World Cup 2022 RECAP: Fans respond angrily as FIFA confirms a stadium concourse beer BAN 'due to pressure from Qatari royals'... while England's James Maddison misses a SECOND day of training
Follow Sportsmail's live blog for all the latest World Cup news and updates with just two days until the tournament starts, with coverage from MAX MATHEWS.
That's all from me today!
Hope you enjoyed it - catch you next time.
T-Minus two days to the World Cup!
Qatar's World Cup organisers have reportedly been left red-faced after a luxury five-star hotel due to house top FIFA executives wasn't finished on time.
Leading figures from world football's governing body, arriving in Doha a week before the beginning of the tournament, had been expecting to check in to the opulent Fairmont hotel located in the spectacular waterside Katara Towers.
But a few days before their arrival, embarrassed local officials had to confess their accommodation wasn't quite ready and they would temporarily be moved to the Chedi Katara resort instead.
Though the alternative hotel was similarly luxurious, the New York Times reported it was a 'dry' hotel that didn't serve alcohol, meaning the champagne could not flow in the exclusive FIFA Club.
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Trevor Sinclair has admitted he turned down the opportunity to work in Qatar during the World Cup because his 'morals aren't there to pick and choose'.
The 2022 World Cup has been the centre of criticism as a result of Qatar's poor human rights record, particularly in relation to migrant workers and the host nation's stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
In a message on social media, Sinclair insisted he was not judging any pundits for travelling to Qatar, but revealed that his 'morals' prompted him to reject an opportunity to work there during the tournament.
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Mason Mount has said England must be ready for the 'dark arts' used by the likes of 'Brazil and Argentina' in Qatar.
The two South American giants are considered by many to be the favourites for the tournament, with Mount suggesting that England will have to be ready for their off the ball tactics should they meet them later in the tournament.
Speaking just days out from England's opener against Iran on Monday, cited England's penalty shootout victory over Colombia in 2018 as a 'tough' watch and evidence of the kind of tactics deployed in the 'big games' at later stages of major tournaments.
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Olivier Giroud insisted that he will step up to fill Paul Pogba's shoes as a leader in the French dressing room in Qatar, with the midfielder one of several stars ruled out through injury.
Both Pogba and Giroud helped Les Bleus to their second title in Russia four years ago, but Pogba will now have to make do with a spot on the sidelines after sustaining an injury early on in his summer return to Juventus.
Giroud described his role in Didier Deschamps side as a 'big brother' for the young talents that have made the 26-man squad for France, including Arsenal's William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
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England reached the quarter-final of the World Cup in Germany after beating Paraguay, Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago and drawing with Sweden. However, they had to overcome Portugal to progress through to the semi-final of the competition.
England were eager to get their revenge on Portugal after they knocked the Three Lions out of the 2004 Euros following an epic penalty shootout. However, it wasn't meant to be as Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed their exit from the penalty spot.
Eriksson says Gareth Southgate must do everything he can to prepare his team for a potential penalty shootout in Qatar.
He also shared his philosophy for who should take England's penalties during the tournament while speaking to Sportsmail's Charlotte Daly in an exclusive interview.
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A distraught family told how their World Cup dreams were shattered after their five-year-old daughter was banned from boarding their flight to Qatar as she didn't have a visa.
Heartbroken Rhian Hayes, 39, told how daughter Orla and football mad son Harrison, eight, were left in tears after being turned away at Heathrow Airport.
The family had saved up for three years for the £7,000 once-in-a-lifetime trip and had tickets for four matches.
Civil servant Rhian told MailOnline: ‘We feel absolutely gutted for the kids. We had been saving up for this for years and it comes at a time when you’ve just been hit by a financial crisis. It’s just devastating.
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England have hatched a detailed plan to ensure players keep cool and beat the heat in their mission to win the World Cup.
Playing possession-based football is an integral part of the philosophy Gareth Southgate has imposed during his reign and controlling the tempo of matches - particularly during the 4pm opener against Iran on Monday - to minimise the heat's impact has been re-emphasised to players.
