He revealed that the funds came from his earnings in Qatar, where he signed his initial professional contract.
After transferring from Real Tamale United (RTU) in Tamale to a club in Qatar, Pele noted that while RTU received over $50,000 from the transfer, he was only given a job with the team.
Talking about when he turned professional, he told Bola Ray in an exclusive interview: “We went to Libya in 1982 and then we came down, so I will say that at the age 17 or 17-and-half I had turned professional, and my first professional country was to go to Qatar for about two years, I won every trophy.
“AI earned US$10,000 at the time (after time in Qatar), that was 20 to 22 years ago and RTU had a signing-on fee of 50 to 60,000 dollars… I think it was a huge amount.
I had no amount for signing but I had my salaries and bonuses.
“When I came I built a small house at Alajo getting to the railway line, so at the age of 17-18,I had built my first house,” he disclosed.
Unbelievable! Abedi Pele Built His First House at 17 & Earned $10,000 Over 20 Years Ago
On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the State of Qatar officially handed over various equipment to the Ministry of Youth and Sports at the MOYS conference room.
This donation is part of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Legacy project and serves as recognition for Ghana’s successful organization and hosting of the recently concluded 13th African Games.
During the presentation, Mohammed Hamad Al Marri, the Charge d’affaires of the Qatari Embassy in Accra, spoke on behalf of the Ambassador of Qatar to Ghana.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening the ties between Qatar and Ghana and expressed his desire to continue fostering excellent cooperation between the two nations.
Al Marri highlighted Qatar’s strong interest in sports and other sectors, noting that sports extend beyond national borders and play a crucial role in national, regional, and international development.
He reiterated Qatar’s commitment to sharing equipment and facilities used during the 2022 FIFA World Cup with friendly nations like Ghana, to help develop sports infrastructure, particularly in light of Ghana’s recent hosting of the African Games.
He congratulated Ghana on successfully hosting the African Games and expressed hopes for continued progress and prosperity for the Ghanaian people, along with increased cooperation in sports development.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, accepted the equipment on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He expressed profound gratitude to the Emir of Qatar, the Qatari Minister of Culture and Sports, and the Qatari Ambassador in Accra for their generous support, which was instrumental in the successful organization of the 13th African Games.
Ussif noted that Qatar was the sole country to provide support for the event.
He emphasized the long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship between Ghana and Qatar, stating that this donation reflects the strong bond between the two countries.
The Minister also mentioned that he had submitted a proposal to Qatar to enhance cooperation between the two nations and to establish the Ghana-Qatar legacy project, aimed at improving Ghana’s sports infrastructure.
The donated equipment included Samsung mobile phones, HP laptops, media working tables, office desks, swivel chairs, and task chairs.
The incident occurred after the flight made a stop in Abidjan, leading to heated exchanges between the flight attendants and causing delays, which alarmed the passengers.
After a stop in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, to allow some passengers to disembark, a flight from Doha, Qatar, faced delays due to a passenger attempting to smoke onboard without a transit visa for Cote D’Ivoire.
Despite being advised against it, the passenger tried to smoke in the washroom, triggering suspicions of tampering with the smoke alarm.
The strong smell of tobacco lingered, though the alarms did not sound. Following a thorough investigation by the flight crew, the flight resumed, but with considerable delay.
The passenger was later handed over to Ghana Police Service officers.
Renowned Ghanaian Chef Faila Abdul Razak, professionally known as Chef Faila, has become the talk of social media with a captivating video showcasing her culinary expertise in Qatar.
In the video, Chef Faila’s culinary prowess takes center stage as she skillfully presents a delightful array of Ghanaian dishes.
From neatly sliced yams paired with barbecue chicken to deep-fried Ghanaian waakye, the display includes a variety of mouth-watering delicacies.
The distinguished event, graced by the presence of Qatar’s first lady and other notable personalities, was organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority.
