<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidGETypTfCPzuC" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Qatar is sending over 10,000 mobile homes it had constructed for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to the earthquake-hit areas of Turkey and Syria.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Qatari Fund for Development - a government body overseeing foreign aid and international development has already dispatched the first batch of mobile homes to the affected areas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The plans of the 2022 World Cup always intended for such temporary accommodations to be donated. However in view of the urgent needs in Turkey and Syria, we have taken the decision to ship our cabins and caravans to the region, providing much-needed and immediate support to the people of Turkey and Syria," a Qatari official was quoted as saying by BBC.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-fallout-of-syria-turkey-earthquake-561944"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;The fallout of Syria-Turkey earthquake</strong></a></p>

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<p>The mobile homes were set up near the fan parks across Qatar during the duration of the World Cup last year. Tourists coming to support their teams were accommodated in these homes as hotels were overbooked in advance.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-inside-qatars-world-cup-fan-villages-532987" target="_blank"><strong>IN PICS | Inside Qatar's FIFA World Cup fan villages</strong></a></p>

<p>Apart from building mobile homes, Qatar also built Stadium 974 - an entirely removable stadium that can be dismantled after it has served its purposes.</p>

<p>Despite spending over $220 billion on organising the World Cup, Qatar received widespread plaudits for taking an environment-friendly approach to its infrastructure projects.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="rtl" lang="und">شاهد|| إرسال الدفعة الأولى من البيوت المتنقلة لإيواء المتضررين من زلزال تركيا و سوريا و دعم سبل عيشهم<br />
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Watch || The first batch of mobile homes is being deployed as shelters for people affected by Türkiye and Syria earthquake, to support their livelihood<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%B2%D9%84%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7_%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#زلزال_سوريا_وتركيا</a> <a href="https://t.co/jYUM20pmed">pic.twitter.com/jYUM20pmed</a></p>
— Qatar Fund For Development صندوق قطر للتنمية (@qatar_fund) <a href="https://twitter.com/qatar_fund/status/1625130752114413568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>What has happened in Turkey?</strong></p>

<p>Over 40,000 have been confirmed dead, while millions have been left homeless since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the two countries. Rescue operations have been ongoing but such is the scale of devastation that there is a stark crunch for resources.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crisis-profiteers-scammers-turn-turkey-syria-earthquake-to-a-money-swindling-opportunity-561702" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Crisis profiteers, scammers turn Turkey-Syria earthquake into a money-swindling opportunity</strong></a></p>

<p>Around 6,000 buildings collapsed in the Gaziantep area - the quake's epicenter alone. According to the state media, police have detained over 130 contractors for not following the building codes, leading to the death of thousands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mobile homes are expected to provide the much-required relief to those on the ground and the rescue teams working round the clock. Apart from the houses, Qatar has already sent 100 tonnes in aid while more than 150 aid workers are on the ground.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Qatar is sending over 10,000 mobile homes it had constructed for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to the earthquake-hit areas of Turkey and Syria. The Qatari Fund for Development - a government body overseeing foreign aid and international development has already dispatched the first batch of mobile homes to the affected areas.

Qatar is sending over 10,000 mobile homes it had constructed for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to the earthquake-hit areas of Turkey and Syria. The Qatari Fund for Development - a government body overseeing foreign aid and international development has already dispatched the first batch of mobile homes to the affected areas. "The plans of the 2022 World Cup always intended for such temporary accommodations to be donated. However in view of the urgent needs in Turkey and Syria, we have taken the decision to ship our cabins and caravans to the region, providing much-needed and immediate support to the people of Turkey and Syria," a Qatari official was quoted as saying by BBC. WATCH | The fallout of Syria-Turkey earthquake × The mobile homes were set up near the fan parks across Qatar during the duration of the World Cup last year. Tourists coming to support their teams were accommodated in these homes as hotels were overbooked in advance. IN PICS | Inside Qatar's FIFA World Cup fan villages Apart from building mobile homes, Qatar also built Stadium 974 - an entirely removable stadium that can be dismantled after it has served its purposes. Despite spending over $220 billion on organising the World Cup, Qatar received widespread plaudits for taking an environment-friendly approach to its infrastructure projects. شاهد|| إرسال الدفعة الأولى من البيوت المتنقلة لإيواء المتضررين من زلزال تركيا و سوريا و دعم سبل عيشهم Watch || The first batch of mobile homes is being deployed as shelters for people affected by Türkiye and Syria earthquake, to support their livelihood#زلزال_سوريا_وتركيا pic.twitter.com/jYUM20pmed — Qatar Fund For Development صندوق قطر للتنمية (@qatar_fund) February 13, 2023 × What has happened in Turkey? Over 40,000 have been confirmed dead, while millions have been left homeless since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the two countries. Rescue operations have been ongoing but such is the scale of devastation that there is a stark crunch for resources. Read more: Crisis profiteers, scammers turn Turkey-Syria earthquake into a money-swindling opportunity Around 6,000 buildings collapsed in the Gaziantep area - the quake's epicenter alone. According to the state media, police have detained over 130 contractors for not following the building codes, leading to the death of thousands. Mobile homes are expected to provide the much-required relief to those on the ground and the rescue teams working round the clock. Apart from the houses, Qatar has already sent 100 tonnes in aid while more than 150 aid workers are on the ground. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Qatar sends 10,000 World Cup mobile homes to affected areas

<p>World Cup winner French centre-back Raphael Varane announced his retirement from international football on Thursday at the age of 29.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally," wrote Varane in a social media post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Varane made his French debut, nearly a decade ago in 2013 against Georgia in the World Cup qualifiers. In total, he won 93 caps for Les Bleus and was touted as the potential successor of captain Hugo Lloris.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"To represent our magnificent country for a decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Each time I wore this special blue shirt I felt immense pride," said Varane.</p>

<p>Varane reflected on his most special day in the French jersey when he won the World Cup final against Croatia in 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I will never forget it. I still feel every single one of the emotions felt on that day, July 15, 2018. That was one of the most amazing and memorable moments of my life."</p>

<p>"This victory that we won all together would never have been possible without the support of Didier Deschamps, every member of the management and staff over the years, and my teammates who have defended our shirt in every game we played."</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKMpXSOZtt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Raphael Varane (@raphaelvarane)</a></p>
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<p>The 29-year-old said he was going to miss these moments but now was the time for next generation to take over.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I will miss these moments with you for sure, but the time has come for the new generation to take over. We have a bunch of talented young players who are ready to take over, who deserve a chance and who need you."</p>

<p>Varane was last seen in action for the Les Bleues during their 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. He led the backline for coach Didier Deschamps and guided the team to the finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, his last international match turned out to be an agonising defeat against Argentina where France nearly pulled off a stunning heist to become only the third country in history to defend their crown.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentina-wins-fifa-2022-messi-mbappe-qatar-fifa-world-cup-final-2022-live-coverage-updates-france-vs-argentina-live-updates-lusail-stadium-qatar-ready-for-final-showdown-messi-544211"><strong>Highlights | FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France, Argentina wins, Messi lifts the TROPHY!</strong></a></p>

<p>Apart from his international career, Varane has had a rather storied club career as well. He became part of the Real Madrid setup as a teenager and played a pivotal part when the team won four Champions League trophies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After his Real Madrid career, Varane moved to Premier League giants Manchester United in 20201 where he has been a vital cog for manager Erik ten Hag's resurgence plans for the Red Devils.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-scores-kylian-mbappe-misses-penalty-comes-off-injured-in-psg-win-558128"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Lionel Messi scores, Kylian Mbappe misses penalty, comes off injured in PSG win</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With input from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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World Cup winner French centre-back Raphael Varane announced his retirement from international football on Thursday at the age of 29. "I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally," wrote Varane in a social media post.

World Cup winner French centre-back Raphael Varane announced his retirement from international football on Thursday at the age of 29. "I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally," wrote Varane in a social media post. Varane made his French debut, nearly a decade ago in 2013 against Georgia in the World Cup qualifiers. In total, he won 93 caps for Les Bleus and was touted as the potential successor of captain Hugo Lloris. "To represent our magnificent country for a decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Each time I wore this special blue shirt I felt immense pride," said Varane. Varane reflected on his most special day in the French jersey when he won the World Cup final against Croatia in 2018. "I will never forget it. I still feel every single one of the emotions felt on that day, July 15, 2018. That was one of the most amazing and memorable moments of my life." "This victory that we won all together would never have been possible without the support of Didier Deschamps, every member of the management and staff over the years, and my teammates who have defended our shirt in every game we played." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raphael Varane (@raphaelvarane) × The 29-year-old said he was going to miss these moments but now was the time for next generation to take over. "I will miss these moments with you for sure, but the time has come for the new generation to take over. We have a bunch of talented young players who are ready to take over, who deserve a chance and who need you." Varane was last seen in action for the Les Bleues during their 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. He led the backline for coach Didier Deschamps and guided the team to the finals. However, his last international match turned out to be an agonising defeat against Argentina where France nearly pulled off a stunning heist to become only the third country in history to defend their crown. Highlights | FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France, Argentina wins, Messi lifts the TROPHY! Apart from his international career, Varane has had a rather storied club career as well. He became part of the Real Madrid setup as a teenager and played a pivotal part when the team won four Champions League trophies. After his Real Madrid career, Varane moved to Premier League giants Manchester United in 20201 where he has been a vital cog for manager Erik ten Hag's resurgence plans for the Red Devils. Read more: Lionel Messi scores, Kylian Mbappe misses penalty, comes off injured in PSG win (With input from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

World Cup winner Raphael Varane retires from international football at 29

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<p>Lionel Messi has revealed that his Instagram account was 'blocked' after receiving 'a million messages', following Argentina's World Cup victory in December last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"My Instagram was blocked for a few days because of the amount of messages I received after winning the World Cup," Messi told Urbana Play in an interview.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Argentine superstar also disclosed that he ran the Instagram account on his own, without the help of 'any company' or a third person to manage the posts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After La Albiceleste won the World Cup trophy, Messi broke the internet, specifically Instagram with his posts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi's first celebratory Instagram post after the World Cup triumph became the most-liked social media post of all time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The previous record was held by TikToker Bella Poarch who had posted a video of her lip-syncing to Millie B's ‘M to the B’ and amassed 60.3 million likes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, as of the last update, Messi's post had beaten Poarch's record by garnering over 75 million likes and two million comments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/record-breaking-messis-world-cup-instagram-picture-becomes-the-most-liked-social-media-post-ever-544979" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Record-breaking: Messi's World Cup Instagram picture becomes the most-liked social media post ever</strong></a></p>

<p>Apart from the most-liked post, the Argentine maestro broke another record when he became the second person&nbsp;to reach the 400 million followers mark on the Meta-owned platform behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi was instrumental in taking Argentina to the victory shores in Qatar. The WC win ended a 35-year-old trophy drought for the country which last witnessed the legendary Maradona lift it in 1986.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unbelievable-lionel-messi-becomes-second-person-to-reach-400-million-followers-on-instagram-544800" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram</strong></a></p>

<p>Messi won the Golden Ball and Silver Boot award in the tournament as Argentina beat defending champions France 4-2&nbsp;on&nbsp;penalties in the final.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Lionel Messi has revealed that his Instagram account was 'blocked' after receiving 'a million messages', following Argentina's World Cup victory in December last year.

