Universidad de Chile goalkeeper Martin Parra sustained damage to his ear and is recovering in the hospital after being struck by fireworks during a Cup match against local rivals Universidad Catolica on Wednesday. TV cameras captured the moment three fireworks exploded near Parra and the 22-year-old went down clutching his ears before he was carried…
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Fans going to the World Cup in Qatar must show a negative COVID-19 test when they arrive as part of the host nation’s rules to combat COVID-19, organizers said Thursday. All visitors aged 18 and over must also download a government-run phone application tracking people’s movements and health status, called Ehteraz. “A green Ehteraz (showing…
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Thierry Henry believes the time taken to reach decisions using VAR is killing the “joy” of football. Henry, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, said Wednesday he had no problems with the technology in principle but was frustrated by the speed of reviews compared to other sports. The 45-year-old, Arsenal’s record goal-scorer, thinks…
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Injuries across Europe’s five major leagues rose by 20% last season and cost clubs in the region of half a billion pounds, a new study found, raising concerns about player welfare amid fixture congestion. Insurance broker Howden’s European Football Injury Index for the 2021-22 season estimated that injury costs went up by 29% to 513.2…
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Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro enlisted the help of soccer star Neymar on a campaign stop Wednesday, just four days before the country’s general elections. Bolsonaro visited a nonprofit youth institute set up by Neymar in the city of Praia Grande and took a call from the Paris Saint-Germain player, who thanked the far-right leader and…
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When FIFA President Gianni Infantino dashed from Geneva to Paris to watch World Cup favorite Brazil in its final warmup game before Qatar, he cannot have expected to be confronted by such visual proof of the racism that continues to infect football. Not least because the sport’s world governing body disbanded its anti-racism task force…
Read More “FIFA has a long way to go as Richarlison gets racially victimized” »
Alvaro Morata’s late goal earned Spain a 1-0 win in Portugal and the last place in the UEFA Nations League finals on Tuesday, while the Czech Republic was relegated from the top tier after losing in Switzerland. Portugal, winner of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, needed just a point in Braga to finish top…
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The European heavy hitters’ dismal performance in recent weeks raises the possibility of a change of the guard in Qatar just weeks before the commencement of a World Cup unlike any other. European nations have won every World Cup since Brazil lifted the last of their five titles in Japan and South Korea in 2002….
Read More “European heavyweights experience form issues as World Cup looms” »
Lionel Messi responded to an in-game, on-field request for a signature with a signature goal. Messi scored two goals and was twice accosted by fans running on the field as Argentina extended its unbeaten streak to 35 matches over three years by beating Jamaica 3-0 on Tuesday night in its next-to-last World Cup warmup match….
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Germany players will each receive 400,000 euros ($390,000) if they lift the World Cup in Qatar later this year, the country’s football association (DFB) said on Sunday after agreeing on tournament bonuses with the team. The bonus for the title win is up from 350,000 euros for the previous tournament in 2018, when Germany crashed…
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