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Zero-Covid policy and slowing global demand are putting the country's economy under pressure.

Kasper Hjulmand expects to be put under pressure from the off Graham Arnold insists Socceroos have quality as well as fight Denmark are braced for a Socceroos onslaught, with coach Kasper Hjulmand expecting “they’ll run against us” early and hard. The only question remaining is whose legs will be doing the running, as counterpart Graham Arnold pushed back a decision on the make-up of his starting XI until match day. In the clearest indication yet that Australia are being taken seriously by World Cup opposition, Fifa’s 10th-ranked nation are preparing to face “a well-organised football team” with both “individual and collective” strengths when they meet to decide their fate on Wednesday night (Thursday 2am AEDT). Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/30/theyll-come-out-strong-denmark-wary-of-early-australia-threat-in-world-cup-clash

The Twitter website says it stopped enforcing its misleading information policy on 23 November.

With one group game left, what does each nation have to do to qualify for the last 16 of the Qatar World Cup? Here is how the possible scenarios play out for qualifying for the last 16 of the World Cup from the final group games: Group C – Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia Final matches Wednesday 30 November, 7pm GMT: Poland v Argentina, Saudi Arabia v Mexico Group C and Group D are paired in the draw. The winners of Group C play the runners-up of Group D in the next round, and vice-versa. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/29/world-cup-permutations-breaking-down-the-final-round-of-group-games

The action is the latest in a series of walkouts and will affect deliveries of letters and parcels.

Versatile playmaker ‘in consideration’ for starting berth ‘I’ve been doing everything I can to be ready,’ he says It is instructive that six weeks ago, when Ajdin Hrustic injured his ankle playing for his club in Italy, Australia’s World Cup aspirations seemingly suffered a significant setback. Out with the 26-year-old’s damaged ligament went the team’s attacking x-factor, the main man who could be relied upon to create against tough group opposition. The fact that the Socceroos are already on the verge of the round of 16 and did it all without him (and injured winger Martin Boyle), says a lot about the squad’s output in Qatar in comparison to the expectations. But that does not mean Hrustic cannot still have a substantial say against Denmark on Wednesday night (Thursday 2am AEDT). Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/30/socceroos-play-waiting-game-on-ajdin-hrustic-ahead-of-crucial-denmark-clash

The Fuller's boss says Christmas parties could be cancelled without a speedy resolution to the dispute.

Australia coach urges players to ignore outside noise Socceroos face Denmark for place in last 16 in Qatar How Socceroos can advance to World Cup knockout stage How and what time to watch the Socceroos vs Denmark 2022 World Cup match live in Australia Graham Arnold has implored his players to avoid reading “shite” on social media, warning it will negatively affect their psychological preparation for Australia’s definitive final World Cup Group D match against Denmark. Only 90 minutes stand between the Socceroos and a place in the round of 16 for the first time since 2006, but Arnold is just as concerned about how much external noise his squad take on board during the build-up, impressing upon them advice from personal experience: “The same people backing you are the ones killing you the day after.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/29/graham-arnold-warns-socceroos-of-social-media-perils-before-crunch-world-cup-game

The final group games are played simultaneously and England v Wales is not the most politically charged rivalry of the day As incredible as it seems, only 10 days into this condensed World Cup we are about to wrap up two of the groups. Which means today we get matches played simultaneously, and we might need an abacus on hand to work out group permutations, especially if the scores keep changing and swinging as rapidly as Serbia, Cameroon, South Korea and Ghana managed yesterday. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/29/world-cup-2022-briefing-iran-and-usa-head-into-the-fire

The towering centre-back’s performances have caught the eye and helped the Socceroos to within touching distance of the last 16 He is “a man mountain”. He is “Superman”. He puts cheese and onion crisps on his sandwiches. And Harry Souttar is probably going to earn Stoke City quite a bit of money during the January transfer window. For now, though, his only focus is reproducing that performance, that last-man tackle. The one that ensured a resurgent Tunisia did not equalise and Australia could claim a first win at a World Cup in 12 years. Down went Taha Yassine Khenissi in the 85th minute, and up went the dollar signs – and social media. Set it to the Titanic soundtrack, they said. Put his face on a coin. Tattoo it on your neck. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/29/clean-hard-simple-australias-harry-souttar-makes-giant-strides-at-world-cup

Minister denies weakening the Online Safety Bill after dropping the "legal but harmful" material measures.

How small businesses are using savings clubs to help customers spread the cost of Christmas

USA defenders Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman say they are 'huge supporters of women's rights' as a controversy sparked by the doctoring of the Iranian flag on social media platforms threatens to overshadow a must-win World Cup game against their Group B rivals Iran want USA banned for ‘offending country’s dignity’ over World Cup flag USA’s problem against Iran isn’t politics. It’s that we don’t know how to win Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2022/nov/28/we-support-womens-rights-usa-players-respond-to-social-media-post-backlash-video

Both head coaches may need to replace ageing superstars with emerging talent if their teams are to go far in Qatar Commiserations, friends: today marks our final Tetris, the sole remaining quadruple-consecutive-match extravaganza which has made the start of this World Cup so immersive and compelling. That’s the sad news. The joyous news is that today is also the day that things get really serious – most particularly in Group H. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/28/world-cup-2022-briefing-portugal-uruguay-age-old-dilemma

The restrictions on five Chinese companies are the first to be put in place on security grounds.

