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It’s been a momentous year for sport, which began dramatically with Novak Djokovic's deportation from Australia and inspiring moments of solidarity on and off the pitch following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. From the Lionesses bringing football home to a men's football World Cup marked by political protest, 2022 gave us historical moments throughout the year. The sporting world also said goodbye to some of its biggest legends. As 2022 comes to an end, we look back at the stories that defined the year in sport. Sport’s most memorable moments of 2022 The alternative 2022 sports awards: quotes, gaffes and animal cameos Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2022/dec/31/the-stories-that-defined-the-world-of-sport-in-2022-video-review

Fans on the best and worst of the season so far – and who they want to sign in the January transfer window Part one : Arsenal to Leeds It’s hard to feel happy with how it’s gone so far. There was a sense that our calamitous start to the season was a thing of the past after that impressive run of form before the World Cup break. But the dread has returned to Filbert Way after the pathetic performance against Newcastle on Boxing Day. At least we’re in the last eight of the League Cup, although we’re up against the Geordies again … Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/31/premier-league-fans-half-term-reports-part-two-leicester-to-wolves

Games are being crammed into every space and footballers are rarely consulted – eventually they will say ‘enough is enough’ For football fans, as the song says, this is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year. A special feature of the English game is the rapid succession of festive fixtures in front of big Christmas crowds. Going to a game is a central and longstanding part of many family traditions. But after the feast of football at the men’s World Cup, the current glut of games risks feeling a little like that final mince pie that proves difficult to get down. To stretch the analogy further, overindulgence at Christmas is often followed by a much-needed period of abstinence in January. Not this season. In the men’s game, the match schedule for January represents a chaotic jigsaw of league fixtures and domestic cup ties seemingly shoehorned into whatever gap is available. It’s enough to make even the most ravenous football fan think about loosening their belt. Continue rea...

Premier League’s first chief refereeing officer feels standards have improved but admits more transparency is needed “When you think about refereeing it’s very much about confidence,” says Howard Webb. “It’s a mental discipline, you need resilience to be successful at it. My job is to make sure that referees are going into their job feeling confident and supported.” After eight years away, the most successful referee of the Premier League era has come back to the English game. His contract overseeing officials in the US had come to an end and he had been in discussions about coming home in some form for a while, but Webb’s appointment as the first chief refereeing officer in the elite game has the feel of a necessity, as – by common consent – the men in black need all the help they can get. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/29/howard-webb-returns-to-england-on-mission-to-boost-referees-confidence

New year bookings at bars and restaurants are down due to rail strikes and price rises, industry experts say.

A retired businessman recalls the time when, in 1958, the then-17-year-old World Cup footballer practised at his school Pelé, Brazil World Cup winner and football legend, dies aged 82 Pelé tops our list of the top 100 all-time World Cup footballers Observer Archive from 1970: ‘There is only one Pelé’ Renato Carvalho was 11 years old when he met Pelé for the first and only time. It was 1958 and he was a schoolboy in a small city called Poços de Caldas. To the amazement of him and his friends, the Brazilian team were preparing for the World Cup on his school pitch. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/30/the-day-i-met-a-teenage-pele-the-greatest-advertisement-brazil-ever-had

The lawsuit alleges that three Hershey products contain harmful levels of lead and cadmium.

Campaigners say a temporary £2 maximum fare will not stem a fall in passengers, amid service cuts.

Max Rushden is joined by Philippe Auclair , Andrew Downie and Samindra Kunti for a special on the life of Pelé, possibly the greatest footballer ever Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud , Audioboom , Mixcloud , Acast and Stitcher , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email . A special on the life of Pelé – possibly the greatest footballer ever. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2022/dec/30/what-is-peles-legacy-football-weekly-special

It has been a tough year with more challenges to come, but some retailers are proving the fittest can survive.

• Carrick’s side continue form to break into playoff places • Blades record fifth straight win to move level with Burnley Middlesbrough moved into the Championship playoff places for the first time this season after coming from behind to defeat 10-man Blackburn 2-1 at Ewood Park. Rovers went ahead in an even first half thanks to a cool Ryan Hedges finish in the sixth minute, vindicating Blackburn’s ploy of targeting the visitors’ high line. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/29/championship-boro-stun-blackburn-as-sheffield-united-keep-pace-at-top

Hundreds of thousands of workers have walked out, or threatened to, causing widespread disruption.

The US company says the levy on its profits will discourage future investment in Europe.

Alfredo Morelos limps off in 3-0 defeat of Motherwell Aaron Mooy scores first goals for Celtic at Hibernian Rangers enjoyed their most comfortable win yet under Michael Beale with a 3-0 victory over Motherwell to set up nicely an Old Firm showdown as Celtic also made short work of Hibernian in winning 4-0 at Easter Road. After three Premiership wins out of three for the new Gers manager, all by a one-goal margin, there was an element of control for Beale’s side when striker Alfredo Morelos’s scored in the 13th minute with a header before defender Connor Goldson’s counter after 38 minutes. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/28/scottish-premiership-rangers-and-celtic-both-win-ahead-of-old-firm-derby

Japan and India have already announced tighter measures as China finally reopens its borders.

Women’s football has faced all manner of obstacles in England but the powers that be pulled together to get them over the line Welcome to Moving the Goalposts, the Guardian’s free women’s football newsletter. Here’s an extract from this week’s edition. To receive the full version once a week, just pop your email in below: The European Championship win in July ended England’s 56-year wait for a major tournament victory and likely changed the face of women’s football in this country for ever. But how do you reflect on a gamechanging year when you are so close to it? Can you really determine whether it will have a seismic impact? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/28/lionesses-euro-2022-win-was-logical-step-after-fighting-odds-for-so-long

The firm operating the Russian franchise may sell up, 10 months after the invasion of Ukraine.