Chef Razak was specially invited to collaborate with a resident caterer, aiming to spotlight the rich flavours and cultural diversity of Ghana through its traditional culinary offerings.
Chef Faila enchanted international patrons at the event by presenting an assortment of Ghanaian delicacies, complemented by authentic drinks such as millet drink, cocoa drink, and sobolo.
The collaboration promises to be a delectable celebration of Ghana’s rich heritage on the global stage.
Sheik Mohammed said that the recent pattern has not been very encouraging. However, he always stays positive and determined to keep pushing forward. He spoke at a meeting of world leaders at the Munich Security Conference.
“I think we are talking about a big agreement, and we still have some problems with the humanitarian part of these negotiations,” he said.
But he said the truce should not depend on making a deal to free the hostages held by Hamas.
“We have been in a difficult situation where many countries have misused the idea that a ceasefire will only happen if a hostage deal is made,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he sent people to talk with Hamas after US President Joe Biden asked him to. But they didn’t go back for more talks because Hamas’s requests were unrealistic.
The group wants some things to happen, like trading hostages for Palestinian prisoners, Israel’s soldiers leaving completely, and for the war to stop after a 135-day break in fighting, divided into three parts.
Israel started fighting back with its military because a group called Hamas attacked and hurt a lot of people and took hostages in a surprise attack on October 7th.
More than 28,800 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s attack, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
MrNetanyahu said in Jerusalem on Saturday that he wants to defeat Hamas and his forces will keep fighting until Israel wins completely.
He said that people who don’t want to take military action in Rafah are basically telling the country to give up in the war, and he also said that his soldiers would go into Rafah even if a deal to release hostages was made.
At the beginning of the war, Israel told Palestinians to go to Rafah for safety while the Israeli military attacked the cities in the north.
This week, Israeli officials said they want people to move to a “humanitarian zone” called al-Mawasi, which is a small area along the coast where farming is the main activity.
President Biden told Israel not to attack Rafah unless they have a plan to protect civilians.
MrNetanyahu is under pressure in his own country to bring back the hostages still in Gaza.
Many people got together in Tel Aviv to ask for elections to happen sooner, even though they are not supposed to happen until 2026. Israel’s leader said no to his party’s request for an election right after the conflict with Gaza. He thinks it would cause too much disagreement.
Meanwhile, Hamas said Israel is not helping to make a ceasefire happen. They also said they might stop helping unless they get aid for the north of Gaza. Aid groups are worried because there isn’t enough food, water or medicine in the area.
The topic of conversation is about taking a pause in the conflict in Gaza. The people involved are waiting for Hamas to give an answer to the plan.
The intelligence leaders of the US, Qatar, Israel, and Egypt all agreed on the framework.
Reports say it has at least three parts. Each would involve freeing Israeli captives in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
But Israel is not yet promising to stop fighting with Hamas. That’s a big issue because the Palestinian militant group wants the truce to bring about a lasting peace.
Importantly, if the fighting stops, more help can go to Gaza. The UN says people there might not have enough food.
If Hamas agrees to make a start on the plan, there are still a lot of things to figure out.
Israel’s security cabinet would also need to agree with it. Some members on the extreme right don’t like the terms.
Israeli TV aired a recording of Mr. Netanyahu talking to the families of hostages held by Hamas. In the recording, he said that he did not thank Qatar.
“They have an advantage. ” “Because they give money to Hamas,” he says.
Qatar said the comments were “irresponsible” and “not surprising” if they are true.
The small country in the Gulf has been talking to Israel since the 1990s, but they have not become official friends.
Qatar has always supported the Palestinians and gives a place to political leaders of Hamas. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the UK, the US, and other countries.
It has given a lot of money to help Gaza, which has been blocked by Israel and Egypt since 2006, when Hamas won elections. The blockade got stronger the next year because Hamas took control of Gaza by pushing out the PA forces with violence.
Since 2018, Israel has let Qatar pay the salaries of many government workers in Gaza, help the poorest families and give fuel to the power plant there. Qatar says they only gave money for civilian and humanitarian reasons.