The fact stadiums are air conditioned - which should bring temperatures down to around 23 degrees - will ease the strain of the heat on matchdays.
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England sponsor Lucozade has reportedly pulled all of their branding from the Qatar World Cup.
As reported by the Sun, the drinks maker have confirmed that their bottles won't be seen at matches, in training or during press conferences throughout the duration of the tournament.
It is a big move from Lucozade who have been partner of the English national team since 2008, with their branding regularly seen in connection with the Three Lions.
It comes following wide-spread concern over human rights issues in the Gulf state, which continue to be a major talking point just three days before the start of the World Cup.
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Aaron Ramsdale has revealed he watched England's 2018 World Cup opener against Tunisia at Lineker's Bar in Ayia Napa.
The Arsenal goalkeeper watched the Three Lions clinch a last-gasp 2-1 win against Tunisia thanks to a late Harry Kane goal in the Cypriot tourist resort.
Ramsdale's experience at the infamous popular party destination could not be more different than England's luxurious base in Qatar - where the 24-year-old travelled as part of the Three Lions squad for the next edition of the competition.
Love that from Aaron. Round from Ouzo after Kane's winner? Click for more below...
Wayne Rooney has aimed a well-timed dig at Cristiano Ronaldo by describing Lionel Messi as the 'best' footballer of all time, after his former Manchester United team-mate shockingly called him a 'rat' this week.
During his bombshell, tell-all interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo took aim at Rooney and suggested he held feelings of 'jealousy' towards him, following the ex-England star's criticism of the Red Devils forward to the media earlier this season.
Rooney, who described Ronaldo's comments as a 'bit strange' in a classy response on Friday, has aimed a dig at the Portuguese superstar by labelling Messi as the greatest footballer ever to grace the planet.
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Budweiser's owners have spoken for the first time since Fifa banned beer sales outside World Cup stadiums in an 11th-hour decision apparently motivated by pressure from Qatar's royal family.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the brewing giant which owns Bud and dozens of other beer brands, said it is still looking forward to 'celebrating football with our consumers' but some sales cannot go ahead due to 'circumstances beyond our control'.
Fans in Qatar reacted with a mix of anger and resignation at the ban, with 25-year-old England supporter Alex Todd describing it as 'madness'. 'Why is the World Cup here when basic pleasures are taken from you,' he asked.
The superstar forward is set to appear in his fifth World Cup for Portugal as they finally headed off to the major tournament albeit slightly later than most of the other nations.
The 37-year-old was captured smiling, posing for pictures, and signing autographs for fans as they waved the Portugal squad off from Lisbon airport.
The former Real Madrid star cut a relaxed figure that is purely focused on helping his nation at the winter tournament, rather than worry about his future at Old Trafford.
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Few players know the highs and lows of tournament football quite like Spain keeper Unai Simon.
In last summer’s Euros he allowed Pedri’s gentle back pass to roll over his foot and into the back of the net giving Croatia a 1-0 lead after just 20 minutes.
He recovered as Spain won the last-16 game 5-3. And in the next match he saved two penalties in the shoot-out against Switzerland to put them in the semi-finals.
He still has his ‘cheat-sheet’ folded up in one of his kit bags from that successful shoot-out against the Swiss and he eloquently explains the science behind giving keepers a chance in those pressure moments.
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France star Olivier Giroud was very impressed as he showed off his luxury hotel room at the team's base in Qatar.
The reigning World Cup holders are staying in the lap of luxury at the Al Messila in Doha, which has an eye-catching design based on an Arabian palace.
AC Milan star Giroud posted a video to his TikTok account which shows that his room has been heavily customised by the hotel, to give the French national team the perfect welcome to Qatar.
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Argentina legend Sergio Aguero would have hoped for a quiet and relaxing flight to Qatar for the World Cup, though some excitable Brazilian supporters had other ideas.
