TheNewsGuru

Tag: Fifa

  • My lowest moment since I was born – Pinnick reveals

    My lowest moment since I was born – Pinnick reveals

    Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has revealed that the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is the lowest moment of his life.

    The Black Stars of Ghana played 1-1 against Nigeria in Abuja after a goalless draw in Kumasi to qualify for the tournament.

    Pinnick who was still in charge of the NFF when Ghana knocked out Nigeria said he regrets how things turned out.

    “Quite at the beginning I felt very humbled, I felt very bad because it’s not just about me or the country, a lot of people were concerned that Nigeria was not there. From the FIFA president to the CAF president, most of my colleagues in the council were asking where are the Super Eagles?” Pinnick told Channels Television in Qatar.

    “But of course, you also understand that it is football. It can tilt towards any direction, but trust me that moment in March was my lowest moment since I was born,” Pinnick said.

    Pinnick who is now a FIFA Executive Council member insisted that the NFF tried everything humanly, materially, and spiritually possible for the team to qualify for the tournament adding that nobody wanted Nigeria to make it to Qatar more than he did.

    Pinnick said he and the NFF leadership decided to re-engineer the youth development programme to ensure that the country’s youth teams qualify for every tournament.

  • Qatar 2022: Messi, Mbappe, others scoop World Cup awards

    Qatar 2022: Messi, Mbappe, others scoop World Cup awards

    Apart from just handing the 2022 World Cup trophy to the winner, Argentina and presenting the Argentinian players with the winners’ medals, FIFA also recognized individuals who excelled at Qatar 2022.

    France’s Kylian Mbappe went home with the tournament’s golden boot award after notching up 8 goals,  with a hattrick in the final.

    Argentina’s Messi won the Golden Ball award at the 2022 World Cup, cementing him as the best player at the tournament.

    He missed out on the Golden Boot by one goal to Kylian Mbappe, but Messi will take the title over any individual honours.

    He managed to break through some great defensive teams and propelled the team through two penalty shootouts, including one in the final.

    Mbappe won the silver ball award as the second-best at the Mundial while Croatia’s Luca Modric won the bronze Award.

    Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez won the young player of the tournament award after an impressive tournament by the Benfica lad.

    Argentina’s goalie, Emiliano Martinez also scooped the golden gloves awards for his heroics in between the sticks. The goalie saved a series of penalties at the Mundial.

  • VIDEO: Watch colourful moment Argentina lift 2022 World Cup trophy

    VIDEO: Watch colourful moment Argentina lift 2022 World Cup trophy

    Argentina won what has been dubbed the Greatest FIFA World Cup Of All Time against France on Sunday in Doha, Qatar.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Kylian Mbappe scored a hattrick while Lionel Messi a brace as the 2022 World Cup went on to extra time.

    It took penalties after an electric 3-3 draw in normal time, but Argentina won 4-2 in the shootout.

    Messi and Angel Di Maria scored the first-half goals for Argentina before Mbappe’s late brace took it to extra time.

    Messi thought he had won it, but Mbappe penned them back again, getting his hat-trick from the spot.

    In the shootout, Emiliano Martinez made a huge save before Aurelien Tchouameni missed. Argentina scored all of theirs, with Gonzalo Montiel scoring the winner.

    Watch the moment Argentina lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy below:

     

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  • BREAKING: Argentina down France to win Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

    BREAKING: Argentina down France to win Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

    Argentina pulled a brilliant performance against France on Sunday to win the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup to put the GOAT debate between Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to rest.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Messi scored a brace, one goal a penalty kick while Angel Di Maria scored the third for the South American country.

    Meanwhile, France’s Kylian Mbappe scored an exhilarating hattrick in the encounter to take the 2022 World Cup final into extra time. Two of those goals came in 97 seconds interval from Mbappe.

    However, Argentina went on to win the eventual penalty shootout.

  • Qatar 2022: Polish referee to officiate World Cup final match

    Qatar 2022: Polish referee to officiate World Cup final match

    Poland’s Szymon Marciniak will referee the 2022 FIFA World Cup final match between Argentina and France on Sunday in Doha.

    The 41-year-old, who made his FIFA World Cup debut four years ago, will be joined by assistants Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz.

    Listkiewicz’s father, Michał Listkiewicz, officiated in the FIFA World Cup final in 1990 and at the FIFA World Cup 1994.

    Marciniak has already overseen matches involving both final teams at the tournament —- Argentina’s last-16 win over Australia and France’s group-stage victory against Denmark.

  • BREAKING: Morocco to host FIFA Club World Cup in 2023

    BREAKING: Morocco to host FIFA Club World Cup in 2023

    The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has announced Morocco will host the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in 2023.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the announcement was made on Friday at a press conference by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.

    The FIFA boss also confirmed that the 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup will be an expanded tournament with 32 teams. This is following the postponement of the original 24-team tournament planned for 2021.

