<p>US national football coach&nbsp;Gregg&nbsp;Berhalter, his future uncertain after a last-16 World Cup run, admitted Tuesday kicking his girlfriend in a 1991 incident that US Soccer is investigating. After the US Soccer Federation was contacted during the World Cup by "an individual" looking to "bring about the end of my relationship with US Soccer,"&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;released a statement with his now-wife Rosalind detailing the matter. "It was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day,"&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said. "There are zero excuses for my actions that night."&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said he was 18 and a college freshman and had dated Rosalind for four months when they were drinking at a bar.</p>

<p>"Rosalind and I had a heated argument that continued outside,"&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said. "It became physical and I kicked her in the legs."&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said the incident from more than three decades ago made a lasting impact. "While the authorities were never involved in this matter, I voluntarily sought out counseling to help learn, grow and improve -- one of the most valuable decisions that I ever made," he said. "To this day, that type of behavior has never been repeated."</p>

<p>US Soccer said in a statement that it began an investigation into the matter after learning of the allegation against&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;on December 11, more than a week after the Americans were eliminated by the Netherlands in Qatar. "We appreciate&nbsp;Gregg&nbsp;and Rosalind coming forward to speak openly about this incident," the statement said. "US Soccer condemns violence of any kind and takes such allegations very seriously." US Soccer said it is also looking into "potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization. "We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/soccer-king-pele-gets-resting-place-in-worlds-tallest-vertical-cemetery-549295">Soccer king Pele gets resting place in world's tallest vertical cemetery</a></strong></p>

<h2>- 'Doesn't define me' -</h2>

<p>Berhalter&nbsp;said that seven months after the physical violence, Rosalind called him and they "decided to rebuild our relationship," which saw a 25th wedding anniversary last weekend. "It was an event that shaped me but doesn't define me,"&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said. "It was a single, isolated event over three decades ago and a terrible decision made in a bad moment by an 18-year-old."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Berhalter&nbsp;said it was a "difficult step" he and Rosalind made to "share the truth," adding, "This is a story that belongs to us" and he was thankful for her forgiveness. "The intention of this statement is to provide transparency and to reinforce that a single bad decision made by a teenager does not necessarily define him for the rest of his life,"&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;said. "We will not hide from this. We didn't then and we won't now."</p>

<p>The sordid matter became public as US Soccer's leadership is undergoing a full technical review of the national team, deciding whether or not&nbsp;Berhalter&nbsp;will be retained as US coach. The American squad's next four-year cycle culminates with sharing host duties for the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. It kicks off with a training camp later this month and home matches against Serbia on January 25 and Colombia three days later. "US Soccer will announce who will lead the January men's national team camp in the coming days," the group's statement said. "We look forward to building off the performance in Qatar and preparing for the journey towards 2026."</p>


US national football coach Gregg Berhalter, his future uncertain after a last-16 World Cup run, admitted Tuesday kicking his girlfriend in a 1991 incident that US Soccer is investigating.

US national football coach Gregg Berhalter, his future uncertain after a last-16 World Cup run, admitted Tuesday kicking his girlfriend in a 1991 incident that US Soccer is investigating. After the US Soccer Federation was contacted during the World Cup by "an individual" looking to "bring about the end of my relationship with US Soccer," Berhalter released a statement with his now-wife Rosalind detailing the matter. "It was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day," Berhalter said. "There are zero excuses for my actions that night." Berhalter said he was 18 and a college freshman and had dated Rosalind for four months when they were drinking at a bar. "Rosalind and I had a heated argument that continued outside," Berhalter said. "It became physical and I kicked her in the legs." Berhalter said the incident from more than three decades ago made a lasting impact. "While the authorities were never involved in this matter, I voluntarily sought out counseling to help learn, grow and improve -- one of the most valuable decisions that I ever made," he said. "To this day, that type of behavior has never been repeated." US Soccer said in a statement that it began an investigation into the matter after learning of the allegation against Berhalter on December 11, more than a week after the Americans were eliminated by the Netherlands in Qatar. "We appreciate Gregg and Rosalind coming forward to speak openly about this incident," the statement said. "US Soccer condemns violence of any kind and takes such allegations very seriously." US Soccer said it is also looking into "potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization. "We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations." Also read: Soccer king Pele gets resting place in world's tallest vertical cemetery - 'Doesn't define me' - Berhalter said that seven months after the physical violence, Rosalind called him and they "decided to rebuild our relationship," which saw a 25th wedding anniversary last weekend. "It was an event that shaped me but doesn't define me," Berhalter said. "It was a single, isolated event over three decades ago and a terrible decision made in a bad moment by an 18-year-old." Berhalter said it was a "difficult step" he and Rosalind made to "share the truth," adding, "This is a story that belongs to us" and he was thankful for her forgiveness. "The intention of this statement is to provide transparency and to reinforce that a single bad decision made by a teenager does not necessarily define him for the rest of his life," Berhalter said. "We will not hide from this. We didn't then and we won't now." The sordid matter became public as US Soccer's leadership is undergoing a full technical review of the national team, deciding whether or not Berhalter will be retained as US coach. The American squad's next four-year cycle culminates with sharing host duties for the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. It kicks off with a training camp later this month and home matches against Serbia on January 25 and Colombia three days later. "US Soccer will announce who will lead the January men's national team camp in the coming days," the group's statement said. "We look forward to building off the performance in Qatar and preparing for the journey towards 2026."

'It was a shameful moment': US coach Gregg Berhalter admits kicking future wife in 1991 incident

<p>Pele&nbsp;was a footballer like no other, and his final resting place will be exceptional, too: a large replica stadium complete with artificial turf inside the world's tallest vertical cemetery. The Brazilian football great, whose funeral was held Tuesday after his death last week at age 82, bought his mausoleum 19 years ago inside the Memorial Ecumenical Cemetery, a veritable high-rise that holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest cemetery on Earth. Located in Santos, the southeastern port city where "The King" played most of his storied career, the cemetery has a total area of 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet) and features a 24-hour restaurant, a chapel, an automobile museum, a small fish pond and an aviary.</p>

<p>Located on the first floor,&nbsp;Pele's 200-square-meter mausoleum will be decorated like a football stadium, with his embalmed body resting in a coffin displayed in the middle of the artificial turf, surrounded by gilded images from his glory days, a spokesman for the cemetery said.&nbsp;Edson Arantes do Nascimento&nbsp;--&nbsp;Pele's real name -- had spoken openly about his planned resting place, saying in 2003 that he liked the spot because it "doesn't look like a cemetery" and gave him a feeling of "spiritual peace and tranquility."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pele-funeral-santos-to-bid-final-goodbye-to-brazilian-legend-548720">Pele's funeral: Santos bid final goodbye to Brazilian legend</a></strong></p>

<p>The striking white building was conceived by late Argentine businessman Jose Salomon Altstut, who broke ground on the project in 1983. Officially inaugurated in 1991, it has a total of 18,000 interment spaces, and became the first vertical cemetery in the world to provide space for mausoleums. The cemetery's website says clients are allowed to "create a decorated space" in their mausoleums, which can even include en-suite rest areas for mourners.&nbsp;Pele's late father, aunt, brother and daughter are already interred in the same place, as well as Antonio Wilson Honorio, nicknamed "Coutinho," his teammate at Santos FC in the 1960s. The cemetery sits a stone's throw from Santos's Vila Belmiro stadium, where&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;first dazzled the world as a 15-year-old phenom, on his way to scoring a record 1,281 career goals and becoming the only player in history to win three World Cups.</p>


Pele was a footballer like no other, and his final resting place will be exceptional, too: a large replica stadium complete with artificial turf inside the world's tallest vertical cemetery.

Pele was a footballer like no other, and his final resting place will be exceptional, too: a large replica stadium complete with artificial turf inside the world's tallest vertical cemetery. The Brazilian football great, whose funeral was held Tuesday after his death last week at age 82, bought his mausoleum 19 years ago inside the Memorial Ecumenical Cemetery, a veritable high-rise that holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest cemetery on Earth. Located in Santos, the southeastern port city where "The King" played most of his storied career, the cemetery has a total area of 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet) and features a 24-hour restaurant, a chapel, an automobile museum, a small fish pond and an aviary. Located on the first floor, Pele's 200-square-meter mausoleum will be decorated like a football stadium, with his embalmed body resting in a coffin displayed in the middle of the artificial turf, surrounded by gilded images from his glory days, a spokesman for the cemetery said. Edson Arantes do Nascimento -- Pele's real name -- had spoken openly about his planned resting place, saying in 2003 that he liked the spot because it "doesn't look like a cemetery" and gave him a feeling of "spiritual peace and tranquility." Also read: Pele's funeral: Santos bid final goodbye to Brazilian legend The striking white building was conceived by late Argentine businessman Jose Salomon Altstut, who broke ground on the project in 1983. Officially inaugurated in 1991, it has a total of 18,000 interment spaces, and became the first vertical cemetery in the world to provide space for mausoleums. The cemetery's website says clients are allowed to "create a decorated space" in their mausoleums, which can even include en-suite rest areas for mourners. Pele's late father, aunt, brother and daughter are already interred in the same place, as well as Antonio Wilson Honorio, nicknamed "Coutinho," his teammate at Santos FC in the 1960s. The cemetery sits a stone's throw from Santos's Vila Belmiro stadium, where Pele first dazzled the world as a 15-year-old phenom, on his way to scoring a record 1,281 career goals and becoming the only player in history to win three World Cups.

