#world-cup

#world-cup

In a world where Troy Parrott does not make a perfectly-timed run into a Budapest penalty area, this evening's gathering in Brussels would be laying out the roadmap for the Irish international year.

In nearly a century of men's World Cup football, only four Caribbean nations have ever qualified. This year, more finally will, but many of their supporters, especially Haitians, will be unable to travel to cheer them on, blocked by immigration rules that sit uneasily beside sport's language of unity. It is a dissonance capturing a deeper truth: Caribbean athletes are welcome on the global stage but Caribbean people less so.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has undergone surgery on a right foot injury sustained in January. The Spain international suffered a stress fracture on his foot during Arsenal's 3-2 league loss against Manchester United on Jan. 25. Arsenal expect Merino to be out for an extended period. Merino, 29, posted a photo on Instagram from his hospital bed giving a thumbs up and wrote: "Surgery done! Already closer to be back. Thank you so much to everyone for your messages and love. It really gives me even more energy to face the challenge. Vamos!"

India's form over the last two years has made them the most feared side in world cricket but for a while as they got their World Cup campaign under way the only dread was being experienced by their own fans as the USA threatened a humiliating upset. But for some missed chances, a hugely unfortunate injury and the brilliance of Suryakumar Yadav it might well have happened.

James is a player whose quality, vision, and experience at the highest levels of the game are unquestioned. We're excited to add his creativity and football intelligence to our group. At the same time, this move is about collective strength -- not about putting everything on one individual,

Looking for some good discussion on Bayern Munich and whatever topics come to your head? Well, we have you covered with a new feature called "BFW Office Hours." We might have named it "BFW After Hours" but no one wants to see Chuck in a silk robe drinking an Old Fashioned, do they? So, spend the next hour with Alberto, BFW's official Mexican and let's chop it up!

When Modric joined Milan, an insurance clause was inserted, where the Rossoneri would have the option of an extra year if all parties wanted to continue together. Within his first few games at the club, that option was being considered. However, the caveat has always been whether all parties want the same thing. No one is unhappy with the situation, but with Modric only getting older, his desire will be the most important thing.

She and her husband spent $55,000 over the past year to make their Kansas City-area home more appealing for short-term renters. The four-bedroom home features the kind of touches - cozy TV-watching areas, an outdoor fire pit, and newly purchased furniture - that should be catnip for visitors. Since the listing went live in December, however, the home has drawn only a handful of bookings. The first stay didn't offer much encouragement: the guests trashed the place, causing about $1,200 in damage.

Next weekend, the Super Bowl and opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics will kick off a packed season for live sports. Advertisers and media buyers have been investing in these big-ticket events since last summer. But some marketers are thinking beyond February, to June - and amending their contingency plans should political events in the U.S. derail this summer's soccer World Cup.

Leon Goretzka decided to stay at Bayern until the end of the season purely for sporting reasons, as Atlético Madrid were ready to match his Bayern salary for the rest of the season. Goretzka sees a big chance of winning his second Champions League title, 7th Bundesliga title and even a treble this season. He does not want to miss out on that and wants to leave on a high after 8 years at the club.

Referencing concerns about this year's World Cup in north America and criticism in the build-up to Qatar 2022, Infantino said: "For the first time in history, also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup." To laughter at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, he added: "Imagine. This is something really, really special." Understandably the comments angered the Football Supporters' Association, which accused Infantino of making "cheap jokes" about England fans.

Tottenham are closing in on a January move for Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein. The 31-year-old has been a pivotal part of many of the Merseysiders' successes in recent years but has lost his place this season to Milos Kerkez. And with his contract expiring in the summer, the Scotland international said recently he was considering his options.

In Germany, fans watched the games on screens in crowded town squares, their roars careening off ancient buildings, or from the banks of rivers, peering at floating, double-sided big screens on barges. At the next World Cup, in South Africa in 2010, people gathered in parks and open-air markets and hotel lobbies and unlicensed, makeshift bars in people's garages. In Brazil, four years later, fans spilled from the bars on the Copacabana or watched in restaurants

As soaked Senegal fans celebrated winning the Africa Cup of Nations in a Moroccan rainstorm, thoughts and talk would likely have soon turned to a World Cup opener against France less than six months away. The June 16 clash against their former colonial rulers, who Senegal memorably beat in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, is in the New Jersey stadium which will host the World Cup final. While the 300,000 strong Senegalese diaspora in France should ensure some fans are backing the African champions, those who hold only Senegalese passports will not be allowed in the US.

"It's going to be interesting because, for fans of certain clubs who need managers, you'll be thinking 'I wonder if we can get that person or that person'," former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It's the World Cup to add a bit of nuance to that as well. Some managers becoming available at what seems like the best time. Some managers' contracts being available. "Some managers trying to do well for their nations at the World Cup at the summer. It's really exciting and it feels like there's going to be a reset at so many clubs."

Pepi was on a good run, had a strong training camp and was all the way back, Bosz said. He became more confident in rounding and was in that good flow again. All signs were green for a strong second half of the season, so this is incredibly disappointing. First and foremost for him and obviously for us as well.

The Croatian defender sustained the injury in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and had to be substituted immediately. Gvardiol is likely to miss the remainder of the season, and his participation in this summer's World Cup is also in doubt. It comes as a major blow to Pep Guardiola, who is already missing a number of senior players through injury, whilst Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are still on international duty.

It will be very difficult to choose the goalkeeper of the Spanish national team for the World Cup. The one who does not go -Joan Garcia- is undoubtedly the best. The one who is on the bench - David Raya - is fantastic and the starter is the one who generates the most doubts right now. The starter generates doubts in his club, and in the national team, it seems that he does not.

It's time for another dastardly football wordsearch from FourFourTwo. It is the destiny of every great footballer to end up in a puzzle for fans to solve in their tea or coffee breaks, and have we got some great footballers for you. 20 Brazil players have been hidden in our wordsearch grid just waiting to be found. There's no time limit for you to crack this one but we do want to know your time,

I am have been working on this website as a side hobby for a few years. It's hard to find quality content about past World Cup tournaments and how your favorite countries faired in the past. This website hopes to cure all of that. The website has all games going all the way back to the first World Cup in 1930. You can also view the history and stats for each and every country that has ever made it into the tournament.

We felt that, a little bit, at the last Euros. We got to the final and there was still a lot of negative noise around us. We knew that unless we won it that noise was going to continue, and it did, that's part and parcel of it. The success we've been building since 2018, semi-finals of the World Cup, a final, quarter-final, then another final, we've been knocking on the door, and we've consistently been one of the best teams in the world.

It was not mathematically confirmed until the Latvia game a month later, but as I watched Ezri Konsa turn in the third goal away to Serbia in early September I smiled to myself in the Stadion Rajko Mitic, knowing England were going to the World Cup. But immediately, a key question surfaced: was I? The answer came on Thursday, with the announcement of the ticket prices that the most loyal supporters of international football would have to pay.