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South Africa vs Romania: South Africa’s expectations get a boost from Awareness in the Rugby World Cup 2023

Which is altering the Rugby World Cup 2023 game’s landscape and includes teams from South Africa for the first time this season. Irish teams now face these challenges on new continents like the Western Cape and Durban, where they used to be known to travel to the scorching south of France to win improbable matches. Whatever amount of the association is more convoluted and the test has become breathtaking with the consolidation of universally stacked South African gatherings, it has brought a positive change from a rugby-playing perspective.

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Despite their weekend defeats, Munster or Harlequins may not share those sentiments at the moment. The number of teams with a lot of talent has increased, making it harder to just survive in the France Rugby World Cup 2023 competition rather than compete for a win. The fans may likewise revile the changing organizations on occasion. If you have the time and money to travel further afield, you will enjoy the excuse and chance to see some of South Africa’s beautiful scenery. However, for most people, this is not an option.

Notwithstanding, when you get to see an Irish group like Munster taking on Rugby World Cup champs, it carries one more layer of fervor to the game. Calvin Nash dueled with the compelling Springbok Makazole Mapimpi and wasn’t awkward either with a small bunch of burning runs, notwithstanding being on the back foot for the greater part of the game. Peter O’Mahony, a recent Grand Slam winner, took on Springbok captain Siya Kolisi in a matchup between the entire front row of the Springboks and Irish internationals.

In major competitions, South Africa will demonstrate the wonder of African rugby:

In the long run, this can only benefit our game. Similarly, as with the URC, Irish players are playing against the best players on the planet all the more much of the time and encountering an alternate method for playing the game. When taking on these aggressive South African packs, the Champions competition adds another layer of pressure. But from an Irish perspective, ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023, more exposure to some of these players and the way South African teams play will make the phenomenon of South African rugby in elite competitions more common.

Seemingly the most cutthroat rivalry in rugby, the storehouse of the New Zealand Rugby World Cup squad could well have impacted what they manage outer means for on the game. It’s great to watch less set-piece dominance and more all-out attacking rugby, but it won’t be very practical when competing on a global stage. Over the weekend, I was able to catch some of the Chiefs-Blues Super Rugby match, which was played at a blistering pace in horribly wet conditions. For more about South Africa Rugby World Cup Tickets.

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Plug Con, and Munster, and he’s really practical. He joined Damian McKenzie and Sam Cane on the field, as well as Brodie Retallick, a second rower with a lot of power. They competed against Beaudan Barrett and Reiko Ioane, among others. John will reoccurrence to Irish rugby with stories and involvements against some of the best aptitude in the southern hemisphere, as well as a new standpoint on the RWC game’s play in New Zealand.

Due to the globalization of rugby competitions, Irish coaches have also been able to coach in other countries. Noel McNamara, a Clare man, was the driving force behind the Sharks’ victory in Durban, and Felix Jones has a lot of South African experience because he played in his second rugby cup with the champions before moving on to the English backroom team. With the number of Irish coaches who have played and now coach in France, it is more common to understand French rugby, but this understanding may also be extremely beneficial ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France in September and October.

The South African team’s victory in the competition advises at the Rugby World Cup:

Ronan O’Gara, Donnacha Ryan, Mike Prendergast, and Bernard Jackman are all well-versed in the nation and the French game’s mentality, and Ireland will require that information if they are to surpass their previous Rugby World Cup successes. Accepting change entails opportunities, despite its difficulties. South African group’s overwhelming in the Heroes implies that European groups need to add more strings to their bow assuming they are to proceed to find success this year.

It likewise features the significance of getting a decent attract from the previous rounds, to support your cultivating and keep away from troublesome travel by playing more games at home. Due to their early dominance in the group stages, Toulouse, La Rochelle, and Leinster are among the competition’s favorites to win, and all three will play more home RWC games than others. Leinster has the advantage of not having to leave Dublin to win the tournament, which makes them favorites to end their five-year tournament drought.

This advantage has been earned through their performance and results. South African teams are raising the bar for the Champions Cup and will pose a greater challenge in the quarterfinals this weekend. Carl Hogg and Steve Scott were colleagues at Melrose; though, on Saturday, they will be in contrasting coaching containers in the Russian city of Sochi, some 2,000 miles from the Scottish Borders. Melrose men aim for the France Rugby World Cup 2023 through Russia and Romania. For more about Romania Rugby World Cup Tickets.

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The Rugby Europe Championship 2021 and the long path to Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification begin with the Test match between Russia and Romania and Portugal versus Georgia on the same day. Romania’s forward’s coach is 51-year-old Scott, who made 11 international appearances. Two teams from Georgia, Spain, Romania, Russia, Portugal, Belgium, or the Netherlands will have qualified for the World Cup by the end of the Rugby Europe Championship in 2022, and one more will advance to a second qualifying event.

They will be well-trained by Andy Robinson, Romania’s head RWC coach:

Additionally, there is a possibility that Gregor Townsend’s team could be confronted by either Russia or Romania in the Europe 2 qualifier that will be held in France in two years alongside Scotland, Ireland, and South Africa in Pool B. That is some way down the line however and for the present the groups are zeroing in on a strong beginning. In the 2020 RWC Championship, Russia and Romania both won two games and with Georgia favored to win, they will likely compete with Spain and Portugal to see who can finish second.

I saw it as a good opportunity to get back involved in coaching [he left the Ospreys in October of last year when head coach Lyn Jones got in touch with me before Christmas to see if I’d be interested in helping out during this competition. I was able to get a good look at the team in February’s defeat to Georgia in Tbilisi because we still had one game left from the delayed Rugby World Cup tournament.

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In that game, the boys showed a lot of heart, and in the past few weeks, they have worked hard in camp, and we have great facilities in Sochi. Romania’s head Rugby World Cup 2023 coach Andy Robinson will have them well-drilled, we are aware that Romania will be a difficult opponent in their first match, so we will need to play well on Saturday to achieve our goal.

Robinson, a former Scotland coach, has been in charge of Romania, and he brought in Scottish analyst Paul Larter and Scott, who most recently played for London Scottish. Scott, 46, offered this explanation, I have always kept in touch with Andy, and this seemed like a good project to get involved with. Although I haven’t seen the players play in a match yet, our training has been going well, and the players are very open to trying out new ideas.