Soccer king Pele gets resting place in world's tallest vertical cemetery

Thousands of fans poured into Brazilian streets on Monday to pay their respects to 'the king of football' Pele as the funeral for the late soccer legend got underway at a famed football stadium in Santos.

Brazil bids farewell to 'the king of football' Pele with 24-hour wake

<p>FIFA will ask all the world's countries to name a stadium for Brazilian football legend Pele, the head of the sport's governing body, Gianni Infantino, said Monday at the late icon's wake. Infantino was in the city of Santos, Brazil, to pay his final respects to the player widely considered the greatest of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82. "We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele," Infantino told journalists at the Vila Belmiro, the stadium where the player known as "The King" first exploded onto the world stage with his exploits for his longtime club, Santos FC.</p>

<p>Attending the 24-hour wake along with the heads of the South American and Brazilian football confederations, Infantino was among the first to pay homage before Pele's open casket, which was displayed in the middle of the field at Vila Belmiro stadium.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fia-boss-mohammed-ben-sulayem-wants-to-start-process-for-more-teams-to-enter-f1-549007">FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants to start process for more teams to enter F1</a></strong></p>

<p>"We're here with great sadness," Infantino said. "Pele is eternal. He's a global icon of football." FIFA had already flown the flags of the world at half-mast Friday outside its headquarters in Zurich in honor of Pele, whom the organization has named as the greatest player of the 20th century.</p>

<p>Pele, the only player in history to win three World Cups, died at a Sao Paulo hospital after a long battle with cancer. Monday's wake will be followed by a funeral procession through the streets of Santos Tuesday, then a private interment ceremony.</p>


FIFA will ask all the world's countries to name a stadium for Brazilian football legend Pele, the head of the sport's governing body, Gianni Infantino, said Monday at the late icon's wake.

FIFA will ask all the world's countries to name a stadium for Brazilian football legend Pele, the head of the sport's governing body, Gianni Infantino, said Monday at the late icon's wake. Infantino was in the city of Santos, Brazil, to pay his final respects to the player widely considered the greatest of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82. "We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele," Infantino told journalists at the Vila Belmiro, the stadium where the player known as "The King" first exploded onto the world stage with his exploits for his longtime club, Santos FC. Attending the 24-hour wake along with the heads of the South American and Brazilian football confederations, Infantino was among the first to pay homage before Pele's open casket, which was displayed in the middle of the field at Vila Belmiro stadium. Also read: FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants to start process for more teams to enter F1 "We're here with great sadness," Infantino said. "Pele is eternal. He's a global icon of football." FIFA had already flown the flags of the world at half-mast Friday outside its headquarters in Zurich in honor of Pele, whom the organization has named as the greatest player of the 20th century. Pele, the only player in history to win three World Cups, died at a Sao Paulo hospital after a long battle with cancer. Monday's wake will be followed by a funeral procession through the streets of Santos Tuesday, then a private interment ceremony.

FIFA to ask all countries to name a stadium for Pele, says Gianni Infantino

Pele's death is mourned by the entire football fraternity and scores of fans not just in Brazil but all over the world. Three of this generation's most highly rated footballers; Brazilian football star Neymar, Argentina's world cup winner Lionel Messi and Portugal captain Christiano Ronaldo pay tribute.

Football fraternity condoles demise of Brazilian football legend Pele

<p>Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup. Known as the 'King of Soccer', Pele touched millions of hearts with his on-field skills, mesmerising moves, and World Cup heroics for Brazil.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here are some facts about the great Pele:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>1. Pele was named as Edson Arantes do Nascimento by his parents.</p>

<p>2. Pele was born on October 23rd, 1940 and was aged 82 at the time of passing away.</p>

<p>3. As Pele married thrice, he is survived by six children. During his final marriage, he tied the knot with a businesswoman named Marcia Aoki.</p>

<p>4. Pele’s family was very poor and he used to work at a tea stall. He learned football from his father who was a footballer himself. He couldn’t afford a football so he used to play with socks stuffed with newspapers.</p>

<p>5. At age of 17, he played his first game for Brazil against Argentina.</p>

<p>6. The Brazilian legend won FIFA World Cup thrice in 1958, 1962 and 1970. In the 1970 World Cup, he was adjusted the Player of the Tournament.</p>

<p>7. He was voted ‘athlete of the century’ by International Olympics Committee in the year 1999.&nbsp;</p>

<p>8. Pele scored as many as a whopping 1,283 times in 1363 matches, recognised by the Guinness World Record. However, his official goal count by Goal.com is 767 in 831 outings.</p>

<p>After his footballing career, Pele performed many other roles as well. He served as a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- was a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations.</p>

<p>Pele even acted in movies, soap operas, composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music.</p>

<p>The sporting fraternity has shared condolences and hailed Pele after his passing away from colon cancer. A three-day mourning has been declared in Brazil after his demise; depicting the love and admiration he earned throughout the years.&nbsp;</p>


Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup.

Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, passed away on Thursday (December 29) to make the sporting fraternity poorer. Battling cancer for quite sometime, the Brazilian legend suffered a lot in recent times and while he fought hard, his health had gone down severely during the recently-held Qatar World Cup. Known as the 'King of Soccer', Pele touched millions of hearts with his on-field skills, mesmerising moves, and World Cup heroics for Brazil. Here are some facts about the great Pele: 1. Pele was named as Edson Arantes do Nascimento by his parents. 2. Pele was born on October 23rd, 1940 and was aged 82 at the time of passing away. 3. As Pele married thrice, he is survived by six children. During his final marriage, he tied the knot with a businesswoman named Marcia Aoki. 4. Pele’s family was very poor and he used to work at a tea stall. He learned football from his father who was a footballer himself. He couldn’t afford a football so he used to play with socks stuffed with newspapers. 5. At age of 17, he played his first game for Brazil against Argentina. 6. The Brazilian legend won FIFA World Cup thrice in 1958, 1962 and 1970. In the 1970 World Cup, he was adjusted the Player of the Tournament. 7. He was voted ‘athlete of the century’ by International Olympics Committee in the year 1999. 8. Pele scored as many as a whopping 1,283 times in 1363 matches, recognised by the Guinness World Record. However, his official goal count by Goal.com is 767 in 831 outings. After his footballing career, Pele performed many other roles as well. He served as a politician -- Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport -- was a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations. Pele even acted in movies, soap operas, composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music. The sporting fraternity has shared condolences and hailed Pele after his passing away from colon cancer. A three-day mourning has been declared in Brazil after his demise; depicting the love and admiration he earned throughout the years.

Pele's obituary: The Soccer kingdom loses its 'King'

<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

<p>Brazilian football legend and one of the greatest players of the beautiful game Pelé has passed away. He was 82. Hospitalised for the last three months with multiple ailments, including colon cancer, Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, breathed his last on Thursday. His agent Joe Fraga confirmed his death to the AP news agency.</p>

<p>A medical report just before Christmas showed that he needed care&nbsp;for cardiac and renal dysfunction.</p>

<p>"Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace," his daughter, Kely Nascimento, wrote on Instagram.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="pt">A inspiração e o amor marcaram a jornada de Rei Pelé, que faleceu no dia de hoje.<br />
<br />
Amor, amor e amor, para sempre.<br />
.<br />
Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today.<br />
<br />
Love, love and love, forever. <a href="https://t.co/CP9syIdL3i">pic.twitter.com/CP9syIdL3i</a></p>
— Pelé (@Pele) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pele/status/1608543008332615682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>In his glittering 20-year career from 1957 to 1977, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games. During his international career, he won three World Cups — in 1958, 1962 and 1970 —and was the only player to achieve this feat.</p>

<p>Pelé, who debuted at the age of 17, spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.</p>

<p>Pele's style of football, which was the perfect mix of&nbsp;athleticism and mesmerising moves,&nbsp;encapsulated the audience for the past 20 years and gave nightmares to his opponents. His samba-like flair and fluid style eventually became the symbol of the country's dominance on the field.</p>

<p>During Brazil's world-dominating side of 1970,&nbsp;Pele was teammates with legends like Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, and Jairzinho—all of whom were among the best players of the time.</p>

<p>Pele was born on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Brazilian football giant, who was given the title 'The Greatest' by FIFA, had been married thrice. He had a total of seven children.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE: </strong></p>

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Brazilian football legend and one of the greatest players of the beautiful game Pelé has passed away. He was 82. Hospitalised for the last three months with multiple ailments, including colon cancer, Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, breathed his last on Thursday.