Lionel Messi has revealed that his Instagram account was 'blocked' after receiving 'a million messages', following Argentina's World Cup victory in December last year. "My Instagram was blocked for a few days because of the amount of messages I received after winning the World Cup," Messi told Urbana Play in an interview. The Argentine superstar also disclosed that he ran the Instagram account on his own, without the help of 'any company' or a third person to manage the posts. After La Albiceleste won the World Cup trophy, Messi broke the internet, specifically Instagram with his posts. Messi's first celebratory Instagram post after the World Cup triumph became the most-liked social media post of all time. The previous record was held by TikToker Bella Poarch who had posted a video of her lip-syncing to Millie B's ‘M to the B’ and amassed 60.3 million likes. However, as of the last update, Messi's post had beaten Poarch's record by garnering over 75 million likes and two million comments. "WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!! I dreamed it so many times, I wanted it so much that I still haven't fallen, I can't believe it," read the post. "Thank you very much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us. We demonstrate once again that Argentines when we fight together and united we are capable of achieving what we set out to do. The merit belongs to this group, which is above individualities, it is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the dream of all Argentines... We did it!!! GO ARGENTINA!!!!! we are seeing each other very soon," it added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × Read more: Record-breaking: Messi's World Cup Instagram picture becomes the most-liked social media post ever Apart from the most-liked post, the Argentine maestro broke another record when he became the second person to reach the 400 million followers mark on the Meta-owned platform behind his rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi was instrumental in taking Argentina to the victory shores in Qatar. The WC win ended a 35-year-old trophy drought for the country which last witnessed the legendary Maradona lift it in 1986. Read more: UNBELIEVABLE! Lionel Messi becomes second person to reach 400 million followers on Instagram Messi won the Golden Ball and Silver Boot award in the tournament as Argentina beat defending champions France 4-2 on penalties in the final. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Lionel Messi reveals his Instagram account was blocked after World Cup victory

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<p>Footballing history was made during the derby match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal last week when the first-ever 'white card' was shown.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While football fans are aware of the 'red cards' and 'yellow cards', furnished by the referees for offending or ill-disciplined players, the white card is used when a 'good deed' is performed in the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the 44th minute of the game, a fan in the stands became unconscious, forcing the referee to halt the game. It was at this time that medical staff from both teams ran into the stands to attend to the fan.</p>

<p>As the fan was treated, referee Catarina Campos gave the 'white card' which was applauded vociferously by the thousands of attendees across the stadiums. The medics of the respective teams were also applauded for their work.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="pt">As equipas médicas de Benfica e Sporting receberam cartão branco após assistirem uma pessoa que se sentiu mal na bancada 👏 <a href="https://t.co/ihin0FAlJF">pic.twitter.com/ihin0FAlJF</a></p>
— B24 (@B24PT) <a href="https://twitter.com/B24PT/status/1616835067044577280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-death-of-possession-football-542811"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: The death of possession football?</strong></a></p>

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<p>The two clubs have a fierce rivalry but the moment of sportsmanship stood out as both sets of fans came together for the endearing moment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Essentially, the card can be shown to anyone to recognise fair play and is designed to 'improve ethical value in the sport'.</p>

<p>So far, it is only being used in Portugal,&nbsp;It is highly unlikely that the white card will be seen in Premier League or any other top European league.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/worlds-top-revenue-generating-football-clubs-revealed-554132" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: World's top revenue-generating football clubs revealed</strong></a></p>

<p>Akin to the added extra-time experiment by FIFA during the Qatar World Cup, the brandishing of white card has received a mixed response from the public.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While some appreciate what the card represents, others are indifferent to its symbolic nature. There is no reward or punishment for it. Thus, in a game that essentially celebrates or penalises any action, it becomes a moot point, according to the detractors.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Footballing history was made during the derby match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal last week when the first-ever 'white card' was shown. While football fans are aware of the 'red cards' and 'yellow cards', furnished by the referees for offending or ill-disciplined players, the white card is used when a 'good deed' is performed in the match.

Footballing history was made during the derby match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal last week when the first-ever 'white card' was shown. While football fans are aware of the 'red cards' and 'yellow cards', furnished by the referees for offending or ill-disciplined players, the white card is used when a 'good deed' is performed in the match. During the 44th minute of the game, a fan in the stands became unconscious, forcing the referee to halt the game. It was at this time that medical staff from both teams ran into the stands to attend to the fan. As the fan was treated, referee Catarina Campos gave the 'white card' which was applauded vociferously by the thousands of attendees across the stadiums. The medics of the respective teams were also applauded for their work. As equipas médicas de Benfica e Sporting receberam cartão branco após assistirem uma pessoa que se sentiu mal na bancada 👏 pic.twitter.com/ihin0FAlJF — B24 (@B24PT) January 21, 2023 × WATCH | Gravitas: The death of possession football? × The two clubs have a fierce rivalry but the moment of sportsmanship stood out as both sets of fans came together for the endearing moment. Essentially, the card can be shown to anyone to recognise fair play and is designed to 'improve ethical value in the sport'. So far, it is only being used in Portugal, It is highly unlikely that the white card will be seen in Premier League or any other top European league. Read more: World's top revenue-generating football clubs revealed Akin to the added extra-time experiment by FIFA during the Qatar World Cup, the brandishing of white card has received a mixed response from the public. While some appreciate what the card represents, others are indifferent to its symbolic nature. There is no reward or punishment for it. Thus, in a game that essentially celebrates or penalises any action, it becomes a moot point, according to the detractors. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

HISTORIC! First-ever 'white card' shown in a football match. Know why

<p>Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday in his first appearance since leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup in Qatar.</p>

<p>Messi had been rested for PSG's first three matches following the long break in the season caused by the World Cup but he returned to training in Paris a week ago and was back in the starting line-up for this game against Ligue 1's bottom side.</p>

<p>The win, which came three and a half weeks after he captained Argentina to their World Cup final triumph on penalties against France in Qatar, saw PSG move six points clear at the top of the French table.</p>

<p>Neymar also started, having missed his team's last two matches due to suspension and to undergo treatment for the ankle injury he suffered playing for Brazil at the World Cup.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe was rested for a second straight game having been afforded time off for a holiday in New York in the wake of his own World Cup campaign, which saw him score a hat-trick in the final but come out on the losing side.</p>

<p>Mbappe and Messi are expected to be reunited this weekend in Sunday's match away to Rennes.</p>

<p>In the meantime, the absence of the France star meant that young striker Hugo Ekitike again started in the home attack at the Parc des Princes and he opened the scoring in the fifth minute from a Nordi Mukiele cross at the end of a move in which Messi also featured.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-death-of-possession-football-542811"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: The death of possession football?</strong></a></p>

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<p>PSG were not at their sparkling best but Messi swept in his 13th club goal of the season to make it 2-0 with 17 minutes left.</p>

<p>Ekitike and Mukiele were again involved before Messi applied the finish. The goal was initially disallowed for offside but a VAR check allowed it to stand.</p>

<p>"We are coming back off the World Cup so it is difficult for the players to find their reference points again," coach Christophe Galtier told broadcaster Canal Plus.</p>

<p>"We are all just getting used to playing together again and you could see at times that we lacked some of the connections between the players that we had more often before the World Cup," added Galtier, who admitted he had come down with a fever during the game.</p>

<p><strong>PSG extend lead over Lens</strong></p>

<p>It was a 10th straight league loss for Angers, while Galtier's PSG team extended their lead at the top of the table as second-placed Lens were held to a 2-2 draw away at Strasbourg.</p>

<p>PSG's unbeaten record this season had ended in a 3-1 defeat away at Lens on New Year's Day, but they bounced back to win 3-1 at third-tier Chateauroux in the French Cup at the weekend without any of their superstar attacking trio.</p>

<p>Lens are enjoying a fine season but could not get the better of struggling Strasbourg, who were playing their first game since the sacking of coach Julien Stephan.</p>

<p>Alexis Claude-Maurice put Lens ahead in Alsace only for Sanjin Prcic to equalise before Kevin Gameiro gave Strasbourg the lead.<br />
Belgian international Lois Openda then made it 2-2 before the break, and there were no further goals.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fa-cup-2022-23-date-updates-fixtures-results-draw-time-how-to-watch-on-tv-live-streaming-550040"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FA Cup 2022-23 Date updates: Fixtures, results, draw, time, how to watch on TV &amp; live streaming</strong></a></p>

<p>Marseille are now just two points behind Lens in third place after a 2-0 win at Troyes, sealed thanks to goals by Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout, the latter a member of France's World Cup squad.</p>

<p>Rennes in the fourth sport lost ground after having two men sent off before conceding in injury time to lose 2-1 away at Clermont.<br />
Meanwhile, fifth-placed Monaco drew 2-2 at Lorient, while Nice crushed Montpellier 6-1 in their first game since sacking coach Lucien Favre.</p>

<p>On-loan Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe and England international midfielder Ross Barkley both scored twice for Nice.<br />
Lyon and Lille drew 0-0 away at Nantes and Brest respectively, while there were also wins for Toulouse and Ajaccio.</p>

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Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday in his first appearance since leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup in Qatar.