Arsenal defender opens up on living with condition 25-year-old describes lying on bathroom floor in agony The England women’s football captain, Leah Williamson, has revealed that she suffers from endometriosis and feared the condition that, among other things, causes agonising period pain, would jeopardise her participation in last summer’s European Championship. Although Williamson ended up leading the Lionesses to glory against Germany in the Wembley final, anxiety that her endometriosis would flare up and leave her lying in agony on a bathroom floor proved a near constant companion during the tournament. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/28/leah-williamson-reveals-endometriosis-led-to-fears-of-missing-games-at-euros

Morocco winger scores after 50 seconds against Birmingham Paul Ince suffers ‘nightmare’ but Reading hang on to win Anass Zaroury took less than a minute to announce his return from the World Cup as Burnley secured a 3-0 win over Birmingham . The Morocco winger, who played for his country in the playoff for third place just 10 days earlier, was thrown straight back into the action by Vincent Kompany and responded by scoring the quickest goal in the Championship this season, with 50 seconds on the clock. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/27/burnley-three-clear-after-zarourys-quick-strike-against-birmingham

Smith presided over 2-1 defeat to 10-man Luton on Boxing Day Norwich are admirers of Russell Martin, the Swansea head coach Norwich have sacked their manager, Dean Smith, following a poor run of results and increasing anger from supporters. Norwich slipped to a third defeat in four Championship matches on Boxing Day to leave the club fifth in the table but with only a three-point buffer to 16th. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/27/norwich-sack-dean-smith-as-championship-promotion-hopes-falter

About 150 staff are believed to be affected after they were told by email the company will close.

Strikes this week include staff from customer service, safety and timetabling at three companies.

Max Rushden is joined by Lars Sivertsen, John Brewin and Jordan Jarrett-Bryan as the Premier League returns from its Winter World Cup hiatus Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud , Audioboom , Mixcloud , Acast and Stitcher , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email . Arsenal are still very good despite being a Gabriel Jesus down. The Gunners beat West Ham 3-1 and remain top of the table. Also firmly in the still Very-Good Camp are Newcastle: the panel ask whether they could be genuine title contenders? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2022/dec/27/premier-league-is-back-and-nothing-has-changed-football-weekly-podcast

The Boxing Day match between Arsenal and West Ham marked the return of Arsène Wenger to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since departing as Arsenal manager in 2018. Arsenal battled from a goal down in the first half to defeat the Hammers 3-1.  'I've been involved in the process, but it's about him, the timing that he needed to make that step. And hopefully he's going to live here and be willing to spend more time with us and be around us because he's such an influence for me personally, my career, the way I see the game. But as well for this football club,' Arteta said of his former manager. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2022/dec/27/mikel-arteta-arsene-wenger-arsenal-aston-villa-emirates-stadium-visit-video

Passengers are being urged to check travel times as rail workers finish their latest walkout.

This was not a vintage Liverpool performance by any stretch but there were glimmers of sparkle as they dispatched Aston Villa and put their foot back on the accelerator in pursuit of the top four. Mohamed Salah got the ball rolling, equalling Kenny Dalglish’s goalscoring mark for Liverpool in almost double-quick time before Virgil van Dijk increased Liverpool’s first-half advantage. Villa deservedly replied through Ollie Watkins but a composed finish by the 18-year-old substitute Stefan Bajcetic for his first Liverpool goal left the away support rattling through their version of a Christmas classic. “Merry Christmas, Everton!” they sang as the celebrations continued. Klopp’s festive message to supporters touched on various themes, from his admiration for Love, Actually and the “crazy world we are living in at the moment”, to Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat in May – “Mr Courtois had a pretty good day” – and, most pertinently, moving to “within punching distance” of the top fo...

Blades beat Coventry 3-1 to move level on points with Burnley Chuba Akpom fires hat-trick in Middlesbrough’s win over Wigan Sheffield United continue to push for top spot in the Championship after beating Coventry 3-1. The win takes the Blades level on points with top-of-the-table Burnley after James McAtee fired the hosts into the lead. Coventry had the chance to equalise just after the break, but Viktor Gyökeres had his spot-kick saved. Ciaran Clark and Tommy Doyle added two more for United before Gyökeres pulled one back for Coventry, but the Blades were forced to play out the rest of the game with 10 men after John Egan was shown a second yellow card in the 78th minute. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/26/championship-roundup-sheffield-united-sink-coventry-to-go-level-at-top

Adam Lallana struck against his former club as Brighton inflicted more misery on struggling Southampton with a resounding 3-1 Premier League victory at St Mary’s. The Saints academy graduate Lallana benefited from a major blunder from the home goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to put Albion ahead before Romain Perraud’s calamitous own goal doubled their half-time advantage. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/26/southampton-brighton-premier-league-match-report

The England striker’s goal against Germany made her a national hero and sent interest in the women’s game rocketing. But she’s not about to take her foot off the gas When Chloe Kelly’s 2022 began, the idea that a photo of herself would capture one of the defining moments of women’s football history in England, let alone of the year, was far from her mind. Kelly was battling back from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ended her Olympic dreams. She would make her return to the pitch in April, 11 months on from her injury, and faced a race against time to get up to speed for the Euros in July. “It’s crazy,” the 24-year-old Manchester City forward says of the tournament. “Sometimes I look at the images and I’m like: ‘Wow, that actually happened.’ It’s an amazing memory and one that will stick with me for ever, and what it can do for the sport is just huge.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/dec/26/chloe-kelly-euros-t...

