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      Why is Croatia player Josko Gvardiol wearing a mask against Morocco at World Cup 2022?

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      JOSKO GVARDIOL is one of the most sought-after talents in European football and has shown just why at the World Cup and he is in action again TODAY.The RB Leipzig centre-back, 20, has attracted transfer interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid in recent months.
      Josko Gvardiol puts on his face mask after the anthems at the World Cup in QatarCredit: Reuters
      Gvardiol was sporting two black eyes when he was on the bench for Croatia’s World Cup warm-up match recentlyCredit: Alamy
      But he has remained loyal to the Bundesliga club, who are regulars in the Champions League.
      And fans will have noticed the Croatia star is wearing an unfamiliar facial decoration during their World Cup campaign, which concludes in the third place playoff against Morocco.
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      Why is Josko Gvardiol wearing a mask?
      Gvardiol was taken to hospital on November 10, during Leipzig’s 3-1 Bundesliga win over Freiburg.
      He collided with team-mate Willi Orban in the 17th minute and injured his face.

      Gvardiol wasn’t actually supposed to start the game but Abdou Diallo injured his knee in the warm-up.
      Unfortunately for Gvardiol, he injured his face, with a nose and eye problem and left the pitch with a bloody nose.
      Josko Gvardiol had a bloodied nose after a nasty collision with a team-mate during Leipzig’s 3-1 win over FreiburgCredit: Reuters
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      Scans later showed he broke his nose and is therefore being forced to wear a face mask at the World Cup, with Croatia’s first game less than two weeks away.
      RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose said: “I heard he has a broken nose.
      “The eye is swollen. He looks like a boxer after 12 rounds against a tough opponent.” More

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      Why do footballers spit on the pitch, and why do they spit out water after drinking?

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      THE World Cup is rolling on at pace in Qatar.The tournament is being watched by billions across the globe each day as footballers play for the game’s biggest prize.
      Lionel Messi spits during a game for Argentina
      Cristiano Ronaldo spits out his water on the touchline
      But you may have picked up a couple of trends that footballers seem to do in every game…spitting on the pitch and also spitting out their drinks on the touchline.
      Though there is a very scientific reason for this.
      Why do footballers spit?
      Players need to spit while performing exercise as excess saliva develops.
      Additionally, players often spit their drinks out onto the pitch after taking a small swig from the bottle.
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      This is due to a tactic called carb rinsing, which can reportedly improve performance.
      According to a New York Times article on England players at the 2018 World Cup: “Carb rinsing refers to the practice of swishing with sports drinks for five to ten seconds during exertion, but then spitting it out instead of swallowing.”
      Harry Kane spits water out after drinking
      The European Journal of Sport Science published a report in 2017 which found that carb rinsing boosted performance in a range of activities.
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      Running magazine added that during exercise: “Swishing with a carb-laden drink is refreshing and lets you avoid the feeling of bloating or cramping that may come with swallowing liquid.”
      Spitting is not an offence in football, so does not warrant any disciplinary card.
      However spitting at another player or official is a red card.

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      Why does the flag go up so late for an offside at the World Cup 2022?

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      THERE’S nothing more exciting than seeing your football team go through on goal – until the assistant referee raises their delayed flag for offside.Argentina was on the bitter end of this in their shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
      Messi saw his expertly taken goal denied for offsideCredit: Getty
      But it has been something that referees have been instructed to do since the 2020/21 campaign.
      Find out why below…
      Why do assistant referees delay raising their flag for offside?
      Referees were told at the beginning of the 2020/21 season that they must keep their flags down during an immediate goal-scoring opportunity even if they think it is offside.
      And they must only raise their flag once the passage of play has come to an end.
      However, if a goal is scored and the assistant referee opts to call for offside, the incident will then be reviewed by VAR.
      VAR will then confirm or rule against the decision depending on what is shown on the monitor.
      When has this happened at the World Cup?
      Footballing legend Lionel Messi fell victim to the delayed flag during Argentina’s 2-1 defeat against Saudi Arabia.
      Messi, 35, thought he had dispatched his second of the day when coolly slotted home past Saudi goalkeeper Mohamed Alowais.
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      However, his celebration was cut short after seeing the assistant referee eventually raise their flag for offside.
      And Lautaro Martinez was haunted by the same problem minutes later.
      What else do they use for offsides at the World Cup?
      A semi-automatic offside tool has been used at the World Cup and it is a piece of technology introduced to make VAR decisions quicker and more accurate.
      It will be done by a system using a computer tracker of 29 body parts of each player, combined with a microchip inside the ball.
      Semi-automatic VAR has been used at the World Cup
      This is expected to determine the positions of the players at the exact moment the ball has been played.
      So in the case of an offside situation, the video operations room will receive an automated alert alongside an automatically selected point and instantly drawn lines within seconds of the incident.
      Match officials will then have to validate the proposed selected kick point and the drawn offside line before VAR communicates the final decision on the pitch.
      Extra VAR officials will be in charge of calling offsides with the algorithm providing a 3D animation to explain a call in an average of 25 seconds.
      And that illustration is then available on the giant screens within the stadium for TV viewers to take a look at in the next stoppage of play. More

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      Can you drink alcohol in Qatar?

