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Tag: Brazil National Soccer Team

  • Pelé buried at cemetery in Brazilian city he made famous

    Pelé buried at cemetery in Brazilian city he made famous

    SANTOS, Brazil — Brazil said a final farewell to Pelé on Tuesday, burying the legend who unified the bitterly divided country.

    Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Vila Belmiro, the stadium where Pelé played for most of his career.

    Pelé died last week at age 82 and was laid to rest in Santos, the city where he became famous after moving there at age 15 to play for Santos FC. The funeral Mass was held at the team’s Vila Belmiro stadium before his black casket was driven through the streets of the of Santos in a firetruck.

    It was taken into the cemetery as bands played the team’s official song and a Roman Catholic hymn. Before the golden-wrapped casket arrived, attendees sang samba songs that Pelé liked.

    Some Brazilian soccer legends weren’t there.

    “Where’s Ronaldo Nazario? Where’s Kaká, where’s Neymar?” asked Claudionor Alves, 67, who works at a bakery next to the stadium. “Do they think they will be remembered like Pelé will? These guys didn’t want to stop their vacations, that’s the problem.”

    Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in a three-hour line to view Pelé’s body as it lay in repose. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pelé’s name.

    “I am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented Brazil’s national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honor him,” she said.

    Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in the line.

    “Pelé is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made the sport important for Brazil and he made Brazil important for the world,” Zalke said.

    Pelé in the 1960s and 1970s was perhaps the world’s most famous athlete. He met presidents and queens, and a civil war in Nigeria was put on hold so people could watch him play. Many Brazilians credit Pelé with putting the country on the world stage for the first time.

    Rows of shirts with Pelé’s No. 10 were placed behind one of the stadium’s goals, waving in the city’s summer winds. A section of the stands filled up with bouquets of flowers placed by mourners and sent by clubs and star players — Neymar and Ronaldo among them — from around the world as loudspeakers played the song “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pelé”) recorded by him.

    The crowd was mostly local, although some came from far away, and many mourners were too young ever to have seen Pelé play. The mood was light, as people filtered out of the stadium to local bars, wearing Santos FC and Brazil shirts.

    Claudio Carrança, 32, a salesman, said: “I never saw him play, but loving Pelé is a tradition that goes from father to son in Santos. I learned his history, saw his goals, and I see how Santos FC is important because he is important. I know some Santos fans have children supporting other teams. But that’s just because they never saw Pelé in action. If they had, they would feel this gratitude I feel now.”

    Among those at the stadium was Pelé’s best friend Manoel Maria, also a former Santos player.

    “If I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family,” Maria said. “He was as great a man as he was as a player — the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.”

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino told journalists that every country should name a stadium after Pelé.

    “I am here with a lot of emotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,” Infantino said. “As FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the ‘King’ and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence.”

    Another fan and friend in line was Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes.

    “It is a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes told journalists. “My office has shirts signed by Pelé, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.”

    Pelé had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.

    Pelé led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

    ———

    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Brazil prepares to bury Pelé in city he made soccer mecca

    Brazil prepares to bury Pelé in city he made soccer mecca

    SANTOS, Brazil — Forty-five years after Pelé played his last game, it’s hard to imagine modern soccer, or Brazil, without him.

    Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in the three-hour line to view his body as it lay in repose at the stadium where he played for most of his career. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pelé’s name.

    “I am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented Brazil’s national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honor him,” she said.

    Pelé will be buried Tuesday in the city where he grew up, became famous, and helped make into a global capital of soccer. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated at the Vila Belmiro stadium before his casket is ushered through the streets of Santos to a nearby cemetery.

    Brazil’s newly inaugurated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was sworn in for a third term Sunday after a comeback victory, paid his respects at Vila Belmiro.

    The soccer great died Thursday at age 82 after a battle with cancer. He was the only player ever to win three World Cups.

    Thousands of mourners, including high school students and supreme court justices, filed Monday past the body of Pelé on the century-old field where he made his hometown team one of Brazil’s best. Pelé’s coffin, draped in the flags of Brazil and the Santos FC club, was placed on the midfield area of Vila Belmiro.

    Lula arrived at 9 a.m. and took part in a Catholic Mass as fans continued to walk past the coffin, and expressed his condolences to Pelé’s widow, Marcia Aoki, holding her head between his hands. He left 30 minutes later.

    The storied 16,000-seat stadium was surrounded by mourning fans, and covered with Pelé-themed decorations inside. Fans coming out of the stadium said they’d waited three hours in line, standing under a blazing sun.

    Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in line. “Pelé is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made soccer important for Brazil and he made Brazil important for the world,” he said.