The Danish Superliga, with its strikingly similar culture, has become a popular destination for Australian players How Socceroos can advance to World Cup knockout stage In 2011, Peter Christiansen opened his inbox to find he had been sent an aeroplane ticket to Australia. The ticket would not only fly him from Denmark to the other side of the world but also signal a new chapter in his career, forge a new development pathway for Australian football and, eventually, see Socceroos captain Mat Ryan make his Champions League debut. “My eyes were opened during that two-week trip. I went everywhere,” Christiansen tells Guardian Australia before this week’s make-or-break World Cup clash between the Socceroos and Denmark. “Central Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne; I met Ange [Postecoglou], Peter Cklamovski [Postecoglou’s long-time assistant and now head coach at Montedio Yamagata]. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/28/how-denmark-ha

Chaos erupted in Brussels on Sunday after Morocco beat Belgium 2-0 at the World Cup in Qatar. About 100 officers in riot gear used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the rioters, who lit fires on the street and threw missiles at police. Authorities asked the public to avoid the central Brussels area and several metro stations, while bus and tram lines were shut down.  It is unclear what caused the violence, which one local resident said began during half-time, and authorities have so far not apportioned blame. 'Those are not fans, they are rioters. Moroccan fans are there to celebrate,' said the mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close. There were also disturbances reported in the cities of Antwerp and Liège. Rioters burn a car in Brussels after Belgium's defeat to Morocco Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2022/nov/27/brussels-chaos-after-morocco-beat-belgium-world-cup-video

Around 100,000 people are dropping out of schemes after firms fail to provide basic training, says a report.

Glenn Hoddle’s frustrating England career is a warning that Gareth Southgate must get more from his most gifted player When I worked with Glenn Hoddle on his autobiography Playmaker one of our most illuminating conservations was about his England career. The frustration itched away at him. “I always fought against the tide when I played for England,” Hoddle said. “There was never a coach who truly trusted me.” We spoke about it for hours. Hoddle was a gem for an excellent Tottenham side, one of the best creative midfielders of his generation, but he was never England’s main man. He recalled feeling suffocated when he lined up on the right wing in a 4-4-2, wishing that he had the freedom to drift inside to get on the ball, and he hated the idea that he was a luxury player. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/27/phil-foden-should-start-against-wales-or-england-risk-another-wasted-talent

ITV’s brooding commentator and former Manchester United player could be the stand-out performance of this championship A few individuals have caught the eye in the World Cup’s first week. Gavi , for instance, the 18-year-old prodigy pulling the strings in Spain’s midfield; Olivier Giroud , at 36, France’s elder statesman of intelligent forward play. In the eyes of many, though, the stand-out performances have come from Roy Keane, ITV’s brooding, bearded and belligerent pundit. Never previously known for being reluctant to offer his opinion, the former Manchester United midfield general seems, if anything, to be growing ever more trenchant. If something clear and obvious needs saying, Keane is your man. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/27/roy-keane-itv-football-pundit-world-cup-manchester-united

Gesture comes amid ongoing protests against Iranian regime USA set to play Iran on Tuesday in their final Group B match The USA men’s football team (USMNT) has begun displaying Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic republic as nationwide protests challenging Tehran’s theocratic government continue. The Twitter account of the USMNT on Sunday displayed a banner with the squad’s matches in the group stage, with the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colours. The same could be seen in a post on the team’s Facebook and Instagram accounts laying out the points totals so far in the group. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/27/usa-show-iran-flag-without-emblem-of-islamic-republic-before-world-cup-clash

Minute-by-minute updates on the Group E encounter Any comments? You can email Will or tweet Will Japan to make history? The Costa Rican fans have not been subdued by their opening day 7-0 loss. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2022/nov/27/japan-v-costa-rica-world-cup-2022-live

Spain manager wary of wounded rivals in Group E game ‘If anyone knows how to compete it is Germany’ “That’s how much of a dickhead I am,” Luis Enrique said. Three days after Spain scored seven against Costa Rica , and on the eve of a game which – unless Costa Rica beat Japan – comes as an opportunity not just to secure an early place in the last 16 but also eliminate Germany, the head coach claimed he would rather manage failure than euphoria. The good news for Luis Enrique is that Hansi Flick’s team provide the perfect opponent to prevent his players from relaxing. “You always hope for the best when you’re about to make your debut but maybe I didn’t expect such a version of us that was so, so strong,” he said about Spain’s demolition of Costa Rica. “It was a pleasure and you enjoy it so much when you see the team function like that. But I feel better managing problems [than success], that’s how much of a gilipollas [dickhead] I am.” Continue reading... from Football | The Gua