The former Manchester City star made 101 appearances for Argentina throughout his career and played many intense encounters with their greatest rivals Brazil.
In the clip shared to his social media accounts, the 34-year-old looked uncomfortable on a flight where any possibility of sleep would have been impossible.
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The World Cup is set to dominate the television schedules in the weeks ahead with fans able to gorge on a feast of live football from morning until night - but it's not the only football on!
In England, every league below the Championship will carry on. We've also got the FA Cup second round, where a handful of non-league giant-killers will be hoping to tee up a third round tie against a Premier League big boy.
The Women's Super League and Champions League will run parallel to the action in Qatar and, if you're really missing the Premier League, several clubs will be playing warm weather friendlies.
Sportsmail scans the TV schedules to bring you the best of the football if the Qatar World Cup isn't to your taste.
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Premier League leaders Arsenal will reportedly host Juventus in their final warm-up match before the resumption of the Premier League season on Boxing Day.
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Leagues One and Two carry on regardless, non-League giant-killers hope to land a big name in the FA Cup while Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool jet off to sunny climes… the best of the non-Qatar action ahead.
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Our SECRET SCOUT is a top football expert who attends matches each week searching for the next star - and here's his list of 10 emerging players to keep an eye on...
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Budweiser have DELETED their tweet responding to the World Cup beer ban.
In case you missed it: FIA today banned the sale of alcohol at Qatar World Cup stadiums just 48 hours before the tournament starts with sponsor Budweiser trying to make light of the news.
The beer brand's Twitter feed posted 'well, this is awkward...' moments before Fifa confirmed that alcohol sales will be confined to special 'fan zones' where pints cost £12, are only available at certain times, and are limited to four per person.
The move puts FIFA on a collision course with Budweiser, which is thought to have a sponsorship deal worth $75million with the organising body and may drag Doha into a legal battle.
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David Baddiel and Frank Skinner have released a festive version of their iconic Three Lions anthem ahead of the first-ever December World Cup.
The comedians have reunited with singer Ian Broudie to create a new rendition of the song with Christmas-themed lyrics and a seasonal music video.
The chorus of 'Three Lions on the shirt' becomes 'Three Lions on a sleigh', while Sir Geoff Hurst and Lioness stars Jess Carter and Beth England also feature in the accompanying music video.
High praise indeed from the French midfielder!
Can Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Bellingham follow in the footsteps of Juventus star Pogba and help his side win the World Cup?
Click for more below - including Pogba's thoughts on former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo
CRAIG HOPE: Not even the richest clubs in the world could afford to go out and buy the central midfield partnership that Gareth Southgate has at his disposal for free in Qatar.
It would, we estimate, cost a near £300million to pair West Ham's Declan Rice and Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham in your team, and not even would-be suitors such as Manchester City and Liverpool could stretch to that.
How fortunate Southgate is, then, that he can build his England side around two players who look to have the skills to complement one another perfectly. It would be an opportunity missed if Gareth Southgate restricted both at the World Cup.
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Declan Rice revealed he got goosebumps as England boss Gareth Southgate spoke to his squad before jetting out for the World Cup.
The West Ham captain played a major role as the Three Lions reached the final of Euro 2020 last summer only to lose on penalties to Italy.
England will be hoping to go one better in Qatar as they continue preparations for their opening Group B game against Iran on Monday.
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It takes a lot to change Conor Coady’s positive demeanour, but twice in the space of 10 minutes that happened.
One came after he was asked about his role within the England squad. Coady, thriving after his summer loan to Everton, didn’t play a minute at Euro 2020, so the inquiry revolved around what a player does to be a positive influence on tour.
‘He’s just called me a tourist, hasn’t he?’ he replied. ‘I don’t think of myself as that. I think of myself as a player who has come here to do my best to help as much as I possibly can. I want to push everyone.'
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Ansu Fati seized his chance to impress Spain manager Luis Enrique as the Barcelona youngster scored in his side's 3-1 victory over Jordan in a World Cup warm-up on Thursday.
