Tag: Premier League

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney revel in FA Cup’s enchantment | CNN

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CNN
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When Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took control of lower league soccer club Wrexham AFC in 2021, it was widely assumed that it was the Hollywood stars who would be bringing the magic.

Two years on, however, this isn’t just a story about the A-listers generously sprinkling stardust – it’s more about the Hollywood duo getting to experience the enchantment of English football, notably the FA Cup.

“I think what a lot of people don’t understand about the sport of football is how much anxiety it creates more than any other sport,” McElhenney told CNN’s Don Riddell as he reflected on Wrexham’s remarkable 4-3 victory over Coventry City to reach the fourth round of the world’s oldest competition.

“That last 20 minutes was harrowing, it was amongst the greatest and worst 20 minutes of my entire life,” added McElhenney, as he relived how Wrexham nervously held on having led 4-1 at one stage of the match.

The world’s third-oldest football club, Wrexham has never played in the top-flight of English football, but the club has a proud record in the FA Cup, having previously reached the quarterfinals and famously beat Arsenal in the third round in 1992.

Currently playing in the National League – English soccer’s fifth tier – Wrexham was 60 places and three divisions below Coventry when the two teams met in the FA Cup third round.

McElhenney and Reynolds made headlines when they completed their takeover of the club in 2021, with ambitions of taking the Welsh club back to the top of soccer.

Wrexham is one of a number of Welsh teams that play in the English football league system due to the club being founded before the creation of the Welsh football league

At the time of the takeover by McElhenney and Reynolds, Wrexham had been languishing outside the top four divisions of English soccer, known as the Football League, for over a decade.

McElhenney and Reynolds have already delivered a TV series – “Welcome to Wrexham” – which documents their time at the club as its emerges from obscurity.

Second in the National league – behind leaders Notts County on goal difference, but having played a game less – if Wrexham wins promotion it will play in English football’s League Two next season.

Secure three more promotions and Wrexham will be playing in the Premier League.

And on Sunday, Wrexham hosts Sheffield United in the FA Cup’s fourth round.

United is second in the Championship – and on course to win promotion to the Premier League – and is likely to provide a much stiffer test than Coventry.

“I think, especially for Americans to see a tournament like this, we just don’t have really anything like this. So there’s something really, really special about this one,” McElhenney says.

The owners’ obvious passion for the club has won over the hearts of Wrexham fans and allowed McElhenney, a guy from Philadelphia, to connect with a community from rural Wales.

“I know those people, I grew up with those people, I am one of those people and to be welcomed into their community has been the ride of my life,” added McElhenney.

McElhenney’s love for soccer, like many in North America, is a new-found love.

The star of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” had been more of a NFL and hockey man, but that changed when he watched a soccer documentary about Diego Maradona.

“I was watching this tiny man who was a magician, I just never seen an athlete do what that man was able to do with the football,” McElhenney recalls of the man widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest ever players.

But it was Maradona’s successor – Lionel Messi – who consummated McElhenney’s love for the beautiful game.

“I had a friend say, ‘You think that guy’s magic? I know of another little man who’s playing right now, who is doing just what Madonna did, except he’s doing it at the highest level for a longer period of time.’

“Of course that was Messi.”

McElhenney began to take more of an interest in soccer, though admits he struggled with the concept of promotion and relegation.

“It’s amazing how many times I’ve had to explain the system over the last year and a half to wide-eyed, slack jawed Americans who had never heard anything like this, and to be fair, I was one of them.”

McElhenney loved the concept that a team could rise from nothing to the top of a sport through the merit of their performances.

“That was really the impetus for this entire thing,” says McElhenney on buying Wrexham.

“It just got my wheels turning insofar as what a great story, what a great opportunity to take a storied club with a rich history, who maybe hasn’t been succeeding at the level that they should be and to invest in them.

“Not only in them, but in the community itself and to see if we could bring them back to their glory in a way that you just could not do in American sports.”

A fourth-round FA Cup tie is not the only unexpected experience for McElhenney – in December, he and Reynolds met King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort.

The British monarch visited Wrexham to commemorate the granting of “city status” as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier in the year.

As part of the royal visit, Charles and Camilla visited the Racehorse Ground – the world’s oldest stadium according to Guinness World Records and the home of AFC Wrexham – and shared a moment with the two actors on the pitch.

“I didn’t plan to go in December, but when the king calls you come, you hop on a plane and you come,” McElhenney recalls.

“His majesty made a joke that I thought was really funny to me and her majesty, the queen consort, really inquisitive and curious about the ladies’ team, about what we were doing with the stadiums.

“We spoke for over an hour, and I just was not expecting that at all. It was, it was truly an honor and something I’ll cherish forever.”

McElhenney and Reynolds have clearly been on quite the journey. A second series of “Welcome to Wrexham” is due for release later this year and with an ambition to reach the Premier League, there is plenty more in store for the pair.

But first Sunday’s game against Sheffield United.

“I went to visit last summer and it’s a beautiful town full of wonderful people, they could not have been more welcoming,” smiles McElhenney.

“But they of course are now the enemy … I’m sharpening my blade for the Blades,” a reference to United’s nickname, which is a nod to Sheffield – once the steel-making capital of the world.

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January 28, 2023
Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS enters bidding process to buy Manchester United — The Times reports | CNN

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CNN
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British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s company INEOS has formally entered the bidding process to buy Premier League soccer club Manchester United, according to The Times on Wednesday.

This comes after United’s owners, the Glazer family, announced they were exploring new investment or the potential sale of the English Premier League side in November 2022.

“I can confirm that we have formally put ourselves into the process,” the spokesperson said without adding details.

Ratcliffe is a majority shareholder of chemical group INEOS which owns French side Nice, Swiss club Lausanne-Sport, the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team and has a partnership with the Mercedes F1 team.

Ratcliffe had previously expressed interest in buying the Red Devils in the summer.

In an email to CNN Sport in August, a spokesman for Ratcliffe confirmed his interest in the renowned Premier League club, saying: “We are simply confirming interest in the club if it is for sale.”

According to Forbes, Manchester United is worth $4.6 billion.

Controlled by the Glazer family, which also owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, United is one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world, but it hasn’t won the English Premier League since 2013.

In May, Ratcliffe made a last-minute bid to buy Chelsea FC before losing out to the Todd Boehly consortium.

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January 18, 2023
Pulisic listed as day-to-day with pelvic injury at World Cup

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DOHA, Qatar — U.S. forward Christian Pulisic is listed as day to day after sustaining a pelvic injury during his team’s 1-0 World Cup win against Iran that sent the Americans to the round of 16 of the tournament on Tuesday.

Pulisic scored the 38th-minute winning goal against Iran, but crashed into Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand during the same play. The Chelsea striker was substituted at the start of the second half and taken to a hospital for tests.

The U.S. Soccer Federation said Pulisic was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion and returned to the team hotel.

A video posted later on social media by the U.S. team showed Pulisic celebrating with the rest of the squad as they arrived at the team hotel.

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

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November 30, 2022
Inflation or not, price of pro sports teams keeps going up

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Inflation isn’t going to hurt the bankrolls of sports team owners.

In fact, it may help.

While the uber-rich will have to pay a little more for their eggs at the grocery store – just like everyone else – inflation isn’t likely to affect the bottom lines at their sports properties.

“I’m resting pretty easy if I’m an owner,” said Tim Clarke, a senior analyst at PitchBook, which researches private financial markets. “That’s how people are viewing assets of the professional sports industry. They’re just not going down.”

Inflation surged this year to levels unseen for four decades, slowing the economy and raising prices for consumers from the checkout line to the gas pump. For the most part, sports are no exception: Rising costs are making it more expensive for fans to go to games, for families who participate in youth sports and for college athletic departments trying to stay on budget.