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Why Portugal dropped Cristiano Ronaldo against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup?

The current conduct of the former Manchester United forward has resulted in his expulsion from the starting lineup for Portugal’s World Cup match against Switzerland in 2022. Portugal has substituted Cristiano Ronaldo for Cristiano Ronaldo for their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 matches against Switzerland.

After Ronaldo’s most recent antics, manager Fernando Santos has been under increasing pressure to drop the superstar forward, and it has now been confirmed that he will sit on the bench for Tuesday’s game.

Before joining his teammates, Portugal’s tournament has been marred by off-field obstacles that date back to Ronaldo’s time playing for Manchester United, his former employer.

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The six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who was given a minor role in Erik ten Hag’s revolution at the club, was unhappy with his situation and launched a vicious attack on the club last month. In the end, it led to the termination of his contract just two days before his nation began their journey in Qatar.

All of that appeared to have been covered up by a goal in the first match against Ghana, but new developments since the Seleço’s last game in Group H have sparked a new debate about whether it would be better to leave Ronaldo out of the starting lineup.

Ronaldo’s reaction when he was substituted in the 65th minute of Portugal’s 2-1 loss to South Korea in the final round of group games has sparked the latest drama.

The opposition striker Cho Gue-Sung, who had attempted to hurry Ronaldo off the field while the score remained level, was the initial target of Ronaldo’s rage. However, Santos learned that his striker’s outburst was partly caused by his displeasure at being substituted.

In an effort to put an end to the situation, the veteran coach addressed the issue in his press conference yesterday.

“I did a flash interview when the match ended. Then I went into the press conference. I’d heard him (Ronaldo) in discussion with Korea’s players,” said Santos. “But I didn’t like the other images when I saw them Not at all. I really didn’t like them. Now, everything has finished. That issue is finished. Full stop everyone has to focus on tomorrow.”

Then, he was asked if Ronaldo would be punished for the incident, possibly by having his captaincy taken away from the former Real Madrid player.

“I only decide who’s going to be the captain when I reach the stadium. That’s what I always do. The other matter is solved. It’s been solved at our camp. That’s it,” he said, eager to remain coy.

Finally, the topic of the conference shifted to how the Portuguese people have started to feel about Ronaldo, and if Santos would respond. In the aftermath of the last match, a poll in the country’s media displayed that 70% would be in favour of his axing for the Round of 16 in favour of Benfica’s Gonçalo Ramos.

This time, the Portugal boss replied: “Look, I do not read this type of information. I’m not paying attention to polls or any other type of business. I’m focusing on the immediate match. I’m not worried if this is right or wrong. Since I started coaching this squad, this is the way I do things.”

With an alleged £173 million-per-year contract offer from Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr and further speculation about the striker’s club situation, Ronaldo must now sit on the bench for the game.

Benched Cristiano Ronaldo Sent Brutal Message by Manchester United Great

In a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 matches, Portugal manager Fernando Santos made the crucial decision to move Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench.

Fernando Santos, Portugal’s manager, made the crucial decision to move Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench as the team advanced to the FIFA World Cup knockout game against Switzerland. Fans and football pundits went crazy on social media when they saw that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was not in the starting XI. They were curious about what took place between Ronaldo and his manager. Soon after the news broke, Ronaldo was urged by Gary Neville, a former defender for Manchester United, to stop “sulking.” For more know about Football World Cup Tickets.

Recently, Neville has been quite critical of Ronald, particularly since the five-time Ballon d’Or winner began to act aloof toward his Manchester United manager, Erik Ten Hag.

Neville has once again taken a position against Ronaldo in an interview with ITV. He said that his managers at Juventus and Manchester United might have been “wrong.” But is the Portugal manager also “wrong” for benching him?

“Well what happened at United, the suggestion was, it was because [Erik] Ten Hag was trying to make a move on him, he’s trying to establish his authority. This is a manager [Santos] who’s got an unbelievable relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo for eight years.

“And there are a lot of fans of Cristiano Ronaldo who aren’t willing to tell him the truth. I think he does need to listen to the truth that it’s becoming a little bit of a scruffy end” he said.

Neville, who briefly worked with Ronaldo at Manchester United, urged the Portuguese player to preserve his “short-term legacy” and stop stomping and sulking so much.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he came on tonight and scored the winner, but the petulance, the stomping around, the sulking it’s got to stop because it doesn’t reflect well on him at all.

“His long term legacy is set, he’s protected. He’s one of the great all time players but in the short term, he’s got to do a lot better, because is the Juventus manager wrong? The Manchester United manager wrong? And now is the Portugal manager wrong? There’s three of them that now have done the same thing with him,” Neville had said before the start of the match.

Regarding Portugal’s match against Switzerland, Ronaldo’s team won easily to advance to the quarterfinals.

In the 2022 FIFA World Cup’s knockout phase, Portugal faced Switzerland. Despite Portugal’s benching of Cristiano Ronaldo for the game, they demonstrated that they could manage without him. After firing a laser into the top shelf, Goncalo Ramos scored in the 17th minute.

Then, in the 33rd minute, Pepe scored, becoming the oldest player to score in the knockout phase. Ramos completed the hat trick in the 67th minute, Raphael Guerreiro scored in the 55th, and Goncalo added another goal in the 51st. Portugal won the final 6-1 thanks to a late goal from Rafael Leo.

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Football World Cup – France vs Poland: Team news, lineups, and prediction

On Sunday afternoon, the defending world champions France play Poland in the round of 16.

Both nations won their last group games but lost the playoffs. Poland narrowly made it into the round of 16 based on goal differential alone, while Didier Deschamps shuffled his squad against Tunisia with qualification already secured. For more than 20 minutes, Poland’s only advantage over Mexico in Group C came from a smaller number of yellow cards.

Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming knockout tie.

Where are France vs Poland playing?