Brazilian football legend and one of the greatest players of the beautiful game Pelé has passed away. He was 82. Hospitalised for the last three months with multiple ailments, including colon cancer, Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, breathed his last on Thursday. His agent Joe Fraga confirmed his death to the AP news agency. A medical report just before Christmas showed that he needed care for cardiac and renal dysfunction. "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace," his daughter, Kely Nascimento, wrote on Instagram. A inspiração e o amor marcaram a jornada de Rei Pelé, que faleceu no dia de hoje. Amor, amor e amor, para sempre. . Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever. pic.twitter.com/CP9syIdL3i — Pelé (@Pele) December 29, 2022 × In his glittering 20-year career from 1957 to 1977, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games. During his international career, he won three World Cups — in 1958, 1962 and 1970 —and was the only player to achieve this feat. Pelé, who debuted at the age of 17, spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team. Pele's style of football, which was the perfect mix of athleticism and mesmerising moves, encapsulated the audience for the past 20 years and gave nightmares to his opponents. His samba-like flair and fluid style eventually became the symbol of the country's dominance on the field. During Brazil's world-dominating side of 1970, Pele was teammates with legends like Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, and Jairzinho—all of whom were among the best players of the time. Pele was born on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. The Brazilian football giant, who was given the title 'The Greatest' by FIFA, had been married thrice. He had a total of seven children. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Brazilian football legend Pele dies at 82

<p>Pele was a legendary football player who reached many milestones and breached several world records in the sport’s history. But what contributed to his immense success were his equally-terrific team members, who made sure Pele and company get to clinch the 1970 FIFA World Cup title. The world today remembers Pele, and describes him as the greatest of all time (GOAT), but what about other players who shared memorable, historic moments with Pele? History might have forgotten them but that doesn’t strip them of their importance to the world football fraternity.</p>

<p><strong>Carlos Alberto:</strong> Captain Carlos Alberto was one of the most popular team members of the Brazilian football team of the 1970s. He was the best defender of all time. After the Brazilian national team, Alberto rejoined Pele at New York Cosmos in 1977. He worked as a coach in nations like Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Mexico, before taking retirement in 2005. He died back in 2016 at the age of 72.</p>

<p><strong>Brito:</strong> Brito mostly stays away from the public eye. Between 1964 and 1972, he earned 45 Brazil caps. He played for 10 different clubs, before getting retired in 1979 at the age of 40. He is now 83 years old.</p>

<p><strong>Everaldo</strong>: Everaldo was a special player. Very few people know that he made his international debut only in 1967, just three years before the 1970 showdown. It was the team coach Mario Zagallo, who gave him the big opportunity. He died in a car crash in October 1974.</p>

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<p><strong>Jairzinho</strong>: Jairzinho was another great player in the team squad. He scored a total of 33 goals in 81 matches. After football, he tried to become the mayor of Roi but failed. He is now 77 years old.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dark-truth-behind-peles-goat-status-massive-discrepancies-found-in-his-record-book-547957">Dark truth behind Pele’s GOAT status, massive discrepancies found in his record book: Reports</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Clodoaldo:</strong> Clodoaldo is extremely popular for his baffling sprint on the ground in the 1970 grand finale which left Italy stunned. His terrific flowing move eventually helped Alberto score his iconic goal in the match. He is 73 years old now. He played the majority of his career with Pele and even got to manage the East Timor national team in 2010.</p>

<p><strong>Rivelino:</strong> He was only 24 years old when his team claimed the FIFA World Cup trophy in 1970. He played a total of 92 matches under the banner of the Brazilian national team, during the 13-year-long stint. He is 76 years old now and works as a TV expert.</p>

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Pele was a legendary football player who reached many milestones and breached several world records in the sport’s history. But what contributed to his immense success were his equally-terrific team members, who made sure Pele and company get to clinch the 1970 FIFA World Cup title.

Pele was a legendary football player who reached many milestones and breached several world records in the sport’s history. But what contributed to his immense success were his equally-terrific team members, who made sure Pele and company get to clinch the 1970 FIFA World Cup title. The world today remembers Pele, and describes him as the greatest of all time (GOAT), but what about other players who shared memorable, historic moments with Pele? History might have forgotten them but that doesn’t strip them of their importance to the world football fraternity. Carlos Alberto: Captain Carlos Alberto was one of the most popular team members of the Brazilian football team of the 1970s. He was the best defender of all time. After the Brazilian national team, Alberto rejoined Pele at New York Cosmos in 1977. He worked as a coach in nations like Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Mexico, before taking retirement in 2005. He died back in 2016 at the age of 72. Brito: Brito mostly stays away from the public eye. Between 1964 and 1972, he earned 45 Brazil caps. He played for 10 different clubs, before getting retired in 1979 at the age of 40. He is now 83 years old. Everaldo: Everaldo was a special player. Very few people know that he made his international debut only in 1967, just three years before the 1970 showdown. It was the team coach Mario Zagallo, who gave him the big opportunity. He died in a car crash in October 1974. × Jairzinho: Jairzinho was another great player in the team squad. He scored a total of 33 goals in 81 matches. After football, he tried to become the mayor of Roi but failed. He is now 77 years old. Also Read | Dark truth behind Pele’s GOAT status, massive discrepancies found in his record book: Reports Clodoaldo: Clodoaldo is extremely popular for his baffling sprint on the ground in the 1970 grand finale which left Italy stunned. His terrific flowing move eventually helped Alberto score his iconic goal in the match. He is 73 years old now. He played the majority of his career with Pele and even got to manage the East Timor national team in 2010. Rivelino: He was only 24 years old when his team claimed the FIFA World Cup trophy in 1970. He played a total of 92 matches under the banner of the Brazilian national team, during the 13-year-long stint. He is 76 years old now and works as a TV expert. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Pele’s equally-terrific teammates that the world seems to have forgotten

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and other superstars reacted on social media as the iconic Pele passed away at the age of 82. Chandresh Narayanan, Author of 75 years of Indian Sports & Broadcaster speaks on his demise to WION.

Pele's death mourned by the entire football fraternity

Several buildings on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo pay tribute to Pele by projecting the football icon's image onto screens, hours after his death at age 82.

Tributes to Pele on the facade of Sao Paulo buildings

<p>Media reports hint that Pele’s record book might be a big sham. Pele’s otherwise impressive goal scorecard features hundreds of goals scored against non-professional, junior, regional and military teams. According to Pele’s own records, he scored the most number of goals in football’s history. He scored a total of 1,283 goals in 1,366 matches. That would be an extraordinary 0.93 goals per game. But there’s a dark truth behind this spectacular record. More than 500 goals he scored came only in unofficial matches played against semi-professional tools.</p>

<h2><strong>Pele’s controversial matches</strong></h2>

<p>While playing with the Brazilian national football team, Pele scored a total of 95 goals. Interestingly, at least 18 of them came against clubs or combined squads, which are generally not included in official statistics. His record also includes a lot of friendlies and exhibition games played against low-level opponents. Saudi Arabia's under-23 national team, Uruguay's armed forces club, and Rio de Janeiro's athletes' union were among his opponents.</p>

<h2><strong>When Diego Maradona hit out at Pele</strong></h2>

<p>Thanks to his controversial record book and the hot debate around his GOAT status, even great footballer Diego Maradona had taken Pele to the cleaners in the past. In a statement issued against Pele during a TV program years ago, Diego Maradona said, “Who did you score them against? Your nephews in the backyard?”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pele-passes-away-messi-ronaldo-obama-macron-reacts-to-brazilian-icons-death-547910">Messi, Ronaldo, Obama, Macron react to Brazilian icon's death</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Ronaldo and Messi’s record better than Pele?</strong></h2>

<p>Well, if Pele’s 500 goals scored against semi-professional and junior teams are excluded, his goal tally will come down to less than 800 goals. That would leave him behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Romário and Josef Bican, who played before Pelé’s time. Also, if goals scored in unofficial matches are added to the total goal tally, he isn’t the only player to have breached the 1000-goal mark in Football’s history.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Brazil football legend Pele dies at 82</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>No transparency and credibility around Pele’s football record</strong></h2>

<p>There’s a lot of discrepancy in Pele’s football record book. FIFA says Pele scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches. While Guinness World Records credits Pele with 1,279 goals in the same number of matches. Santos also presents a different picture altogether. It says Pelé scored 1,281 goals, but in 1,365 matches. Even RSSSF, arguably the most reliable source of soccer statistics, gives Pelé different goal totals. Pelé has 1,284 goals from 1,375 matches, bringing his total in official matches to 769.</p>

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Media reports hint that Pele’s record book might be a big sham. Pele’s otherwise impressive goal scorecard features hundreds of goals scored against non-professional, junior, regional and military teams.