But the millionaires and billionaires who own sports team won’t be feeling the pinch, whether it’s the day-to-day cost of running the business or the sale price when they decide to move on. On the contrary: A franchise can be a safe place to park money and ride out a bear market.

“I do think there is somewhat of a hedge,” said Inner Circle Sports CEO Rob Tillis, who has worked on the sale of dozens of teams in all four major U.S. pro sports and the top international leagues. “I have been doing this for 30 years. We’ve been through lots of business cycles and valuations have been strong. I don’t see that as any different now.”

Most sports owners are also well-capitalized enough to keep their team budgets separate from their outside business and other sources of wealth. So even though rising interest rates have cooled the housing market, that’s unlikely to affect Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage owner Dan Gilbert, who with an estimated net worth of almost $52 billion is the 23rd-richest man in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

(One exception: Losses in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme squeezed the Mets payroll and forced owner Fred Wilpon to sell off first part, then the rest of the team.)

“These guys, they have so much money that I think if they start to get pinched elsewhere, it’s more or less a rounding error for their clubs,” said Tom Pitts, the European head of LionRock Capital, a private equity firm that has a one-third interest in the Inter Milan soccer team. “Most of these guys haven’t stretched to buy the club. It’s an expensive hobby.”

Rising interest rates could make it more expensive for would-be owners to buy into the club if they have to borrow money to pay for their new prize. “It just costs a lot more money in absolute dollars to service the debt,” Pitts said.

A handful of high-profile teams are currently on the market.

Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, who is under pressure to sell his team after an investigation revealed a toxic corporate culture, says he would consider unloading all or part of the once-proud NFL franchise. It is expected to fetch even more than the $4.65 billion paid for the Denver Broncos this summer by Walmart heir Rob Walton, who with an estimated net worth of $61 billion is the 16th-richest person in the world.

Robert Sarver has put his teams, the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, on the market after an investigation found evidence of a racially and sexually insensitive workplace. Baseball’s Washington Nationals are for sale and the family that owns the Baltimore Orioles has made noise about selling, as well. The NHL’s Ottawa Senators can also be had for the right price.

Two of English soccer’s biggest names, Manchester United and Liverpool, are also on the market. Man U. was valued by Forbes in September at $4.6 billion — just a bit higher than Liverpool; both are expected to eclipse the $3.2 billion price paid for Chelsea this spring that was briefly the highest ever for a sports team.

That record was less than two weeks old when the Broncos deal was announced.

“You’ve got the likes of the Waltons, and it’s a drop in the bucket,” Clarke said. “It’s a club. It’s like, ‘When is the next Picasso up for sale?’ … The value sector has nothing to do with the economy. There’s always demand and there’s always scarce supply.”

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AP Sports Writer Jay Cohen contributed to this story.

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November 25, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo begins World Cup campaign with Portugal after Manchester United departure | CNN

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CNN
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Two days after his turbulent departure from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo will begin his World Cup campaign with Portugal and look to put events from the last week-and-a-half behind him.

Portugal faces Ghana at Stadium 974 on Thursday, kicking off what will likely be the 37-year-old Ronaldo’s final World Cup – a trophy that has so far eluded him over the course of his decorated career.

A successful tournament in Qatar would also allow Ronaldo to move on from his messy divorce with United having ended his second spell at the club on Tuesday.

It came after the forward gave an explosive interview to Talk TV in which he said he felt betrayed by United and launched a scathing attack on manager Erik ten Hag.

And as the World Cup gets underway, Ronaldo has offered assurances that the focus of his Portuguese teammates won’t be shaken by the timing of his bombshell interview.

“In my life, the best timing is always my timing,” he told reporters on Monday. “I don’t have to think about what other people think. I speak when I want. The players know me really well for many years and know the type of person I am.”

Following the announcement of his departure from Manchester United, Ronaldo was suspended for two games and fined £50,000 (around $60,000) by the English Football Association (FA) for slapping a cell phone out of a spectator’s hand earlier this year.

The incident came after United’s 1-0 loss against April in Everton. On top of the fine and suspension – which does not apply at the World Cup but will be transferred to any new club he joins – Ronaldo was warned by the FA about his future conduct.

Portugal is the strong favorite against Ghana with 52 places separating the sides in FIFA’s rankings.

But pedigree and star power appear to count for little at this World Cup, a tournament in which underdogs have fared well against mightier opponents.

Saudi Arabia came from behind to defeat Argentina 2-1 while Japan did the same against Germany – clear signs that no team should be underestimated, nor should any team indulge in complacency.

Having not reached the quarterfinals of a World Cup since 2006, Portugal has a point to prove in Qatar and arrives at the tournament with considerable firepower.

Despite missing Liverpool forward Diogo Jota through injury, the likes of Ronaldo, his old United teammate Bruno Fernandes, and Manchester City stars João Cancelo and Bernardo Silva are all likely to feature on Thursday.

Against them will be a Ghana team short on form but with no shortage of quality.

Having been dumped out of the Africa Cup of Nations after a humiliating group-stage defeat against Comoros in January, the Black Stars will benefit from the “signings” of forward Inaki Williams and right-back Tariq Lamptey ahead of the tournament.

Williams switched allegiances from Spain earlier this year and Lamptey from England.

Otto Addo – the only part-time coach at the tournament – also has at his disposal star midfielder Mohammed Kudus and experienced campaigners including Thomas Partey and the Ayew brothers, Jordan and Andre.

Whether Addo, who principally works as a scout for German team Borussia Dortmund, can get Ghana to click remains to be seen.

Also in Group H are Uruguay and South Korea, who play each other at the Education City Stadium on Thursday.

Uruguay is the favorite and will benefit from the experience of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez. Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez will also feature in the attack, while midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde have been in excellent form of late.

The positive news for South Korea is that star player Son Heung-Min has recovered from a damaged eye socket and has been training in a protective face mask this week.

In Thursday’s other games, pre-tournament favorite Brazil and Serbia will be the last two teams to get their tournaments underway when they meet at Lusail Stadium.

Five-time champion Brazil arguably boasts the best attacking line-up in the tournament, both in terms of quality and depth.

Neymar Jr – like fellow talismans Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – is searching for his first World Cup trophy, and he will be ably supported upfront alongside Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., Barcelona’s Raphinha, and Tottenham’s Richarlison.

But Serbia, which topped its qualifying group ahead of Portugal, will be no pushover and has plenty of goalscoring prowess in captain Dušan Tadić, Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović, and Fulham front man Aleksandar Mitrovic. However, Vlahović and Mitrovic have both been nursing injuries ahead of the tournament.

Hoping to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time, Serbia will likely have to battle it out with Switzerland and Cameroon, who face each other on Thursday, to reach the round of 16 – barring any disastrous results for Brazil.

But as this World Cup has demonstrated so far, don’t rule out any eventuality.

Switzerland vs Cameroon – 5am Eastern time

Uruguay vs South Korea – 8am ET

Portugal vs Ghana – 11am ET

Brazil vs Serbia – 2pm 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 24, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo Fast Facts | CNN

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CNN
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Here’s a look at the life of professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.

Birth date: February 5, 1985

Birth place: Funchal, Portugal

Birth name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Father: Jose Dinis Aveiro, a gardener

Mother: Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, a cook

Children: with Georgina Rodriguez: Alana Martina, 2017; Bella Esmeralda and male twin (name unreleased, died in childbirth), 2022; via surrogate: Eva and Mateo (twins), 2017; with mother’s name unavailable publicly: Cristiano Jr., 2010

All-time leading male goalscorer in international football.

First male player in history to score a goal in five different World Cups.