Updates from the 12.30pm GMT Premier League kick-off How they stand: the latest Premier League table And you can contact Rob here with your thoughts Previously on Premier League “Don’t you think the 1966 World Cup final is a contender for the best final?” says Francis Mead. “I’m old enough to have watched it live. It had a dramatic last-minute equaliser, an incredibly dramatic last-minute goal sealing the win, and also the still (rightly) contested third goal by England, as well as a hattrick. Maybe the 2022 is the best - but I think 1966 is in there, along with 1954 if you like.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2022/dec/26/brentford-v-tottenham-premier-league-live

Warnings for ice and snow are in place in parts of the UK as rail strikes continue on Boxing Day.

Tottenham manager ‘enjoyed’ England v France in World Cup Conte: ‘I think Harry will be motivated, I am sure’ Antonio Conte has spoken of the “strange” experience of watching his two most senior players face each other from the penalty spot not once but twice during the World Cup. The Spurs coach has the task of making sure both Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris are focused on achieving for Spurs in the second half of the Premier League season which resumes on Boxing Day. But the Italian has little doubt his two leaders will be ready, despite the unusual events of the quarter-final between England and France. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/25/antonio-conte-admits-to-strange-experience-of-watching-kane-v-lloris

Pep Guardiola says player returned from Qatar out of condition ‘He didn’t arrive in the condition to do training and to play’ Pep Guardiola has said he left out Kalvin Phillips from Thursday’s Carabao Cup win over Liverpool because the player was “overweight” and added that he will speak to the midfielder privately. After being part of England’s World Cup squad the 27-year-old was given time off but when he returned to City was not in the condition to train, according to the manager. Phillips’s fellow England squad members in Qatar – Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and John Stones – all featured against Liverpool while Kyle Walker was an unused sub, but the former Leeds midfielder did not even make the matchday squad. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/23/kalvin-phillips-left-out-of-manchester-city-squad-because-he-was-overweight

Brazil forward joins on loan with obligation for Wolves to buy ‘I’m happy like a kid,’ says Cunha as he links up with Diego Costa Wolves have signed the Brazil forward Matheus Cunha on loan from Atlético Madrid with an obligation to buy for €50m (£44m). The 23-year-old will join Julen Lopetegui’s squad from 1 January subject to a work permit. The former Sion, RB Leipzig and Hertha Berlin player moved to Atlético in the summer of 2021 and scored seven goals last season but has struggled for playing time this term. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/25/wolves-confirm-matheus-cunha-signing-from-atletico-madrid-in-44m-deal

Manager has praise for players he’s got and eyes on impressive additions as Premier League resumes with his side third Eddie Howe would later admit he was not really thirsty but that failed to prevent Newcastle’s manager from unscrewing the top of the small bottle of water in front of him and taking a long, very slow, sip. It was such an obvious timewasting tactic that, by the time he put it back on the table, laughter filled the room. “I’m conveniently drinking my water,” Howe joked after being asked whether he would prefer to finish in the Premier League’s top four or win the Carabao Cup. The 45-year-old had evidently forgotten that, in an unguarded moment, after last Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth, he had admitted: “The Premier League’s our priority.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/25/eddie-howe-confident-newcastle-can-convert-champions-league-promise

Manager confident his side can cope with challenges but league leaders must find a way to prosper without injured key forward When Gabriel Jesus limped from the Lusail Stadium field on 2 December, having played 64 minutes for Brazil in a game against Cameroon they could afford to lose – and eventually did – the effect on his club bordered on catastrophic. Thursday brought the regrettable sight of Jesus on crutches at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground. “Progressing”, followed by a series of motivational emojis, was the one-word social media message. After Mikel Arteta said he was unwilling to set a timescale on a return from mangled medial knee ligaments, the Arsenal manager next veered into the dangerous territory of attempting to take the positives. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/25/mikel-arteta-arsenal-gabriel-jesus-keep-faith

Reo Hatate scored a double from right-back as Celtic consolidated top spot in the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 victory over St Johnstone. Kyogo Furuhashi also netted twice as the Hoops restored their nine-point lead over Rangers at the summit. Drey Wright pulled one back but Celtic went into Christmas with a 19-goal advantage over their city rivals. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/hatate-and-furuhashi-doubles-ease-celtic-to-victory-over-st-johnstone

Defender returns to club from US team Racing Louisville Bonner ‘almost a little emotional’ to see name on shirt again Liverpool Women have re-signed the defender Gemma Bonner, who captained the club to two Women’s Super League titles. The 31-year-old joins from Racing Louisville and will link up again with the manager Matt Beard. Bonner won the WSL in 2013 and 2014 under Beard during a six-year spell that ended in 2018 when she joined Manchester City. A childhood Liverpool fan, she wrote to Santa aged four or five asking for “a computer and a football Liverpool kit and four computer games”. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/gemma-bonner-rejoins-liverpool-women-racing-louisville-asked-santa-for-kit

Media in France say Messi goal should have been disallowed Szymon Marciniak: ‘The French didn’t mention this photo’ The World Cup final ended nearly a week ago but the drama around it continued as the match referee showed a photo on his phone during a news conference to respond to claims that Lionel Messi’s extra-time goal should not have stood. Argentina won the final in Qatar 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 3-3, with Messi scoring twice and Kylian Mbappé bagging a hat-trick for France. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/world-cup-final-referee-responds-to-french-criticism-with-phone-photo

