FIFA World Cup 2022: Cristiano Ronaldo latest, Neymar Jr in doubt for rest of Cup, scores and results
Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for Portugal at the World Cup as a free agent. But the transfer war is heating up with more Saudi interest. Plus, Neymar’s injury and all the latest.
World Cup
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SCORES
Croatia 0 – Belgium 0
Canada 1 – Morocco 2
Japan 2 – Spain 1
Costa Rica 2 – Germany 4
ANOTHER CLUB PREPARING ‘CRAZY PROPOSAL’ FOR RONALDO
- The Sun
Cristiano Ronaldo is attracting even more interest from Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
The Portuguese superstar, 37, saw his Manchester United contract terminated last month.
He is now playing for his country at the World Cup as a free agent.
And reports earlier this week claimed Saudi outfit Al-Nassr have offered Ronaldo a staggering £173-million-a-year deal to join them in the January window.
They want to try and acquire the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on a two-and-a-half-year contract worth £3M per week.
But they may face competition from local rival Al Hilal - albeit not until the summer.
That is according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “There is another club that wants Cristiano Ronaldo.
“This club is Al Hilal. It’s true that Cristiano Ronaldo was approached by people close to Al Hilal.
“People at the club are prepared to make another important and crazy proposal.
“There is one interesting point though. I am told Al Hilal are not able to sign players in January.
“They will only be able to sign players in the summer. That’s why at the moment it is complicated.
“In January, that’s why Al-Nassr are pushing and they would love to sign Ronaldo but Al Hilal also have an interest.
“The priority of Cristiano Ronaldo remains to have a new club as soon as possible.”
Ronaldo previously discussed offers from Saudi during his explosive interview with Piers Morgan before the World Cup.
When Morgan pressed him on the offer from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, the Portuguese star confirmed “yes it’s true” and claimed he turned it down “in that moment”.
He was then asked how difficult it was rejecting such a lucrative offer, to which he replied: “It’s hard. It’s hard. But in the same way, I thought that I was very happy here [at Man Utd]; that I (am) still capable to score goals and make people happy.
“I still believe that I can score many, many goals and help the team because I still believe that I’m still good and capable to help national team - even Manchester United.
“But if you don’t feel around you that the energy’s on your side, it’s difficult. Of course, the criticism is gonna exists all the time. Ah he’s 37, he’s not the same.
“But I want to see if some guy of my age maintain the level that I show. You’re not gonna teach me that. Nobody is gonna teach me that.”
COULD ANKE RULE NEYMAR OUT OF WORLD CUP?
Brazil are reportedly concerned Neymar could be out for the entire World Cup.
The 30-year-old was substituted during their opening game against Serbia due to an ankle injury.
And it was subsequently confirmed he had sprained it, although Brazil’s medical department have maintained it will only keep him out until the end of the group stage.
Brazil kept up their perfect start without their talisman on Monday as Casemiro’s goal handed them a 1-0 win over Switzerland.
But they may have to get used to the absence of Neymar as reports from South America, via The Mirror, are suggesting he may have suffered ligament damage.
This would mean the injury is worse than first feared and could jeopardise his participation in the rest of the tournament.
He is already a doubt for their last 16 clash - which would come on Monday providing they win their group.
Brazil are the favourites to lift the World Cup in Qatar on December 18.
And Neymar was hoping to make history in the Middle East by becoming Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer.
He is currently just two behind Pele having netted 75 times in 122 appearances.
But World Cup fitness issues are nothing new for Neymar - who has had his fair share of bad luck at major tournaments.
At the 2014 World Cup, he was impressive for Brazil but then injured his back in the quarter-final and did not feature in their 7-1 defeat to Germany.
Four years later, he came into the World Cup with fitness problems and failed to fire as Brazil were eliminated by Belgium in the last eight.
‘ABSOLUTE CATASTROPHE’ AS GERMANY EXITS AMID VAR CONTROVERSY
Germany forward Thomas Mueller said his country’s second successive first-round exit from the World Cup was an “absolute catastrophe”, which team-mate Kai Havertz likened to “watching a horror movie”.
The Germans beat Costa Rica 4-2 but Spain slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Japan on Thursday that meant Germany finished third in Group E behind Spain, with the teams equal on four points and the positions decided only by goal difference.