    In the 1960s and 70s, Pelé was perhaps the world’s most famous athlete. He met presidents and queens, and in Nigeria a civil war was put on hold to watch him play. Many Brazilians credit him with putting the country on the world stage for the first time.

    Rows of shirts with Pelé’s number 10 were placed behind one of the goals, waving in the city’s summer winds. A section of the stands was filling up with bouquets of flowers placed by mourners and sent by clubs and star players — Neymar and Ronaldo among them — from around the world as loudspeakers played a song named “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pelé”) that was recorded by the Brazilian himself.

    The crowd was mostly local, although some came from far away. Many mourners were too young ever to have seen Pelé play. The mood was light, as people filtered out of the stadium to local bars, wearing Santos FC and Brazil shirts.

    Claudio Carrança, 32, a salesman, said: “I never saw him play, but loving Pelé is a tradition that goes from father to son in Santos. I learned his history, saw his goals, and I see how Santos FC is important because he is important. I know some Santos fans have children supporting other teams. But that’s just because they never saw Pelé in action. If they had, they would feel this gratitude I feel now.”

    Among those at the stadium was Pelé’s best friend Manoel Maria, also a former Santos player.

    “If I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family,” Maria said. “He was as great a man as he was as a player; the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.”

    FIFA President Gianni Infantino told journalists that every country should name a stadium after Pelé.

    “I am here with a lot of emotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,” Infantino said. “As FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the ‘King’ and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence.”

    Another fan and friend in line was Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes.

    “It is a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes told journalists. “My office has shirts signed by Pelé, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.”

    Pelé had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.

    Pelé led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

    ———

    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Pelé remembered for transcending soccer around world

    Pelé remembered for transcending soccer around world

    NEW YORK — Pelé was remembered for a life beyond the field, for transcending the sport of soccer and becoming perhaps the most well-known person on Earth.

    “Before Pelé, ’10′ was just a number,” current Brazil forward Neymar wrote following the soccer great’s death Thursday at the age of 82. “That line, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say that before Pelé soccer was just a sport. Pelé changed everything. He transformed soccer into art, entertainment. He gave voice to the poor, to the Black and above all he gave Brazil visibility. Soccer and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure.”

    Pelé scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches and is the only three-time world champion, winning titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His death was especially impactful for generations of Brazilian players who idolized him.

    “Today Brazil waves goodbye to one of its most illustrious children,” wrote Romario, a 1994 World Cup champion who used Pelé’s full name in his post. “Edson Arantes do Nascimento made the world bow to his talent and took Brazilian soccer to the altar of gods. Throughout his life, Pelé inspired generations of athletes and deserves every tribute.”

    Ronaldo, who led Brazil to a fifth World Cup title in 2002, described Pelé as “Unique. Genius. Skilled. Creative. Perfect. Unmatched.”

    “What a privilege to come after you, my friend,” Ronaldo wrote. “Your talent is a school through which every player should go. Your legacy transcends generations. And that is the way you will continue to live.”

    Pelé was a revered sports figure to a level probably not comparable to any athlete other than Muhammad Ali. As comfortable mingling with heads of states and celebrities as he was evading defenders, Pelé made an impact in capitals across continents.

    “As one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together,” former U.S. President Barack Obama wrote.

    President Joe Biden tweeted: “For a sport that brings the world together like no other, Pelé’s rise from humble beginnings to soccer legend is a story of what is possible.”

    Pelé’s greatest impact was in Brazil, a unifying figure celebrated during the 2014 World Cup.

    “I saw Pelé play, live, at Pacaembu and Morumbi (stadiums),” former Brazil President and current President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote. “Play, no. I saw Pelé give a show. Because when he got the ball he always did something special, which often ended in a goal. … Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did. As different from Portuguese as one’s language was, foreigners from the four corners of the planet soon found a way to pronounce the magic word: ‘Pelé.’”

    For a half-century, people who knew the name of only one soccer player knew Pelé.

    “He made people dream and continued to do that with generations and generations of lovers of our sport,” France coach Didier Deschamps said in a statement. “Who, as a child, didn’t dream of being Pelé? … Pelé was the alliance of beauty and efficiency. His talent and his list of achievements will stay engraved in our minds forever.”

    French soccer star Kylian Mbappé tied Pelé for sixth in career World Cup goals with a hat trick in this month’s loss to Argentina in the final. Four years ago, Mbappé became only the second teenager — after Pelé — to score a goal in a World Cup final.

    “The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten,” Mbappé wrote.