The policy caused arguments in Israel because some people said it was helping Hamas to keep control and pay for its military actions.
Mr Netanyahu, who has been in office for most of the past 15 years, said that the wall is a way to stop attacks on Israel and help the people in Gaza.
After the attacks on southern Israel on October 7th, about 1,300 people were killed and 250 others were taken as hostages back to Gaza. He said the accusations that he encouraged the payments to help Hamas instead of the PA were not true.
Israel fought back against the attacks by starting a big military operation in Gaza to try to wipe out Hamas. Over 25,000 people died in the war, as reported by the Hamas health ministry.
Qatar helped make a deal with Hamas to stop the fighting for a week in November. As part of the deal, 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were released in exchange for about 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The emirate has been trying for weeks to make a new ceasefire deal. The situation in Gaza is getting worse and the Israeli government is feeling more pressure to free the remaining hostages.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 12 TV played a recording of Mr Netanyahu saying to the families of hostages: “You don’t hear me thanking Qatar. ” “Did you see that. ”
“Why Because I see it as similar to the UN or Red Cross, and in some ways, it’s even more of a problem. I don’t have any false beliefs about them. ”
“I am willing to use any actor right now to help me bring the hostages home,” he said.
The prime minister said Qatar could help because they have influence over Hamas.
“Why do they have power. Because they provide the money. ”
On Wednesday night, Majed al-Ansari from Qatar’s foreign ministry said on a social media site that the comments, if true, are not helpful and could harm the efforts to save lives, although they are not unexpected.
“For many months, Qatar has been talking to different groups, including Israeli organizations, to make a new agreement about hostages and to get help to people in Gaza. Last year, they helped free over 100 hostages through mediation. ”
He said that Mr. Netanyahu seems to be working against the mediation efforts for his own political gain.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Qatar helps terrorist groups. It supports Hamas and is mostly to blame for the killing of Israeli people by Hamas.
“Qatar will have absolutely no involvement in Gaza after the war,” he added.
Qatar’s foreign ministry did not say anything right away.
In a significant development, a court inQatarhas commuted the death sentences of eight former Indian naval officers, as announced by India’s foreign ministry.
The ministry’s statement acknowledged the reduction in sentences but did not specify the revised penalties. The charges against the individuals have not been officially disclosed by Qatar or India, but reports suggest allegations of spying for Israel.
Despite the sensitivity of the case, Israel’s embassy in India declined to comment, emphasizing it as a non-Israeli matter.
The nature of the charges and proceedings remains confidential. India expressed shock in October when the death sentences were initially issued, prompting an appeal against the verdict.
The arrested individuals, employed by the private company Al Dahra, were widely reported to be former Indian Navy personnel, although specifics about the charges have not been publicly disclosed.
India’s foreign minister had described them as “ex-servicemen” in parliament. The families of the men confirmed their naval background to local media.
In a recent development, India’s ambassador to Qatar visited the incarcerated men, and during the latest court hearing, Indian officials, along with family members, were present in the Court of Appeal of Qatar. The detailed judgment is awaited, and India remains in close consultation with the legal team and family members to determine the next course of action.
During the weekend, there was a video of people running away from Hamad City in Khan Younis because of Israeli air strikes. Smoke was rising from the air strikes. Many apartment buildings were completely destroyed and turned into blackened rubble.
Qatar knows that this is important, especially because they couldn’t help make the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas last longer.
Qatar paid for and built the smart housing project, including a big mosque and gardens. It was named after the old leader of Qatar, who started the project when he visited 11 years ago. He was the first leader to visit the Palestinian area after it was controlled by Hamas.
The first apartments in the complex were given to Palestinians whose homes were destroyed in the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas. Many people have lost their houses once more.
Islam al-Farah, a local government worker, told the BBC that the population of Hamad City has doubled from 15,000 to over 30,000 in the past few weeks. This is because people who were forced to leave their homes in northern Gaza are now living there.
