Tag: Argentina

Argentina airline adds 2 more flights for World Cup final

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s national carrier scheduled two extra flights from Buenos Aires to Qatar to take soccer fans to the World Cup final.

Both Aerolíneas Argentinas flights sold out quickly. The first one leaves from Argentina’s capital on Friday morning, and tickets for that flight were gone within a half-hour of the national team’s 3-0 victory over Croatia in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Tickets for the second flight, which leaves Friday night, went on sale early Wednesday and were sold out within a couple of hours, the airline said in a statement.

“We were able to get to the final stage of this successful operation thanks to the victories by the national team that allowed us to keep scheduling flights,” airline president Pablo Ceriani said. “Now we have to support them in this last game and we hope to bring the World Cup back home again.”

The airline sold 540 roundtrip tickets for the two flights, with each one costing around 2 million pesos (more than $11,000).

The flights are 19 hours long with a refueling stop in Rome. Aerolíneas Argentinas has provided a total of 12 flights for the World Cup.

Argentina will play the winner of the France-Morocco semifinal match on Wednesday. The World Cup final is on Sunday at Lusail Stadium.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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December 15, 2022
France ends Morocco’s Cinderella story at World Cup

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France ends Morocco’s Cinderella story at World Cup – CBS News

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Morocco’s World Cup dream is over after it fell to France in a semifinal match Wednesday. The French will now face Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday. Nigel Reo-Coker, a former Premier League and Major League Soccer player, joined CBS News to discuss Morocco’s performance and who is the favorite to lift the trophy.

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December 14, 2022
It’s Argentina vs. France in the World Cup final: Here’s everything you should know about the matchup

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After a month of stiff competition in Qatar, the 2022 World Cup’s final matchup is finally set.

Argentina learned Wednesday that defending World Cup winner France will be its opponent in the final on Sunday. France topped a history-making Morocco side 2-0 a day after Argentina shut out Croatia, which lost to France in the 2018 final, a day earlier. Croatia and Morocco square off for third place in the tournament.

Related: Why is 2022 Qatar World Cup so controversial? Here’s a list of issues overshadowing FIFA’s tournament.

Argentina and France, led by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, respectively, were two among a handful of favorites heading into the quadrennial footballing spectacle.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the World Cup final.

When is the World Cup final?

The tournament title match will be played Sunday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m. Eastern time. That’s 6 p.m. in Qatar, earlier than the tournament matches have typically been played.

The World Cup final can be watched in the U.S. on Fox
FOX,
-0.90%

FOXA,
-0.72%
and Telemundo, owned by Comcast
CMCSA,
-3.70%
unit NBCUniversal. Fox is available through nearly all cable providers, and cord cutters can stream the match live through FuboTV FUBO, SlingTV, the Alphabet-owned
GOOG,
-0.56%

GOOGL,
-0.59%
YouTubeTV and Comcast’s Peacock.

Who’s favored to win?

Both teams have been oddsmakers’ favorite in every one of their 2022 World Cup matches leading up to the final. But for the grand finale, France is seen a slight favorite over Argentina. France is +175 to win, which carries an implied probability of 36.4%, while the Argentina team is being given a 35.1% chance to win, according to the implied-probability data taken from DraftKings’
DKNG,
-1.60%
odds on Wednesday. The outstanding percentage would account for a draw, though all matches beginning in the knockout stage go to a penalty shootout if a score is tied at the end of regulation and at the end of two 15-minute halves of overtime.

What’s at stake?

A win for France would mean back-to-back men’s World Cup wins for the European nation, and France’s third title in history.

Likewise, a win for Argentina would mean its third World Cup title, and the first World Cup win for legend of the game Messi.

Related: Budweiser says it will award unconsumed Qatar beer to the World Cup winner

A record-breaking amount of prize money will also be at stake. FIFA has allocated $440 million in prize money this year, up from $400 million for the 2018 World Cup, hosted by Russia. (FIFA announced on the same day in December 2010 its selection of Russia and Qatar to host the global game’s marquee event in 2018 and 2022, respectively.)

This year’s winning side will get $42 million, up $4 million from the 2018 tournament.

The runner-up will receive $30 million, and the third- and fourth-place teams are going home with $27 million and $25 million. As for the rest, the teams that lost in the quarterfinals will each receive $17 million; teams that lost in the second round will get $13 million each; and teams knocked out in the group stage (including the U.S.) will get $9 million each. All 32 qualifying teams also received $1.5 million for securing their spots in the tournament. Only Qatar, as the host country, did not have to play its way in through regional competition.

Is this really Lionel Messi’s last World Cup?

Messi, playing in his fifth career World Cup, has said that this would probably be the last time he plays in the competition.

Failing over the years to achieve in international competition for Argentina what he has in club play (save an appearance in the 2014 final against Germany and a Copa America title in 2021), chiefly with Barcelona in Spain and now with Paris Saint-Germain in France, where he and Mbappé are teammates, Messi has previously announced and rescinded an intent to step back as an international. Only now he’s 35.

From the archives (January 2010): Club or country? Soccer World Cup revives old tensions

“Yes. Surely, yes,” Messi said when asked whether Sunday’s game will be his last at a World Cup. “There’s a lot of years until the next one, and I don’t think I have it in me, and finishing like this is best.”

The Margin: Could Qatar’s ‘reusable’ World Cup stadium end up in Uruguay? There are some amazing plans for tournament venues.

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December 14, 2022
France advances to second straight World Cup final after 2-0 win over Morocco

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France and Kylian Mbappé are headed back to the World Cup final for a much-anticipated matchup with Lionel Messi after ending Morocco’s historic run at soccer’s biggest tournament.

France beat Africa’s first-ever semifinalist 2-0 Wednesday, with Mbappé playing a part in goals by Theo Hernandez in the fifth minute and then substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th.

Randal Kolo Muani of France scores a goal to make it 2-0 during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between France and Morocco at Al Bayt Stadium on December 14, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.

Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images

France will head into Sunday’s title match against Argentina looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Mbappé has the chance to cement his status as soccer’s new superstar when he comes up against the 35-year-old Messi, who has dominated the game with Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years.