The 20-year-old was handed a start and needed only 13 minutes to make his mark in a sold-out Amman International Stadium, converting from a pass by Marco Asensio.
Gavi doubled the lead after being set up by Pablo Sarabia, while youngster Nico Williams, who replaced Fati late on, did his cause no harm with a well-taken third in the 84th minute.
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On his start: I was just an 18-year-old kid who moved to Bournemouth on my own, lived with Ben White. Me and him spent Saturday nights out partying! Not as much of a bromance as Declan Rice and Mason Mount though.
On the base: It's lovely what the FA and the team behind the team have done for us. There's a big screen for 'I'm a Celeb'... it's like a little village behind these walls. We're having so much fun already. It's really keeping us at home. It means the world.
The inflatables were out today! So the unicorns - I've seen Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice on them again, so there might be some pictures coming out...
On his toughest opponent: I've always said Jamie Vardy. He never gives up, and the only other one was Aguero. He only had three chances and scored two!
On penalties: We haven't done any with goalkeepers at the minute. We have something called a skills net where the corners are open. The lads are just working on the technique. It can be detrimental if we work with our outfielders. The later rounds, we might introduce a bit more of a pressurised training situation.
On goalscoring: Of course we need Harry (Kane) to be scoring but we need others to chip in too. Marcus Rashford has come in and been a breath of fresh air, so training is intense.
On watching the Colombia penalty shoot-out: Oh God! I was watching the first game in Ayia Napa... that was an eventual night. The Colombia game was the night before pre-season. There was a lot of cheering in the front room and I still get goosebumps. A real special night.
On beer situation: I think the fans will find some way of having a beer. Hopefully we can perform on the pitch to give them that kind of excitement and buzz. We have to respect the rules and continue to work and put pressure on ourselves to perform on the pitch.
On poor recent form: No confidence has been affected. If anything, it's given us more motivation. We've got added motivation to turn our form around and put those results behind us. We're going in full of confidence knowing what we can do.
On Premier League title banter: It's obviously a lovely position (Arsenal) sit in and our confidence is high. The banter has mostly come from Conor Coady and Trent. They keep walking around pretending I've said "five points clear!" every day.
It's healthy at the minute but no one's thinking too much about it. The Premier League has been put on the backburner and conversations have dried up.
On his dad's pride in him: Definitely a few tears shed from him. I think if I actually make it onto the pitch he won't be coming home - he'll have a heart attack! He won't have any nails left, put it that way.
On critics of the World Cup ball: It's probably one of the better Adidas balls I've played with, it seems fine to me. It's got better for goalkeepers so hopefully there will be lots of saves and lots of goals as well.
We trained with the ball a couple of camps ago and with Arsenal, we've had time to test it as well.
On playing out from the back: It definitely helps (club being same style as country). It was definitely a lot more difficult going from going long in Sheffield United in League One to England youth camps.
When you come here it's easier to transition and work our way into the training week.
On feeling like he belongs: I was first of all very fortunate to be at the Euros after an injury to Dean (Henderson), which allowed me to go and experience it. I was there to enable the team to carry on training with a full squad.
I feel like I've cemented myself in the squad at this moment in time but at this World Cup I feel like a strong member of the squad.
On Bukayo Saka: I'll try to find the right words... (he's dealt with it) impeccably. He's a lovely boy, has time for everyone, works super hard and very rarely misses a training session.
He used that criticism, and also that love, as a motivation. Don't forget he had the pressure of the football club on him last year. He's thriving now and I can't wait to see him take the stage and thrive over here.
(I helped him) more through the criticism side. I got relegated and signing for Arsenal was a difficult period. When we missed out on the top four and he felt it was his fault in not being able to provide for us, I gave him... perspective.
He's absolutely a stronger character for it, there's no doubt about that. He's a completely different person.
On goalkeeping: I wanted to get as much mud on my clothes as possible!
