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☆ Messi to lead Argentina in opening World Cup qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Argentina v Panama - Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 23, 2023 Argentina's Lionel Messi during the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUENOS AIRES, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi will lead world champions Argentina in their opening World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia, the captain's first internationals since joining Major League Soccer's Inter Miami. Coach Lionel Scaloni's 32-man squad also features stalwarts including Angel Di Maria, who returned to Benfica this year, and defender Nicolas Otamendi. Argentina host Ecuador in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7 and travel to play Bolivia five days later. SquadGoalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Franco Armani (River Plate). Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton & Hove Albion), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Exequiel Palacios (Bayern Leverkusen) and Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense).

Persons: Lionel Messi, Agustin Marcarian, Lionel Scaloni's, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi, Alan Velasco, Bruno Zapelli, Lucas Esquivel, Lucas Beltran, Paulo Dybala, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Atalanta, Emiliano Martinez, Aston, Walter Benitez, Franco Armani, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Juan Foyth, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico, Athletico, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Facundo Buonanotte, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Angel Correa, Julian Alvarez, Alejandro Garnacho, Thiago Almada, Ramiro Sandolo, Janina Nuno Rios, Ed Omsond Organizations: Soccer Football, Estadio Monumental, REUTERS, Argentina, Ecuador, Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, Benfica, FC Dallas, Athletico Paranaense, Italy's Fiorentina, AS Roma, Ajax Amsterdam, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Nottingham Forest, Villarreal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Olympique Lyonnais, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Bayern Leverkusen, Fiorentina, Inter, Manchester City, Inter Miami, Atlanta United, Thomson Locations: Argentina, Panama, Buenos Aires, BUENOS AIRES, Bolivia, Ecuador, Real, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Olympique, Benfica, Brighton, Liverpool, Athletico, Inter Milan, Manchester

☆ Chelsea sign Ecuador's Caicedo from Brighton for British record fee
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Chelsea have broken the British transfer record for the second time in a year by signing Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion on an eight-year contract on Monday. Financial details were not disclosed but British media said Chelsea will pay 115 million pounds ($145.96 million), eclipsing the 106 million pounds record fee the London club paid to sign Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in January. Caicedo still had four years to run on his Brighton contract but had told the south-coast club he wished to leave. 'TOP MIDFIELDER'Caicedo signed for Brighton in February 2021 for a reported 4.5 million pounds and was loaned to Belgian club Beerschot in August that year. He made his Premier League debut in April last year and scored his first Brighton goal against Manchester United in May.

Persons: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Caicedo, Juergen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino, Todd Boehly, Moises, Tony Bloom, Roberto De Zerbi, Alexis Mac Allister, David Weir, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Angelo, Chelsea, Rohith Nair, Trevor Stynes, Ken Ferris Organizations: Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, London, Benfica, Premier League, Brighton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Liverpool swooped, Clearlake Capital, Belgian, Beerschot, Manchester United, Argentina, West Ham United, Thomson Locations: Brighton, Argentina, Merseyside, London, Belgium

☆ Moisés Caicedo could be on the brink of record-breaking $141 million transfer – but to which club?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Liverpool has made a £111 million ($141 million) bid for the midfielder, but whether the Ecuadorian international signs for the 2019 Premier League champion remains to be seen. Matthew Childs/Action Images/ReutersLiverpool head coach Jürgen Klopp confirmed in a press conference on Friday that the club had agreed a transfer fee with Brighton for Caicedo. The BBC reported the fee for the Brighton star is $141 million, which would break the British and Premier League transfer record. Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesAfter arriving at Brighton from Independiente del Valle for £4.5 million ($5.7 million), Ecuadorian midfielder Caicedo has impressed during his time in the Premier League. During the January transfer window Caicedo took to Instagram to plead for a move away.

