World Cup 2022 RECAP: The World Cup is here after 12 years of build-up... Qatar and Ecuador begin the 'most controversial' tournament in HISTORY after the opening ceremony in Doha
Follow Sportsmail's live blog for all the latest World Cup news and updates with Qatar and Ecuador getting the tournament underway TODAY.
That's a wrap! Thanks for following our coverage throughout the first day of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
An impressive opening ceremony followed by the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.
You can keep following our live match coverage below:
Supporters were left bewildered after Ecuador had a goal ruled out for offside in the early stages of the World Cup opener against hosts Qatar.
Enner Valencia thought he had scored the first goal of the tournament with a header but following a VAR check the effort was ruled out for offside.
However, many fans felt that the decision to disallow the goal was incorrect.
Read the full story below:
For all our live updates on Qatar v Ecuador. Please follow our separate live blog on that match below:
This year's World Cup in Qatar is set to be a unique one, with the tournament taking place in November and December rather than the summer months for the first time in its history.
It has been argued that this could be a good thing for players as they will get to play on the biggest stage during the middle of the season when they are still relatively fresh rather than trying to find their best form after a lengthy domestic campaign.
But will this actually be the case? Or could fatigue still be an issue for some players and teams?
Read the full story below:
By the law of averages, Jonny Williams would have been facing Crewe Alexandra in League Two yesterday though he was instead on a coach to Wales’ World Cup training ground, reminiscing with Gareth Bale about the European Championship journey they made together six years ago.
Williams was plagued by doubts and, by his own admission, felt his head was ‘all over the place after’ when he found himself out of football and a free agent a few years ago.
He had to drop two divisions to Swindon Town to rebuild things and get back into the squad, as one of eight survivors of the school of 2016.
Read the full story below:
Follow our live match blog of Qatar v Ecuador for all the latest updates from the opening match of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Keep up to date:
Louis van Gaal has revealed that he tried to sign Sadio Mane when he was in charge at Manchester United.
The Senegal forward, who was ruled out of the 2022 World Cup with a knee injury on the eve of the tournament, instead joined Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in 2016 and went on to become one of the most prolific forwards in the Premier League.
But it seems the Dutch manager missed out on securing a huge coup for Man United, which at the time could have helped the Red Devils push on to emulate the heights they achieved under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Read the full story below:
This time, he does it. Enner Valencia has the first goal of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as he dispatches his effort from the penalty spot in the 17th minute of the match.
Ecuador have the first goal as he sends the goalkeeper the wrong way. It has been all Ecuador so far in this match.
More controversy in the opening match as Enner Valencia is taken out as he breaks into the box.
Ecuador have a penalty and have a second chance to grab the first goal of the 2022 World Cup.
Lukasz Fabianski believes Poland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knock-out stages for the first time since 1986 will rest on their opening game against Mexico.
Poland kick off their campaign on Tuesday as they hope to emerge from a group that contains Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Lionel Messi's Argentina.
Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side play tournament big guns Argentina last in their group and former Poland goalkeeper Fabianski knows victory over Mexico will send Poland into their game against Saudi Arabia with a chance of all-but securing qualification and to avoid the daunting prospect of needing a result against Messi and co.
Read the full story below:
Ruben Neves has claimed there is 'no controversy' among the Portugal players despite the apparent fallout from Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary recent interview.
The Manchester United striker openly criticised Erik ten Hag and the way he had been treated by the club in an explosive TV interview with Piers Morgan this week. Sportsmail have since revealed that United are looking to take legal action against Ronaldo as a result of his comments.
Despite the events surrounding Portugal's star striker, Neves insisted the squad remained focused and together. He said: 'There is no controversy inside the changing room.
Read the full story below:
Hold the celebrations it's gone to VAR and it's no goal! It's been ruled out for offside. We wait for the first goal of the tournament.
Well it's been a dramatic opening five minutes in Qatar.
Enner Valencia bags the first goal of the 2022 World Cup in the third minute of the match as he heads home from close range after the ball bounces around inside the box.
Not a great start for the hosts, while the Ecuador fans are loving it!
Qatar 0-1 Ecuador.
Football fans eager to watch the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar were left wondering why the BBC chose not to broadcast the first 20 minutes of the show.
The world's largest footballing tournament opened with a glitzy ceremony at the Al Bayt stadium in Doha in which actor Morgan Freeman delivered a rousing monologue and Jung Kook of South Korean boy band BTS took to the stage for a live performance.
