World Cup 2018: Manager gets daughter’s approval; Asian struggles; Dumped boss speaks out

NEW Spain boss Fernando Hierro’s stunning daughter wishes dad luck as she sends Instagram wild with revealing selfies as a France star settles his future just in time for the Socceroos clash.

Fernando Hierro's daughter Claudia Ruiz.

FERNANDO Hierro’s daughter sent Instagram wild as she wished her dad good luck for the World Cup.

The new Spain boss was called in to replace Julen Lopetegui just two days before their opening match against Portugal.

Claudia Ruiz used her Instagram page to show her support after Hierro’s shock appointment.

She shared a photograph of the 50-year-old during his international career for Spain, where he scored 29 goals in 89 appearances.

The caption read: “To throw a lot of eggs, a lot of love, and a lot of real football.

“A for the World Cup, for the whole SPAIN.

“And long live the mother who bore you!

“It is not time to correct defects, it is time to promote values #VIVAESPANA.”

Ruiz has amassed a huge army of followers on her Instagram profile, where she regularly posts saucy selfies.

When she’s not posing for a photograph, the brunette stunner tends to be travelling the world and showing off her love for animals.

Scoring for the LGBT cause

A bookmaker has donated $88k to fight homophobia in football after Russia’s 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

The World Cup hosts romped to victory in the opening game of the tournament on Friday morning (EST).

And their win means LGBT organisations in the country will be getting a big cash boost.

Paddy Power revealed they would be paying out $18k for every goal scored by the Russians.

And the bookmaker announced the news with a picture of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

But the image then changes to him with dyed pink hair, pink lipstick and rainbow eye liner.

Paddy Power's Putin some money towards LGBTQ causes.

Dark times in Asia

Asia’s quartet of World Cup representatives failed to deliver a single victory four years ago and hopes of a turnaround in Russia are low, with continental powerhouses Japan and South Korea struggling for form.

Five nations qualified from the Asian confederation for the 2018 World Cup but Saudi Arabia’s 5-0 thumping at the hands of the hosts in the tournament opener followed the pattern of miserable performances and results for Asian sides in Brazil.

In the 16 years since Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament, with the latter reaching the semi-finals, they have each only made it beyond the group stages once, in 2010.

Frenchman Philippe Troussier took Japan to the last 16 on home soil in 2002 but believes they have “no chance” of making the knockout phase this time despite avoiding the tournament favourites in their group.

Japan sacked coach Vahid Halilhodzic in April but the decision to hire Akira Nishino has failed to inspire an immediate turnaround in fortunes, with warm-up friendly defeats against Ghana and Switzerland.

Saudi Arabia were a major flop in the opening game.

“Even if they play with (Jose) Mourinho or Arsene Wenger, it would be so difficult for Japan to get to the last 16,” Troussier said.

South Korea do have one outstanding talent in Tottenham’s Son Heung-min. Son scored 18 goals this season, including four in seven Champions League games, but has struggled to recreate that form when tasked with being the main man for his country.

Defeats to Bosnia and Senegal either side of a drab 0-0 draw with Bolivia in warm-up games have done little to inspire confidence that South Korea can rival Mexico or Sweden for second place behind Group F favourites Germany.

The Saudis’ poor showing in Moscow against an unfancied Russia also does not bode well for a Socceroos side that finished below them in qualifying and face the might of France on Saturday.

Despite a myriad of problems including cancelled warm-up friendlies and Nike’s decision to stop supplying boots due to US sanctions, Iran may provide the Asian confederation’s best chance of registering a win.

Dumped Spanish manager speaks out

Julen Lopetegui said being fired as Spain coach two days before its opening match at the World Cup was possibly “the saddest day of my life” since his mother died, and joining Real Madrid as its new coach was “the happiest day of my life.”

The 51-year-old Lopetegui made the emotional remarks when he was officially introduced by Madrid on Friday morning (EST) at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

It has been a tumultuous three days for Lopetegui, and Spain’s national team. Lopetegui was fired by Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales on Tuesday night (EST) - a day after Madrid made the unexpected announcement that Lopetegui had agreed to leave for European champion Madrid after the World Cup in Russia.