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      THE 2022 World Cup in Qatar is expected to attract millions of football fans from all corners of the globe.And many of them might fancy an alcoholic beverage once they land. But can you drink alcohol in Qatar? Here’s everything you need to know.
      Can you drink alcohol in Qatar?
      Alcohol isn’t illegal in Qatar, but there is zero tolerance for drinking in public and being drunk in public is a crime.
      Local law and customs reflect the fact that Qatar is an Islamic country – therefore you should respect the rules at all times and ensure your actions do not offend.
      Drinking in a public place could result in a prison sentence of up to six months – and/or a fine up to QAR3,000, which converts to £696.29.
      You can only purchase alcohol at licensed hotel restaurants and bars.
      Alcohol can only be purchased at licensed hotel restaurants and bars
      There is also a single state-controlled off-licence, but alcohol can only be obtained using a permit system.
      Visitors are not allowed to bring alcohol into the country, nor are they permitted to shop at the nation’s lone liquor store located on the outskirts of Doha. 
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      The legal drinking age in Qatar is 21, and establishments serving alcohol will ask for original photo ID upon entry.
      Fifa chiefs have agreed with the Muslim host nation that bars at stadiums will be shut between kick-off and the final whistle – during the 2022 World Cup.
      But fans will be able to buy beer, wine and spirits before and after matches when they get to the grounds – in designated special drinking zones.
      Formal confirmation of drinking rules will come before the tournament, which starts in Doha on November 21, 2022.
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      International hotels will serve alcohol as will the official Fifa fan zone in Al Bidda Park in the centre of the capital city – although bars will have restricted hours.
      How much does alcohol cost in Qatar?
      In 2019, Qatar introduced the “sin tax” – doubling the prices of alcohol overnight.
      It was introduced by Qatar’s General Authority of Customs, in a 30-page list of new prices for beer, wines and spirits – citing the introduction of a 100 per cent “excise tax”.
      The price of alcohol varies – however, visitors can expect to pay through the nose for an alcoholic beverage of their choice.
      Examples of the cost of alcohol in Qatar include – a 100cl bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin costing a staggering £73.
      A 75cl bottle of wine costs £18.50 and a 24-pack of Heineken 330ml beers cost £84.
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      With this being said, football fans can expect the prices of alcohol to be eye-watering – with beers expecting to cost around £10 a pint.
      Qatar’s average pint costs £9.98, more than double the UK’s price of £4.07. More

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      Photo of 83-year-old Argentina fan watching World Cup on chair outside shop goes viral and sparks amazing gift

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      A PHOTO of an 83-year-old Argentina fan watching the World Cup through the window of an electronic store has gone viral, and earned him an amazing gift..Carlos Bejar watched the semi-final victory over Croatia in the spot due to not having cable TV.
      Carlos Beja watched the semi-final victory against Croatia from outside a storeCredit: Twitter
      He told local media he lives close to the store and travelled there because he has no connection in his local area.
      Carlos admitted: “It’s a very big screen, it’s like being in the stadium.”
      A tweet of him sitting in the street went viral in Argentina, and was retweeted more than 5,000 times, and he became a national star.
      As a result, company Fravega gifted Carlos a 55-inch TV so he could watch the final against France from the comfort of his own home.
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      Regardless, he’s still planning on returning to the store.
      He said: “As long as they don’t throw me out there, I’ll be there.”
      The shop is located close to Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires.
      Carlos takes an interest in football because most of his friends have passed away.
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      And the beach chair he sat on during the game brings him luck as it previously belonged to his mother.
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      The 83-year-old man was gifted a TV by company FravegaCredit: Twitter
      Carlos’ story has gone viral on social mediaCredit: Twitter
      Fans have been loving the story on social media.
      One said: “WHAT WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN SOMETIMES 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💯.”
      A second responded: “OMG!!!! I love my country ❤.” More

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      Fans claim England could still win the World Cup after bizarre loophole is revealed and unlikely chain of events