On what it means: It's hard to put into words really, it's been thrust upon us quickly off the back of the Premier League and straight into this. Once that first game kicks off on Sunday it'll be mega.
On the heat: The guys have got a lot of ice packs to use when needed. I knew it was going to be hot, I've been to Dubai on numerous occasions but adapting to it quickly will be the difficult thing. How quickly we can adapt to the weather is crucial for us.
On the competition: Fair. I see it as it is, (Pickford) has done extremely well for England as well as Nick (Pope). We've got a really good bond in the goalkeeping group.
We're all training like a No 1 at the minute and it will be difficult to try to flip the switch and help out. Whoever gets that first game will get our full support from the group and you've just got to be ready if called upon.
On rise of his career: Obviously there are times where you have those 'pinch yourself' moments and it's a really good place to be in especially after difficult situations in the first few years of my career. You reap rewards for that hard work: I'm here now.
Bruno Fernandes scored twice in the first half and debutant Goncalo Ramos and Joao Mario added late goals as Portugal crushed Nigeria 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up in Lisbon on Thursday.
Missing Cristiano Ronaldo due to a stomach bug, his Manchester United team-mate Fernandes led a strong Portugal side in their last match before travelling to Doha on Friday.
The only surprise was the debut of 19-year-old Benfica defender Antonio Silva, who started ahead of Pepe as the veteran works his way back from a long injury layoff.
Sadio Mane has been ruled out of the World Cup after being unable to recover from injury in time - in a cruel blow to Senegal.
Mane suffered a knee injury in Bayern Munich's 6-1 win over Werder Bremen earlier this month, which put into doubt his hopes of competing at the tournament.
The German champions said at the time that the forward had an injury 'to the head of his right fibula'. The forward now requires surgery on the injury.
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Fifa has now banned the sale of alcohol at World Cup stadiums in Qatar just 48 hours before the tournament starts after coming under pressure from the kingdom's all-powerful royal family - as sponsor Budweiser tried to make light of the bad news.
The beer brand's Twitter feed posted 'well, this is awkward...' moments before FIFA confirmed that alcohol sales will be confined to special 'fan zones' where pints cost £12, are only available at certain times, and are limited to four per person.
The move puts FIFA on a collision course with Budweiser and may yet drag Doha into a legal battle because officials agreed to respect FIFA's commercial partners when launching its hosting bid, and again when signing contracts after winning the vote in 2010.
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I'm hearing it will be Aaron Ramsdale who will speak at the imminent England press conference.
The Arsenal goalkeeper has been in brilliant form for Premier League leaders Arsenal this season but is likely - along with Newcastle's Nick Pope - to be a backup to No 1 Jordan Pickford in Qatar.
Coming up very shortly is an England press conference from Qatar.
Sportsmail will, of course, bring you all the updates right here via this live blog.
So don't go anywhere!
Manchester United fans are convinced that youngster Alejandro Garnacho should be called up to the Argentina squad as they continue to struggle with an injury crisis.
The 18-year-old has been a revelation for Erik ten Hag's side this year having established himself within the first-team set-up at Old Trafford.
And with Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni suggesting he will re-shuffle his 26-man squad due to growing injury concerns, United fans were quick to suggest Garnacho should be one of the players heading to Qatar.
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CHRIS SUTTON: The upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar will surely be the last such tournament for some of the biggest names in football.
The likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Gareth Bale might all never get another chance to hold the famous Jules Rimet trophy aloft.
Here, Sportsmail runs the rule over 10 players who will be having one last crack at winning football's biggest prize.
Beer sales are set to be banned at stadiums during the Qatar World Cup after the kingdom's all-powerful royal family pressured FIFA to abandon the move just 48 hours before the tournament starts.
The move puts FIFA on a collision course with Budweiser, who are one of the tournament's biggest sponsors and have a multi-million dollar promotion deal with the organising body.