Location: Doha, Qatar

Stadium: Al Thumama Stadium

Date: Sunday 4 December

Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT

France vs Poland H2H Results (All-Time)

France: 8 Wins

Poland: 3 Wins

Draws: 5

Current Form (Last Five Games)

France: WLWWL

Poland: WWDWL

France team news

Deschamps made nine changes to the starting XI for the match against Tunisia following an injury-plagued start to the competition. Deschamps would not have been persuaded that any of the reserves deserve a spot in the starting lineup by the underwhelming performance up until some of those illustrious names entered the game.

France predicted lineup vs Poland

France Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Upamecano, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud.
Bench: Mandanda, Areola, Disasi, Pavard, Saliba, Konate, Guendouzi, Veretout, Camavinga, Y Fofana, Kolo Muani, Coman, Thuram.

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Poland team news

It is anticipated that Czeslaw Michniewicz will have a full roster at his disposal. The management of Poland doesn’t appear to be convinced of this quality, though. Michniewicz made a joke before turning around, saying, “I can’t turn water into wine although here that might be useful.”

Poland predicted lineup vs France

Poland Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Cash, Glik, Kiwior, Bereszynski; Krychowiak, Bielik; Frankowski, Zielinski, Kaminski; Lewandowski.
Bench: Grabara, Skorupski, Bednarek, Jedrzejczyk, Wieteska, Gumny, Zurkowski, D Szymanski, Zalewski, S Szymanski, Grosicki, Swiderski, Skoras, Milik, Piatek.

France vs Poland betting tips

France will triumph by at least two goals. At the World Cup, France has won 12 of its last 15 knockout stage contests, with exactly half of those victories coming by a score of two goals or more.

Both teams will score, with France winning. In their last 13 games played outside of France, France has only preserved one clean sheet, yet they have still won five of the previous nine such games.

France to win and both teams to score is currently 13/5*

Will both teams score? No In contrast to their most recent match, which saw neither team score, Poland’s last five World Cup games have all ended without a goal for either team.

Under 0.5 cards for France In total, France has committed only 15 fouls at this World Cup, receiving just one yellow card.

What was the score at halftime? 0-0 at this World Cup, Poland has yet to give up a goal in the first half of a game, whereas neither of France’s previous two games had a goal at the break.

To be a carded player For Poland in 2022, Grzegorz Krychowiak has received four yellow cards, which is two more than any other teammate. Throughout his last eight international games, he averaged two fouls per game.

K. Y. Mbappe had 3+ shots on goal in his previous 11 starts for France, Kylian Mbappé has taken 34 shots on target, averaging 3.1 per game.

A player may score whenever in his last 21 starts for France; Olivier Giroud has scored 15 goals. He only needs one more goal to surpass Pele as the all-time leading scorer for men’s Insights courtesy of Opta. For real-time group stage standings, top scores, match analytics, team stats, and much more, visit The Analyst Stats Hub!

France vs Poland score prediction

Although France’s B team’s defeat to Tunisia provides little context for their match against Poland, the luxury of rotation may be crucial moving ahead. Deschamps undoubtedly believes this. The World Cup winner predicted those four days from now, we would start to reap the rewards.

In all three of their group games, Poland has been handily outshot, but some way, some way, they have managed to eke out four points. France and their rested frontline are unlikely to be as forgiving as Mexico and Saudi Arabia if they adopt the same hopelessly passive stance.

Prediction: France 3-0 Poland

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2022 World Cup: Despite the late drama, Poland qualifies to join France, Australia, and Argentina.

Wahbi Khazri’s goal in the 58th minute helped Tunisia defeat France and advance to the World Cup’s round of 16.

In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Antoine Griezmann thought he had tied the score for France, but a video review determined that his goal was offside.

France, the defending World Cup champions, still won its group despite the loss.

Tunisia continued its history of never making it past the World Cup group stage.

Australia 1-0 Denmark

Australia defeated favorite Denmark to advance to the World Cup’s knockout rounds for the first time since 2006.

In the 60th minute, Australia’s Mathew Leckie scored the game-winning goal.

The game was a huge letdown for Denmark because they needed to win and hoped that Tunisia wouldn’t defeat France to advance to the round of 16.

The Danes played well; they attacked right away but were unable to penetrate the Australian defense.

In the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, the two teams drew 1-1.

Argentina 2-0 Poland

Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez scored goals in the second half to help Argentina defeat Poland 2-0 on Wednesday and advance to the round of 16. Lionel Messi had a penalty saved, but his team still won.

Argentina is in a strong position, especially considering that the team opened the World Cup with one of the biggest upsets in tournament history a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.

Argentina won Group C to go to the knockout stage and face Australia, a surprising qualifier.

Poland and Mexico were tied on points and goal differential as their match came to an end. Poland would have been eliminated if Mexico had scored one more goal while leading 2-0 at the time. But Saudi Arabia’s late goal gave Poland the victory.

Mexico 2-1 Saudi Arabia

Henry Martin and Luis Chaves scored for Mexico in a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia, but it wasn’t enough for them to advance out of Group C.

Mexico made a last-ditch effort to score in the final 20 minutes, including an attempt by Uriel Antuna in the 87th that was deemed offside, but they were unsuccessful.

At the last seven World Cups, Mexico has advanced to the round of 16, tying Brazil for the longest current streak. But before the match against Saudi Arabia, which they had to win, the team was last in Group C in Qatar.

Mexico, however, failed to advance out of its group for the first time since 1978 as a result of Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland in a concurrent match.

Saudi Arabia’s first World Cup appearance in 1994 saw them advance to the round of 16, but they haven’t advanced past the group stage since.

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Taking in Qatar 2022’s atmosphere: How it feels to be dry at a World Cup

Many soccer fans throughout the world enjoy the habit of drinking alcohol before, during, and after games. However, alcohol is not being as easily accessible in Qatar in 2022.

Due to FIFA’s confirmation of an alcohol ban at the eight stadiums hosting the 2022 World Cup two days before the tournament’s start, this is the case.

While some fans applauded the decision, others, like English student Arnov Paul-Choudhury, 21, who is 21 years old, were left perplexed and frustrated.

“It’s the World Cup, its football, you need to be able to drink around the stadium,” Paul-Choudhury told CNN Sport in Doha on the day of the announcement. “I just don’t think they’re doing the right things to attract fans.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino disagreed, saying fans would “survive” not being able to drink “for three hours a day” and, on the whole, he’s been proven right.