“It is unbelievably bitter for us because our result would have been enough,” Mueller said.
“It’s a feeling of powerlessness.” Mueller was part of the 2014 World Cup-winning team and was also in the side that was eliminated at the same stage four years ago in Russia.
Havertz said the fact Germany only discovered their fate Thursday when the result of the game between Japan and Spain was displayed on the stadium’s big screen made it even more difficult.
“When it happens this way, it feels like watching like a horror movie,” said Havertz, who scored two goals after coming off the bench.
“We learned during the match that Japan were leading, and then the group standings were displayed in the stadium. We still had a little hope that Spain would score.
“But then we noticed that the Japan match was over.” Havertz blamed the team’s performance against Japan for their elimination and hinted that all was not well in German football.
“When you go out twice in the first round and once in the round of 16, it’s extremely bitter,” he said.
“We have to be honest and say that for four years, everything hasn’t been going well.
“Now we’ve been knocked out twice in the group stage. I don’t think we’re a tournament team anymore.” Coach Hansi Flick, who is under contract until Euro 2024 which will be held in Germany, said he had no plans to step down but admitted “it won’t be up to me”.
“From my side, there is no reason not to continue,” he added. “I enjoy it, we have good players coming through.” Flick called for urgent changes to Germany’s football youth development and said they needed to look to other countries for ways to improve.
“We have players who play with top clubs and we do have the quality (but) I believe that for the future of German football, we need to do things differently in training,” said Flick.
“It will be very important to focus on the new generation of footballers. “There are good players for the future, but for the next ten years, it is very important that we make the right steps now.”
Japan held on to clinch a 2-1 victory and claim top spot in the group, meaning Germany, who beat Costa Rica 4-2, were eliminated as Spain clung on to second via goal difference.
However, despite technology proving that the ball was still in play, some fans were still left fuming over the decision.
One tweeted: “Surely VAR has failed again. That ball for Japan’s second goal looked out. VAR will struggle to get out of the group stage.”
Another said: “Not sure how VAR has given that Japan goal. Whole of the ball looked out.”
While a fellow fan wrote: “How’s that second Japan goal stood. VAR is a great laugh.”
SAMURAI SPIRIT: JAPAN EXPLODES WITH WORLD CUP JOY
As the final whistle blew on Japan’s shock victory over Spain, thrilled fans flooded onto Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble crossing to celebrate a win few had dared to dream of.
“Japan, bravo! Japan, bravo!”, they cheered after the 2-1 victory, singing the popular “Vamos Nippon” football chant and waving the country’s flag.
Dressed in their team’s blue kit, some with hats against the morning cold, the revellers mingled with commuters in suits on their way to work.
But the party atmosphere was unmistakeable, with fans jumping up and down and rushing into the crossing, as police tried to corral the crowds with yellow caution tape.
“I thought this game would be a bit tough,” said 36-year-old Munehiro Hashimoto, dressed in a Japan jersey, with blue and silver tinsel around his shoulders.
He had spared no effort with his outfit, topping it with a makeshift blue samurai helmet emblazoned with “must win” and “samurai spirit” on either side.
“It started at four in the morning (in Japan), so I was watching it at home. Then they won, so I rushed out here. We did it!” Fans danced and cheered, high-fiving strangers and posing for photos taken by amused workers on their way to the office.
Among those partying was a comedian who goes by the stage name Junya Nito and is known for his impersonation of Japan player Junya Ito.
“It was really wonderful today,” he told AFP, holding a World Cup trophy replica along with a group of fellow comedian footballer impersonators.
“I wanted to see him (Ito) score. He’s saving it for the finals!” “Japan are becoming really strong,” he added.
“We have many members now who are performing at the premier level. We see the quality (of the team) is improving, and now finally they proved it.” The celebrations weren’t limited to the streets, with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tweeting his “joy” at the result and praise for coach Hajime Moriyasu and his team.
“Coach Moriyasu and the players achieved this wonderful result in the biggest and most critical match of all time under enormous pressure,” he wrote.
“I would like to express my sincere respect for the team’s spirited effort.”