    “Pelé not only filled football stadiums with exhilaration but he filled hearts and homes with hope and the knowledge that adversity was surmountable,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement Friday. “His endurance and impact on the field of play inspired the resilience with which Pelé worked for peace and justice globally.”

    When Pelé’s condition worsened last month during the World Cup in Qatar, get well messages were flashed on the sides of buildings in Doha. The English Football Association lit Wembley Stadium’s arch in Brazil’s colors on Wednesday night. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, changed its website’s homepage to photos of Pelé with a black background.

    “Pelé did things that no other player would even dream of,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote. “The sight of him punching the air in celebration is one of the most iconic in our sport, and is etched into our history. In fact, because televised football was still in his infancy at the time, we only saw small glimpses of what he was capable of.”

    When Pelé played for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League from 1975-77, he helped spark soccer’s rise in the United States, leading to the nation hosting the World Cup in 1994.

    “Pele was truly a remarkable figure — on and off the field,” said FIFA Council member Sunil Gulati, a former U.S. Soccer Federation president. “The world has lost a once in a lifetime sportsman who leaves an extraordinary legacy.”

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  • Movies, music and TV helped Pelé to even more stardom

    Movies, music and TV helped Pelé to even more stardom

    SAO PAULO — Whether or not Pelé scored almost 1,300 goals in his professional soccer career, all of his biographers agree that the three-time World Cup champion wrote more than 100 songs and sold more than 100,000 copies of one of his albums.

    He was also in the movies, notably in the World War II film “Victory,” and was one of the stars of a Brazilian comedy that brought more than 3.6 million people to the theaters in the South American nation.

    Pelé, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died Thursday with cancer at a hospital in Sao Paulo. He was 82.

    Pelé’s success on the soccer field made him a sports icon, but he added to that with many performances as an actor and singer.

    MOVIES

    “King Pelé” (O Rei Pelé, 1962)

    Pelé’s first big-screen moment came in a movie directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen in the same year he won his second World Cup title. The narrative starts at Pelé’s native city of Tres Coracoes, talks about his move to the Sao Paulo countryside city of Bauru and then on to Santos, where he becomes a global star.

    “Victory” (1981)

    Directed by John Huston, it was the movie Pelé said he had most fun doing. He played Cpl. Luis Fernandes, a soldier from Trinidad.

    The plot involves prisoners of war preparing to face a German team in Nazi-occupied Paris amid their attempt to escape. At the time with the New York Cosmos, Pelé had the chance play with very different teammates — actors Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine.

    “If I had to give myself a grade as an actor it would be a 10,” Pelé jokingly said in several interviews after “Victory.”

    He also told friends that the original script had Stallone in position to score the winning goal with a bicycle kick, but the American actor did not have the skills to do it, so he was placed as a goalkeeper instead. Former England captain Bobby Moore is also in the film, along with several other professional soccer players.

    “Victory,” known as “Escape to Victory” in many places, made almost $28 million at the box office.

    “The Clumsies and the King of Soccer” (Os Trapalhões e o Rei do Futebol, 1986)

    This was an association between two of Brazil’s most popular brands at the time — a recently retired Pelé and a Three Stooges-like group of comedians who were widely popular for their TV program Os Trapalhões (The Clumsies). The movie’s opening was three days before the 1986 World Cup final in which Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, beat Germany 3-2. It took millions to the cinema in Brazil that year.

    Pelé played the role of a sports reporter named Nascimento who replaced the injured goalkeeper of a team named Independência Futebol Clube and scored the winning goal of a match with a goal kick.

    Pelé also took part in documentaries, including “This is Pelé” (1974), “Pelé Eterno” (2004) and “Cine Pelé” (2011).

    TELEVISION

    Brazilians are almost as obsessed with soap operas as they are with soccer, and Pelé had many cameos. Most of his appearances were on TV Globo’s soap operas, which are often exported to the rest of the world.

    Author Ivani Ribeiro was the first to bring him to TV soap operas. She cast Pelé in a show named “Os Estranhos” (The Strangers), in which he played the role of a famous writer who lived on an island and had extraterrestrial friends.

    Pelé’s last famous appearance in a soap opera came in 2002 in “O Clone” (The Clone), which was popular in dozens of other countries. He played himself and sang the song “Em Busca do Penta” (Seeking the Fifth). The lyrics were about Brazil winning the World Cup again. Three months later, Brazil won the World Cup for the fifth time.

    MUSIC

    “Peléginga” was his biggest hit. Recorded with a choir and an orchestra, the samba album included 12 songs written by Pelé and was released in 2006.

