<p>The dust is yet to settle on the heroic achievements of Argentina as they lifted&nbsp;the FIFA World Cup&nbsp;2022 by beating&nbsp;France in the final in December. However, the countdown to the next World Cup has already begun as the likes of the USA, Canada and Mexico get ready to host the carnival of football. And one thing that has caught the eye is the expansion of the tournament to a staggering 48 teams which has attracted mixed reviews. As a result big questions have surfaced as&nbsp;FIFA gets ready to address the group stage issue where they are expected to revert to the four-team groups in 2026 showpiece.</p>

<h3><strong>What is on Agenda?</strong></h3>

<p>In 2022, FIFA confirmed the plans for a 48-team tournament over the usual 32 teams as they wanted to earn a larger reach to a worldwide audience. The main agenda of FIFA's meet later this month will be the format of the tournament as they try to revert to the four-team groups which have been in use for a long time. If the reports are true, there will be an expected 12 groups in the tournament and thereby leaving a big question mark on how will the format work for the knockout stage.</p>

<h3><strong>Why four-team groups?</strong></h3>

<p>Currently, a four-team group guarantees a smooth passage in the Knockouts (KO)&nbsp;as teams play even matches while also playing simultaneously on Matchday 3 to avoid handing over a advantage if a qualification scenario is on agenda. In case of three or more odd team groups, the qualification to the KO&nbsp;stage will hand over an advantage to one team in their final group match thereby affecting the integrity of the tournament.</p>

<p>A more structured multiple teams group like six could also work, but will increase the time span of the group stage and therefore affect the broadcasting side of things as less relevant matches will take place over a longer period of time. Surely, fans won't be wanting Zambia vs Bolivia on their TV screens on a weekend in June 2026 and that is what will be on agenda for FIFA when they revert to the four-team group.&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>How will the KO stage work?</strong></h3>

<p>As things stand, the current FIFA World Cup format guarantees an easy passage to the KO stage as teams play in a structured format of Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal and then followed by a final. So with 48 teams likely to be split into 12 groups, it will create a problem in structuring the format as the KO stage will either start with R16 or a Round of 32.</p>

<p>If the R32 is opted by FIFA, then the potential champion will play five matches in the KO's while any team playing in the later stage and getting knocked out will face harsh reality due to the fatigue factor. Also worth noting, FIFA will have to take the Euro KO stage approach to allot the remaining 20 KO spots apart from the 12 group winners to structure the Round of 32.</p>

<p>In case FIFA opts for R16, then only four teams from the runners-up lot of groups will be available for the Round of 16 as 12 other teams will be the group winners. Again this will mean that eight group runners-up teams&nbsp;are likely to miss out on the KO spot.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-27-days-to-go-csk-begins-preparations-as-ms-dhoni-joins-the-camp-schedule-live-streaming-details-568417">IPL 2023, 27 days to go: CSK begins preparations as MS Dhoni joins the camp; Schedule &amp; live-streaming details</a></strong></p>

<h3><strong>What is the best possible plan?</strong></h3>

<p>While a R32 remains an out-of-the-box and unstructured idea, FIFA could go with a revised plan of 12 group winners directly qualifying for the R16. On the flip side of things, the eight best group runners-up will compete in the crossover matches like in Field Hockey. In this case, the eight best group runners-up will compete in an unofficial R32 where the winners will compete in the R16.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While these plans are still in the if's and but's, the fans might well have to end up watching some boring irrelevant games over the weekend of June and July 2026 as the structured plan looks to give entries to teams having less exposure to compete at the global stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the question for the format is set to be answered, other questions like the quality of matches, length of the group stage, the longevity of the tournament&nbsp;and player health and fitness issues remain unanswered. It is also worth keeping an eye on the Television Rated Point (TRP) as TV fans are likely to show their back to big teams facing small teams for a long period of time while big matches are likely to take place occasionally in the group stage. So we are less likely to see Spain vs Portugal match in the&nbsp;group stage as FIFA accelerates its plans to revamp the FIFA World Cup for the 2026 edition which will be spread across three countries while teams will gather to conquer the holy grail of football.</p>


The dust is yet to settle on the heroic achievements of Argentina as they lifted the FIFA World Cup 2022 by beating France in the final in December. However, the countdown to the next World Cup has already begun as the likes of the USA, Canada and Mexico get ready to host the carnival of football.

The dust is yet to settle on the heroic achievements of Argentina as they lifted the FIFA World Cup 2022 by beating France in the final in December. However, the countdown to the next World Cup has already begun as the likes of the USA, Canada and Mexico get ready to host the carnival of football. And one thing that has caught the eye is the expansion of the tournament to a staggering 48 teams which has attracted mixed reviews. As a result big questions have surfaced as FIFA gets ready to address the group stage issue where they are expected to revert to the four-team groups in 2026 showpiece. What is on Agenda? In 2022, FIFA confirmed the plans for a 48-team tournament over the usual 32 teams as they wanted to earn a larger reach to a worldwide audience. The main agenda of FIFA's meet later this month will be the format of the tournament as they try to revert to the four-team groups which have been in use for a long time. If the reports are true, there will be an expected 12 groups in the tournament and thereby leaving a big question mark on how will the format work for the knockout stage. Why four-team groups? Currently, a four-team group guarantees a smooth passage in the Knockouts (KO) as teams play even matches while also playing simultaneously on Matchday 3 to avoid handing over a advantage if a qualification scenario is on agenda. In case of three or more odd team groups, the qualification to the KO stage will hand over an advantage to one team in their final group match thereby affecting the integrity of the tournament. A more structured multiple teams group like six could also work, but will increase the time span of the group stage and therefore affect the broadcasting side of things as less relevant matches will take place over a longer period of time. Surely, fans won't be wanting Zambia vs Bolivia on their TV screens on a weekend in June 2026 and that is what will be on agenda for FIFA when they revert to the four-team group. How will the KO stage work? As things stand, the current FIFA World Cup format guarantees an easy passage to the KO stage as teams play in a structured format of Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal and then followed by a final. So with 48 teams likely to be split into 12 groups, it will create a problem in structuring the format as the KO stage will either start with R16 or a Round of 32. If the R32 is opted by FIFA, then the potential champion will play five matches in the KO's while any team playing in the later stage and getting knocked out will face harsh reality due to the fatigue factor. Also worth noting, FIFA will have to take the Euro KO stage approach to allot the remaining 20 KO spots apart from the 12 group winners to structure the Round of 32. In case FIFA opts for R16, then only four teams from the runners-up lot of groups will be available for the Round of 16 as 12 other teams will be the group winners. Again this will mean that eight group runners-up teams are likely to miss out on the KO spot. ALSO READ | IPL 2023, 27 days to go: CSK begins preparations as MS Dhoni joins the camp; Schedule & live-streaming details What is the best possible plan? While a R32 remains an out-of-the-box and unstructured idea, FIFA could go with a revised plan of 12 group winners directly qualifying for the R16. On the flip side of things, the eight best group runners-up will compete in the crossover matches like in Field Hockey. In this case, the eight best group runners-up will compete in an unofficial R32 where the winners will compete in the R16. While these plans are still in the if's and but's, the fans might well have to end up watching some boring irrelevant games over the weekend of June and July 2026 as the structured plan looks to give entries to teams having less exposure to compete at the global stage. While the question for the format is set to be answered, other questions like the quality of matches, length of the group stage, the longevity of the tournament and player health and fitness issues remain unanswered. It is also worth keeping an eye on the Television Rated Point (TRP) as TV fans are likely to show their back to big teams facing small teams for a long period of time while big matches are likely to take place occasionally in the group stage. So we are less likely to see Spain vs Portugal match in the group stage as FIFA accelerates its plans to revamp the FIFA World Cup for the 2026 edition which will be spread across three countries while teams will gather to conquer the holy grail of football.

EXPLAINED: Decision to switch 2026 FIFA WC format back to 4-team groups could be confirmed later this month

<p>Lionel Messi&nbsp;was named FIFA's Best men's player for 2022, while Barcelona star Alexia Putellas was named the Best FIFA women's player for 2022 at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">MESSI IS THE WINNER OF THE BEST AWARD ❤️🐐 <a href="https://t.co/4pJhMoVCI6">pic.twitter.com/4pJhMoVCI6</a></p>
— Messi Media (@LeoMessiMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoMessiMedia/status/1630321844594294784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On top of the world. 💫<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/alexiaputellas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alexiaputellas</a> has been crowned <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheBest</a> FIFA Women’s Player 2022! <a href="https://t.co/Wtcgg8SUmO">pic.twitter.com/Wtcgg8SUmO</a></p>
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC/status/1630319588788379651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>For Messi, it was the second time he won Best FIFA Men's Player after winning it in 2019, while Barcelona and Spain star Alexia Putellas won the award for the second consecutive year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi beat fellow finalists Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. Putellas won the award over Alex Morgan and Beth Mead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi was expected to win the award after leading Argentina to the World Cup win last year in Qatar, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's "Best Player."&nbsp;The 35-year-old and a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner succeeds Robert Lewandowski on the FIFA honour list.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This award&nbsp;recognises a year in which the former Barcelona star crowned his glorious career&nbsp;by scoring twice in an epic final in Doha where&nbsp;Argentina beat France on penalties despite Mbappe netting a hat-trick for Les Bleus in a remarkable 3-3 draw.</p>

<p>While the 29-year-old led Barcelona to a domestic treble in 2021-2022 before tearing her ACL on the eve of Spain's Euro 2022 campaign. She beat England's European Championship-winning striker Beth Mead and US Star Alex Morgan to add the Fifa crown to the Ballon d'Or despite spending the last second half of 2022 in a serious knee injury. Prior to her injury, she had scored 11 goals on Barcelona's run to the Champions League final, which they lost to Lyon.</p>

<p>This honour was initially inaugurated in 2016 by FIFA after football's governing body split from Ballon d'Or organisers France Football.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This award is voted for by national team coaches and captains, journalists and fans.</p>

<p>(with inputs from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Lionel Messi was named FIFA's Best men's player for 2022, while Barcelona star Alexia Putellas was named the Best FIFA women's player for 2022 at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.