“He said that many people are living on the streets, in tents, or in parking areas. ”
“Recently, we got a notice telling us to leave Hamad City because it’s going to be attacked,” he said.
Egypt will send 130,000 liters of diesel and four truckloads of gas every day.
However, Laila Barhoum from Oxfam told BBC News that the amount of aid deliveries suggested would not be enough to meet the level of need.
“Two million people in Gaza rely on aid. For four days, 200 trucks will bring in food, fuel, and gas to help them. ” “It’s definitely not enough,” she says.
The US president, Joe Biden talked about a potential hostage deal at a Thanksgiving ceremony a few hours ago.
Answering reporters at the ceremony when he was asked if a deal was close, Biden said “I think so” while crossing his fingers.
This came after a White House national security official named Jon Finer said on Sunday that people trying to make a deal were “closer than we have been perhaps at any point since these negotiations began weeks ago”.
Qatar’s Prime Minister said over the weekend that they are close to bringing back the hostages.
The ICRC assisted in bringing the four hostages to safety after they were released last month.
A Hamas leader told Al Jazeera that they are talking about an agreement that would free Israeli women and children held by Palestinians, and Palestinian women and children held by Israel.
It is expected that the fighting will stop for a little while so that hostages can leave and get help.
Israel has not answered yet.
But let’s be clear, no agreement has been made and previous efforts have not been successful even though there was reportedly some progress.
Israeli diplomats said this weekend that they want a lot of hostages to be let go.
Some families of the kidnapped people were mad after meeting with the Israeli war Cabinet in Tel Aviv last night. They said that finding their loved ones should be more important than trying to destroy Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu says if we weaken the enemy, we have a better chance of bringing the hostages home.
India has stated that it is looking into all possible legal actions after a court in Qatar gave a death sentence to eight former Indian naval officers, without specifying the charges.
According to reports, the men, who had jobs with a private company in Qatar, were arrested last year because they were believed to be spying.
Both Qatar and India have not told everyone what they are being charged with.
On Thursday, the government of India expressed their strong surprise and said they will discuss the decision with the authorities in Qatar.
India’s foreign ministry said that it is waiting for the detailed judgment and considers this case to be very important.
“We are staying in contact with the family and legal team. We are looking into all the legal choices we have. We cannot say more about this right now because the case details are confidential. ”
The text says that these men are workers for a company called Al Dahra, but many reports say that they used to work in the Indian Navy. Last year, in the government, the foreign minister called them “former soldiers” of the country. Some families have also told the local media about the identities and backgrounds of the men who serve in the Navy.
They were arrested last August and it was big news in India. However, not much is known about the charges against them.
According to The Hindu newspaper, the men were accused of doing something wrong with important information, but neither of the governments have confirmed this. The BBC could not check if the allegations were true on its own, but it has asked the Qatar embassy some questions.
Some smart people say that the current problems between two countries could have a negative effect on their relationship. There are more than 700,000 people from India in Qatar and we have a strong connection for trade and business. According to Former Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepa Gopalan, the Indian government is closely monitoring the case and may have to address it at a high level to make sure that the lives of the people involved are protected.
In December, Mr. Jaishankar said that the government was talking with Qatar about a very delicate situation.
We prioritize their interests above everything else. Ambassadors and top officials frequently communicate with the government of Qatar. He said that they are our top priority.
Many people from India live in the Gulf region, and many of them have jobs that don’t require much skill and pay lower wages.
These migrant workers have been very important in developing the economies of Gulf Arab states and they also send a lot of money back to India.
Qatar has found eight Indian citizens guilty of espionage and has given them the punishment of death. This decision was made after the Indian government reported that these individuals were detained in Doha last year.
On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed being very surprised by the decision and promised to discuss the matter with authorities in Qatar.
The statement said that we are talking to the family and lawyers and looking into all the legal choices available to us.