After the World Cup began, CNN spoke to several fans about the alcohol ban, and they didn’t seem to be too bothered by it or the lack of it in the stadiums.

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“I’d normally have a few beers, but I think everyone is just getting on with it,” England fan Nick Cottrill told CNN at the FIFA Fan Festival.

“Everyone here is just really happy and there is so much negativity back home. It’s all running well,” added Cottrill who was visiting Qatar with his father, Gary.

There were one potential downside about not being able to drink at stadiums, according to the Cottrill in that from their experience matches were a bit less boisterous, though that’s not necessarily been a bad thing.

“Normally, so many people go over the top,” Gary Cottrill told CNN. “It’s fine to have alcohol, but those people who come for the sake of causing trouble and being obnoxious are being stopped from coming.”

Sourcing alcohol

Since Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup 12 years ago, the sale and use of alcohol have been a very divisive topic.

The Muslim nation is seen as being extremely conservative, and alcohol sales and consumption are strictly regulated.

Being intoxicated in public is against the law in Qatar, and offenders risk legal repercussions.

According to UK government advice on traveling to Qatar, drinking in a public place could “result in a prison sentence of up to six months and/or a fine up to 3,000 Qatar Rial ($824).”

Qatar had announced in September that it will allow ticketed soccer fans to purchase alcoholic beverages at World Cup games beginning three hours before kickoff and continuing for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the game itself.

Then, two days before the opening game, FIFA announced that no alcohol will be sold at the stadiums hosting the 64 games of the tournament. FIFA announced in a statement that only specific fan parks and other locations with permits would offer alcohol in the Doha area.

Even yet, there are still some fans that can pay to drink during games. Supporters can purchase a match hospitality package for a range of services, including alcohol, at prices ranging from $950 to $4,950 per match.

The UK government has advised that expatriates residing in Qatar can purchase alcohol through a permission system and that alcohol is also accessible at authorized hotel restaurants and bars throughout Doha.

Between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., Budweiser beer is also sold at the FIFA Fan Festival, so attendees who wish to drink can do so without any problem.

However, many World Cup attendees who traveled great distances to be in Qatar didn’t do so to replenish their supply of alcohol.

“That’s not what we’re here for,” US fan Deya Banisakher, 30, told CNN.

Banisakher is in Doha to follow the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) with his partner, Mireya Jurado.

Like many, the couple says the restrictions around drinking outside venues have had very little impact on their trip.

“We’re here to watch the football matches, soak up the culture. The architecture is beautiful. We’re having a great time,” explained Jurado.

In the capital of Qatar, there is a noticeable sense of family, with supporters taking advantage of the city when they aren’t watching games.

The Souq Waqif neighborhood in downtown Doha is a favorite among supporters and is regularly crowded with thousands of people cheering on various teams. Even though fans are frequently crammed into small spaces, interactions are always cordial.

Of course, this could still happen if there is alcohol present, but major soccer events have in the past been marred by fan violence and hooliganism that has not yet been seen at Qatar 2022.

According to a study ordered by the English Football Association, excessive alcohol and drug usage significantly detracted from the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

A safer World Cup?

One expert claims that the absence of alcohol near stadiums during Qatar 2022 has also decreased the possibility of crowd-related issues developing into significant incidents.

“Let’s consider if you’re taking your family to watch a match,” Dr. Sean Mottaleb, senior healthcare leader who works for the emergency, crisis, and disaster preparedness team at Qatar 2022, told CNN.

“Would you feel safe if you have somebody who is intoxicated sitting next to you and they don’t have that much control over their behavior?

“I would say this event is not only for hardcore football fans, it’s for everybody. It’s for everybody around the world. Everybody has the right to enjoy; everybody has the right to feel safe.”

Mottaleb claims he is content with how the competition has played out so far in terms of security and medical concerns.

There haven’t been many crowd-related problems, and Mottaleb contends that the tournament’s decision to forbid alcohol near stadiums was made for security reasons in addition to cultural ones.

“We measure the risks associated with those who are intoxicated, and the risk becomes higher,” he said.

“Sometimes, you might have small incidents right, left and center and those incidents might lead to what we call an [snowball] effect, a major incident.

“So, since you know that there is a risk, there is a potential for harm, what would you do? You eliminate that element.”

With lots of time left before the World Cup ends on December 18, anything is possible.

However, there is a perception that this World Cup has demonstrated that soccer can be enjoyed without excessive drinking.

The fans are more amused that the matter is receiving so much attention in their home nations when all they want to see is an exciting play on the field.

Despite what Mottaleb claimed, an alcohol ban in the 2026 competition, which will be held in Mexico, the US, and Canada, is extremely unlikely.

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Football World Cup 2022: What makes Lionel Messi Argentina’s current true leader Zabaleta, Pablo

For Lionel Messi and Argentina, nothing has been done yet.

You all witnessed the tension and anxiety we felt against Mexico up until our goal, as well as the relief we felt at the final whistle after our 2-0 victory.

After our defeat to Saudi Arabia, we were under a lot of pressure, and everyone was relieved, including Messi and the entire team as well as all of our supporters here.

In what would have been his last World Cup, Argentina’s elimination in the group stage would have been terrible and painful.

However, we are not yet in the last 16. To ensure that we make it, we must win again, this time against Poland.

It won’t be easy, and the team still has a long way to go, but after beating Mexico, hopefully, we will feel more confident.

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Naturally, we always have Messi. We are confident that we will be able to rely on him once more in Qatar given how many times we have done so.

We are aware that winning this tournament will be difficult for us. But thanks to him, at least we can once more dream about this Argentina team.

“I know how much the World Cup means to Messi”: I was there when Messi started his career with Argentina, and I hope he wins this World Cup.

I knew he would be a very special player the moment I saw him touch the ball during our first training session for the under-20 team.

Naturally, before meeting Messi, we had heard about him in Barcelona, but that was the first time he came to Argentina to play. He didn’t say much at the time, but we quickly realized how good he was after giving him a warm welcome to the team.

When he was 17 years old, he went with us to the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands. I was captain of Argentina, and we won the tournament together. Most of it was due to him!