Lionel Messi was named FIFA's Best men's player for 2022, while Barcelona star Alexia Putellas was named the Best FIFA women's player for 2022 at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. MESSI IS THE WINNER OF THE BEST AWARD ❤️🐐 pic.twitter.com/4pJhMoVCI6 — Messi Media (@LeoMessiMedia) February 27, 2023 × On top of the world. 💫 @alexiaputellas has been crowned #TheBest FIFA Women’s Player 2022! pic.twitter.com/Wtcgg8SUmO — FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 27, 2023 × For Messi, it was the second time he won Best FIFA Men's Player after winning it in 2019, while Barcelona and Spain star Alexia Putellas won the award for the second consecutive year. Messi beat fellow finalists Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. Putellas won the award over Alex Morgan and Beth Mead. Messi was expected to win the award after leading Argentina to the World Cup win last year in Qatar, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's "Best Player." The 35-year-old and a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner succeeds Robert Lewandowski on the FIFA honour list. This award recognises a year in which the former Barcelona star crowned his glorious career by scoring twice in an epic final in Doha where Argentina beat France on penalties despite Mbappe netting a hat-trick for Les Bleus in a remarkable 3-3 draw. While the 29-year-old led Barcelona to a domestic treble in 2021-2022 before tearing her ACL on the eve of Spain's Euro 2022 campaign. She beat England's European Championship-winning striker Beth Mead and US Star Alex Morgan to add the Fifa crown to the Ballon d'Or despite spending the last second half of 2022 in a serious knee injury. Prior to her injury, she had scored 11 goals on Barcelona's run to the Champions League final, which they lost to Lyon. This honour was initially inaugurated in 2016 by FIFA after football's governing body split from Ballon d'Or organisers France Football. This award is voted for by national team coaches and captains, journalists and fans. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Lionel Messi and Alexia Putellas win 2022 FIFA 'Best Player' awards

Argentina forward Lionel Messi reacted with joy after winning his seventh FIFA The Best Men's Player of the Year award. Watch his reaction here.

Lionel Messi reacts after winning FIFA The Best Men's Player of the Year award

<p><strong>FIFA Awards 2023 LIVE Streaming:&nbsp;</strong>The FIFA Awards for the year 2023 will take place on Monday, February 27 in Paris, France. Amid the FIFA Gala, Paris Saint- Germain star forwards and Argentine football legend, Lionel Messi is being considered to win FIFA Best Player Award for 2023, as reported by Barca Universal on February 24. During the event, the football governing body will hand out awards to top players for their outstanding achievement achievers in the game from last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from Messi, Real Madrid captain and superstar Karim Benzema is also on the list of probable. Also, the French youth star and PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is also in the running for the FIFA Best Men’s Player Award. People are already hyping over Lionel Messi vs. Kylian Mbappe's clash for the title.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Karim Benzema completed the top three in the voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches. In the Best Women’s Player award, Beth Mead of England, Alex Morgan of the US and Alexia Putellas of Spain are on the shortlist voted for by a separate global voting level.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How to watch the Best FIFA Awards online?</strong></h2>

<p>The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will be live-streamed on FIFA’s official YouTube channel and JioCinema.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How to watch The Best FIFA Awards on Television?</strong></h2>

<p>The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will be aired live on Sports 18 network Television.</p>

<p>Follow here for more: <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/the-best-live-streaming-date-venue-and-all-the-awards">FIFA Awards 2023</a>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>FIFA Awards: Past winners</strong></h2>

<p>Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last year and Mbappe won the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title. However, Messi led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and also won the prestigious Golden Ball. Here is the full list of 2021 winners:</p>

<p>1. The Best FIFA Men's Player: Robert Lewandowski</p>

<p>2. The Best FIFA Women's Player: Alexia Putellas</p>

<p>3. The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy</p>

<p>4. The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Christiane Endler</p>

<p>5. The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Thomas Tuchel</p>

<p>6. The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Emma Hayes</p>

<p>7. The FIFA Puskas Award: Erik Lamela</p>

<p>8. The FIFA Fair Play Award: Denmark National Team and medical staff</p>

<p>9. The FIFA Fan Award: Denmark and Finland Fans</p>

<h2><strong>FIFA Awards 2023 Live Streaming Details&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<h2><strong>Where is FIFA Awards 2022 ceremony taking place?</strong></h2>

<p>The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, February 27 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.</p>

<p>The Best FIFA Football Awards' live streaming will take place for free on FIFA+ from 21:00 CET /20:00 GMT /15:00 ET /12:00 PT on February 27.</p>

<h2><strong>What time will FIFA Awards 2022 ceremony start?</strong></h2>

<p>The start time of the 2022 FIFA Awards ceremony is 1:30 AM IST, on February 28.</p>

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>


FIFA Awards 2023 LIVE Streaming: The FIFA Awards for the year 2023 will take place on Monday, February 27 in Paris, France. Amid the FIFA Gala, Paris Saint- Germain star forwards and Argentine football legend, Lionel Messi is being considered to win FIFA Best Player Award for 2023, as reported by Barca Universal on February 24.

FIFA Awards 2023 LIVE Streaming: The FIFA Awards for the year 2023 will take place on Monday, February 27 in Paris, France. Amid the FIFA Gala, Paris Saint- Germain star forwards and Argentine football legend, Lionel Messi is being considered to win FIFA Best Player Award for 2023, as reported by Barca Universal on February 24. During the event, the football governing body will hand out awards to top players for their outstanding achievement achievers in the game from last year. Apart from Messi, Real Madrid captain and superstar Karim Benzema is also on the list of probable. Also, the French youth star and PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is also in the running for the FIFA Best Men’s Player Award. People are already hyping over Lionel Messi vs. Kylian Mbappe's clash for the title. Karim Benzema completed the top three in the voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches. In the Best Women’s Player award, Beth Mead of England, Alex Morgan of the US and Alexia Putellas of Spain are on the shortlist voted for by a separate global voting level. How to watch the Best FIFA Awards online? The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will be live-streamed on FIFA’s official YouTube channel and JioCinema. How to watch The Best FIFA Awards on Television? The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will be aired live on Sports 18 network Television. Follow here for more: FIFA Awards 2023 FIFA Awards: Past winners Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last year and Mbappe won the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title. However, Messi led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and also won the prestigious Golden Ball. Here is the full list of 2021 winners: 1. The Best FIFA Men's Player: Robert Lewandowski 2. The Best FIFA Women's Player: Alexia Putellas 3. The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy 4. The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Christiane Endler 5. The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Thomas Tuchel 6. The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Emma Hayes 7. The FIFA Puskas Award: Erik Lamela 8. The FIFA Fair Play Award: Denmark National Team and medical staff 9. The FIFA Fan Award: Denmark and Finland Fans FIFA Awards 2023 Live Streaming Details Where is FIFA Awards 2022 ceremony taking place? The 2022 FIFA Football Awards ceremony will take place on Monday, February 27 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. The Best FIFA Football Awards' live streaming will take place for free on FIFA+ from 21:00 CET /20:00 GMT /15:00 ET /12:00 PT on February 27. What time will FIFA Awards 2022 ceremony start? The start time of the 2022 FIFA Awards ceremony is 1:30 AM IST, on February 28.

FIFA Awards 2023 LIVE Streaming: how to watch FIFA awards live on TV, Mobile, Messi, Mbappe among favourites

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<p><strong>FIFA Awards 2023:&nbsp;</strong>Paris will witness The Best FIFA Football Awards on February 28, 2023. Fans are excited to know which player will get the prestigious Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2022. The finalists for the most awaited title in the FIFA Awards 2022 are PSG stars Lionel Messi, Kylian MBappe and Karim Benzema from Real Madrid. Last year, Lionel Messi was in excellent form. He ended the year on a high note. He led Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. On the other hand, Mbappe's France had to face defeat in FIFA World Cup Finals. But his team won the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title with PSG. Moreover, Benzema leads Real Madrid to the La Liga, UEFA Champions League and Club World Cup titles. He also won the Ballon d'Or last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Beth Mead of England, Beth Morgan of the United States and Alexa Putellas of Spain are listed for the Best Women's Player FIFA Award. Here are all the details you need to know about FIFA Awards 2022-23, including the full players' list, awards, date, time, venue, and live streaming details.</p>

<h2><strong>FIFA Awards 2023: Best Player Nominees</strong></h2>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Women's Player:</em></strong></p>