The people from India who used to work in the Indian Navy have been identified as ex-servicemen. This information was mentioned in a letter written by the External Affairs Minister, S, and the letter is dated December 23 of the previous year. Jaishankar, who was shared by Indian lawmaker Manish Tewari, on a social media platform called X, previously known as Twitter.
Tewari says he received a letter as a response to his concerns about the unfair imprisonment of retired Navy officers, which he had raised in parliament.
MajorGeneral(retired) Satbir Singh, who leads the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, said that the families of the men were very sad and upset.
“He said that these guys went to teach the Qatar Navy people, but now they are getting accused for spying. ”
Singh said the group has been supporting the men since they were kept in custody last year. They have been sending letters to important Indian government officials, like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to fight for their rights.
Out of the group of eight people, seven were in charge and one was a person who worked on a ship, according to what he said.
They are all older men who have different health problems that require care. The families are very upset and saddened by the news,” Singh said.
The Indian government did not provide any specific information about the accusations or the final decision. They also didn’t reveal the names of the people involved. However, they mentioned that the individuals were working for a company called Al Dahra, which is located in Qatar.
According to the United Nations, there are many Indian workers in Qatar. They make up a big part of the 2 million foreigners who work in the country. In fact, 95% of all workers in Qatar are from other countries.
We just received messages from the ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Al Thani spoke about many different regional topics including Lebanon’s economy, conflicts in Libya and Yemen, racism, the environment, and what he called “harsh and extreme” Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.
He also praised Qatar for organizing the 2022 World Cup very well, saying it should be used as an example for future tournaments.
Ramaphosa mainly talked about how it is getting harder to achieve the goals of the UN’s Agenda 2030. He said that things like war and other disasters have made it more difficult to reach those goals.
He said that the wars in Africa and Ukraine can and should be stopped.
He also asked other countries to do more to help bring peace and stop violence in Africa, especially in Sudan and the Horn of Africa.
The final part of a contentious exchange brokered by Qatar was completed when $6bn (£4. 8bn) of money from Iran that was being held in South Korea arrived at banks in Doha.
This made it possible for the four American men and one woman in Tehran, who are also Iranian citizens, to get on a flight to Qatar’s capital city.
It is said that three people from America are involved in this. One of them is Siamak Namazi, a 51-year-old businessman who has been in prison called Evin in Tehran for almost eight years. Another person is Emad Shargi, a 59-year-old businessman. There is also Morad Tahbaz, a 67-year-old environmentalist who has British citizenship too.
The US government has stated that its citizens were unjustly imprisoned on false accusations in order to gain political advantages.
In August, they were moved to a safe place in Tehran after they made an agreement.
Five Iranians who are currently in American prisons, mostly because they have broken US sanctions, will also be pardoned as part of this deal. Some of them may not go back to Iran.
Iran has given the names Reza Sarhangpour, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, Mehrdad Moein Ansari, and Amin Hasanzadeh.
Who are the people with citizenship in two countries who are currently in prison in Iran.
The thing that Americans have been very afraid of is finally finished. Professor Mehran Kamrava, who is originally from Iran but now teaches at Georgetown University in Qatar, described how difficult and disruptive solitary confinement can be. It involves not knowing what is happening and losing track of time. It greatly disrupts the normal flow of life.
The agreement happened after many months of discussions led by Qatar, which started in February of last year.
Someone who knows about the negotiations says that there were at least nine difficult discussions in Doha. The American and Iranian delegations stayed in different hotels. Senior officials from Qatar traveled back and forth between Tehran and Washington.
“I believe both sides benefit a little,” said Prof Kamrava to the BBC in Doha. Joe Biden is getting Americans back to their own country, and Iran is letting Iranians out of prison in the United States. But the most important thing is the six billion dollars that they are receiving.
Who are the people from America that were held in jail?
Morad Tahbaz was taken into custody in 2018 with eight other Iranian environmentalists. They were using cameras to follow very rare wild Asiatic cheetahs, but they were accused of using their environmental work as an excuse to gather secret information. The person said they didn’t do it, but they got put in jail for 10 years.