Media reports hint that Pele’s record book might be a big sham. Pele’s otherwise impressive goal scorecard features hundreds of goals scored against non-professional, junior, regional and military teams. According to Pele’s own records, he scored the most number of goals in football’s history. He scored a total of 1,283 goals in 1,366 matches. That would be an extraordinary 0.93 goals per game. But there’s a dark truth behind this spectacular record. More than 500 goals he scored came only in unofficial matches played against semi-professional tools. Pele’s controversial matches While playing with the Brazilian national football team, Pele scored a total of 95 goals. Interestingly, at least 18 of them came against clubs or combined squads, which are generally not included in official statistics. His record also includes a lot of friendlies and exhibition games played against low-level opponents. Saudi Arabia's under-23 national team, Uruguay's armed forces club, and Rio de Janeiro's athletes' union were among his opponents. When Diego Maradona hit out at Pele Thanks to his controversial record book and the hot debate around his GOAT status, even great footballer Diego Maradona had taken Pele to the cleaners in the past. In a statement issued against Pele during a TV program years ago, Diego Maradona said, “Who did you score them against? Your nephews in the backyard?” Also Read | Messi, Ronaldo, Obama, Macron react to Brazilian icon's death Ronaldo and Messi’s record better than Pele? Well, if Pele’s 500 goals scored against semi-professional and junior teams are excluded, his goal tally will come down to less than 800 goals. That would leave him behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Romário and Josef Bican, who played before Pelé’s time. Also, if goals scored in unofficial matches are added to the total goal tally, he isn’t the only player to have breached the 1000-goal mark in Football’s history. Watch: Brazil football legend Pele dies at 82 × No transparency and credibility around Pele’s football record There’s a lot of discrepancy in Pele’s football record book. FIFA says Pele scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches. While Guinness World Records credits Pele with 1,279 goals in the same number of matches. Santos also presents a different picture altogether. It says Pelé scored 1,281 goals, but in 1,365 matches. Even RSSSF, arguably the most reliable source of soccer statistics, gives Pelé different goal totals. Pelé has 1,284 goals from 1,375 matches, bringing his total in official matches to 769. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Dark truth behind Pele’s GOAT status, massive discrepancies found in his record book: Reports

<p>Paris St Germain captain Marquinhos scored at both ends against Racing Strasbourg before a last-gasp Kylian Mbappe penalty secured the Ligue 1 leaders a 2-1 victory on Wednesday even though they were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half after Neymar was sent off.</p>

<p>Marquinhos opened the scoring by breaking free from his marker and headed in Neymar's cross after 14 minutes. The Brazilian defender, however, deflected Adrien Thomasson's cross into his own net in the 51st minute to leave the scores level. Neymar received his marching orders in the 62nd minute at Parc des Princes after picking up two bookings in two minutes, the first for a foul and then a second for diving a minute later.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-never-get-over-world-cup-heartbreak-says-mbappe-547513">'Will never get over World Cup heartbreak', says Mbappe</a></strong></p>

<p>Ten days after Mbappe's hopes of becoming a two-time World Cup winner were dashed after 2018 champions France were beaten by Argentina in the Qatar final, the 24-year-old was on target again as he converted a penalty six minutes into stoppage time after being pulled inside the box.</p>

<p>PSG&nbsp;top the standings with 44 points, eight ahead of RC Lens, who have a game in hand. but with one more game played. Strasbourg are in 19th place.</p>


Paris St Germain captain Marquinhos scored at both ends against Racing Strasbourg before a last-gasp Kylian Mbappe penalty secured the Ligue 1 leaders a 2-1 victory on Wednesday even though they were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half after Neymar was sent off.

Paris St Germain captain Marquinhos scored at both ends against Racing Strasbourg before a last-gasp Kylian Mbappe penalty secured the Ligue 1 leaders a 2-1 victory on Wednesday even though they were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half after Neymar was sent off. Marquinhos opened the scoring by breaking free from his marker and headed in Neymar's cross after 14 minutes. The Brazilian defender, however, deflected Adrien Thomasson's cross into his own net in the 51st minute to leave the scores level. Neymar received his marching orders in the 62nd minute at Parc des Princes after picking up two bookings in two minutes, the first for a foul and then a second for diving a minute later. Also read: 'Will never get over World Cup heartbreak', says Mbappe Ten days after Mbappe's hopes of becoming a two-time World Cup winner were dashed after 2018 champions France were beaten by Argentina in the Qatar final, the 24-year-old was on target again as he converted a penalty six minutes into stoppage time after being pulled inside the box. PSG top the standings with 44 points, eight ahead of RC Lens, who have a game in hand. but with one more game played. Strasbourg are in 19th place.

Kylian Mbappe scores late penalty to help PSG beat Strasbourg 2-1

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


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

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

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

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<p>Hours after winning their boxing day Premier League game against Aston Villa, Liverpool's upper hierarchy have made a statement signing. The Reds beat Manchester United in the race to sign young Dutch winger Cody Gakpo who made his mark in the just-concluded FIFA World Cup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PSV Eindhoven, the club for whom Gakpo plays currently took to Twitter to announce the deal and said the 23-year-old will be travelling to England soon.</p>

<p>"PSV and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">PSV and <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LFC</a> have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo.<br />
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The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer.</p>
— PSV (@PSV) <a href="https://twitter.com/PSV/status/1607495528580890625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>While both clubs refrained from divulging the transfer fee, PSV's general manager Marcel Brands said it was a record transfer fee for the Dutch club.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Gakpo has signed a six-year deal with a guarantee fee of $44 million (£37 million) and add-ons amounting to $15 million (£13 million).</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cody Gakpo has agreed a six year deal with Liverpool, same as Darwin Nunez last summer. All clauses have already been approved. 🔴🇳🇱 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LFC</a><br />
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Guaranteed fee: £37m. <a href="https://t.co/XgIfc3VaSf">pic.twitter.com/XgIfc3VaSf</a></p>
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1607580481255788544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sports-wion-exclusive-with-liverpool-fc-foundation-ceo-matt-parish-496443" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Sports: WION exclusive with Liverpool FC Foundation CEO Matt Parish</strong></a></p>

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<p>Gakpo was one of the brightest spots in the World Cup after he scored in three consecutive games for the Oranje. His performances immediately put him on the radar of Liverpool scouts who moved in quickly after the 6'4 winger was heavily linked to rivals Manchester United.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Liverpool have been plagued by an injury crisis and are in desperate need of reinforcements. With Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, and Luis Diaz absent from the forward line and the midfield wearing a depleted look as well, Klopp needs reinforcements.</p>

<p>The majority of the fans have been miffed that the Reds of Merseyside have not refreshed their squad for a couple of years. The midfield has been one of the prominent issues for the club.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Players such as Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have been heavily linked to the club ahead of the January transfer window.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/youve-ruined-it-bellingham-on-joining-liverpool-after-superlative-world-cup-performance-540223" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: 'You've ruined it..." Bellingham on joining Liverpool after superlative World Cup performance</strong></a></p>

<p>Gakpo's signing could be a show of intent that FSG are finally willing to open their wallet and provide Klopp the required backing to compete with the top-spending teams of the league.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Hours after winning their boxing day Premier League game against Aston Villa, Liverpool's upper hierarchy have made a statement signing. The Reds beat Manchester United in the race to sign young Dutch winger Cody Gakpo who made his mark in the just-concluded FIFA World Cup.