<p>Aitana Bonmatí (Spain / FC Barcelona)</p>

<p>Debinha (Brazil / North Carolina Courage)</p>

<p>Jessie Fleming (Canada / Chelsea FC Women)</p>

<p>Ada Hegerberg (Norway / Olympique Lyonnais)</p>

<p>Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea FC Women)</p>

<p>Beth Mead (England / Arsenal WFC)</p>

<p>Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands / Arsenal WFC)</p>

<p>Alex Morgan (USA / Orlando Pride / San Diego Wave)</p>

<p>Lena Oberdorf (Germany / VfL Wolfsburg)</p>

<p>Alexandra Popp (Germany / VfL Wolfsburg)</p>

<p>Alexia Putellas (Spain / FC Barcelona)</p>

<p>Wendie Renard (France / Olympique Lyonnais)</p>

<p>Keira Walsh (England / Manchester City WFC / FC Barcelona)</p>

<p>Leah Williamson (England / Arsenal WFC)</p>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Men's Player:</em></strong></p>

<p>Julian Alvarez (Argentina / River Plate / Manchester City FC)</p>

<p>Jude Bellingham (England / BV Borussia 09 Dortmund)</p>

<p>Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid CF)</p>

<p>Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City FC)</p>

<p>Erling Haaland (Norway / BV Borussia 09 Dortmund / Manchester City FC)</p>

<p>Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)</p>

<p>Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern Munich/ FC Barcelona)</p>

<p>Sadio Mane (Senegal / Liverpool FC / FC Bayern Munich)</p>

<p>Kylian Mbappe (France / Paris Saint-Germain)</p>

<p>Lionel Messi (Argentina / Paris Saint-Germain)</p>

<p>Luka Modric (Croatia / Real Madrid CF)</p>

<p>Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)</p>

<p>Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool FC)</p>

<p>Vinicius Junior (Brazil / Real Madrid CF)</p>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Women's Coach:</em></strong></p>

<p>Sonia Bompastor (France / Olympique Lyonnais)</p>

<p>Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC Women)</p>

<p>Bev Priestman (England / Canadian National Team)</p>

<p>Pia Sundhage (Sweden / Brazilian National Team)</p>

<p>Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (Germany / German National Team)</p>

<p>Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / English National Team)</p>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Men's Coach:</em></strong></p>

<p>Carlo Ancelotti (Italy / Real Madrid CF)</p>

<p>Didier Deschamps (France / French National Team)</p>

<p>Pep Guardiola (Spain / Manchester City FC)</p>

<p>Walid Regragui (Morocco / Wydad AC / Moroccan National Team)</p>

<p>Lionel Scaloni (Argentina / Argentinian National Team)</p>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper:</em></strong></p>

<p>Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea FC Women)</p>

<p>Mary Earps (England / Manchester United WFC)</p>

<p>Christiane Endler (Chile / Olympique Lyonnais)</p>

<p>Merle Frohms (Germany / Eintracht Frankfurt / VfL Wolfsburg)</p>

<p>Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars)</p>

<p>Sandra Panos Garcia-Villamil (Spain / FC Barcelona)</p>

<p><strong><em>The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper:</em></strong></p>

<p>Álisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC)</p>

<p>Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Sevilla FC)</p>

<p>Thibaut Courtois (Belgium / Real Madrid CF)</p>

<p>Ederson (Brazil / Manchester City FC)</p>

<p>Emiliano Martinez (Argentina / Aston Villa FC)</p>

<h2><strong>FIFA Awards 2023: Date &amp; Time</strong></h2>

<p>The FIFA Football Awards ceremony is on Monday, February 27, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. In India, due to the time difference, the FIFA Awards live streaming will begin at 1:30 AM IST on February 28, 2023.</p>

<h2><strong>FIFA Awards 2023: Live Streaming Details</strong></h2>

<p><strong><em>How can I watch FIFA Awards 2023 live stream on mobile?</em></strong></p>

<p>You can watch 'The Best FIFA Awards 2023' on the official YouTube Channels of FIFA and JioCinema.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><em>How can I watch the live telecast of the FIFA Awards 2023?</em></strong></p>

<p>Sports 18 network will telecast The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023.</p>


FIFA Awards 2023: Paris will witness The Best FIFA Football Awards on February 28, 2023. Fans are excited to know which player will get the prestigious Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2022.

FIFA Awards 2023: Paris will witness The Best FIFA Football Awards on February 28, 2023. Fans are excited to know which player will get the prestigious Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2022. The finalists for the most awaited title in the FIFA Awards 2022 are PSG stars Lionel Messi, Kylian MBappe and Karim Benzema from Real Madrid. Last year, Lionel Messi was in excellent form. He ended the year on a high note. He led Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. On the other hand, Mbappe's France had to face defeat in FIFA World Cup Finals. But his team won the 2021-22 Ligue 1 title with PSG. Moreover, Benzema leads Real Madrid to the La Liga, UEFA Champions League and Club World Cup titles. He also won the Ballon d'Or last year. Beth Mead of England, Beth Morgan of the United States and Alexa Putellas of Spain are listed for the Best Women's Player FIFA Award. Here are all the details you need to know about FIFA Awards 2022-23, including the full players' list, awards, date, time, venue, and live streaming details. FIFA Awards 2023: Best Player Nominees The Best FIFA Women's Player: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain / FC Barcelona) Debinha (Brazil / North Carolina Courage) Jessie Fleming (Canada / Chelsea FC Women) Ada Hegerberg (Norway / Olympique Lyonnais) Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea FC Women) Beth Mead (England / Arsenal WFC) Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands / Arsenal WFC) Alex Morgan (USA / Orlando Pride / San Diego Wave) Lena Oberdorf (Germany / VfL Wolfsburg) Alexandra Popp (Germany / VfL Wolfsburg) Alexia Putellas (Spain / FC Barcelona) Wendie Renard (France / Olympique Lyonnais) Keira Walsh (England / Manchester City WFC / FC Barcelona) Leah Williamson (England / Arsenal WFC) The Best FIFA Men's Player: Julian Alvarez (Argentina / River Plate / Manchester City FC) Jude Bellingham (England / BV Borussia 09 Dortmund) Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid CF) Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City FC) Erling Haaland (Norway / BV Borussia 09 Dortmund / Manchester City FC) Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain) Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern Munich/ FC Barcelona) Sadio Mane (Senegal / Liverpool FC / FC Bayern Munich) Kylian Mbappe (France / Paris Saint-Germain) Lionel Messi (Argentina / Paris Saint-Germain) Luka Modric (Croatia / Real Madrid CF) Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain) Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool FC) Vinicius Junior (Brazil / Real Madrid CF) The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Sonia Bompastor (France / Olympique Lyonnais) Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC Women) Bev Priestman (England / Canadian National Team) Pia Sundhage (Sweden / Brazilian National Team) Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (Germany / German National Team) Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / English National Team) The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (Italy / Real Madrid CF) Didier Deschamps (France / French National Team) Pep Guardiola (Spain / Manchester City FC) Walid Regragui (Morocco / Wydad AC / Moroccan National Team) Lionel Scaloni (Argentina / Argentinian National Team) The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea FC Women) Mary Earps (England / Manchester United WFC) Christiane Endler (Chile / Olympique Lyonnais) Merle Frohms (Germany / Eintracht Frankfurt / VfL Wolfsburg) Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars) Sandra Panos Garcia-Villamil (Spain / FC Barcelona) The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper: Álisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC) Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Sevilla FC) Thibaut Courtois (Belgium / Real Madrid CF) Ederson (Brazil / Manchester City FC) Emiliano Martinez (Argentina / Aston Villa FC) FIFA Awards 2023: Date & Time The FIFA Football Awards ceremony is on Monday, February 27, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. In India, due to the time difference, the FIFA Awards live streaming will begin at 1:30 AM IST on February 28, 2023. FIFA Awards 2023: Live Streaming Details How can I watch FIFA Awards 2023 live stream on mobile? You can watch 'The Best FIFA Awards 2023' on the official YouTube Channels of FIFA and JioCinema. How can I watch the live telecast of the FIFA Awards 2023? Sports 18 network will telecast The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023.

FIFA Awards 2023 Best Player: Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe, Check full players list, ceremony date & time

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<p>Entain, a British betting company has revealed that it made significant gains in revenue due to the Qatar World Cup as customers gambled big time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The company&nbsp;accounted that its pre-tax profits stood between $1.21 billion (£985m) and $1.23 billion (£995m) for the full year. The figure beat Entain's previous estimate of landing anywhere between $1.1 billion (£925m)&nbsp;and $1.20 billion&nbsp;(£975m).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite the initial scepticism, the World Cup in Qatar&nbsp;happened to be one of the most entertaining and thrilling World Cups of all time. Thus, it shouldn't come as a surprise that betting companies made a fortune during the tournament and raked in record profits.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Entain,&nbsp;which also owns Coral and gaming websites said its&nbsp;net gaming revenue rose 12 per cent in the last three months of 2022 when the World Cup took place as the consumer numbers touched record levels.</p>

<p>After the company released its financials, the stock market responded kindly as Entain's shares shot up more than two per cent on the FTSE 100 during Wednesday's trading session.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-reveals-his-instagram-account-was-blocked-after-world-cup-victory-557528"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Lionel Messi reveals his Instagram account was blocked after World Cup victory</strong></a></p>

<p>Alongside Argentina, it was Brazil, England, France and Germany that received the major share of money from the punters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina winning the World Cup was not only a monumental feat for football fans who wanted Lionel Messi -&nbsp;arguably the greatest footballer in history to win the trophy but also for the betting companies, who had dubbed La Albiceleste as the hot favourites.</p>

<p>France and Argentina squared up in the final with both Messi and Kylian Mbappe stepping up for their respective teams. In the end, it was Argentina that prevailed on the penalties to emerge victorious.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While FIFA is yet to release the complete viewership numbers, it is expected that a record number of people watched the quadrennial event which translated into extra millions of dollars for the betting companies.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-messis-argentina-fulfill-the-dream-by-beating-france-on-penalties-in-the-wc-final-544328"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Entain, a British betting company has revealed that it made significant gains in revenue due to the Qatar World Cup as customers gambled big time. The company accounted that its pre-tax profits stood between $1.

