World Cup 2022: Keep up to date with all the latest from Qatar

Youssef En-Nesri’s towering header was enough to knock Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal out of the World Cup - and now there’s fresh insult for the former Manchester United star.

Cristiano Ronaldo walks off the pitch in tears after Portugal's defeat to Morocco in the World Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Morocco became the first ever African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals thanks to a bullet header from Youssef En-Nesyri.

The striker put Cristiano Ronaldo to shame - jumping to a whopping 9ft 1inches to crash home the winner.

Ronaldo famously scored for Juventus against Sampdoria with a stooping header back in 2019.

The Portugal forward, who was knocked out of the World Cup by En-Nesyri’s goal, rose to an incredible 8ft 4in.

Morocco's forward #19 Youssef En-Nesyri (L) launches himself through the air to score against Portugal. Picture: Odd Andersen/AFP

He was then hailed for his superhuman athleticism after the strike.

But Sevilla star En-Nesyri took things to a whole new level with his effort on Saturday.

Both men stand at 6ft2, but En-Nesyri’s quarter-final strike saw him jump eight inches higher than Ronaldo did three years ago.

The Morocco man rose to a staggering 9ft 1in as he leapt above Ruben Dias to send his nation into the last four, according to the Daily Mail.

En-Nesyri almost seemed to float in the air as he jumped into the gods to connect with Yahia Attiyat Allah’s cross.

In doing so he set up a semi-final meeting with France on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo (C) soars to score a header during the Italian Serie A football match Sampdoria vs Juventus on December 18, 2019. Picture: Marco Bertorello / AFP

Even Ronaldo was pictured looking impressed as he watched on from the bench as En-Nesyri powered home.

The goal settled the game, and reduced Ronaldo tears at the final whistle.

Ronaldo was seen crying as walked down the tunnel after the game, before he said in an emotional statement that his “biggest and most ambitious dream” of winning a World Cup has now ended.

He is now jobless after being axed by Manchester United just days before the World Cup.

En-Nesyri meanwhile will be looking to repeat the feat when he takes on Kylian Mbappe and Co for a place in the final.

Whoever comes out on top will take on the winners of Argentina vs Croatia for the right to lift football’s greatest prize.

From The Sun

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal walks off the pitch in tears after the team's defeat by Morocco. Picture: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

SACK RACE: SIX WORLD CUP COACHES AXED SO IS SOUTHGATE NEXT?

Gareth Southgate is considering quitting — as he is still scarred by his Wolverhampton nightmare.

The England manager has a decision to make on his future following the 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.

He was stung by a barrage of criticism after June’s humiliating 4-0 Molineux defeat to Hungary, when he was heavily booed by fans.

Southgate said: “I’ve found large parts of the last 18 months difficult. For everything that I’ve loved about the last few weeks, I still look at how things have been for 18 months.

“What’s been said and what’s been written, the night at Wolves.

“There are lots of things in my head that’s really conflicted at the moment.

“So what I want to make sure, if it’s the right thing to stay, is that I’ve definitely got the energy to do that.

“I don’t want to be four or five months down the line thinking I’ve made the wrong call.

“It’s too important for everybody to get that wrong.”

Southgate, along with assistant Steve Holland, signed a two-year contract extension a year ago that runs until after Euro 2024 in Germany.

The FA — along with the Three Lions squad — are desperate for the pair to stay.

England’s next game is a Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy in March.

If Southgate walks away, it would leave the FA in a nightmare situation as there is no obvious successor.

Gareth Southgate, Head Coach of England

The 52-year-old added: “After every tournament, I’ve sat with everybody at the FA and talked things through and I think that’s the right process to go through again.

“It has been difficult to really think things through properly in those following few weeks.

“It takes so much energy out of you and you have so much going through your mind.

“I want to make the right decision either way.

“I don’t think now is the time to make a decision like that. Neither are the next few days, really.”

Southgate also revealed he cannot shake off the disappointment of losing the Euro 2020 final to Italy on penalties.

He admitted: “I don’t think I have got over the last one but this feels a little bit different, as I’m not sure what more we could have done.”

The World Cup has seen a number of big names step down from their coaching roles after being eliminated.

Brazil head coach Tite quit after the quarter-final defeat to Croatia.

Spain’s Luis Enrique left his role after the round of 16 loss on penalties against Morocco.