There will be no team from the Arab world in the final of the first World Cup in the Middle East, a prospect that seemed nigh impossible before the tournament.

Yet Morocco did break ground for Africa and generated an outpouring of pride among Arab nations after topping a group containing Croatia and Belgium and eliminating two more European powers — Spain and Portugal — in the knockout stage. They gave France a far-from-easy ride, too.

Hernandez’s goal was the first scored against them by an opposition player in the tournament — the other had been an own-goal — and came amid defensive rearrangement forced by injuries to Morocco’s two best center backs. Nayef Aguerd competed in the warmup but didn’t come out for kickoff, while captain Romain Saiss lasted only 21 minutes before limping off with a hamstring injury.

Mbappé helped to create the goal because his shot deflected off a defender and into the path of Hernandez, who let the ball bounce before driving a downward effort into the net from an tight angle.

Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappé waves to supporters in Nimes, southern France, on October 12, 2022.

SYLVAIN THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images

Typically a defense-first team, Morocco was forced to come out and play and, roared on by tens of thousands of fans who dominated the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium, the team penned back France.

Jawad El Yamiq hit the post with an overhead kick in the 44th minute and France’s defenders had to make a number of last-ditch tackles in front of their own goal.

Mbappé enjoyed more space as Morocco tired and, after dribbling past two defenders, his deflected shot was tapped in by Kolo Muani, who had been on the field for less than a minute.

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December 14, 2022
How 2022 is the new 1986 for Argentina and Morocco’s football

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As Julian Alvarez, the 22-year-old Argentinian forward, dribbled across half the pitch on Tuesday, dodging last-ditch tackles from Croatian defenders and latching onto a favourable deflection before dinking the ball past the goalkeeper, there was a sense that this had all happened before.

Alvarez’s goal in the 2022 World Cup semifinal was in many ways a more fortuitous version of that scored by Argentinian footballing legend Diego Maradona against England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, in which he dribbled past half of the English defence before slotting it home and reeling off towards the stands in celebration.

Julian Alvarez rode several challenges to put Argentina 2-0 up against Croatia on Tuesday [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

On Tuesday, Argentinian flags could be seen draped around Lusail Stadium bearing the iconic image of Maradona in 1986 – a tournament in which he guided La Albiceleste to World Cup victory.

Shades of 1986

As Alvarez celebrated with his teammates, Lionel Messi, Maradona’s successor as the icon of Argentinian football and one of the world’s greatest-ever players, put his arm around the forward. It seemed like history was repeating itself and their fans could feel it, chanting and cheering their team on long after the final whistle.

An Argentina fan holds a banner displaying an image of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona at the semifinal between Argentina and Croatia [File: Lee Smith/Reuters]

The parallels between the two tournaments are not just confined to the Latin American team.

Morocco have arguably been the tournament’s greatest success story, making it to the semifinals for the first time in their history – and in the history of African and Arab nations at the World Cup. Before 2022, Moroccan football’s peak moment was in 1986.

After remaining undefeated in the group stage, they narrowly lost to a last-gasp goal from the eventual finalists, West Germany, in the round of 16.

Morocco’s Mostafa El Biaz, left, tussles with England’s Bryan Robson, right, during the 1986 World Cup first-round match in Monterrey. The match ended in a scoreless draw [AFP]

Morocco boasted some fine defensive displays in Mexico, only conceding two goals in four games. This year they have bettered this record, only letting in one goal in five matches.

In 1986, Morocco knocked out Portugal by beating them 3-1 in the group stages; this year, they went one step further, eliminating two Iberian footballing giants – Portugal and Spain – in the knockout stages.

Morocco will face France in this year’s other semifinal, a team that also made it to the same stage in 1986, where they lost to West Germany.

Morocco, who remain undefeated at the 2022 World Cup have enjoyed a huge amount of support at the tournament, from their own fans and fans from other Arab nations [File: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]

How the two tournaments differ

As much as the two tournaments resonate with the two teams, there are some noticeable differences.

Unlike Morocco who have already gone further than they did 36 years ago, Argentina have yet to equal their historic World Cup win. They also lost their first match this year, a shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, whereas, in 1986, they remained unbeaten.

At the age of 35, Messi cannot compete with the surging, devastating pace of the 25-year-old Maradona who lit up the World Cup in 1986. However, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar has rolled back the years and netted five goals so far, the same number that Maradona scored in Mexico.

Lionel Messi played in the 2014 World Cup final which Argentian lost to Germany 1-0 [File: Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]

Before the 2022 World Cup began, the 1986 tournament was the benchmark that every Moroccan and Argentine team wanted to emulate.

For many fans too young to remember the World Cup in Mexico, it was merely a great story from another era – a time when Maradona lit up the greatest footballing stage, and the Atlas Lions shocked the world by making it to the knockout stages.

The 2022 World Cup has already changed that for Morocco. Will it also do so for Argentina?

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December 14, 2022
FIFA World Cup: Ananya Panday watches Argentina vs Croatia match in Qatar; catches glimpse of David Beckham

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The fever of FIFA World Cup 2022 has not died down yet. With just a few days to go before the final match, several Bollywood celebrities have been spotted visiting Qatar to catch live glimpses of the World Cup. A few days ago, actors Nora Fatehi, Manushi Chhillar, and more were seen having a gala time enjoying watching the football matches live in the stadiums. And now, to add to the bandwagon, Ananya Panday has marked her attendance in this list.

Ananya Panday watches Argentina vs Croatia match in Qatar

A few hours ago, Ananya Panday posted a story on her Instagram handle wherein she can be seen flying to Qatar to watch the match. Upon reaching her destination, she can be seen flashing her sweet smile while watching Argentina vs Croatia match live in front of her eyes. Soon, she got a glimpse of popular footballer David Beckham from a distance and we can say that Ananya felt elated from within to watch his glimpse.

In the glimpses, we can also figure out that Ananya was supporting Argentina and was dressed accordingly.

Notably, Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez helped Argentina lead to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.