Entain, a British betting company has revealed that it made significant gains in revenue due to the Qatar World Cup as customers gambled big time. The company accounted that its pre-tax profits stood between $1.21 billion (£985m) and $1.23 billion (£995m) for the full year. The figure beat Entain's previous estimate of landing anywhere between $1.1 billion (£925m) and $1.20 billion (£975m). Despite the initial scepticism, the World Cup in Qatar happened to be one of the most entertaining and thrilling World Cups of all time. Thus, it shouldn't come as a surprise that betting companies made a fortune during the tournament and raked in record profits. Entain, which also owns Coral and gaming websites said its net gaming revenue rose 12 per cent in the last three months of 2022 when the World Cup took place as the consumer numbers touched record levels. After the company released its financials, the stock market responded kindly as Entain's shares shot up more than two per cent on the FTSE 100 during Wednesday's trading session. Read more: Lionel Messi reveals his Instagram account was blocked after World Cup victory Alongside Argentina, it was Brazil, England, France and Germany that received the major share of money from the punters. Argentina winning the World Cup was not only a monumental feat for football fans who wanted Lionel Messi - arguably the greatest footballer in history to win the trophy but also for the betting companies, who had dubbed La Albiceleste as the hot favourites. France and Argentina squared up in the final with both Messi and Kylian Mbappe stepping up for their respective teams. In the end, it was Argentina that prevailed on the penalties to emerge victorious. While FIFA is yet to release the complete viewership numbers, it is expected that a record number of people watched the quadrennial event which translated into extra millions of dollars for the betting companies. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Not Messi but betting companies emerge as the biggest winners from Qatar World Cup

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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>
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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>

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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>Nearly a month after the epic final of the World Cup in Qatar, football's top governing body,&nbsp;FIFA has opened a disciplinary proceeding against Argentina for 'offensive behaviour'.&nbsp;In a statement on Friday,&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;said the Argentine squad had potentially breached the rules, particularly&nbsp;article 11 (Offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play) and article 12 (misconduct of players and officials) in the aftermath of the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association due to potential breaches of articles 11, 12&nbsp;of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, as well as of article 44 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022," read the official notification.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Argentine side led by Lionel Messi came out on top after battling hard against 2018 champions France. The moment was visceral as well as emotional and the Argentine squad went berserk in celebrations. However, the merrymakings crossed the line, according to FIFA.</p>

<p>According to various media reports, the Argentine players ventured into the official interview area while celebrating. As a result, the partition walls were damaged while some did not bother speaking to international media, despite the commitments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the focal point arguably was the celebration&nbsp;of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The Aston Villa keeper made lewd gestures with the Golden Glove award he received during the post-match ceremony.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When asked why he did such a celebration, Martinez said,&nbsp;"I did it because the French were booing me, pride doesn't go with me."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentinas-emiliano-martinez-explains-reason-behind-his-lewd-gesture-with-fifa-golden-glove-award-544811"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;Argentina's Emiliano Martinez explains reason behind his lewd gesture with FIFA Golden Glove award</strong></a></p>

<p>His celebration was not well received across the footballing community with opposition keeper Hugo Lloris as well as former players like Patrick Viera criticising the action.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I don't think they really needed that. You sometimes can't control people's emotional decisions. But that was a stupid decision, I think, from Martinez to do that. I was really disappointed,” said Vierra.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Argentina's celebrations spilled out of control during the official parade as well.&nbsp;After millions of fans poured into the streets of Buenos Aires, the Argentine players were forced off the bus via a helicopter to a secure location.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-sports-world-champions-argentina-return-home-to-a-rapturous-welcome-544756"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Sports: World champions Argentina return home to a rapturous welcome</strong></a></p>

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<p>Apart from Argentina, FIFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings against Croatia, Serbia, Mexico and Ecuador.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Serbian Football Association has been fined $54,000 and a partial stadium closure in its next FIFA match after Serbian supporters made uncouth chants in the game against arch-rivals Switzerland.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022-may-have-lost-many-battles-but-won-the-war-544566"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022 may have lost many battles but won the war</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Nearly a month after the epic final of the World Cup in Qatar, football's top governing body, FIFA has opened a disciplinary proceeding against Argentina for 'offensive behaviour'.

Nearly a month after the epic final of the World Cup in Qatar, football's top governing body, FIFA has opened a disciplinary proceeding against Argentina for 'offensive behaviour'. In a statement on Friday, FIFA said the Argentine squad had potentially breached the rules, particularly article 11 (Offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play) and article 12 (misconduct of players and officials) in the aftermath of the final. "The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association due to potential breaches of articles 11, 12 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, as well as of article 44 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022," read the official notification. The Argentine side led by Lionel Messi came out on top after battling hard against 2018 champions France. The moment was visceral as well as emotional and the Argentine squad went berserk in celebrations. However, the merrymakings crossed the line, according to FIFA. According to various media reports, the Argentine players ventured into the official interview area while celebrating. As a result, the partition walls were damaged while some did not bother speaking to international media, despite the commitments. However, the focal point arguably was the celebration of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. The Aston Villa keeper made lewd gestures with the Golden Glove award he received during the post-match ceremony. When asked why he did such a celebration, Martinez said, "I did it because the French were booing me, pride doesn't go with me." Read more: Argentina's Emiliano Martinez explains reason behind his lewd gesture with FIFA Golden Glove award His celebration was not well received across the footballing community with opposition keeper Hugo Lloris as well as former players like Patrick Viera criticising the action. “I don't think they really needed that. You sometimes can't control people's emotional decisions. But that was a stupid decision, I think, from Martinez to do that. I was really disappointed,” said Vierra. Argentina's celebrations spilled out of control during the official parade as well. After millions of fans poured into the streets of Buenos Aires, the Argentine players were forced off the bus via a helicopter to a secure location. WATCH | WION Sports: World champions Argentina return home to a rapturous welcome × Apart from Argentina, FIFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings against Croatia, Serbia, Mexico and Ecuador. The Serbian Football Association has been fined $54,000 and a partial stadium closure in its next FIFA match after Serbian supporters made uncouth chants in the game against arch-rivals Switzerland. Read more: FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022 may have lost many battles but won the war (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Argentina for World Cup celebrations

<p>Saudi Arabia's first&nbsp;female&nbsp;international&nbsp;referee&nbsp;was appointed by&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;on Thursday, less than a year after the conservative kingdom's national women's team made its debut. Anoud Al-Asmari's international badge is the latest in a series of steps in football by the oil-rich Saudis, who have lured 37-year-old great Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League and are mulling a World Cup co-hosting bid.</p>

<p>"I am happy to be the first Saudi&nbsp;female&nbsp;referee&nbsp;to receive the international badge in the history of Saudi sports," Asmari, one of eight Saudis on the international panel announced by the world body, told AFP. Asked how she would feel about officiating a men's game, Asmari, 34, said she wouldn't give it any thought until it was approved by the Saudi FA. Despite Saudi Arabia's renowned conservatism, opportunities have started to open up in women's sport, including a women's football league that started in November 2021.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/buffalo-bills-damar-hamlin-has-been-able-to-awaken-and-communicate-reveal-doctors-549912">Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin has been able to awaken and communicate, reveal doctors</a></strong></p>

<p>The first Saudi women's national team, coached by German veteran Monica Stapp, beat the Seychelles 2-0 in their maiden official match last February. Saudi Arabia, whose neighbour Qatar hosted the World Cup in November and December, has applied to hold the Women's Asian Cup in 2026 and is the sole bidder for the men's version in 2027. It is also considering a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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Saudi Arabia's first female international referee was appointed by FIFA on Thursday, less than a year after the conservative kingdom's national women's team made its debut.