Being a member of his generation makes me feel so fortunate; to have delighted in watching and playing close by him and to have imparted countless minutes to him, as a partner and as a companion.

I am aware of the hardships he has endured and the sacrifices he has made. Remember that he moved to Spain when he was only 13 years old.

Like the majority of our players, I had to leave Argentina at a young age to advance my career, and I know how difficult it was for me to adjust. However, he joined Seville as a young boy when I was 20 years old.

I know how much it means to him to represent Argentina and how badly he wants to win the greatest football trophy with us, and I am so proud of everything he has accomplished since then.

It’s always the same: Messi has to win the World Cup

Back home, there is a lot of affection for Messi right now, but that hasn’t always been the case.

After losing the World Cup final in 2014, we lost the Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016 as well.

In Argentina, this is insufficient. Reaching the final is unacceptable to some people and portions of our media. Because we had not won every game as Barcelona did at the time, Messi received a lot of criticism.

After that, he gave up and took a break from the national team to refuel, but he quickly realized how significant it was to him.

Messi wanted to come back and help us win something, even though he has won everything club football has to offer. Therefore, it was remarkable to witness him win his first major international trophy at Copa America last year.

We won it by defeating Brazil in the Maracana. It was a very special victory for us, and I loved how everyone rushed to hug Messi at the final whistle.

Even though people still expect so much from him at a World Cup, that victory relieved some of the pressure on him and stopped people from claiming that he did not play for us in the same manner as he did for his club.

It’s as if he has to win every time. Nothing else will suffice.

As a result, I am aware that he may experience mental difficulties during these tournaments; consequently, he must have the appropriate companions to assist him in relaxing.

What has changed? Messi has matured

I worked as a pundit for the BBC in Russia during the 2018 World Cup, and even from afar, A real source of concern for me was that Messi appeared to be stressed. We were eliminated early due to the team’s poor condition.

When I was with him in the Argentina team that reached the Brazil final in 2014, things were completely different. He was enjoying leading the team.

I heard Leo say before this tournament started, that the feelings he had then and the current atmosphere in the squad are similar. That is a very positive sign because it indicates that he is content and that they are still together.

I can still picture a lot of fun happening in the dressing room from my youth when I look at pictures of it now. However, there is a major distinction: Messi alone.

People had never seen him give an inspirational speech to the team before the Copa America final in 2021, and the pictures showed that he also has the leadership skills to lead this team to greatness.

The same thing happened in 2014 when Messi spoke, but he was always a little quiet and didn’t say much.

He was our captain, but Javier Mascherano took over as captain due to his character and experience. When we were getting ready for games, he was the loudest in the dressing room.

Now, Messi is the one who does that. He is more than just our best player; he is also the team’s true leader, as manager Lionel Scaloni has said many times, and he will help them get through this tough start in that way as well, not just by scoring goals.

It’s wonderful to see. He has traveled a long distance to reach this point. Naturally, anyone can move off the field and learn something new. At 35, Messi is more mature, has more experience, and is a father, but he is still an incredible footballer.

He should immediately retire if he wins this World Cup because he will have accomplished everything possible. He won’t be able to win anything left.

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Costa Rica Football World Cup: Costa Rica vs Germany live stream choices for WC

Costa Rica Football World Cup Team will take on Germany in a group-stage FIFA World Cup clatter at the Al Bayt Stadium. The Costa Ricans will be hoping to save three points after a clash with Japan on Nov. 27.

Meanwhile, the 2014 winners will be coming from a match with Spain.

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Costa Rica vs Germany kickoff time

Kickoff time for Costa Rica vs. Germany match is set for 2 p.m. ET on December 1 at the 60,000-seat site in Al Khor.

How to watch Costa Rica vs Germany on streaming or allowed TV

Football World Cup 2022 fans in the U.S. have a choice of choices when it comes to live-streaming games at the tournament.

You can watch each game on the FOX Sports (opens in a new tab) family of networks, which are the official English-language broadcast spouse in the United States.

The Costa Rica vs. Germany match will be shown on FS1, with broadcasters Telemundo and Universo presenting on the game.

Fans who favor using live TV streaming services have options including FuboTV (opens in a new tab), Sling TV (opens in a new tab), and, YouTube TV (opens in a new tab).

Those looking to stream the competitions online in English can use the Fox Sports App (opens in a new tab) for $19.99 per month. Spanish utterers can use Peacock Premium (opens in a new tab), which is $4.99 per month – however, it will contain ads. Ad-free Premium Plus costs $9.99 monthly. Football fans can book Costa Rica Vs Germany Tickets from our website.

When are the other Group E competitions?

Teams will be hoping to get enough points in their three group-stage games to save a spot in the knockout stages.

The winner of Group E will play the runners-up in Group F, whereas the team that comes second place will play its winners.

Group F holds Croatia, Canada, Morocco, and Belgium.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 23: Germany vs. Japan
  • Wednesday, Nov. 23: Spain vs. Costa Rica
  • Sunday, Nov. 27: Japan vs. Costa Rica
  • Sunday, Nov. 27: Spain vs. Germany
  • Thursday, Dec. 1: Costa Rica vs. Germany
  • Thursday, Dec. 1: Japan vs. Spain

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Japan Football World Cup: All to play for in Group E as BOTH Japan and Spain target a spot in the previous 16

Japan Football World Cup: Group E will reach its deduction with all four teams still in with a chance of reaching the last 16.  Costa Rica replied in style from their 7-0 defeat at the hands of Spain to beat Japan, while Germany saved a late draw against Spain to keep their slim hopes alive. 

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It means Spain and Japan meet in their final game both demanding results to ensure they progress.  Spain goes into their final match with four points, while Japan has three having hurt a shock defeat to Costa Rica. Japan needs to win, or a draw will suffice provided Costa Rica loses and they better the goal change of Germany. 

When is Japan vs Spain?

The Group E fixture between Japan and Spain is on Thursday, December 1 with a 10 pm kick-off time nearby in Qatar. That is 7 pm in the United Kingdom, 2pm in the United States EST and 5 am Australian Eastern Normal Time.

The other fixture in the group between Germany and Costa Rica will kick off at exactly the similar time.

