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      Luka Modric slams Daniele Orsato as one of worst refs EVER after controversy in Croatia loss to Argentina

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      LUKE MODRIC has slammed Daniele Orsato as “one of the worst” referees EVER after Croatia’s World Cup exit at the hands of Argentina.The European side crashed out of the tournament following a toothless performance against the South American champions.
      Luka Modric was left unhappy with Argentina’s penalty awardCredit: Getty
      Dominic Livakovic clattered into Julian AlvarezCredit: Reuters
      Croatia were swept aside by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, with the magician scoring once and setting up another in the 3-0 victory.
      Manchester City ace Julian Alvarez scored twice, including a fine second following a quite incredible assist from Messi.
      But this all came after Modric and Co were left furious with the award of the penalty for Argentina’s opener.
      Dominic Livakovic came charging out and took out Alvarez, sending the striker tumbling to the ground.
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      Commentators Ally McCoist and Lee Dixon agreed with the decision, but ITV trio Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Gary Neville thought the Italian got it WRONG.
      Meanwhile, an unhappy Modric said: “I don’t like to talk about referees but this is one of the worst.
      “I don’t have a good memory of him, he’s a disaster. For me it wasn’t a penalty.
      “Despite this, I don’t want to detract from Argentina. The penalty killed us. We have to recover for third place and win that game.
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      “Argentina was a fair winner of the game, they were better, they deserved to win, but these have things have to be mentioned.
      “I generally don’t do them but today they have to be done.” More

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      Premier League legend looks completely unrecognisable while in Qatar for World Cup – 26 years after iconic goal

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      AN ex-Belgium star looks completely unrecognisable 26 years after scoring an iconic Premier League goal.The former defender is in Qatar for the World Cup.
      The former defender (right) looks unrecognisable 26 years on from setting the Prem alightCredit: Twitter / @AndyKerrtv
      And though he would not have enjoyed Belgium crashing out in the group stage, he may like the attention he is getting from a certain group of fans.
      The ex-centre-back made 109 Premier League appearances in total, scoring 10 goals.
      But one strike stands out amongst the rest – an audacious chip for Newcastle against Manchester United in a famous win.
      The player in question is of course Phillipe Albert, though he looks unrecognisable with his grey hair and glasses.
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      But in October 1996 he sealed a historic 5-0 win over the Red Devils at St. James’ Park.
      Goals from Darren Peacock, David Ginola, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer had put the Magpies in cruise control.
      Then Albert produced a stunning chip from 25 yards to send the crowd into dreamland.
      The result kept Toon top of the Premier League table at the time with 24 points from ten games.
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      Philippe Albert scored one of the most famous goals in Prem history against Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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      But Newcastle would eventually lose out to United in the title race, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side winning the league by seven points.
      Albert now works as a pundit on Belgian TV and is covering the final stages of the World Cup. More

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      Paris prepares for ‘CIVIL WAR’ and Champs-Élysées ‘battlefield’ as 5,000 cops deployed ahead of France v Morocco clash