Unpredictable Germany stare down a second successive group-stage exit if Luis Enrique’s team turn on the class again Germany’s shock defeat to Japan was a strange game to parse. Hansi Flick’s men were probably the better side during the first half – they had the lion’s share of possession and chances – and yet Daizen Maeda would have given the Japanese an early lead from an onside position had he showed just a modicum of patience, then very nearly equalised Ilkay Gündogan’s 31st-minute penalty with a header that sailed inches wide on the stroke of half-time. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/27/world-cup-2022-briefing-germany-look-to-silence-critics-but-spain-loom

Max Rushden , Barry Glendenning , Lars Sivertson , Philippe Auclair , Marcela Mora y Araujo , and Emma Kemp discuss the second round of games in Groups C and D Today: the panel discusses all the action from the second round of games in Groups C and D of the World Cup. Marcela Mora y Araujo shares the Argentinian perspective as Lionel Messi restores hope for his nation as they see off Mexico 2-0 . Also, in that group, Robert Lewandowski finally gets his first World Cup goal as Poland seesoff an excited Saudi Arabia team . Also, Emma Kemp joins to talk about the excitement in Australia as they defeat Tunisia in Group D by a single goal . Plus, the panel discusses the wonders of Kylian Mbappé as he scores two to secure France’s progression to the knockout stages . Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2022/nov/26/messi-revives-argentina-and-mbappe-fires-france-into-last-16-football-daily-podcast

Rob Page’s key men have lacked form and fitness – will the manager ring the changes for the clash against England? Did a pair of painfully pale performances against Iran signal the beginning of the end for Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey? It was the elephant in the room after defeat for Wales on Friday but Rob Page, the manager, quickly swallowed the question and, such was his disappointment after a jarring loss that leaves his team staring at elimination, insisted now was not the time. Page did, however, concede Wales were punished because too many key players allowed the occasion to pass them by. Bale, Wales’s all-time men’s leading goalscorer and now their most-capped male player, is almost unanimously cherished as the team’s greatest export . For a few years, regardless of the minutes he has totted up at club level, he has been able to pull on a Wales shirt, find a way to manipulate games and, frankly, make lots of people look silly. Perhaps he will do so again against England on T

Occurred on Saturday at building 3.5km from Lusail Stadium Argentina to face Mexico at venue on Saturday evening Authorities in Qatar have confirmed that a fire broke out on Saturday at an under-construction building in a newly built city where a World Cup match is scheduled to be played later in the evening. Qatar’s Interior Ministry said the fire started just after noon local time on an island that is part of the city of Lusail, which is hosting several games during the tournament, including Argentina’s group game against Mexico, which kicks off at 10pm local time, 7pm GMT. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/26/fire-breaks-out-in-qatar-near-world-cup-stadium

‘We’re going to go and eff Croatia,’ Herdman said after defeat Canada ready to attack after fine display against Belgium Canada had just lost the first men’s World Cup match they had played in 36 years, outplaying Belgium for much of a 1-0 defeat , and an emotional John Herdman revealed in the on-field interview what he had just told his players during a post-game huddle. “I told them they belong here. And we’re going to go and eff Croatia,” the coach said with a smile, attempting to avoid a televised profanity. “That’s as simple as it gets.” His words reverberated all the way to Zagreb as Sunday’s Croatia-Canada game approaches. Croatia’s 24 Sata (24 Hours) tabloid ran a full-page photo of a naked Herdman with Maple Leaf flags over his mouth and private parts and a headline that translated to: “You have the mouth, but do you have the balls as well?” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/26/canada-john-herdman-provokes-cr

A nil-nil result proved little – except that the outcome is profoundly un-American The limitations of the “special relationship” were on display during England’s first round World Cup game with USA, as soccer fans in New York grappled with split allegiances to European club sports and the US national team. In the end, a nil-nil result proved little – except that the outcome is profoundly un-American. “A tie is like kissing your sister,” said David Dunbar, a professor of New York history at Columbia University. “In America, you’ve got to win. We don’t do well with dichotomies, and ambiguity is a bad word – it makes us worried.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/25/its-the-tea-party-colonies-thing-new-york-soccer-fans-on-the-usa-v-england

Old results shouldn’t influence the present, not logically, but they invariably do Argentina and Mexico go back a long way. All the way to the very first World Cup. They met in the 1930 group stage and it was quite the match. Three penalties were awarded, two of them scored by Mexico, one missed by Argentina, yet amazingly that wasn’t the main story. Step forward Guillermo Stábile, who notched a hat-trick for La Albiceleste on debut. Argentina won 6-3 and Stábile kept rattling them in all the way to the final, in which he put his side 2-1 up before Uruguay stormed back to win. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/26/world-cup-2022-briefing-what-history-tells-us-about-argentina-v-mexico

The Americans dominated for large stretches on Friday night against a team many thought would hand them a painful lesson There’s a saying in fashion that two is a coincidence but three is a trend. Say what you want about the United States still having never lost to England at the World Cup and the abbreviated sample size behind it, but there must by now be something about the Americans’ habit of elevating their game when they meet the English on soccer’s biggest stage. They played for the first time in 1950, when an American team of amateurs including a mailman, a dishwasher and a hearse driver famously bucked the odds and marred England’s tournament debut with a 1-0 stunner in Belo Horizonte. Then came a 1-1 draw six decades later in South Africa, when Rob Green’s goalkeeping gaffe canceled out Steven Gerrard’s early strike. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/25/england-usa-world-cup-soccer-football-qatar-2022

It may feel like a blur but every team in Qatar has now played once. What can we learn from the finals so far? We have reached that significant point in the group stage at which all 32 teams in Qatar have played. Whose name is on the 2022 World Cup, as far as we can see? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/25/world-cup-2022-briefing-who-stands-out-now-all-32-teams-have-played

Several accounts - including Donald Trump's - have already been reinstated by the multi-billionaire.