Saudi Arabia's first female international referee was appointed by FIFA on Thursday, less than a year after the conservative kingdom's national women's team made its debut. Anoud Al-Asmari's international badge is the latest in a series of steps in football by the oil-rich Saudis, who have lured 37-year-old great Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League and are mulling a World Cup co-hosting bid. "I am happy to be the first Saudi female referee to receive the international badge in the history of Saudi sports," Asmari, one of eight Saudis on the international panel announced by the world body, told AFP. Asked how she would feel about officiating a men's game, Asmari, 34, said she wouldn't give it any thought until it was approved by the Saudi FA. Despite Saudi Arabia's renowned conservatism, opportunities have started to open up in women's sport, including a women's football league that started in November 2021. Also read: Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin has been able to awaken and communicate, reveal doctors The first Saudi women's national team, coached by German veteran Monica Stapp, beat the Seychelles 2-0 in their maiden official match last February. Saudi Arabia, whose neighbour Qatar hosted the World Cup in November and December, has applied to hold the Women's Asian Cup in 2026 and is the sole bidder for the men's version in 2027. It is also considering a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Anoud Al-Asmari creates history, becomes first Saudi woman referee to receive FIFA badge

<p>FIFA&nbsp;said Pele was simply "immortal" after the Brazil legend, named by world football's governing body as the greatest player of the 20th century, died on Thursday aged 82. "For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele,"&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. "Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pele, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity." Pele is the only footballer to have won three&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;World Cups. He was just 17 when he won with Brazil in Sweden in 1958. Pele won the World Cup again in Chile in 1962, despite being forced out of much of the tournament due to injury.</p>

<p>He lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy for the third and final time in Mexico in 1970. "Pele: immortal -- forever with us,"&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;said on its website. Infantino said Pele was unique, as he sent his condolences to his family, Brazil and all football fans. "His skill and imagination were incomparable. Pele did things that no other player would even dream of," Infantino said. "Most importantly, 'The King' rose the throne with a smile on his face. Football could be brutal in those days, and Pele was often on the receiving end of some rough treatment. "But, while he knew how to stand up for himself, he was always an exemplary sportsman, with genuine respect for his opponents."</p>

<p>Infantino added: "Pele had a magnetic presence and, when you were with him, the rest of the world stopped. His life is about more than football. He changed perceptions for the better in Brazil, in South America and across the world."</p>

<p>FIFA&nbsp;noted that he was the youngest-ever world champion -- not to mention the youngest scorer, youngest hat-trick scorer, youngest finalist and youngest player to score in a final in World Cup history. Former&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;president Sepp Blatter, who led world football's governing body from 1998 to 2015, called Pele the greatest player ever.</p>

<p>"The world mourns the greatest footballer in history and a wonderful personality. He celebrated the game like no other," Blatter said on Twitter. "Dear Pele, I am immensely sad and honour you and your life's work. My sincere condolences to your family and friends." Meanwhile European football's governing body UEFA praised Pele for his part in football's popularity. "He was the first global superstar of the game. Rest in peace, Pele."</p>


FIFA said Pele was simply "immortal" after the Brazil legend, named by world football's governing body as the greatest player of the 20th century, died on Thursday aged 82.

FIFA said Pele was simply "immortal" after the Brazil legend, named by world football's governing body as the greatest player of the 20th century, died on Thursday aged 82. "For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. "Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pele, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity." Pele is the only footballer to have won three FIFA World Cups. He was just 17 when he won with Brazil in Sweden in 1958. Pele won the World Cup again in Chile in 1962, despite being forced out of much of the tournament due to injury. He lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy for the third and final time in Mexico in 1970. "Pele: immortal -- forever with us," FIFA said on its website. Infantino said Pele was unique, as he sent his condolences to his family, Brazil and all football fans. "His skill and imagination were incomparable. Pele did things that no other player would even dream of," Infantino said. "Most importantly, 'The King' rose the throne with a smile on his face. Football could be brutal in those days, and Pele was often on the receiving end of some rough treatment. "But, while he knew how to stand up for himself, he was always an exemplary sportsman, with genuine respect for his opponents." Infantino added: "Pele had a magnetic presence and, when you were with him, the rest of the world stopped. His life is about more than football. He changed perceptions for the better in Brazil, in South America and across the world." FIFA noted that he was the youngest-ever world champion -- not to mention the youngest scorer, youngest hat-trick scorer, youngest finalist and youngest player to score in a final in World Cup history. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who led world football's governing body from 1998 to 2015, called Pele the greatest player ever. "The world mourns the greatest footballer in history and a wonderful personality. He celebrated the game like no other," Blatter said on Twitter. "Dear Pele, I am immensely sad and honour you and your life's work. My sincere condolences to your family and friends." Meanwhile European football's governing body UEFA praised Pele for his part in football's popularity. "He was the first global superstar of the game. Rest in peace, Pele."

Pele 'immortal', says football's ruling body FIFA following Brazil legend's demise

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

Football's governing body FIFA has opened investigation into a security and protocol breach at the end of the World Cup final in Qatar. This comes after the celebrity chef Salt Bae was filmed harassing players from the Argentina team including Lionel Messi.

FIFA probes celebrity chef Salt Bae as he broke World Cup protocols

<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>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></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 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?

<p>FIFA are investigating how celebrity chef Salt Bae gained "undue access" to the pitch after the World Cup final where he enthusiastically posed for photos with surprised Argentina players including a bemused and irritated Lionel Messi.</p>

<p>Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gokce, was pictured holding and kissing the trophy after Argentina beat France in Sunday's final in Qatar. The Turkish entrepreneur was widely criticised for twice grabbing the arm of Messi, who tried to sidestep the unwanted attention. He was also photographed with Angel di Maria, Lisandro Martinez and even seen sinking his teeth into another player's medal.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-celebrations-begin-in-argentina-as-world-cup-heroes-land-in-buenos-aires-544769">In pics | Celebrations begin in Argentina as World cup heroes land in Buenos Aires</a></strong></p>

<p>FIFA rules state the World Cup trophy can only be held by the tournament winners and the likes of FIFA officials and heads of state. "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 the BBC. "The appropriate internal action will be taken."</p>

<p>Salt Bae, 39, owns a chain of luxury restaurants around the world including Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and London's swish Knightsbridge. His technique for preparing and seasoning meat has become an internet meme. Earlier in the World Cup, he posted a video of himself at a match sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.</p>

<p><strong>Banned from US Open Cup Final</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/opencup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@opencup</a> Final</p>
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) <a href="https://twitter.com/opencup/status/1605335927517286400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Following the commotion caused by Salt Bae in the FIFA WC final, he has been banned from 2023 US Open Cup final. The tournament was founded&nbsp;in 1914 and&nbsp;is the oldest and most prestigious soccer tournament in America.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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FIFA are investigating how celebrity chef Salt Bae gained "undue access" to the pitch after the World Cup final where he enthusiastically posed for photos with surprised Argentina players including a bemused and irritated Lionel Messi.

FIFA are investigating how celebrity chef Salt Bae gained "undue access" to the pitch after the World Cup final where he enthusiastically posed for photos with surprised Argentina players including a bemused and irritated Lionel Messi. Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gokce, was pictured holding and kissing the trophy after Argentina beat France in Sunday's final in Qatar. The Turkish entrepreneur was widely criticised for twice grabbing the arm of Messi, who tried to sidestep the unwanted attention. He was also photographed with Angel di Maria, Lisandro Martinez and even seen sinking his teeth into another player's medal. Also read: In pics | Celebrations begin in Argentina as World cup heroes land in Buenos Aires FIFA rules state the World Cup trophy can only be held by the tournament winners and the likes of FIFA officials and heads of state. "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 the BBC. "The appropriate internal action will be taken." Salt Bae, 39, owns a chain of luxury restaurants around the world including Beverly Hills in Los Angeles and London's swish Knightsbridge. His technique for preparing and seasoning meat has become an internet meme. Earlier in the World Cup, he posted a video of himself at a match sitting alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Banned from US Open Cup Final Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 @opencup Final — U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) December 20, 2022 × Following the commotion caused by Salt Bae in the FIFA WC final, he has been banned from 2023 US Open Cup final. The tournament was founded in 1914 and is the oldest and most prestigious soccer tournament in America. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

FIFA probes celebrity chef Salt Bae’s ‘undue access’ to pitch at Argentina-France World Cup final

<p>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.</p>

<p>Millions of fans gathered in 30-kilometre planned parade routes in the capital, making it difficult for the bus carrying players to move&nbsp;forward on the streets. According to local estimates, around four to five million people lined up on the streets to see their heroes in flesh after their victory over France in the World Cup final.</p>

<p>"The World Champions are flying over the parade route in helicopters because it was impossible to continue on the ground due to the explosion of popular joy," presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti said on Twitter.</p>

<p>Videos surfacing on social media showed fans jumping onto the top deck of the bus at one point when it passed underneath a bridge.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Argentina team is currently flying over Buenos Aires by helicopter as it got impossible for the bus to proceed across the wall of 4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STREET!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://t.co/59lghdLVy1">pic.twitter.com/59lghdLVy1</a></p>
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) <a href="https://twitter.com/tancredipalmeri/status/1605276978046767104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The largest congregation was witnessed at the iconic Obelisk monument in the centre of Buenos Aires that has for decades been the epicentre of sporting celebrations, reports AFP news agency.</p>

<p>The president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia, blamed the police for the decision to abandon the bus tour.</p>

<p>"They are not allowing us to go and greet all the people at the Obelisk. The same security agencies that escorted us are not allowing us to continue. Thousands of apologies in the name of all the champion players. It's a shame," said Tapia on Twitter.</p>

<p>The team arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning from Qatar and left the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex on the 30-kilometre journey to the centre of the capital at 11:45 local time (14:45 GMT).</p>

<p>Their parade was supposed to conclude at the capital city's iconic Obelisk monument.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE: </strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


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’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. Millions of fans gathered in 30-kilometre planned parade routes in the capital, making it difficult for the bus carrying players to move forward on the streets. According to local estimates, around four to five million people lined up on the streets to see their heroes in flesh after their victory over France in the World Cup final. "The World Champions are flying over the parade route in helicopters because it was impossible to continue on the ground due to the explosion of popular joy," presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti said on Twitter. Videos surfacing on social media showed fans jumping onto the top deck of the bus at one point when it passed underneath a bridge. Argentina team is currently flying over Buenos Aires by helicopter as it got impossible for the bus to proceed across the wall of 4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STREET! pic.twitter.com/59lghdLVy1 — Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) December 20, 2022 × The largest congregation was witnessed at the iconic Obelisk monument in the centre of Buenos Aires that has for decades been the epicentre of sporting celebrations, reports AFP news agency. The president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia, blamed the police for the decision to abandon the bus tour. "They are not allowing us to go and greet all the people at the Obelisk. The same security agencies that escorted us are not allowing us to continue. Thousands of apologies in the name of all the champion players. It's a shame," said Tapia on Twitter. The team arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning from Qatar and left the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex on the 30-kilometre journey to the centre of the capital at 11:45 local time (14:45 GMT). Their parade was supposed to conclude at the capital city's iconic Obelisk monument. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Argentina forced to abandon World Cup victory parade as millions choke the route

The FIFA World Cup has ended and the world has its new football champions - Argentina. Moreover, the tournament has its dream finals, a match that is being called as one of the greatest-ever. But how did the players and officials came to Qatar? They arrived in big jets and every such step meant adding emissions bit by bit.