It is just the latest controversy to plague an already fraught World Cup - the first to be held in a Muslim nation - which has thrown football's governing ethos and traditional trappings into conflict with the hosts' conservative interpretation of Islam.
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We are just three days away from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and football fans across the globe are beginning to debate about who will walk away with this year's Golden Boot.
England's star striker Harry Kane won the Golden Boot following the World Cup in Russia in 2018. He will be looking to defend his title during the tournament in Qatar.
However, he will face stiff competition from the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Neymar and more. So Sportsmail has decided to look at those who will be in contention for the Golden Boot following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday, before further group fixtures with the USA and Wales.
There has been much discussion over who Gareth Southgate will pick and what formation he will go with heading into the tournament.
In light of that, Sportsmail experts Bryan Robson and Chris Sutton select their England teams for the Three Lions' tournament opener.
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The wildcard squad pick is one of the great joys of any World Cup. It's a gamble that might come about because of a lack of depth in a certain position, a pile-up of injuries or a national team manager just having a good feeling about a young rising star.
Remember Sven-Goran Eriksson picking 17-year-old Theo Walcott in 2006 just for the experience? With the international calendar strung out across the year and chances to find your strongest XI limited, it isn't always possible for everyone to get game time.
There are several uncapped players heading to the World Cup in Qatar hoping to realise their dream of playing on football's biggest stage. We profile them here.
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The host nation have put significant pressure on FIFA to stop selling beer at the eight World Cup stadiums.
If the U-turn goes ahead it will mean Budweiser - one of the tournament's largest sponsors - will be unable to sell its beer to fans at games and could put FIFA in breach of a multi-million dollar contract with the company.
The Times says the removal of sales of Budweiser is now 'likely' after the Qatari royals intervened. The New York Times said the intervention was made by the brother of Qatar's ruler.
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FIFA's official fan park, fan zone and the eight World Cup stadiums are not providing water fountains for supporters despite the brutal temperatures in Qatar.
The absence of running water has led to fears of fans suffering from heatstroke and severe dehydration in temperatures that reached 33 degrees on Thursday, while the reliance on bottled water also highlights concerns over the tournament's lack of sustainability.
Fans attending matches and visiting the official FIFA Fan Festival, which opens on Saturday with a gig headlined by Colombian pop star Maluma, can buy the tournament's official water for £2.30-a-bottle, but no provision has been made for refills.
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Jack Charlton's team were based in Orlando for part of the tournament, playing their second group match against Mexico and their last-16 tie against Holland in the city.
And former Manchester United captain Keane, who was 22 at the time, said the downtime between games was an excuse for fun in the sun.
It will seem a surprising World Cup highlight for many considering Keane was in the Ireland side that upset Italy in their opening game of that same tournament.
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Phil Foden was asked if his England performances have been up to scratch. His answer was refreshingly honest.
'Definitely not,' said the Manchester City man. 'I don't think it is easy coming into a team and not knowing the players very well. You have to learn to play with different players and what they like best - running behind or wanting balls to feet. Just little details like that.
'I have had enough experience in the England team to understand the players now. Hopefully I can bring that into the World Cup.'
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The 37-year-old Manchester United forward is expected to start in a star-studded line-up despite his struggles this season.
Fernando Santos' side take on Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea in Group H for a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament.
In an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV, Ronaldo said: 'I am very optimistic. We have a fantastic coach, we have a good generation. [It's] gonna be tough. Extremely difficult. But everything is possible. But of course we're gonna compete.'
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The 2014 World Cup was a disappointment but that was nothing compared to the Euros two years later when Sterling labelled himself the Hated One on social media after he was blamed for England’s failures.
He is the kind of character who has always used adversity to make himself stronger.
‘What’s made me the person I am today is all the setbacks I’ve had, all the “can’ts” — you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you’re not good enough. Those sort of things always drive me,’ said Sterling on Thursday.
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It's the question on everybody's lips... just who is going to win the World Cup?