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December 13, 2022
Álvarez surges, scores, carries Argentina to World Cup final

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LUSAIL, Qatar — With surging runs and a striker’s instinct, Julián Álvarez carried Argentina into another World Cup final.

Lionel Messi and the 22-year-old Álvarez were a pair of 5-feet-6 (1.70-meter) predators in a partnership that put to rest any hopes Croatia had of reaching back-to-back finals.

The younger of the pair rose to the challenge on soccer’s biggest stage with a huge performance on Tuesday, earning a penalty kick converted by the 35-year-old Messi before scoring twice to maybe even outshine his teammate — one of the greatest players the game has ever seen — in a 3-0 victory at Lusail Stadium.

Álvarez became the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick for Brazil in 1958.

No wonder Messi held Álvarez in a playful headlock after his first goal and hugged him hard after the second.

“The match from Julian was excellent, not only because he scored two goals, but because he helped our midfielders,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. ”He showcased an excellent game for his age.”

A tight-fought first half-hour was entirely turned upside down by Álvarez’s runs, barreling at speed into and through challenges in a devastating five-minute spell. When it was over, Croatia’s players had been left strewn behind him on the turf, trailing by two goals, with their hopes of another World Cup final in ruins.

Instead, Argentina gave Messi a second chance to play for a World Cup title. He and his teammates lost to Germany in the 2014 final.

Until Álvarez changed the game, Croatia controlled much of the play with its usual neat passing in and around midfield, leaving Argentina’s attack little to work with.

Álvarez was suddenly alert to creating danger when Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić got in a tangle and the ball came loose for Enzo Fernández to loop a high pass over the defense.

Álvarez was quickly clear and bearing down on goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, an imposing figure at any time and yet more so rushing from his goal. Although a deft shot past Livaković did not reach the goal, Álvarez drew a foul from the hard contact to earn the penalty which Messi converted.

Minutes later, Álvarez sparked to life when Argentina cleared a Croatia corner, took the ball in his stride just before halfway and ran directly at the defense. The surging run seemed to surprise Croatia’s fullbacks as first Josip Juranović and then Borna Sosa fell backwards while taking wild swipes at the ball as Álvarez ran through them and once more at Livaković.

This time, the Croatia keeper stayed back and Álvarez lashed his shot into the net from close range with a momentum that took him over Livaković’s body.

“It was a nice goal,” Álvarez said. “I don’t usually run with the ball a lot but the situation presented itself.”

Álvarez ran toward the corner to celebrate and Messi chased him down, grabbing him a headlock like a playful big brother.

The pair teamed up again in the 69th minute, needing only each other to pass five defenders, mostly because of Messi’s intricate dribble to the endline for a pass into Álvarez’s path for a simple finish.

Messi joined Kylian Mbappé with a tournament-leading five goals. Mbappé will get a chance for more on Wednesday when France plays Morocco in the other semifinal match.

Álvarez now has four goals — not bad for a player who didn’t even make the starting lineup until Argentina’s third game in the group stage.

He will surely be by Messi’s side again on Sunday when they return to Lusail Stadium for the final.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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December 13, 2022
Messi lifts Argentina past Croatia to return to World Cup final

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Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time.

And, at 35, he could hardly be playing any better.

Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.

It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.

Lionel Messi of Argentina cheers after Julian Alvarez scored the third goal during the World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium on Dec. 13, 2022, in Lusail City, Qatar.

Manuel Reino Berengui/Defodi Images via Getty Images

It could yet be the perfect way to go out for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best players, if not the best.

Messi is thrilling his legion of fans along the way, with his swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute epitomizing his confidence and swagger. He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.

He even had a penalty saved in the game in which he didn’t score.

Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium.

There was a moment midway through the first half that must have struck fear into all Argentines, when Messi appeared clutch his left hamstring and rub it.

Was Argentina’s superstar going to have to come off? No such luck for Croatia.

Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past Croatia’s goalkeeper.

Álvarez poked home his first goal at the end of a surging run from halfway, starting with Messi’s short pass. He put in the third following more outrageous skill from his teammate near the right corner that left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air.

It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match.

Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed in his face moments earlier.

Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time.

Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well.

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December 13, 2022
Messi, Modric get Argentina, Croatia to World Cup semifinals

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DOHA, Qatar — Tears are flowing from soccer’s biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup.

First it was Neymar. Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Could Lionel Messi be next?

Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals, almost in the same way Diego Maradona — the man with whom Messi is so often compared — led the South American nation to its second and most recent World Cup title in 1986.

Now in Argentina’s way is Croatia, a country with a population of 4 million which is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents while also boasting one of soccer’s most graceful players in Luka Modric.

The teams go head to head at Lusail Stadium — also the venue for Sunday’s final — in a meeting between the last two runners-up at the tournament: Argentina in 2014 and Croatia in 2018.

Argentina might have been expected to be in this position. The team arrived at the World Cup as the Copa America champion, on a 36-match unbeaten run and with Messi back in sublime form for Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi has continued that form in Qatar, scoring four goals.

“For us, he is our leader — he drives us, motivates us,” Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico said Monday. “We have that little bit extra when we go on the field. We are delighted that he is our captain.”

There was much less noise around the Croatians, yet they keep on surprising just like four years ago when their run to the final included a 3-0 victory over Argentina in the group stage. They also reached the World Cup semifinals in 1998.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said his team’s World Cup performances are proving to be an inspiration to other underdogs, such as fellow semifinalist Morocco.

“Everyone in life has a right to make dreams,” Dalić said. “The Croatia national team made that dream a reality for all small countries four years ago. We gave other countries the right to have those dreams.

“They are encouraged by our example, by our fight, our qualities. All other national teams are living their dreams and Morocco is no exception … But let us share the same dream.”

Both teams have come through uncomfortable moments. Argentina’s darkest time was right at the start of the tournament, after a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in what will go down as one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets.

Inspired by Messi and one of the most fervent fan followings in Qatar, Argentina won its final two group games, ended up squeezing past Australia 2-1 in the round of 16 and then required penalties to get past the Netherlands in a wild quarterfinal match.