    Three years later, the Brazilian star wanted to record another album for international audiences and invited U2 singer Bono to share the vocals on one of the tracks. The Irishman was on tour with his band, however, and the project was abandoned.

    Pelé also recorded a record with Brazilian diva Elis Regina and released an album that was produced by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sergio Mendes.

    COMICS

    Pelé has also been a character in widely popular comic books in Brazil. Cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa and Pelé, who was playing for New York Cosmos at the time, reached a deal in 1976 for the publication of children’s stories in comic book format.

    At first, Pelé didn’t like the childlike features of Pelezinho. Sousa said in several interviews the player wanted to be portrayed as a strong child athlete. The cartoonist then made a suggestion that he should ask his children what they thought. Both kids loved it.

    Sousa used several stories from Pelé’s childhood in Pelezinho plots. The comic books were published regularly from 1977-86, and after that on special occasions. The latest was in 2013 as Brazil hosted the Confederations Cup, a warm-up tournament for the following year’s World Cup in the country.

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  • Pelé’s family gathers at hospital in Sao Paulo

    Pelé’s family gathers at hospital in Sao Paulo

    SAO PAULO — Family members of Brazilian soccer great Pelé are gathering at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo where the 82-year-old global icon has been since the end of November.

    Doctors said earlier this week that Pelé’s cancer had advanced, adding the three-time World Cup winner is under “elevated care” related to “kidney and cardiac dysfunctions.” No other hospital statements have been published since.

    Edson Cholbi Nascimento, one of Pelé’s sons and known as Edinho, arrived on Saturday after he gave a news conference to deny he would visit his father in hospital. Edinho, who works for a soccer club in southern Brazil, had said then that only doctors could help his father.

    “He (Edson) is here,” Kely Nascimento, one of Pelé’s daughters, said in a posting on Instagram with a picture showing her sitting next to Edinho and two of his children at the hospital. “I am not leaving, no one will take me out of here.”

    Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who is globally known as Pelé, had a colon tumor removed in September 2021. Neither his family nor the hospital have said whether it had spread to other organs.

    Kely Nascimento and her sister Flavia Arantes do Nascimento used their social media channels Friday night to post an undated picture of Pelé apparently holding Kely with one hand as he lay on his hospital bed and Flavia slept on a couch.

    “We continue to be here, in this fight and with faith. Another night together,” Kely Nascimento wrote.

    The hospital has not mentioned any signs of Pelé’s recent respiratory infection, which was aggravated by COVID-19

    Newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported last weekend that Pelé’s chemotherapy was not working and that doctors had decided to put him on palliative care. Pelé’s family denied that report.

    Pelé led Brazil to victory in the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during the latest World Cup.

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  • Messi, Mbappe, other leading storylines for World Cup Final

    Messi, Mbappe, other leading storylines for World Cup Final

    DOHA, Qatar — Lionel Messi’s last chance. Kylian Mbappé’s shot at emulating Pelé. A third World Cup title for either Argentina or France.

    Sunday’s final is rich with storylines as the 22nd edition of the World Cup ends with a title match fit for the occasion.

    Here are five things to know about the final:

    MESSI’S MOMENT

    Is Lionel Messi the greatest soccer player of all time? The debate will rage forever because there can never be a definitive answer. Some — especially younger soccer fans — think so, while others will point to Pelé and Diego Maradona, particularly because they won the World Cup — the sport’s ultimate prize. It is why, to many, Messi needs to win the World Cup to join Pelé and Maradona in the pantheon of the greatest ever players, even if deciding who is No. 1, 2 and 3 comes down to individual choice. Argentines would still be split between Maradona and Messi. And there have been striking similarities between them as Messi displays the kind of relentless brilliance and fighting spirit shown by Maradona when leading the team to the title in 1986. Messi is heading into his second World Cup final, having been on the losing team in 2014 when he was contained well by Germany except for one chance that he dragged wide in the second half. Can he seize his chance this time in likely his final appearance on soccer’s biggest stage?

    MBAPPE’S DOUBLE?

    Mbappé might not have won the biggest prize in club soccer — the Champions League — but he is taking the international game by storm and is one victory away from winning back-to-back World Cups by the age of 23. He can emulate Pelé’s achievement in winning his first two World Cups — not just that but leading the team as its star player. Mbappé is soccer’s latest superstar, leading the new wave of talent in the game after 15 years of domination from Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It will be regarded as a real baton-passing moment if Mbappé wins the World Cup at the expense of the 35-year-old Messi.

