World Cup

Subterms

    More stories

    • 175 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Would Karim Benzema be allowed to play at the World Cup final for France?

      by

      KARIM BENZEMA topped a fine season by winning the Ballon d’Or.But the Real Madrid striker was then struck by injury after being named in France’s squad for the World Cup.
      Karim Benzema back in training with Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Though Benzema is now back training with Real, with pictures emerging from their Valdebebas base.
      So would he be allowed to play in the World Cup final should France beat Morocco and make it?
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST BETTING APPS FOR THE WORLD CUP
      Would Karim Benzema be allowed to play at the World Cup final?
      Karim Benzema COULD play for France if they reach the World Cup final – as he was never officially replaced in the squad.
      The Real star had been ruled out by French boss Didier Deschamps, but is back training with his club team.
      Marca report he has returned on time and has in fact been training without issue since last Saturday.
      Karim Benzema is training with Real MadridCredit: Getty
      And this means he could make a return to the fold if needed because he was never replaced in the French team.

      World Cup 2022Everything you need to know about the World Cup

      The strong form of Olivier Giroud means such a return is unlikely, however, with the AC Milan star’s goals so far proving vital for his nation in Qatar.
      Benzema missed out on 2018 World Cup glory due to his ongoing issue with compatriot Mathieu Valbuena, which kept him out of the national set-up until 2021.
      Most read in Football More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Grant Wahl’s wife reveals cause of death after brother admits he was wrong to claim World Cup journalist was murdered

      by

      GRANT WAHL’S wife revealed what caused the reporter’s shocking death while covering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Famous journalist Wahl suddenly died at the age of 48 on Friday last week during the quarter-final match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
      Grant Wahl suddenly died while covering the 2022 World Cup quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
      Dr Celine Gounder, an infectious disease epidemiologist, explained that her husband passed away “from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium”.
      Dr Gounder wrote on Wahl’s official blog: “First and foremost, on behalf of myself and our family, I want to express our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of support, love, and sympathy from around the world.
      “This continues to be a very difficult and painful time as we grieve a beloved husband, brother, and friend.
      “It is some comfort to know that so many people Grant reached—countless colleagues, readers, athletes, coaches, friends, and fans—are grieving alongside us.
      Read More on World Cup
      “Grant arrived home Monday, December 12, and this transition was handled with the utmost care and sensitivity.
      “This was an international matter that required coordination from multiple agencies domestically and internationally, and there was full cooperation from everyone involved.
      “Our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in repatriating Grant, in particular the White House, the U.S. Department of State, FIFA, U.S. Soccer and American Airlines.
      “An autopsy was performed by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office.
      Most read in Football
      “Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium.
      “The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms.
      “No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him.
      “His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.
      “While the world knew Grant as a great journalist, we knew him as a man who approached the world with openness and love.
      Grant Wahl and his wife Celine GonuderCredit: Instagram/@grant_wahl
      Grant Wahl wore a rainbow T-shirt to a game in QatarCredit: Reuters
      “Grant was an incredibly empathetic, dedicated, and loving husband, brother, uncle, and son who was our greatest teammate and fan.
      “We will forever cherish the gift of his life; to share his company was our greatest love and source of joy.
      “Grant curated friends from all cultures and walks of life, for whom he was a generous listener, an enthusiast, a champion of others.”
      This comes after Wahl’s brother Eric admitted he no longer suspects foul play behind his death.
      Eric believed the football reporter was killed after he was denied entry by Qatar security forces to the World Cup match between Wales and USA in the group stage.
      Wahl wasn’t allowed in because he wore a pro-LGBTQ+ shirt and the authorities ordered him to remove it as homosexuality is illegal and even punishable by death in the Middle Eastern state.
      Grant Wahl’s wife Dr Celine Gounder revealed her husband’s cause of deathCredit: Getty
      The American journalist was ultimately let in and received an apology by FIFA but later received death threats.
      Read More on The Sun
      But Eric now appears to agree with the doctors’ autopsy and doesn’t believe he was murdered.
      Wahl was one of the world’s most prominent sports journalists having worked with Sports Illustrated and Fox News as well as a New York Times bestselling author that always focused on human rights. More

    • 225 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      England’s ‘Anthony Taylor battling Polish referee for World Cup final as Dutch favourite out due to Argentina win’