Portugal’s all-time top international goalscorer.

Winner of the Ballon d’Or footballer of the year award five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), and the European Golden Shoe four times (2007-08, 2010-11, 2013-14 and 2014-15).

One of his acts of charity was paying for the brain surgery of a 10-month-old boy. Other acts have included raising money for survivors of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and paying for treatment for a 9-year-old cancer patient.

His father named him after US President Ronald Reagan.

Early 1990s – Joins local amateur team Andorinha.

Late 1990s – Joins Clube Desportivo Nacional da Madeira, one of Portugal’s leading professional football clubs.

Early 2000s – Signs with Sporting Clube de Portugal.

August 12, 2003 – Signs with Manchester United for £12.24 million ($19.7 million).

August 20, 2003 – Debuts for Portugal’s national team.

June-July 2004 – Represents Portugal in the UEFA Euro and scores a goal in the tournament opener. This is his first major international tournament.

July 2004 – Plays for Portugal during the Summer Olympics. Portugal is eliminated in the group stage.

2005 – Wins the FIFPro Special Young Player of the Year award.

October 2005 – Comes under investigation for an alleged sexual assault but is not charged.

June 17, 2006 – Scores his first World Cup goal against Iran. Portugal wins 2-0.

2008 – Wins the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

2009 – Transfers to Real Madrid. The deal includes an £80 million (more than $130 million) transfer fee.

December 15, 2013 – Opens a museum dedicated to his football career in his hometown of Funchal, Portugal.

January 6, 2014 – Scores his 400th career goal.

January 20, 2014 – Is named Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry.

October 17, 2015 – Officially becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer in the club’s 3-0 victory over Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

November 9, 2015 – The documentary “Ronaldo” premieres in London.

November 8, 2016 – Signs a “lifetime” endorsement deal with Nike.

January 2017 – Is named the inaugural Best FIFA Men’s Player of 2016.

June 13, 2017 – Is accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of $16.4 million in tax between 2011 and 2014.

August 14, 2017 – According to the Spanish Football Federation, Ronaldo is banned for five games following his red card in Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over rival Barcelona. On top of the one-game ban for the red card, he will miss four further games for pushing referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea as he was leaving the field.

October 23, 2017 – Wins the FIFA Best Men’s Player Award for the second year in a row.

December 7, 2017 – Claims his fifth Ballon d’Or, equaling the record set by eternal rival Lionel Messi.

July 10, 2018 – Leaves Real Madrid to join the reigning Serie A champion Juventus, based in Turin, Italy, on a four-year contract and a reported $117 million transfer fee.

September 27, 2018 – Kathryn Mayorga files a lawsuit in Clark County, Nevada, accusing Ronaldo of raping her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. She seeks to void a settlement and nondisclosure agreement she says she was coerced to sign by Ronaldo and his legal team. Ronaldo denies the allegations.

January 10, 2019 – Las Vegas police spokeswoman, Officer Laura Meltzer, confirms that in the course of investigating a rape allegation against Ronaldo they have sent a warrant to authorities in Italy requesting a sample of his DNA.

January 22, 2019 – Ronaldo agrees to settle his tax fraud case with Spanish authorities by paying a fine of $21.6 million and accepting a 23-month suspended prison sentence. Under Spanish law, first-time offenders can avoid prison time if the sentence is under two years.

April 20, 2019 – Juventus defeats Fiorentina 2-1 to claim the Italian championship Serie A title. Ronaldo becomes the first player ever to win titles in the Premier League (with Manchester United), La Liga (with Real Madrid) and Serie A (with Juventus).

May 8, 2019 – The lawsuit filed in Clark County, Nevada, accusing Ronaldo of rape is voluntary dismissed by Mayorga. Larissa Drohobyczer, Mayorga’s attorney, tells CNN that “The state case was dismissed by us because we filed the identical claims in federal court due to federal court rules on serving foreigners, we basically just switched venues, but the claims remain.”

July 22, 2019 – The Clark County District Attorney’s office says that Ronaldo will not face sexual assault charges in Las Vegas. The office says the allegations, which were first made in 2009, cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

August 16, 2019 – Federal court documents reveal that following Mayorga’s 2009 accusation of rape, Ronaldo paid Mayorga $375,000 in a settlement and confidentiality agreement. Mayorga is asking the court to invalidate the agreement on the grounds that Ronaldo and his legal team took advantage of her fragile emotional state to coerce her into signing it.

September 8, 2020 – Scores his 100th international goal in Portugal’s Nations League match against Sweden, becoming just the second man in history to reach the milestone.

October 13, 2020 – Has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement by the Portuguese Football Federation.

September 1, 2021 – Breaks the men’s all-time international goalscoring record after scoring two goals against Ireland in the Group A World Cup qualifier in Almancil, Portugal.

October 6, 2021 – A federal judge recommends that the rape case against Ronaldo be dismissed, because Mayorga’s attorneys improperly obtained and used information from leaked documents. On June 10, 2022, the case is dismissed.

March 12, 2022 – Scores his 806th career goal against Tottenham, breaking FIFA’s all-time record for most goals in competitive matches in men’s football history.

April 18, 2022 – Ronaldo and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, announce that one of their newborn twins, a boy, has died.

November 22, 2022 – Manchester United announce Ronaldo is leaving the English Premier League club with immediate effect. The announcement comes a week after Ronaldo gave an explosive TV interview about his frustrations at the club.

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November 24, 2022
Ronaldo to leave Manchester United ‘with immediate effect’

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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Manchester United “with immediate effect,” the Premier League club said Tuesday, days after he gave an explosive interview criticizing manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners.

It wasn’t known where the 37-year-old Ronaldo will go next next after failing to secure a move to a Champions League club in the summer.

“Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early,” Ronaldo said. “I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge.

“I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future.”

Ronaldo, who is currently in Qatar with Portugal as he aims to win a first World Cup title for his country, has been left frustrated after being reduced to a fringe member of United’s team this season.

The Portugal captain said he felt “betrayed” during the 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan, which aired Thursday and in which he was also critical of younger players.

United said last week that it had initiated appropriate steps in response to his comments, with the cancellation of his contract widely expected.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect,” it said on Tuesday. “The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.”

That statement didn’t convey the club’s dismay after the unauthorized interview.

Ronaldo’s sudden exit could also speed up United’s plans to sign a new center forward.

Ten Hag had planned to address his attack at the end of the season, but may now have to look for a replacement during the January window.

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

___

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

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November 22, 2022
Qatar critic Denmark meets Arab nation Tunisia at World Cup

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DOHA, Qatar — When Denmark meets Tunisia in the World Cup on Tuesday it will pit one of the most outspoken critics of the tournament being hosted by Qatar against one of the four Arab nations competing.

The game at Education City Stadium will also mark Christian Eriksen’s return to a major tournament after his cardiac arrest at last year’s European Championship.

Denmark has lofty goals following a semifinal appearance at Euro 2020 followed by a near-perfect qualifying campaign, while Tunisia is seeking to advance from the group stage for the first time in its sixth World Cup appearance.

Since arrival in Qatar, Denmark has been training in kits that are all black to mourn migrant workers who died building infrastructure for the tournament.

Denmark was also planning on wearing the “One Love” anti-discrimination armband along with other European teams before the campaign was dropped when FIFA threatened to hand out yellow cards.

“Imagine going on the pitch with a clear yellow card to start with. That is not possible and we have to make sure that it’s not up to the players to make that decision,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said.

Tunisia coach Jalal Kadri also addressed the armband issue.

“We are in an Arab country with Islam tradition. We have to respect the culture of other people,” Kadri said in Arabic through an interpreter. “We are here in Qatar and I think the policy in Qatar is to respect everyone’s culture and religious beliefs.”