    THIRD TITLE

    Both Argentina and France are looking to win the World Cup for the third time. It would leave the winning team in outright fourth place on the all-time list, behind Brazil (five), Germany and Italy (both four). Three of Germany’s titles were won by West Germany (1954, 1974 and 1990). A victory for France would rubber-stamp its status as the dominant national team of this generation, with its previous titles coming in 1998 and 2018. Argentina won its titles in 1978 and 1986. Both of the countries won their first World Cup title when hosting the tournament.

    DESCHAMPS’ TREBLE

    Deschamps has already won the World Cup as a player (1998) and a coach (2018), like Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer. Neither Zagallo nor Beckenbauer won it twice as a coach, though Zagallo did achieve that feat twice as a player to make him a three-time career champion. History beckons, then, for Deschamps, who was an industrious, deep-lying midfielder as a player — once referred to as “The Water Carrier” by French player Eric Cantona because of his ability to stifle attacks from opponents and then pass the ball simply to more creative players around him. Pragmatism is the key to his coaching style as well, with France renowned at both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups for defending compactly, hitting teams on the break and being clinical with its finishing. In Russia four years ago, France averaged 48% possession in matches and averaged six shots on goal per match — the second lowest at the tournament. In Qatar, France — hurt by injuries to key players — might not have been the best team but it is the most efficient. “I’m not the most important person,” Deschamps said. “It’s the French team.”

    GOLDEN BOOT

    Four players are in realistic contention to win the Golden Boot, the award given to the top scorer at the World Cup. Of course, Messi and Mbappé are among them. They each have five goals so far, one more than Argentina striker Julián Álvarez and France center forward Olivier Giroud. According to tournament regulations, if two or more players are tied on goals and have played the same number of games, the one with the most assists takes the prize. FIFA’s technical study group will decide what counts as an assist. Of the four players in contention, Messi currently leads the way with three assists, one more than Mbappé. No player has scored more than six goals at a World Cup since Brazil striker Ronaldo had eight in 2002.

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    Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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  • Álvarez surges, scores, carries Argentina to World Cup final

    Álvarez surges, scores, carries Argentina to World Cup final

    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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  • France advances to semifinals at World Cup, tops England 2-1

    France advances to semifinals at World Cup, tops England 2-1

    AL KHOR, Qatar — France’s players reacted as if they had already won the World Cup. What they were actually celebrating, though, was Harry Kane’s missed penalty.

    The match wasn’t over yet, but France was leading 2-1 when Kane, England’s captain and its best player, stepped up to take a penalty that would even the score in the 84th minute of Saturday’s match at Al Bayt Stadium.

    He sent his shot high over the bar and defending champion France held on to win 2-1 for a spot in the semifinals.

    “That’s ,” England coach Gareth Southgate said. “There is nobody I would rather have in that situation and if we had one tomorrow, I’d feel exactly the same way.”

    France is looking to become the first country to successfully defend its World Cup title since Brazil — led by Pele — won back-to-back tournaments in 1958 and 1962. Italy also won two World Cups in succession in 1934 and 1938.

    France will next face Morocco on Wednesday for a spot in the final.

    “We are getting to the semifinals. We are closer to the final and this was an important achievement tonight and we can believe, but we have an important game on Wednesday,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “In the past the world champions didn’t always do well in the next World Cup and we’ve managed to do that.”

    France knows that all too well.

    As defending champions in 2002, the French team was eliminated in the group stage. France reached the final in 2006, losing to Italy in a penalty shootout, and then was knocked out in the group stage four years later in 2010.

    On Saturday, Aurelian Tchouameni gave France the lead but England evened the score when Kane converted from the penalty spot in the 54th minute. Olivier Giroud put France back in front with a header in the 78th minute, setting up Kane for that chance to equalize again against his Tottenham teammate, France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

    That’s when he blasted his shot over.

    “It is very difficult when you get a second penalty and, of course, a goalkeeper that knows you really well as well,” Southgate said. “There’s a lot involved in that situation. He’s the best, but the best are still 85% (accurate), so even the best are going to miss at times.”

    Kane sank to his knees after the final whistle. His earlier goal put him in a tie with Wayne Rooney as his country’s leading scorer, but that wasn’t what mattered.

    At the same time, an elated France team ran across the field in a blue wave of celebration before gathering together in a huddle, bouncing up and down joyously.

    The singing and dancing continued into the locker room.

    Morocco, the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup, now stands in the way of France’s bid to make history.

    “Allow us to savour our victory tonight against a very good England team,” Deschamps said when faced with questions about his next opponent.

    For Southgate, it’s time for reflection as he decides whether to carry on in the England job after leading the team through three tournaments since he was hired in 2016.