Popular manager is plotting an unlikely playoff push after steering the Championship club through choppy waters Coventry City’s season began with them unable to play home games due to the state of the pitch, more recently they have received an eviction notice from the stadium and are in the process of being taken over. Anyone would forgive their small squad for being unable to focus considering everything going on around them but instead they are eighth in the Championship with a game in hand on those in the playoff places. The key man holding things together is manager Mark Robins, who takes his side to face Sheffield United on Boxing Day. In his second spell in charge of the club, Robins has taken City from League Two to the Championship in three seasons, despite the turbulence around him, and kept them in mid-table for the past two campaigns. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/mark-robins-gives-coventry-city-hope-t...

Argentina goalkeeper made vulgar gesture and mocked Mbappé Patrick Vieira: ‘That was a stupid decision from Martínez’ Crystal Palace’s manager, Patrick Vieira, believes the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez’s “stupid” celebrations have taken some of the sheen off Argentina’s World Cup win. Martínez was instrumental in Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France last Sunday, but he has raised eyebrows with some of his actions afterwards. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/vieira-claims-martinezs-stupid-world-cup-celebrations-spoiled-triumph

Barcelona midfielder defends her title despite missing half the year with an ACL injury with lots of new players making the list It is fair to say that 2022 was the most competitive and difficult year to choose the best 100 female footballers , with 358 players receiving votes from our 119 judges. Given we ask our judges to vote only for their own individual top 40, that is an incredible spread and shows how extensive the talent and quality in the women’s game is. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/24/alexia-putellas-is-first-female-player-to-regain-guardian-top-100-crown

It follows a recent report which highlighted early retirement as an issue around a UK labour shortage.

From Messi to Morocco’s heroics, via a seven-a-side against Roy Keane, our writers and photographer share their memories There is the temptation to pick a leftfield choice from the 18 games I covered, but who are we kidding: the final was stunning, jaw-dropping sport and the best match of its type there has ever been . Nick Ames Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/20/world-cup-awards-the-guardian-team-at-qatar-2022-give-their-verdicts

In a world away from the glamour of Sunday’s World Cup final workers plough on, some still waiting to be paid Isaac * and Emmanuel * would have watched the World Cup final if they could have, but work came first. While Lionel Messi was rewriting history they moved through one of Qatar’s opulent shopping malls, area by area, fulfilling the cleaning tasks their employer had assigned. It was not too hard to glean what was going on, and sometimes Isaac would try to make his old Nokia phone strain for updates. But football, and especially football as inaccessible as this, was really a remote concern. Walking past designer handbags, perfumes and suits every day feels like a trudge through vacant, empty space. The young Ghanaian men are in their third month here and are yet to be paid a penny. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/21/qatar-forgotten-migrant-workers-world-cup-2022

Cohen was right-back in Alf Ramsey’s team He spent his whole playing career with Fulham George Cohen, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning team, has died at the age of 83. Cohen spent his whole playing career with Fulham, making 459 appearances, and was described by George Best as “the best full-back I ever played against”. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/23/george-cohen-world-cup-winner-with-england-in-1966-dies

Tickets won’t be sold for Victory A-League games until 15 January Further sporting and financial sanctions likely Melbourne Victory has been handed initial penalties but is yet to feel the full wrath of Football Australia for the ugly scenes that caused the abandonment of last weekend’s Melbourne derby. As a result of the violence at Aami Park on Saturday night, tickets will be not sold for Victory’s A-League Men games until 15 January and only valid club members will be allowed to attend home matches. Active support bays for both Victory and away fans will be closed while the show cause process is fully worked through, FA said in a statement on Friday. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/23/melbourne-victory-hit-with-first-football-australia-penalties-following-derby-pitch-invasion

About 115,000 postal workers are taking part in the dispute with Royal Mail.

On 57 minutes Marcus Rashford showed the finest way to return from a World Cup. The No 10 collected inside Manchester United’s half and, after turning the afterburners on, propelled himself at Jordan Beyer along the right. The centre-back kept backpedalling and Rashford kept coming until slick footwork bedazzled the Burnley man and in a flash, Bailey Peacock-Farrell was beaten by a laser of a finish, on the angle, from inside the area. For Rashford, a star turn for England at Qatar 2022 with three goals, this was a ninth United goal this season – perhaps his finest for the club – and ensured Erik ten Hag’s side are in the quarter-finals. Against Vincent Kompany’s Championship leaders they managed to be dominant and undercooked, the latter characteristic no surprise given their five-week layoff. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/21/manchester-united-burnley-carabao-cup-match-report

Travellers arriving in the UK are warned to expect disruption and delays as staff who check passports go on strike.

France up to third, Morocco become top African team England stay fifth as Wales drop nine places to 28th The World Cup 2022 winners, Argentina, have failed to dislodge Brazil from the top of the Fifa men’s world rankings as England remain fifth in the post-Qatar standings. Argentina have moved into second spot after Lionel Messi led them to their third World Cup triumph on Sunday, adding to their 2021 Copa América title. Had Lionel Scaloni’s side, or beaten finalists France, won the final within 90 minutes, they would have taken the top spot from Brazil. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/22/world-rankings-men-world-cup-brazil-argentina-england-morocco

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning , Jonathan Wilson and John Brewin for a special festive Q&A Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud , Audioboom , Mixcloud , Acast and Stitcher , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email . Today: the panel open the Christmas mailbag and answer questions on Qatar, getting it launched and Macclesfield’s most famous sons. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2022/dec/22/tackling-your-questions-from-the-christmas-mailbag-football-weekly-extra-podcast

Output has been weaker than previously estimated for much of this year, official figures show.