Danish Football Union sporting director Peter Møller was critical of how FIFA president Gianni Infantino lectured the media on the eve of the tournament for attacking Qatar’s human rights record and defended the host country’s last-minute decision to ban beer from stadiums.

“Some of the things he said I don’t agree with. He talks down to journalists and us federations,” Møller said.

“On the one hand I’m surprised by it but on the other hand it says something that he used an entire speech to discuss what we and other federations are fighting against so he knows well that this is a hot potato and that he needs to deal with it the next time a host is chosen,” Møller added.

Also last week, Qatari organizers apologized to a Danish television station whose live broadcast from a street in Doha was interrupted by security staff who threatened to break camera equipment; while left-wing Danish newspaper Information announced it’s not covering the World Cup at all in protest of Qatar’s policies.

Eriksen’s return, though, remains one of the tournament’s most moving stories, less than 18 months after medics used a defibrillator to restart his heart as a horrified nation — and much of the soccer world — watched on as he lay lifeless on the field at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.

It’s the latest step of a remarkable comeback that has already seen Eriksen return to elite soccer in the Premier League, first with London club Brentford and then Manchester United — showing he is still among the world’s best playmakers. He made his national team comeback in March, scoring two minutes after coming on a substitute in a 4-2 loss to the Netherlands. He also netted with a 25-yard shot against Croatia in the Nations League in September.

“It is special,” Eriksen said. “From the first interview I did from when I came out in public saying I wanted to come back playing, (competing at the World Cup) was my first aim.”

Inspired by Eriksen’s ordeal and the way Kjær and others helped save him, Denmark’s squad bonded together as an even closer-knit group in the aftermath — and the team’s results have raised expectations.

“We are dreaming of something big,” Eriksen said. “The belief in this squad, and from (the media), from the fans, was bigger when I came back (compared to) before.”

Tunisia has produced only two World Cup wins — the first against Mexico in 1978 and then against Panama four years ago in Russia.

But with fans from the country traveling en masse to the first World Cup in the Middle East, coach Jalel Kadri has indicated he will step down if Tunisia fails to reach the knockout rounds. That’s a tall task in Group D, which also features defending champion France and Australia.

Tunisia is also counting on loud support from Egyptians and Algerians.

“All Arab communities will be supporting us,” said Tunisia forward Issam Jebali, who plays for Danish club Odense. “We hope to live up to the expectations of each and every Arab country.”

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

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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf

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November 21, 2022
Saka ready to thrive at World Cup after racist attacks

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DOHA, Qatar — Bukayo Saka has put the racist abuse he experienced at last year’s European Championship behind him, England teammate Aaron Ramsdale said Friday.

The Arsenal forward was targeted on social media after missing a penalty in the shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were also subjected to attacks.

Saka was only 19 at the time and visibly shaken by the experience in front of England fans at Wembley Stadium. But he has recovered to play a pivotal role in Arsenal’s resurgence, which has seen the London club build up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Ramsdale, who also plays for Arsenal, has seen up close how he has recovered from the experience and grown as a player.

He believes Saka will be one of the standout performers at the World Cup.

“There is no doubt about that, off the pitch and on it, he’s a more complete person,” the goalkeeper said. “I’m trying to find the right words (to describe how he’s handled it). Impeccably, probably.

“The kid’s a lovely boy, he has time for everyone, works super hard throughout every week. Very, very rarely misses a training session and used all that as motivation. The criticism, but also, more so, the love that everyone gave him, gave him an extra boost.”

Saka was one of the breakthrough talents for England at the tournament and is now a fixture in the squad.

Ramsdale said his teammate has also benefited from taking on so much responsibility at Arsenal.

“Don’t forget he had the pressure of the whole club on him last year — him and Emile Smith Rowe were our main guys — and he has dealt with that, he’s dealt with everything else,” Ramsdale said at England’s training base. “He is thriving and I can’t wait to see him thrive over here.”

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

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

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November 18, 2022
NFL road trip: Beyond Germany, league eyes Spain, France

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MUNICH (AP) — The NFL wants to keep its European tour going now that Germany has joined Britain in hosting games.

Spain and France are atop the league’s wish list as it continues to look internationally for revenue growth.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 on Sunday at Allianz Arena — a first for Germany as part of a four-year deal that the league hopes will extend long-term. London has hosted regular-season games since 2007.

Beyond Germany, which could also get additional games soon, the league’s analysis of fan growth and commercial potential puts Spain and France “very much on our radar,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of UK and Europe, told The Associated Press in an interview.

“We need to do our homework to make sure that there is the possibility of a place to land any games in those markets, gauge interest of the host stadia, gauge interest of the host city, even the government, as to their enthusiasm to help us bring a game,” Gosper said.

Spain has a slight edge because the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins now have “home marketing” rights in the country. The NFL has divvied up international rights to interested teams covering 10 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Mexico and the U.K. No teams have rights in France.

“When you know that there are teams operating in (the international rights program) you want to look at the prospect and the viability of potentially having games in those markets at some point,” Gosper said.

There are five international games this season: three in London, one in Munich, and one in Mexico City on Nov. 21 when the Arizona Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers.

International expansion was one reason why the NFL added a 17th game to the schedule. The league has committed to playing four international games each season, and teams are required to play a “home” game abroad once every eight seasons.

Outside of that commitment, a team with rights in a country can opt to play home games there, as the Jacksonville Jaguars do in London. The Jags have played nine times in the British capital and currently have a three-year deal to play an annual “home” game at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium.

“A team might choose to do that. That’s a real possibility but again not imminent,” Gosper said.

“Certainly, in next six months to 12 months we’ll be really testing the viability of our options from a stadium point of view — not just in Europe but elsewhere — and then at the same time in parallel seeing what the appetite is for clubs to potentially exploit those markets with a game,” he said.

In Spain, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is undergoing major renovations that will include a soccer pitch that retracts to make way for an artificial turf field that can be used for American football with a capacity over 80,000. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has a long-term deal with the NFL to host London games, has a similar system. Atlético Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium seats 68,000.

Camp Nou is Europe’s largest soccer stadium with a capacity of 99,000, but Barcelona plans to begin a long-delayed renovation project that will last into 2026. The city’s Montjuic Olympic Stadium seats about 56,000 and was a former home to the Barcelona Dragons of the NFL Europe league.

Gosper said there are “a lot of synergies” with Spain considering the NFL’s large Spanish-speaking fanbase. Nine teams have marketing rights in Mexico.

The Stade de France just north of Paris has a capacity of just over 80,000 for soccer games.

“France is a little bit outside of that and it’s its own market and culture,” Gosper said, “but at the same time it’s an incredibly strong sports media market where returns could be higher and faster than Spain.

“They’re two very healthy media markets, healthy sports markets, some strong indicators from our streaming platform as well as from our consumer sales,” he continued. “When you mine the data a little bit, they certainly are two markets with high potential.”

Elsewhere in Europe, the Nordic markets would be next and “Sweden in particular,” Gosper said. The country’s largest stadium, Friends Arena, tops out at 50,000 fans.

In August 1988, the Bears played the Minnesota Vikings in a preseason game at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg.

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AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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November 15, 2022
Ronaldo ‘thrilled’ with Portugal’s new generation of players

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Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the pitch during a Portugal soccer team training in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. Portugal will play Nigeria Thursday in a friendly match in Lisbon before departing to Qatar on Friday for the World Cup. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

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Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the pitch during a Portugal soccer team training in Oeiras, outside Lisbon, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. Portugal will play Nigeria Thursday in a friendly match in Lisbon before departing to Qatar on Friday for the World Cup. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Cristiano Ronaldo knows a thing or two about World Cups. He has played in four of them and is about to make it to a record-tying fifth this month in Qatar.