Messi is one goal behind top scorer Kylian Mbappé. They are probably the two standout players at a World Cup that has seen many other top players live up to their lofty reputations.

Modric is a case in point.

He might not have scored a goal. He hasn’t even had an assist. But don’t underestimate the importance to Croatia of the little magician who keeps things ticking in midfield and manages to assert some control for a team which fights until the last minute.

In 2018, each of Croatia’s knockout games went into extra time before the team lost to France in the final. The same thing is happening in Qatar, with victories in penalty shootouts over Japan in the last 16 and Brazil in the quarterfinals.

Croatia looked more comfortable against Brazil than against Japan, which shows the team might be happier to invite pressure and choose its moments to break forward rather than control games and be more susceptible to the counterattack.

Containing Messi will be key and much of the responsibility there lies with holding midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who protected Croatia’s defense so well against Brazil.

Argentina will be without two players because of suspension: left back Marcos Acuña and right back Gonzalo Montiel. Acuña is the bigger miss, having impressed since coming into the team after the loss to Saudi Arabia, and he is likely to be replaced by Tagliafico.

Dalic said Croatia was free from injuries.

“If we manage to win tomorrow,” he said, “that would make it the greatest game for Croatia of all time.”

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Follow Steve Douglas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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December 12, 2022
All eyes on Messi as Argentina train ahead of Croatia clash

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Messi set to become joint record appearance-maker in World Cup history when Argentina take on Croatia in the semifinal.

Doha, Qatar – The cameras clicked and panned in with Lionel Messi’s every move, as reporters rushed to record their pieces to camera with the Argentinian captain as their backdrop.

About 400 journalists, mostly photographers and videographers, had gathered at Qatar University on Monday to see Argentina train before their semifinal showdown against Croatia on Tuesday evening at the Lusail Stadium.

The media were mostly from Argentina and Latin America. They had 15 minutes to gather as much footage and photos before security escorted everyone out.

The 35-year-old star said before the tournament that this will be his last World Cup, which has only led to increased attention.

He has won every major club and national team title, except the World Cup. He came close in 2014, but the South Americans lost to Germany in the final.

The “little magician” is set to equal another record tomorrow. It will be his 25th World Cup match, bringing him to level with the great German Lothar Matthaus as the joint record appearance-maker in World Cup history.

If the Albicelestes make it to the final, he will hold the record outright.

On Monday, he was all smiles and showed no signs of feeling pressure or nerves.

The players stepped out onto the floodlight-lit training pitch shortly 5:30pm (14:30 GMT) Doha time.

The players in their dark blue training kit appeared to be in great spirits, with smiles and banter all around with loud laughter every now and again. Argentina has lost one match in their last 41 games.

The players spent most of the 15 minutes doing basic drills, mostly keepy-uppies and crossing, jogging or stretching.

As the journalists were led out, the players gathered at the centre circle of the pitch with the coaching team joining them. Away from the gaze of the media, it was about to get serious.

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December 12, 2022
Fan runs on field during Argentina-Netherlands at World Cup

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A fan ran onto the field in the 75th minute of Argentina’s World Cup quarterfinal match against the Netherlands

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December 9, 2022
Van Gaal’s World Cup with Dutch has hugs, kisses and dancing

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DOHA, Qatar — Three wins from the title that has eluded the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal has filled his World Cup with hugs, kisses and dancing.

Leading his nation for the third time at age 71, he is the tournament’s oldest coach. He also may be the most dapper, pacing the sideline in a neon orange tie, dark business suit and dress shoes.

Van Gaal has the Dutch on a 19-game unbeaten streak going into Friday’s quarterfinal against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Known as the Iron Tulip, he has entertained off the field as much as his players have on the pitch.

Van Gaal responded to praise from a Senegalese reporter 25 minutes into a news conference with an excited: “Oh, I can hug you. I’ll give you a big, fat hug later,” according to his translator.

And after the news conference, LVG did just that, beckoning for Papa Mahmoud Gueye to meet him at the side of stage, then wrapping his arms around the 28-year-old and giving him eight pats on the back followed by a tap on the face.

A few days later, Van Gaal puckered up. He was seated next to Denzel Dumfries, who scored one goal and assisted on two others in the 3-1 win over the United States that put the Dutch in the quarterfinals. A reporter from Aruba asked Van Gaal how proud he was of the defender, who has an Aruban father.

“Yesterday or a day before yesterday, I gave him a big fat kiss. I am going to give him another big fat kiss so everybody can see,” the coach said. He leaned over, put an arm around the player and placed a smack near Dumfries’ right ear.

A short while later, Van Gaal followed his players on a jubilant dance line while arriving at the St. Regis Doha. Quite different from his demeanor after the 2-0 win over host Qatar, when a Dutch reporter told him the result wasn’t enough.

“Of course, you can give your opinion. I don’t agree with you and I’m not going to expand on that because I think that you have a different perspective on football than I have,” Van Gaal said. “So why don’t you write that down, that you think it is terribly boring, that you’re going home tomorrow because you couldn’t care less?”

Ahead of the U.S. match, he described criticism as a constant.

“If I have to believe the Dutch media, we’ll never become world champion,” Van Gaal said. “In 2014, it was exactly the same. Extremely negative. Now it’s the same all over again. I am used to it, and I think my players are used to it, so we will calmly move on.”

Then he added playfully in English: “Maybe you can take now a picture after this declaration.”

He smiled and said: “Cheese.”

Van Gaal has coached Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, winning seven league titles, but he is seeking his first national team championship.

Mindset is as essential as tactics.

“He gives us a lot of confidence, a lot of clarity. Everybody knows what he needs to do,” Dumfries said. “He keeps us on our toes and he frankly tells us what needs to be improved.”

Sitting next to the player, Van Gaal quickly interjected with a wide smile: “It’s not for nothing that we brought Denzel along.”

Van Gaal took over the Oranje for the first time in 2000 and quit two years later after they failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. He returned in 2012 and coached them at the 2014 World Cup, where Argentina beat the Netherlands on penalty kicks in the semifinals. The Dutch took third with a 3-0 victory over host Brazil, and then he quit for the second time.