    “Whenever I’ve finished these tournaments I’ve needed time to make the correct decision because emotionally you go through so many different feelings and the energy that it takes through these tournaments is enormous,” he said. “I want to make the right decision, whatever that is for the team, for England, the FA (Football Association). I think it is right to take time to do that.

    “I know in the past how much my feelings have fluctuated in the immediate aftermath of tournament.”

    BOLD APPROACH

    Southgate has often been criticized for being too cautious in the biggest games, but he opted for a back four against France and loaded his team with attacking threats.

    FLAT START

    Maguire kicked the ball out of play at the very beginning of the match even though there was no pressure from a France opponent. Air was leaking out of the ball and Maguire informed the referee that a new one was needed.

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    James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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

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  • Tenacity and penalties, keys to Croatia’s deep World Cup run

    Tenacity and penalties, keys to Croatia’s deep World Cup run

    DOHA, Qatar — With a population of around four million people, the magnitude of Croatia’s win against Brazil was not lost on Croatian coach Zlatko Dalić.

    To reach to reach back-to-back World Cup semifinals was “unimaginable” he said.

    The runner-up from 2018 is going deep again in Qatar – defeating Neymar and Co. 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time at Education City Stadium on Friday.

    “To eliminate a massive tournament favorite and probably the best team as well… Only Croatia could’ve done this,” added Dalić.

    Okay, this wasn’t Saudi Arabia shocking Argentina. But on the face of it, Croatia’s victory against the five-time world champions could rank among a host of upsets already produced by a tournament that is refusing to stick to the script.

    And by looking at the faces of Brazil’s distraught fans and inconsolable players afterwards, they certainly didn’t seem prepared to be heading home at this early stage.

    Perhaps they should have taken a closer look at Croatia’s pedigree at the World Cup – and the spirit of a team that doesn’t seem to know how to give up.

    Croatia may have been the underdog against Brazil, but it did reach the final in Russia four years ago and was a semifinalist in its very first World Cup as an independent nation in 1998 – losing to France on both occasions.

    Compare that to Brazil, which has only made it past the quarterfinals once since last winning the tournament in 2002.

    So how does a country with a population ranked at 128th in the world according to size continue to overperform on the biggest stage of all?

    One factor that cannot be discounted is the wider story of Croatia’s fight for independence following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s when thousands of its people died during the conflict.

    The fighting spirit of the nation is a theme frequently referenced by its players and Dalić.

    “This all comes from how we were raised,” said goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who was born in January 1995, seven months before Croatia took control of the city of Knin, which is commemorated annually as a key moment in the battle for independence.

    “We always go all the way to the end, we leave everything we got on the pitch and we keep fighting. That is the reason for our success.”

    Imperious midfielder and captain Luka Modric had set the scene even before kick off against Brazil.

    “We believe in ourselves. We are capable of anything,” 37-year-old Real Madrid star said before the match, adding that Croatia is “simply, a talented nation.”

    That is a crucial point.

    For all the talk of spirit and resolve, the sheer quality of Croatia’s players should not be overlooked.

    Modric is a five-time Champions League winner with Madrid and a recipient of the highest individual honor in soccer, the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world.

    He won that trophy in 2018, ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and, notably, Kylian Mbappé, who had starred in France’s World Cup triumph that year.

    Modric was a beaten finalist, but was also named the best player of the tournament.

    His full repertoire of skills was on show again against Brazil, while midfield partner Mateo Kovacic provides the tireless running alongside him.

    “In my opinion, Croatia have the best midfield in the world,” said Dalić. “We have a lovely passing game, can control games.

    “They managed to keep the ball, maintain possession, and we sort of paralysed our opponent with our passing game. That was exactly our aim.”

    And then there is Croatia’s expertise in penalty shootouts, which are generally considered soccer’s ultimate test of nerve.

    Twice in Russia and now twice in Qatar, Croatia has had to rely on penalties to progress. After four straight wins from the spot, Dalić claims his team has a psychological advantage over its opponents, with Brazil the latest to fall victim to his specialists.

    “Once we get to penalties, that’s when we become favorites. I sense that the opponent feels like they have lost the game already,” he said.

    With three 0-0 score lines in regulation time and four draws from five games at this World Cup, Croatia has not been the most entertaining team to watch at the tournament.

    But when it comes to nerve, steel and sheer fight, it takes some beating.

    Argentina, Croatia’s opponents in the semifinals, may want to take note.

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    James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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

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  • Neymar working ’24 hours a day’ to return at World Cup

    Neymar working ’24 hours a day’ to return at World Cup

    DOHA, Qatar — Neymar is working “24 hours a day” to try to recover from his ankle injury and play again at the World Cup, Brazil teammate Marquinhos said Sunday.