Xbox maker faces lawsuit from10 gamers who say the multibillion dollar merger will harm competition.

The cost of living and sustainable shopping are driving a trend for pre-loved party pieces, experts say.

Three days after Alexis Mac Allister won the World Cup with Argentina , his Brighton teammates were on the wrong end of a penalty shootout defeat. The stakes may not have been quite so high, but nonetheless Brighton came a cropper at League One Charlton in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. While Mac Allister partied in Buenos Aires, having been given a fortnight off after his heroics in Qatar, the rest of the Brighton team faced a far less appealing trip to chilly south-east London as their domestic season resumed. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/21/charlton-send-brighton-crashing-out-of-carabao-cup-after-penalty-shootout

Arnold to meet Football Australia chiefs in early January as L’Equipe puts him in top spot following last-16 achievement Graham Arnold will sit down with Football Australia chiefs in early January to thrash out a new deal that is expected to see him remain in charge of the Socceroos, with the coach’s bargaining power having received a fillip after he was named the best coach of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Highly regarded sports newspaper L’Equipe put the out-of-contract Australian in top spot on its rankings, above the likes of Lionel Scaloni of Argentina and France’s Didier Deschamps. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/21/graham-arnold-set-to-sign-new-socceroos-deal-after-being-named-best-coach-at-2022-world-cup

Plus: The players who won the Golden Boot in the fewest games, and those who lifted the World Cup as their first trophy Mail us your questions or tweet @TheKnowledge_GU “During France’s match with Tunisia , there were 15 French-born players on the field at kick-off,” observes Chai in Atalanta. “France had nine (everyone apart from Steve Mandanda and Eduardo Camavinga), Tunisia had six (Nader Ghandri, Montassar Talbi, Wajdi Kechrida, Ellyes Skhiri, Aïssa La ïdouni and Wahbi Khazri). Is this a record for the number of players born in the same country for an international match?” It can actually be matched at the 2022 World Cup , Chai – look no further than Wales v England in Group B. “All of the English starting XI were born in England, as well as Ethan Ampadu (born in Exeter), Chris Mepham (Harrow), Kieffer Moore (Torquay) and Dan James (Kingston upon Hull) for Wales – a total of 15,” writes Rob Morgan. It’s also worth noting that Joe Morrell (born in Ipswich) and Brennan Johnson...

Official figures show the government spent £22bn more than it raised - the highest ever figure for the month.

Elon Musk says he will resign as soon as he finds someone "foolish enough" to take over the job.

Argentina have dethroned France as world champions, but were you paying attention to the little details? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/20/world-cup-2022-quiz-22-questions-22nd-world-cup-argentina-france

Almost 90% of pubs are considering shorter opening hours over winter as bills rise, according to a new survey.

This went exactly how Brendan Rodgers planned it. Thirty-eight days after their last competitive fixture, Leicester made light work of an MK Dons side with bigger battles to fight as they eased into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup courtesy of goals from Youri Tielemens, Ayoze Pérez and Jamie Vardy. An emphatic victory over a League One team struggling against relegation may not be the most significant of his managerial career but after their terrible start to the season, Rodgers will understand its importance. A sizeable contingent of away fans who had made the short journey down the M1 and packed out their end here certainly went home feeling happy, with some even predicting Leicester could be on their way to Wembley again after their FA Cup triumph 18 months ago. “We go into all the cup competitions thinking we have got a chance,” admitted Leicester’s assistant manager, Chris Davies. “It’s a case of trying to build momentum now before the next round.” Continue reading... fr...

World Cup winners take open-top bus in middle of the night Rock band welcomes them playing team’s unofficial anthem Thousands of fans lined up in the middle of the night to try to get a glimpse of the Argentina team that won Sunday’s World Cup final before what is scheduled to be a day of celebrations in Buenos Aires. Members of the team, led by Lionel Messi, were all smiles as they descended from the plane in Ezeiza, right outside Argentina’s capital, shortly before 3am on Tuesday on to a red carpet rolled out for the squad. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/20/argentina-thousands-of-fans-greet-team-buenos-aires-world-cup-middle-of-night

British Airways apologises to passengers left waiting in airports and on runways across the US.

Give the one you love something special this year: a free subscription to Football Daily. The gift that never starts giving Welcome to the very first Football Daily Christmas Awards. This is the bit where, in our old guise, we would bang on about becoming so jaded that we’d lost count of how many years we’d been churning out this old tat. Hmm, all of a sudden, the penny’s beginning to drop. So OK, here we are, refreshed and ready to go! Pour yourself a pint of wine, throw your boots up on the desk, decompress, de-depress, and sing along : ♫♪ It feels like the first time, it feels like the very first time … ♫♪♫ Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/19/the-football-daily-christmas-awards-2022

The misery of migrant workers involved in staging the tournament is plain to see. No amount of spin can cover up the structural racism involved When Nasser al-Khater, Qatar’s World Cup chief, was asked two weeks ago about the recent death of a migrant worker, his response was both shocking and revealing. “We’re in the middle of a World Cup and we have a successful World Cup. And this is something you want to talk about right now? I mean death is a natural part of life,” he said, before going on to offer condolences to the family of the deceased. First, a sense of outrage and indignation that anyone would challenge Qatar’s narrative about the World Cup and then a callous indifference for the workers who made it possible. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/dec/19/this-world-cup-should-be-remembered-for-its-racism-but-qatar-is-not-the-victim

Fewer people are donating to charity compared with before the pandemic, a survey suggests.