Siamak Namazi, who works in the oil industry and lives in Dubai, was taken into custody by the authorities in 2015. His old father, Baquer, was taken into custody the next year, after Iranian officials gave him permission to see his son. Both of them were sentenced to 10 years in jail because they were accused of working with a foreign enemy country, but they said they didn’t do it. Iran allowed Baquer to leave the country in 2022 to get medical help.
Emad Shargi was arrested in 2018 when he was working for an investment company in Iran. After being let out of jail temporarily, he was later informed that he was no longer accused of spying. In 2020, a court told him that he was found guilty of a crime even though he was not there and given a 10-year prison sentence. In 2021, a person was set free before their appeal and allegedly taken into custody when attempting to cross Iran’s western border without permission. The two additional Americans who were freed have not been identified.
It is a great relief for some prisoners to be released and come home, but there is also worry that more prisoners could be taken in the future. There are more people with citizenship from two countries who are still in prison in Tehran.
Sanam Vakil, who works at a think tank in London called Chatham House, says that the Iranian government has started to become a government that takes people hostage. “They have been manipulating people and using them as tools, which gives them an advantage over the West. ”
Qatar wants this rare moment of cooperation to help make progress on other longstanding disagreements and disputes. One of these is the 2015 nuclear deal, which was almost completely abandoned by former US President Donald Trump five years ago. Some people are doubtful about it.
A Western official, who knows about the situation, is frustrated because the Iranians say they want to start serious diplomatic discussions, but there is no agreement or proper negotiations happening. “They have made progress, but we have informed them, with the help of the Omanis, about the necessary actions to create favorable conditions for diplomacy. ”
According to sources, Iran is producing less 60%-enriched uranium for nuclear purposes. This is not as high as the 90% needed to make weapons, but it still exceeds the limits set in the 2015 agreement.
However, there is growing worry about Iran not being open about its nuclear goals.
On Sunday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said he strongly disagrees with Iran’s decision to remove a large number of IAEA inspectors. The decision to move nuclear weapons, although it is allowed by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is being criticized as a move in the wrong direction.
Last week in Vienna, 63 countries together signed a statement criticizing Iran for not cooperating with the NPT Safeguards Agreement.
Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says that we should not think this deal will make the relationship between the US and Iran better.
“He means that as long as Khamenei is in charge of Iran, they will keep being enemies with the United States. ” “It benefits him to have an enemy from outside, and it’s a defining part of the government’s identity. ”
People have been asking President Biden for a while to bring back the Americans who are abroad.
Earlier this year, Siamak Namazi, who was in prison, sent a letter asking for help to fulfill the promise made by the previous Obama government to bring him home safely within a few weeks. He said he was the person who was held captive the longest as an Iranian-American.
He got arrested while on a business trip to Tehran in 2015 and was found guilty of working with an enemy government, which is the United States. His father Baquer was also arrested and found guilty of the same crime when he went to Tehran to try to free him. But he was released last October, supposedly because of his medical condition. The United States said that they both were held in custody unfairly.
Morad Tahbaz and his family felt angry and abandoned after the British government promised that he and two other British-Iranians, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, would come back to Britain last year. However, this did not happen and they were left feeling upset.
This exchange happens when Iran is facing more and more challenges because of harmful international restrictions. It also follows a year with protests that were caused by the death of Mahsa Amini while she was held by Iran’s morality police.
Two individuals familiar with the encounter confirmed to CNN that Qatar’s prime minister had a covert meeting with the Taliban‘s top official earlier this month in Afghanistan.
On May 12, the Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Qatar’sPrime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met in the southern city of Kandahar.
The encounter between Akhundzada and a foreign leader is said to be their first. Reuters broke the news first.