Persons: Moisés Caicedo, Caicedo, Matthew Childs, Jürgen Klopp, Enzo Fernandez, Klopp, “, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, ”, Liverpool’s, Andrew Powell, Instagram, Moises, De Zerbi, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, The Premier League, Chelsea, Liverpool, Brighton, Hove Albion, Ecuadorian, League, Caicedo, BBC, Premier League, London, Benfica, Argentine, Sky Sports, Liverpool FC, Getty, Independiente del Valle, Arsenal, Manchester City, Burnley Locations: Ecuadorian, Caicedo, Brighton, Saudi Arabia, ” Brighton, Liverpool

☆ PSG sign Portugal striker Ramos on loan from Benfica
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Portimonense v Benfica - Estadio Municipal de Portimao, Portimao, Portugal - May 13, 2023 Benfica's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File PhotoPARIS, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain have signed Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos from Benfica on a season-long loan with an option to buy, the Ligue 1 club announced on Monday. PSG is one of the biggest clubs in the world with one of the best squads," the 22-year-old said in a statement. Ramos made his debut for Benfica in 2020 after joining the club's academy aged 12 and scored 41 goals with 16 assists in 106 appearances for the Portuguese champions. The Ligue 1 champions are also close to completing a deal to sign France forward Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona. ($1 = 0.9088 euros)Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Benfica's Goncalo Ramos, Rodrigo Antunes, Paris St Germain, Goncalo Ramos, Germain, Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marco Asensio, Milan Skriniar, Lee Kang, Hugo Ekitike, Lucas Hernandez, Manuel Ugarte, Christophe Galtier, Luis Enrique, Ousmane Dembele, Janina Nuno Rios, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, Primeira Liga, Benfica, Estadio Municipal de, Portugal, Ligue, Paris Saint, PSG, Thomson Locations: Estadio Municipal de Portimao, Portimao, Portugal, Paris, Portuguese, Barcelona, Spain, France, Mexico City

☆ Three African teams have reached the Women’s World Cup knockout stages for the first time ever. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Yet the tournament’s lowest FIFA world-ranked team (77th) bowed out in style, claiming their first ever Women’s World Cup win with a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica. South AfricaNo team left it as late to qualify from the group stage as South Africa. But Thembi Kgatlana had other ideas, tapping home Hildah Magaia’s pull back to secure South Africa’s first ever Women’s World Cup win and a place in the knockout stages with the flick of a boot. A solid start for a side who arrived at the tournament having conceded more goals at the World Cup than any other team. More history was made as Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab at a senior-level Women’s World Cup, and the defender came close to doubling the lead with a well-struck volley.

Persons: –, Banyana Banyana, Thembi Kgatlana, Kgatlana, Lars Baron, I’ve, ” Kgatlana, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Uchenna Kanu, Osinachi Ohale, Australia’s Alanna Kennedy, Lauren James, Christy Ucheibe, Ucheibe, Isabel Infantes, Striker Ibtissam, Benzina, Anissa, Badri, Paul Kane Organizations: CNN, Qatar, debutants, FIFA, Argentina, South, Getty, Racing Louisville, E, US, Sydney Football Stadium, Super Falcons, Olympic, Canada, Brisbane, Group, England, Denmark, European, Chelsea, Benfica, Germany, South Korea, Atlas Lions, France, Hindmarsh Locations: Nigeria, South Africa, debutants Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, Zambia, Japan, Spain, Costa Rica, Africa, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Portugal, Vietnam, Republic, Ireland, Canada, Denmark, England, Morocco, Colombia, Korea, Brisbane, Perth, France, Qatar

☆ Putellas fit and ready to go for Spain's World Cup campaign - coach
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"All players are available to play tomorrow," Vilda said via a translator at a media conference in Wellington on Thursday. "In the case of Alexia, it's optimising all the training sessions that we've had to have Alexia with us. "We are very careful with everything that we do and we're trying every possible means so that Alexia would be in condition to play tomorrow." The Barcelona midfielder is expected to be a key cog in Spain's third World Cup campaign where they are favourites to top Group C ahead of Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan. Spain were eliminated in the last 16 by eventual champions, the United States, in France in 2019, four years after failing to reach the knockout phase on their World Cup debut in 2015.

Persons: Johan Cruyff, Sant Joan Despi, FC Barcelona's Alexia Putellas, Ballon, Albert Gea, Alexia Putellas, Jorge Vilda, Putellas, Vilda, Alexia, it's, we've, Ian Ransom Organizations: Soccer, League, FC Barcelona, Benfica, FC Barcelona's, REUTERS, Costa, eventual, Thomson Locations: Spain, AUCKLAND, Costa Rica, Wellington, Barcelona, Zambia, Japan, United States, France, Melbourne

Playing in a Champions League is the pinnacle for any player in club soccer and when asked what this moment would mean to his grandfather, Lukaku is almost unable to answer. He was my biggest fan.”As a child growing up in Belgium, Lukaku missed 10 years of watching the Champions League. “I couldn’t watch (the Champions League final), but now, by the grace of God, I can play one,” he adds. Manchester City has swept all before it in a light blue wave this season and sits on the cusp of a ‘treble,’ fresh from winning the Premier League title and the FA Cup. “Man City is a well-drilled team…Guardiola is such a good coach because every game is a different game plan,” Lukaku observes.