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      THOUSANDS of police have descended upon Paris in readiness for “civil war” to erupt during tonight’s World Cup semi-final thriller between France and Morocco.Following desperate calls from officials, 10,000 French police have been mobilised across the country including 5,000 in Paris.
      Motorbikes and cars in Paris were set alight by crazed football fans last weekCredit: Getty
      Moroccan fans celebrating in Champs-Elysees after the national team shocked Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
      Champs-Elysees, a famous avenue, has recently been flooded with football fans after matchesCredit: Getty
      Worried residents and shop owners in Paris have been battening down ahead of the expected carnage this evening.
      Jeanne d’Hauteserre, local mayor responsible for the Parisian district, asked for the world famous avenue to be closed during the football match.
      She feared the Champs-Elysees could see a “civil war” unfold after the final whistle was blown.
      She told French CNews: “When you want to celebrate victory, you don’t come with mortars. But these people are really only coming to smash with iron bars.
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      “For Wednesday, everyone is afraid of a war, a guerrilla war, a civil war, and we do not want the Champs-Elysees to be transformed into a battlefield.”
      Following Morocco’s stunning victory over Portugal last week, more than 20,000 adrenaline-fuelled fans flooded the avenue and caused chaos.
      Sporadic clashes broke out between hooligans and police who fired tear gas and charged several times.
      Several shops were damaged, cars were set on fire and there were 100 arrests.
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      With millions of people expected to watch tonight’s match from TV screens, French police said they were bracing for a tough night.
      Speaking on CNews, reservist gendarmerie captain Herve Moreau said: “On Wednesday, things will go badly for sure.
      “Whatever people say, I can assure you there will be clashes and riots.”
      The French colonial history of Morocco has caused divisions among some residents.
      Between 1912 and 1956 the African nation was under French rule and was called the French Protectorate in Morocco.
      Despite being granted independence, France still wields influence in the country causing a bit of resentment among some of the population.
      There are about 1.5 million Moroccan community numbers that live in France.
      Workers building barricades for shops in Paris due to the damage caused last weekCredit: BFM TV
      Police and rioters pushing against each other as chaos unfolds on Champs ElyseesCredit: BFM TV
      Riot police are battle-ready for tonight’s clash between Morocco and FranceCredit: Getty
      Moroccan football flans taunt policeCredit: EPA
      Carnage is expected on the streets of Paris tonightCredit: Getty
      Several shops were damaged, cars were set on fire and there were 100 arrests last week in ParisCredit: Getty More

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      How England could line up under Pochettino at World Cup 2026 with ex-Tottenham manager in frame to replace Southgate

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      MAURICIO POCHETTINO is one of several names in the frame to replace Gareth Southgate if he walks away as England manager.Southgate is weighing up whether to lead the Three Lions into a fourth tournament following their quarter-final exit at the World Cup.
      Harry Kane will be 33 but Mauricio Pochettino would surely still pick himCredit: Reuters
      Here’s how England could line up in 2026 under Mauricio Pochettino
      Both the players and FA are keen for him to stay on until Euro 2024, but the 52-year-old is taking time to reflect on what happened in Qatar.
      SunSport revealed that ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel would be interested in the role if Southgate steps down, while Pochettino recently said that he would be “open” to the job.
      The former Tottenham boss has been without a club since he was sacked by PSG in the summer.
      But what would the England team look like if he was manager at the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico?
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      If Pochettino was to replace Southgate, it would be a boost to anyone with an affiliation to Tottenham.
      Admittedly, the number of Spurs players in the squad has decreased since he left in 2019, with only Eric Dier and Harry Kane named for Qatar.
      Should the Argentine come in, he would surely stick with the 4-2-3-1 that served him so well in North London, with a 33-year-old Kane still leading the way in attack.
      England have an abundance of wide players, but the current skipper remains the only world class striker the country has to offer.
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      In goal, he might opt to give Aaron Ramsdale his chance with the Arsenal stopper four years younger than Jordan Pickford and better with his feet.
      Pochettino has always used forward-thinking full-backs and while he would be spoilt for choice on the right, he would surely look no further than Reece James.
      On the left, Ryan Sessegnon, who was brought to Tottenham by Pochettino in 2019, is likely to be in the peak of his powers and could therefore get his chance.
      At the back, Harry Maguire and John Stones might be past their best, which should pave the way for the likes of Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori to come into the fold.
      Moving forward, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, who are just 23 and 19 respectively, already look certain to lead England across the pond.
      In attack, Bukayo Saka looks another set to keep his place for years to come, while Phil Foden could be used in a central role.
      That leaves one position available on the left and while the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho will be hoping to get their chance, PSV ace Noni Madueke could be a shock inclusion.
      He joined Tottenham in 2014 and while he never made an appearance under him, Pochettino used to keep a close eye on the youth teams and he’s already been linked with Manchester United and a return to N17.
      Ryan Sessegnon could get his England chance under PochettinoCredit: AFP or licensors
      Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice would keep their places in midfieldCredit: Getty
      Noni Madueke has already been capped at Under-21 levelCredit: Getty More