    According to Infantino, the FIFA Club World Cup will take place every four years

    During the press conference, Infantino disclosed that the Qatar 2022 World Cup received 3.7 million spectators, surpassing the 2018 edition held in Russia, which recorded 3 million spectators.

    The next two hosts of the Beach Soccer World Cup were also confirmed by the FIFA Council. The 2023 edition would be hosted in Dubai while the 2025 edition would be hosted in Seychelles.

    Infantino also disclosed plans by FIFA to host a World Series football event, with matches between countries from different continents to be played during FIFA free windows.

    A statement on FIFA’s website following the press conference reads: “For men’s football, an expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup™ is set to begin in June 2025 (following the postponement of the original 24-team tournament planned for 2021) and will take place every four years.

    “The windows for the international match calendar as of 2025 would include one extended window with four matches in late September and early October to replace the current two separate windows in September and October, with the other windows (November, March and June) unchanged.

    “In order to increase the possibilities for teams from different confederations to play each other, FIFA would launch friendly tournaments – “FIFA World Series” – which would take place in the March window in even years.

    “The decision for the FIFA World Cup 2030 host will also be made in 2024, with the bid regulations to be published early next year.

    “The FIFA Council also appointed the Moroccan Football Association as the host for the FIFA Club World Cup 2022™, which will take place from 1 to 11 February 2023.

    “It also confirmed that the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023™ will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates Football Association and the 2025 edition by the Seychelles Football Federation”.

  • BREAKING: FIFA introduces two brand new women’s tournaments

    BREAKING: FIFA introduces two brand new women’s tournaments

    The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has announced the introduction of two brand new women’s tournaments.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the two brand new tournaments were announced on Friday at a press conference by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.

    The two brand new FIFA women’s tournaments are the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup and FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup.

    “For women’s football, the current international match calendar structure will remain unchanged until 2025, with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and 2031 hosts to be decided in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

    “The creation of a new FIFA Women’s Club World Cup™, a new FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ and the expansion of the Olympic Games Women’s tournament from 12 to 16 teams have also been endorsed,” a FIFA’s statement reads.

  • Qatar 2022: FIFA picks European referee for Argentina vs France final

    Qatar 2022: FIFA picks European referee for Argentina vs France final

    Sunday’s World Cup final between European side France and South American football house Argentina will be officiated by a European referee from Poland Szymon Marciniak.

    Reports say that referees chairman, Pierluigi Collina picked the polish referee ahead of others for the final game.

    That is after the 41-year-old’s strong performances refereeing both finalists in the World Cup’s earlier stages.

    The Polish ref  was in charge when France defeated  Denmark in the group stage encounter.

    Marciniak also called Argentina’s 2-1 victory against Australia in the Last 16.

    His experience refereeing both competitors means he has convinced he has what it takes to manage the final.

    Michael Oliver and Spanish counterparts Antonio Mateu Lahoz have been sent back to their various countries over some irregularities..

  • Qatar 2022: Messi’s brilliance sees Argentina through to World Cup final

    Qatar 2022: Messi’s brilliance sees Argentina through to World Cup final

    Brilliant performance by Lionel Messi on Tuesday night ensured that Argentina made it through to the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup final.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Messi showed brilliance all through the game, scoring a penalty kick and assisting Julian Alvarez to put the semifinal encounter beyond Croatia.

    Alvarez himself produced a moment of brilliance in the match. Released by Messi on the halfway line, the young striker charges through the centre, leaving a trail of defenders in his wake.

    A couple of fortunate deflections ensured that he poked the ball home from close range.

    TNG reports Argentina is now set to meet either Morocco or France in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup final.

  • Qatar 2022: Buhari hails Morocco ahead of clash against France

    Qatar 2022: Buhari hails Morocco ahead of clash against France

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Moroccan national team, the Atlas Lions and the ruler of the country, King Mohammed the VI for making history at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

    In a congratulatory message issued by his spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu on Monday in Abuja, Buhari lauded the Atlas Lions for becoming the fourth team from an African country to ever qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the team is also the first in Africa to win a place in a semi-final at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

    According to Buhari, Morocco has made the entire continent proud with their grit and dexterity, giving hope that an African team can indeed win, and should win the ongoing global championship in Qatar.

    Buhari commended the team for their skill and teamwork, saying at the same time that this could not have been achieved without the exemplary role of the Moroccan authorities in putting together a formidable team.

    TNG reports the Atlas Lions of Morocco qualified for the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after a 1-0 defeat of Portugal.

    Youssef En-Nesyri headed the historic goal in the 42nd minute when he beat Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa to a cross from Yahya Attiat-Allah.

    Ronaldo was again not in the starting line-up but came on in the 51st minute for his 196th cap which equalled the world record from Saudi Arabia’s Badr al-Mutawa.

    However, he was unable to force a turnaround for Portugal and left the pitch in tears.

    Morocco will now continue on Wednesday when they face title-holders, France for a spot in the 2022 World Cup final.