But viewers in Britain missed out on much of the spectacle because the BBC was late to broadcast the show by 20 minutes.
Read the full story below:
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is officially underway! Hosts Qatar take on Ecuador in the opening match of the major tournament.
Remember to follow our live blog of the match for regular updates:
Gary Lineker's opening monologue for BBC's introduction to the World Cup addressed the human rights record in Qatar immediately.
The controversial competition kicks off today with the host nation facing Ecuador in Group A, with the game live on BBC.
Lineker, who recently promised to speak out on the issues while covering the tournament, got straight into the controversy before the pundits on the show went onto discuss the issues further.
Read the full story below:
Morgan Freeman has been labelled a 'sellout' with 'blood on his hands' after accepting Qatari cash to front the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup.
His surprise appearance in Doha comes 12 years after he fluffed his lines while attempting to help the USA's bid to host the 2022 tournament.
On social media, fans called him a 'Qatari sleeper agent', reminiscing on his infamous speech in 2010, where he caused huge embarrassment for the USA's bid team by messing up his speech and telling the crowd: 'I'm sorry, I missed a page'.
Read the full story below:
Kick-off is just 15 minutes away! The opening match between Qatar and Ecuador will set the scenes.
Here is a team news reminder:
Qatar (5-3-2): Saad Alsheeb; Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Bassam Hisham, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Ahmed; Abdulaziz Hatem, Hassan Alhaydos, Karim Boudiaf; Akram Afif, Almoez Ali.
Ecuador (4-4-2): Galindez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra; Valencia, Estrada
Remember to follow along with our live blog of the match:
Former USA goalkeeper Brad Friedel talks about how good Gareth Bale is when he's fired up. Weston McKennie is one of his favorite US players EVER and is key.
Plus, old friends in camp might help Christian Pulisic.
Friedel will be writing exclusively for DailyMail.com about the USA's World Cup.
Read the full story below:
The opening match between Qatar and Ecuador is less than 30 minutes away! The World Cup is set to begin after an impressive opening ceremony.
The players are out on the pitch and preparing for the match. Not long now.
A World Cup shrouded in controversy prepares to kick off tonight with a glitzy opening ceremony as hosts Qatar look to beat Ecuador in the tournament opener and sweep aside the criticism which has dogged the showcase event.
Actor Morgan Freeman narrated the opening segment titled 'The Calling', telling viewers 'We all gather here in one big tribe' as fans descended on Doha city centre for the imminent kick off of the world's greatest football festival.
Empty seats could be seen within the Al Bayt Stadium during the ceremony, which is featuring scenes including 'Leta'Arafo (To Know One Another)', followed by 'Chants of Nations', a World Cup Medley, a showcase of the official mascots and Jung Kook of South Korean boy band BTS.
Read the full story below:
Belgium will reportedly be without Romelu Lukaku for the first two games of the Qatar World Cup after the Inter Milan striker failed to recover from a thigh injury.
The 29-year-old has played just four games in Serie A this season after picking up a thigh injury at the end of August.
His absence will be keenly felt by Roberto Martinez's side, as Lukaku is Belgium's record scorer with 68 international goals, and their most senior striker by a distance.
Read the full story below:
Qatar (5-3-2): Saad Alsheeb; Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Bassam Hisham, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Ahmed; Abdulaziz Hatem, Hassan Alhaydos, Karim Boudiaf; Akram Afif, Almoez Ali.
Ecuador (4-4-2): Galindez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra; Valencia, Estrada
Remember to follow along with our live blog of the match:
Over 200 Indian catering workers hired for the World Cup's opening game between Qatar and Ecuador were left stranded outside the Al Bayt Stadium for six hours without any food or water this afternoon.
Sportsmail spoke to several of the workers, who have been recruited as cashiers by catering company Qatar Star Services, outside the £650million new stadium with many unhappy at their treatment and working conditions.
The group of 205 men and seven women were collected from their accommodation at 9am this morning and dropped off the 60,000 stadium north of Doha at 10am, but were not admitted to the ground until 4pm.
Full story below:
The opening ceremony has finished and now it is just 45 minutes until kick-off at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Remember you can follow all of the match action over on our Qatar v Ecuador live blog.
Follow along below:
Re-live some of the action from the 2022 World Cup's opening ceremony in Qatar!
High higness Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani speaks to the crowd before giant jerseys, mascots and a giant emblem fill the pitch to cap off a memorable opening ceremony ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Morgan Freeman is back and delivering to tell a football story and a protocol speech as we head into the final part of the opening ceremony.