How the former US president might lose money if he starts tweeting.

The Ajax playmaker discusses the recent, testy encounter with Brazil, interest from Everton and his country’s chances in Qatar “He’s not better than me. He’s just a higher profile player, that’s all,” comes the retort. He is Neymar, captain of Brazil and superstar. Me is Mohammed Kudus, the talented Ghanaian midfielder and burgeoning superstar. In September, the two players had spicy exchanges when Brazil beat Ghana in friendly in Le Havre. “He was defending his country and I was defending mine. I wasn’t about to let him push me around. What makes him better, for now, is that he has achieved a lot,” he says. Then, with fire in those eyes, he gives a promise: “I’ll get there soon.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/23/ghanas-mohammed-kudus-neymar-is-not-better-than-me-hes-just-a-higher-profile-player

Growing sales of an Indonesian nut called kenari is helping to reduce deforestation.

Captain is fit to face USA but England manager believes his attacking options are stronger than at Euro 2020 When Harry Kane discovered the full extent of a hamstring tear in January 2020 – extremely serious, surgery needed, months out of action – the reaction of José Mourinho, his Tottenham manager at the time, was pithy and colourful. It would be shown in the Amazon documentary on the club’s season. “Woe is us. We will surely not recover from this setback.” Or words to that effect. Mourinho felt that Kane carried Spurs and the same has been suggested by Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager. Everybody remembers “the Harry Kane team” discourse. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/24/southgate-savours-strength-in-depth-after-kane-makes-england-sweat

Juventus forward’s gifts were legendary as a teenager on youth football scene in Belgrade and he is living up to lofty billing Milan Ristic knew what to do when it seemed Dusan Vlahovic could be about to slip through the cracks. The striker was 14 years old but his gifts were legendary on Serbia’s youth football scene and, increasingly, well beyond. Partizan Belgrade had been trying to sign him upon his graduation from Altina Zemun, a local academy, but could not reach a deal with the player’s family. Next, Vlahovic had been taken to nearby OFK, where a brief spell ended in disagreement. Shortly afterwards Ristic, a youth coach at Partizan, heard Vlahovic had been spotted kicking a ball around alone at his local stadium. The boy needed to play, not for his talent to be squandered while adults wrangled around him. Ristic jumped straight in the car with his colleague, the influential talent developer Dusan Trbojevic, and drove fast. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian h

The website iSpoof, used by criminals to make fake calls, has been taken down.

It comes after protests broke out at the world's largest iPhone factory over pay and work conditions.

The five-time winners enter the fray against Serbia on another packed four-match day Brazil’s legendary 1970 side of Pelé, Rivelino, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto are still regarded as the greatest World Cup team in history and despite being favourites again this time, the 2022 iteration is unlikely to hit those glorious heights. But Brazil are surely due a big tournament , having not lifted the trophy since 2002 when Ronaldo (the real one) shook off the trauma of the 1998 final by plundering eight goals and even finding time for a daft haircut. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/24/world-cup-2022-briefing-will-the-20-year-cycle-work-for-brazil

Les Rouges are still hunting their first ever World Cup goal, yet one can’t help but marvel at how far they’ve come The opportunities came one after another. From distance and from close range. From corners, free kicks and open play. The fearless upstarts from Canada who have spent the past couple of years upending North American’s football long-standing order had arrived on the global stage and were taking it to the world’s No 2 team. All of them shone on Monday night, from the stars to the supporting cast. Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan, Alphonso Davies, Richie Laryea, Junior Hoilett, Alistair Johnston and the ageless captain Atiba Hutchinson, three months shy of his 40th birthday, made demands of Belgium’s creaking backline and their world-class goalkeeper. Any one of them might have written themselves into history as Canada’s first goalscorer at a men’s World Cup. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov

Social media is helping travel agents to impress clients, and sometimes to scam them.

The country's central bank has raised its key interest rate to the highest level since 2009.

The founders of Seatfrog share their business advice for the CEO Secrets series.

Our cartoonist on Infantino’s Spartacus moment, vapid slogans, spineless football associations, Iranian bravery and more Like what David does? Consider supporting our journalism Buy a Squires cartoon from the Guardian Print Store Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2022/nov/22/david-squires-on-the-totally-normal-opening-days-of-qatar-world-cup

South African software developers discuss what it means to them to do business in the country.