Hired in August 2021 to replace Frank de Boer, Van Gaal made the controversial call to give 28-year-old goalkeeper Andries Noppert his national team debut in the team’s World Cup opener against Senegal.

“For me what makes it special when you are a good manager or a good coach is that also the players who don’t play, you can get a good feeling and to keep fighting for a place in that squad,” Noppert said. “It’s not easy to not play games and to keep the 100% focus.”

The Netherlands has the distinction of playing in the most World Cup finals without winning, a wound in the psyche of the Dutch fan base.

“We can become world champions — not that we will become world champions,” Van Gaal said. “We can become world champions.”

———

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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December 7, 2022
Argentina’s VP Fernández guilty in $1B fraud, gets 6 years

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Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina’s vice president, speaks during a rally at Estadio Unico Diego Armando Maradona in La Plata, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office for a fraud scheme that embezzled $1 billion through public works projects during her presidency.

A three-judge panel found the Peronist leader guilty of fraud, but rejected a charge of running a criminal organization, for which the sentence could have been 12 years in prison. It was the first time an Argentine vice president has been convicted of a crime while in office.

Fernández lashed out at the verdict, describing herself as the victim of a “judicial mafia.” But she also later announced that she would not run next year for the presidency, a post she previously held in 2007-2015.

The sentence isn’t firm until appeals are decided, a process that could take years. She will remain immune from arrest meanwhile.

Fernández’s supporters vowed to paralyze the country with a nationwide strike. They clogged downtown Buenos Aires and marched on the federal court building, beating drums and shouting as they pressed against police barriers.

Fernández roundly denied all the accusations. Argentina’s dominant leader this century, she was accused of improperly granting public works contracts to a construction magnate closely tied to her family.

The verdict is certain to deepen fissures in the South American nation, where politics can be a blood sport and the 69-year-old populist leader is either loved or hated.

President Alberto Fernández, who is not related to his vice president, said on Twitter that she was innocent and that her conviction is “the result of a trial in which the minimum forms of due process were not taken care of.”

Prosecutors said Fernández fraudulently directed 51 public works projects to Lázaro Báez, a construction magnate and early ally of her and her husband Nestor Kirchner, who served as president in 2003-2007 and died suddenly in 2010.

Báez and members of Fernández’s 2007-2015 presidential administration were among a dozen others accused in the conspiracy. The panel also sentenced Báez and her public works secretary, José López, to six years. Most of the others got lesser sentences.

Prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola said the Báez company was created to embezzle revenues through improperly bid projects that suffered from cost overruns and in many cases were never completed. The company disappeared after the Kirchners’ 12 years in power, they said.

Supporters of Argentina’s Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner take part in a demonstration following the verdict, in front of the National Congress, in Buenos Aires on December 6, 2022.

Emiliano Lasalvia | Afp | Getty Images

In Argentina, judges in such cases customarily pronounce verdicts and sentences first and explain how they reached their decision later. The panel’s full decision is expected in February. After that, the verdict can be appealed up to the Supreme Court, a process that could take years.

Fernández went on her YouTube channel to say she will not seek further office after her vice presidential term expires on Dec. 10, 2023. “I’m not going to be a candidate for anything, not president, not for senator. My name is not going to be on any ballot. I finish on December 10 and go home,” she said.

Politicians and analysts had noted that until her appeal is settled, Fernández would be free to run for any elected office — from a seat in Congress to the presidency — and obtain immunity arrest by being elected.

“Cristina always surprises,” pollster Roberto Bacman, director of Argentina’s Center for Public Opinion Studies, said of her announcement. But “she will continue fighting,” he added. “She places herself in the center of the fight and says that she is not going to hide.”

He said it remains to be seen if the Peronist sector seeks to push Fernández to reconsider her decision.

Patricio Giusto, director of the consulting firm Diagnóstico Político, predicted Fernández will deepen her “strategy of victimization and equating herself” with Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, the leftist politician who has just been elected president of Brazil after a court overturned his prison sentence for corruption.

During the judicial process, the vice president called herself a victim of “lawfare” and characterized the Judiciary as a pawn of the opposition media and conservative politician Mauricio Macri, who succeeded her as president in 2015-2019.

Fernández remains the singular leader of the leftist faction of the Peronist movement. Bacman said his surveys show 62% of Argentines want her removed and 38% support her no matter what.

Meanwhile, other cases remain pending against her, including a charge of money-laundering that also involves her son and daughter.

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December 7, 2022
Lionel Messi and Argentina face Australia in next step towards World Cup glory | CNN

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CNN
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The World Cup has hardly been straightforward for Lionel Messi and Argentina thus far, but they are strong favorites ahead of their round of 16 game against Australia.

The Socceroos were a surprise package in the group stages, qualifying for the knockout rounds in Qatar courtesy of 1-0 victories against Tunisia and Denmark.

Argentina, meanwhile, bounced back from a shock opening defeat against Saudi Arabia with 2-0 wins against Mexico and Poland.

Despite having a penalty saved against Poland, Messi has played a crucial role in Argentina’s tournament, scoring twice – including a superb strike against Mexico – and providing one assist.

Defeat Australia – which Argentina has done in all but two of the sides’ previous meetings – and the Netherlands or the United States await in the quarterfinals.

But this World Cup has already thrown up several upsets, as Saudi Arabia demonstrated in its opening game against Argentina. As a result, manager Lionel Scaloni is taking nothing for granted.

“Australia is a good team,” he told reporters on Friday. “This is football, you have to leave theoretical favoritism to the side and play.

“We should adapt ourselves, defensively sometimes we change. Australia has its set ways in attack and it won’t change those.

“We will leave our last drop of sweat on the field in this World Cup, we’re going to compete.”

As for Australia, the challenge of trying to keep a third consecutive clean sheet at the tournament will be a tall order with Messi on the pitch.