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      Dream Team World Cup managers should not neglect Saturday’s third-place play-off

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      Hold up, there’s no strict need to transfer those Croatia assets out of your Dream Team World Cup XI.Zlatko Dalic’s side may have come unstuck against Argentina last night, conceding three unanswered goals to the formidable double act of Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez, but they won’t be flying home just yet.
      Luka Modric and company will participate in the third-place play-off against either France or Morocco, depending on the result of Wednesday night’s semi-final.
      And any points earned in Saturday’s fixture will count towards Dream Team World Cup, so don’t feel you have to ditch Dominick Livakovic, Josko Gvardiol or whomever you may have selected from the Vatreni as they have just as many fixtures left to fulfil as Argentina.
      Modric has one final World Cup game to fulfil… if selected
      The third-place play-off is viewed as an annoyance by many teams – it’s often the case that the last thing a fatigued, deflated side want to do after suffering semi-final heartbreak is to play a relatively meaningless game.
      This fixture is often used to give back-up players substantial minutes at a World Cup.
      Saying that, Croatia are one of the nations that value the third-place play-off most highly.
      They remain extremely proud of the bronze medal they achieved in 1998 when they beat fellow beaten semi-finalists Netherlands 2-1 – the crucial goal being scored by Golden Boot winner Davor Suker.
      And so Dalic may name a full-strength XI for this year’s third-place play-off in hope of replicating that effort from 24 years ago.
      Suker inspired Croatia to a third-place finish in 1998
      It’s likely Morocco would also field their strongest starting-line up if they were to meet Croatia this weekend.
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      The Atlas Lions have already made history by becoming the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final and they would surely love to cement their impressive campaign with victory in the final game even if they don’t make the final.
      For reigning champions France, the third-place play-off is more of an inconvenience, especially if it comes in the wake of a shock defeat to Morocco, so Didier Deschamps would probably utilise the fresher players in the squad.
      However, if Les Bleus were to meet Croatia, Kylian Mbappe would likely be keen to start so that he could challenge for the Golden Boot – he’s level on five goals with Messi at the time of writing.
      The main point being: the third-place play-off maybe be something of an afterthought but it’s an active fixture in Dream Team World Cup so gaffers should at least be aware of potential returns on offer. More

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      I’m a World Cup time traveller – the final will be an absolute goal-fest but a last-minute score won’t stop the winners

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      THE World Cup final is set to be a goal-fest but a last minute effort won’t affect the final score, a self-proclaimed time traveller has said.Rather than the cagey game neutral fans dread, the final between France and Argentina set to be a thriller, claims the crazy quantum leaper in a bonkers TikTok video.
      The World Cup final will be a goal fest claims the time travellerCredit: tiktok/@fut.furk
      France celebrating their apparent World Cup winCredit: tiktok/@fut.furk
      Argentina are already through to the World Cup final thanks to some Lionel Messi magic.
      France are all set to book their spot after overcoming Morocco in tonight’s semi-final, says apparent soothsayer fut.furk.
      He says the first goal in the final will be a Griezemann penalty after 13 minutes with former Man Utd flop Angel de Maria equalising just before half time.
      Heartbreak will visit Argentina in the second half as a Kylian Mbappe double sees France stand on the verge of a third World Cup triumph.
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      Not even Sergio Aguero repeating his injury heroics that won Man City the title can save the day for Argentina though as France triumph 4-3.
      Aguero’s score would be all the more remarkable given he’s not in the Argentina squad but clearly the time traveller knows something the rest of us don’t.
      The footage ends with France celebrating and Messi looking dejected.
      But the French shouldn’t be celebrating too soon, if a rival time traveller’s predictions are to be believed.
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      In another unfeasible TikTok video fifatime_traveller shows footage from the future claiming to show what happens.
      “I’m a time traveller and Morocco beats France!!!” he says.
      Moroccan players are seen celebrating their ‘winning goal’ in front their jubilant fans as footage cuts to the despondent French team and their sobbing supporters.
      We previously told how a so-called time traveller claimed to know which two nations will battle it out in the World Cup final.
      Sharing footage which they claimed was taken two weeks in the future, the TikToker said Argentina will triumph over Brazil.
      Another ridiculously insisted that England and Portugal will face each other in the finals.
      And this TikToker alleged that Brazil and France would actually be the ones competing for the trophy. More