Hours after winning their boxing day Premier League game against Aston Villa, Liverpool's upper hierarchy have made a statement signing. The Reds beat Manchester United in the race to sign young Dutch winger Cody Gakpo who made his mark in the just-concluded FIFA World Cup. PSV Eindhoven, the club for whom Gakpo plays currently took to Twitter to announce the deal and said the 23-year-old will be travelling to England soon. "PSV and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer." PSV and @LFC have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer. — PSV (@PSV) December 26, 2022 × While both clubs refrained from divulging the transfer fee, PSV's general manager Marcel Brands said it was a record transfer fee for the Dutch club. According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Gakpo has signed a six-year deal with a guarantee fee of $44 million (£37 million) and add-ons amounting to $15 million (£13 million). Cody Gakpo has agreed a six year deal with Liverpool, same as Darwin Nunez last summer. All clauses have already been approved. 🔴🇳🇱 #LFC Guaranteed fee: £37m. pic.twitter.com/XgIfc3VaSf — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 27, 2022 × WATCH | Sports: WION exclusive with Liverpool FC Foundation CEO Matt Parish × Gakpo was one of the brightest spots in the World Cup after he scored in three consecutive games for the Oranje. His performances immediately put him on the radar of Liverpool scouts who moved in quickly after the 6'4 winger was heavily linked to rivals Manchester United. Liverpool have been plagued by an injury crisis and are in desperate need of reinforcements. With Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, and Luis Diaz absent from the forward line and the midfield wearing a depleted look as well, Klopp needs reinforcements. The majority of the fans have been miffed that the Reds of Merseyside have not refreshed their squad for a couple of years. The midfield has been one of the prominent issues for the club. Players such as Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have been heavily linked to the club ahead of the January transfer window. Read more: 'You've ruined it..." Bellingham on joining Liverpool after superlative World Cup performance Gakpo's signing could be a show of intent that FSG are finally willing to open their wallet and provide Klopp the required backing to compete with the top-spending teams of the league. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Liverpool hijack United's bid to sign talented Dutch winger Cody Gakpo

A Dubai-bound flight carrying the wife and daughter of former football national team captain Ali Daei, who has supported anti-government protests, was re-routed by the Iranian authorities, preventing them from leaving the country.

Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight, barred from leaving country

<p>The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition. With Argentina winning their first-ever WC title after 1986, Messi also got his hands on the coveted title in what was his swansong from the marquee tournament. Winning the World Cup, Messi has gone ahead of Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T debate and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also lavished huge praise on him, calling him as the 'greatest footbaler in my lifetime'.</p>

<p>"Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time,” Klopp explained.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-you-let-your-country-down-brentford-fans-mock-harry-kane-during-premier-league-clash-547055">WATCH | 'You let your country down', Brentford fans mock Harry Kane during Premier League clash</a></strong></p>

<p>"The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him," Klopp was quoted as saying by The ECHO. Messi had a memorable run in the Qatar WC, scoring seven goals along with three assists to also end with the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win the award twice, having already won it in 2014.</p>

<p>Messi-led Argentina started the World Cup with a shocking loss versus Saudi Arabia. After that, they regrouped in style and went onto win six games in a row to lift the title, beating defending champions France -- at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar -- on December 18 on penalty shootout (4-2) after the two sides were tied at 3-3 following the extra time. After this memorable victory, Messi has earned the Copa America as well as the World Cup title in over 12 months to stamp his authority as one of the greatest of all-time.</p>


The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition.

The comparison between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is never-ending. The debate regarding the greatest of all time between the duo saw a twist after the conclusion of the Qatar World Cup 2022 edition. With Argentina winning their first-ever WC title after 1986, Messi also got his hands on the coveted title in what was his swansong from the marquee tournament. Winning the World Cup, Messi has gone ahead of Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T debate and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also lavished huge praise on him, calling him as the 'greatest footbaler in my lifetime'. "Argentina deserved it and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them, they waited for a long time,” Klopp explained. Also read: WATCH | 'You let your country down', Brentford fans mock Harry Kane during Premier League clash "The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him," Klopp was quoted as saying by The ECHO. Messi had a memorable run in the Qatar WC, scoring seven goals along with three assists to also end with the Golden Ball Award. He became the first-ever player to win the award twice, having already won it in 2014. Messi-led Argentina started the World Cup with a shocking loss versus Saudi Arabia. After that, they regrouped in style and went onto win six games in a row to lift the title, beating defending champions France -- at the Lusail Stadium, Qatar -- on December 18 on penalty shootout (4-2) after the two sides were tied at 3-3 following the extra time. After this memorable victory, Messi has earned the Copa America as well as the World Cup title in over 12 months to stamp his authority as one of the greatest of all-time.

'Greatest footballer in my lifetime': Ronaldo or Messi? Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shares his pick

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<p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given his two cents on Cristiano Ronaldo and the snub that the Portuguese received during the FIFA World Cup. Erdogan said Ronaldo was subjected to a political ban during the tournament because he supported the Palestinian cause.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“They have wasted Ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Al-Jazeera.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy," said the Turkish leader before adding, Ronaldo is someone who stands for the Palestinian cause."</p>

<p>While Erdogan claimed that Ronaldo supported Palestine, there is no real public evidence that points to the same.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-cristiano-ronaldos-journey-at-the-2022-fifa-world-cup-542012/#ronaldos-first-goal-at-2022-world-cup-541999"><strong>In pics | Cristiano Ronaldo's journey at the 2022 FIFA World Cup</strong></a></p>

<p>Several doctored images and false reports routinely do the rounds of social media, suggesting the same. However, nearly every such post has been fact-checked and proven to be false.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A picture of Ronaldo holding a sign that reads “Together with the Palestinians" in Spanish went viral recently. However, it was found to be morphed as the original photo showed Ronaldo showing solidarity with the survivors of the Lorca earthquake.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Portugal crashed out of the World Cup, Ronaldo broke down in tears and cried inconsolably. In a video that went viral on social media platforms, an emotional Ronaldo could be seen walking off the pitch after the final whistle.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/is-cristiano-ronaldo-moving-to-saudi-arabian-club-al-nassr-547016"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Is Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr?</strong></a></p>

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<p>After starting the initial games, Ronaldo was snubbed from a place in the placing XI by then-manager Fernando Santos. While the ploy worked elegantly against Switzerland in the pre-quarterfinal, Portugal missed Ronaldo's class in the quarterfinal where they lost to Morocco.</p>

<p>Santos at the time said he had no regrets for benching Ronaldo: “No, I don’t think so, no regrets. Cristiano is a great player, he came in when we thought it was necessary, so no regrets."</p>

<p>The 2022 World Cup was potentially Ronaldo's last dance on the world stage. Currently a free agent, the former Manchester United striker has been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-portugal-coach-santos-says-he-has-no-regrets-for-benching-ronaldo-541970" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Portugal coach Santos says he has 'no regrets' for benching Ronaldo</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given his two cents on Cristiano Ronaldo and the snub that the Portuguese received during the FIFA World Cup. Erdogan said Ronaldo was subjected to a political ban during the tournament because he supported the Palestinian cause.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has given his two cents on Cristiano Ronaldo and the snub that the Portuguese received during the FIFA World Cup. Erdogan said Ronaldo was subjected to a political ban during the tournament because he supported the Palestinian cause. “They have wasted Ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him,” Erdogan was quoted as saying by Al-Jazeera. “Sending a footballer like Ronaldo to the pitch with just 30 minutes remaining to the match ruined his psychology and took away his energy," said the Turkish leader before adding, Ronaldo is someone who stands for the Palestinian cause." While Erdogan claimed that Ronaldo supported Palestine, there is no real public evidence that points to the same. In pics | Cristiano Ronaldo's journey at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Several doctored images and false reports routinely do the rounds of social media, suggesting the same. However, nearly every such post has been fact-checked and proven to be false. A picture of Ronaldo holding a sign that reads “Together with the Palestinians" in Spanish went viral recently. However, it was found to be morphed as the original photo showed Ronaldo showing solidarity with the survivors of the Lorca earthquake. After Portugal crashed out of the World Cup, Ronaldo broke down in tears and cried inconsolably. In a video that went viral on social media platforms, an emotional Ronaldo could be seen walking off the pitch after the final whistle. WATCH | Is Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr? × After starting the initial games, Ronaldo was snubbed from a place in the placing XI by then-manager Fernando Santos. While the ploy worked elegantly against Switzerland in the pre-quarterfinal, Portugal missed Ronaldo's class in the quarterfinal where they lost to Morocco. Santos at the time said he had no regrets for benching Ronaldo: “No, I don’t think so, no regrets. Cristiano is a great player, he came in when we thought it was necessary, so no regrets." The 2022 World Cup was potentially Ronaldo's last dance on the world stage. Currently a free agent, the former Manchester United striker has been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: Portugal coach Santos says he has 'no regrets' for benching Ronaldo (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Cristiano Ronaldo stands for Palestine', claims Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

<p>There have been reports of Cristiano Ronaldo joining the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after his fallout with Manchester United. While the 37-year-old striker has had a tough time in the last few months, with his strained relations with Man United manager Erik Ten Hag and the Old Trafford club owners, the Portugal star has also not found it easy to find a suitable club.</p>

<p>With the Al-Nassr looking set to be Ronaldo's new home, there are reports that Chelsea midfielder&nbsp;N'Golo Kante is also set to join the Portuguese striker. According to The Mirror, the 31-year-old Frenchman&nbsp;is out of contract following the end of the season. Thus, he&nbsp;could move on a free transfer in search of a new challenge despite him wanting to remain firm&nbsp;in London.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-is-ready-to-pay-ps1-billion-for-kylian-mbappe-next-summer-reports-546256">Real Madrid ready to pay £1 billion for Kylian Mbappe next summer - Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>Kante has been one of the top performers for Chelsea ever since he became a part of the club in 2016,&nbsp;from Leicester City. Nonetheless, he hasn't been featured on many occasions for the club in recent times. In the ongoing season, he has played just twice for Chelsea as he is no longer reliably fit and even missed the Qatar World Cup, where France ended as runners-up.</p>

<p>Playing in Saudi Arabia might prove to&nbsp;be&nbsp;less taxing on Kante's body and, in turn, offer also help him secure a huge deal in what would likely be his last few years as a professional footballer.</p>


There have been reports of Cristiano Ronaldo joining the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after his fallout with Manchester United. While the 37-year-old striker has had a tough time in the last few months, with his strained relations with Man United manager Erik Ten Hag and the Old Trafford club owners, the Portugal star has also not found it easy to find a suitable club.