Lionel Messi scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Angers in Ligue 1 on Wednesday in his first appearance since leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup in Qatar. Messi had been rested for PSG's first three matches following the long break in the season caused by the World Cup but he returned to training in Paris a week ago and was back in the starting line-up for this game against Ligue 1's bottom side. The win, which came three and a half weeks after he captained Argentina to their World Cup final triumph on penalties against France in Qatar, saw PSG move six points clear at the top of the French table. Neymar also started, having missed his team's last two matches due to suspension and to undergo treatment for the ankle injury he suffered playing for Brazil at the World Cup. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe was rested for a second straight game having been afforded time off for a holiday in New York in the wake of his own World Cup campaign, which saw him score a hat-trick in the final but come out on the losing side. Mbappe and Messi are expected to be reunited this weekend in Sunday's match away to Rennes. In the meantime, the absence of the France star meant that young striker Hugo Ekitike again started in the home attack at the Parc des Princes and he opened the scoring in the fifth minute from a Nordi Mukiele cross at the end of a move in which Messi also featured. WATCH | Gravitas: The death of possession football? × PSG were not at their sparkling best but Messi swept in his 13th club goal of the season to make it 2-0 with 17 minutes left. Ekitike and Mukiele were again involved before Messi applied the finish. The goal was initially disallowed for offside but a VAR check allowed it to stand. "We are coming back off the World Cup so it is difficult for the players to find their reference points again," coach Christophe Galtier told broadcaster Canal Plus. "We are all just getting used to playing together again and you could see at times that we lacked some of the connections between the players that we had more often before the World Cup," added Galtier, who admitted he had come down with a fever during the game. PSG extend lead over Lens It was a 10th straight league loss for Angers, while Galtier's PSG team extended their lead at the top of the table as second-placed Lens were held to a 2-2 draw away at Strasbourg. PSG's unbeaten record this season had ended in a 3-1 defeat away at Lens on New Year's Day, but they bounced back to win 3-1 at third-tier Chateauroux in the French Cup at the weekend without any of their superstar attacking trio. Lens are enjoying a fine season but could not get the better of struggling Strasbourg, who were playing their first game since the sacking of coach Julien Stephan. Alexis Claude-Maurice put Lens ahead in Alsace only for Sanjin Prcic to equalise before Kevin Gameiro gave Strasbourg the lead. Belgian international Lois Openda then made it 2-2 before the break, and there were no further goals. Read more: FA Cup 2022-23 Date updates: Fixtures, results, draw, time, how to watch on TV & live streaming Marseille are now just two points behind Lens in third place after a 2-0 win at Troyes, sealed thanks to goals by Chancel Mbemba and Jordan Veretout, the latter a member of France's World Cup squad. Rennes in the fourth sport lost ground after having two men sent off before conceding in injury time to lose 2-1 away at Clermont. Meanwhile, fifth-placed Monaco drew 2-2 at Lorient, while Nice crushed Montpellier 6-1 in their first game since sacking coach Lucien Favre. On-loan Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe and England international midfielder Ross Barkley both scored twice for Nice. Lyon and Lille drew 0-0 away at Nantes and Brest respectively, while there were also wins for Toulouse and Ajaccio. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Messi bags a goal in PSG's win against Angers after World Cup heroics

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<p>It has been a day of high-profile retirements in the footballing world. Barely hours after Wales superstar Gareth Bale announced he was stepping away from club and international football, France captain Hugo Lloris has also announced his retirement from international football.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 36-year-old goalkeeper conveyed his decision during an interview with French sports daily L'Equipe, bringing curtains on what has been a glittering career for the Les Bleus.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have decided to stop my international career, with the feeling that I have given everything. I think it is important to announce this now, two and a half months before the start of Euro qualifying."</p>

<p>Lloris said he had been contemplating the decision for a long time which got exacerbated during the World Cup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have really been thinking about it since the end of the World Cup, but there has been something deep inside of me for maybe six months now and which grew during the competition, leading me to make this decision."</p>

<p>The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper added that the time had come to pass the baton and that he was going out on 'top', having lead team to the World Cup finals for a second consecutive time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"There is a goalkeeper who is ready (Maignan), and I need a bit more time for me, for my family and for my children. I prefer to go out at the top, having helped France get to a World Cup final."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-world-cup-final-what-happened-to-the-outrage-544622"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: World Cup Final: What happened to the outrage?</strong></a></p>

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<p>As a French player, Lloris played in seven major tournaments and won the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Two years later, he was a pivotal part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League against Spain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lloris donned the 'blue' of French a record 145 times since making his debut way back in 2008 as a 21-year-old in a friendly against Uruguay. He surpassed Lilian Thuram's mark of 142 appearances during the Qatar World Cup. In total, he kept 53 clean sheets for his country.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/welsh-star-gareth-bale-aged-33-announces-retirement-from-football-550830" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Welsh star Gareth Bale, aged 33, announces retirement from football</strong></a></p>

<p>However, during the twilight years of his international career, Lloris often came under heavy scrutiny for his playing style.</p>

<p>Some football pundits critiqued that while Lloris was an excellent distributor of the football, he was not as effective a ball stopper as the top level of the game required.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the FIFA 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, Lloris failed to keep a clean sheet and could not save a single penalty during the shootout.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina won the game 4-2 on penalties after the epic game ended 3-3 after two-quarters of the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lloris also came under fire after several media reports suggested that it was his dislike for Karim Benzema that forced the Real Madrid striker out of the World Cup squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-bulls-frances-aurelien-tchouameni-claps-back-at-english-press-for-targetting-hugo-lloris-542207" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: It's bulls***: France's Aurelien Tchouameni claps back at English press for targetting Hugo Lloris</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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It has been a day of high-profile retirements in the footballing world. Barely hours after Wales superstar Gareth Bale announced he was stepping away from club and international football, France captain Hugo Lloris has also announced his retirement from international football.

It has been a day of high-profile retirements in the footballing world. Barely hours after Wales superstar Gareth Bale announced he was stepping away from club and international football, France captain Hugo Lloris has also announced his retirement from international football. The 36-year-old goalkeeper conveyed his decision during an interview with French sports daily L'Equipe, bringing curtains on what has been a glittering career for the Les Bleus. "I have decided to stop my international career, with the feeling that I have given everything. I think it is important to announce this now, two and a half months before the start of Euro qualifying." Lloris said he had been contemplating the decision for a long time which got exacerbated during the World Cup. "I have really been thinking about it since the end of the World Cup, but there has been something deep inside of me for maybe six months now and which grew during the competition, leading me to make this decision." The Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper added that the time had come to pass the baton and that he was going out on 'top', having lead team to the World Cup finals for a second consecutive time. "There is a goalkeeper who is ready (Maignan), and I need a bit more time for me, for my family and for my children. I prefer to go out at the top, having helped France get to a World Cup final." WATCH | Gravitas: World Cup Final: What happened to the outrage? × As a French player, Lloris played in seven major tournaments and won the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Two years later, he was a pivotal part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League against Spain. Lloris donned the 'blue' of French a record 145 times since making his debut way back in 2008 as a 21-year-old in a friendly against Uruguay. He surpassed Lilian Thuram's mark of 142 appearances during the Qatar World Cup. In total, he kept 53 clean sheets for his country. Read more: Welsh star Gareth Bale, aged 33, announces retirement from football However, during the twilight years of his international career, Lloris often came under heavy scrutiny for his playing style. Some football pundits critiqued that while Lloris was an excellent distributor of the football, he was not as effective a ball stopper as the top level of the game required. During the FIFA 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, Lloris failed to keep a clean sheet and could not save a single penalty during the shootout. Argentina won the game 4-2 on penalties after the epic game ended 3-3 after two-quarters of the extra time. Lloris also came under fire after several media reports suggested that it was his dislike for Karim Benzema that forced the Real Madrid striker out of the World Cup squad. Read more: It's bulls***: France's Aurelien Tchouameni claps back at English press for targetting Hugo Lloris (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

France captain Hugo Lloris announces retirement from international football

<p>Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on December 29 (Thursday) after a prolonged battle with cancer at the age of 82. The Brazilian is regarded as one of the finest to have graced the game and his passing away has left a huge impact on the sporting fraternity. The footballer won as many as three FIFA World Cups and made a mark with his magical skills and moves on the ground. During his illustrious career, Pele ended with many significant records up his sleeves.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here are some major football records held by 'Soccer King' Pele:</strong></p>

<p><strong>A World Cup legend:</strong> Pele was a force to reckon with in FIFA WCs. He appeared in as many as four editions of the World Cup. Out of four, Brazil won in three of these editions (held in 1958, 1962 and 1970). In 1958, he scored five goals and provided an assist. While he had a forgettable run in 1962 -- doe to injury concerns -- and scored only once in 1966 in Brazil's forgettable campaign, he made amends in his last WC in 1970; returning with&nbsp;four goals and providing six assists en route to win his third World Cup medal; most by any player to date. In his last WC, he was also adjudged the Player of the Tournament.</p>

<p>Pele also ended with second-most goals in FIFA WC history. He ended with a dozen goals in 14 matches along with providing eight assists to his teammates. At present, Lionel Messi leads the list with 13 strikes. Messi surpassed Pele only during the recently-held 2022 Qatar World Cup.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/peles-obituary-the-soccer-kingdom-loses-its-king-547876">Pele's obituary: The Soccer kingdom loses its 'King'</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Most goals scored:</strong>&nbsp;The late footballer Pele holds the Guinness World Record for the most goals scored in the history of&nbsp;football. He found the back of the net on as many as 1,283 times in 1363 matches.</p>

<p><strong>Most goals in a calendar year: </strong>Pele scored 127 goals for Santos&nbsp;in 1959 when he was only 18. Hence, as soon as he broke into the scene, Pele had won hearts and soon became a household name.</p>

<p><strong>Most hat-tricks:</strong>&nbsp;This is an unbelievable feat. During his career, Pele scored a whopping 92 hat-tricks, most by any.</p>

<p><strong>Youngest to appear, score, and win a FIFA WC final:</strong>&nbsp;At&nbsp;17 years and 249 days, Pele appeared in his first-ever FIFA WC final&nbsp;in 1958 during Brazil versus Sweden tie. He scored a brace to become the youngest goal scorer in the final as Brazil went onto lift the title by beating the opposition 5-2. He had created havoc in his maiden FIFA WC,&nbsp;also being the youngest player to score in the tournament history (17 years and 239 days vs. Wales). In addition, he was the youngest to score a treble&nbsp;in the WC (17 years and 244 days which came against France). Pressure of playing a WC deters the best of the best. However, it didn't bog down a young Pele.</p>

<p><strong>Joint-leading goal scorer for Brazil:</strong>&nbsp;Pele ended with 77 goals in 92 games for the Men in Yellow. He is the joint-leading goal scorer for the five-time winners, along with Neymar.&nbsp;But the former pips Neymar if one includes the friendlies&nbsp;with Pele having scored 95 goals, which is the most by a&nbsp;Brazilian.</p>

<p>After the passing away of Pele, a three-day mourning is being observed in Brazil whereas reactions have been pouring in from all corners from the sporting fraternity for the legendary footballer. He is survived by six kids. Surely, his demise is a huge dent to the football arena.&nbsp;</p>


Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on December 29 (Thursday) after a prolonged battle with cancer at the age of 82. The Brazilian is regarded as one of the finest to have graced the game and his passing away has left a huge impact on the sporting fraternity.

Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on December 29 (Thursday) after a prolonged battle with cancer at the age of 82. The Brazilian is regarded as one of the finest to have graced the game and his passing away has left a huge impact on the sporting fraternity. The footballer won as many as three FIFA World Cups and made a mark with his magical skills and moves on the ground. During his illustrious career, Pele ended with many significant records up his sleeves. Here are some major football records held by 'Soccer King' Pele: A World Cup legend: Pele was a force to reckon with in FIFA WCs. He appeared in as many as four editions of the World Cup. Out of four, Brazil won in three of these editions (held in 1958, 1962 and 1970). In 1958, he scored five goals and provided an assist. While he had a forgettable run in 1962 -- doe to injury concerns -- and scored only once in 1966 in Brazil's forgettable campaign, he made amends in his last WC in 1970; returning with four goals and providing six assists en route to win his third World Cup medal; most by any player to date. In his last WC, he was also adjudged the Player of the Tournament. Pele also ended with second-most goals in FIFA WC history. He ended with a dozen goals in 14 matches along with providing eight assists to his teammates. At present, Lionel Messi leads the list with 13 strikes. Messi surpassed Pele only during the recently-held 2022 Qatar World Cup. Also read: Pele's obituary: The Soccer kingdom loses its 'King' Most goals scored: The late footballer Pele holds the Guinness World Record for the most goals scored in the history of football. He found the back of the net on as many as 1,283 times in 1363 matches. Most goals in a calendar year: Pele scored 127 goals for Santos in 1959 when he was only 18. Hence, as soon as he broke into the scene, Pele had won hearts and soon became a household name. Most hat-tricks: This is an unbelievable feat. During his career, Pele scored a whopping 92 hat-tricks, most by any. Youngest to appear, score, and win a FIFA WC final: At 17 years and 249 days, Pele appeared in his first-ever FIFA WC final in 1958 during Brazil versus Sweden tie. He scored a brace to become the youngest goal scorer in the final as Brazil went onto lift the title by beating the opposition 5-2. He had created havoc in his maiden FIFA WC, also being the youngest player to score in the tournament history (17 years and 239 days vs. Wales). In addition, he was the youngest to score a treble in the WC (17 years and 244 days which came against France). Pressure of playing a WC deters the best of the best. However, it didn't bog down a young Pele. Joint-leading goal scorer for Brazil: Pele ended with 77 goals in 92 games for the Men in Yellow. He is the joint-leading goal scorer for the five-time winners, along with Neymar. But the former pips Neymar if one includes the friendlies with Pele having scored 95 goals, which is the most by a Brazilian. After the passing away of Pele, a three-day mourning is being observed in Brazil whereas reactions have been pouring in from all corners from the sporting fraternity for the legendary footballer. He is survived by six kids. Surely, his demise is a huge dent to the football arena.

Football 'King' Pele no more: List of records held by the Brazilian legend

In Pics: Pele's UNBELIEVABLE records that stunned the world!

The PSG confirmed that the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi will return to the club in January. The 36-year-old lifted Argentina's third World Cup trophy on December 18th when Argentina played against France. Messi played a crucial part in Argentina's win.

Lionel Messi to return to PSG in January, stays in Argentina after World Cup win

<p>Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition. After losing their tournament opener to Saudi Arabia, Argentina came back in style and won six games in a row to win the World Cup, beating defending champions France in a riveting final, in the penalty shootouts, to lift the trophy after 1986. Messi has, thus, etched his name in the history books with Argentina's triumph and is enjoying his time off, as reportedly he will rejoin his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) by January 03.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Argentina's historic triumph, in order to commemorate Messi's triumph at Qatar 2022 -- which was his final WC appearance -- the&nbsp;Qatar University plans to convert&nbsp;the Argentine captain's room into a mini-museum.&nbsp;They wrote, "The University of Qatar announces the allocation of the room built by the Argentine national team player Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup into a mini museum."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/viral-ziva-dhoni-breaks-the-internet-as-she-flaunts-lionel-messis-signed-argentina-jersey-see-pics-547260">VIRAL: Ziva Dhoni breaks the internet as she flaunts Lionel Messi's signed Argentina jersey - See pics</a></strong></p>

<p>"The room of&nbsp;Argentina&nbsp;national team player&nbsp;Lionel Messi&nbsp;will remain unchanged and will remain available only for visitors and not for residence," Hitmi al Hitmi, director of communications and public relations at Qatar University, told&nbsp;Qatari newspaper Al Sharq. "Messi's belongings and will be a legacy for students and future generations and a witness to the great achievements&nbsp;Messi&nbsp;has reached during the World Cup," he added.</p>

<p>After the WC victory, Messi posted a series of photos on his official Instagram account, not letting go of the trophy and even sleeping with it. The images went viral in no time and broke the internet. Recently, many of Messi's ardent fans have also received signed Argentina jersey from the legendary footballer, including MS Dhoni's daughter Ziva. Thus, Messi's craze has reached new levels post the Qatar WC. He will next be seen playing in PSG's encounter against Angers on January 11 in the Ligue 1.</p>


Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition.

Lionel Messi is having the time of his life. The 35-year-old striker led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup title, after 36 years, during the recently-held Qatar 2022 edition. After losing their tournament opener to Saudi Arabia, Argentina came back in style and won six games in a row to win the World Cup, beating defending champions France in a riveting final, in the penalty shootouts, to lift the trophy after 1986. Messi has, thus, etched his name in the history books with Argentina's triumph and is enjoying his time off, as reportedly he will rejoin his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) by January 03. After Argentina's historic triumph, in order to commemorate Messi's triumph at Qatar 2022 -- which was his final WC appearance -- the Qatar University plans to convert the Argentine captain's room into a mini-museum. They wrote, "The University of Qatar announces the allocation of the room built by the Argentine national team player Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup into a mini museum." Also read: VIRAL: Ziva Dhoni breaks the internet as she flaunts Lionel Messi's signed Argentina jersey - See pics "The room of Argentina national team player Lionel Messi will remain unchanged and will remain available only for visitors and not for residence," Hitmi al Hitmi, director of communications and public relations at Qatar University, told Qatari newspaper Al Sharq. "Messi's belongings and will be a legacy for students and future generations and a witness to the great achievements Messi has reached during the World Cup," he added. After the WC victory, Messi posted a series of photos on his official Instagram account, not letting go of the trophy and even sleeping with it. The images went viral in no time and broke the internet. Recently, many of Messi's ardent fans have also received signed Argentina jersey from the legendary footballer, including MS Dhoni's daughter Ziva. Thus, Messi's craze has reached new levels post the Qatar WC. He will next be seen playing in PSG's encounter against Angers on January 11 in the Ligue 1.

Wait, what? Messi's Qatar hotel room to be converted into a museum after Argentina's World Cup success

From Chief Twit's reign to FIFA's desert breakout: The remarkable moments of 2022

<p>The thought of a chef salting his steak in the most chic manner must have sprung to mind only from the term Salt Bae. Thousands of netizens were inspired to imitate Salt Bae after learning about his technique for adding spices to their meals in a unique way. The internet quickly caught on fire to the fad. Numerous other social media stars have been spotted acting like him in ways that undoubtedly made people chuckle. It unquestionably got popular on social media.</p>

<p><strong>Who is Salt Bae?</strong></p>

<p><strong><img alt="Salt Bae" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70b051a2-2410-42d0-8770-b5fd1d88b333" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-12-23T141303.538.png" /></strong></p>

<p>The 39-year-old Salt Bae, real name Nusret Gokçe, is the owner of a network of opulent eateries throughout the globe, including Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and London's exclusive Knightsbridge. His method of flavouring and cooking meat has gone viral online. This Turkish chef's restaurant business is likewise booming, with several locations throughout the world and arbitrary, exorbitant prices for cuisine that are perhaps a byproduct of the notoriety he has attained.</p>

<p><strong>FIFA Controversy&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He recently came under fire from both internet users and other people for hounding Messi immediately following Argentina's victory against France. Immediately following the final match of the World Cup final, he approached the Argentine players. He was the target of the controversy since he caught players off guard while they were looking out for celebrating their victory with their loved ones. Gokce was observed pursuing athletes and pestering them for photos and videos.</p>

<p><strong>Post controversy&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>After the controversy, Gokçe on Thursday was banned from attending a US sporting event, as per US Sun. He was banned from The US Open Cup, a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments. Taking to Twitter, The US Open Cup wrote, “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.” After his unique way of adding salt on steaks, his Instagram following shoot up really quickly. Some of his Instagram followers include David Beckham and Leonardo Di Caprio.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Gokce self-promotion?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>After hounding players after the finale of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Gokce flooded his Instagram with posts. One of the pictures which quickly got picked up by netizens was where Messi was seen visibly irritated by him as he almost forces him to take a picture with the chef. The Turkish entrepreneur was widely criticised for twice grabbing Messi's arm. Messi was seen uncomfortable and tried to sidestep the unwanted attention.</p>

<p>Another was with uncomfortable-looking Angel di Maria sharing the World Cup trophy with him. Another video which turned heads was of Christian Romero's where he is looking on helplessly as Gokce snatched the trophy from his son.</p>

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<p>Clearly Gokce's presence there was uninvited and unappreciated as well. He was even seen sinking his teeth into another player's medal. Earlier in the World Cup, he posted a video of himself at a match sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.</p>

<p><strong>Were FIFA rules flouted?</strong></p>

<p>The FIFA World Cup trophy has some rules and regulations attached to who can touch or hold it and who cannot. According to FIFA, the original World Cup Trophy which is one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state.</p>

<p><strong>Action on chef after controversy</strong></p>

<p>"Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail stadium on December 18," a spokesman told BBC. "The appropriate internal action will be taken," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Other controversies</strong></p>

<p>In 2014, singer Rihanna also famously courted controversy for touching the World Cup after Germany’s win over Argentina in extra-time. She also posed for a selfie and revealed she had kissed the trophy.</p>

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The thought of a chef salting his steak in the most chic manner must have sprung to mind only from the term Salt Bae. Thousands of netizens were inspired to imitate Salt Bae after learning about his technique for adding spices to their meals in a unique way.