Ronaldo also knows when he sees something promising, and he believes this time there is reason to feel optimistic about the chances of a talented Portugal squad that mixes the right amount of experience and youth as it tries to win its first World Cup title.

“The squad for this World Cup is a great mix of experienced players and young rising stars, and I hope we can show the world what this Portugal team is capable of at the very highest level of the world game,” Ronaldo told The Associated Press ahead of the launch of his inaugural NFT collection with cryptocurrency exchange giant Binance.

The collection will be available Friday, just before the World Cup starts, and the bidding price for some of the collectibles related to the soccer star will begin at the equivalent of about $10,000. The NFTs will feature seven animated statues depicting Ronaldo from iconic moments in his life, ranging from bicycle-kick goals to his childhood in Portugal.

Ronaldo often attracted most of the attention any time Portugal played, but this time he will enter the World Cup sharing some of the spotlight with a talented group of players that includes Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, João Félix and Rafael Leão.

“I’ve been thrilled to see this generation of players thrive,” the 37-year-old Ronaldo said in emailed comments to the AP. “It’s hard to compare one generation with another. Everyone who plays for Portugal, whether in the past or today, has overcome so much to compete at the top level.”

The only player older than Ronaldo in Portugal’s squad is veteran central defender Pepe, who will be playing in his fourth World Cup.

Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international soccer with 117 goals, helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016 and the inaugural edition of the Nations League in 2019, but he is still missing soccer’s biggest prize.

Portugal’s best result in the tournament with Ronaldo playing came in 2006 in Germany, when the team reached the semifinals. Portugal didn’t make it past the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

“Of course we’re there to win and I believe we have the squad to do it,” Ronaldo said. “But then there are a number of top teams out there with world-class talent — so we have to stay focused, stay humble, and go out there and show what we can do. The rest will follow.”

Ronaldo endured a letdown at the club level for the first time in his career this season, not getting as many minutes as expected with Manchester United. He has dismissed the possibility that this will be his last tournament with Portugal, but said soccer will be just fine after he and 35-year-old Lionel Messi — who could also be making his last World Cup appearance with Argentina — retire from the international stage.

“There have always been and there always will be rising stars at the top level,” Ronaldo said. “I have no doubt that the World Cup will unveil the next generation of talent ready to change the game.”

Portugal will plays it’s opening match at this year’s World Cup against Ghana on Nov. 24. Uruguay and South Korea are also in Group H..

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

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

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November 15, 2022
What Can Newcastle United Realistically Achieve In The Premier League This Season?

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NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Joe Willock of Newcastle United (28) celebrates scoring … [+] opening goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC at St. James Park on November 12, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

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League has been braced for Newcastle United’s arrival as a formidable force ever since a Saudi Arabia-backed consortium completed a takeover over the club last year. However, few would have predicted the rapid rise of the St James’ Park outfit with Newcastle sitting third in the table heading into the World Cup break.

Only Liverpool and Manchester City have picked up more Premier League points in 2022 than the Magpies. Their success under Eddie Howe has been sustained over a long period of time, giving weight to the belief that Newcastle United can make their place near the top of the English top flight stick.

“We’re not looking to set out markers,” Howe said after the impressive 1-0 win over Chelsea. “We are just very pleased with how we have dealt with tonight, we executed our defensive game plan really well. We’ve put ourselves in a good position to hopefully kick on.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Eddie Howe the manager / head coach of Newcastle United … [+] during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC at St. James Park on November 12, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

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“The break has probably come at a bad time for us. We’d like the games to continue. There is more to come from individuals within the team. There are exciting times ahead, but nothing is guaranteed in football and that is why the work we do in this period is important.”

Newcastle have spent close to £200m on new players since last year’s takeover. However, that money hasn’t been splashed on big names. Instead, the club has largely targeted young players with the potential to grow and develop further – see the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman.

Guimaraes in particular has set a precedent for Newcastle United in the transfer market. The Brazilian midfielder is destined for the elite level of soccer and is carrying the Magpies with him. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Guimaraes could be in the Champions League next season as a Newcastle player.

And yet Howe has also got much more out of the players he inherited from his predecessor, Steve Bruce. Miguel Almiron was previously widely maligned for his wastefulness and lack of cutting edge in front of goal, but has now scored seven goals in his last eight appearances for the Magpies.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Joelinton of Newcastle United celebrates after victory … [+] in the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC at St. James Park on November 12, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

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Joelinton is another Newcastle United player who has flourished under Howe with the Brazilian now operating in central midfield after previously playing as a centre forward. Howe has a better grasp of what Joelinton can offer his team in the centre of the pitch and is making good use of the 26-year-old.

Arsenal and Manchester City have been the best two teams in the Premier League so far this season, but the field behind them is wide open and Newcastle United have taken this opportunity to rise up the table. With Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all struggling for consistent form, the Magpies could end up in the top four by default.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules have stopped Newcastle United from spending as much money in the transfer market as they would have liked, but Howe has been their best signing of the new era so far. Champions League qualification would be a symbol of how far the Magpies have come in a very short space of time.

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Graham Ruthven, Contributor

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November 13, 2022
Manchester City’s World Cup Call-Ups Could Give Arsenal Edge In Title Race

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Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring their team’s first goal during … [+] the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium on October 09, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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Arsenal are top of the Premier League at Christmas.

Although the World Cup break means far fewer games would’ve been played by that point than in other seasons, being top at Christmas is often seen as a good omen for a team’s title chances.

However, fourteen teams have failed to win the Premier League since 1992 after being top at Christmas, including Arsenal in 2002 and 2007.

This season though, Arsenal go into the World Cup break with a five-point lead over Manchester City in second place.

And while that break could hurt Arsenal’s momentum, the World Cup itself could hurt Manchester City.

With most of the World Cup squads already announced, Manchester City have the most call-ups of any side in the Premier League.

Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are among the five Manchester City players called up by England for the … [+] Qatar 2022 World Cup. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

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Sixteen players from Manchester City have been called up for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, compared to just ten from Arsenal.

Predicting who will win the World Cup is no easy task, but City’s players generally play for countries that are likely to go far in the tournament.

Based on OPTA’s odds of winning the World Cup, Manchester City have 15 players who play for countries with a more than 5% chance of winning the tournament, including five players from England and three from Portugal.

All these call-ups might have already affected Manchester City, with some pundits suggesting that City’s players had their minds on Qatar during their loss to Brentford at the weekend.

Arsenal on the other hand have just six players from teams with a more than 5% chance of winning the World Cup, including Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli from favorites Brazil.

They also have one player from a team with between 1% and 5% chance of winning (Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka), and three players from teams with a less than 1% chance of winning.

This means Arsenal’s players are less likely to be fatigued when the Premier League returns after Christmas, and that head coach Mikel Arteta will have more first team players to work with during Arsenal’s training camp in Dubai.

Manchester United’s team is in a similar situation as their cross-city rivals. United have 14 players at the World Cup, including twelve from teams likely to go far in the tournament.

Newcastle United on the other hand have just five players at the World Cup. Eddie Howe’s side have got off to a great start this season, but often sides outside the so-called “Big Six” have less squad depth and start to fall away later in the campaign as fatigue and injuries take their toll. The World Cup break could give Newcastle United a chance to refresh themselves so that they don’t suffer as badly from fatigue as the season goes on.

Liverpool also have relatively few players at the World Cup. Their seven call-ups are the fewest of any of the “big-six” sides. Having so few players at the World Cup could help Jurgen Klopp turn his side’s fortunes around in the second half of the season.