Streets of central Buenos Aires are a cacophony of yelling and horns after shootout victory against France Paris reaction: ‘You can’t begrudge Messi’ Match report: how Argentina won it If there’s one thing Argentina fans have learned in this World Cup, it’s that you can’t rest on your laurels when you’re 2-0 up. But after a dramatic penalty shootout, there was delight in Buenos Aires that Argentina will be bringing home football’s most coveted trophy. In La Puerta Roja, a bar in the downtown San Telmo district, so many people packed in early to watch the final that there was a queue outside an hour and a half before kickoff. The air smelled of adrenaline and the commentators could barely be heard over the din of yelling, hands banging on tables, and the occasional glass smashing. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/18/like-paradise-argentina-erupts-in-celebration-of-world-cup-win

Melbourne Victory could be hit with heavy sanctions for the behaviour of their fans Two men come forward in search for Melbourne A-League pitch invaders, police say Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails , free app or daily news podcast Victoria Police have charged three men in relation to the mass pitch invasion at the A-League Men Melbourne derby on Saturday. All three of the men, aged 23, 19 and 18, presented at police stations on Monday, Victoria Police said in a statement. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/19/melbourne-victorys-deadline-to-respond-to-show-cause-notice-looms-as-police-hunt-pitch-invaders

The newspaper front pages declare it Lionel Messi’s final, as they unite in celebrating Argentina’s win over France One man dominates the front – and back – pages of UK newspapers on Monday, after a “thrilling” World Cup final in Qatar. Under the headline “Messi’s crowning glory”, the Guardian’s Barney Ronay calls it “the greatest Fifa World Cup final ever played”, and – more tellingly – a coronation for “the greatest footballer of the age”. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/dec/19/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-what-the-uk-papers-say-about-the-world-cup-final

As some shoppers swap mains bulbs for battery lights, we investigate if money is really being saved.

The government-funded scheme will cap fares in England outside London from 1 January to 31 March.

French  fans were disappointed after Argentina but hopeful after the penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the World Cup final.  Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappé . It was an incredible game of drama and fluctuating fortunes, delivering one of the all-time great finals. Argentina had looked to be cruising to a one-sided victory after Messi's penalty and a brilliant goal by Ángel Di María in the first half put them in total control but Mbappé converted an 80th-minute penalty and volleyed in an equaliser a minute later to take the game to extra time. Fans thanked Mbappé as they commiserated and looked ahead to the future, saying 'good luck to France, don't let go, the next one is for us'' Argentina 3-3 France (aet, 4-2 on pens): World Cup final player ratings Argentina beat France on penalties to win World Cup after stunning final Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/f...

In the capital, where Maradona is worshipped as a god, World Cup victory would take on a spiritual dimension In June, Tomás Kuklis visited family in his native Argentina from his home in New York. When conversation turned to the upcoming World Cup, it brought back the happiest memories of his childhood. He was rocked by a wave of nostalgia for friends and food, but especially for his lifelong passion: football. So, he took a bold decision: he would sell all his things and move back to Buenos Aires to watch the tournament. It was a choice some might consider radical. But in this South American country where football is arguably a spiritual experience, it felt like keeping the faith. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/18/world-cup-final-argentina-messi-maradona-victory-france

Sure there were sporting zeniths, but what about Chesney Hawkes, maltreated felines and a surfeit of dancing … “ Today I feel gay,” Fifa’s head told surprised journalists pre-tournament. “Today I feel disabled, today I feel a migrant worker.” He revealed he knew how migrants felt because “as a child [in Switzerland] I was bullied. I had red hair and freckles, plus I was Italian, so imagine”. His basic point: media should stop the “profoundly unjust” scrutiny of the hosts. “It’ll be the best World Cup ever.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/17/cats-pop-stars-and-dressing-room-showdowns-qatar-world-cup-highlights

Who will win: Messi, Álvarez, Fernández, Acuña and Martínez or Mbappé, Giroud, Griezmann, Hernández and Lloris? By Ben McAleer for WhoScored So, the World Cup final is set. Argentina will play France on Sunday in Doha. Both sides are trying to become champions for the third time, with France aiming to become the third country – after Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962 – to retain the trophy. Which team has the best line-up? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/who-scored-blog/2022/dec/18/argentina-france-world-cup-finalists-messi-alvarez-fernandez-martinez-mbappe-giroud-griezmann-lloris

Users call for more regulation after state fund writes off investment in fallen cryptocurrency exchange.

The winger has grafted to lift France to another World Cup final but now wants to shine against former club-mate Lionel Messi Ousmane Dembélé is a player who drifts in and out of focus. While Kylian Mbappé explodes down the left flank for France, Dembélé is more of a gliding presence on the opposite side. Sometimes marking him is like trying to catch smoke. The France winger has this lovely way of floating up the right, a softness to the way he dips inside and out, and when he is in full flow he is a bewitching sight, so slippery as he unbalances defenders with his feints, body swerves and zigzagging dribbling. Those are the moments when it is easy to see why Barcelona, wounded after losing Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, spent £97m on Dembélé five years ago. The problem, though, is there have not been enough good times for the 25-year-old. Sometimes he looks special but he often lets games pass him by, underlining why he barely featured for France in the four years leading up to this...