Julen Lopetegui was shattered by the decision to relieve him of the Spanish role.

Rubiales said he felt “compelled” to fire Lopetegui because the coach and Madrid had kept him in the dark until five minutes before the club made the deal public.

Madrid president Florentino Perez denied his club had acted improperly and slammed Rubiales for firing Lopetegui.

“It was a disproportionate and unjust response that is without precedent,” said Perez.

“Some people will do anything to hurt the image of Real Madrid.”

Meanwhile, the Spanish players are determined to put the coaching woes in the past as their opener against arch rivals Portugal looms large.

“We need to turn the page as soon as possible,” Spain captain Sergio Ramos said.

“Spain has to be above anybody. The World Cup starts tomorrow (for us) and we have a great game to play against the European champion. Hopefully we will start on the right foot.”

At the end of the news conference, the outspoken defender said he wanted to leave with a smile on his face.

“This looks like a funeral,” he said.

There’s no Barcelona move for Antoine Griezmann.

France star settles on future

With the match against the Socceroos looming large, France striker Antoine Griezmann has finally put to bed debate about his club future - and it’s not what everyone expected.

The 27-year-old - who is expected to lead the line against Bert van Marwijk’s men on Saturday night in Kazan - is staying put at Atletico Madrid in an eagerly awaited decision that ends intense speculation of a possible move to Barcelona.

“I’ve decided to stay,” Griezmann said.

The 27-year-old was heavily wooed by Barcelona but in the end he has elected to prolong his four year stay at the Spanish capital side.

Last month he scored twice in Atletico’s 3-0 win over Marseille in the Europa League final.

It was Griezmann’s first major title with Atletico after being in the side that lost on penalties to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in 2016.

He also lost the European Championship final with France that same summer.

Among those at Barca who will be disappointed at his decision will be Lionel Messi who last week hailed the compact No.9 as “a great player”.

“Good players always have an understanding and he’s at an exceptional moment in his career,” Messi said of the player who ended the season with a 29-goal haul.

Can Neymar and Willian lead Brazil to glory?

Brazil revive memories of 2002

Brazil will be experimenting with a new version of the “magic quartet” in Russia.

More than a decade after the five-time world champions arrived for the World Cup in Germany with its prolific foursome of Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo and Adriano, Brazil is set to use a “Fab Four” of Neymar, Willian, Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus to try to win its first title since 2002.

It will be the first time Brazil brings a prominent attacking foursome like the one that attracted all the headlines 12 years ago.

Brazil coach Tite still hasn’t announced his starting lineup for the opener against Switzerland in Rostov-on-Don on Monday morning (EST), but all signs show that he will stick to the quartet that helped the team ease past Austria in its final warm-up match last week.

It was the first time the four players started together under Tite, and the lineup earned nothing but praise after the convincing 3-0 win.

“This formation is a very strong one,” Tite said.

“It gives us a lot of creativity and aggressiveness.”

Ronaldo and Ronaldinho helped lift Brazil to 2002 title glory.

DAY TWO GAMES ...

Egypt vs. Uruguay, 10pm (EST)

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A matchup of Group A’s best sides, Uruguay would be favored under the best of conditions, but with Salah uncertain to play, the Uruguayans should win with ease.

Morocco vs. Iran, 1am (EST)

Morocco vs. Iran isn’t much more attractive than Russia vs. Saudi Arabia. Still, Morocco will fancy their chances against an Iran team that still doesn’t know who will outfit it, and if they win by enough could challenge Portugal for a berth in the round of 16.

Portugal vs. Spain, 4am (EST)

The game of the day pits two of Europe’s more storied sides. Though Spain looked like the clear favorites earlier in the week, the firing of manager Julen Lopetegui on Wednesday, just one day after he announced he’d leave for Real Madrid at the end of the tournament, puts things in doubt.

Originally published as World Cup 2018: Manager gets daughter’s approval; Asian struggles; Dumped boss speaks out