    Neymar damaged ligaments in his right ankle in the team’s 2-0 opening win over Serbia on Thursday and will miss the match against Switzerland on Monday. He remained hopeful of recovering but team doctors still haven’t given a timetable on his return — or said if he will return at all.

    “He is sleeping in physiotherapy, 24 hours a day,” Marquinhos said. “That shows how much he wants to be back with us. We don’t know when it’s going to happen, but we hope we will have him with us again as soon as possible and in good health mentally and physically.”

    Brazil coach Tite said he had to “force” Neymar and right back Danilo — who is also injured — to stop their treatment on Sunday and go be with teammates at the last training before the match against Switzerland. Tite said after the match against Serbia, Neymar was in physiotherapy until five or six in the morning.

    Neymar had said Saturday on Instagram that he was “sure” he would “have a chance to return.” He posted photos of his ankle still looking very swollen.

    Marquinhos said Neymar had been feeling down after the injury but was getting more upbeat.

    “I see him very well and confident about returning,” the defender said ahead of the match against Switzerland. “He is very focused on coming back.”

    Tite remained optimistic about the return of both Neymar and Danilo, who sprained his ankle against Serbia.

    “I’m not a doctor, I’m not an expert,” Tite said. “But I still believe that Neymar and Danilo will play in the World Cup. I think we will still be able to use them.”

    Tite has plenty of options to fill in for Neymar but admitted it’s hard to replace the talent of a player like him.

    “These great talents can show up two or three times and make the difference,” Tite said. “And that’s what Neymar can do for us.”

    The coach did not say who would replace Neymar or Danilo in the starting lineup on Monday. The options to replace Danilo included Dani Alves or Éder Militão.

    The 30-year-old Neymar is second on Brazil’s scoring list with 75 goals, two behind Pelé’s record with the national team. He has yet to win a major title with Brazil.

    Neymar had to leave the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He also missed the 2019 Copa América because of a right ankle injury.

    Brazil, seeking its first World Cup title in two decades, faces Cameroon in its last Group G match. The team can reach the round of 16 with a win on Monday if Cameroon doesn’t defeat Serbia in the other group match.

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    Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

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

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  • Pele congratulates Weah for World Cup goal against Wales

    Pele congratulates Weah for World Cup goal against Wales

    DOHA, Qatar — Brazil great Pele congratulated United States forward Timothy Weah for scoring his debut goal in the World Cup in the Americans’ 1-1 draw with Wales.

    Weah got his goal in the 36th minute of Monday’s game to become the first player to score against Wales in a World Cup since Pele, who was 17 years old when he did it in 1958. That was the last time Wales played at the World Cup before this year in Qatar.

    Weah posted a photo of him celebrating the goal on Instagram and Pele congratulated him in the comments section.

    “Congratulations. It was a beautiful goal. Keep dreaming, dreams come true,” Pele wrote.

    Weah responded to “Papa Pele” by thanking him for the “inspiring message.”

    “It is such a blessing and an honor to receive such an inspiring message from The King himself,” Weah wrote. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for the world and us young black men. Grandes Abracos.”

    The 22-year-old Weah is the son of George Weah, the current president of Liberia and the 1995 world player of the year. Weah has scored 18 goals in 75 appearances for the United States.

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

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  • AP PHOTOS: Soccer’s most memorable World Cup moments

    AP PHOTOS: Soccer’s most memorable World Cup moments

    The Hand of God. Zidane’s headbutt. Gazza’s tears.

    Many of soccer’s most iconic moments have taken place at the World Cup, the latest edition of which starts in Qatar on Sunday.

    The Associated Press has covered the tournament through the years and followed the world’s greatest players, none more so than Diego Maradona and Pelé.

    Maradona, the Argentina superstar who died in 2020, was a figure of controversy — look at the way he punched the ball in the goal for his team’s opener against England in the quarterfinals in 1986 — but also a magician with the ball at his feet.

    Like his snaking run through England’s midfield and defense and then past goalkeeper Peter Shilton in the same game for perhaps the best World Cup goal.

    Pelé won the World Cup with Brazil for the first time as a lithe 17-year-old in 1958 and was 29 when he achieved the feat for a record third time in 1970. Fans lifted a grinning Pele onto their shoulders inside the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

    How about those other much-talked about moments, like Zinedine Zidane, France’s graceful playmaker, headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest in the 2006 final. Or Geoff Hurst’s shot that bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and over the line — or was it? — in the 1966 final as England beat West Germany for its only World Cup title. Or Paul Gascoigne welling up after collecting a yellow card in the 1990 semifinals that would have ruled him out of the title match, had England reached it.