“It’s going to be a difficult game, obviously, playing against probably the best footballer ever to grace the game,” defender Milos Degenek said on Friday. “Apart from that, it’s 11 against 11. There are not 11 Messis, there’s one. We know their squad is full of stars.”

A demanding schedule means the teams have had just two days to prepare for Saturday’s game at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan – something Degenek alluded to in his press conference.

“It’s something that FIFA need to consider, that we’re not robots, that we are humans, that we do need to recover, and we can’t just play day after day,” he said. “We need a break as well.”

FIFA did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment regarding the tournament scheduling for Australia and Argentina.

In Saturday’s other game, the Netherlands and the US face each other at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Netherlands vs USA: 10 a.m. Eastern Time

Argentina vs Australia: 2 p.m. ET

US: Fox Sports

UK: BBC or ITV

Australia: SBS

Brazil: SportTV

Germany: ARD, ZDF, Deutsche Telekom

Canada: Bell Media

South Africa: SABC

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December 2, 2022
Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez sends warning to Lionel Messi: ‘He better pray to God that I don’t find him’ | CNN

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CNN
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Mexican boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez has sent a warning to Lionel Messi, who he accused of disrespecting Mexico.

“Did you see Messi cleaning the floor with our shirt and flag????” Álvarez tweeted, apparently in reference to a video which shows Messi celebrating with his teammates in the changing room.

As the Argentine takes off his football boots, the video shows Messi’s foot appearing to make contact with a Mexico shirt that was on the floor. There is no indication that Messi kicked the shirt intentionally.

“He better pray to God that I don’t find him!!” Álvarez added in another tweet, with a series of angry emojis. “Just like I respect Argentina, he has to respect Mexico! I’m not talking about the country as a whole, just about the bulls**t that Messi pulled.”

Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 on Saturday in a tense game in Group C at the Qatar World Cup. Messi scored the opening goal, before Enzo Fernández sealed the win late on to keep Argentina’s World Cup dream alive following its stunning opening round defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Álvarez, who is widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers ever after winning world championships in four weight classes, added in one reply to a journalist: “It’s one thing them being better than us (in football), it’s another thing to have respect.”

CNN has asked Alvarez’s representatives for further comment but did not receive an immediate response. The Argentinean Football Association and Messi’s representatives did not immediately respond to CNN.

Messi’s former Argentina teammate Sergio Agüero responded to Álvarez on Twitter, saying: “Mr. Canelo, don’t look for excuses or problems, surely you don’t know about football and what happens in a changing room.

“The shirts are always on the floor after games have finished due to sweat and then if you look properly, he makes the movement to remove his boot and accidentally hits it.”

Argentina takes on Poland in its final group match on Wednesday, with Mexico facing Saudi Arabia as all four teams in Group C remain in with a chance of qualifying for the round of 16.

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November 29, 2022
Lionel Messi helps keep Argentina’s World Cup hopes alive with moment of magic against Mexico | CNN

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CNN
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Yet another moment of Lionel Messi magic helped salvage Argentina’s World Cup hopes at Qatar 2022 as La Albiceleste secured a much-needed victory over Mexico.

The 2-0 win certainly wasn’t pretty, with Argentina struggling to create many clear-cut chances against a stubborn Mexico team that itself also offered very little threat going forward.

Messi came to the fore just after the hour mark to save his team, as he has done on countless occasions, finding the bottom corner of the net with a stunning strike from outside of the box.

After the historic defeat to Saudi Arabia in its opening Group C match, one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, Argentina needed a win against Mexico to avoid having to beat Poland by three or more goals its the final group match in order to qualify for the knockout stages.

Though a win against Mexico on Saturday was crucial, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni will also have wanted to see a much-improved performance as proof that the loss to Saudi Arabia was nothing more than a blip.

However, that performance never materialized with Argentina looking stale and lifeless for much of the game.

As Mexico chased a result, spaces began to open up in its defense with increasing regularity and Enzo Fernandez secured the win with a wonderful step over and finish into the top corner after El Tri had failed to clear its lines from a set piece.

More to follow…

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November 26, 2022
Lionel Messi and Argentina look to revive World Cup campaign | CNN

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CNN
—

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and his Argentina side on Saturday as they look turn around a dreadful start to the World Cup.

La Albiceleste were humiliated when they threw away the lead to lose 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening Group G match at the World Cup.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has yet to lift the World Cup trophy, didn’t hide from the embarrassment of Argentina’s defeat.

When asked about the team’s morale Messi replied: “Dead.”

It is not the first time that Argentina have lost their opening game unexpectedly.

In 1990, Argentina was on the receiving end of the one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history, losing to Cameroon.

However Argentina recovered to reach the final, before losing to West Germany.

If Argentina is to emulate that 1990 run, La Albiceleste will have to get past a stubborn Mexico, led by World Cup icon Guillermo Ochoa.

The Mexican keeper rose to fame over the last two World Cups, winning the Man of the Match award twice in 2014 with his superb shot-stopping.

Ochoa added to his mythic status this tournament when he saved a penalty from Robert Lewandowski in Mexico’s 0-0 draw with Poland.

Because Mexico and Poland drew, it is not quite do-or-die yet for Messi and Argentina, but they cannot afford to lose again if they want to progress from the group.

Having beaten Argentina, Saudi Arabia has become the story of the tournament.

The Green Falcons caused the biggest upset in the history of the World Cup by beating Argentina and after footage emerged of coach Hervé Renard’s impassioned half-time speech, they have become a surprise fan-favorite at the competition.

The Saudis beat the biggest team in the group, but the job is certainly not done.

Without injured midfielder Yasser Al-Shahrani their task will be much harder against a Poland side knowing it needs to pick up points, especially with a fixture against Argentina still to come

Poland themselves are desperate to make it out of the group, not least because that hasn’t happened since 1986.

No one wants that more than Robert Lewandowski. The striker will go down as one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation and is already both Poland’s most capped player and top scorer with 76 goals.

However, the Barcelona forward has remarkably never scored a World Cup goal. He played in all three games in Russia 2018 but struggled as the team ended bottom of their group.