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      FANS have revealed that England could still win the World Cup thanks to a bizarre – and very unlikely – loophole.The Three Lions were knocked out in the quarter-final by France, losing 2-1 to the finalists.
      England could win the World Cup thanks to a strange loopholeCredit: Getty
      But there is a mathematical chance England could get their hands on the trophy – should a outlandish set of circumstances unfold.
      England boast the best disciplinary record in the tournament with just one yellow card, which Harry Maguire picked up against France.
      Because of that, England will be crowned champions if both the final and third place play-off are abandoned, as revealed by fan Adam Devlin.
      For that to happen all four teams across the two fixtures would each have to have four players sent off – and each have a fifth player sent off simultaneously.
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      That would mean the matches could not be completed, leaving Fifa with no choice but to hand the trophy to the quarter-finalist with the best disciplinary record – England.
      It would be a bizarre way for England to claim their first major honour in 56 years, but it seems fans would not mind.

      One supporter reacting to the loophole said: “I knew it was coming home.”
      Another added: “So you’re telling me there’s a chance…”
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      And a third said: “These are the flimsiest straws I’ve ever clutched at 🤞🏻.”
      Another commented: “Keep the faith.” More

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      Who is Melissa Reddy? Sky Sports presenter at 2022 World Cup

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      THE World Cup is here and amongst the action is Sky Sports presenter Melissa Reddy, who has been reporting from Qatar.There has been plenty of talking points already from the tournament, with a number of major upsets turning heads around the world.
      Melissa Reddy is a presenter for Sky SportsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_reddy/?hl=en
      She has been openly critical of FIFA president Gianni InfantinoCredit: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_reddy/?hl=en
      Who is Melissa Reddy?
      Melissa Reddy is a South African author and football journalist.
      She left her role as Senior Football corespondent at the Independent earlier this year, moving to Sky Sports.
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      The 36-year-old has been outspoken on issues regarding sexism and racism, discussing the barriers that women face in the workplace.
      She went viral on social media after picking apart FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s recent speech.
      Reddy stated “I think this will be the World Cup that really underpins just how dirty the game is.”
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      She is also rumoured to be dating Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane.
      The pair are thought to have met during an interview whilst Mane was still playing for Liverpool.
      However, neither have confirmed the rumours to be true. More

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      Real Madrid star Karim Benzema appears to SNUB France World Cup final call-up in blunt Instagram post

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      KARIM BENZEMA appears to have snubbed the possibility of a return to the France squad for Sunday’s World Cup final.The Real Madrid star was originally named in Les Bleus’ 26-man squad and even travelled to Qatar with his team-mates.
      Karim Benzema posted this snap on Instagram
      He was forced to go home with a thigh injury, however, suffered during his side’s first training session in the Middle East.
      Having already had to replace crocked Christopher Nkunku with Randal Kolo Muani, France elected not to call up a replacement for Benzema – leaving him still eligible to play as part of their squad, on paper at least.
      Boss Didier Deschamps was asked after his side’s semi-final victory over Morocco if Benzema could return to Qatar to play in the final.
      Deschamps sighed dismissively, before refusing to answer the question, seemingly out of contempt.
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      It appears that Benzema would have no interest in returning anyhow, if his latest Instagram post is anything to go by.
      The 34-year-old posted a snap of himself snarling into a camera while donning a baseball cap and sporting a thick, bushy beard.
      He captioned the post: “I’m not interested.”
      Real Madrid team-mate Dani Ceballos replied with a flame emoji.
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      Benzema, 34, sustained a thigh injury during his side’s first training session in QatarCredit: AFP
      While Lucas Vazquez wrote “At home” before also adding a flame emoji.
      Benzema then shared a photo of him receiving the Ballon d’Or award this year – and captioned it “Good Night” so as to seemingly draw a line under it all.
      Benzema was claimed to be furious with the way in which Deschamps handled his injury.
      The prolific striker was allegedly particularly upset with his manager saying: “What a pity Karim that you have to leave.”
      It appears that Benzema felt hurt at being pushed out and forced to leave the squad behind in Qatar.
      He has since regained full fitness, and even featured in a recent friendly for Real Madrid.
      The LaLiga champions would have been happy to allow Benzema to return to Qatar, having made a quicker recovery than expected.
      But neither the France coaching staff, nor the player himself, seem to want that to happen.
      One man that DOES want Benzema to be at the final is French president Emmanuel Macron.
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      According to Marca, Macron wants the forward, as well as injured duo N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, to be part of the group on Sunday.
      Opponents Argentina have welcomed Sergio Aguero and Giovani Lo Celso into their camp – with fellow unavailable players Joaquin Correa and Nicolas Gonzalez also set to be with their group at the final.
      The reigning Ballon d’Or winner regained full fitness and has been training with Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Benzema wrote ‘Good night’ alongside a snap of him and his Golden BallCredit: INSTAGRAM / @KARIMBENZEMA More