Every team in the Premier League has at least two players at Qatar 2022, but for many sides, this World Cup will provide a much-needed chance to recover from a tight Premier League schedule, so that they are ready to go again at the end of December.

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Steve Price, Senior Contributor

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November 12, 2022
Injured Son leads South Korea’s World Cup squad for Qatar

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SEOUL, South Korea — In a surprise to no one, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is headlining South Korea’s squad for the third straight World Cup as coach Paulo Bento places his hopes on his superstar striker who is recovering from a fractured eye socket.

Bento also selected Napoli defender Kim Min-jae and Mallorca attacking midfielder Lee Kang-in but left out speedy Ulsan Hyundai winger Um Won-sang when he named his 26-player roster Saturday for the tournament in Qatar.

Son, who has scored 35 goals in 104 internationals, hasn’t played since Nov. 2 when he sustained a fracture around his left eye following a collision with Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba while playing for Tottenham in the UEFA Champions League.

While recovering from surgery, Son said this week that he expects to play in Qatar with a protective mask, reassuring fans on Instagram that he wouldn’t “miss this for the world.”

But there are concerns whether he would be able to display something close to his top form following the injury-related layoff, after Bento spent years carefully building his offense around Son’s speed, two-footed shooting reflexes and dead-ball accuracy.

At a media conference in Seoul, Bento said it remains unclear when Son would be able to resume training with the national team, saying his condition was being analyzed day-by-day.

Separate from the 26 players officially on his roster, Bento is also taking Suwon Samsung forward Oh Hyeon-gyu as an emergency reserve who could step in if Son or other injured players aren’t fit enough to play.

“The most important (thing) is he recovers as well as possible, feels comfortable,” Bento said of Son.

Son won the Premier League’s Golden Boot last season after sharing the scoring lead in English ’s top flight, strengthening his case as the country’s greatest player ever.

Before Son’s injury, some analysts had considered Bento’s squad as the strongest team South Korea has ever assembled, at least on paper, with Son being supported by several players in their 20s and 30s getting regular minutes in European .

Still, even if Son is healthy, South Korea is seen as an outsider to get out of Group H, which contains Uruguay, Portugal and Ghana.

Son isn’t the only injured player on Bento’s roster. Kim Jin-su, who has been Bento’s first choice at left fullback, is dealing with a hamstring injury. Kim’s fitness is crucial as Bento relies heavily on his fullbacks to provide width to the attack, although the space they leave behind has created defensive problems South Korea has struggled to fix.

Qatar marks South Korea’s 11th appearance at the World Cup and its 10th straight. The country has reached the knockout rounds only twice — making the semifinals at home in 2002, and the last 16 in the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

South Korea breezed through Asian qualifying but has looked underwhelming in recent friendlies, including Friday’s laborious 1-0 win over Iceland at home. That match came at the cost of defender Park Ji-su, who sustained an ankle injury that left him out of the World Cup squad.

With Son recovering from an injury, the pressure is on other attackers such as Wolverhampton winger Hwang Hee-chan and Jeonbuk Hyundai forward Cho Gue-sung to step up.

Despite the team’s defensive problems, Bento at least has a solid center back pairing in veteran Kim Young-gwon and Napoli star Kim Min-jae, who brings a rare combination of size, speed and strength to the team.

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South Korea

Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Al Shabab), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan Hyundai), Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Defenders: Kim Min-jae (Napoli), Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan Hyundai), Kwon Kyung-won (Gamba Osaka), Cho Yu-min (Daejeon HanaCitizen), Kim Moon-hwan (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ,Yoon Jong-gyu (FC Seoul), Kim Tae-hwan (Ulsan Hyundai), Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ,Hong Chul (Daegu FC)

Midfielders: Jung Woo-young (Al Sadd), Son Jun-ho (Shandong Taishan), Paik Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hwang In-beom (Olympiacos), Lee Jae-sung (1.FSV Mainz), Kwon Chang-hoon (Gimcheon Sangmu), Jeong Woo-yeong (SC Freiburg), Lee Kang-in (Mallorca), Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhamton), Na Sang-ho (FC Seoul), Song Min-kyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Forwards: Hwang Ui-jo (Olympiacos), Cho Gue-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

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

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November 11, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo Is In Decline And Hurting Manchester United

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United during the Premier League … [+] match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on November 6, 2022 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

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In the 88^th minute of Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday Cristiano Ronaldo conceded a free-kick with a foul on Ezri Konsa.

The Portuguese legend’s tackle was late and allowed Villa to waste more time as they attempted to secure their first home league win over United for 27 years.

Ronaldo threw back his shoulders and screamed to the sky in frustration. A minute later he was convinced United should have been awarded a corner and again let out a cry of anguish and this time he angrily flung his arms around as well.

Ronaldo’s frustration was obviously not only about these two decisions going against him, but about his own declining form.

At Villa Park he was once again a shadow of the player he was in his prime, but also a shadow of the player he was even last season as he delivered another largely anonymous performance.

Ronaldo has enjoyed an incredible career, and could arguably be considered the greatest player of all-time, but he turns 38 in February and is beginning to look his age.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United looks dejected during the … [+] Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on November 6, 2022 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

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He can no longer beat players with trickery or pace; he knows it and doesn’t even attempt to, but last season he could get by with his intelligence, positioning and clinical finishing, but this season that appears to have deserted him as well.

In the final years of his own glorious career the former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson said, “I beat every other guy, but I can’t beat Father Time.”

Ronaldo has evaded Father Time these last few years, continuing to score at an incredible rate, but that cannot continue forever.

Ronaldo has scored just one goal in the Premier League this season, and overall has a record of just three goals in 16 games in all competitions.

When Tyson began to accept he was no longer the same explosive boxer he was in his youth he also said, “I felt like I was 120 years old. It’s over. I don’t want to disgrace the sport I love.”

It is still a long way from being over for Ronaldo and he can still offer something to a multitude of teams, but possibly not as a starter in a team with aspirations of finishing in the Premier League’s top four.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United listens as manager Erik … [+] ten Hag gives instructions in the centre circle of the pitch prior to the second half starting during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on November 06, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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Manchester United are struggling for goals this season, having scored just 18 in 13 Premier League games. In comparison the league leaders Arsenal have 31 league goals, and second-placed Manchester City have 39 league goals.

But Ronaldo is clearly not the solution to this problem, and his decline from last season when he managed 24 goals in all competitions is becoming increasingly stark.

In the first half of United’s loss at Villa Park Christen Eriksen lofted in a cross to present him with a chance he would have scored last season, but on this occasion he could only head the ball straight at the Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

In the second half Ronaldo had a chance in the Villa penalty area and fired it high over the bar to be serenaded by whistles from the opposition fans. A chance to recreate some of his old magic with a free-kick was also wasted as he hit it straight into the wall.

The Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag can quite clearly see Ronaldo’s decline for himself, and has opted to start most games in the Premier League without him.

However, with injuries to Antony and Jadon Sancho, and Anthony Martial only being fit enough for the bench he was forced to start him against Aston Villa.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United looks on as Leon Bailey of … [+] Aston Villa shoots to score the opening goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on November 06, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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Ronaldo also started against Real Sociedad on Thursday, and although United triumphed 1-0 with a goal he helped to create for Alejandro Garnacho, he was unable to find the second goal they needed to automatically reach next year’s Europa League round of sixteen. The effort was there but the quality was absent.

In a surprise move Ten Hag appointed Ronaldo as his captain for the game at Aston Villa with Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire both missing, which was only two weeks after dropping him after he had refused to play against Tottenham.

But Ronaldo was unable to offer any real leadership, or even play as an example, being too consumed with his own frustrations as he desperately searched for some form.