Just over 50 minutes until the World Cup kicks-off!
The party continues as South Korean singer Jung Kook comes onto the stage in the middle of the pitch.
Dancers are surrounding the stage and putting on quite the show around him. This has been quite the show!
The iconic World Cup 2010 song Waka Waka is belted out around the ground before fading into 'Feel the Magic in the Air' then going into Waving Flag.
The crowd is really enjoying this spectacle show inside the stadium ahead of the opening match.
Enjoy Morgan Freeman and all of the music!!
Morgan Freeman's narration during the opening ceremony has been superb. He started off with a voice over on a video, but then actually appeared to the crowds surprise.
The message from him and the ceremony is very much that this World Cup is open to the whole world.
Action shots from the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar so far!
This is quite an impressive opening ceremony. It's a real show including Morgan Freeman, a fantastic light show and music. It is a fitting start so far.
BTS' Jungkook and Nora Fatehi are yet to come!
The music has begun! The World Cup is finally here. Fans are tuned in and enjoying the atmosphere inside the stadium.
Morgan Freeman is now doing another speech ahead of more music. Not long now until kick-off!
Morgan Freeman gets the ceremony underway with a speech over a video on the monitors in the stadium.
What an iconic name to start us off! A five-time Oscar nominee sets the scene for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Fans have packed out the stadium and are ready to enjoy the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar!
Here we are!! The opening ceremony is underway after a slight delay! The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has begun.
Lights, speeches and performances to come ahead of the opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador at 4pm.
Team news will be coming out while the opening ceremony takes place. Check our match blog for news on that.
The opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar should get underway very shortly! The stage has been set and here we are, the major tournament begins.
Brace yourself for an exciting 30 minutes to prepare us for a month of exciting and entertaining international football!
A World Cup shrouded in controversy prepares to kick off tonight with a glitzy opening ceremony as hosts Qatar look to beat Ecuador in the tournament opener and sweep aside the criticism which has dogged the showcase event.
The streets around stadiums and in Doha city centre have been uncharacteristically quiet in recent days, particularly given the imminent kick off of the world's greatest football festival which would typically see fans filling the streets in anticipation.
But supporters are now arriving at the Al Bayt stadium ahead of this afternoon's opening match under a glaring sun in temperatures in excess of 30 degrees celsius.
Read the full story below:
Weston McKennie has given a taste of the mood inside the USMNT camp ahead of their first game vs. Wales as he's declared the group 'ready' for what he expects to be a 'tough game' vs. the Welsh.
McKennie has been working his way back from a thigh injury, though he appears to be fit for the USA opener and sounded excited to get the tournament going.
'There's three or four years of working up to this moment, I think all the guys are ready to go, and the staff is ready to go,' he said Sunday.
Read the full story below:
Here is your 10 minute warning for the opening ceremony!
This is it, the time has come. The World Cup is almost upon us. The stadium is filling up ahead of the opening ceremony.
The ceremony is expected to last around 30 minutes then we will get ready for the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.
Wales midfielder Joe Allen will not be fit enough to feature for his country in their World Cup opener against USA.
Rob Page's side held an open training session on Monday afternoon as they prepared for their first encounter of the group stage against the USA - where Allen will be unable to feature.
The 32-year-old was a major doubt for the match given the fact he's not played a match since September due to a hamstring injury.
Read the full story below:
Tyler Adams has been formally named as the United States' captain at the World Cup in Qatar, becoming the youngest US squad leader at the tournament since 1950.
The Leeds United midfielder was among a larger group of candidates for the role, but went on to win a squad vote to earn himself the honor ahead of kick-off.
The 23-year-old was finally revealed as the team's captain by boss Gregg Berhalter, on the eve of their opening game against Wales.
Read the full story below:
Fans are inside the stadium ahead of the opening ceremony and the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.
See the pictures below:
This is your 30 minute warning! Not long now until the opening ceremony begins.
Expect fireworks and big performances ahead of the World Cup opener between Qatar and Ecuador.
Bollywood star Nora Fatehi is expected to perform the World Cup single ‘Light The Sky’ with Jung Kook of K-Pop sensations BTS confirmed.
Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares are in town to show off the official tournament song ‘Tukoh Taka’.
James Maddison has once again been absent from England training today, fuelling fears that the Leicester star will miss England's World Cup opener on Monday.
This absence marks the third consecutive day that the former Norwich star has been able to train alongside the rest of Gareth Southgate's squad, as he trained indoors away from his teammates.