The thought of a chef salting his steak in the most chic manner must have sprung to mind only from the term Salt Bae. Thousands of netizens were inspired to imitate Salt Bae after learning about his technique for adding spices to their meals in a unique way. The internet quickly caught on fire to the fad. Numerous other social media stars have been spotted acting like him in ways that undoubtedly made people chuckle. It unquestionably got popular on social media. Who is Salt Bae? The 39-year-old Salt Bae, real name Nusret Gokçe, is the owner of a network of opulent eateries throughout the globe, including Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and London's exclusive Knightsbridge. His method of flavouring and cooking meat has gone viral online. This Turkish chef's restaurant business is likewise booming, with several locations throughout the world and arbitrary, exorbitant prices for cuisine that are perhaps a byproduct of the notoriety he has attained. FIFA Controversy He recently came under fire from both internet users and other people for hounding Messi immediately following Argentina's victory against France. Immediately following the final match of the World Cup final, he approached the Argentine players. He was the target of the controversy since he caught players off guard while they were looking out for celebrating their victory with their loved ones. Gokce was observed pursuing athletes and pestering them for photos and videos. Post controversy After the controversy, Gokçe on Thursday was banned from attending a US sporting event, as per US Sun. He was banned from The US Open Cup, a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments. Taking to Twitter, The US Open Cup wrote, “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.” After his unique way of adding salt on steaks, his Instagram following shoot up really quickly. Some of his Instagram followers include David Beckham and Leonardo Di Caprio. Gokce self-promotion? After hounding players after the finale of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Gokce flooded his Instagram with posts. One of the pictures which quickly got picked up by netizens was where Messi was seen visibly irritated by him as he almost forces him to take a picture with the chef. The Turkish entrepreneur was widely criticised for twice grabbing Messi's arm. Messi was seen uncomfortable and tried to sidestep the unwanted attention. Another was with uncomfortable-looking Angel di Maria sharing the World Cup trophy with him. Another video which turned heads was of Christian Romero's where he is looking on helplessly as Gokce snatched the trophy from his son. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et) × Clearly Gokce's presence there was uninvited and unappreciated as well. He was even seen sinking his teeth into another player's medal. Earlier in the World Cup, he posted a video of himself at a match sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Were FIFA rules flouted? The FIFA World Cup trophy has some rules and regulations attached to who can touch or hold it and who cannot. According to FIFA, the original World Cup Trophy which is one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state. Action on chef after controversy "Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail stadium on December 18," a spokesman told BBC. "The appropriate internal action will be taken," he added. Other controversies In 2014, singer Rihanna also famously courted controversy for touching the World Cup after Germany’s win over Argentina in extra-time. She also posed for a selfie and revealed she had kissed the trophy. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Who is Salt Bae, the chef who hounded Messi for pictures after FIFA World Cup final?

Emi Martinez has become a household name after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. After winning the Golden Glove, he has been making headlines with his off-field gesture as the 30-year-old celebrated his award with a gesture in front of Qatari officials - that is the allegation leveled against him.

Argentina's goalkeeper Emi Martinez mocks France's Mbappe again

<p>Angel De Maria was handed a surprising start for Argentina during the FIFA World Cup final match against France and the veteran footballer scored the second goal of the game for his team. While the scores were tied 3-3 after the end of the extra time, Argentina claimed their first World Cup title in 36 years after winning the penalty shootout 4-2. While the game was an absolute nailbiter, Di Maria's wife Jorgelina Cardoso has revealed that he predicted his goal as well as the result.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-this-for-real-argentina-wants-to-put-messis-face-on-banknotes-545382">Is this for real? Argentina wants to put Messi's face on banknotes</a></p>

<p>Cardoso posted WhatsApp messages with Di Maria just one day ahead of the final clash and it showed that the Argentine footballer saying that he will score in the game and Argentina will win beat France. The screenshots of the chats were published on her Instagram story.</p>

<p>"I will be world champion, my love. It is written. And I will score a goal. Because it is written like at the Maracana and at Wembley," Di Maria wrote on his WhatsApp messages.</p>

<p>"This message melts my body, I don't know what the hell to tell you," Cardoso said.</p>

<p><img alt="gr1qnivo" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2022-12/gr1qnivo_angel-di-maria_625x300_22_December_22.jpg" /></p>

<p>"You don't have to say anything. Go and enjoy everything tomorrow because we will be world champions. Because the 26 who are here and everyone's families deserve it," De Maria replied.</p>

<p>Kylian Mbappe became the second footballer ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final but it was not enough to stop Lionel Messi &amp; Co from winning the title. Emiliano Martinez pulled off a brilliant save in the shootout to deny Kingsley Coman while Aurelien Tchouameni missed the target completely.</p>

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Angel De Maria was handed a surprising start for Argentina during the FIFA World Cup final match against France and the veteran footballer scored the second goal of the game for his team.

Angel De Maria was handed a surprising start for Argentina during the FIFA World Cup final match against France and the veteran footballer scored the second goal of the game for his team. While the scores were tied 3-3 after the end of the extra time, Argentina claimed their first World Cup title in 36 years after winning the penalty shootout 4-2. While the game was an absolute nailbiter, Di Maria's wife Jorgelina Cardoso has revealed that he predicted his goal as well as the result. Also read | Is this for real? Argentina wants to put Messi's face on banknotes Cardoso posted WhatsApp messages with Di Maria just one day ahead of the final clash and it showed that the Argentine footballer saying that he will score in the game and Argentina will win beat France. The screenshots of the chats were published on her Instagram story. "I will be world champion, my love. It is written. And I will score a goal. Because it is written like at the Maracana and at Wembley," Di Maria wrote on his WhatsApp messages. "This message melts my body, I don't know what the hell to tell you," Cardoso said. "You don't have to say anything. Go and enjoy everything tomorrow because we will be world champions. Because the 26 who are here and everyone's families deserve it," De Maria replied. Kylian Mbappe became the second footballer ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final but it was not enough to stop Lionel Messi & Co from winning the title. Emiliano Martinez pulled off a brilliant save in the shootout to deny Kingsley Coman while Aurelien Tchouameni missed the target completely.

Did Angel Di Maria predict his goal in World Cup final? Wife reveals conversation

A few days after the Argentina team won the 2022 FIFA World Cup defeating France in a penalty shootout, many Argentine fans have paid tribute to the success by getting tattoos.

Argentina fans go crazy for World Cup tattoos

<p>Morocco's national football team broke new frontiers in their heroic run-up to the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It was only inevitable that Moroccan heroes would come home to a boisterous crowd that wanted to have a glimpse of them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Tuesday, tens of thousands of Moroccans took to the streets of the capital city of Rabat, surrounding the open-top bus carrying the Moroccan players from the airport. Dozens of police cars and motorbikes surrounded the bus as the crowd cheered and saluted the players.&nbsp;The side of the bus was plastered with the Moroccan phrase 'Dima Maghrib' meaning 'long live Morocco' or 'Morocco forever'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Supporters brought flares, wore team kits and waved red flags to create an unreal atmosphere as bewildered Moroccan players soaked in the admiration.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/were-the-rocky-balboa-morocco-coach-walid-regragui-after-knockout-wc-win-over-portugal-542069"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;'We're the Rocky Balboa...': Morocco coach Walid Regragui after knockout WC win over Portugal</strong></a></p>

<p>After the parade, the players and the support staff made their way to the royal palace where King Mohammed VI met them. According to local news reports, the king and crown prince Moulay Hassan handed awards to the players, coaches, and president of the Moroccan football federation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the World Cup, Morocco became the first African nation to qualify for the semifinals in its 92-year-long history. During their fairy tale run, Morocco managed to beat Belgium, Canada, Spain and Portugal.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-croatia-defeat-a-spirited-morocco-2-1-to-win-the-third-place-playoff-544095"><strong>Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Croatia defeat a spirited Morocco 2-1 to win the third-place playoff</strong></a></p>

<p>One of the wildest stat from the tournament belonged to Morocco which did not concede a single goal from the opposition till the semifinal against France.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Morocco may not have reached the finals or won third place but their fairytale run at the World Cup will be remembered for ages. They have given hope, not only to Asia, Africa or the Arab world hope but to all those nations that dream of making it to the World Cup one day.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Morocco's national football team broke new frontiers in their heroic run-up to the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It was only inevitable that Moroccan heroes would come home to a boisterous crowd that wanted to have a glimpse of them.

Morocco's national football team broke new frontiers in their heroic run-up to the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It was only inevitable that Moroccan heroes would come home to a boisterous crowd that wanted to have a glimpse of them. On Tuesday, tens of thousands of Moroccans took to the streets of the capital city of Rabat, surrounding the open-top bus carrying the Moroccan players from the airport. Dozens of police cars and motorbikes surrounded the bus as the crowd cheered and saluted the players. The side of the bus was plastered with the Moroccan phrase 'Dima Maghrib' meaning 'long live Morocco' or 'Morocco forever'. Supporters brought flares, wore team kits and waved red flags to create an unreal atmosphere as bewildered Moroccan players soaked in the admiration. Read more: 'We're the Rocky Balboa...': Morocco coach Walid Regragui after knockout WC win over Portugal After the parade, the players and the support staff made their way to the royal palace where King Mohammed VI met them. According to local news reports, the king and crown prince Moulay Hassan handed awards to the players, coaches, and president of the Moroccan football federation. During the World Cup, Morocco became the first African nation to qualify for the semifinals in its 92-year-long history. During their fairy tale run, Morocco managed to beat Belgium, Canada, Spain and Portugal. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Croatia defeat a spirited Morocco 2-1 to win the third-place playoff One of the wildest stat from the tournament belonged to Morocco which did not concede a single goal from the opposition till the semifinal against France. Morocco may not have reached the finals or won third place but their fairytale run at the World Cup will be remembered for ages. They have given hope, not only to Asia, Africa or the Arab world hope but to all those nations that dream of making it to the World Cup one day. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Morocco's World Cup heroes arrive home to a grand welcome

The grand celebrations of Buenos Aires may have been cut short but it also allowed Argentina captain Lionel Messi to head home early. The 35-year-old returned to his home city of Rosario after winning. Messi arrived at the Rosario International Airport with teammates De Maria and Dybala.

Messi returns to hometown Rosario after winning FIFA World Cup

Argentina’s football players were forced to ditch their open-top bus parade for a helicopter ride in Buenos Aires as millions of ecstatic fans swarmed the city to greet the World Cup champions.

