TheNewsGuru

Tag: World cup

  • Qatar 2022: Many French citizens want Argentina to win the World Cup – Deschamps

    Qatar 2022: Many French citizens want Argentina to win the World Cup – Deschamps

    France manager, Didier Deschamps has revealed that many French Citizens prefer Lionel Messi to win the World Cup final against their own team.

    Defending champions France will face Argentina today Sunday by 4pm.

    Many football fans have tied the greatest of all time (goat) to the World Cup trophy and Messi has a shot at it today in Doha.

    However, Descamps has now revealed how many French citizens also want Messi to clinch the trophy and end the goat debate.

    Deschamps said: “I know Argentina and maybe some French people would hope Lionel Messi can win the World Cup.

    “But we are going to do everything to achieve our objective.

    “In the World Cup Final you not only have a match but also a whole context behind it and the objective is to come out with the title.”

    Should France win it, they will be the first to do so in many years.

    Both countries will be looking forward to winning the trophy for the third time in their history.

  • World Cup: Olivier Giroud struggling to face Argentina in final

    World Cup: Olivier Giroud struggling to face Argentina in final

    AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud is struggling to be fit for the World Cup final with France.

    According to Tribalfootball, Saturday night’s training session saw Marcus Thuram tested as a centre-forward instead of Giroud, who is struggling with a knee strain.

    There is now real concern that Giroud won’t be fit to start against Argentina.

    The build-up to the final against Argentina has been dominated by the outbreak of a virus in the camp, but the good news for Les Bleus is that all 24 available players should be available as Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Raphaël Varane, and Adrien Rabiot are expected to be ok.

    Théo Hernandez missed yesterday’s session after a knee knock of his own, but in training Kylian Mbappé was used as a striker with Thuram taking up a position on the left wing and Ousmane Dembele on the right.

  • 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.

  • Qatar 2022: Gallant Morocco bows out with fourth place finish

    Qatar 2022: Gallant Morocco bows out with fourth place finish

    The Atlas Lions of Morocco today failed to make a podium finish after losing its third place match to one of Europe’s football giants Croatia.

    The Moroccans lost 2-1 to Croatia at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

    2018 finalists Croatia continue to defy the odds with remarkable tournament performances that equaled their illustrious 1998 cohort by wrapping up third place in Qatar.

    In the 7th minute, Croatia’s Gvardiol puts his team ahead with a  powerful header that sent the entire Croatian fans into frenzy.

    However, the Atlas Lions responded almost immediately when Ziyech’s inswinging free-kick was unwittingly looped towards his own goal by the head of Majer, and Dari reacted quickest to head past Livakovic from five yards to score his first international goal for Morocco on the dot of 9 minute.

    However, in the 69th minute ,Mislav Orsic a low drive pass past the Moroccan goalie into the opposite side netting.

    Orsic,  ran round the ball, on the left edge of the area, and floated an exquisite first-time shot across goal with his right foot. It beat the flying Bono, hit the inside of the far post and rebounded into the net.

    The result meant Croatia has finished second and third respectively at the World Cup.

  • Qatar 2022: France manager, Deschamps speaks on fielding Benzema against Argentina

    Qatar 2022: France manager, Deschamps speaks on fielding Benzema against Argentina

    France boss, Didier Deschamps has reiterated that Balon d’ or winner and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema will not be fielded in their World Cup final match against Argentina on Sunday.

    Benzema was expected to play a key role in his country’s World Cup campaign in Qatar but was ruled out of the tournament early after sustaining a thigh injury.

    Although, France head coach, Deschamps has refused to replace him in the squad, he has also made it known that he wouldn’t be fielded on Sunday.

    Addressing the press on Saturday ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, the Frenchman was about the possibility of playing Benzema against Argentina on Sunday.

    Asked if he will feature Benzema in Sunday’s final, Deschamps responded by saying he wouldn’t

    Lionel Scaloni’s side and he said, “I have players who have been injured before. Karim is one of them.

    ‘‘The last to be injured is is Lucas Hernandez. Since then, I have 24 players to manage and you know them.

    ‘‘To ask the question about these players, if I may say so, is at least clumsy, if not a little more.

    “We lost three, with Christopher Nkunku at the start, then Karim and Lucas Hernandez. They were part of the start of the adventure. There will be 24 tomorrow to face Argentina.”

  • What I told Morocco coach Regragui – Giroud

    What I told Morocco coach Regragui – Giroud

    French striker Olivier Giroud reached out to Morocco coach Walid Regragui after France’s World Cup semifinal win.

    The pair were former teammates at Grenoble.

    Giroud said, “I congratulated him and said that he could be proud of his team.

    “I told him that I would be happy to discuss all this later, that it would be my pleasure to see him again.

    “He is a good person, he deserves all the praise that has been given to him.”

  • 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”.

  • Lionel Messi will lead Argentina in 2026 World Cup – Martinez

    Lionel Messi will lead Argentina in 2026 World Cup – Martinez

    Argentine goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez has said Lionel Messi should lead the South American nation at the 2026 FIFA FIFA World Cup.

    Messi has hinted that the 2022 World Cup final could be his final official appearance for the South Americans, but Martinez want the forward to continue with the national team.

    In a media chat, Martinez said:

    “For me he can play until he is 50. He looks really sharp and he looks so good. He makes things look easy – it’s the hardest thing to do.

    “To understand how well he hits the ball is something. He puts the ball there and looks at you and hits the ball top corner, if he misses he hits the post, or crossbar. That left foot. He is small, but so strong.”

  • Hakim Ziyech donates Morocco wages to team’s staff, charity

    Hakim Ziyech donates Morocco wages to team’s staff, charity

    Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech won’t take a penny from Morocco’s World Cup run to the final four.

    Ziyech has not pocketed any of the salary that he receives from playing for Morocco.

    The Chelsea midfielder gives all of it away to charities and members of the team’s staff.

    Ziyech, 29, was first capped for Morocco in 2015 and since then he has not kept a single penny, according to journalist Khaled Beydoun.

    He also reports that the former Ajax man is set to make £262,000 from Morocco’s run to the World Cup semi-finals and that all the money will be given to poor people in his homeland.

    According to the Arabic Post, Ziyech hires a private plane every time he is called up to his country’s squad and on his way from London to Africa he picks up some of his team-mates.

    They go on to claim that he has also donated money to amateur football clubs and hospitals in Morocco.

  • I’m still disappointed not going to World Cup – Tomori

    I’m still disappointed not going to World Cup – Tomori

    AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori admits he’s disappointed for failing to make England’s World Cup squad.

    The former Chelsea stopper missed out on the final 26-man squad.

    “I’m still disappointed not to go to the World Cup, but that’s how football is. I just have to keep working and stay focused on Milan,” said Tomori.

    “It’s been a good year. We won Serie A and I think I’ve improved as a player.

    “Winning the championship again will be one of the most difficult tasks. Last year, there were few who thought we would do it, but now we have the trophy on our chest and when other teams meet us, they change the style of play.

    “We need to get better mentally and raise the level both as a team and individually. We can win again, but it will be harder than last year.”