He also called Moriyasu, who had come under pressure following Japan’s dismal 1-0 loss to Costa Rica.
“All of Japan is feeling the excitement,” Kishida told Moriyasu. “You gave us courage and energy.” Japanese newspapers printed special morning editions that attracted crowds of commuters, with the Yomiuri Shimbun running the headline: “Japan advances to the final 16, Spain destroyed.” As the sun chased away the last of the evening cold, fans began to drift away from Shibuya, but 28-year-old Masaki Higuchi, wearing a Japan flag like a cape, wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet.
“They faced some difficult moments,” he said of his team.
“But I think they showed the samurai spirit in the end!”
LINE-BALL CALL CONTROVERSY AS EURO GIANTS KNOCKED OUT
Spain staggered through to the World Cup last 16 on Thursday despite a 2-1 defeat by Japan, who remarkably won Group E on a rollercoaster night which saw four-time champions Germany eliminated.
Japan secured another incredible triumph after beating Germany in their opening game, with their progression from the “group of death” one of the greatest achievements in the country’s footballing history.
For a few heart-stopping minutes Spain were poised to head out when Costa Rica were leading in the other game, but the 2010 champions squeezed through after Germany did them a favour by coming back to beat Los Ticos.
Spain and Germany ended on four points each, but La Roja progressed on goal difference.
Alvaro Morata sent Spain ahead early on with a towering header, but Japan dramatically struck back at the start of the second half.
Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka’s goals saw them mount a sensational comeback, just as they did against Germany.
Tanaka’s goal was highly controversial after the officials relied on VAR to decide Kaoru Mitoma had kept the ball in play by a hair’s breadth to set him up.
Spain struggled to create chances against a staunch Japanese defence in the final stages, with the Asian side aware that conceding another goal would see them eliminated.
Japanese players collapsed at full-time in celebration, exhausted and elated, while the substitutes raced on to celebrate.
Spain face Morocco in the last 16, while Japan play Croatia.
Both sides made five changes, with Luis Enrique bringing in Morata to lead the line, and handing Alejandro Balde and Nico Williams their full debuts.
Japan started with five at the back, hoping to keep Spain at bay, but pressed high in attack to try and capitalise on any mistakes.
Spain are sometimes guilty of glaring defensive errors and Pau Torres exemplified that with a sloppy touch which led to Japan’s first chance, fired into the side-netting by Junya Ito.
Morata sent La Roja ahead in the 12th minute with a towering header from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross, rekindling the connection which occasionally worked at Chelsea after the striker’s arrival in 2017.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu replaced the ineffective Takefuso Kubo and Yuto Nagatomo at the break with Mitoma and Doan, and it paid instant dividends.
Balde lost the ball under pressure and from the edge of the box winger Doan hammered past Unai Simon, who might have done more to keep it out.
Three minutes later and Japan had turned the game on its head, Tanaka bundling home from on the goalline after Mitoma had miraculously kept the ball in play as he crossed it -- according to VAR.
Spain were shellshocked and struggled to react, with Luis Enrique making a raft of substitutions to try and regain control.
The coach, alone and perched on the edge of his technical area, was unaware that for a few moments his team faced elimination, when Costa Rica took the lead against Germany in the other game to go 2-1 ahead.
Spain survived, progressing thanks to their superior goal difference, on a night that was far more terrifying than they had anticipated -- and Japan secured a hugely unlikely achievement.
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GERMANY WORLD CUP EXIT ‘LIKE A HORROR MOVIE’
Germany forward Kai Havertz compared his side’s World Cup elimination to “watching a horror movie”, with the team discovering their fate when the result of the game between Japan and Spain was displayed in the stadium.
The four-time champions defeated Costa Rica 4-2 but were knocked out due to Japan’s surprise 2-1 win over Spain, which saw the Blue Samurai top the group.
Despite also finishing on four points, Spain progressed ahead of Germany on goal difference.
Havertz, who scored two second-half goals after coming off the bench on Thursday, said the way the players found out about their World Cup exit made it even more difficult.
“When it happens this way, it feels like watching like a horror movie,” said Havertz.
“We learned during the match that Japan were leading, and then the rankings were displayed in the stadium. We still had a little hope that Spain would score.