And now, as fans across the world pick their favourites, dark horses and surprise packages among the minnows, SofaScore has raised the stakes in the pre-tournament discussion with an exciting predictor game - and it's FREE!
SofaScore, who will be providing detailed statistical data for fans to view on Sportsmail and their own website throughout the tournament, have launched the Pick'Em game, where fans can predict the outcome of every single group and knockout game in Qatar.
Click below for your chance to join in!
The morning after England lost the final of last summer’s Euros to Italy, Gareth Southgate was asked if he thought his team were too nice to win a big tournament.
It seemed an odd subject to raise after such a thrilling month but a year or so on from that night at Wembley, Southgate and his team face far more searching questions ahead of a World Cup they were once quite fancied to win.
The thing about any England team is that things are rarely quite as good — or indeed as bad — as people make out. They have an Achilles heel when it comes to beating big nations and that will likely cost them.
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IAN HERBERT: The labels on the cardboard boxes they were wheeling up to one of the cruise liners moored here to accommodate fans revealed this was a place where corporate gifts are dished out. ‘FIFA Goodies. 45 bags,’ one of them stated.
They were destined for the MSC Poesia, the 1,400-cabin ship which docked three days ago, though the vessel moored alongside, MSC Europa, seems to be where the cruising elite will be floating during this World Cup.
‘This is where the WAGS will go,’ said one employee outside. Was the talk of it costing £300 a night accurate? ‘And the rest!’ she said. That’s Qatar and that’s this World Cup — a dream if you have cash to burn, a nightmare if you built it.
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England's World Cup squad have settled into their luxury palm-tree laden hotel with a mix of Arabic culture, 21st century technology - and the support of two sleepy camels.
As they embarked for the journey to Doha, manager Gareth Southgate told the squad: 'We now decide how long and how far we go. We experience success. We experience adversity.'
To help ensure it is the former, the England management spent TWO YEARS carrying out extensive measures to make the Three Lions feel at home. Here's what they did...
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The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is now just days away, with the first-ever winter edition of the tournament drawing ever closer.
Here, Sportsmail columnist MARTIN KEOWN gives his verdict on EVERY team at the Qatar World Cup in his group-by-group guide.
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The former midfielder went to three tournaments - 2002, 2006 and 2010 - but the Three Lions came up short in all of them despite an incredibly talented team.
Ex-West Ham and Chelsea man Cole, who won 56 England caps and will be part of ITV's punditry team for Qatar, feels a lingering sense of regret.
(Tell us how you really feel, Joe!)
Le Tissier told GBNews: 'I have on occasions in the past approaching World Cups and European Championships offered my services to go and coach the players, if they want some advice on taking penalties.
'To be fair, I mean, there were probably other managers that may have been more likely to listen than the woke Mr. Southgate.'
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MARTIN SAMUEL: FIFA wanted the nation's wealth, its growing influence, and certainly its lucrative bribes, they just did not want Qatar to host a Qatari tournament.
So for years they maintained the pretence of a western welcome, and western compromises and attitudes when, really, why should the hosts have to change their core beliefs?
FIFA knew deep down where their World Cup was going and what they would be getting but Qatar went along with this airbrushed version of itself because, as the sign at the media centre in Doha says: 'Now is all.'
And there is much that is Qatar's fault, but not this. Because they don't really want to sell you a beer, and they never wanted to sell you a beer, but it was FIFA's price for taking their money. They thought the hosts should hold a p***-up, just without the brewery.
SAMI MOKBEL: Gareth Southgate is ready to hand Phil Foden his World Cup debut against Iran on Monday.
Manchester City forward Foden is emerging as a strong contender to start England's opener at the Khalifa Stadium next week.
Southgate has a wealth of forward talent at his disposal - but with Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling virtually guaranteed to start there is no more than two attacking positions to fill.
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Good morning one and all, and welcome to Sportsmail's live blog for all the latest World Cup news, updates and team news.
The start of the tournament is just TWO DAYS away. Who else is as excited as I am?!
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