Persons: “, ” Lukaku, Darren Lewis, ”, Lukaku, …, Erling Haaland, Lexy Ilsley, Messi, Ronaldo, … Guardiola, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Belgian, Anderlecht, Chelsea, Serie, Inter Milan, Champions League, League, ’, FC Milan, Coppa Italia, ” Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Porto, Benfica, AC Milan, Manchester City, Premier League, FA Locations: Belgium, Barcelona, Manchester

☆ Martinez deals knockout blow as Inter reach Champions League final
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

I felt it, we did a great job in both games," said Martinez, who won the World Cup with Argentina in December. "Playing in the Champions League final is a dream. Inter coach Simone Inzaghi fielded an unchanged team from the first leg, with Martinez and Dzeko up front, having rested players in Serie A over the weekend. And never before in their history had they gone four games in a row without finding the net against Inter. The real disappointment would be not playing in the Champions League next year."

☆ UEFA Chamions League: Manchester City to face Real Madrid in semifinals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Manchester City took another step towards winning its first Champions League trophy after cruising to a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich on Wednesday to secure a 4-1 aggregate win in the quarterfinals. “I’m so happy for three years in a row to be in the Champions League semifinals,” City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters after the second leg at the Allianz Arena. The Norwegian striker pounced on a mistake by defender Dayot Upamecano to smash home a finish into the top corner of the net in the 57th minute – his 12th Champions League goal of the season. “I am very satisfied with both games against Manchester City and with the way we presented ourselves today,” Tuchel told reporters after the match. The Italian side will face fierce city rival AC Milan for a place in the Champions League final where the winner will face either Manchester City or Real Madrid in Istanbul on June 10.

☆ Inter relishing dream run to semi-final showdown against Milan - Inzaghi
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, April 20 (Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi described their run to the Champions League semi-finals as a dream and said they will give it all they have got against city rivals AC Milan as they battle to become the first Italian finalists for six years. "It's historic, because of what they are doing, reaching both the Champions League and Coppa Italia semi-finals. "We know that some points were left on the road in the Italian league, but it's most because of a crazy schedule. The Milan teams have met twice in the Champions League knockout stages, the 2002-03 semis and 2004-05 quarter-finals with AC Milan, seven-times European champions, winning both ties. Inter and AC Milan will clash at the San Siro in the first leg on May 10 and on May 16 in the second leg.

☆ Inter knock out Benfica to set up Milan derby semi-final
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, April 19 (Reuters) - Inter drew 3-3 with Benfica on Wednesday to win their Champions League quarter-final 5-3 on aggregate and will face city rivals AC Milan in the last four for the right to be the first Italian team to reach the final for six years. Inter took the lead in the 13th minute with a brilliant strike by Nicolo Barella from inside the box but Benfica equalised in the 38th minute through a towering header from Fredrik Aursnes. Inter opened up a two-goal lead after the break as Lautaro Martinez and substitute Joaquin Correa scored within seven minutes, but defender Antonio Silva and substitute Petar Musa hit back with two late goals for Benfica. It was not enough to deny Inter their first semi-final appearance since they won the trophy for the third time in 2010. Reporting by Fernando Kallas, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UEFA Champions League: Erling Haaland breaks another scoring record as Manchester City humbles Bayern Munich
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The Norwegian superstar found the target yet again on Tuesday as Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium. It’s yet another chapter in the 22-year-old’s astonishing debut season at City, which currently sees him top scorer in both the Premier League and Champions League. When we have the momentum, we are clinical.”Haaland scores his side's third goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first-leg. Tim Goode/APTuesday’s win was a major statement from City which looks serious about winning its first ever Champions League title this season. We need to understand and swallow this kind of defeat.”Elsewhere, Inter Milan beat Benfica 2-0 in Tuesday’s other Champions League quarterfinal first leg – Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku getting the goals.

☆ Navas steals limelight on mixed weekend for January signings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

January signings can be hit and miss and it was a mixed weekend for new recruits. "But I loved his composure and game management and decision making, I really enjoyed that part of his performance. He came close to a debut goal too, but ultimately it was a frustrating debut as Chelsea's attack misfired yet again. Leicester's Souttar, signed from Stoke City, enjoyed a winning debut as his side overcame Aston Villa 4-2, although scoring an own goal was hardly ideal. But Souttar, along with fellow new signing Victor Kristiansen, impressed, although not as much as another new recruit Tete, who marked his debut with a goal.

