatia colours for France vs MoroccoCredit: INSTAGRAM / @KnollDoll
      Ivana watched her side lose to Argentina on TuesdayCredit: Rex
      The Croatia superfan was hoping to cheer her side to gloryCredit: PA More

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      Fuming France boss Didier Deschamps confirms Benzema WON’T play in World Cup final as he lashes out at reporter

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      FRANCE manager Didier Deschamps has hit out at a reporter while confirming that Karim Benzema will NOT play in the World Cup final.Les Bleus are set to take on Argentina tomorrow in the showpiece and the Real Madrid striker won’t make a surprise appearance.
      Didier Deschamps lashed out at a reporter for asking about Karim BenzemaCredit: Getty
      Karim Benzema will not play in the World Cup finalCredit: AFP
      The 34-year-old was named in the France squad but injured his thigh prior to the start of the tournament and was sent home.
      It has now emerged that he is back training with his club fuelling speculation he could return to Qatar for the final.
      Deschamps dismissed these rumours angrily after being repeatedly asked about Benzema and where he’d be watching the final, saying: “Are you spreading the word among foreign journalists?
      “If I don’t answer, you’ll say I’m p***ed off. 
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      “Some players have been injured and Karim Benzema is one of them and Lucas Hernandez got injured in the first game. 
      “From that point on, I have 24 players in my squad and they are the ones at my disposal, so I don’t think it is fair to those players to ask about players who aren’t here.
      “It is not up to me to decide who comes to watch the game, former players or injured players, I focus on my squad and the players at my disposal. 
      “We have lost three – Christopher Nkunku, Benzema and Hernandez. I lost them even though they were in the squad to begin with. 
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      “So now I am focusing on my 24-man squad and they are the ones I will have at my disposal tomorrow.”
      It is not the first time the manager, who is looking to win the World Cup twice in a row, has been frustrated by questions relating to Benzema.
      Earlier this week, with a sigh and a smirk, Deschamps responded to another journalist asking about the Ballon d’Or winner, saying: “I don’t really want to answer that question. Next question. I do apologise.”
      There has been speculation that Benzema is angry due to him not being allowed to return to France’s camp despite seemingly being fit.
      The French could do with extra numbers amid reports that there is a sickness bug spreading around the team – it kept Adrien Rabiot out of the semi-final. More

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      Where is the next World Cup being held in 2026?

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      THE 2022 World Cup has proved to be an entertaining affair, with fans around the world already looking to the next tournament.England bowed out in the quarter-finals, losing 2-1 to France in an unlucky encounter.
      England crashed out in Qatar at the quarter-final stageCredit: PA
      The Three Lions will be hoping to go further when they take to the pitch in 2026, with what could be a new look squad.
      Although the World Cup is four years away, we have all the details on the next tournament.
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      Where is the next World Cup being held in 2026?
      The 2026 World Cup will return to the usual schedule, kicking off in the summer.
      This comes after Qatar’s edition in 2022 was played in the winter to avoid the heat of the Middle East summers.
      However, the tournament will be the first of its kind, the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32.
      The USMNT will be hoping to go far in the 2026 World CupCredit: Getty
      These 48 teams will come from six different confederations in a larger tournament than before.
      Morocco were beaten in the final vote to decide where the tournament would be held and it is the first since 2002 to be held by multiple countries.
      The 23rd edition of the tournament will be hosted by 16 cities jointly as the USA, Mexico and Canada will be the host countries.
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      Furious Premier League chiefs slam Fifa Club World Cup plan and say it could scupper TWO SEASONS

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      PREM chiefs fear Fifa’s Club World Cup plan could scupper TWO successive seasons.Fifa boss Gianni Infantino signalled he is open to another winter World Cup, potentially as soon as 2030, when Saudi Arabia are increasingly confident of landing the big prize.
      Gianni Infantino’s plans for the Club World Cup have been blasted as “unacceptable”Credit: Getty
      That would require another six-week mid-season break for domestic football, either in the November-December period utilised in Qatar or at the start of the year.
      But the launch of the 32-team Club World Cup, which will feature potentially four or more Prem sides out of the 16 European competitors, has caused more concerns.

      It is expected that Fifa will hold the first version of the new tournament, in 2025, as a test event for the following year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
      That will become the norm and so a Saudi World Cup in 2030 would also mean a Saudi Club World Cup the previous year.
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      And if the Big Six were all involved in a tournament that would last at least three weeks, it would leave a huge hole in the Prem fixtures calendar.
      One Prem insider said: “The lack of consultation by Fifa was really unacceptable.
      “This plan wasn’t even on the original agenda for the Fifa Council meeting and it looked as if it was a reaction to the European Court ruling that spelled the end of Super League.
      “But if there was a winter Club World Cup as well, that would be an outrage.”
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      Jamie Carragher added his voice to the discontent regarding the announcement.
      The Liverpool legend fumed: “Like the ridiculous idea of the @FIFAWorldCup every two years, this is another one from Infantino.
      “Players need rest at some point, they are getting treated like cattle.
      “Fifa hate the Champions League and want something similar themselves. 
      “European clubs should boycott it.”
      It has been suggested that Super League chief plotters Real Madrid have been promised as much as ÂŁ50m per year for four seasons for signing up to the Club World Cup.
      Other major European years have winter breaks of varying lengths, allowing space to reschedule games for clubs involved in the new event.
      But the Prem schedule is based on 34 weekend dates and that will be hard to fit in if the big revenue drivers are overseas for a lengthy part of the campaign. More

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      Secret to stopping Lionel Messi revealed by the only man to beat Argentina at World Cup 2022

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      SAUDI ARABIA boss Herve Renard reckons he knows how to stop Lionel Messi.Renard’s men are the only team beat the South American champions at the World Cup after their stunning 2-1 victory last month.
      Lionel Messi has been exceptional form at the World CupCredit: Getty
      But Saudi Arabia are the only team to beat Messi and CoCredit: Alamy
      Messi scored the opener in that game, but two quickfire goals from the Saudis saw them produce one of the biggest tournament shocks ever.
      Perhaps more impressively, they managed to keep the PSG star quiet with his early penalty his only real contribution of note.
      But since that defeat, Messi has been playing football from another planet and heads into Sunday’s final against France in scintillating form.
      In total, the 35-year-old has scored five goals and laid on three assists in his five outings in Qatar.
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      And he’s already scored in EVERY knockout game.
      But Saudi boss Renard thinks he knows the secret to stopping Messi.
      He told L’Equipe: “To stop Messi, you have to put pressure on his most important link, De Paul.
      “You must keep Messi 35-40 meters away from the goal and prevent him from holding the ball comfortably.
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      “France did it with Matuidi in 2018.
      “Now he can do it with Rabiot and Tchouameni too.” More