WION Climate Tracker: A carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup?

WION Climate Tracker: A carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup? | English News

Heroes welcome for Messi & Co. is being witnessed as they arrive in Buenos Aires after winning the FIFA World Cup. Lionel Messi-led Argentina national football team beat France to lift the World Cup in Qatar.

Homecoming: National holiday declared in Argentina after the massive FIFA World Cup victory

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>
</blockquote>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<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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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/argentina-deserved-to-win-the-match-says-argentine-envoy-to-india-hugo-javier-gobbi-544456/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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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?

Heroes welcome for Messi & Co. as they arrive in Buenos Aires after winning the FIFA World Cup

From Bollywood stars to presidents to sports legends, this FIFA World Cup 2022 finale was attended by many big names. The match between France and Argentina had everyone on the edge of their seat as the match which started with a low-key turned out to be one of the greatest ever in the history of the World Cup.

From Bollywood stars to presidents to sports legends, this FIFA World Cup 2022 finale was attended by many big names. The match between France and Argentina had everyone on the edge of their seat as the match which started with a low-key turned out to be one of the greatest ever in the history of the World Cup. Argentina emerged glorious finishing the drought of 36 years. Here is the list of big celebs who attended the big game. Deepika Padukone Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone unveiled the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy on Sunday clash between Argentina and France. Deepika expressed gratitude for getting the honour to unveil the trophy which ultimately landed in Messi's hands after the phenomenal match last night. Taking to Instagram, Deepika wrote, "From unveiling the FIFA World Cup Trophy to witnessing one of the greatest games in sporting history, I truly couldn’t have asked for more…." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) × Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan along with the legend Wayne Rooney did his signature pose during the pre-match show between France and Argentina at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The internet was abuzz with the videos and images of Shah Rukh Khan doing the pose. The Badshah of Bollywood could not keep calm while expressing his love for Messi which was evident from his Twitter session 'AskSRK'. A fan asked who are you supporting in the world Cup final tomorrow where Shah Rukh replied, "Arre yaar the heart says Messi no?? But Mbappa is a treat to watch also." Shah Rukh Khan is currently busy promoting his film 'Pathaan'. We are living in the time of one of the best World Cup Finals ever. I remember watching WC with my mom on a small tv….now the same excitement with my kids!! And thank u #Messi for making us all believe in talent, hard work & dreams!! — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 18, 2022 × Haaye such a baby he is @iamsrk #FIFAFinalWithPathaan pic.twitter.com/uqvksP2idK — Z̴A̴A̴R̴A̴✨ (@SRKsZaara) December 18, 2022 × Nora Fatehi Nora Fatehi gave a stunning performance at the FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony where she sang 'Light The Sky'. She also joined the likes of Balqees, an Emirati singer, Manal, a Moroccon pop singer and Rahma Riad, an Iraqi singer. Nora had performed earlier as well on during FIFA World Cup opening ceremony where the Bollywood sensation pulled off glamorous dance numbers on popular songs such as O Saki Saki. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nora Fatehi (@norafatehi) × David Beckham England football legend David Beckham also marked his presence during FIFA World Cup 2022 finals between France and Argentina. Beckham shared selfie pictures of himself with his son. View this post on Instagram A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) × Elon Musk Twitter CEO Elon Musk posted a plethora of updates on his Twitter account about the nail-bitting clash between France and Argentina. Musk was seen shaking his hands with everybody at lusail stadium in Doha. At World Cup right now pic.twitter.com/CG7zMMxSjE — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2022 × Elon musk came to watch fifa final at lusail stadium🤩👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/o6iIPncbKq — Gokul5 (@Gokul5_) December 18, 2022 × Ravi Shastri Indian actor Ranveer Singh and cricket legend Ravi Shastri were also present at the stadium. Shastri shared a video of himself and Ranveer from the stands where they were seen exhilarated with joy upon attending the big event in Doha. I don't know what to say... @RanveerOfficial 🤗 #FIFAWorldCup #ArgentinaVsFrance #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/lRUN4MG5ve — Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) December 18, 2022 × French President Emmanuel Macron French President Emmanuel Macron cheered his heart out for Mbappe and France. Macron also decorated the France team for their extraordinary performance on the pitch alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at Lusail Stadium, Doha. Musk was also seen consoling Mbappe after France's massive defeat against Argentina. A #FIFAWorldCup journey to be proud of. Thank you to the @equipedefrance team and fans for playing a fantastic part at #Qatar2022. pic.twitter.com/5FVKYEaEsf — FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) December 18, 2022 × Mollywood stars Mohanlal and Mammootty Kerala’s film industry, the Mollywood, was represented by its superstars as the likes of Mohanlal and Mammootty marked their presence. At Lusail Stadium, joining the world to witness the clash of the titans and partake in the world's favourite madness! Awaiting a phenomenal and entertaining game from the bests, just like you all!#FIFAWorldCup #ArgentinaVsFrance pic.twitter.com/3t3g26YVor — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) December 18, 2022 × Witnessing the biggest sporting spectacle ! What an atmosphere..What a moment !!#FIFAWorldCup #ArgentinaVsFrance pic.twitter.com/MJAzPoQ6Es — Mammootty (@mammukka) December 18, 2022 × Apart from them many other Bollywood stars and celebrities also attended the FIFA World Cup 2022 finale.

FIFA World Cup Final Highlights: From Shah Rukh Khan to Elon Musk, 9 big names who attended FIFA WC final

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidYeDTHKaD93Nz" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><strong>FIFA World Cup 2022&nbsp;Prize Money:&nbsp;</strong>A whopping $440 million has been set aside for distribution among the 32 competing teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Winner Argentina&nbsp;and runners-up France will receive the highest payouts, totaling $72 million in winnings. The grand finale of the FIFA World Cup 2022 was won by Argentina on Sunday,&nbsp;and they will be getting a cash prize worth $42 million. On the other hand, prize money of $30 million is set aside for the runner-up team France. According to reports, each team will receive at least $9 million in prize money, with the amount increasing after each round. In total, the FIFA authorities have announced a total prize pool of $440 million for the participating teams.</p>

<h2><strong>How much money will FIFA teams earn by playing in the World Cup?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Every team in the Round of 16 will receive $13 million in prize money. The prize money in the quarterfinals will be $17 million per team. The fourth-place team, Morocco&nbsp;will be awarded $25 million, while the third-place team Croatia will be awarded $27 million. The prize money is, of course, distributed on top of the salaries the players receive.</p>

<h2><strong>How much money will be given to each team playing in FIFA World Cup?</strong></h2>

<p>Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, and England will each receive $17 million for reaching the quarter-finals. The United States, Senegal, Australia, Poland, Spain, Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea will each receive $13 million for reaching the round of 16. In addition, Qatar, Ecuador, Wales, Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Tunisia, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Costa Rica, Serbia, Cameroon, Ghana, and Uruguay will each receive $9 million for their participation in the group stages.</p>

<h2><strong>Total Prize money for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup:</strong></h2>

<table width="509">
	<colgroup>
		<col width="84" />
		<col width="75" />
		<col width="81" />
		<col width="143" />
		<col width="126" />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" width="84">Stage</td>
			<td width="75">Dollars($)</td>
			<td width="81">INR/Rupees</td>
			<td width="143">GBP/Pounds</td>
			<td width="126">South African Rands</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">Argentina</td>
			<td>$42 million</td>
			<td>347 crore</td>
			<td>34 million pounds</td>
			<td>723.7 million rands</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">France</td>
			<td>$30 million</td>
			<td>248 crore</td>
			<td>24.3 million pounds</td>
			<td>517.21 million rands</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">Croatia</td>
			<td>$27 million</td>
			<td>&nbsp;223 crore</td>
			<td>21.87 million pounds</td>
			<td>465.5 million rands</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">Morocco</td>
			<td>$25 million</td>
			<td>206 crore</td>
			<td>20.25 millions pounds</td>
			<td>431.3 million rands</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


FIFA World Cup 2022 Prize Money: A whopping $440 million has been set aside for distribution among the 32 competing teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Winner Argentina and runners-up France will receive the highest payouts, totaling $72 million in winnings.