Date: Thursday, December 1

Kick-off times: 10 pm Qatar, 7 pm United Kingdom, 2 pm United States EST, and 5 am Australian Eastern Standard Time.

How to watch the match

In the United Kingdom, the Japan vs Spain competition will be broadcast live on ITV One, with streaming available on ITV Hub.  In the United States, the fixture is going to be shown live on FOX, Universo, fubo TV, DirecTV Stream, Peacock Premium, Vidgo, and Sling Blue.

Australian audiences can tune into the game via SBS, which will be televising every match during the 2022 World Cup. SBS on Demand will also stream the fixture for those on the change.

If you’re incapable to watch the game live, you can relive the action via the FIFA YouTube Channel (Worldwide). The official YouTube channel will be posting highlight reels after each game.

 Where is Japan vs Spain being played?

Capacity: 45,416 Distance from Doha city center: 8 miles

This has been the country’s national stadium since it opened and has been lengthily renovated to host the World Cup. It has before hosted the Asian Games, the Gulf Cup, and the AFC Asian Cup and hosted the IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2019.

England played Brazil here in an international friendly back in 2009 while Liverpool won the FIFA Club World Cup at this site 10 years later. So far at this tournament, it has hosted England’s 6-2 win over Iran, Japan’s 2-1 win over Germany, Holland’s 1-1 draw with Ecuador, and Croatia’s 4-1 drubbing of Canada. 

Ground: Khalifa International Stadium

Location: Al Rayyan, Doha 

Team news 

There appears to be greater anxiety on the Spanish side of this equation after teenage star Gavi sat out the exercise on Monday, a day after the draw with Germany.  Gavi is nursing a minor injury picked up in the 1-1 draw on Sunday and the 18-year-old midfielder was taken off in the 66th minute, shortly after Spain took a 1-0 lead.  He’s been a breath of fresh air for Spain in the inaugural two games alongside Pedri so losing him for a conclusive final group game would be a blow for boss Luis Enrique. Football fans can Japan Vs Spain Tickets from our website.

Japan Football World Cup squad list: 

Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt, Eiji Kawashima.

Defenders: Miki Yamane, Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo.

Midfielders: Wataru Endo, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Gaku Shibasaki, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Takefusa Kubo, Yuki Soma.

Forwards: Daizen Maeda, Takuma Asano, Shuto Machino, Ayase Ueda.

Spain Football World Cup squad list: 

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, David Raya

Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Dani Carvajal, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba, Alejandro Balde

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Carlos Soler, Marcos Llorente, Pedri, Koke

Forwards: Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati

 Head-to-head record

These two have never met at a Qatar World Cup and only have one prior conference, a friendly in 2001.

Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Rubén Baraja got the only goal of the game. 

Group E results and fixtures

November 23

Germany 1-2 Japan; Spain 7-0 Costa Rica

November 27

Japan 0-1 Costa Rica; Spain 1-1 Germany

December 1

Japan vs Spain; Germany vs Costa Rica 

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Iran Football World Cup

Iran request USA is KICKED OUT of the Qatar World Cup of anger over social media post

Iran Football World Cup: Iran is due to play the USA in their final Group B clatter in the World Cup with a place in the Round of 16 up for grabs but strains are high ahead of the clash. Iran’s state-affiliated media has called for FIFA to kick the USA OUT of the World Cup after they sent an altered image of the Iranian flag as a show of provision for women’s rights in Iran.

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The official Twitter account of the US national football team sent an image of the World Cup Group B standings but obviously to eliminate the Islamic Republic’s “Allah” emblem and the “takbirs” from Iran’s three-colored flag. The move comes amid nationwide protests in Iran challenging Tehran’s theocratic government last.

Iran Football World Cup

The USMNT account sent an image of the group which only showed the Iranian flag manner its green, white and red color but without any symbol of the Islamic State. This has allegedly breached FIFA guidelines, as pierced out by Iran’s state-affiliated broadcasting Tasnim News Agency. The USMNT says the sign was to show “support for the women in Iran aggressive for basic human rights” and they added it was a one-time display and it will reinstate the symbol moving forward.

They wrote on Twitter, alongside a screenshot of the pertinent FIFA rule: “According to section 13 of #FIFA rules, any person who offends the self-respect or integrity of a country, a person or group of people … shall be authorized with a suspension lasting at least ten matches or an exact period, or any other appropriate punitive amount.”

The state-media outlet added: By posting a slanted image of the flag of the Islamic Republic of #Iran on its official account, the #US football team broke the @FIFAcom charter, for which a 10-game suspension is an suitable penalty. Team #USA should be kicked out of the #WorldCup2022.”

Iran Football World Cup campaign has been played against the background of severe unrest and tensions in their home nation.

Upon the Islamic Republic’s appeal, Qatari authorities have been preventing Iranian fans from carrying the “Lion and Sun” flag – which used to be Iran’s national flag before the 1979 Islamic Rebellion – or the three-colored flag with the “Woman, Life, Freedom” slogan.

Team Melli fans at their opening two Football World Cup competitions could be heard jeering to drown out the sound of their national anthem, which couriers its desire for the Islamic Republic to live forever. One group of Iran fans have also shaped a flag in the stands which read: “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Hundreds of activists have died in Tehran and other cities following the death in morality police care of Mahsa Amini two months ago.

The 22-year-old woman died in police care having been arrested for not wearing her hijab properly. Last week, Saman Ghoddos, the only Iranian in the Premier League, told Mirror Football this month that it was right for players to speak up in the provision of those calling for change – regardless of potential consequences. Fans can buy Iran Vs USA Tickets from our website.

Iran will play the USA in their final Group B clash with a play in the Round of 16 up for grabs. England leads the group on four opinions, while Iran is on three points – having defeated Wales – with the USA on two and Wales behind the group with a solitary point.

Qatar Football World Cup: US team distorts Iran flag ahead of football clash

Iran’s football body official says grievance will be filed to Fifa over ‘unethical and illegal’ omission

Iran’s football federation will file a criticism to Fifa against the US team for removing Iran’s symbol from the flag in an online post, the football body’s legal adviser said on Sunday.