    Then there are those famous goals in the final, by Germany’s Mario Götze in 2014, Spain’s Andres Iniesta in 2010, Brazil’s Ronaldo in 2002 and, much further back, Argentina’s Mario Kempes in 1978.

    It’s all about getting your hands on the World Cup trophy. Just look at the joy on the faces of Maradona in 1986, Zidane in 1998 and Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer in 1974.

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

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  • Viewer’s guide for the World Cup in Qatar

    Viewer’s guide for the World Cup in Qatar

    A last chance for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kylian Mbappé back on the biggest stage of all. Brazil bidding for a record-extending sixth title.

    One of the most eagerly anticipated World Cups in memory — as much for off-the-field reasons as those on it — is just around the corner in Qatar.

    Thirty-two teams, 64 matches, 29 days. The first World Cup in the Middle East.

    The tournament starts on Nov. 20 and the final is set for Dec. 18.

    Here’s a few things to watch when the tournament gets going in the smallest country ever to host a World Cup, where some fans will be staying in floating hotels when they head over to take in the games:

    TOP TEAMS

    Brazil (No. 1 in FIFA ranking). Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and the rest of the flair-filled Selecao are peaking at the right time. Is a first World Cup title since 2002 on the horizon?

    Belgium (No. 2). The “Golden Generation” is gradually breaking up but there’s still Kevin De Bruyne leading the Belgian charge.

    Argentina (No. 3). No World Cup title since the days of the great Diego Maradona. This will be the first World Cup since his death in November 2020 and Argentina is improving, with Messi still at its core.

    France (No. 4). The defending champions. Still the country with the most depth to its squad, despite a growing injury list. Now with Mbappé AND Karim Benzema leading the attack. No team has retained its World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.

    England (No. 5). The team has hit a bad patch of form — winless in six games — but has a strong track record in recent major tournaments. England was a semifinalist at the World Cup in 2018 and a finalist at the European Championship in 2021.

    Read up on all 32 teams who will be playing in the World Cup.

    BIG STARS

    Lionel Messi, Argentina. The seven-time world player of the year might have been saving his 35-year-old legs for one last push at a World Cup winner’s medal that, to many, would solidify him as soccer’s greatest player. He is in stellar form for Paris Saint-Germain at the moment.

    Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal. He has won the European Championship but the leading scorer in men’s international soccer hasn’t played in a World Cup final, let alone won one. He’s 37 years old now and no longer first choice at Manchester United — so make the most of him while you can.

    Kylian Mbappé, France. The star of the last World Cup at the age of 19 and he is only getting better. The speedy striker could match Brazil great Pelé in being a champion at his first two World Cups.

    Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium. Widely regarded as the world’s best midfielder, his driving runs are among the best sights in soccer. Belgium just has to hope he arrives healthy.

    Neymar, Brazil. Often overshadowed by Mbappé and Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, still the main man for Brazil. Watch out for tricks and flicks, and some histrionics, too.

    HOW IT WORKS

    Get ready for a feast of soccer. There are eight groups of four teams, with the top two advancing to the 16-team knockout stage.

    There will be four games back-to-back per day — yes, four! — for most of the first two sets of group games, then simultaneous kickoffs for the last two games in each group.

    There’ll be no break for the knockout stage, which begins the day after the group stage ends. The first day without soccer comes on Dec. 7 — the 17th day of competition.

    MUST-SEE GAMES

    Qatar vs. Ecuador, Nov. 20. The first match of the tournament and always a date to save on the calendar.

    Argentina vs. Mexico, Nov. 26. The first of the big continental rivalries in the group stage, with Messi potentially sealing his and Argentina’s spot in the last 16.

    Spain vs. Germany, Nov. 27. Surely there can’t have been many bigger group-stage matches than this at a World Cup? Two recent champions, two giants of European and world soccer.

    Iran vs. United States, Nov. 29. It has been labeled as “The Mother of All Games Part II.” Just like at the World Cup in 1998, the two countries will meet in the group stage in a politically charged matchup. Diplomatic relations have yet to be restored between the nations since being severed in 1980.

    Ghana vs. Uruguay, Dec. 2. Anyone remember the night of July 2, 2010? In the last minute of extra time in a World Cup quarterfinal match between Uruguay and Ghana, Luis Suarez deliberately stopped the ball with his hand on the goalline, got sent off, only for Ghana to miss the penalty and lose in a shootout as Suarez celebrated on the sideline. Revenge would be sweet for Ghana.

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

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