He had a perfect chance to score in Poland’s opening Group G game against Mexico, but failed to convert his penalty.

France take on Euro 2020 semifinalist Denmark in the most intriguing encounter of the day.

After a sluggish start against Australia, France moved through the gears to thrash the Socceroos as Olivier Giroud equaled Thierry Henry’s record as the all-time top scorer for Le Bleu.

Questions hung over France before its campaign due to a number of with injuries, but Les Bleus quickly dispelled any anxiety as Kylian Mbappé and co. were at their terrific best.

Denmark won’t be a pushover, having already beaten France home and away in 2022.

The Danes, led by a fit-again Christian Eriksen, are touted by many as “dark horses” for the World Cup. But the team struggled against Tunisia despite coming inches wide from winning when Andreas Cornelius managed to miss the ball when he had a tap-in.

Saturday’s first match is between Tunisia and Australia.

The Socceroos got off to a terrific start against France taking the lead, before falling apart against the world champion.

And they will back themselves to get a win against Tunisia in a match where both teams need victory if they want to make it out of the group.

Tunisia vs. Australia: 5 a.m. ET

Poland vs. Saudi Arabia: 8 a.m. ET

France vs. Denmark: 11 a.m. ET

Argentina vs. Mexico: 2 p.m. ET

US: Fox Sports

UK: BBC or ITV

Australia: SBS

Brazil: SportTV

Germany: ARD, ZDF, Deutsche Telekom

Canada: Bell Media

South Africa: SABC

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November 25, 2022
‘I’m waiting for someone to wake me up,’ says Saudi sports minister after remarkable win over Argentina | CNN

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CNN
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A day after Saudi Arabia’s historic win against Argentina at the Qatar World Cup, the Kingdom’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal says he’s “waiting for someone to wake me up.”

“It’s been an unbelievable result. The team played really well, they prepared for three years for this day, the coach (Hervé Renard) did an amazing job,” Prince Abdulaziz told CNN’s Becky Anderson in Doha on Wednesday as he reflected on Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win, which is viewed as the biggest ever World Cup upset.

“There’s harmony and a really good feeling within the team … they fought from the heart to deliver something.”

Celebrations for the remarkable victory continued well into the evening on Tuesday and early Wednesday.

The fan zone area was imbued with the color green as people waved the Saudi flag with pride. Saudi and Arab fans alike were chanting, singing and dancing in euphoria. One fan called it a “huge occasion for the Arab world.”

“I feel absolutely amazing,” a Saudi fan told CNN. “It was a beautiful game. We beat them with Messi! Argentina actually one of the favorites to win the game, they were unbeaten, 36 games. But guess who beat them? Saudi Arabia!”

Assem Al Rajihi, another Saudi fan said: “In this tournament, it is in Qatar, which is a nearby country, a country we love. I think many of the fans are coming from close countries, so I think the atmosphere is very close to us. The culture is there, so we are motivated to do our best.”

That sentiment was echoed by Prince Abdulaziz, who told CNN that the celebrations were not just for Saudi Arabia, but for the entire Arab and Muslim world.

This Saudi victory is much more than David beating Goliath.

On Tuesday, an image of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani did the rounds on social media, along with a photo of him smiling next to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – scenes that would’ve been unthinkable just 18 months ago.

In 2017, Riyadh – along with three other Arab nations – cut off diplomatic and trade ties, shut down its borders and closed their airspace, accusing Doha of supporting extremist groups, allegations which it still denies.

Today, that rift is well and truly over, and Saudi Arabia clinching its biggest football win on Qatari soil is testament to that.

Prince Abdulaziz said that leading up to the World Cup, many teams typically receive a lot of criticism for their performance and training, including Saudi Arabia, but that after Tuesday’s success, “nobody can say anything” about the Green Falcons.

Those Green Falcons lined up against Argentina with 11 players based in the Saudi Pro League and even featured substitute Haitham Asiri who plays in Saudi Arabia’s second division.

Alongside hosts Qatar, Saudi Arabia is the only team to only have a squad made up of entirely domestically based players.

“We’ve invested a lot in sports the last couple of years, and this showcases the results … we are really restructuring sports in the Kingdom as an ecosystem, and how to make it as professional as anywhere else in the world, because we know Saudis are passionate about sports,” said Prince Abdulaziz.

“When I started in the Olympic committee, we had 30 federations. Today, we have 97 federations in different sports … that showcases that the country is active.

“We are doing these things for the people in the country, and it’s benefiting us big time socially, economically on every level,” added Prince Abdulaziz.

There has been criticism directed to Saudi Arabia for sportswashing as an effort to soften the country’s image. Asked whether he believes those remarks are laced with a vein of racism, the minister concurred.

“A bit, and maybe also ignorance. People that don’t know Saudi Arabia, have never been to Saudi Arabia, go out and talk about it as if they’ve lived there for 30 years, 40 years. So I always tell people, come to Saudi. Come and see Saudi.

“See what it is, see the people, meet the people. Look at what the country is doing for the future of the people in Saudi, then you can criticize as much as you like,” he said.

In honor of the team’s historic win, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered a national public holiday for a day on Wednesday.

Manchester United announced Tuesday that Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave the club immediately by mutual agreement.

Asked by CNN if the 37-year-old football legend would be playing in Saudi Arabia next season, the minister said: “I don’t know.”

“I read the same thing you read in the news, and we see a lot of things about Saudi Arabia being mentioned in the news, especially when there’s big money around it but I don’t know anything about what his future plans are,” he continued.

Becky Anderson followed up by asking Prince Abdulaziz if he would like to see Ronaldo play in Saudi, and he replied, “Why not?”

“We have a strong league. We have in each team seven foreign players, and one on the bench and we are looking to increase that. Our teams play in the top level of Asia, and football is strong in Saudi.”

Manchester United’s owners have also announced their intention to explore the sale of the iconic club. Asked if Saudi Arabia would put in a bid, similar to its takeover of Newcastle United last year, Prince Abdulaziz didn’t confirm nor deny.