The banner of the US football team’s Twitter account fleetingly displayed the flag of Iran, whom they are set to play against on Tuesday in a vital World Cup clash, with the red, white, and green strips but without the central symbol that reads “Allah”, a symbol related with the country’s 1979 revolution.

The same one-sided flag was used on official Twitter and Instagram posts published on 25 November. The Twitter banner reinstated Iran’s official flag on Sunday afternoon and the posts were detached after criticism was rising online.

Safia Allah Faghanpour, the legal consultant of the Iranian football federation, said the emblem omission was “unethical”, rendering Tasneem to the Iranian news agency.

Qatar World Cup

“Respecting a nation’s flag is an accepted international practice that all other nations must emulate. The activities conducted about the Iranian flag are unethical and against international law,” Faghanpour said.

It was not immediately clear on what basis the grievance will be lodged.

The semi-official agency Tasneem cited section 13 of Fifa’s punitive code which states that offense to “the dignity or integrity of a country” is disciplinary with a “suspension lasting at least 10 matches or a specific period, or any other suitable disciplinary measure”. 

The typography of the “Allah” emblem in the current Iranian flag is designed to look like a sword, which signifies strength and patriotism. Some also believe the five parts of the emblem symbolize the five pillars of Islam and a tulip, a symbol usually used to recall those who died for Iran.

The symbol was added to the flag in 1980, swapping the Lion and Sun emblem used in the flag before the Islamic Revolution, and today invoked by antagonism groups and anti-government protesters.  

Mind games

The US football federation, the USMNT, said in a declaration that it changed the flag for 24 hours to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic humanoid rights”, according to the Associated Press.

Iran has been engulfed in two-month-long complaints that were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody after they are stationary her for allegedly wearing her headscarf “inappropriately”.

Iranian authorities have replied with heavy force. An estimated 300 people have been killed in the unrest so far. Iranian players have previously accused their opponents in the Football World Cup group of using the complaints to play mind games and put them under pressure ahead of matches. Before the opening competition against England, Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh accused British media of playing a ‘mental game’ by asking players to remark on the protests.

After a pre-match press session last week, Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz challenged a BBC journalist over questions asked of Iranian players about the unrest back home.

He asked if it was fair to put political questions to football players of Inotn but no other countries.

“Why don’t you ask the other coaches? Why don’t you ask [England manager Gareth] Southgate: ‘What do you think about England, the United States, and [pulling out of] Afghanistan?” he said.

Iran is set to play the US on Tuesday in a conclusive winner-takes-all match that could see Team Melli reach the knockout stages of the Football World Cup for the first time in history.

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Canada boss John Herdman says he will be theft himself in Qatar World Cup

Canada Football World Cup: John Herdman confesses that, just for a second, he will need to pinch himself when he guides his Canada side out to face Belgium in their first gentlemen’s World Cup finals game in 36 years.

Taking on the team ranked second in the world, which comprises the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, and Romelu Lukaku, is a tough task, even when your team includes Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, two of the top young aptitudes playing in Europe.

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But consider Herdman’s background.

A 47-year-old from the north-east steelmaking town of Consett, with no playing context, who only got into training when he took charge of a local under-11 team as a share of his Duke of Edinburgh award when he was a teen-age and emigrated to New Zealand in his 20s when he realized there was no chance he would be given a chance in the professional game in England.

Canada Football World Cup

“I will pinch myself,” Herdman says of Canada’s Group F opener at the 44,000-ability Al-Rayyan Stadium on 23 November.

In New Zealand, Herdman moved from being a coach education director to taking charge of the women’s national side, where he began to build his standing. Then it was on to Canada, where he led the women’s team to consecutive bronze medals at the Olympics, before switching to the men’s game and securing the country’s second Football World Cup arrival.

He accepts his unconventional journey brings an element of the phony syndrome. But Herdman doesn’t feel it is exclusive to him.

“Everyone suffers with this at some point,” he said.

“I remember first flying into Vancouver thinking I was going to be at an exercise session with the greatest of all time in her craft, Christine Sinclair, and that I’d never functioned with that type of athlete before and how was I going to do it?

Qatar World Cup

“But I was listening to a podcast where Hugh Jackman spoke about imposter syndrome. I just thought if Wolverine can have it, I can too! I’m not ashamed to admit it and I’m sure I will feel that way when De Bruyne walks past.

“But if you’re willing to admit that stuff, you work harder to fill the gaps and innovate.”

Canada’s progress to Qatar was smoother on the field than off it.

A dispute in June over expenditures forced a friendly with Panama to be scrapped at short notice and while matches have taken place since the association between Herdman and his squad and Canada Soccer leftovers uneasy. To know more about Croatia Vs Canada Tickets click here.

For anything to take the focus away from Herdman’s squad is a shame.

That he switched from the women’s team to the men’s was hugely controversial in Canada. To then declare a belief his team would qualify for Qatar was bold.

“You must commit the mind to go all in,” he said. “I’d always been clear that we’d podium with the women’s team. With the men’s, no one had ever said ‘we’re going to qualify before. One of the senior guys said ‘you’ve put a noose around your neck my response to that was ‘good’. If I commit the mind, the players will see that – and the process, the systems, and the play style – and they will believe.”

It was probably not until Matchday eight of a 14-game final qualifying group that it became apparent Canada had a realistic chance of making their first World Cup since 1986.

Qatar Football World Cup

In front of 44,000 on a freezing but memorable night in Edmonton, in a game dubbed ‘Iceteca’, when the temperature at kick-off was -9C and snow had to be cleared from the pitch to allow it to go ahead, Canada beat Mexico 2-1. It was their first qualification win against El Tri since 1976 and took them to the top of the group, a position they were never to lose.

“Concacaf teams will do anything to qualify but we would roll out the red carpet for teams,” said Herdman.

“But it’s our terrain. We can control that and change the mentality. When we go to Mexico, we go into altitude, in the Azteca, with the heat. So when Mexico came here, it was on a plastic pitch and -13 at one point. There is a phrase ‘getting Concacaf-ed’. Well, we did it to Mexico for the first time.”

Canada’s comfort blanket comes from the knowledge their appearance in Qatar should not be a one-off. They are one of three co-hosts – along with the USA and Mexico – for the 2026 tournament and are expected to be awarded a place automatically by the world governing body Fifa.