Argentina forced to abandon World Cup victory parade

<p>Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Being ahead by 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina lost the plot with Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and taking the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The extra time also couldn't separate the two sides with the scoreline being 3-3 before Lionel Messi &amp; Co. kept their calm and emerged on top in the penalty shootout (by a 4-2 margin). With this, Messi's World Cup run ended on an emphatic fashion&nbsp;and the 35-year-old also returned with the Golden Ball Award; being the first to win in twice.</p>

<p>After the win, Messi is on cloud nine and kept the World Cup trophy close to him. In a recent Instagram post, the Argentine captain shared pictures of him sleeping with the coveted trophy. Here's the post, which has become viral and garnered&nbsp;in over&nbsp;4 million likes just minutes after being posted:</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/decoded-the-robe-that-messi-was-made-to-wear-during-the-presentation-ceremony-after-the-world-cup-final-544822">DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final</a></strong></p>

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<p>After the match, Messi opened up on his international future. While the Qatar final was his last appearance in a World Cup match, the Paris Saint-Germain striker will continue to don the national jersey in the coming years as he wishes to play as a 'champion'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com,&nbsp;"No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion."</p>


Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Being ahead by 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina lost the plot with Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and taking the game to the extra time. The extra time also couldn't separate the two sides with the scoreline being 3-3 before Lionel Messi & Co. kept their calm and emerged on top in the penalty shootout (by a 4-2 margin). With this, Messi's World Cup run ended on an emphatic fashion and the 35-year-old also returned with the Golden Ball Award; being the first to win in twice. After the win, Messi is on cloud nine and kept the World Cup trophy close to him. In a recent Instagram post, the Argentine captain shared pictures of him sleeping with the coveted trophy. Here's the post, which has become viral and garnered in over 4 million likes just minutes after being posted: Also read: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) × After the match, Messi opened up on his international future. While the Qatar final was his last appearance in a World Cup match, the Paris Saint-Germain striker will continue to don the national jersey in the coming years as he wishes to play as a 'champion'. Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com, "No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion."

VIRAL: Lionel Messi breaks the internet, shares pictures sleeping with FIFA World Cup trophy - Check post

Three French Players were subjected to online racist abuse in the aftermath of their FIFA world cup defeat against Argentina. Kingsley Coman, Aurelien Tchouameni and Randal Kolo Muani are targetted.

French Players encountered racial abuse following their FIFA world cup defeat against Argentina

Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad arrived home to a jubilant Buenos Aires in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with massive crowds lining the streets and cheering their champions’ return.

#CHAMPIONS Argentina given grand welcome in Buenos Aires

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire. The summit clash lived up to expectations with Lionel Messi achieving his dream of lifting his maiden WC trophy in his last appearance in the mega event; bringing curtains to what has been an eventful and exhilarating campaign in Qatar.</p>

<p>Undoubtedly, Qatar 2022 ended as one of the best-organised World Cups. The fate of the mega event was hanging in the balance in the run-up to the tournament, which was held in the Middle East for the first time. Nothing came easy for Qatar -- who were constantly marred with several questions (by human rights activists, media, etc.) with fans also having their doubts regarding the smooth running&nbsp;of the showpiece event. Qatar 2022 battled all odds to emerge on top. From a&nbsp;lot being said and written about the plight&nbsp;of migrant workers, Western media trying to tarnish Qatar's image of pulling off an event of such a magnitude, War-tainted Russia's ban, ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter regretting&nbsp;his decision to award hosting rights to Qatar, the country's rigid stance&nbsp;on the LGBTQ community, the death of journalists, etc. (with even&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request of spreading the message of peace ahead of the finale being much-talked about before FIFA's eventual&nbsp;rejection), many such aspects hit the headlines. Hence, there was a lot at stake. However, the tournament ended in style -- producing some enthralling results, upsets and the emergence of the&nbsp;African, Asian and Arab football teams -- for all involved.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-have-roger-federer-lauds-lionel-messi-with-a-heartfelt-post-after-argentina-win-fifa-world-cup-544521">'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Qatar lost some battles en route winning the WAR&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>The migrant workers' plight</strong></p>

<p>Qatar, a country where foreigners account for the majority of the 2.9 million population, faced intense criticism from human rights groups regarding its treatment of migrant workers. It is to be noted that Britain’s Guardian reported, in 2021,&nbsp;that at least 6,500 migrant workers — many of them working on World Cup projects — had succumbed to death in Qatar. In response to such claims, Qatar said that the&nbsp;deaths were directly proportionate to the size of the migrant workforce -- including&nbsp;many non-manual workers. In addition, it stated that every life lost was indeed a tragedy!</p>

<p><strong>Death of journos</strong></p>

<p>Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl were the three journalists who lost their lives during the Qatar WC -- adding much hullabaloo to the already-existing negativity. FIFA Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson revealed on social media that books are available at each stadium's media centre for colleagues to send condolence messages. However, the damage was long done by then.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharing an image of the three books devoted to the late journalists, Swanson wrote,&nbsp;"We are opening books of condolence in the FIFA media centres at all remaining stadiums following the tragic deaths of Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl during this tournament. Thoughts remain with their families and friends during this difficult time."</p>

<p><strong>LGBTQ stance</strong></p>

<p>It is to be noted that homosexuality in Qatar is illegal and a punishable offence -- where one can be jailed up to three years. Hence, many diehard LGBTQ football fans revealed that they would prefer to watch Qatar 2022 on tv sets at home than risk their lives travelling to the Middle East. To control the matters from going out of hand, a&nbsp;Qatar government official told CNN in a statement, "Everyone is welcome in Qatar,” the statement read, adding: “Our track record has shown that we have warmly welcomed all people regardless of background. There has never been an issue and every event has been delivered safely. Everyone is welcome in Qatar, but we are a conservative country and any public display of affection, regardless of orientation, is frowned upon. We simply ask for people to respect our culture."</p>

<p><strong>Rejecting 'fake claims'</strong></p>

<p>Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee also came forward and rejected accusations when news started circulating that there are fake paid football fans in attendance at the World Cup.&nbsp;In a statement, the Supreme Committee shut all such allegations and termed it&nbsp;“disappointing and unsurprising”.</p>

<p>“Fans from all over the world – many of whom have made Qatar their home – have contributed to the local atmosphere recently, organising fan walks and parades throughout the country, and welcoming the various national teams at their hotels,” it said in a statement. “Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether these are ‘real’ fans. We thoroughly reject these assertions, which are both disappointing and unsurprising.”</p>

<p>In addition, Iranian protests over their government's imposition of hijab -- forcing the latter to ease out on few aspects -- and China's protests against their government's Zero-Covid policy (after seeing fans in Qatar, on tv sets, enter stadiums without any COVID protocol whatsoever) also grabbed eyeballs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>The ball does the talking making Qatar 2022 a blockbuster success</strong></p>

<p>Thus, there was plenty on Qatar's plate with none trusting their capabilities. Nonetheless, the ball did the talking on their behalf; resulting in many humdingers before the mother-of-all-clash in the&nbsp;finale. The likes of Saudi Arabia, Japan, Morocco, etc. made a mark which made for a riveting watch. Saudi, ranked 51st in the world, went past eventual winners Argentina, Morocco became the first-ever African nation to reach the last four and Japan toppled past winners such as Germany and Spain.</p>

<p>Among the young rising talents, the likes of&nbsp;Jude Bellingham (England),&nbsp;Cody Gakpo (Netherlands),&nbsp;Goncalo Ramos (Portugal),&nbsp;Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), etc. ended as the breakout stars. Meanwhile, notable stars Neymar Jr. Cristiano Ronaldo, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, etc., failed to deliver as per their overall stature. Among some emphatic encounters, Argentina-France, Argentina-Netherlands, Japan-Germany, Croatia-Brazil, Morocco-Portugal, Portugal-Ghana, France-England and many others kept football fanatics awake till late at night across the globe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While a lot can be said and written about rules/laws in the Middle East nation, Qatar can be proud of hosting the WC for the first time with people set to remember the footballing action than the off-field controversies (some of them coming from targetted groups). The going was tough but they sure went past all obstacles to host a memorable event; paving way for many more FIFA WCs to be held in Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-japan-germany-to-argentina-france-final-reliving-top-5-matches-of-fifa-world-cup-2022-544539">From Japan-Germany to Argentina-France final: Reliving top 5 matches of FIFA World Cup 2022</a></strong></p>

<p>On Monday, England cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared a heartfelt note for Qatar. <strong>Here's what he wrote:</strong></p>