“Everything is possible these days, but I don’t know about the facts of these reports honestly. We look at all opportunities, like everything else, and we think we believe that these opportunities come once in a lifetime, and we have to take advantage of that in everything we do.”

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November 23, 2022
World leaders descend on Qatar for World Cup 2022 kickoff

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas are among those arriving in Doha.

World leaders, politicians, diplomats and royalty have begun to arrive in Qatar before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kickoff on Sunday.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Doha on Saturday, followed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who was spotted at Hamad International Airport on Sunday, Qatar News Service reported.

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also touched down in the host nation late on Saturday before Sunday evening’s opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.

Prince Mohammed’s arrival in Qatar comes after Saudi Arabia and Doha resumed diplomatic ties in January 2021 following years of frosty relations.

Saudi Arabia, playing in Group C, will take on Argentina on November 22.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will also attend the opening ceremony, Egyptian state TV quoted the presidency as saying on Sunday.

Those not attending in person have sent messages of support.

On Friday, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s emir, received a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He called the emir’s office to congratulate the host country and wish the Qatari national team success in their coming games.

Qatar’s Bassam al-Rawi celebrates after scoring in the AFC Asian Cup against Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 2019 [File: Suhaib Salem/Reuters]

The official opening ceremony is slated to kick off at Al Bayt Stadium at 5pm (14:00 GMT) on Sunday before the inaugural Qatar-Ecuador match at 7pm (16:00 GMT).

Ecuador’s Byron Castillo in action with Argentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez during the South American qualifiers for the World Cup in Guayaquil, Ecuador in March 2022 [File: Jose Jacome/Pool/Reuters]

The emir’s office said the opening event will be attended by “a number of Their Majesties, Highnesses, and Excellencies Heads of States and Heads of Delegations of brotherly and friendly countries”.

Qatar, competing in Group A in their debut World Cup appearance, will face Senegal on November 25 and the Netherlands on November 29.

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November 19, 2022

FIFA World Cup in Qatar: Know about host nation, opening match, squads, ticket prices, and more

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World Cup 2022 in Qatar: The wait is almost over for the world’s biggest sporting event. Fans eagerly waiting for the FIFA World Cup 2022, which would kick off on November 20 and culminate on December 18, can now count the remaining hours at their fingertips. Qatar is the first country in the Middle East country, and second in Asia, after Japan and South Korea, to host the prestigious sporting event.

Also, for the first time in its 92-year history, the tournament is taking place in November and December rather than in the middle of the year as Qatar is one of the hottest nations in the world.

Qatar: The host

The selection of Qatar as the host country of the 2022 World Cup was done in 2010. As per reports, the country has spent a whopping $300 billion on the tournament’s preparations. It has developed highways, hotels, recreation areas, and six new football stadiums and upgraded two along with training sites at an estimated cost of up to $10 billion to accommodate world-class players. The stadiums where the matches will be played are Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Education City Stadium, and Al Janoub Stadium, to hold the tournament. With 80,000 seats, Lusail Iconic Stadium is the largest stadium of the upcoming world cup.

Also read: Who will win the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Brazil is the favourite, Messi may score most goals

Qatar’s investment has caught everyone’s eye as it is much higher as compared to other hosts. Picture this: Russia spent $11.6 billion spent for the FIFA World Cup in 2018, Brazil invested $15 billion in 2014, South Africa shelled out $3.6 billion in 2010. Before that, Germany spent $4.3 billion in 2006, Japan $7 billion in 2002, France $2.3 billion in 1998, and the US $500 million in 1994.

Besides, the host country was in the middle of many controversies starting from the ban of beer sales inside the stadiums, its strict rules on homosexuality, and lastly, serious abuse and mistreatment of migrant workers who built the tournament’s infrastructure.

Match details

Thirty-two countries will be taking part in football’s biggest event. This tournament will kick start with a Group A match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador on November 20. The opening game will be played at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, while the final match takes place on December 18 at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail.

Groups and leagues

The 32 countries have been divided into eight groups with four teams each. There will be group matches, followed by knockout matches, quarterfinals, semifinals and the final to crown the champions on December 18.

The groups are:

GROUP A: Qatar (hosts), Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands.

GROUP B: England, Iran, United States, Wales.

GROUP C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland.

GROUP D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia.

GROUP E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan.

GROUP F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia.

GROUP G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon.

GROUP H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea.

Ticket prices

Pricing on tickets depends on a variety of factors such as who is playing, the stage of the tournament, and more. As per FIFA, nearly three million tickets have been sold across the eight stadiums in Qatar. The tournament is expected to deliver record revenue for the organising body, much more than what it had earned ($5.4 billion) in Russia. The total ticket revenue is estimated to be about $1 billion, as per news reports.

There are 4 categories in the tickets:

Category 1 is the highest-priced ticket and is located in prime areas within the stadium.

Category 2 and Category 3 are tickets that are placed in seating areas within the stadium that offer a less optimal view of the action.

Category 4 is tickets within the stadium that are reserved exclusively for residents of Qatar.

The estimated base ticket prices are as follows:

Match	Cat. 1	Cat. 2	Cat. 3	Cat. 4
Opening Match	$618	$440	$302	$55
Group Matches	$220	$165	$69	$11
Round of 16	$275	$206	$96	$19
Quarterfinals Matches	$426	$288	$206	$82
Semifinals Matches	$956	$659	$357	$137
Third-Place Match	$426	$302	$206	$82
Final Match	$1607	$1003	$604	$206

Tournament format

The tournament will start off with group-stage matches, where only the top two teams from each of the eight groups survive. Following this, 16 group-stage teams will advance to the single-game knockout stages — Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final — where the winner moves on and the loser goes home.

The knockout matches, if end without any results, will be decided on extra time, penalty kicks, sudden death methods, if necessary, to determine the victor.

Schedule:

Group stage: Nov. 20-Dec. 2

Round of 16: Dec. 3-6

Quarterfinals: Dec. 9-10

Semifinals: Dec. 13-14

Third-place match: Dec. 17

Final: Dec. 18

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November 19, 2022

Tag: Argentina

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