☆ Enzo Fernandez: Chelsea sign midfielder in £106.8m British-record transfer deal from Benfica
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Chelsea had been in talks to sign the World Cup winner throughout January, but Benfica had refused to do business unless the Blues paid his €120m release clause. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesChelsea have signed midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British-record £106.8m. The deal for the Argentine surpasses the £100m Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish from Aston Villa 18 months ago. But Chelsea agreed a deal of €121m at 9.15pm on Deadline Day after 12 hours of talks led by Chelsea's co-owner Behdad Eghbali from London. Fernandez will help to replace Jorginho, who joined Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal on Deadline Day in a £12m deal.

☆ Chelsea smash British transfer record to sign Benfica's Fernandez
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Chelsea announced the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica on Wednesday after days of complex negotiations between the clubs to secure the Argentina midfielder for a British transfer record 106.8 million pounds ($131.46 million). Premier League club Chelsea announced the signing on Wednesday 1000 GMT via a video on Twitter, which showed a clip of a clock ticking down, making a reference to race against time to sign the World Cup winner. It takes Chelsea's transfer spending in January alone to close to 300 million pounds and to more than 500 million pounds since last May's takeover by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. His fee eclipses the 100 million pounds Manchester City paid Aston Villa for England midfielder Jack Grealish in 2021. On Tuesday, Chelsea sold experienced midfielder Jorginho to Premier League leaders Arsenal for 12 million pounds.

☆ Premier League clubs spend $1 bln for first time in January transfer window
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - Premier League soccer clubs spent a record 815 million pounds ($1.00 billion) in the January transfer window, an analysis from Deloitte's Sports Business Group said on Wednesday. The London club, lying 10th in the league, paid a British record 106.8 million pounds for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica on Tuesday's transfer deadline day. Over the whole of the 2022-23 season they have spent 2.8 billion pounds on player transfers, beating the previous record of 1.9 billion pounds set in 2017-18. Relegation-threatened Bournemouth were the second largest spenders within the Premier League. "Premier League clubs have outspent those within the rest of Europe's 'big five' leagues by almost four to one in this transfer window...," said Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

☆ Police chiefs apologise for Hillsborough failures after 34 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 1989 FA Cup semi-final was the scene of Britain's worst sporting disaster when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death in an over-crowded and fenced-in enclosure in the lower tier. "Policing has profoundly failed those bereaved by the Hillsborough disaster over many years and we are sorry that the service got it so wrong," Chief Constable Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said in a statement. "Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since. "Collectively, the changes made since the Hillsborough disaster and in response to Rt Reverend James Jones's report aim to ensure the terrible police failures made on the day and in the aftermath can never happen again," he added. Earlier this month, Newcastle United fans complained of "overcrowding and crushing" and a lack of stewarding at the Hillsborough Stadium during their FA Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday at the same Leppings Lane End.

☆ How many?! Pele's astonishing goal record
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Andrew Downie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FIFA put his overall total at more than 1,200 - over 1,000 of which came for his first club, Santos. Almost half of Pele's goals came in friendly matches – including games as an army conscript - and some argue they do not carry the same weight as goals scored in competitive matches. Barcelona celebrated in December 2020 when Messi scored his 644th goal for the Spanish club, surpassing the 643 competitive goals Pele scored for Santos. Two months later, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 768th goal, three more than Pele's total, including international goals. Pele sent his congratulations to both players but his supporters still argue the Brazilian's goal haul is superior because in Pele's day friendly matches were much more competitive than they are today.

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final against France after he scored twice in a devastating combination with Lionel Messi in the semi-final. He scored his first goal for the national side in the World Cup quarter-final against the Dutch, which Argentina won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Leandro ParedesA defensive midfielder with Juventus, 28-year-old Paredes has featured in four of Argentina's World Cup games - infamously booting the ball at the Netherlands' bench in the quarter-final. Rodrigo De PaulThe tough 28-year-old Atletico de Madrid midfielder has been a stalwart in Scaloni's World Cup starting lineup, even playing through injury against the Dutch. The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward is on a mission to lift his first World Cup at his fifth and final attempt and has been simply magnificent, scoring five goals while creating others with his dribbling and passing wizardry.