Portugal player exits ‘by mutual agreement’ and with no payoff Recent interview had cast doubt on forward’s future Cristiano Ronaldo has left Manchester United by “mutual agreement” in the aftermath of his making serious allegations in an interview, in an ignominious end to a supremely successful career at the club. He has left without a payoff and there are no restrictions on whom he can play for next. United had appointed lawyers to explore potential action against Ronaldo for alleged breach of contract but their preferred option was to engineer his departure and that was confirmed on Tuesday. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/22/cristiano-ronaldo-to-leave-manchester-united-with-immediate-effect

Deal is one-year extension with option for further 12 months Guardiola has led City to four Premier League titles Pep Guardiola has signed a new one-year contract at Manchester City with an option of a further 12 months in a deal that could stretch his supremely successful tenure to 2025. The manager’s terms were due to expire in June and it is understood he agreed the renewal during the current domestic break for the Qatar World Cup. He had been tight-lipped when asked in the lead-up to the tournament whether he could discuss a fresh deal then. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/22/pep-guardiola-signs-contract-extension-manchester-city-manager

England captain ordered to wear Fifa armband for Iran match ‘That decision was taken out of my hands. It’s out of our control’ Harry Kane said he was disappointed after the threat of sporting sanctions from Fifa stopped the striker from wearing the “OneLove” rainbow armband during England’s 6-2 win against Iran . Fears that captains could receive an instant booking for wearing the armband prompted the move, and LGBTQ+ groups reacted with fury at authorities preventing teams from promoting diversity during an increasingly farcical World Cup. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/21/were-disappointed-kane-unhappy-that-fifa-banned-onelove-armband

Last month, a US court blocked the planned deal, saying it could "substantially" weaken competition.

In a message seen by the BBC, Mr Iger said a close ally to his predecessor would be leaving the firm.

In a developing country like Rwanda building a market for electric cars has proved challenging.

Indians are among thousands of educated and skilled immigrant workers laid off by US tech giants.

Argentina left-back on big expectations, the team’s unbeaten run and how Copa América success changed Lionel Messi “No one wanted to take charge of the national team,” Nicolás Tagliafico admits. It was summer 2018 and Argentina had just been eliminated early from the World Cup. They had fallen against eventual champions France, true, but they knew it was coming. “We had only just qualified, we had only just got out of the group, the rope was round our necks and although you always have faith as anything can happen, at some point we were going to get beaten,” the full-back says. “It was the end of an era.” “So many things are wrong with Argentina that we don’t know what’s wrong,” Jorge Valdano wrote back then, citing a “crisis of talent”, a “lack of leadership”, “lost patience”: “not even a genius [Messi] can make up for so many failings,” problems of “such magnitude”. When Lionel Scaloni was appointed as interim manager, it was his first job as a head coach and an unenviable one. “

The player whose penalty ultimately took the Socceroos to the World Cup on his incredible journey from Kenya to Qatar Awer Mabil’s extraordinary story begins in the Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya, but he doesn’t want it to end there. He doesn’t want your pity, either. Born to parents fleeing the Sudanese civil war, raised in a small hut, he went half way round the world then half way back again to become a professional footballer in Denmark, Portugal, Tukey and Spain. He is, he points out, one of only four Australians to score in the Champions League and now he’s going to the World Cup. In fact, it was his penalty, at sudden death in the playoff, that ultimately took the country there. He has become a hero and, he hopes, an inspiration, embarked upon a hell of a journey against the odds. After all, he says: “When you come to Europe from Australia you’re nobody, you don’t have the respect, so you have to really work, fight.” But he knows that is not the part people usually focus on; inste

Here are the crucial dos and don’ts for not giving the game away in the office over the next four weeks From Monday, the World Cup in Qatar begins in earnest, and millions of Britons will be faced with the same problem: how to watch the football at work discreetly. One poll found that nearly half of the country’s workforce would not be allowed to watch games during business hours, but a fifth of those surveyed said they would find a way nevertheless. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/21/how-to-watch-world-cup-22-at-work

Australia coach Graham Arnold will rely on his players to have each other’s backs when they meet the millionaire world champions Out went Karim Benzema, all $54m of him on the scrap heap to go with the $340m already there. Behold the maimed knees and hamstrings of Paul Pogba ($54m), Christopher Nkunku ($124m) and N’Golo Kanté ($46m). Survey the busted calves and Achilles tendons of Mike Maignan ($54m) and Presnel Kimpembe ($62m). Add a Ballon d’Or winner’s dodgy quad to the list for a grand total of $394m in damaged goods. Do we trust in Transfermarkt? Probably not , but the Australian psyche needs something to hang its hopes on, even if it’s only as tangible as numbers crunched by volunteers. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/21/differing-values-socceroos-look-to-team-spirit-in-bid-to-give-richly-talented-france-a-shock

Bob Iger led the firm through several blockbuster takeovers and the launch of its streaming network.

The boss of the UK's largest business group will urge politicians to be "practical" about immigration.

Local libraries are seeing more people come through their doors, but fear services will be cut.