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      Pep Guardiola ‘talking with Croatia World Cup star Josko Gvardiol’ as Man City prepare world-record transfer fee

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      MANCHESTER CITY are readying a world-record transfer bid for Croatia star Josko Gvardiol, according to reports.The centre-back, 20, has cemented his status as one of the hottest prospects in football with some impressive performances during the World Cup.
      Pep Guardiola is reportedly preparing a world-record bid for a new defenderCredit: Getty
      Man City want Josko Gvardiol after his impressive World Cup displays for CroatiaCredit: Getty
      Unfortunately his and Croatia’s dreams ended on Tuesday night when they were beaten 3-0 by Argentina in the semi-final.
      However, exciting things could still be on the horizon for the RB Leipzig ace as a host of clubs from across Europe chase his services.
      Chelsea have been linked with him for months as have Manchester United and Real Madrid have also entered the chase for his signature.
      Now a new report in France states that Pep Guardiola is preparing to “short-circuit” the competition with a bumper offer.
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      Foot Mercato claims their bid will amount to £86.1million.
      United and Chelsea’s offers are only thought to be up to £81.8m.
      They also claim the German giants have a meeting scheduled with the player’s representatives too.
      But they claim Man City want to blast their competition out of the water by investing heavily in Gvardiol.
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      Boss Guardiola has allegedly already spoken with the defender regarding the move and to sell his project to him.
      Gvardiol remains under contract until 2027 and his employers are under no pressure to sell.
      But City are ready to try to convince them with a transfer offer that will total £94.7m and also includes a 20 per cent sell-on clause.
      That would make Gvardiol the most expensive defender in world football – usurping the £85m Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire.
      And City are also prepared to try and sweeten the deal by buying him next month but allowing him to remain at Leipzig for the rest of the campaign on loan. More

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      Luka Modric ‘does a Batshuayi’ by blasting ball off rival and into his own FACE in Croatia’s World Cup semi-final loss

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      CROATIA’S dismal night was best summed up by Luka Modric hitting his own face with the ball against Argentina.The South Americans won the game comfortably, beating Croatia 3-0 to progress to the final, where they will meet France or Morocco.
      Luka Modric’s shot cannoned back into his own face after being blockedCredit: Twitter/ @sluggahjells
      The ball took him completely by surpriseCredit: Twitter/ @sluggahjells
      The incident summed up Croatia’s night as they lost to ArgentinaCredit: Twitter/ @sluggahjells
      With ten minutes left on the clock Croatia captain Modric took it upon himself to try and get his team back into the match.
      He tried an audacious shot from 30 yards but it was quickly charged down and blocked by Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister.
      The ball then struck Modric in the face before rolling harmlessly to goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
      Fans on social media found it amusing and it reminded some of the infamous incident when Michy Batshuayi cannoned the ball off the goalpost and into his own face at the previous World Cup.
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      One fan wrote: “Batshuayi vibes.”
      Another added: “Croatia’s day summed up.”
      And a third said: “Modric has just done a Batshuayi! 🤣🤣.”
      Another commented: “The replay I was waiting for.”
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      Modric, 37, may have played his final World Cup game and he was consoled after the match by former Real Madrid team-mate Angel Di Maria.
      The midfielder has won a number of plaudits for his performances throughout the tournament but he could not help Croatia replicate their 2018 success of reaching the final.
      Michy Batshuayi kicked the ball against the post and into his own face at the 2018 World CupCredit: ITV More