      by

      ANTHONY TAYLOR will discover on Friday if he is to become the fourth Englishman to referee a World Cup Final.Altrincham’s Taylor is one of the remaining contenders for the most prestigious appointment in world football.
      Poland’s Szymon Marciniak is among the contenders to referee the World Cup FinalCredit: Rex
      Anthony Taylor is vying to be the fourth Englishman to take charge of the showpieceCredit: Getty
      That was after he was one of the 12 officials to stay in Qatar for the final stages of the tournament.
      And with refs’ chief Pierluigi Collina a big fan of Taylor’s man and game-management skills, the 44-year-old is thought to be a genuine contender for the job.
      Taylor has not been involved in a knock-out match at the tournament.
      He did take control of Belgium’s goalless draw with Croatia and Ghana’s 3-2 win over South Korea, whose enraged Portuguese coach Paulo Bento he dismissed after blowing for full-time before a last-gasp corner could be taken.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
      Holland’s Danny Makkelie and Poland’s Szymon Marciniak are the other European contenders.
      And Brazil’s Wilton Sampaio – blamed by many England fans for their last eight exit – is another front-runner.
      William Ling was the first Englishman to referee a World Cup Final when he took charge of the 1954 showdown between Hungary and West Germany, who came from two down to win 3-2.
      Twenty years later, Wolverhampton butcher Jack Taylor awarded Holland a penalty inside the first 30 seconds as the Germans again won the trophy.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      And in 2010, new Prem refs’ chief Howard Webb was widely criticised for his leniency in Spain’s extra-time win over the Dutch.
      Argentina have already booked their place in the final after Lionel Messi inspired them to a 3-0 win over Croatia last night.
      Now France and Morocco will clash today in the other semi-final. More

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Lionel Messi’s brutal World Cup celebration towards Van Gaal ‘was revenge for former team-mate with 20-YEAR grudge’

      by

      ARGENTINA legend Lionel Messi directed his goal celebration against the Netherlands at Louis van Gaal due to a 20-year grudge. La Albiceleste beat Holland on penalties after a fiery 120 minutes of action and one flash-point was when Messi scored a penalty and ran over to the Dutch bench cupping his ears at them.
      Lionel Messi directed his celebration at the Netherlands manager Louis van GaalCredit: Getty
      Louis van Gaal’s treatment of Juan Roman Riquelme led to the celebrationCredit: AFP – Getty
      Many were baffled as to why the Paris Saint-Germain star did this but it appears it could be for the way Van Gaal treated Joan Roman Riquelme two decades ago.
      He played for Barcelona while Van Gaal was managing the club and he went on to play with Messi for the national team.
      Riquelme’s move to Barca did not go as planned with the ex-Manchester United boss benched him regularly and often refused to play him in his preferred position.
      Van Gaal even went as far as calling him a “political signing” and there have been reports that Riquelme was once subbed on then taken off within 30 seconds.
      READ MORE ARGENTINA NEWS
      The current Boca Juniors vice-president was known for cupping his ears after scoring and Messi seemingly wanted to replicate it in the direction of Van Gaal.
      Riquelme went on to have a fantastic career at Villarreal but Messi didn’t forget about his tough times at the hands of the Netherlands manager who also made comments before the quarter-final that angered him.
      Van Gaal cited “luck” as the reason his side lost to Argentina on penalties in the World Cup semi-final back in 2014.
      The feud between him and Argentina continued in Qatar as the 71-year-old claimed Emiliano Martinez approached him and said he “spoke too much” in the aftermath of the game.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
      It was not the only incident of the game, as a brawl occurred after Leandro Paredes smacked a ball at the Dutch dugout.
      Netherlands players tried to put off their opponents on the walk down to take their penalties that resulted in Argentina celebrating in front of them at the end.
      Messi even clashed with Wout Weghorst calling him “stupid” and there was angry scenes in the tunnel.
      Tempers flared continuously and 17 yellow cards were dished out by the end of the night. More

    • 175 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Celebrating Olivier Giroud & Julian Alvarez’s transformation from understudies to leading men in Qatar

      by

      MANY parallels can be drawn between Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez’s World Cup campaigns.Both were expected to be back-up options in Qatar but now find themselves as starting centre-forwards for the two teams most likely to lift the trophy.
      In the case of Milan’s experienced target man, the door was opened by Karim Benzema’s injury when the current Ballon d’Or holder withdrew from France’s squad on the eve of the tournament.
      While this was something of a blow for Les Bleus, it was by no means a disaster as Didier Deschamps is a huge fan of Giroud, who led France’s line for years during Benzema’s international exile.
      France have not been negatively impacted by Benzema’s absence in the slightestCredit: getty
      France won the World Cup in Russia with Giroud acting as selfless striker so that Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe could express themselves, he didn’t even register a shot on target – four years later he’s shown a sharper eye for goal.
      The Man City forward’s journey from understudy to leading man has been rather different.
      Lautaro Martinez started the tournament as Argentina’s first-choice striker and deservedly so, the 25-year-old was his side’s joint-leading scorer in qualifying.
      He also scored crucial goals during the Albiceleste’s successful Copa America campaign and subsequent 3-0 Finalissima victory over Italy at Wembley.
      Martinez entered the tournament having scored eight goals and provided six assists for Inter in the first half of the current season, which makes his sudden loss of form even stranger.
      For whatever reason, his finishing has deserted him in Qatar, although he did convert the winning spot-kick in the penalty shootout against Netherlands.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Alvarez is averaging a goal every 91 minutes in Qatar
      Lionel Scaloni had no choice but to promote Alvarez to starting striker and the result has been a considerable improvement to Argentina’s performances.
      Giroud and Alvarez (who both wear No9 for their respective nations) are rightly seen as secondary threats to Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi (who both wear No10) but their contributions should be recognised and celebrated.
      At the time of writing, they each have four goals to their name and both have affected decisive moments in the knockout stages – most notably, Giroud’s headed winner to eliminate England and Alvarez’s brace against Croatia.
      And the pair are very much in the hunt for the Golden Boot, currently led by Messi and Mbappe on five goals each, which is extraordinary when you consider they would have spent the majority of the tournament on the bench were it not for Benzema’s injury and Martinez’s unexpected yips.
      Decisions, decisions…
      Fittingly, only a cigarette paper separates them in Dream Team World Cup.
      The Frenchman currently has 29 points to the Argentine’s 28.
      If the bookmakers are to be believed and Deschamps see off a resilient Morocco outfit this evening then gaffers will be presented with a close call ahead of the final.
      Assuming most opt for a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation, and decide to back Mbappe and Messi, there’s only one space left in the forward line.
      Read More on The Sun
      A case could be made that Antoine Griezmann deserves the spot but at this stage it looks to be a toss-up between Giroud and Alvarez.
      Tonight’s events could alter the picture of course – only a fool would underestimate the Atlas Lions now – but it looks as if tens of thousands of Dream Team World Cup bosses will have to agonise over whether France or Argentina’s No9 is the man to back ahead of the big one. More