All African team coaches in Qatar will be homegrown, for the first time, including a familiar face in Cameroon’s Rigobert Song “I can play a lot of different styles,” said Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, this month. “I admire Guardiola, Simeone and Ancelotti, but I also have my own style which allows me to adapt the team according to the qualities of the players available.” Regragui, a former defender born in France to parents from Fnideq in northern Morocco, spent three years playing in Spain and won 45 caps for Morocco but never appeared at a World Cup finals. Yet his appointment to replace the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic at the end of August represented a significant moment in the history of African football. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/20/moroccos-guardiola-leads-way-for-african-coaches-at-qatar-world-cup

Winger and his wife, Joyce, discuss the ‘amazing days’ he had with the national team and Spurs – plus those lost caps Terry Medwin is at his dining room table, slowly running his index finger across a black-and-white photograph of himself and his former Wales teammates taken before their crucial World Cup playoff eliminator victory against Israel at Ninian Park in February 1958. A few months later, Wales made their first – and last – appearance on the global stage, with Medwin scoring the winning goal against Hungary to advance to the quarter-finals. “It is a nice feeling,” Medwin says of reminiscing. “Big John [Charles], Mel [Charles], Ivor [Allchurch], Cliffy [Jones],” he says, fondly. Wales were knocked out by an unknown 17-year-old called Pelé, who went on to help Brazil win their first World Cup. When Mel and John Charles returned from Sweden to High Street Station in Swansea, there were no teeming crowds or commotion. “One of the porters asked Mel if he’d been on holiday,” says

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Bosses have to decide whether to get behind the controversial World Cup.

Manchester City midfielder’s injury-restricted season cast doubts on World Cup selection but his prayers were answered It is late afternoon in Al Wakrah and as Kalvin Phillips discusses crossing his fingers to recover from shoulder surgery in time for the World Cup in a Bedouin-style tent at England’s training base it seems apt that the call to prayer for the Maghrib Salah seeps into conversation. In weeks gone by the only call Phillips, who has played just four minutes in the Premier League this season, had been praying for was from Gareth Southgate and before receiving confirmation of his place in the squad his anxiety was only heightened when Kyle Walker, his Manchester City teammate who has been sidelined since October, told of his inclusion earlier that morning. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/phillips-bids-to-repay-faith-shown-in-him-after-england-call-for-qatar

England defender: ‘Wrong to ignore’ controversies in Qatar Dier: ‘It’s difficult for players. We have no say in where we play’ England’s Eric Dier has described the “terrible situation” for migrant workers in Qatar as disappointing and said that controversies away from the pitch have diluted some of his excitement about the World Cup. While the official number of worker deaths during preparations for the tournament has been put at three, according to the Qataris and the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, that figure has been disputed by human rights organisations. It has been reported that the real number of worker deaths linked to World Cup projects in Qatar will never be known. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/world-cup-england-eric-dier-world-cup-migrant-workers

Technology to assist VAR is designed to ensure offside calls in Qatar are quicker and more accurate – but it is not without flaws It may have an acronym akin to a reality show, but Semi-Automated Offside Technology or SAOT, was designed to quell drama rather than cause it. An extension to VAR, SAOT was introduced to help reduce problems with one of the most contentious aspects of video-assisted refereeing: how to decide if a player is offside in the buildup to a goal. It will be in use at the World Cup in Qatar. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/saot-world-cup-ai-assisted-offside-system-var-qatar

Pervis Estupiñán, Moisés Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento will use bonds forged in England for World Cup opener on Sunday Pervis Estupiñán smiles ruefully as he proves those who fall just short cherish their own versions of history. He was only eight and watching at home on Ecuador’s north coast when Carlos Tenorio, given an early chance, hit the England crossbar from close range via the shin of a desperate Ashley Cole. “A really painful chance,” he calls his first World Cup memory, which ended with Sven-Göran Eriksson’s side reaching the 2006 last eight in ultimate comfort. “Because of that we couldn’t make the quarters but the whole country felt proud because the team had given everything.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/ecuador-brighton-qatar-opener-arrives-pervis-estupinan-moises-caicedo-jeremy-sarmiento-world-cup

Fifa announces its own armband slogans on eve of tournament Gianni Infantino warns: ‘We have clear regulations on armbands’ The England captain, Harry Kane, and his Wales counterpart, Gareth Bale, are to defy Fifa by wearing “OneLove” rainbow armbands in their World Cup matches, after the governing body launched its own “social campaign” on the eve of the tournament. Fifa has asked that all captains wear a different armband on each match day, promoting social messages such as “Football unites the world”, “Share the meal” and “Bring the moves”. The decision was announced months after a number of countries approached Fifa asking to wear rainbow armbands in Qatar as a gesture against discrimination and in support of LGBTQ+ rights. They received no response to their request, with England and Wales both surprised by Fifa’s last-minute initiative on Saturday. But both FAs have reaffirmed their intention to wear the rainbow armbands, with the likely prospect that they will be fined fo

As the tournament begins we look back over a decade in which our coverage of conditions for migrant workers has been instrumental in forcing change In 2013, after the announcement in 2010 that the tiny but enormously wealthy Gulf state of Qatar would host the Fifa 2022 Football World Cup , the Nepal-based Guardian journalist Pete Pattisson made the first of many trips to Kathmandu’s airport in Nepal to count coffins. For months, Pattisson traced the bodies of dozens of migrant workers repatriated from Qatar back to their families to try to establish why they never made it home alive. It was the start of 10 years of reporting by the Guardian into the sometimes brutal conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of migrant workers tasked with building Qatar’s state-of-the-art stadiums, and the roads, hotels and infrastructure needed to host one of the biggest sporting events on Earth. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/n