Mexico coach Tata Martino took full responsibility for its World Cup group stage exit while Paulo Bento stepped down as South Korea coach after losing to Brazil.

Ghana’s Otto Addo is no longer head coach and neither is Roberto Martinez who walked away from his role with belgium.

From The Sun

DESCHAMPS VALIDATED FINALLY

France’s World Cup run is turning into a triumph for coach Didier Deschamps, who has won over those who felt he had stayed in charge too long and is within touching distance of another final.

Victory over England on Saturday means France now face Morocco in the last four on Wednesday, and whatever happens there, Deschamps will be free to decide if he wants to extend his 10-year spell in charge.

“The ball is in my court and I will decide. I will be here for the semi-final and then we’ll see. One thing at a time,” said Deschamps after fulfilling the objective set out for him by French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.

“The president is happy. Lots of people are happy. But I want to savour being back in the last four. I am thinking about Wednesday, not about other things.” Deschamps was appointed in 2012 and some felt he should have bowed out on a high after France’s 2018 World Cup triumph.

What followed was a disappointing performance at Euro 2020, when they lost in the last 16 despite a return for Karim Benzema from the international wilderness.

With Zinedine Zidane available and seemingly ready to become France’s next coach, the World Cup in Qatar has arguably been Deschamps’ greatest challenge yet.

The holders appeared diminished by injuries coming into the tournament, deprived of starting midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante and then of Benzema before a ball had been kicked.

Many wondered if France would go the way of the past three reigning champions, Italy, Spain and Germany, who were all knocked out of the next World Cup in the group phase.

“We’ll admit that we had doubted Didier Deschamps a little bit. We wondered if he hadn’t stayed too long, if he still had his mojo,” said the daily Le Parisien in an editorial on Sunday.

“He came to Qatar surrounded by some doubts. Those have been swept away. It is as if nothing could stop this France team. A France that wins. Deschamps’ France.”

- Shadow of Zidane -

Olivier Giroud has stepped up spectacularly in the absence of Benzema, with the veteran striker scoring four times in Qatar, including the winner against England.

Deschamps decided just before the tournament to ditch his experiment with a three-man defence and revert to a 4-3-3 formation.

Most significantly, he has solved his midfield conundrum by turning forward Antoine Griezmann into arguably the best playmaker at the tournament.

RONALDO BREAKS SILENCE AFTER WORLD CUP EXIT

Cristiano Ronaldo said on Sunday “there’s no point in reacting in the heat of the moment,” as he responded to Portugal’s World Cup elimination.

Ronaldo stayed in Qatar as many of the Portugal squad returned home and landed in Lisbon on Sunday afternoon.

“To win a World Cup for Portugal was the biggest and most ambitious dream of my career. Fortunately, I won many titles of international dimension, including for Portugal,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.

His post did not talk about international retirement but he started Portugal’s last two matches in Qatar on the bench, a decision which provoked debate in Portugal and across the football world.

Has Ronaldo played his last game for Portugal? Picture: MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP

“Let’s hope that time will be a good counsellor and allow everyone to draw their own conclusions,” he wrote.

The Instagram post was accompanied by a photo showing Ronaldo, head down, trudging off the field in Doha after the 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Morocco on Saturday.

At 37, Ronaldo was playing his fifth World Cup. As soon as the final whistle blew he headed down the tunnel with tears streaming down his face.

Ronaldo is without a club after a bitter divorce with Manchester United. According to the Portuguese press, Ronaldo threatened to leave the squad after he was dropped from the starting line-up, but that was denied by coach Fernando Santos, who will soon meet with the Portuguese Football Association to discuss his own future.

“I just want everyone to know that a lot was said, a lot was written, a lot was speculated, but my dedication to Portugal didn’t change for an instant,” Ronaldo added.

Ronaldo came close to scoring an equaliser for Portugal late in their quarterfinal against Morocco, but it wasn’t to be. Picture by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP

“I was always one more player fighting for everyone’s goal and I would never turn my back on my teammates and my country.” “In the five World Cups I played, always alongside great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave it my all. I left everything on the field. I never turned my back on the fight and I never gave up on this dream.

“Unfortunately, yesterday the dream ended. The dream was beautiful while it lasted.” Portugal central defender Pepe was asked about his former Real Madrid club mate, as he returned on Sunday. He said Ronaldo was “fine”.

“I want to thank him, as well as all my teammates who gave their best,” said Pepe.