There have been reports of Cristiano Ronaldo joining the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after his fallout with Manchester United. While the 37-year-old striker has had a tough time in the last few months, with his strained relations with Man United manager Erik Ten Hag and the Old Trafford club owners, the Portugal star has also not found it easy to find a suitable club. With the Al-Nassr looking set to be Ronaldo's new home, there are reports that Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is also set to join the Portuguese striker. According to The Mirror, the 31-year-old Frenchman is out of contract following the end of the season. Thus, he could move on a free transfer in search of a new challenge despite him wanting to remain firm in London. Also Read: Real Madrid ready to pay £1 billion for Kylian Mbappe next summer - Reports Kante has been one of the top performers for Chelsea ever since he became a part of the club in 2016, from Leicester City. Nonetheless, he hasn't been featured on many occasions for the club in recent times. In the ongoing season, he has played just twice for Chelsea as he is no longer reliably fit and even missed the Qatar World Cup, where France ended as runners-up. Playing in Saudi Arabia might prove to be less taxing on Kante's body and, in turn, offer also help him secure a huge deal in what would likely be his last few years as a professional footballer.

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante to unite with Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi club Al-Nassr: Reports

<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 />
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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

Brazilian football legend Pele's cancer has advanced and he requires care related to renal and cardiac dysfunction, according to a medical report, and his family said he would remain in a Sao Paulo hospital over Christmas.

Brazilian football legend Pele to spend Christmas in hospital as cancer advances

<p>The hospital treating Brazilian football great Pele announced a "progression" Wednesday in his cancer, as well as kidney and heart problems.</p>

<p>Pele, 82, is being treated in the general ward but "requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions," said the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.</p>

<p>Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele was hospitalized in Sao Paulo on November 29 for what his medical team called a re-evaluation of his chemotherapy treatments, which he has been receiving since having surgery to remove a colon tumor&nbsp;in September 2021.</p>

<p>Doctors have also diagnosed Pele -- whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento -- with a respiratory infection.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, Pele's daughters Kely Nascimento and Flavia Arantes sought to reassure fans about his health, denying reports that Pele had been placed in end-of-life care.</p>

<p>"Edson Arantes do Nascimento presents cancer disease progression and requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions" a hospital statement said Wednesday.</p>

<p>He was not in intensive care, it added.</p>

<p>Just minutes after the hospital announcement, Nascimento and Arantes said on Instagram their father would not be home for Christmas.</p>

<p>"Our Christmas at home has been suspended," they wrote.</p>

<p>"We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us!!"</p>

<p>Pele scored more than 1,000 goals in one of the most storied careers in sport. He is the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).</p>

<p>"The King" has been in fragile health in recent years, and his public appearances have grown rare. But he remains active on social media.</p>

<p>He posted regularly online during the Qatar World Cup, including a message of support to Brazil star Neymar after the "Selecao" crashed out of the tournament in a quarter-final loss to Croatia.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The hospital treating Brazilian football great Pele announced a "progression" Wednesday in his cancer, as well as kidney and heart problems. Pele, 82, is being treated in the general ward but "requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions," said the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.

The hospital treating Brazilian football great Pele announced a "progression" Wednesday in his cancer, as well as kidney and heart problems. Pele, 82, is being treated in the general ward but "requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions," said the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo. Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele was hospitalized in Sao Paulo on November 29 for what his medical team called a re-evaluation of his chemotherapy treatments, which he has been receiving since having surgery to remove a colon tumor in September 2021. Doctors have also diagnosed Pele -- whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento -- with a respiratory infection. Earlier this month, Pele's daughters Kely Nascimento and Flavia Arantes sought to reassure fans about his health, denying reports that Pele had been placed in end-of-life care. "Edson Arantes do Nascimento presents cancer disease progression and requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions" a hospital statement said Wednesday. He was not in intensive care, it added. Just minutes after the hospital announcement, Nascimento and Arantes said on Instagram their father would not be home for Christmas. "Our Christmas at home has been suspended," they wrote. "We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us!!" Pele scored more than 1,000 goals in one of the most storied careers in sport. He is the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970). "The King" has been in fragile health in recent years, and his public appearances have grown rare. But he remains active on social media. He posted regularly online during the Qatar World Cup, including a message of support to Brazil star Neymar after the "Selecao" crashed out of the tournament in a quarter-final loss to Croatia.

Pele's kidney and heart dysfunctional as cancer worsens

<p>Marcus&nbsp;Rashford&nbsp;marked his return from World Cup duty with a brilliant solo goal as Manchester United advanced into the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Burnley while Premier League rivals Brighton were knocked out by third-tier Charlton.</p>

<p>United's first game since the World Cup was also their first since Cristiano Ronaldo's dramatic departure from Old Trafford and an announcement by owners the Glazer family that they were prepared to sell the football giants.</p>

<p>The Red Devils went ahead in the 27th minute through a close-range finish from Denmark's Christian Eriksen, who also featured at Qatar 2022. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Rashford, who scored three goals for England at the World Cup, doubled United's lead against second-tier Championship leaders Burnley, managed by former Manchester City star Vincent Kompany, just before the hour mark in superb style.</p>

<p>The England forward went on a run from inside his own half and into the visitors' box before drilling a shot low into the net.</p>

<p>"There is space in front of you and you're almost waiting for the right time to get a pass off but the gap opened and thankfully it went in,"&nbsp;Rashford&nbsp;told Sky Sports.</p>

<p><strong>'No time to feel sorry'</strong></p>

<p>This was&nbsp;Rashford's first match since England's agonising World Cup quarter-final loss to France, with the forward saying: "It was such a disappointing feeling to be knocked out and you have to pick yourselves up.</p>

<p>"There is no time to feel sorry for yourself. You need to pick up results and thankfully we did that today."</p>

<p>United manager Erik ten Hag added: "There is still room for improvement but I am pleased with the win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The players are hungry after the World Cup break."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Burnley boss Kompany was proud of his side's performance, saying: "We didn't roll over, we were aggressive, we were on front foot, we created some chances."</p>

<p>Brighton bowed out on spot-kicks three days after their Argentina star Alexis Mac Allister won the World Cup with Argentina in a penalty shoot-out.</p>

<p>Mac Allister was not involved on Wednesday after being given time off following his World Cup heroics and was thus spared any involvement away to southeast London side Charlton.</p>

<p>A goalless draw saw the game go to penalties, with an extraordinary shoot-out starting with Pascal Gross, Jayden Stockley and Leandro Trossard all hitting the woodwork.</p>

<p>Brighton keeper Jason Steele saved from George Dobson and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.</p>

<p>That left Solly March with the chance to win the game but the Seagulls star shot high over the crossbar.</p>

<p>Addicks goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer then saved Moises Caicedo's penalty, with Sam Lavelle scoring the decisive goal at The Valley as League One Charlton booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-3 shoot-out win.</p>

<p>"I'm sorry for the result and sorry for our fans, we wanted to win the game and play in the quarter-finals," said Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.</p>

<p>"We had opportunities to score. And in penalties you can lose."</p>

<p>Charlton interim boss Anthony Hayes, in charge of his last match before Dean Holden, the club's fifth manager in less than two years, takes over, said: "It was a special night. It gives everyone a lift."</p>

<p>Nottingham Forest, four-time winners of the League Cup, had no such problems against lower league opposition, the top-flight strugglers defeating Championship high-flyers Blackburn Rovers 4-1.</p>

<p>Forest went ahead at Ewood Park through Brennan Johnson's 13th-minute penalty before Scott Wharton made amends for conceding the spot-kick by equalising on the stroke of half-time.</p>

<p>But further goals from Jesse Lingard, Taiwo Awoniyi and Johnson again took Forest into the quarter-finals for the first time since 1994.</p>

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Marcus Rashford marked his return from World Cup duty with a brilliant solo goal as Manchester United advanced into the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Burnley while Premier League rivals Brighton were knocked out by third-tier Charlton.