In an extract from a new book Philippe Auclair revisits the day Roger Lemerre’s all-conquering side fell to earth in 2002 Hubris had swept through the French delegation, from the bag-carriers to the panjandrums, and including, it must be said, some of the players. No team had won three global tournaments on the trot, not even Pelé’s Brazil or Beckenbauer’s West Germany. France would. France were the holders. France, so long in search of a centre-forward, could call upon the top goalscorers in the English, French and Italian leagues: Thierry Henry, Djibril Cissé and David Trézéguet. France were the favourites and had shown – in Euro 2000 – they could live with that tag, even thrive on it, as demonstrated by Trezeguet’s golden goal in the final, when they had been outplayed by Italy for large parts. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/19/how-senegals-crazy-bunch-stunned-france-in-world-cup-upset-for-the-ages

Argentina’s head coach on bringing Lionel Messi back into the fold – and the pain of losing an FA Cup final with West Ham ‘The sun will come up tomorrow,” Lionel Scaloni says. The Argentina manager is talking about the “terrible burden of responsibility” he carried as a player, the weight he tries to free his footballers from now, when a moment comes to his mind. It happened in 2006, and you may remember it. He certainly does, the regret remaining even though it might have been the best mistake he ever made. Not destiny exactly and he couldn’t have known it then, but one of those events that somehow shape things, the ball as butterfly effect. Seconds remained in the FA Cup final with West Ham on the verge of winning their first trophy in 26 years, only the fourth in their history, when it fell to Steven Gerrard and, Scaloni says, “the world came crashing down on me”. Liverpool’s captain hit an absurd shot and everything shifted. “I lost an FA Cup, it was partly my fault because I did

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With form and fitness concerns surrounding Son Heung-min and others, the role of Napoli’s defensive rock Kim Min-jae is vital This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network , a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/18/world-cup-2022-team-guide-south-korea

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Upbeat Fifa say ‘nothing is forbidden’ at vast site, but quality of experience that awaits crowds is open to question In the tetchy heat of a Doha lunch hour, there was a welcome loosening of ties – and then, surprisingly, of tongues. It came as Fifa launched a World Cup fan festival so vast that 40,000 supporters will soon be able to congregate in shared communion near the Corniche: to watch, to cheer, to drink overpriced beer, if only between 7pm and 1am. Perhaps even to love, too. “It will be a multidimensional, festival-like experience,” promised Gerdine Lindhout, Fifa’s head of experiential marketing and promotion. “It’s not just about football, it’s about gaming, lifestyle and amazing food. We have decided to go huge in Doha!” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/16/concrete-searing-heat-12-pints-doha-fan-festival-prepares-open

England 1-1 Norway (Daly 33; Maanum 80) The Lionesses signed off on a successful year, ending 2022 unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against 10-player Norway. Rachel Daly’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Frida Maanum late on as the final international break came to a close. It had been 127 days since these two last met on that memorable summer’s evening in Brighton. That day, Sarina Wiegman’s side subjected Norway to an 8-0 drubbing on their way to winning the European Championship. This was a much closer affair as Norway, now under the management of Hege Riise, presented more solidity and defensive nous. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/15/england-norway-womens-international-friendly

The team’s opulent surroundings give them the best chance of success, but can’t disguise some of the uneasy questions around Qatar’s tournament At some point before the Socceroos landed in Doha, somebody – quite possibly a migrant worker – spent a not-insignificant amount of quality time with a pair of high-end hedge shears. By the start of this week, when the team started arriving at their World Cup training base, the maintenance was complete. The shrubbery in question, perfectly spaced and perched upon a neatly cultivated hill separating their two assigned training pitches, was fashioned into letters spelling out “ASPIRE ACADEMY”. In July, when the Socceroos announced they would stay here for the duration of the tournament, a brief public narrative formed that their late qualification had forced Football Australia staff to settle for second-rate dormitory accommodation while their higher-profile counterparts opted for secluded wellness resorts (Germany), uber-rich water parks (Belg

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England 1-1 Norway (Daly 33; Maanum 80) The Lionesses signed off on a successful year, ending 2022 unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against 10-player Norway. Rachel Daly’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Frida Maanum late on as the final international break came to a close. It had been 127 days since these two last met on that memorable summer’s evening in Brighton. That day, Sarina Wiegman’s side subjected Norway to an 8-0 drubbing on their way to winning the European Championship. This was a much closer affair as Norway, now under the management of Hege Riise, presented more solidity and defensive nous. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/15/england-norway-womens-international-friendly

Dortmund striker diagnosed with cancer in July Haller: ‘I tell you that the fight is not over for me’ The Borussia Dortmund striker, Sébastien Haller, has said he will undergo surgery to remove a testicular tumour. The 28-year-old, who previously played for West Ham and Ajax, has been undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in July. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/16/sebastian-haller-to-have-surgery-to-remove-testicular-tumour