It would be foolish to completely dismiss Ronaldo’s use to this United squad, and he still has the ability to make an impact and find a goal, but overall he offers so much less now.

Ronaldo’s dwindling mobility and pace were apparent last season, but he compensated for that with a steady supply of goals, but they too have disappeared this season.

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Sam Pilger, Contributor

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November 6, 2022
England’s coach encourages gay soccer players to come out

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ROME (AP) — England coach Gareth Southgate hopes that gay soccer players “come out soon” because “it would have an enormous impact on society,” he said in an interview with an Italian newspaper published on Saturday.

“The teams and players wouldn’t have any problem with it,” Southgate told La Repubblica ahead of this month’s World Cup in Qatar. “They would accept and embrace their teammates after a coming out. But footballers are afraid of the reactions outside and from the fans.

“I experienced it with Thomas Hitzlsperger at Aston Villa: I didn’t think he was gay and when he announced it, it was something completely normal,” he said of the former Germany international, who came out as gay after he retired from playing.

Southgate and Hitzlsperger were teammates at Villa in the early 2000s.

“European teams have never been as tolerant, multicultural and multi-religious as they are today,” Southgate said in comments that were published in Italian. “Of course there will always be homophobes on the outside. But I hope gay players come out soon because it would have an enormous impact on society.”

Gay rights have become an issue for the World Cup since same-sex relations are criminalized in the conservative Gulf nation.

England will wear the “OneLove” anti-discrimination captain’s armband at the World Cup.

At least 10 European nations committed to promote inclusion and campaign against discrimination this season and eight of them have qualified for Qatar.

Southgate was asked if the armband initiative will be enough to raise awareness about human rights issues in Qatar, with the treatment of migrant workers who built venues for the World Cup a decade-long controversy.

“We need to be realists about the goals we want to achieve,” the coach said. “I’ve been to Qatar three times and all the workers have told me clearly that they want the World Cup because it’s a vehicle for change.

“We need to respect a country with a different culture, religion and traditions. But at the same time we have the responsibility and the possibility to shed light on aspects that can be improved. That could make a big difference.”

England plays Iran in its opening match in Qatar on Nov. 21 before also facing the United States and Wales in Group B.

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

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November 6, 2022
Manchester United 1-0 West Ham: Three Talking Points

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Goalkeeper David de Gea of Manchester United celebrates the 1-0 … [+] victory during the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on October 30, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

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Manchester United come away with another three points at home in the Premier League after their 1-0 win against West Ham United on Sunday evening.

It was not their best performance of the season from an attacking point of view, but certainly up there from a defensive disposition. The back four, plus David de Gea, were exemplary in their efforts of keeping a clean sheet – in which they were successful.

Even though West Ham are treading near the bottom of the table, playing a David Moyes-led side is never an easy task, but Manchester United found a way through and will be delighted with the three points that takes them on the cusp of a top four position.

Here are three talking points from the game:

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United celebrates with goalkeeper … [+] David de Gea and Diogo Dalot of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on October 30, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

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Defensive Unity Coming Together

It has been a long time coming for Manchester United to look defensive assured, but Erik Ten Hag has got them firmly on that path.

This season looked ropey, at best, given the first two games of the Premier League season which ended in humiliating defeats to Brighton and Brentford, but since then, the Red Devils have only conceded twice at home.

Even with the injured Raphael Varane, who has been magisterial in defence for Ten Hag, Man United are beginning to look like a well-oiled machine at the back, which Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot are leading forces of that revitalisation.

The Argentinean centre back has been a revelation under the Dutch manager, who he bought from his former club AFC Ajax for £50 million, and is comfortably one of Europe’s leading defenders on current form.

Dalot looks a man transformed after his season-long loan last year, learning the Italian way of defending and having director Paolo Maldini guiding him. The Portugal international showcased a defensive masterclass on Sunday evening with his spatial awareness and defensive positioning.

Harry Maguire has come back into the team after injury and, apart from a few mistakes in the first half, looked to grow into the game, especially in the second half. It has been a rocky 12 months for the Englishman, with bigger tests to come, but he came through with a positive performance when the scrutiny was firmly on him; as well as being under the eye of Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

Ten Hag has this team ticking and that begins with the defensive unit, no matter who comes in and plays.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a … [+] goal to make it 1-0, his 100th goal, during the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on October 30, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

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Marcus Rashford Has Found His Swagger

Similarly to a few of the other England players in this Manchester United team, Marcus Rashford did not look himself last season and was playing on empty – completely devoid of any confidence whatsoever.

However, under Ten Hag, who has been using him as either an inside forward off the left or through the middle as an alternative to Cristiano Ronaldo, the England international has stepped up to the plate.

With 10 goal involvements in 15 appearances in all competitions this season, Rashford is looking like his old self and some. With his brilliantly timed headed finish against the Hammers, it was the first time that the Red Devils fans saw that Rashford was capable of being an aerial threat.

Timing could not be better for Rashford with the World Cup exactly 21 days away and Southgate in the stands to watch him closely. England need more direct options in attack and Rashford certainly offers that, even if he has not been involved in the most recent camps.

It would be remiss of Southgate not to call him up to the squad with the current form he is in – with the same being said of Luke Shaw.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Casemiro of Manchester United reacts at the end of the Premier … [+] League match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on October 30, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

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Casemiro Is Essential To Manchester United

While Manchester United fans of course knew of the level Casemiro was playing at for a decade in Spain at Real Madrid, not many expected him to be this commanding and have such a ginormous impact when introduced.

It has been no secret that the Red Devils have been in dire need of a defensive-minded midfielder for many a season, and so the arrival of the Brazil international was a superb signing.

But not many thought that he would produce the level of performances that he is currently doing on a consistent basis as quickly as he has. It is hard to believe that Los Blancos saw Casemiro as surplus to requirements given the quality he possesses, in which he is showing it regularly.

Another reason as to why Manchester United’s defence has been improved is down to Casemiro’s presence. The Brazilian is exceptionally aware of what is around him and when to press the opposition to break up the opposition’s rhythm.

Not only is he clinical in winning the ball back, but having the foresight to see runners up ahead of him and quickly punch it into them to transition on the counter attack.

Casemiro has been a godsend for Ten Hag and Manchester United fans, who hope that the good performances long continue.

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Liam Canning, Contributor

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October 30, 2022
Soccer player injured in knife attack calls himself ‘lucky’

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MILAN — Pablo Marí, the Spanish soccer player who was wounded in a knife attack at an Italian shopping center, called himself “lucky” to survive and was being treated Friday following injuries to his back and mouth.

Five people were stabbed Thursday and one was killed after a man grabbed a knife from a supermarket shelf, authorities said.

Police arrested a 46-year-old Italian man suspected in the attack at a shopping center in Assago, a suburb of Milan, carabinieri said.

The 29-year-old Marí, who plays for Serie A club Monza on loan from Arsenal, does not have life-threating injuries but was still receiving medical attention at the Niguarda hospital in Milan.

“He told me he had ‘suerte’ (luck), because, ‘today I saw someone else die,’” Monza CEO Adriano Galliani said after visiting Marí at the hospital late Thursday.

“He had his child in a cart and his wife next to him. … He was probably saved by his height,” Galliani said of the 1.93-meter (6-foot-4) Marí. “He was hit in the back and then he saw this delinquent stab someone in the throat.”

Massimo Tarantino, a former soccer player for Napoli and Inter Milan, was involved in stopping the assailant.

“He was just screaming,” Tarantino told reporters. “I didn’t do anything. I’m not a hero.”

Galliani said Marí also had injuries to his mouth, possibly from gritting his teeth during the attack.