FIFA World Cup 2022 Prize Money: A whopping $440 million has been set aside for distribution among the 32 competing teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Winner Argentina and runners-up France will receive the highest payouts, totaling $72 million in winnings. The grand finale of the FIFA World Cup 2022 was won by Argentina on Sunday, and they will be getting a cash prize worth $42 million. On the other hand, prize money of $30 million is set aside for the runner-up team France. According to reports, each team will receive at least $9 million in prize money, with the amount increasing after each round. In total, the FIFA authorities have announced a total prize pool of $440 million for the participating teams. How much money will FIFA teams earn by playing in the World Cup? Every team in the Round of 16 will receive $13 million in prize money. The prize money in the quarterfinals will be $17 million per team. The fourth-place team, Morocco will be awarded $25 million, while the third-place team Croatia will be awarded $27 million. The prize money is, of course, distributed on top of the salaries the players receive. How much money will be given to each team playing in FIFA World Cup? Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, and England will each receive $17 million for reaching the quarter-finals. The United States, Senegal, Australia, Poland, Spain, Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea will each receive $13 million for reaching the round of 16. In addition, Qatar, Ecuador, Wales, Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Tunisia, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Costa Rica, Serbia, Cameroon, Ghana, and Uruguay will each receive $9 million for their participation in the group stages. Total Prize money for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup: Stage Dollars($) INR/Rupees GBP/Pounds South African Rands Argentina $42 million 347 crore 34 million pounds 723.7 million rands France $30 million 248 crore 24.3 million pounds 517.21 million rands Croatia $27 million 223 crore 21.87 million pounds 465.5 million rands Morocco $25 million 206 crore 20.25 millions pounds 431.3 million rands

FIFA World Cup 2022 prize money: Winner Argentina will get this much money after winning the World Cup

Argentina defeated France to win the championship trophy, bringing an end to the FIFA World Cup 2022. After 90 minutes of play, the score was at 2-2. However, in the 108th minute, Lionel Messi scored to give Argentina a 3-2 lead, and two minutes before the end of extra time, Kylian Mbappe completed his hat-trick.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Argentina beat France to lift the trophy

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

<p>The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years. While the finale was thrilling, the entirety of the tournament was no different with several top talents coming to the fore and old stalwarts turning back the clock.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the incredible array of talent at display, it was only inevitable that WION's sports team made its&nbsp;World Cup XI. However, it is to be noted that the dynamics of the individual players&nbsp;may not necessarily be great for the XI enlisted below. The XI&nbsp;is purely based on players that had an exceptional tournament in their respective positions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>(4-3-3&nbsp;formation)</strong></p>

<p><strong>Goalkeeper: </strong>Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper)</p>

<p><strong>Defenders: </strong>Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Ibrahima Konate (France), Theo Hernandez (France)<br />
<br />
<strong>Midfielders: </strong>Jude Bellingham (England), Antoine Griezzmann (France); Luka Modric (Croatia)</p>

<p><strong>Forwards: </strong>Lionel Messi (Argentina) Kylian Mbappe (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina)</p>

<p><strong>Manager: </strong>Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)</p>

<p><img alt="WION's World Cup XI" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ecacc85e-2200-4860-b063-38c58fad077f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/lineup%20%281%29.png" /></p>

<p><strong>Manager/Coach</strong></p>

<p>Morocco coach Walid&nbsp;Regragui could have easily made it as the manager of the squad but was pipped by Louis van Gaal by a tiny fraction. The Dutch showed exemplary tactical fluidity when chasing the game against Argentina that tipped the scales in his favour. van Gaal put Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong into the XI and used their aerial prowess to inflict a stunning comeback.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Formation</strong></p>

<p>We have gone with a 4-3-3&nbsp;formation which is flexible as it allows Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament to loiter anywhere in the middle and do what he does best. Essentially, in possession, it becomes a 4-4-2&nbsp;with Alvarez and Mbappe as the top two with the likes of Messi and Griezzmann feeding them.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Goalkeeper</strong></p>

<p>Emiliano Martinez was a no-brainer in the goalpost after he carried his team through two penalty shootouts in the tournament. Prior to the final's penalty shootout, Martinez pulled off a miraculous save in the dying seconds of extra time to save the Argentines a massive heartache. For his shot-stopping ability and decent sweeping technique, Martinez makes the cut.</p>

<p>Alternatives: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia),&nbsp;Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and&nbsp;Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) were the other options that could have easily walked into the XI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unmissable-argentina-captain-lionel-messis-table-dance-with-fifa-world-cup-trophy-goes-viral-watch-544444"><strong>WATCH | UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Defenders</strong></p>

<p>The back four was one of the preferred options by managers in the World Cup. The two central defenders flanked by the wing-backs who liked to push up the pitch was&nbsp;a strategy that reaped rich dividends.</p>

<p>In the playing XI, the backline is being marshalled by Josko Gvardiol, one of the brightest prospects to come out of the tournament and Ibrahima Konate.</p>

<p>The Liverpool defender may not have got as much game time as he would have liked but he was a Rolls Royce of a defender whenever he was given the opportunity. His shift in the semifinals was one of the reasons why France reached the final.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To the right of Konate we have Morocco's Achraf Hakimi who had an extra set of lungs on him throughout the World Cup. Though Morocco focused on defensive solidity at the back where Hakimi had to concentrate most of his focus, his offensive output was worth nothing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The left fullback position is occupied by Theo Hernandez. The AC Milan defender is one of the most talented left-backs in the world, if not the best. Hernandez likes staying high up during the attacking phases and make underlapping and overlapping runs through the winger.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Dayot Upamecano (France), John Stones (England), Roman Saiss (Morocco), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands)</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-messis-argentina-fulfill-the-dream-by-beating-france-on-penalties-in-the-wc-final-544328"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Midfielders</strong></p>

<p>The engine room of our playing XI is being led by 35-year-old Luka Modric who carried his team to yet another podium finish at the World Cup. Age appears to have not caught up with the Croatian maestro who alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic formed one of the most lethal midfield trios of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>England's 19-year-old Jude Bellingham is the obvious choice for the other spot as the teenage sensation lit up the WC with his physicality, ball progression and creativity. And when needed, the Borussia Dortmund player did not shy away from doing the dirty work.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The last piece of machinery in the midfield is Antoine Griezmann who quietly had one of the best tournaments. He was involved in nearly every major moment for the French side during their journey to the final. The freedom given by Didier Deschamps to him to loiter anywhere in the midfield allowed the creator in Griezmann to come to the fore.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofyan Amrbat (Morocco), Casemiro (Brazil), Mateo Kovacic (Croatia)</p>

<p><strong>Forwards:</strong></p>

<p>The attacking trio picked itself as their performances demanded an almost certain selection. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winners respectively had a standout tournament. They both pulled their team out of the hard moments single-handedly and lit up the WC on their own. Joining them is Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who managed to bag four goals in the tournament and prove his mettle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alternatives: Olivier Giroud (France), Ferran Torres (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil)</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years.

The 26-day grand spectacle of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar reached its fitting climax on Sunday night. Argentina overcame France, the defending champions to lay their hands on the WC silverware after a long, arduous wait of 36 years. While the finale was thrilling, the entirety of the tournament was no different with several top talents coming to the fore and old stalwarts turning back the clock. With the incredible array of talent at display, it was only inevitable that WION's sports team made its World Cup XI. However, it is to be noted that the dynamics of the individual players may not necessarily be great for the XI enlisted below. The XI is purely based on players that had an exceptional tournament in their respective positions. (4-3-3 formation) Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper) Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Ibrahima Konate (France), Theo Hernandez (France) Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (England), Antoine Griezzmann (France); Luka Modric (Croatia) Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina) Kylian Mbappe (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina) Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands) Manager/Coach Morocco coach Walid Regragui could have easily made it as the manager of the squad but was pipped by Louis van Gaal by a tiny fraction. The Dutch showed exemplary tactical fluidity when chasing the game against Argentina that tipped the scales in his favour. van Gaal put Wout Weghorst and Luuk de Jong into the XI and used their aerial prowess to inflict a stunning comeback. Formation We have gone with a 4-3-3 formation which is flexible as it allows Lionel Messi, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament to loiter anywhere in the middle and do what he does best. Essentially, in possession, it becomes a 4-4-2 with Alvarez and Mbappe as the top two with the likes of Messi and Griezzmann feeding them. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was a no-brainer in the goalpost after he carried his team through two penalty shootouts in the tournament. Prior to the final's penalty shootout, Martinez pulled off a miraculous save in the dying seconds of extra time to save the Argentines a massive heartache. For his shot-stopping ability and decent sweeping technique, Martinez makes the cut. Alternatives: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia), Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) were the other options that could have easily walked into the XI. WATCH | UNMISSABLE! Argentina captain Lionel Messi's table dance with FIFA World Cup trophy goes viral Defenders The back four was one of the preferred options by managers in the World Cup. The two central defenders flanked by the wing-backs who liked to push up the pitch was a strategy that reaped rich dividends. In the playing XI, the backline is being marshalled by Josko Gvardiol, one of the brightest prospects to come out of the tournament and Ibrahima Konate. The Liverpool defender may not have got as much game time as he would have liked but he was a Rolls Royce of a defender whenever he was given the opportunity. His shift in the semifinals was one of the reasons why France reached the final. To the right of Konate we have Morocco's Achraf Hakimi who had an extra set of lungs on him throughout the World Cup. Though Morocco focused on defensive solidity at the back where Hakimi had to concentrate most of his focus, his offensive output was worth nothing. The left fullback position is occupied by Theo Hernandez. The AC Milan defender is one of the most talented left-backs in the world, if not the best. Hernandez likes staying high up during the attacking phases and make underlapping and overlapping runs through the winger. Alternatives: Dayot Upamecano (France), John Stones (England), Roman Saiss (Morocco), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands) Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Mesmerising Messi’s Argentina fulfill the dream by beating France on penalties in final Midfielders The engine room of our playing XI is being led by 35-year-old Luka Modric who carried his team to yet another podium finish at the World Cup. Age appears to have not caught up with the Croatian maestro who alongside Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic formed one of the most lethal midfield trios of the tournament. England's 19-year-old Jude Bellingham is the obvious choice for the other spot as the teenage sensation lit up the WC with his physicality, ball progression and creativity. And when needed, the Borussia Dortmund player did not shy away from doing the dirty work. The last piece of machinery in the midfield is Antoine Griezmann who quietly had one of the best tournaments. He was involved in nearly every major moment for the French side during their journey to the final. The freedom given by Didier Deschamps to him to loiter anywhere in the midfield allowed the creator in Griezmann to come to the fore. Alternatives: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofyan Amrbat (Morocco), Casemiro (Brazil), Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) Forwards: The attacking trio picked itself as their performances demanded an almost certain selection. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Golden Ball and Golden Boot winners respectively had a standout tournament. They both pulled their team out of the hard moments single-handedly and lit up the WC on their own. Joining them is Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who managed to bag four goals in the tournament and prove his mettle. Alternatives: Olivier Giroud (France), Ferran Torres (Spain), Bukayo Saka (England), Richarlison (Brazil) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WION's FIFA World Cup 2022 best XI: Which players made the first team?