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Tite’s dangerous team have a wealth of young attacking talent to help take the weight from Neymar’s shoulders This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network , a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/15/world-cup-2022-team-guide-25-brazil

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The striker – poised to represent Uruguay at a 10th tournament – on getting joy from nature, wanting to be a vet and why his country succeeds Edinson Cavani is miles away. He has played in five countries, at some of the biggest clubs in the biggest leagues, alongside the biggest stars; he is about to represent Uruguay at his 10th international tournament; and he has racked up 785 games, scored 434 goals and won 26 trophies, but he cannot help being drawn to somewhere else entirely. Back to where it began, far from the training centre where he sits now, a necessary escape. “Name all those places, and I say: ‘No, leave me in Salto,’” he says. “Beneath a tree, in the shade, where the breeze blows, without the sound of cars.” Cavani talks about the game as a “passion” inherited from his father, a forward who played against Luis Suárez’s dad in Salto where the two Uruguay strikers were born three weeks apart. He discusses dedication, the competitiveness running through him, and the strike

Football should try to expand to new regions, but awarding a World Cup to Qatar was a mistake on a number of levels As tournament director of Euro 2024, I am meeting many people from the huge German football base. They are children in jerseys with whom I take selfies, youth coaches who teach rules to their players, presidents of small clubs who have been volunteers for decades. They all love the lightness of football, know its educational power, appreciate its importance to our community. When the conversation turns to Qatar, however, their tone becomes serious. Many consider missing a World Cup voluntarily for the first time in their lives. In the past, a World Cup was a folk festival, for children a football initiation for life. Today, some amateur clubs think about leaving the beer tables and the screen in the storeroom. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/nov/15/world-cup-qatar-damaged-football-philipp-lahm

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Fiorentina’s Milenkovic gives Milan 2-1 win French champions sign off with 5-0 defeat of Auxerre Milan needed a stoppage-time own goal from Nikola Milenkovic to secure a 2-1 win against Fiorentina on Sunday. The hosts took 90 seconds to take the lead when Olivier Giroud flicked the ball to Rafael Leão, who surged into the box and calmly scored. Antonin Barak deservedly equalised after 28 minutes when his shot went in after deflecting off defender Malick Thiaw following scrappy play from Milan inside the box. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/13/european-roundup-mbappe-psg-dzeko-inter-milan-juventus

The popularity of portable heaters to warm a single room has increased as energy bills have soared.

As we consume the football on show in Qatar despite knowing the brutal facts, we should at least force Fifa to make change So here we are then. Premier League season on pause while the lower leagues keep chugging away. Knackered and injured players off to a country where it’s illegal to be gay, where women who are victims of sexual assault can be put in prison and where thousands of migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded the tournament 12 years ago. Welcome to the World Cup. Of course, we all know these things by now. In fact the impact of hearing about them again and again seems to numb you from the brutal facts. It’s easier to just talk of migrant workers as a homogenous block rather than remembering that each life is a father, a son, a brother – most, but not all, of these are impoverished young men from Asia and Africa. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2022/nov/14/there-may-be-no-clear-conscience-with-this-wo

About 1,700 jobs are at risk after the UK clothing and homeware brand fails to raise extra funds.

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Luka Modric still dazzles but behind him Zlatko Dalic has moved on from the stalwarts of 2018 and built a more mobile defence This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network , a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/14/world-cup-2022-team-guides-part-23-croatia

The makers of smart thermostats says the devices can cut energy bills but the evidence is not conclusive.

Forward says coach and others want him out of club ‘I felt betrayed and I felt like some people don’t want me here’ Cristiano Ronaldo claims he has been “betrayed” by Manchester United and believes they are trying to force him out of the club. The Portugal forward said that head coach Erik ten Hag and others want him out of Old Trafford in an excerpt of a 90-minute interview released on the Piers Morgan Uncensored Twitter feed. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/13/i-felt-betrayed-ronaldo-aims-broadside-at-ten-hag-and-manchester-united

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Amnesty International urges sport’s international governing body to help victims and their abused families rebuild lives Amnesty International’s secretary general has made an urgent plea to Fifa before the World Cup, calling on it to commit to a compensation package for migrant workers who suffered abuses in Qatar . Agnès Callamard urged the world football governing body to issue a “cast-iron commitment” that “abused workers will be compensated and that programmes to prevent further abuses are funded”, adding that such a package would go “a long way towards helping victims and their families rebuild their lives”. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/13/anger-over-fifa-presidents-stick-to-football-letter-to-world-cup-teams

The Brazil legend on his teammate’s harrowing episode in 1998, the glory four years later – and his expectations for this World Cup Roberto Carlos did not have time to think, only to react instinctively, to do what needed to be done, what anybody would have done. As such, he does not want to be considered a hero. But that is not how Ronaldo saw it, how he continues to see it, even after all these years. “Roberto saved my life that day,” Ronaldo says, and he is talking about what happened on the afternoon of the 1998 World Cup final, which has gone down as one of the great dramas in the tournament’s history, one of its great mysteries , too. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/13/blood-brothers-roberto-carlos-ronaldo-brazil-world-cup

With the UK facing a cost-of-living crisis the government is set to unveil tax and spending plans.