“He had two stitches applied to his lip and injuries to his back, which fortunately did not affect any organs,” Galliani said, adding that Marí was “lucid.”

Marí’s wife was questioned by police as a witness to the attack, Galliani said.

Marí, a center back, has played in eight of Monza’s 11 Italian league games this season and scored the second goal in a 2-0 win over Spezia this month. He spent the second half of last season on loan with Udinese, another Italian club.

Monza, which is owned by former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, hosts Bologna on Monday in its next match. The team is playing its debut season in the top division.

“Pablo is a great kid,” Galliani said. “He had the strength to joke around, telling me that Monday he’ll be on the field. I brought him well wishes from president Berlusconi and all of his teammates.”

A supermarket employee died en route to the hospital, according to the news agency ANSA, which said three other victims were in serious condition. Another person was treated for shock but not hospitalized, police said.

Monza coach Raffaele Palladino also visited with Marí, and Monza issued a statement on Twitter on Friday mourning the victim in the attack.

“All of AC Monza shares deeply in the family’s pain for the loss of Luis Fernando Ruggieri, victim of the madness that took place last night in Assago,” the club said. “Thoughts also go in these hours to the other people injured and their families.”

The motive for the attacks was unknown, but police said the man showed signs of being psychologically unstable. There were no elements to suggest terrorism.

The attack occurred near the Assago Forum, an arena that is slated to host figure skating and short-track speedskating for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

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

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October 28, 2022
At World Cup, Portugal is a lot more than Cristiano Ronaldo

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For the last two decades or so, Portugal arrived at every major tournament with all eyes on Cristiano Ronaldo.

The team’s hopes of doing well at World Cups and European Championships were mostly dependent on whether Ronaldo could successfully lead his team to victory.

He will still be Portugal’s biggest star in Qatar, but this time there will be lot more to Portugal than Ronaldo.

The 37-year-old forward has been showing signs of a letdown for the first time in his career, and will enter what could be his last World Cup without the status of indisputable starter.

Ronaldo has been playing fewer minutes at Manchester United, and even with Portugal he recently was relegated to the bench, something unimaginable not long ago.

“It was a tactical and technical decision,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said when he left the all-time leading scorer in international soccer on the bench in a Nations League match against Spain in June.

Now Santos has a greater cast of players who can share the spotlight with Ronaldo. Portugal has a very good new generation of players that includes Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and João Félix.

PREMIER SUPPORT

Some of the Portuguese players who will be sharing the spotlight with Ronaldo have been thriving in the Premier League recently.

Silva is a regular starter in a Manchester City team that also includes Portugal defenders João Cancelo and Rúben Dias. Bruno Fernandes has been doing well as Ronaldo’s teammate at Man United, and Liverpool’s Diogo Jota will only miss the World Cup because of an injury.

FÉLIX’S DEBUT

While Ronaldo could be making his World Cup farewell, João Félix is set to make his debut.

It wasn’t long ago that Félix was being touted in Portugal as the next Ronaldo, drawing widespread comparisons with the star after a quick rise through the youth squads at Benfica.

Félix, who will be 23 at the World Cup, remains one of Portugal’s main hopes for the future, but the hype surrounding him has faded a bit since he signed with Atlético Madrid and struggled to immediately meet expectations.

He was off to a good start this season and appeared to be finally settling in with the club, but again gradually lost time on the field. He also hasn’t been a regular starter with Portugal recently, playing fewer minutes under Santos entering the World Cup.

VETERAN PEPE

Another veteran Portugal player who may be appearing in his last World Cup is Pepe, who is two years older than Ronaldo and is set to lead the defense at the tournament for a fourth consecutive time.

Known for his leadership and toughness, Pepe has been an indisputable starter for the national team at center back. He will enter the tournament just shy of 130 appearances with Portugal, which is third on the all time list.

He also played in four European Championships for his country, including when Portugal won the title in 2016.

The veteran defender may not be in his best shape entering the tournament in Qatar, though, after picking up a knee injury that was expected to sideline him ahead of the tournament.

RECENT SETBACKS

After finally breaking through with a major title at Euro 2016, Portugal also added the title of the inaugural edition of the Nations League at home in 2019. But it didn’t make it past the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup and at Euro 2020.

There was concern about the team’s disappointing performances in recent important games, including when it failed at home against Serbia with an automatic World Cup spot on the line and against Spain in the final round of its group in this year’s Nations League.

The setbacks have led many to question Santos, and speculate whether this generation could have been doing better with someone else in charge.

“I’m not worried,” Santos said when asked about those doubting him. “I have a contract until 2024.”

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

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

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October 27, 2022
World Cup hopes for South Korea rest on Son Heung-min

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SEOUL, South Korea — Few players carry an entire nation’s hopes like Son Heung-min.

South Korea will be counting on the Tottenham forward’s two-footed shooting ability and his scoring touch at this year’s World Cup.

The 30-year-old forward started the Premier League season without a scoring a goal in eight games, but he seems to have regained his touch just in time for the tournament in Qatar.

The current group of players is arguably the best South Korea has ever assembled. Son is supported by several players in their 20s and early 30s getting regular minutes in European soccer.

Still, the South Koreans will head to Qatar as underdogs in a tough Group H with Portugal, Uruguay and Ghana.

South Korea coach Paulo Bento’s critics say he has a rigid style of play that’s over-reliant on Son and struggles at times to maximize his skill set. The defense has also been less than stout.

ASIAN POWERHOUSE

Qatar marks South Korea’s 11th appearance at the World Cup and its 10th straight. The country has reached the knockout rounds only twice — making the semifinals at home in 2002, and the last 16 in the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

South Korea breezed through Asian qualifying but has looked underwhelming in recent friendlies, including a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica and a laborious 1-0 win over Cameroon in September.

Some have criticized the South Korean soccer association for failing to book warm-up matches with stronger opponents and deciding to host all the team’s friendlies since June at home.

South Korea’s run at the 2018 World Cup ended in the group stage. Son’s late goal capped off a 2-0 victory over Germany in the team’s final group match to eliminate the defending champions, but the South Koreans still failed to advance.

“We will clearly be an underdog, but I hope we can create a real surprise for the stronger teams,” said Son, who will be playing at his third World Cup.

BUILDING AROUND SON

Son shared the Premier League scoring lead last season, but he has often struggled to be as loose and dangerous as he is with Tottenham when he’s playing for his country.

Since taking over South Korea in 2018, Bento has experimented with various attack partners to fit with Son and now appears to have settled with a committee approach.

Hwang Ui-jo, a forward for Greek club Olympiakos, adds another natural scorer to the lineup. But Hwang doesn’t create space for Son like Jeonbuk Hyundai’s Cho Gue-sung can with his ability to win balls in the air and stretch defenders.

If Bento opts to sit deep and dial up defensive pressure against Uruguay or Portugal, he may pair Son with Freiburg forward Jeong Woo-yeong, who has the speed to chase balls and make plays across the field.

Wolverhampton’s Hwang Hee-chan and Mainz’s Lee Jae-sung are likely to start as wingers, while Olympiakos’ Hwang In-beom pulls the strings from the midfield.

TOUGH ROAD

Bento wants his fullbacks to aggressively push forward and provide width to the attack. But the space they leave behind has also created defensive problems that South Korea has struggled to fix.

Jung Woo-young, a veteran of Qatari club Al Saad, has often looked taxed in his role as the lone defensive midfielder shielding the backline. The team has shown a tendency to gradually concede space as the game progresses and easily allow goals in transition.

Bento at least has a solid center back pairing. Kim Min-jae, who has looked impressive in his first season with Napoli, brings a rare combination of size, strength and speed. His partner, Kim Young-gwon, is one of the most experienced players on the team.

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

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October 27, 2022