The 25-year-old has been struggling with a knee issue since being forced off during Leicester's final Premier League game before the break as the Foxes defeated West Ham at the London Stadium.
Read the full story below:
Players who wear One Love armbands at the Qatar World Cup may risk being booked before kick-off for breaching FIFA's equipment rules.
Captains of nine European nations, including England's Harry Kane, Wales' Gareth Bale and Germany's Manuel Neuer, were planning to wear the One Love armbands promoting inclusivity and LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar, a country which criminalises same-sex relationships.
Read the full story below:
Qatar have some big shoes to live up to, as we edge closer to kick-off. Two hours and 40 minutes to go now!
None of the previous 22 host nations of the men's World Cup have lost their opening match of that tournament, winning 16 times and drawing six.
The first World Cup I remember watching was Mexico 1986 – English hearts being broken by the Diego Maradona ‘Hand of God’ goal.
I’m afraid that injustice wasn’t what inspired me to go into refereeing! But I’ve loved every edition since.
England had no referees at the 2018 World Cup but I was actually asked by FIFA to go to Russia. I declined and don’t regret going down a different path in my career.
Read the full story below:
We're just under an hour until the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar begins!
We shall be expecting, fireworks, performances and much more ahead of the opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador at 4pm.
Bollywood star Nora Fatehi is expected to perform the World Cup single ‘Light The Sky’ with Jung Kook of K-Pop sensations BTS confirmed.
Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares are in town to show off the official tournament song ‘Tukoh Taka’.
Allegations of 'fake fans' at the World Cup in Qatar are growing after a video emerged of supposed England supporters singing 'It's Coming Home' to a completely different tune.
The clip, which emerged earlier this week, showed a group of roughly 20 fans enthusiastically waving England banners and flags.
But they delivered a highly questionable rendition of Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds' 'Three Lions', and were seen to be wearing knock-off England shirts.
Read the full story below:
Streets around stadiums and in Doha city centre were eerily quiet just hours before the world's greatest football festival gets underway.
There was little sign of the usual fanfare of other World Cups when fans gather noisily in central locations or visit stadiums to take pictures.
Outside the Khalifa stadium, where England opens its World Cup campaign against Iran tomorrow the only people visible were security guards and migrant workers doing some last minute preparations.
Full story below:
Thousands of Budweiser beer cans have been left piled up at a warehouse after the 11th hour decision to ban the sale of alcohol in stadiums.
The beverage giant had been announced as one of the sponsors for the tournament, and had been granted a monopoly to sell beer at the grounds, but it is now only able to sell its alcohol-free version of its beer there.
Furious football fans started demanding refunds from World Cup bosses when the decision was made on Friday, understood to be following pressure from the Qatari royal family.
Read the full story below:
Kick-off is still over three hours away, but fans are arriving in their numbers to the stadium to soak up the pre-match atmosphere and the opening ceremony.
Ecuador and Qatar are in their numbers, dressed up and ready to go with their flags.
Craig Foster has slammed David Beckham for 'irreparably damaging' his legacy by choosing to be an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The former Socceroos legend also reserved scathing words for Gianni Infantino, accusing the FIFA president of not being willing to uphold the body's own human rights code and of trying to deflect criticism.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
CAF is wishing their representative teams including Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon and Tunisia on the opening day of the 2022 World Cup.
Clubs and countries are also wishing their players well as the tournament kick starts this afternoon.
Didier Deschamps has confirmed France will not call up a replacement for Karim Benzema after he was ruled out of the 2022 World Cup with a thigh injury.
The Real Madrid striker saw his first full training session in Qatar brought to an early conclusion after he suffered an injury on Saturday afternoon.
He was ruled out of France's opening game against Australia after undergoing a scan, but had hoped to return for their second fixture against Denmark.
It's edging closer, less than two hours until the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The ceremony will begin at 2pm UK time, two hours before Qatar vs Ecuador’s 4pm kick-off in the opening match.
The ceremony was initially scheduled to take place before Qatar's first game on November 21, with Senegal vs Holland the original opening match of the tournament.
That would have meant two games - being Senegal vs Holland and England vs Iran - would have taken place before the opening ceremony.
The decision to change the opening fixture, which was made only in August, came after pleas from the hosts, allowing Sanchez's men to take part in the curtain-raiser.
Fireworks, performers and much more is expected to wow the crowd ahead of the opening match!