‘Disgraceful’ scenes are ‘darkest day for football in Australia’ Fans express fears that post-World Cup goodwill has been lost Australian football has reacted with a mixture of shock, anger, sadness and disbelief to the chaotic and violent scenes that resulted in the abandonment of the A-League men’s Melbourne derby on Saturday night. City goalkeeper Thomas Glover was left bloodied after he was hit by a metal bucket allegedly thrown by a Victory fan as supporters stormed the pitch midway through the first half of the match at AAMI Park. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/18/our-game-is-in-tatters-australian-football-reacts-with-shock-to-melbourne-derby-violence

A roundup of some of the stranger photographs from Doha and beyond, featuring murals, animals and sweets Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2022/dec/17/the-quirky-and-wonderful-side-of-world-cup-2022-in-pictures

The  A-League Men  Melbourne derby descended into chaos after fans invaded the pitch at AAMI Park and left the City goalkeeper Tom Glover bloodied, with the match eventually abandoned for player safety reasons. It comes after a day of protests across the A-League, as fans made their feelings known about the Australian Professional Leagues’  controversial decision to sell off grand final hosting rights  to Sydney for the next three years. Football Australia has promised action would be taken against those responsible. Melbourne A-League derby abandoned as fans storm pitch and keeper attacked Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2022/dec/17/melbourne-derby-abandoned-after-mass-pitch-invasion-and-goalkeeper-attacked-video

Incident leaves City goalkeeper Tom Glover with bloodied face Flares thrown on to pitch from both sets of fans at AMMI Park The A-League Men Melbourne derby descended into chaos after fans invaded the pitch amid ugly scenes at AAMI Park that left the City goalkeeper Tom Glover bloodied and the match abandoned for player safety reasons. League leaders City were ahead through Aiden O’Neill’s 11th-minute goal when trouble erupted in the 22nd minute of the match. Both sets of fans had been throwing flares on to the pitch but the situation escalated when a flare appeared to hit a Channel 10 cameraman, then exploded when Glover picked another off the ground and threw it back into the stand housing Victory’s active support. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/17/melbourne-a-league-derby-abandoned-as-fans-storm-pitch-and-keeper-attacked

Updates from Qatar with third-place playoff at 3pm GMT And you can email John or tweet @JohnBrewin_ Barney Ronay on the dark shadow that will, despite Fifa and Qatar’s gush, forever loom over the 2022 World Cup. The fact is death and suffering were the inevitable collateral to this project from the moment Sepp Blatter read out the word “Qatar” in that weirdly strangled upbeat tone, crowded on his own stage by glad-handing power-brokers; and feeling, perhaps, through the lineups and posed smiles, that shadow already at his back, just out of shot, scythe clanking happily. Do we have to say this again? Because what we have here is still an open case. The dots have not been joined. Another chance to see Infantino It seems within seconds of any World Cup match starting, the camera pans to Fifa president Gianni Infantino looking glum in the stands. The host broadcast camera operator always knows where to find him, allowing the world to celebrate his greatness. Rarely has he looked ...

BBC World Cup final commentator on being a ‘narrator and guide’ and why he is looking forward to watching Messi and Mbappé The 1966 World Cup final has cast a long footballing shadow over this nation but that is also true of broadcasting, being the occasion of the most memorable single piece of sporting commentary, one that has transcended sport and entered everyday parlance. Kenneth Wolstenholme’s line, “They think it’s all over … it is now” as Geoff Hurst rifled home the decisive fourth goal for England at the end of extra time is instantly recognisable, as much a part of the folklore memory of the match as Nobby Stiles’s jig of joy or Bobby Moore lifting the trophy. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/17/guy-mowbray-world-cup-final-commentator-never-rehearse

Morocco’s coach has called it a ‘booby prize’ but there are still reasons to tune in It is quite easy to forget about the third-place playoff at a World Cup with everyone focusing on the final. But who could forget Poland 3-2 France in 1982? Or Turkey 3-2 South Korea in 2002? Or even whatever happened when England played Belgium four years ago? Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/17/world-cup-2022-briefing-why-the-third-place-playoff-is-worth-watching

People are being advised not to travel on the railways as workers continue strikes on Saturday.

Max Rushden , Philippe Auclair , Pete Pattisson, James Montague , Shireen Ahmed and Nooruddean Choudry look back over the World Cup in Qatar Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud , Audioboom , Mixcloud , Acast and Stitcher , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter and email . Today: Pete Pattisson and James Montague join to discuss how the Supreme Committee and Fifa have dealt with controversies that have happened over the last month in Qatar and what might happen post-World Cup. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/audio/2022/dec/16/qatar-2022-what-have-we-learned-football-daily-podcast

They depict the former US president in various guises including a superhero, astronaut and Nascar driver.

Some reporters for the New York Times, CNN and Washington Post have had their accounts suspended.