“But then we noticed that the Japan match was over.”
Havertz blamed the team’s performance against Japan for their elimination and hinted that all was not well in German football.
“When you go out twice in the first round and once in the round of 16, it’s extremely bitter.
“We have to be honest and say that for four years, everything hasn’t been going well.
“Now we’ve been knocked out twice in the group stage. I don’t think we’re a tournament team anymore.”
9.30AM: SUAREZ NOT SORRY FOR CONTROVERSIAL HANDBALL
Uruguay great Luis Suarez refused to apologise to Ghanaians over his infamous handball at the World Cup 12 years ago.
The South Americans take on the Africans in a must-win Group H clash in Qatar that is a repeat of the notorious quarter-final in South Africa in 2010.
Suarez deliberately handled the ball on the line at that tournament to prevent a certain goal from Dominic Adiyiah’s header right at the end of extra-time.
Suarez was shown a red card but Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty and Uruguay went on to win the shoot-out and qualify for the semi-finals.
Striker Suarez became an overnight hero in his homeland while Ghana missed out on becoming the first-ever African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
Twelve years later, asked whether he knew that Ghanaians viewed him as the “devil”, Suarez said he had no regrets.
“I don’t say I apologise about that because I take the handball but the Ghana player missed the penalty, not me,” said Suarez, speaking in broken English.
“Maybe I can say I apologise if I tackle and injure a player and take a red card, maybe I can apologise.
“But in this situation I take a red card, the referee said ‘penalty’. It’s not my fault because I did not miss the penalty, the player missed the penalty.” There has been lots of talk since the World Cup draw was made about Ghana potentially seeking revenge and many of the African team’s fans have vented their ire at Suarez ahead of the crunch clash.
But Suarez insisted the game was in the past and that it makes no sense to talk about revenge.
“Those that are talking about revenge... were eight at the time, they have only seen it in images,” said the former Barcelona and Liverpool forward, now 35.
“You can’t misinterpret everything. When we played Portugal the players were talking about revenge for being knocked out (by Uruguay in 2018) but you can’t live in the past.”
Uruguay coach Diego Alonso said there was much more at stake for both teams than vengeance.
Uruguay must win to have any chance of progressing to the last 16 while Ghana could also be eliminated if they do not triumph.
“I don’t know how Ghana will approach it, whether or not it’s revenge,” said Alonso.
“For us it’s a decisive match, that’s what matters to us. We’re doing the best we can, respecting our opponents, but we don’t view it that way.”
THIRTY MINUTES OF CUP CHAOS
7:50am GERMANY GONE, SPAIN LUCKY LOSERS
What a morning it has been at the Cup. When play started it looked like Spain and Germany would qualify through to the knockout rounds, but when the final whistle blew just one Euro giant was through, and then only just.
Japan defeated Spain to finish top of their group and while Germany defeated Costa Rica it was not by enough to see the four-times World Champions move through to the knockout round.
Spain may not be too unhappy with the result though as by finishing second they ensured they were drawn against the world number 22 Morocco in the elimination games while Japan’s ‘prize’ for topping their group is to play world number 12 Croatia. What a funny old Cup it’s been.
7:43am GERMANY SCORE AGAIN!
Okay I reached for the calculator and confirm that Germany need just another lazy five goals in four minutes to threaten Spain. Of course the way this Cup is going anything is possible.
7:41am GERMANY SCORES GIVING SPAIN SOME BREATHING ROOM
Germany have gone ahead of Costa Rica and now lead 3-2. A win, on its own, doesn’t help Germany who would finish equal on points with Spain but are miles behind on goal difference. Though if Spain were to win AND Germany win then it all changes again. Calculators out people.
7:35am SPAIN ARE BACK IN
Germany levelled the scores with Costa Rica and now Spain are sitting second in the group.
In an odd way you might think second is the real first prize here because the group winner will face Croatia in the last 16, the team who finishes second here will face the much lower ranked Morocco.
7:20am SPAIN ARE OUT
As it stands right now one of the biggest World Cup upsets in history is on the cards with Costa Rica leading Germany and Japan leading Spain there is the very real chance that neither European heavyweight progresses through to the knockout rounds.