Sportsmail's Chief Sports Writer Martin Samuel has branded Sven-Goran Eriksson's claim that he did not have the same quality of players to choose from as Gareth Southgate 'absolute nonsense'.
Eriksson, who coached England between 2001 and 2006 and led the Three Lions at two World Cups, reaching the quarter-finals in 2002 before losing to Portugal on penalties at the same stage of the 2006 tournament, recently suggested that Southgate has better options in terms of personnel now than he himself had during England's regularly referred to 'golden generation'.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
We're live with our opening match live runner of Qatar v Ecuador! Four hours until kick-off, but we'll be bringing you all the latest ahead of that match and the opening ceremony on that live blog.
We'll still be bringing you all the latest updates from the Qatar World Cup.
Qatar v Ecuador live blog below:
The excitement is building ahead of the 2022 World Cup and not just in Qatar. Everyone across the globe is getting ready for a month of international football.
Clubs including Inter Milan and many others are wishing their players well as they get ready for their opening fixtures this week.
Daily Mail Football Editor Ian Ladyman claims that frustrations with Gareth Southgate are 'ridiculous', given previous tournament performances under the Three Lions coach.
England kick-start their World Cup campaign against Iran tomorrow night and Southgate will be eager to begin with a win given growing concerns over their recent form.
Yet, Ladyman insists that the former Middlesbrough coach has done enough to earn respect in the England hotseat and that 'pessimism' from fans could spoil their World Cup campaign.
You can read about it below or listen in to the podcast on the link:
The 2022 World Cup opener between hosts Qatar and Ecuador will kick-off at 4pm, but fans are already arriving at the stadium hours ahead of time.
In the tournament's 92-year history, the World Cup hosts have never lost their opening game... will that record continue or could Ecuador end that this afternoon.
More stories for you to read shortly!
Not long to go now until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar begins! Al-Bayt Stadium is ready to go!
L'Equipe have called Karim Benzema's recent knee injury 'the lead balloon', as France continue to prepare for the World Cup without their Ballon D'or winner.
The Real Madrid striker was ruled out of the tournament on Saturday after picking up a thigh injury in training. He is expected to be out for three weeks.
It will come as a real blow to Didier Deschamps' side, as Benzema has shown some of the best form of his career in recent months, netting 44 goals in 46 games last season.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Brazil have transformed Al Arabi Sports Club into a vision of yellow, blue and green to make their stars comfortable as the World Cup’s most successful nation aim for a sixth title.
Tite’s team are based for the next month at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, home to Al Arabi, one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Qatari football with strong Brazilian links.
A number of Brazil's World Cup stars have posted pictures on social media revealing the bedrooms they will be staying in for the duration of the tournament in Qatar.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Eric Dier has vowed to learn more about the political circumstances marring the upcoming World Cup in Qatar as he admitted players featuring in the tournament 'can't hide' from the humanitarian issues encompassing the event.
Efforts to build state-of-the-art stadiums in Qatar ahead of the global competition have seen human rights campaign groups slam the country's government for mistreating migrant workers involved in World Cup preparations.
Workers have died while working on stadium developments in the middle-eastern nation with the real number of deaths expected to be much higher than the three quoted by the Qatar government and FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.
Read more:
If England are booed by their own supporters after a boring goalless draw with Iran on Monday, it may prove to be a good omen, according to World Cup-winning hero Sir Geoff Hurst.
Gareth Southgate's team were booed earlier this year after losing to Hungary twice and a bore draw with Italy, but Hurst says it was the same with Sir Alf Ramsey's team at the start of their successful run through to winning the final in 1966.
Hurst, now 80, has just been featured in a film about his life and says few people remember the reaction to England's opening game, when an unadventurous Uruguay held them to a goalless draw at Wembley.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
England and Wales fans landed in Qatar yesterday amid a ‘desert storm’ of rows over accommodation, alcohol and overcrowding.
Supporters were greeted by blazing temperatures of 34C (93F) in the capital city Doha, which is hosting the first World Cup in a Middle Eastern country.
As football’s greatest show on earth gets under way this afternoon, Qatar’s rulers were already in damage-limitation mode as the first fans began to upload footage of ‘hellish’ conditions in the accommodation villages.
Read more below:
All eyes will be on Qatar on Sunday as not only are they making their debut at the World Cup finals, they will be doing it as the host nation.
The progress of the home side has always been a subplot to any tournament and this one will be no different as they are pitted in a tough group along with Holland, Senegal and Ecuador.