A host of intriguing storylines await, including those for clubmates Lisandro Martínez v Raphaël Varane, Leandro Paredes v Adrien Rabiot, Cristian Romero v Hugo Lloris and Nahuel Molina v Antoine Griezmann. These are subplots we can look forward to when Argentina face France in the final on Sunday. While everyone is thinking about Lionel Messi v Kylian Mbappé, there are plenty of clubmates preparing to do battle for the right to be champions of the planet, the entire planet. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/16/world-cup-2022-briefing-argentina-v-france-will-provide-subplots-aplenty

Brookfield sold Brazil farms despite boss's call not to "walk away" from carbon-intensive assets

Arsenal’s progression to the quarter-finals of the Champions League was marred by a serious injury to the WSL record goalscorer, Vivianne Miedema. The Dutch forward, who has scored four goals in four games since returning from a coordinated rest between her national team and club, crumbled to the ground and left the pitch in tears on a stretcher, with her knee the culprit. Arsenal are through to the knockout stage as second-place Lyon play third-place Juventus next week. The Gunners, meanwhile, can secure top spot with a win over Zurich as they have a better head-to-head goal difference over Lyon, who are level on 10 points with Arsenal going into the final round of games. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/15/arsenal-through-despite-lyon-loss-but-wait-anxiously-on-miedema-injury

All the latest news and updates from Qatar 2022 Get in touch: contact Tom via email or Twitter Morning everyone . So this still-tainted and still-basically-unjustifiable World Cup has nonetheless thrown up the juiciest of finals after France sealed a second consecutive final place with a 2-0 win over Morocco in what, for my money, was one of the games of the tournament, and one whose scoreline didn’t reflect Morocco’s sparkling contribution. But France have that air of a team destined to win even when they’re not doing much, and in the reinvented Antoine Griezmann have perhaps the best player of these finals. The final is preposterously hard to call, with intriguing battles all over the place and certainly deserves more than to be reduced to a face-off between the two Qatar-employed superstars spearheading the respective sides’ attacks. Our writers who were there have much to say about it all. So here’s Jacob Steinberg posing the question as to whether France are any cop: Contin...

The defendants allegedly used their platforms to hype stocks before selling them off once the prices rose.

Sunday’s final between Argentina and France throws together two of the world’s best players: Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé And then there were two! After one of the least predictable World Cups of all-time, we now have a final that won’t surprise anyone – and what a final it should be. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/15/world-cup-2022-briefing-argentina-france-lionel-messi-kylian-mbappe

The sale brings the total of Tesla stocks sold by Mr Musk over the past year to almost $40bn.

Ibrahima Konaté excelled for France, while Morocco’s captain, Romain Saïss, was unfit, well off the pace and soon withdrawn Hugo Lloris (GK) Huge first-half save from El Yamiq, with help from. the post, kept France ahead. Confident and secure. 8 Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/14/france-2-0-morocco-world-cup-semi-final-player-ratings

The warning comes as Royal Mail staff walk out in a fight over pay and conditions.

The inflation rate is 10.7% down from 11.1% in the previous month, official figures show.

It is uplifting to see players practicing their religion and celebrating with their mothers on such a big global stage Africa spans 30.37m square kilometres, taking in more than 1.2 billion people, who speak between 1,000 and 2,000 languages across 54 countries. These are aspects not always obvious from the monolithic way a continent of wondrous diversity is written about and discussed, something the World Cup has brought into even sharper focus. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/14/world-cup-2022-briefing-moroccos-pride-in-islam-should-inspire-us-all

It comes after the founder of the failed crypto exchange FTX was arrested and charged with fraud.

Lionel Messi was outstanding and ran the show but Croatia’s Ivan Perisic failed to offer anything useful from the left Emiliano Martínez (GK) Rarely extended but got down smartly to push away a deflected cross. Collected a lot of overhit deliveries. 7/10 Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/13/argentina-3-0-croatia-world-cup-semi-final-player-ratings

Falling short will sting but, if this is the end for the Croatia midfielder, the past three weeks have only served to enhance his legacy It began in Basel, an era ago, with a Lionel Messi goal. Only Luka Modric will know whether it wound down, in this monstrous and dystopian supplement to Doha, with exactly the same thing. At the end there was a hug from an old clubmate, Ángel Di María; then a more meaningful conference, arm around the younger man’s shoulder, with his dear friend Mateo Kovacic. Neither of them had been able to do quite enough this time and that is an achingly rare lament. Modric and Croatia have long exceeded whatever should naturally be expected and, when the dust settles, they will know the same was true in Qatar. If his 81st‑minute departure turns out to have been a final action at this rarefied level, it was still some way to go. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/13/luka-modric-still-at-very-top-and-...

As cryptocurrency makes headlines once again, here's a look at the main concepts and what they mean.

A pep-talk from Luka Modric and outstanding performances against Japan and Brazil have transformed Croatia’s goalkeeper On the eve of Croatia’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia last November, Luka Modric sat down with Dominik Livakovic for a chat. The Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper had lost his place to Ivo Grbic after being blamed for mistakes in the 2-2 home draw against Slovakia a few weeks earlier that jeopardised his country’s chances of securing a place in Qatar. “I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t care about you but I see that you are not progressing with the national team,” Modric tells Livakovic in a conversation that was captured during the Netflix documentary, Captains. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/13/dominik-livakovic-ready-to-repeat-heroics-against-argentina-world-cup

Some 417,000 working days were lost to industrial action in October - the highest since 2011.

The Croatia legend also plays on a different plane and will lead a masterful midfield in the semi-final against Argentina “Messi may be the star of this summer” said Peter Drury in 2006 as a certain 18-year-old Argentinian skipped inside Croatia’s Stjepan Tomas before bending a beautiful shot inside the far post from the edge of the area. Messi’s first international goal came in his sixth appearance, in one of those meaningless mid-season friendlies organised in a neutral country (literally Switzerland in this case), and we know the rest of the story. He became not so much the star of the summer as the star of the century (so far). Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/13/world-cup-2022-briefing-modric-not-messi-man-to-stop-croatia-argentina

FTX filed for bankruptcy last month, leaving many unable to withdraw their funds from the cryptocurrency exchange.