Marcus Rashford marked his return from World Cup duty with a brilliant solo goal as Manchester United advanced into the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Burnley while Premier League rivals Brighton were knocked out by third-tier Charlton. United's first game since the World Cup was also their first since Cristiano Ronaldo's dramatic departure from Old Trafford and an announcement by owners the Glazer family that they were prepared to sell the football giants. The Red Devils went ahead in the 27th minute through a close-range finish from Denmark's Christian Eriksen, who also featured at Qatar 2022. Rashford, who scored three goals for England at the World Cup, doubled United's lead against second-tier Championship leaders Burnley, managed by former Manchester City star Vincent Kompany, just before the hour mark in superb style. The England forward went on a run from inside his own half and into the visitors' box before drilling a shot low into the net. "There is space in front of you and you're almost waiting for the right time to get a pass off but the gap opened and thankfully it went in," Rashford told Sky Sports. 'No time to feel sorry' This was Rashford's first match since England's agonising World Cup quarter-final loss to France, with the forward saying: "It was such a disappointing feeling to be knocked out and you have to pick yourselves up. "There is no time to feel sorry for yourself. You need to pick up results and thankfully we did that today." United manager Erik ten Hag added: "There is still room for improvement but I am pleased with the win. "The players are hungry after the World Cup break." Burnley boss Kompany was proud of his side's performance, saying: "We didn't roll over, we were aggressive, we were on front foot, we created some chances." Brighton bowed out on spot-kicks three days after their Argentina star Alexis Mac Allister won the World Cup with Argentina in a penalty shoot-out. Mac Allister was not involved on Wednesday after being given time off following his World Cup heroics and was thus spared any involvement away to southeast London side Charlton. A goalless draw saw the game go to penalties, with an extraordinary shoot-out starting with Pascal Gross, Jayden Stockley and Leandro Trossard all hitting the woodwork. Brighton keeper Jason Steele saved from George Dobson and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. That left Solly March with the chance to win the game but the Seagulls star shot high over the crossbar. Addicks goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer then saved Moises Caicedo's penalty, with Sam Lavelle scoring the decisive goal at The Valley as League One Charlton booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-3 shoot-out win. "I'm sorry for the result and sorry for our fans, we wanted to win the game and play in the quarter-finals," said Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi. "We had opportunities to score. And in penalties you can lose." Charlton interim boss Anthony Hayes, in charge of his last match before Dean Holden, the club's fifth manager in less than two years, takes over, said: "It was a special night. It gives everyone a lift." Nottingham Forest, four-time winners of the League Cup, had no such problems against lower league opposition, the top-flight strugglers defeating Championship high-flyers Blackburn Rovers 4-1. Forest went ahead at Ewood Park through Brennan Johnson's 13th-minute penalty before Scott Wharton made amends for conceding the spot-kick by equalising on the stroke of half-time. But further goals from Jesse Lingard, Taiwo Awoniyi and Johnson again took Forest into the quarter-finals for the first time since 1994.

Marcus Rashford strikes for Man Utd as Charlton stun Brighton in League Cup

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

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

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

<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 />
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<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>

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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

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<p>Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif. The reason is quite straightforward; al-Salem manufactured the black-gold-coloured transparent robe that the Emir of Qatar&nbsp;Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani shrouded Messi in before handing over the World Cup trophy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The robe, called 'bisht' and priced at $2,200 was made by Salem's family company. However, none of them knew if it was going to be used on such a big stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We did not know who they were for and I was stunned," al-Salem was quoted as saying by AFP. He added that the family handed two delicate handmade cloaks to World Cup officials, one in the size of Messi and the other to fit a relatively taller French captain Hugo Lloris.</p>

<p>According to al-Salem, Argentinians&nbsp;and Lionel Messi fans descended upon his shop in huge numbers, wanting&nbsp;to buy the robe.</p>

<p>"At one stage, there were dozens waiting outside the store. Nearly all were Argentinians."</p>

<p>The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and is presented to revered individuals on special occasions. Each ‘bisht’ takes a week to complete and has to undergo seven-stage completion process with different tailors weaving their magic in each phase.</p>

<p>The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region. Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/decoded-the-robe-that-messi-was-made-to-wear-during-the-presentation-ceremony-after-the-world-cup-final-544822" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final</strong></a></p>

<p>The moment Messi was presented with the robe, it caught the attention of millions across the world. While several were critical of the garment saying it took the sheen away from the moment, others said it was Qatar attempting to share its culture and heritage with the world, which should be respected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif.

Ahmed al-Salem is a busy man since the culmination of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hundreds of shoppers are attempting to get their hands on the garments made by al-Salem at his family store in Doha's Souq Waqif. The reason is quite straightforward; al-Salem manufactured the black-gold-coloured transparent robe that the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani shrouded Messi in before handing over the World Cup trophy. The robe, called 'bisht' and priced at $2,200 was made by Salem's family company. However, none of them knew if it was going to be used on such a big stage. "We did not know who they were for and I was stunned," al-Salem was quoted as saying by AFP. He added that the family handed two delicate handmade cloaks to World Cup officials, one in the size of Messi and the other to fit a relatively taller French captain Hugo Lloris. According to al-Salem, Argentinians and Lionel Messi fans descended upon his shop in huge numbers, wanting to buy the robe. "At one stage, there were dozens waiting outside the store. Nearly all were Argentinians." The robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and is presented to revered individuals on special occasions. Each ‘bisht’ takes a week to complete and has to undergo seven-stage completion process with different tailors weaving their magic in each phase. The robe is seen as a sign of appreciation and respect in the Gulf region. Messi being asked to don the robe was a way for Qataris to show their respect to the Argentine for his achievements. Read more: DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final The moment Messi was presented with the robe, it caught the attention of millions across the world. While several were critical of the garment saying it took the sheen away from the moment, others said it was Qatar attempting to share its culture and heritage with the world, which should be respected. Former English player and commentator Gary Lineker commenting on the incident said: "Amazing scenes, great pictures from above and great pictures from inside the ground as Argentina win the World Cup for the third time." He added, "It seems a shame, in a way, that they've covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

The maker of ‘bisht’ robe presented to Messi swarmed with customers after World Cup spotlight

<p>Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought by winning the FIFA World Cup 2022 edition on Sunday evening (December 18), edging past defending champions France in a riveting finale at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Being ahead by 2-0 till the 80th minute, Argentina lost the plot with Frenchman Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and taking the game to the extra time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The extra time also couldn't separate the two sides with the scoreline being 3-3 before Lionel Messi &amp; Co. kept their calm and emerged on top in the penalty shootout (by a 4-2 margin). With this, Messi's World Cup run ended on an emphatic fashion&nbsp;and the 35-year-old also returned with the Golden Ball Award; being the first to win in twice.</p>

<p>After the win, Messi is on cloud nine and kept the World Cup trophy close to him. In a recent Instagram post, the Argentine captain shared pictures of him sleeping with the coveted trophy. Here's the post, which has become viral and garnered&nbsp;in over&nbsp;4 million likes just minutes after being posted:</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/decoded-the-robe-that-messi-was-made-to-wear-during-the-presentation-ceremony-after-the-world-cup-final-544822">DECODED! The robe that Messi was made to wear during the presentation ceremony after the World Cup final</a></strong></p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmYyND_OYMl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)</a></p>
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<p>After the match, Messi opened up on his international future. While the Qatar final was his last appearance in a World Cup match, the Paris Saint-Germain striker will continue to don the national jersey in the coming years as he wishes to play as a 'champion'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Messi told TyC Sports, as quoted by Goal.com,&nbsp;"No, I'm not going to retiring from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion."</p>


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

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

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

<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>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A football tournament without hooligans. And being at last years Wembley disgrace &amp; now in Qatar, Qatar is the standout!<br />
Maybe EVERY football tournament can be in the Middle East so our fan experience can be memorable! 🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/jr2igYVijw">pic.twitter.com/jr2igYVijw</a></p>
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1604754608877879297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><em>Well, Qatar 2022 was off to a poor start but held its nerves to end it on a glorious high!</em></p>

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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

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<p>Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday on penalties after the game ended 3-3 at the end of extra time. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez put in another incredible shift during the shootout as he managed to keep two French players at bay. Now, a Twitter thread by a netizen has revealed the tactics that Martinez employed during the shootout&nbsp;</p>