The fate of other World Cup hosts has varied over the years from going out at the first stage to winning the tournament, as Sportsmail looks at how every country has performed when acting as the home side.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
I would like to see England start with high intensity against Iran on Monday.
I realise it’ll be hot but we should go after them in the opening 20 minutes regardless. Press the ball and hopefully get the game done early.
We know Iran won’t go toe-for-toe so let’s intimidate them by being on the front foot. Press the ball and try to disrupt the defensive plans of their shrewd and organised manager, Carlos Queiroz.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Gareth Southgate puts it best. ‘I know there’ll be people on social media saying, “Blimey, we’ve got all these good players and this numpty’s in charge”. So you’ve got to keep proving yourself.’
Indeed you do. One more time, Gareth. If medals were handed out for self-awareness, Southgate could be confident of being top of the podium here in Qatar.
Twitter and the man in the pub — and it is mostly angry men who coalesce around this view — have decided that they never liked his waistcoat anyway and that he is the man who cost us OUR trophy at Euro 2020.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad have not long to wait now until they kick-off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday.
We know what kind of men the likes of Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker are, but what were the Three Lions stars - who are bidding to become kings of the world in Qatar - like as youngsters?
Here Sportsmail takes a look at what several of the Three Lions' stars were like before they were global celebrities, with the help of those who guided them on their way to the World Cup stage.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and a host of other global greats are at the last chance saloon in terms of winning a World Cup, according to Arsene Wenger.
The former Arsenal manager is now head of FIFA's Technical Study Group, and launched their new player and team data analysis platform in Doha yesterday, ahead of the World Cup's first match between Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday.
And as Wenger outlined the increasing speed and intensity of modern football, he said this tournament is the last chance for some of the greatest players in football history to bow out with a World Cup winners medal.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are about to join my German team-mate Lothar Matthaus in an exclusive club of players who have been to five World Cups. To stay at the elite level for 16 years is amazing. And what’s exciting is the legends won’t just be taking part in Qatar, they could win it.
I came across Messi at his first World Cup in 2006. I managed the host nation Germany against Argentina in the quarter-finals and was very aware of this brilliant teenager.
Messi was a substitute and I remember looking at the bench when their coach Jose Pekerman was about to make changes. I was just hoping it wasn’t Messi! We expected him to come on but he didn’t. It was a relief to be honest and we won on penalties.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Things were a bit different when four of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Qatar embarked on their first World Cup experience together as emerging youngsters.
Conor Coady, not Harry Kane, was England’s captain at the Fifa Under-20s tournament in 2013 and the current Everton defender was a holding midfield player with Liverpool at that time. Kane, 19 at the time, still contributed to team-bonding albeit through his fashion as much as goalscoring.
John Stones was regarded as the player likeliest to go all the way into the senior England team. Eric Dier was also in the squad but not Harry Maguire, who was overlooked for Jamaal Lascelles.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Today, I feel angry. Today, I feel as if the World Cup that begins on Sunday has been hijacked by charlatans, narcissists and bad actors.
Today, I feel that the planet’s biggest sporting event has had its romance stripped away step by step.
Today, I feel Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, needs to get a new speechwriter. Today, I feel that the FIFA president has a God-complex but no shame. Today, I feel as if he is killing the World Cup.
Today, I feel as if he made things a whole lot worse with his bizarre, crass, self-obsessed monologue at Qatar’s National Convention Centre yesterday. Today, I wish he had followed his own diktat and stuck to football.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Qatar World Cup organisers have made another surprise last minute U-turn this time advising locals that the best way for them to get to stadiums is to drive - despite promising that the tournament would be the greenest ever.
After the unexpected controversial ban on beer sales around stadiums, organisers have caught out football supporters again by advising Qataris that they should forget about public transport and travel to matches in their cars because ‘there is ample free parking in stadiums.’
Prior to the tournament kicking off organisers had promised that Qatar 2022 would be the most sustainable in World Cup history and that carbon emissions would be severely limited thanks to a state-of-the-art public transport system.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Karim Benzema's World Cup dreams are over after he was ruled out of the tournament after suffering an injury in training.
The Real Madrid striker saw his first full training session in the middle-east brought to an early conclusion after he suffered an injury on Saturday.
He was then brought in for a scan in Doha and it had been hoped that he would just miss their opener against Australia on Tuesday.
Read Sportsmail's full story below:
Good morning and welcome to our live blog. It's opening day of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Hosts Qatar will face Ecuador in the opening match of the major tournament.
Stayed tuned for all the latest news throughout the day.
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