The 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar has broken new ground as it becomes a World Cup of many firsts. From extreme weather to debuts, it witnessed it all. Watch report.

The 2022 WC breaks new ground as it becomes a World Cup of many firsts

<p>Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a global peace summit this winter in a video message recorded just ahead of FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France.&nbsp;Zelensky hoped that his message would be played during FIFA World Cup final but it was not.</p>

<p>CNN reported on Friday that Zelenskiy had asked world soccer's governing body FIFA to let him share a message of peace before the final.</p>

<p>"We offered Peace Formula to the world. Absolutely fair. We offered it because there are no champions in war, there can be no draw," Zelensky said in a video message issued by his office.</p>

<p>"I announce the initiative to hold a Global Peace Formula Summit this winter. The summit to unite all nations of the world around the cause of global peace. Stadiums’ stands get empty after the match, and after the war cities remain empty," he said.</p>

<p>Zelensky&nbsp;had wanted to appear via video link before Argentina take on defending champions France at Doha's Lusail Stadium for the final with an expected global audience of hundreds of millions, CNN reported.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-to-appoint-musicians-at-front-lines-of-its-ukraine-war-to-boost-morale-544261">Russia to appoint musicians at front lines of its Ukraine war to boost morale</a></strong></p>

<p>Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter that FIFA "shows a lack of understanding of the disaster that the Russian federation is dragging the world into by starting a war in Ukraine".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form"><strong>here</strong></a>.</em></p>

<p><strong><em>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</em></strong></p>

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a global peace summit this winter in a video message recorded just ahead of FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a global peace summit this winter in a video message recorded just ahead of FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France. Zelensky hoped that his message would be played during FIFA World Cup final but it was not. CNN reported on Friday that Zelenskiy had asked world soccer's governing body FIFA to let him share a message of peace before the final. "We offered Peace Formula to the world. Absolutely fair. We offered it because there are no champions in war, there can be no draw," Zelensky said in a video message issued by his office. "I announce the initiative to hold a Global Peace Formula Summit this winter. The summit to unite all nations of the world around the cause of global peace. Stadiums’ stands get empty after the match, and after the war cities remain empty," he said. Zelensky had wanted to appear via video link before Argentina take on defending champions France at Doha's Lusail Stadium for the final with an expected global audience of hundreds of millions, CNN reported. Also Read | Russia to appoint musicians at front lines of its Ukraine war to boost morale Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter that FIFA "shows a lack of understanding of the disaster that the Russian federation is dragging the world into by starting a war in Ukraine". (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine President Zelensky proposes global peace summit

<p><strong>Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi</strong> is back in the limelight as she looks all set to perform at the FIFA World Cup’s closing ceremony on 18th December 2022, before the final match of the tournament between Argentina and France. FIFA tweeted about this development on Sunday. FIFA wrote on Twitter, “Sunday will be A Night to Remember! Before the #Qatar2022 Final, we’ll have live performances from #FIFAWorldCup Soundtrack stars Davido and Aisha, Ozuna and Gims, and Nora Fatehi, Balqees, Rahma Riad and Manal.” This will be Nora Fatehi’s third performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Previously, she has also performed in FIFA World’s Cup opening ceremony as well as the FIFA Fan festival.</p>

<h2>Nora Fatehi’s performance at FIFA</h2>

<p>During her previous performances, Nora had successfully stolen the show with her breath-taking dance steps on Bollywood music, including ‘O Saki Saki’ and FIFA’s official song “Light the Sky’. After her stunning performance on the stage, Nora wrote on her social media account, “That moment when you hear your voice at the World Cup stadium…It’s milestones like these that make the journey so worth it!”</p>

<h2><strong>Nora Fatehi’s performance time and date &nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Nora will perform in the FIFA 2022 World Cup’s closing ceremony which will be held before the final match between Argentina and France. The Lusail stadium will host the event. The event starts at 7:00 PM IST and 4:30 PM local time.</p>

<h2>Which other stars will perform at FIFA’s closing ceremony</h2>

<p>FIFA has kept its cards close to its chest about who will perform at the closing ceremony in order to maintain the level of excitement. But that doesn't mean the event is completely shrouded in secrecy. Friends of Davido revealed earlier this month that he had been chosen to perform at the ceremony. The American-Nigerian singer was recently spotted in Qatar, so it appears that he will be among those performing on Sunday. Ozuna, a Puerto Rican artist, will be joining him. Arhbo, one of his songs, was included on the FIFA official soundtrack for the tournament.</p>

<h2>What is the date of World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?</h2>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will take place on today (December 18), Sunday.</p>

<h2>What is the place of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?</h2>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.</p>

<h2>What is the time of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?</h2>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will start from 7PM (IST), 4.30 PM in Qatar, 5.30 PM (GST) and 8.30 AM (GMT -5)</p>

<h2>Where can you watch FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?</h2>

<p>The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will telecast live on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels in India and rest of the world, you can <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-final-live-streaming-arg-vs-fra-match-live-broadcast-in-more-than-200-countries-543390">check here</a></p>

<h2>How can fans watch live streaming of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony?</h2>

<p><strong>Jio Cinema (</strong>app and website) is the official live stream partner for FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi is back in the limelight as she looks all set to perform at the FIFA World Cup’s closing ceremony on 18th December 2022, before the final match of the tournament between Argentina and France.

Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi is back in the limelight as she looks all set to perform at the FIFA World Cup’s closing ceremony on 18th December 2022, before the final match of the tournament between Argentina and France. FIFA tweeted about this development on Sunday. FIFA wrote on Twitter, “Sunday will be A Night to Remember! Before the #Qatar2022 Final, we’ll have live performances from #FIFAWorldCup Soundtrack stars Davido and Aisha, Ozuna and Gims, and Nora Fatehi, Balqees, Rahma Riad and Manal.” This will be Nora Fatehi’s third performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Previously, she has also performed in FIFA World’s Cup opening ceremony as well as the FIFA Fan festival. Nora Fatehi’s performance at FIFA During her previous performances, Nora had successfully stolen the show with her breath-taking dance steps on Bollywood music, including ‘O Saki Saki’ and FIFA’s official song “Light the Sky’. After her stunning performance on the stage, Nora wrote on her social media account, “That moment when you hear your voice at the World Cup stadium…It’s milestones like these that make the journey so worth it!” Nora Fatehi’s performance time and date Nora will perform in the FIFA 2022 World Cup’s closing ceremony which will be held before the final match between Argentina and France. The Lusail stadium will host the event. The event starts at 7:00 PM IST and 4:30 PM local time. Which other stars will perform at FIFA’s closing ceremony FIFA has kept its cards close to its chest about who will perform at the closing ceremony in order to maintain the level of excitement. But that doesn't mean the event is completely shrouded in secrecy. Friends of Davido revealed earlier this month that he had been chosen to perform at the ceremony. The American-Nigerian singer was recently spotted in Qatar, so it appears that he will be among those performing on Sunday. Ozuna, a Puerto Rican artist, will be joining him. Arhbo, one of his songs, was included on the FIFA official soundtrack for the tournament. What is the date of World Cup 2022 closing ceremony? The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will take place on today (December 18), Sunday. What is the place of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony? The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will take place at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. What is the time of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony? The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will start from 7PM (IST), 4.30 PM in Qatar, 5.30 PM (GST) and 8.30 AM (GMT -5) Where can you watch FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony? The FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony will telecast live on Sports 18 and Sports 18 HD channels in India and rest of the world, you can check here How can fans watch live streaming of FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony? Jio Cinema (app and website) is the official live stream partner for FIFA World Cup 2022 closing ceremony.

Nora Fatehi FIFA live performance: Closing ceremony date and time, which other stars will perform at the event

Lionel Messi's Argentina is all set to take the center stage in the finale in Qatar and fans have made sure that an atmosphere worthy of it, is created as La Albiceleste battled it out in the field and Argentina's unofficial World Cup anthem in Qatar stands out amid shares of all the nations - 'Muchachos' as it is known.

FIFA World Cup: Argentina's unofficial WC anthem; lyrics refer to Maradona, Messi

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