David Beckham, England — World Cup (1998, 2002 and 2006)Nate: The uncontainable aura of a man who transcended the sport and captured the world’s eyes. Eusebio, Portugal — (World Cup 1966)Nate: Rising high by the crowd that carries him; adored by Benfica, adored by Portugal, adored by the whole world. Zlatan Ibrahimović , Sweden (World Cup, 2002 and 2006)Nate: An ever present mythos … seemingly reversing time whilst being a journeyman through it. Lionel Messi, Argentina — (World Cup, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018)Nate: Ladies and gentlemen … It’s Lionel Messi. Socrates, Brazil — (World Cup, 1982 and 1986)Nate: Philosopher by name … glory that belongs in the Colosseum.

☆ World Cup quarterfinals: Morocco on the verge of history against Portugal as Kylian Mbappé’s France face England
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Moroccans have become the darlings of the World Cup. At the first “Arab” World Cup, they became the first Arab nation to qualify for the quarterfinals of the World Cup and, as the first African side to qualify for the quarterfinals in over a decade, they represent so much more than just their own nation. Born in Madrid, Achraf Hakimi scored the goal to knock Spain out of the World Cup. No team has scored more than Portugal’s 12 at the World Cup, but will the unstoppable Portugal be able to beat the immovable Morocco? Mbappé has already surpassed Cristiano Ronalo's World Cup goal scoring record and is level with Lionel Messi on nine.

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo: Portuguese Football Federation denies reports that star threatened to walk out of World Cup camp
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Aleks Klosok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) on Thursday denied that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo had threatened to leave the World Cup squad after being named as a substitute against Switzerland earlier this week. The 37-year-old striker was dropped from the starting lineup for Tuesday’s last 16 clash with his replacement, Benfica forward Gonçalo Ramos, stepping up to score a sublime hat-trick as Portugal thumped the Swiss 6-1. Portuguese publication Record reported on Thursday that the striker had previously threatened to leave the squad following a conversation with manager Fernando Santos. “The FPF clarifies that at no time did the captain of the national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, threaten to leave the national team during the stay in Qatar,” read the statement. It was the first time Ronaldo was left out of the starting lineup for Portugal at a major tournament since Euro 2008.

☆ Portugal young gun Ramos faces tough test from wily Saiss
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Shady Amir | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ramos, 21, made headlines when the teams were announced, picked to lead the attack in place of Portugal's all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo who was relegated to the bench. It did not take long for the youngster to become one of the biggest stories of the Qatar World Cup. Ramos made his debut in Portugal's 4-0 win over Nigeria in a warm-up game before the World Cup and played a total of 10 minutes as a substitute in two of the three group matches. Perhaps Ramos, who helped Benfica reach the Champions League last 16 this season, benefited from being the third striker in the squad behind Ronaldo and Andre Silva. He will now be firmly in the spotlight when Morocco coach Walid Regragui considers his tactics.

☆ Gonçalo Ramos: Meet the striker who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo and made World Cup history at Qatar 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Not only was it his first start at Qatar 2022, the tournament’s first hat-trick, but Ramos’ three goals in this last-16 tie puts Ronaldo record in one-off World Cup games somewhat in the shade. Ronaldo has never scored in a World Cup knockout match, despite competing in five tournaments. Michael Steele/Getty ImagesBenfica CampusRamos is a product of the famous Benfica academy. Never gives up!” Ramos’ Benfica teammate Grimaldo told Marca. His trio of goals ensured Ramos became the first player to score a hat-trick in his first World Cup start since Miroslav Klose against Saudi Arabia in 2002.

☆ Analysis: 'Sorcerer' Ramos dazzles with hat-trick in first World Cup start
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ramos could not have hoped for a more magical night in Qatar, having made his international debut only three days before the World Cup started. Ramos had only featured for 10 minutes in total in Portugal's World Cup group matches but earned a surprise start when Santos opted to leave the country's all-time top scorer Ronaldo on the bench and take a risk with the youngster. Ramos is neither the muscular package that is Ronaldo nor does he play as far forward as the Portugal captain. While thousands of fans at Lusail stadium repeatedly chanted 'Ronaldo' 'Ronaldo', hoping to see the superstar in action, Ramos became the first player to score a hat-trick in his first World Cup start since Germany's Miroslav Klose 20 years ago. But by then a new Portugal hero, no longer the sorcerer's apprentice, had stolen the show with a memorable performance.

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