Nevertheless, doing better than in 1986,

Nevertheless, doing better than in 1986, when they failed to score a goal or get a point, is demanded.

That should not be too difficult, especially as Bayern Munich’s Davies has recovered from the heart issue that kept him out for three months at the start of the year.

Davies is unquestionably the pin-up boy of Canadian football. And Herdman thinks the 22-year-old can be a major influence on the development of the game in a country he has called home since 2005, when he arrived as a refugee after his parents fled war-torn Liberia, initially for Ghana, where he was born.

“He’s been the game-changer,” said Herdman. “He symbolizes the new Canada.

“Many people in Canada can’t find an outlet so Alphonso has become the portal for them to express themselves and enjoy football.

“He’s a generational talent. He’s special.”

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How Qatar wound up facilitating the Football World Cup

Many people are wondering how a small Gulf country with little football history ended up hosting the sport’s biggest event, which is currently underway in Qatar.

Qatar became the first host nation to lose the tournament’s opening match, losing 2-0 to Ecuador on Sunday. The nation had never played in a World Cup tournament before, let alone hosted one.

It took the nation 12 years to make its World Cup debut, during which time Qatar’s status as host nation sparked controversy within the football community and beyond.

‘New lands’

In 2010, Qatar was chosen ahead of bids from the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Australia to host the 2022 World Cup.

It encountered a number of challenges during the bidding process because FIFA, the governing body of football, raised concerns in technical reports. These included the region’s extreme heat during the summer, when World Cup tournaments are typically held, and the absence of any existing infrastructure.

Even though the reports called Qatar’s bid “high risk,” the country still won the final round of voting with 14 votes to eight from the United States.

At the time, Qatar promised to make the world “proud of the Middle East” as the first country from the region to host the tournament, while then-FIFA President Sepp Blatter welcomed the prospect of football’s showpiece event going to “new lands.”

“I’m a happy president when we speak of the development of football,” he said.

Twelve years later, Blatter is more critical.

Earlier this month, he told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger: “Qatar is a mistake … the choice was bad.

“It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it.”

Blatter said FIFA amended the criteria it used to select host countries in 2012 in light of concerns over the working conditions at tournament-related construction sites in Qatar.

“Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account,” he said.

With a population of three million, smaller than that of Connecticut, Qatar has invested billions in its football infrastructure in preparation for the 2022 tournament.

However, there are still concerns regarding how Qatar obtained the right to host the World Cup.

In a statement to CNN, Qatari officials called the US Department of Justice’s claim that high-ranking officials accepted bribes as part of the voting process to select Russia and Qatar as the tournament hosts for the 2018 and 2022 events “false.”

For a number of years, the DOJ has been looking into allegations of corruption in international soccer, including FIFA. More than two dozen people have been found guilty, and some cases are still pending.

In April 2020, FIFA issued a statement in which it stated that it “supports all investigations into alleged acts of criminal wrongdoing regarding either domestic or international football competitions and will continue to provide law enforcement officials investigating such matters with full cooperation.”

“FIFA is closely following these investigations and all related developments in the legal processes ongoing in the United States and other parts of the world.

“It is important to point out that FIFA has itself been accorded victim status in the US criminal proceedings and senior FIFA officials are in regular contact with the US Department of Justice.”

US prosecutors gave FIFA the status of a victim because they thought the world governing body of football had been almost taken over by a few corrupt people.

Human rights criticism

Prior to the World Cup, Qatar’s human rights record was also in the news, particularly in relation to the well-being of migrant workers.

Seven new stadiums, new hotels, and expansions to the country’s airport, rail networks, and highways have all been built in preparation for the World Cup, despite the country’s lack of infrastructure when it was given the hosting rights.

Amnesty International says that this has made Qatar’s migrant workers, who make up 90% of the workforce, more important.

Beginning around 2010, numerous traveler laborers have separately confronted deferred or neglected compensation, constrained work, extended periods in sweltering climate, boss terrorizing, and a powerlessness to give up positions occupations as a result of the country’s sponsorship situation, common freedoms associations have found.

However, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) said the health, safety and dignity of “all workers employed on our projects have remained steadfast,” with “significant improvements” made around workers’ rights.

The International Labor Organization has noted Qatar’s labor reforms, such as a non-discriminatory minimum wage, which Qatar is the first country in the region to implement. FIFA president Gianni Infantino also stated to CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies that he has observed “great evolution” in Qatar’s labor reforms.

In the years leading up to the World Cup, Qatar’s state-backed discrimination against LGBTQ people has also been criticized.

In the country, men-to-men sex is against the law and can result in up to three years in prison. A Human Rights Watch report that came out last month documented instances of Qatari security forces arbitrarily arresting LGBT people and giving them “ill-treatment in detention” as recently as September.

A statement issued on behalf of the SC and distributed to CNN stated that the nation was committed to “an inclusive and discriminatory-free” World Cup and cited the country’s hosting of hundreds of international and regional sporting events since winning the competition in 2010.

“There has never been an issue and every event has been delivered safely,” the statement read.

“Everyone is welcome in Qatar, but we are a conservative country and any public display of affection, regardless of orientation, is frowned upon. We simply ask for people to respect our culture.”

The decision to stage the World Cup in November and December rather than June and July, as is typical, is perhaps the most obvious indication that this tournament differs from others.

Although temperatures are still expected to rise above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) later this week, the switch has been forced by Qatar’s scorching summer heat.

Other changes to the tournament’s structure have been made more recently.

On Monday, captains from seven nations were informed that they would receive yellow cards if they wore armbands advocating for inclusion and opposing discrimination. FIFA made the announcement on Friday that no alcoholic beverages would be sold in the stadiums.

“All 32 captains will have the opportunity to wear this armband” during the World Cup, FIFA stated earlier on Monday, announcing that it had brought forward its “No Discrimination” campaign, which also features a branded armband.

FIFA’s hardware guidelines express that “for FIFA last contests, the skipper of each group should wear the commander’s armband given by FIFA.”

The legacy of this World Cup will only become clear over time, but if the past few days, months, and years are any indication, it is likely to be complicated and contentious.

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