<p>The user noted that Martinez commanded the penalty shootout from the start when he stood alone in the penalty area while his compatriot and France captain Hugo Lloris went for the toss.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lloris entering the warzone second meant that Martinez had established boundaries about the arena being his. Afterwards, Martinez gently started accessing referee Szymon Marciniak to the extent he could push his luck with him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Kylian Mbappe stepped up to take the kick, Martinez first went to him, shook his hands and gave an aura of friendliness. At the very next moment, he stepped back and pointed to the referee to keep the ball in its designated spot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ball was in the right spot from the beginning but Martinez was imposing himself in the situation. The referee bent down, took a look and gave a thumbs-up to the goalie.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/argentinas-emiliano-martinez-explains-reason-behind-his-lewd-gesture-with-fifa-golden-glove-award-544811" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Argentina's Emiliano Martinez explains reason behind his lewd gesture with FIFA Golden Glove award</strong></a></p>

<p>Though Mbappe converted the penalty, Martinez received the message that he could nudge the referee a little further.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman came to the spot, Martinez upped the ante a little and again pestered the referee to check the ball, only to receive a not-so-positive response from the Polish official. The trick works this time and Coman misses the penalty.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from trying to rattle the penalty takers, Martinez is street-smart enough to shield his teammates from the opposition goalkeeper. He picks the ball after French penalties and hands it to his player so that they can cooly take the kick.&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Argentina is world champion after a penalty shootout master class. At the core of their performance is goalkeeper Emi Martinez' mind games.<br />
<br />
Martinez dominated the French penalty takers, forcing two misses.<br />
<br />
Here’s a step-by-step description of his tricks in the final. Thread. 1/ <a href="https://t.co/iujg2Sk1U0">pic.twitter.com/iujg2Sk1U0</a></p>
— Geir Jordet (@GeirJordet) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeirJordet/status/1604820622047150082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Martinez is not shy when it comes to using his verbal prowess to intimidate the opposition either. He senses that Kolo Muani can be thrown off so he begins mouthing, “I’ve watched you!”.</p>

<p>Martinez's bag of tricks is full of such antics which he has used throughout his career. It is perhaps the reason he has been able to have such a remarkable record when it comes to penalty shootouts. If Argentina are currently going gaga over the World Cup win, they owe a significant debt for it to Martinez and his crazy yet calculated tricks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday on penalties after the game ended 3-3 at the end of extra time. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez put in another incredible shift during the shootout as he managed to keep two French players at bay.

Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday on penalties after the game ended 3-3 at the end of extra time. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez put in another incredible shift during the shootout as he managed to keep two French players at bay. Now, a Twitter thread by a netizen has revealed the tactics that Martinez employed during the shootout The user noted that Martinez commanded the penalty shootout from the start when he stood alone in the penalty area while his compatriot and France captain Hugo Lloris went for the toss. Lloris entering the warzone second meant that Martinez had established boundaries about the arena being his. Afterwards, Martinez gently started accessing referee Szymon Marciniak to the extent he could push his luck with him. When Kylian Mbappe stepped up to take the kick, Martinez first went to him, shook his hands and gave an aura of friendliness. At the very next moment, he stepped back and pointed to the referee to keep the ball in its designated spot. The ball was in the right spot from the beginning but Martinez was imposing himself in the situation. The referee bent down, took a look and gave a thumbs-up to the goalie. Read more: Argentina's Emiliano Martinez explains reason behind his lewd gesture with FIFA Golden Glove award Though Mbappe converted the penalty, Martinez received the message that he could nudge the referee a little further. When Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman came to the spot, Martinez upped the ante a little and again pestered the referee to check the ball, only to receive a not-so-positive response from the Polish official. The trick works this time and Coman misses the penalty. Apart from trying to rattle the penalty takers, Martinez is street-smart enough to shield his teammates from the opposition goalkeeper. He picks the ball after French penalties and hands it to his player so that they can cooly take the kick. Argentina is world champion after a penalty shootout master class. At the core of their performance is goalkeeper Emi Martinez' mind games. Martinez dominated the French penalty takers, forcing two misses. Here’s a step-by-step description of his tricks in the final. Thread. 1/ pic.twitter.com/iujg2Sk1U0 — Geir Jordet (@GeirJordet) December 19, 2022 × Martinez is not shy when it comes to using his verbal prowess to intimidate the opposition either. He senses that Kolo Muani can be thrown off so he begins mouthing, “I’ve watched you!”. Martinez's bag of tricks is full of such antics which he has used throughout his career. It is perhaps the reason he has been able to have such a remarkable record when it comes to penalty shootouts. If Argentina are currently going gaga over the World Cup win, they owe a significant debt for it to Martinez and his crazy yet calculated tricks. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022:Tricks used by Emiliano Martinez during penalty shootout explained in this viral thread

<p>Argentina's World Cup heroes touched down in the capital city of Buenos Aires in the wee hours of Tuesday, ahead of a planned grand parade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The victorious Argentina team pushed off from a flight in Rome before touching down at the Ezeiza International Airport where they were greeted by thousands of fans.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first to step out of the plane was Argentine talisman Lionel Messi who cradled the much cherished golden World Cup trophy alongside him. Following Messi was coach Lionel Scaloni whose brilliant man-management and tactical fluidity led Argentina to the promised land.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The players were given a red-carpet welcome after which they made their way to a white open-top bus with 'World Champion' in Spanish written on the side. Three stars, referring to the three World Cups Argentina has won were also placed along the quote.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2022-im-not-gonna-retire-announces-lionel-messi-after-wc-victory-544375"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;FIFA World Cup 2022: 'I’m not...': Lionel Messi drops a BOMB on his future after lifting the mega title&nbsp;</strong></a></p>

<p>Such was the excitement of fans that they were willing to stay with the team wherever they went.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We will be here all night and tomorrow as well. Tomorrow we are not working, we won't do anything and we'll go directly to the Obelisk with Argentina," 25-year-old&nbsp;Ayrton Kerdocas, a student was quoted as saying by AFP outside the airport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The players and staff will be spending the night at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex, near the airport.</p>

<p>After earning the well-deserved rest, the squad, around mid-day will head to the iconic Obelisk monument for a tour of the Buenos Aires city centre. Millions are expected to throng the streets of Buenos Aires and join the parade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, at one time, the plane carrying the Argentine heroes was being tracked by as many as 176,000 people.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Argentina won on penalties</strong></p>

<p>Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday on penalties (4-2) after the game ended 3-3 at the end of extra time. Messi scored twice while France superstar bagged a hattrick to take the game to the very deep.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the end, it was goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's brilliance that allowed Messi and his teammates to fulfill the Argentine dream.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Argentina's World Cup heroes touched down in the capital city of Buenos Aires in the wee hours of Tuesday, ahead of a planned grand parade. The victorious Argentina team pushed off from a flight in Rome before touching down at the Ezeiza International Airport where they were greeted by thousands of fans.

Argentina's World Cup heroes touched down in the capital city of Buenos Aires in the wee hours of Tuesday, ahead of a planned grand parade. The victorious Argentina team pushed off from a flight in Rome before touching down at the Ezeiza International Airport where they were greeted by thousands of fans. The first to step out of the plane was Argentine talisman Lionel Messi who cradled the much cherished golden World Cup trophy alongside him. Following Messi was coach Lionel Scaloni whose brilliant man-management and tactical fluidity led Argentina to the promised land. The players were given a red-carpet welcome after which they made their way to a white open-top bus with 'World Champion' in Spanish written on the side. Three stars, referring to the three World Cups Argentina has won were also placed along the quote. Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: 'I’m not...': Lionel Messi drops a BOMB on his future after lifting the mega title Such was the excitement of fans that they were willing to stay with the team wherever they went. "We will be here all night and tomorrow as well. Tomorrow we are not working, we won't do anything and we'll go directly to the Obelisk with Argentina," 25-year-old Ayrton Kerdocas, a student was quoted as saying by AFP outside the airport. The players and staff will be spending the night at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex, near the airport. After earning the well-deserved rest, the squad, around mid-day will head to the iconic Obelisk monument for a tour of the Buenos Aires city centre. Millions are expected to throng the streets of Buenos Aires and join the parade. According to reports, at one time, the plane carrying the Argentine heroes was being tracked by as many as 176,000 people. Argentina won on penalties Argentina beat France in the World Cup final on Sunday on penalties (4-2) after the game ended 3-3 at the end of extra time. Messi scored twice while France superstar bagged a hattrick to take the game to the very deep. In the end, it was goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's brilliance that allowed Messi and his teammates to fulfill the Argentine dream. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Argentina's World Cup heroes touch down in Buenos Aires ahead of the grand parade

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

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