Japan took the lead in the 58th minute after a stunning goal in which the ball appeared to cross the line before being hooked back and then netter.
VAR cleared the goal, but if Spain go out then expect to hear plenty more about this.
6:33 THE CUP SHOCK NOBODY SAW COMING
Morocco powered into the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in 36 years on Thursday with a 2-1 victory over eliminated Canada.
Goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri ensured the North Africans finished top of Group F ahead of 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia.
Morocco, who last reached the knockout stages of the World Cup in 1986, will face the runners-up from Group E in the last 16, with the identity of their opponents decided later Thursday.
“It wasn’t easy, but when you have an opportunity to make history, you remember it,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said.
In the other Group F match Romelu Lukaku missed a string of late chances as Belgium crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage after a 0-0 draw with Croatia on Thursday which sent the 2018 runners-up into the knockout phase.
Roberto Martinez announced after the game he was stepping down as Belgium coach after a six-year spell in charge.
Lukaku finally hits the targetpic.twitter.com/SHFbEffyVB
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) December 1, 2022
Croatia had a penalty award controversially cancelled by VAR early in a largely uneventful first half.
The introduction of Lukaku at the interval changed the game, but he was guilty of three dreadful misses as Zlatko Dalic’s side rode their luck to hold on.
Croatia progressed as runners-up in Group F behind winners Morocco who beat Canada 2-1 to also qualify for the last 16.
The Croatians will face the winners of Group E, containing Spain, Germany, Japan and Costa Rica, for a quarter-final place.
“We had some chances against us but it didn’t change our mindset,” said coach Dalic. “We were lucky they didn’t take their chances.” Belgium, the world’s second-ranked side, saw their run of reaching at least the quarter-finals at four straight major tournaments come to an abrupt end.
DEGENEK OUT TO SEND HOME THE GOAT
Socceroos firebrand Milos Degenek says the possibility of crushing the World Cup career of Lionel Messi – and potentially winning the entire tournament – far outweighs any love he has for the Argentinian legend.
Degenek is an unabashed Messi fan, describing the pint-sized playmaker as the greatest to ever play football, and will on Saturday get a chance to see the little master up close and personal on Saturday when the Socceroos face Argentina with a quarter-final berth on the line.
At 35, this is likely Messi’s last shot at World Cup glory – the one major trophy to have eluded him in an extraordinary, decorated career.
But Degenek and the Socceroos are determined to bury his fairytale – and send Argentina home, just as they’ve done to Denmark and Tunisia.
“I always loved Messi and I think he’s the greatest to ever play the game,” Degenek said.
“But it’s not an honour to play against him – because he’s just a human, as we all are. It’s an honour to be in the Round of 16 of a World Cup. That’s the honour in itself.
“(Argentina are) driven by the motivation that it could be Messi’s last World Cup and he wants to win the World Cup and end it on a high.
“For us, it’s to stop that. I am a big fan of his, but I’d love to win a World Cup more (than I want) him to win the World Cup.
“It’s going to be a difficult game … (But) it’s 11 against 11, there’s not 11 Messis, there’s one.”
FULL GUIDE: STATE OF PLAY IN EVERY WORLD CUP GROUP
Degenek said Australia will use learnings from the France disaster, a 4-1 defeat in the Socceroos’ opening game, when they take on a similarly star-studded Argentina.
“We’ve learnt a lot from the France game. I think we showed them a bit of respect in that first game, this game in two days’ time will be a completely different game,” he said.
“(But) France don’t have that one guy (Messi) that we all know who Argentina have. He’s capable of everything.”
Degenek looked to have solved coach Graham Arnold’s problems at right back with a stirring performance in the shutout against Denmark and will be favoured to start there again on Saturday.
But perhaps even more than his on-field heroics, the 28-year-old has turned into the Socceroos’ ultimate hype man, delivering inspirational pre-game speeches and instilling extra belief in the squad.
His latest claim might be the best one yet: that the Socceroos can go all the way.
“Am I saying, ‘Why not us’? I am,” Degenek said.
“The sky is the limit in football. Leicester City won the Premier League. Croatia got to the World Cup final.
“There has to always be that one story that shocks the whole world, the one story everyone jumps on the bandwagon.”
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