Page 20 - Fifa World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Win over Mexico 'a weight off our shoulders', says Messi

Lionel Messi said Argentina are ready to "start over again" after resuscitating their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Mexico

Biggest World Cup crowd in 28 years sees Messi play against Mexico

Lionel Messi played in front of 88,966 spectators on Sunday when Argentina beat Mexico 2-0, the largest attendance at a World Cup match in 28 years. The Lusail Stadium north of Doha, which will stage the final on December 18, hosted the most people at the World Cup since the 1994 final in the United States, according to FIFA. There were 91,194 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to see Brazil beat Italy in that penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. Saturday's attendance was several hundred more than the figure for the two previous games at Lusail Stadium, when Brazil beat Serbia and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia. Qatar's attendance figures do not rank in the top 30 of all-time World Cup matches. The largest crowd was 173,850 inside the Maracan Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in 1950 for Uruguay's 2-1 victory over host Brazil in the final game of that tournament. Other stadiums figuring in the top-30 list are the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Wembley Stadium in London and the

Messi leads Argentina to 2-0 win over Mexico at FIFA World Cup 2022

Lionel Messi came up with another crucial goal for Argentina in a 2-0 win over Mexico on Sunday that ignited the team's World Cup chances. Messi took a touch from Angel Di Maria's pass across the face of the area and drove a low shot from 25 metres into the bottom corner in the 64th minute. He ran towards Argentina's fans with his arms outstretched before getting mobbed by his jubilant teammates. He looked emotional as he grabbed and shook his jersey, then blew a kiss to the crowd. Substitute Enzo Fernandez added a second goal in the 87th minute. Argentina bounced back from a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in its opening match. The team is in second place in Group C ahead of its last match against Poland on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Messi is likely playing in his last World Cup, which is the only major title missing from his collection.

FIFA World Cup 2022: Kylian Mbappe nets brace as France defeat Denmark

France became the first team to qualify for the Round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 as Kylian Mbappe's brace fired them to a 2-1 victory against Denmark in Group D

Fifa World Cup Day 6: Ecuador, US impress in draws; Senegal, Iran in wins

Fifa World Cup Qatar Day 6 Highlights: Iran and Senegal won impressively against Wales and Qatar respectively while US and Ecuador forced draws from their fencied opponents England and the Netherlands

FIFA WC '22: Injured Neymar ruled out of Brazil's match against Switzerland

'The scans showed a lateral ligament injury to Neymar's right ankle along with a small bone swelling'

After Saudi Arabia loss, Messi & Argentina under pressure for Mexico game

A chant has been doing the rounds among Saudi Arabia supporters and even some from Brazil in the fan parks and streets of Doha at the World Cup. Where is Messi? We broke his eye! they sing in Arabic, using a slang expression meaning to bring shame on a person. Messi and his Argentina team are being mocked after a humbling 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia that has left their presence at the tournament in big and completely unforeseen danger. Argentina needs to immediately bounce back against Mexico on Saturday, otherwise an embarrassing early exit awaits. We always said we were going to look to win every game, Messi said, and now more than ever. A compatriot indeed the team's former coach could mastermind the fatal blow to Argentina. Gerardo Martino led his native Argentina from 2014-16, losing the Copa America final in back-to-back years in that time before quitting. Now Martino is Mexico's coach and looking to guide the team into the last 16 perhaps at the expense of Argentina

Neymar to play on in Fifa World Cup despite injury: Brazil coach Tite

Brazil manager Tite said star forward Neymar would fight through the pain barrier to continue playing in the FIFA World Cup despite an ankle injury.

Brazil misses out on Fifa world cup betting. What's India's wager?

Will President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva end the country's decades-long ban on games of chance?

Fifa World Cup Highlights: Portugal, Brazil win as Uruguay draw vs Korea

Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 Live Updates: Yet another Asian side shone as South Korea forced a draw out of fancied Uruguay. Portugal beat Ghana 3-2 while Brazil didn't have to sweat hard for 2-0 win

They do blend

The mixture of sport and politics has always worked to the advantage of humanity

Japan stun four-time champion Germany in second shock of Fifa World Cup

Substitute Takuma Asano scored an 83rd-minute winner as Japan stunned four-time world champions Germany 2-1 in their opening match of the world cup 2022 on Wednesday

Under pressure with this defeat, says Germany manager after loss to Japan

Following the shocking defeat against Japan in the Group E match, Germany manager Hansi Flick said that with zero points in their hands his team is under pressure

Fifa World Cup Highlights: Spain thrash Costa Rica 7-0, Japan shock Germany

FIFA World Cup Qatar Live Score and Updates: It was a night full of good games. While Japan shocked Germany 2-1, coming from one goal behind, Spain were on a scoring spree and beat Costa Rica 7-0

Denmark reignites European dispute with FIFA at World Cup

European soccer showed its public frustration with FIFA president Gianni Infantino again Wednesday at the World Cup this time in the Denmark camp. Denmark pledged it wouldn't vote for Infantino, who is running unopposed for re-election in March. Danish soccer federation president Jesper Mller also hinted at wishing to walk away from FIFA membership. I've thought about it again, Mller told Danish media in Qatar. I imagine that there may be challenges if Denmark opts out alone. But let's see if we can't have a dialogue. Denmark's issues with the FIFA president pre-dated the World Cup, said Mller, who is a member of the UEFA executive committee, but the tensions with Europe intensified in recent days. Infantino used an eve-of-tournament news conference to berate European society and media for what he said was hypocrisy in their criticism of World Cup host Qatar. FIFA's threats to show yellow cards to captains who wanted to wear an unauthorized armband as part of the One Love ...

Fifa World Cup 2022: Japan gets two late goals to beat Germany 2-1

Germany was playing at the World Cup for the first time since its shocking group-stage exit as defending champion in 2018

FIFA World Cup 2022: Qatar accused of 'sportswashing' but do fans care?

The choice to host men's football FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar has been controversial since day 1 amid the nation's attitude to human rights, and its treatment of migrant workers

Goa BJP leader urges Centre to boycott World Cup over Zakir Naik 'invite'

Amid reports of Qatar inviting controversial Islamic preacher and Indian fugitive Zakir Naik to the FIFA World Cup, Goa BJP spokesperson Savio Rodrigues has appealed to the government and Indian Football Associations to boycott the sports event. Naik, a televangelist, reportedly left India in 2016 and moved to Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency. India had sent a request to Malaysia for his extradition. Rodrigues in a statement on Tuesday said, "Zakir Naik is a wanted man under the Indian law. He is charged with money laundering crimes and hate speeches." "He is a terror sympathiser. In fact, he is no less than a terrorist himself. He has openly supported terrorist Osama Bin Laden and has been instrumental is spreading Islamic radicalism and hate in India, the BJP leader stated. He appealed to the central government, Indian Football Associations, Indians in Qatar and those travelling to the host country to boycott the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is a global

Were punished by our mistakes, says Australian coach after loss to France

Following the loss to France in their FIFA World Cup 2022 opener, Australia coach Graham Arnold said the quality of their opponents contributed to their win and his side was punished by their mistakes

Croatia's Modric unwilling to compare 2022 World Cup with 2018 campaign

Croatia captain Luka Modric said his team should put aside their 2018 World Cup memories and focus on the group match against Morocco on Wednesday