The final match day for Groups A and B has arrived in Qatar. Here’s all the latest news from behind the scenes at the World Cup as we count down to kick-off.
For the city that gave you the computer, communism, capitalism and cotton, the home of The Smiths, Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays and (our apologies) Mick Hucknall, the place that split the atom and discovered DNA, where the trade union, feminist and vegetarian movements all found their first steps, winning the World Cup seems basically an inevitability.
Eagled-eye social media users have noticed a strange trend in the last few days of the World Cup: Manchester is killing it. Not just for England, for whom Withington-born striker Marcus Rashford scored twice and Stockport’s own Phil Foden got the other in their win over Wales, but for other nations.
Cast your mind back to yesterday, where both Portugal won courtesy of goals from Bruno Fernandes and Brazil got by Switzerland thanks to a wonder strike from Casemiro – both of whom, you will remember, play for Manchester United.
Cody Gakpo, who grabbed his third of the tournament overnight for the Netherlands, is on the brink of signing up at Old Trafford too, confirming that he is in advanced talks to move to what, surely, we must now call the centre of the footballing world.
It should be something that worries Socceroos fans…because Christian Eriksen has been a little too quiet so far in Qatar.
USA goalscorer Christian Pulisic has posted a photo to social media revealing that he watched the second half of their vital win over Iran from hospital after sustaining an injury in the act of scoring.
The Chelsea winger bravely dove at the feet of Iranian keeper Alireza Beiranvand to meet a header from fullback Serginho Dest, copping a huge knock in the process, and departed the game at half-time. ESPN described it as an abdominal injury.
His teammates clung on to secure a vital 1-0 win that saw the USMNT advance to a Round of 16 clash with the Netherlands this Saturday morning (AEDT).
From his hospital bed, Pulisic – still in his kit – said that he would be back on deck for the game against the Dutch.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, a Qatari official has put the number of deceased World Cup workers “between 400 and 500”, a much higher total than the previous double-digit figure cited by the regime.
Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of Qatar‘s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, made the admission on British TV channel TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored.
“What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died as a result of work they’re doing for the World Cup in totality?” Morgan asks.
“The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500,” al-Thawadi responds. “I don’t have the exact number. That’s something that’s been discussed.”
Media outlets have put the number of workers who had passed away in the thousands, with some publications, including The Guardian, even claiming there had been as many as 6500 deaths back in early 2021.
The Athletic announced recently the protocol for their reporters is to refer to “thousands of unexplained migrant worker deaths”.
According to a report in The Athletic, female fans at the World Cup have noticed suspicious men, ostensibly Iranian officials, recording and spying on them in Qatar.
The news comes after the Iran squad and fan base’s involvement in protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody as demonstrations also continue back at home against the 22-year-old’s treatment by authorities.
The report quotes unnamed fans who claim to have seen men believed to be Iranian government officials filming them and other women before and during Iran’s 6-2 loss to title hopefuls England.
Qatar has no laws against women attending football matches, but in Iran it is illegal for female fans to do so.
Fans of both genders wearing clothing adorned with anti-government messages have been targeted by security at stadiums and been forced to remove it, with some even being detained.
“The human rights of women are a universal right,” said a spokesperson for Fare, a network to counter discrimination in football.
“Whether they are being expressed in a public square, a football stadium or a street, we respect the rights of women to assert them.
“The fact that very innocuous banners and T-shirts have been removed in stadiums during this World Cup and some people say they have been arrested as a consequence is a huge cause for concern.
“Some of those targeted also assert there are Iranian state forces present to ensure banners and T-shirts are removed. We have no explicit confirmation of this.”
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Iran are currently in second place in Group B behind the Three Lions and will face USA in their final group game at 6am on Wednesday (AEDT). Barring a shock Wales win over England, a draw with the Americans will be enough for Iran to progress to the round of 16.
After initially being ruled out for the entirety of Les Bleus’ World Cup title defence because of a thigh injury, reports surfaced claiming Karim Benzema was an outside chance of being welcomed back into the fold for the knock out stages.
Coach Didier Deschamps could have brought in a replacement for the Real Madrid No.9 but chose not to do so, further fuelling speculation Benzema could return as France mount another title challenge in Qatar.
Those notions, however, have been refuted by French journalist Saber Desfarges.
“As mentioned yesterday, Karim Benzema arrived on vacation (on Reunion Island),” the Telefoot reporter tweeted.
“A few days of well-deserved rest for the Ballon d’Or winner. It was never envisaged that he would return to Doha for the World Cup.”
Deschamps has so far entrusted veteran Olivier Giroud to lead the line in Benzema’s absence and it is expected that will continue. The reigning champions also boast the services of attacking weapons Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele.
France face Tunisia on Thursday (2am AEDT), and will finish at the summit of Group D as long as they avoid defeat in Al Rayyan.
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