<blockquote>
<p><em>A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace &amp; now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!&nbsp;<br />
Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable!</em></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace &amp; now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!<br />
Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! 🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/jr2igYVijw">pic.twitter.com/jr2igYVijw</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1604754608877879297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><em>Well, Qatar 2022 was off to a poor start but held its nerves to end it on a glorious high!</em></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 edition was a magnanimous affair which came to a fitting end on Sunday (December 18). With Argentina and defending champions France setting up a clash in the big-ticket finale, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the contest was expected to go down to the wire. The summit clash lived up to expectations with Lionel Messi achieving his dream of lifting his maiden WC trophy in his last appearance in the mega event; bringing curtains to what has been an eventful and exhilarating campaign in Qatar. Undoubtedly, Qatar 2022 ended as one of the best-organised World Cups. The fate of the mega event was hanging in the balance in the run-up to the tournament, which was held in the Middle East for the first time. Nothing came easy for Qatar -- who were constantly marred with several questions (by human rights activists, media, etc.) with fans also having their doubts regarding the smooth running of the showpiece event. Qatar 2022 battled all odds to emerge on top. From a lot being said and written about the plight of migrant workers, Western media trying to tarnish Qatar's image of pulling off an event of such a magnitude, War-tainted Russia's ban, ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter regretting his decision to award hosting rights to Qatar, the country's rigid stance on the LGBTQ community, the death of journalists, etc. (with even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request of spreading the message of peace ahead of the finale being much-talked about before FIFA's eventual rejection), many such aspects hit the headlines. Hence, there was a lot at stake. However, the tournament ended in style -- producing some enthralling results, upsets and the emergence of the African, Asian and Arab football teams -- for all involved. Also read: 'You have....' - Roger Federer lauds Lionel Messi with a heartfelt post after Argentina win FIFA World Cup Qatar lost some battles en route winning the WAR The migrant workers' plight Qatar, a country where foreigners account for the majority of the 2.9 million population, faced intense criticism from human rights groups regarding its treatment of migrant workers. It is to be noted that Britain’s Guardian reported, in 2021, that at least 6,500 migrant workers — many of them working on World Cup projects — had succumbed to death in Qatar. In response to such claims, Qatar said that the deaths were directly proportionate to the size of the migrant workforce -- including many non-manual workers. In addition, it stated that every life lost was indeed a tragedy! Death of journos Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl were the three journalists who lost their lives during the Qatar WC -- adding much hullabaloo to the already-existing negativity. FIFA Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson revealed on social media that books are available at each stadium's media centre for colleagues to send condolence messages. However, the damage was long done by then. Sharing an image of the three books devoted to the late journalists, Swanson wrote, "We are opening books of condolence in the FIFA media centres at all remaining stadiums following the tragic deaths of Khalid al-Misslam, Roger Pearce and Grant Wahl during this tournament. Thoughts remain with their families and friends during this difficult time." LGBTQ stance It is to be noted that homosexuality in Qatar is illegal and a punishable offence -- where one can be jailed up to three years. Hence, many diehard LGBTQ football fans revealed that they would prefer to watch Qatar 2022 on tv sets at home than risk their lives travelling to the Middle East. To control the matters from going out of hand, a Qatar government official told CNN in a statement, "Everyone is welcome in Qatar,” the statement read, adding: “Our track record has shown that we have warmly welcomed all people regardless of background. There has never been an issue and every event has been delivered safely. Everyone is welcome in Qatar, but we are a conservative country and any public display of affection, regardless of orientation, is frowned upon. We simply ask for people to respect our culture." Rejecting 'fake claims' Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee also came forward and rejected accusations when news started circulating that there are fake paid football fans in attendance at the World Cup. In a statement, the Supreme Committee shut all such allegations and termed it “disappointing and unsurprising”. “Fans from all over the world – many of whom have made Qatar their home – have contributed to the local atmosphere recently, organising fan walks and parades throughout the country, and welcoming the various national teams at their hotels,” it said in a statement. “Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have questioned whether these are ‘real’ fans. We thoroughly reject these assertions, which are both disappointing and unsurprising.” In addition, Iranian protests over their government's imposition of hijab -- forcing the latter to ease out on few aspects -- and China's protests against their government's Zero-Covid policy (after seeing fans in Qatar, on tv sets, enter stadiums without any COVID protocol whatsoever) also grabbed eyeballs. The ball does the talking making Qatar 2022 a blockbuster success Thus, there was plenty on Qatar's plate with none trusting their capabilities. Nonetheless, the ball did the talking on their behalf; resulting in many humdingers before the mother-of-all-clash in the finale. The likes of Saudi Arabia, Japan, Morocco, etc. made a mark which made for a riveting watch. Saudi, ranked 51st in the world, went past eventual winners Argentina, Morocco became the first-ever African nation to reach the last four and Japan toppled past winners such as Germany and Spain. Among the young rising talents, the likes of Jude Bellingham (England), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Goncalo Ramos (Portugal), Julian Alvarez (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), etc. ended as the breakout stars. Meanwhile, notable stars Neymar Jr. Cristiano Ronaldo, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, etc., failed to deliver as per their overall stature. Among some emphatic encounters, Argentina-France, Argentina-Netherlands, Japan-Germany, Croatia-Brazil, Morocco-Portugal, Portugal-Ghana, France-England and many others kept football fanatics awake till late at night across the globe. While a lot can be said and written about rules/laws in the Middle East nation, Qatar can be proud of hosting the WC for the first time with people set to remember the footballing action than the off-field controversies (some of them coming from targetted groups). The going was tough but they sure went past all obstacles to host a memorable event; paving way for many more FIFA WCs to be held in Asia. Also read: From Japan-Germany to Argentina-France final: Reliving top 5 matches of FIFA World Cup 2022 On Monday, England cricketer Kevin Pietersen shared a heartfelt note for Qatar. Here's what he wrote: A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace & now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout! Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace & now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout! Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/jr2igYVijw — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) December 19, 2022 × Well, Qatar 2022 was off to a poor start but held its nerves to end it on a glorious high! ×

FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022 may have lost many battles but won the war

When the Qatar World Cup started, there were protests in western countries over but the tournament only ended up exposing the West's hypocrisy & politics of convenience.

Gravitas: World Cup Final: What happened to the outrage?

Argentina's World Cup winners led by captain Lionel Messi returned home from Qatar on Tuesday ahead of a welcome home party in the nation's capital.

WION Sports: World champions Argentina return home to a rapturous welcome

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ba1879a5-6e8f-4a29-8a50-a52362cfbb2f}{143}" paraid="1638122439" >At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember. With 8 goals from just 6 matches, the 23-year-old took his total tally in the competition to 12 – tied with Brazilian legend Pele – and even claimed the Golden Boot on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c89c4939-09b5-4aba-a5bf-ffc5c53b96d9}{164}" paraid="1054858481" >This year’s competition was hailed as the final chance at immortality for the two legends of the modern game – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo struggled to find a place in the Portugal side which crashed out in the quarterfinals, Messi emerged as the main talisman for Argentina once again.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a8e27d17-1b0e-49df-a35e-e31d3fb514fc}{171}" paraid="661915560" >However, the man matching Messi at every step of the way was Mbappe. The Frenchman is not necessarily the most loved man in the sport – partly due to the several rumours floating about his alleged attitude problem and also the massive fee that he commands for the Ligue 1 champions. &nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c4bf9a2c-00b5-4799-94bd-cc361448c9d4}{56}" paraid="409787831" >In a situation where France’s World Cup campaign was severely hampered by a slew of injuries, the youngster took it upon himself to make life easy for coach Didier Deschamps and his side. When it comes to club football, Mbappe has already established himself as a major force in 2022. He came into the World Cup as the leading scorer in the French league with 12 goals and when it came to the Champions League, he averaged more than one goal a game – a feat rarely seen in the group stages.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{9d3c1885-ef5c-4c5c-8a1a-7c72d127eaa7}{172}" paraid="612347919" >Add to that, the experience of winning the trophy in 2016 and France had a megastar of their own.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{9d3c1885-ef5c-4c5c-8a1a-7c72d127eaa7}{172}" paraid="612347919" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wions-fifa-world-cup-2022-best-xi-which-players-made-the-first-team-544527">WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team?</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{0da7f0d4-7310-4e10-84c4-02f778a53a5b}{85}" paraid="271258259" >It was business as usual in the first group stage match against Australia as Mbappe scored the final goal in the 4-1 rout. In the next match, he turned from accomplice to saviour as he scored the all-important brace to guide the defending champions to the Round of 16 – a feat that proved crucial due to their loss against Tunisia in the final game. Poland was the next obstacle in France’s path and Mbappe showed his&nbsp;class once again. A precise shot following a piercing run into the box resulted in the first goal and about ten minutes later, Mbappe showed the power of his deft touch to score from outside the box.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ce369639-7b1a-4d68-ba20-b9e3d4a8ea83}{153}" paraid="2089645082" >At this point, emotions were running high and most experts predicted Mbappe to easily break Just Fontaine’s record of 9 goals in a single World Cup campaign. However, fate had other plans.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ce369639-7b1a-4d68-ba20-b9e3d4a8ea83}{153}" paraid="2089645082" ><img alt="Mbappe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b4884699-ef39-4bbf-9b80-2b1c651411b1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_334J8Z8.jpg" /></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{6ade5f22-c5be-4648-a103-e0a7a526c960}{241}" paraid="80083020" >A silent performance against England in the quarters and a somewhat inconsistent show against Morocco in the semis meant that he came to the final with 5 goals to his name. Now, it is important to understand that this was no small feat in itself as he was tied with Messi as the top-scorer of the tournament and&nbsp;had one more goal than the 2018 campaign when France became champions.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{34ef0cd0-297b-4843-97a5-cfa58bfcb310}{2}" paraid="636272532" >Sadly, things looked grim&nbsp;for France in the summit clash. Nearly 80 minutes were done in the gap and Argentina were safely cruising to victory. Mbappe was a silent spectator as he struggled to create chances but what happened next will go down in history. A penalty to the defending champions and Mbappe made no mistakes from the spot. Four steps and a confident shot to the right of the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and France were back in contention. The French crowd had finally found their voice once again and with the momentum behind them, the French team launched an all-out attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{34ef0cd0-297b-4843-97a5-cfa58bfcb310}{2}" paraid="636272532" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/check-back-with-me-in-7-years-lionel-messis-fans-2015-prediction-goes-viral-after-argentina-win-fifa-wc-544504">'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8a0f945c-5773-4135-ad0d-5fa6cb779d66}{157}" paraid="2059734493" >He received the ball near the halfway line and after a quick link-up play with Marcus Thuram, the ball was chipped toward him at the edge of the penalty box. People say that fortune favours the brave and it was there in full display as the youngster went for an audacious volley and levelled the game for France.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{8f3de56e-3f6a-46c9-a0d2-7589b754488b}{226}" paraid="1604784883" >What followed the equaliser were 40 minutes of frantic football. In the second half of the extra time, Messi handed Argentina the lead but Mbappe was not to be denied. Another penalty towards the end of the game and he was there to claim a historic hat-trick. Same corner, same force and same result – Mbappe wrote his name in the history books as the second player to score a hat-trick in the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b13b28a6-c541-4b1a-bd1b-52f7dbfbf09d}{110}" paraid="1917555720" >Even in the penalty shootout, he went first for his team. Here was a player who has played 120 minutes in one of the most intense games of his career and had already taken two spot kicks. But he once again stepped up to the occasion and calmly converted his chance. Sadly, fortune finally ran out as two of his teammates missed their chances and a historic performance did not end in a historic victory.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{525ae689-5ffb-4183-a3b4-c2851468afa8}{100}" paraid="1033418480" >However, while the entire world was concentrated on the golden epilogue to Messi’s sparkling career, no one could deny the brand-new chapter that Mbappe had presented to the world. With Ronaldo and Messi both unlikely to play another World Cup, the Frenchman will enter the next edition as an even bigger force and with age of his side, he has certainly staked his claim to become a future legend.&nbsp;</p>


At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember.