    • 200 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Watch shocking moment roof collapses during wild celebrations in Argentina after World Cup win over Croatia

      by

      ARGENTINA celebrations almost ended in tragedy as a roof collapsed and nearly crashed down on cheering fans.The Albiceleste punched their ticket to the 2022 World Cup Final after a decisive 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday’s semi at the Lusail Stadium.
      Wild Argentina celebrations almost ended in tragedy
      A roof almost collapsed and crashed on top of Argentina fans
      The reigning Copa America champions beat Luka Modric and Co after Lionel Messi scored a penalty then set up both of Manchester City ace Julian Alvarez’s goals.
      That prompted some wild celebrations from passionate Argentina fans in Qatar.
      But that was nothing compared to the scenes back home as Argentines flooded the streets across the country.
      But one celebration almost ended in catastrophe when fans climbed the small roof of a fast food store.
      Read More on World Cup
      A viral TikTok clip showed at least 16 supporters cheering, stomping and hopping on top of the fragile roof.
      But then the structure broke, sending some of them crashing down twoards the crowd below.
      Thankfully the roof didn’t completely collapse and the fans that tumbled managed to land on their feet.
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE WORLD CUP
      Argentina will find out their opponents for the World Cup Final tonight.
      Most read in Football
      France and Morocco will face off in the other semi-final at the Al Bayt Stadium. More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      World Cup 2022 stars including Luka Modric taking advantage of new tech to track match stats just MINUTES after games

      by

      WORLD CUP stars have taken advantage of new technology to discover exactly how they have performed – before they leave the Qatar 2022 stadium.More than 400 players at the tournament signed up for the Fifa Player App to get the rundown.
      More than 400 World Cup stars signed up to the app to track their match stats
      Luke Modric is just one big-name star to use the app to monitor his performanceCredit: Reuters
      The application uses limb-tracking technology – which enables the new semi-automated offside system.
      And it has enabled players to access information within minutes of the final whistle.
      World Cup stars now have access to stats including distance covered and passing figures, as well as video clips.
      High-profile players to take advantage have included Croatia schemer Luka Modric and Switzerland’s former Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP STORIES
      Although Modric will hope to not have to be reminded of his Michy Batshuayi moment in the 3-0 semi-final loss against Argentina.
      Shaqiri said: “To see how your performance was, you have pictures in there as well…
      “So it was a very good idea by Fifa to introduce it.
      “I really like it and it’s just something new that didn’t exist before.” 
      Most read in Football
      Former Arsenal boss and Fifa global development chief Arsene Wenger added: “The players get analysis of their performances and will get used to the way we analyse the game. 
      “The players are very intelligent and, usually, they adapt quickly.
      “We will make the quality of their performances available.” More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Why isn’t N’Golo Kante playing for France against Morocco in the 2022 World Cup?

      by

      FRANCE are in the World Cup semi-finals tonight against Morocco – but they must do so without N’Golo Kante. Didier Deschamps released his 26-man squad list before the tournament with the Chelsea midfielder not featuring.
      N’Golo Kante in action for FranceCredit: Getty
      Kante was an integral piece of the Les Blues 2018 World Cup winning side with the then 27-year-old playing every minute for the national side.
      Now four years on, the rise of young talents such as Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni has provided Kante with heightened competition for a place in the midfield.
      And he is not in action for France as they face Morocco in the semi-finals.

      Why isn’t N’Golo Kante playing for France at the World Cup?
      The absence of the midfielder will be a huge blow for France, who face Denmark this week, as well as for Chelsea as shown by their poor defensive record as of late.
      The Blues number six has been sidelined for four months due to a hamstring injury suffered during a 2-2 draw with Tottenham in August.
      Most read in Football
      The injury has meant Kante will miss the opportunity to help France to become only the third side to retain the World Cup.
      Providing all goes will with the 31-year-olds recovery, it looks likely we will see him return to action soon after the season proceeds. More