At the age of 23, Kylian Mbappe has a career record that most footballers can only dream of achieving in their entire careers. While the Frenchman had to watch from a distance as his PSG teammate Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup title with Argentina, it did not take away from the fact that Mbappe had a tournament to remember. With 8 goals from just 6 matches, the 23-year-old took his total tally in the competition to 12 – tied with Brazilian legend Pele – and even claimed the Golden Boot on Sunday. This year’s competition was hailed as the final chance at immortality for the two legends of the modern game – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo struggled to find a place in the Portugal side which crashed out in the quarterfinals, Messi emerged as the main talisman for Argentina once again. However, the man matching Messi at every step of the way was Mbappe. The Frenchman is not necessarily the most loved man in the sport – partly due to the several rumours floating about his alleged attitude problem and also the massive fee that he commands for the Ligue 1 champions. In a situation where France’s World Cup campaign was severely hampered by a slew of injuries, the youngster took it upon himself to make life easy for coach Didier Deschamps and his side. When it comes to club football, Mbappe has already established himself as a major force in 2022. He came into the World Cup as the leading scorer in the French league with 12 goals and when it came to the Champions League, he averaged more than one goal a game – a feat rarely seen in the group stages. Add to that, the experience of winning the trophy in 2016 and France had a megastar of their own. Also read | WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team? It was business as usual in the first group stage match against Australia as Mbappe scored the final goal in the 4-1 rout. In the next match, he turned from accomplice to saviour as he scored the all-important brace to guide the defending champions to the Round of 16 – a feat that proved crucial due to their loss against Tunisia in the final game. Poland was the next obstacle in France’s path and Mbappe showed his class once again. A precise shot following a piercing run into the box resulted in the first goal and about ten minutes later, Mbappe showed the power of his deft touch to score from outside the box. At this point, emotions were running high and most experts predicted Mbappe to easily break Just Fontaine’s record of 9 goals in a single World Cup campaign. However, fate had other plans. A silent performance against England in the quarters and a somewhat inconsistent show against Morocco in the semis meant that he came to the final with 5 goals to his name. Now, it is important to understand that this was no small feat in itself as he was tied with Messi as the top-scorer of the tournament and had one more goal than the 2018 campaign when France became champions. Sadly, things looked grim for France in the summit clash. Nearly 80 minutes were done in the gap and Argentina were safely cruising to victory. Mbappe was a silent spectator as he struggled to create chances but what happened next will go down in history. A penalty to the defending champions and Mbappe made no mistakes from the spot. Four steps and a confident shot to the right of the goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and France were back in contention. The French crowd had finally found their voice once again and with the momentum behind them, the French team launched an all-out attack. Also read | 'Check back with me in 7 years' - Lionel Messi's fan's 2015 prediction goes viral after Argentina win FIFA WC He received the ball near the halfway line and after a quick link-up play with Marcus Thuram, the ball was chipped toward him at the edge of the penalty box. People say that fortune favours the brave and it was there in full display as the youngster went for an audacious volley and levelled the game for France. What followed the equaliser were 40 minutes of frantic football. In the second half of the extra time, Messi handed Argentina the lead but Mbappe was not to be denied. Another penalty towards the end of the game and he was there to claim a historic hat-trick. Same corner, same force and same result – Mbappe wrote his name in the history books as the second player to score a hat-trick in the final. Even in the penalty shootout, he went first for his team. Here was a player who has played 120 minutes in one of the most intense games of his career and had already taken two spot kicks. But he once again stepped up to the occasion and calmly converted his chance. Sadly, fortune finally ran out as two of his teammates missed their chances and a historic performance did not end in a historic victory. However, while the entire world was concentrated on the golden epilogue to Messi’s sparkling career, no one could deny the brand-new chapter that Mbappe had presented to the world. With Ronaldo and Messi both unlikely to play another World Cup, the Frenchman will enter the next edition as an even bigger force and with age of his side, he has certainly staked his claim to become a future legend.

Yearender 2022: Kylian Mbappe establishes himself as rightful heir to GOAT crown

According to Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Google's search engine recorded its highest ever traffic in 25 years during this year's FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France.

Trending on WION: Google search records highest-ever traffic in 25 years during FIFA World Cup Final

From Mbappe's smoothest goal to Richarlison's bicycle kick, let's relive top 5 goals of FIFA World Cup 2022

Recognizing the great performances throughout the 29 days of anticipations, and celebrations in Qatar, FIFA announced number of awards which includes the Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Golden Ball, Young Player and Fair Play awards.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Awards: Lionel Messi bags the Golden Ball

It is time for the greatest sport and a billion plus audience is expected to tune in for the FIFA World Cup final at the iconic stadium in Qatar. It will be two time champions Argentina taking on the defending champions France.

FIFA World Cup final between France and Argentina; Lionel Messi will be playing his last WC match

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France:&nbsp;</strong>The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar. The clash everyone was eagerly waiting for is finally upon us as either of Kylian Mbappe or Lionel Messi will be crowned the world champion tonight.</p>

<p>While Argentina will be playing their sixth World Cup final, last-time winners France will play their fourth. Both teams have won the FIFA World Cup twice in the past with Argentina doing it in 1978 and 1986, whereas, France was crowned champions for the first time in 1998. In 2018 in Russia, they defeated Croatia 4-2 to claim top prize for the second time.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-france-get-a-lucky-break-as-entire-squad-trains-after-virus-setback-544075">FIFA World Cup 2022: France get a lucky break as entire squad trains after virus setback</a></p>

<p>Ahead of the mega-clash where two star-studded teams will lock horns for the ultimate prize in football, let’s have a look at where and when the final match of the FIFA World Cup will be taking place.</p>

<p><strong>Here is everything you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: –</strong></p>

<p><strong>When is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France<strong>&nbsp;</strong>will take place between Argentina and France on 18th December, Sunday.</p>

<p><strong>Where is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.</p>

<p><strong>What time will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France&nbsp;start?</strong></p>

<p>The&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France&nbsp;will start at 18:00 PM local time while the fans in India can watch the live coverage at 20:30 PM IST.</p>

<p><strong>Where can we watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps,&nbsp; and broadcast&nbsp;TV Channel Argentina vs France?</strong></p>

<p>For the fans based out in India, they can watch FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France live on TV on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels, while those who wish to stream online can enjoy watching the clash on JioCinema app.</p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-finals results</strong></p>

<p>While Argentina beat last-time finalists Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final, France handed Morocco its first defeat in this FIFA World Cup 2022 in the second semi with a 2-0 win.</p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France Head-to-Head</strong></p>

<p>Both Argentina and France have met 13 times the past across all competitions; at the FIFA World Cups, this will be their fourth meeting. While Argentina lost their last encounter against France in 2018, they were victorious over the Les Bleus on the first two occasions.</p>

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-final-2022-live-coverage-argentina-vs-france-live-updates-lusail-stadium-ready-for-the-final-showdown-544211"><strong>Follow Live Updates of&nbsp;FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France here</strong></a></h2>


FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar.

FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: The world on Sunday gear up for the biggest sporting event – the final of FIFA World Cup 2022 between France and Argentina in Qatar. The clash everyone was eagerly waiting for is finally upon us as either of Kylian Mbappe or Lionel Messi will be crowned the world champion tonight. While Argentina will be playing their sixth World Cup final, last-time winners France will play their fourth. Both teams have won the FIFA World Cup twice in the past with Argentina doing it in 1978 and 1986, whereas, France was crowned champions for the first time in 1998. In 2018 in Russia, they defeated Croatia 4-2 to claim top prize for the second time. ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2022: France get a lucky break as entire squad trains after virus setback Ahead of the mega-clash where two star-studded teams will lock horns for the ultimate prize in football, let’s have a look at where and when the final match of the FIFA World Cup will be taking place. Here is everything you need to know about FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France: – When is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France? The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place between Argentina and France on 18th December, Sunday. Where is the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France? The final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. What time will the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France start? The FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France will start at 18:00 PM local time while the fans in India can watch the live coverage at 20:30 PM IST. Where can we watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, and broadcast TV Channel Argentina vs France? For the fans based out in India, they can watch FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France live on TV on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels, while those who wish to stream online can enjoy watching the clash on JioCinema app. FIFA World Cup 2022 Semi-finals results While Argentina beat last-time finalists Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final, France handed Morocco its first defeat in this FIFA World Cup 2022 in the second semi with a 2-0 win. FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming apps, Argentina vs France Head-to-Head Both Argentina and France have met 13 times the past across all competitions; at the FIFA World Cups, this will be their fourth meeting. While Argentina lost their last encounter against France in 2018, they were victorious over the Les Bleus on the first two occasions. Follow Live Updates of FIFA World Cup final Argentina vs France here

FIFA World Cup 2022 final live streaming & TV broadcast channel : Watch Argentina vs France online on mobile

<p>The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too.</p>

<p>On Sunday morning, the Indian team beat Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test in Chattogram. KL Rahul, India's stand-in skipper for this game, attended the presser where he was asked to predict&nbsp;the winner of the FIFA World Cup final, and how his team will be watching the mega clash between two former winners France and Argentina.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-2018-world-cup-winner-paul-pogba-wishes-fellow-teammates-good-luck-ahead-of-argentina-clash-544236">WATCH: 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba wishes fellow teammates good luck ahead of Argentina clash</a></p>

<p>Answering to that question, KL said, "Whichever team we were supporting are all out already. There were few Brazil fans, there were few England fans. So, I don't really know who is an Argentina or France supporter, so we'll just enjoy the game. We're watching the game together, and we'll have a good meal.</p>

<p>"Like I said five days after a game is really tiring, so enjoy tonight, watch the game. Final of the World Cup, we all love football. Most of you have seen we're always playing football, before warmups, even back in the room," Rahul added.</p>

<p>Rahul also said players&nbsp;will divided a bit on whom to support in tonight's final, adding&nbsp;that is what the fun factor will be.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"FIFA was big early on but the boys have relaxed a bit, there are other priorities, so it'll be interesting to watch the game today. We will be divided a little bit, that's what make watching sport fun," Rahul concluded.</p>

<p>India, meanwhile, after taking a 1-0 lead in the Test series, will move to Dhaka for the second Test which begins on December 22nd.&nbsp;</p>


The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too.

The final of FIFA World Cup 2022 is about to get underway in a couple of hours at the Lusail Stadium between France and Argentina. While billions of football fans across world will be cheering for either Lionel Messi' Argentina or Kylian Mbappe's France, the Indian cricket team members, who are currently in Bangladesh for the Test series, will be cheering for their favourites too. On Sunday morning, the Indian team beat Bangladesh by 188 runs in the first Test in Chattogram. KL Rahul, India's stand-in skipper for this game, attended the presser where he was asked to predict the winner of the FIFA World Cup final, and how his team will be watching the mega clash between two former winners France and Argentina. ALSO READ: WATCH: 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba wishes fellow teammates good luck ahead of Argentina clash Answering to that question, KL said, "Whichever team we were supporting are all out already. There were few Brazil fans, there were few England fans. So, I don't really know who is an Argentina or France supporter, so we'll just enjoy the game. We're watching the game together, and we'll have a good meal. "Like I said five days after a game is really tiring, so enjoy tonight, watch the game. Final of the World Cup, we all love football. Most of you have seen we're always playing football, before warmups, even back in the room," Rahul added. Rahul also said players will divided a bit on whom to support in tonight's final, adding that is what the fun factor will be. "FIFA was big early on but the boys have relaxed a bit, there are other priorities, so it'll be interesting to watch the game today. We will be divided a little bit, that's what make watching sport fun," Rahul concluded. India, meanwhile, after taking a 1-0 lead in the Test series, will move to Dhaka for the second Test which begins on December 22nd.

Here's how the Indian cricket team will be watching France-Argentina World Cup final

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