The Biden administration was quickly briefed by Qatar in Washington and then in a phone call the day after the meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Al-Thani, who also serves as foreign minister. A brief readout by the State Department on May 13 only noted Blinken’s “appreciation for Qatar’s continued assistance on Afghanistan.”
CNN has reached out to the US State Department and the Qatari Embassy in the US for comment.
Qatar’s Al Jazeera reported a few days later that Al-Thani had visited the Afghan capital as part of “facilitating the relations between the caretaker [Taliban] government and the international community…”
American officials have met occasionally with Taliban representatives in the Qatari capital, Doha, since the US left Afghanistan in August 2021 amid the Taliban takeover of the country.
Despite American warnings to the Taliban not harbor terrorists, Al Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri took up residence in Kabul before being killed in a US drone strike last July.
Qatar serves as the US protecting power in Afghanistan, where it does not have a diplomatic presence. The diplomatic compound in Kabul – once one of the largest US Embassies in the world – has been shuttered since August 2021, and the US relocated its diplomatic mission to Doha.
Sam Eto’o, the head of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), has announced intentions to build 12 stadiums across the nation.
The goal of the extensive construction of football facilities, according to Eto’o, is to “give everyone an opportunity.”
In December 2021, the former FC Barcelona striker took over as head of the Cameroon FA and made sure that the Indomitable Lions qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
He has now promised that stadiums will be built across several Cameroon cities in a bid to hunt for more talent.
Actu Cameroun reports that the project is about to begin as the implementation phase is already on course.
For the chairman of the said commission, Samuel Eto’o, thinks that talents are hidden in areas where quality sports infrastructure is non-existent.
“Samuel Eto’o wants to give everyone the opportunity to be able to play football “, summed up Daniel Mongue Nyamsi.
Eto’o inducted into Inter Milan Hall of Fame
Meanwhile, time African footballer of the yearSamuel Eto’o has expressed his gratitude following his induction into the Inter Milan Hall of Fame.
The 40-year-old footballer turned administrator, together with a host of other Inter Milan icons, were inducted into the 2021 edition of the Hall of Fame.’
Eto’o joined the Blue and Blacks in a swap deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic with the latter heading to Barcelona in 2009 on the back of a treble-winning campaign with Guardiola’s all-conquering Blaugrana.
Following his release on Friday after more than 900 days in prison, opposition leader from RwandaPaul Rusesabaginahas arrived in Qatar.
In 2021, he was sentenced to 25 years in jail over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, that has an armed wing.
A permanent resident of theUnited States, his release came after months of negotiations between Washington and Kigali.
The 68-year-old former hotelier inspired the Hollywood film, “Hotel Rwanda” about his role in saving the lives of hundreds of people fleeing Hutus during the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
He became a fierce critic of Kagame and formed his own political party. In 1996, he left Rwanda for Belgium but his family said he was tricked into taking a flight in 2020 that was diverted to Kigali.
Reportedly in fragile health, diplomats have told the AFP that he is to undergo medical checks and rest before flying to the United States on Wednesday.
Manchester United’s owners were waiting for new bids from a Qatari banker and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe on Thursday, after the deadline for revised bids to buy the Premier League giants had passed.
According to reports, bidders were originally told they had until 2100 GMT on Wednesday to submit new bids, but that deadline has now been extended.
It is unknown when the new cut-off will be implemented. The only bidders who have made their intentions public are Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, and Ratcliffe, the founder of chemicals giant INEOS.
A first round of bidding took place last month, and it has been reported that there are as many as eight different potential investors for the club owned by the American Glazer family, who are massively unpopular with Manchester United fans.
The BBC said several other proposed investors made their submissions by the Wednesday deadline.
No figures have been revealed but one or more of the initial bids was understood to be in the region of £4.5 billion ($5.5 billion).
That would make Manchester United — who have not won the Premier League for a decade — the most expensive sports club in history, although it would be short of the £6 billion valuation reportedly placed on United by the Glazers.
United’s owners announced in November they were conducting a strategic review, with the sale of the club one option being considered. Sheikh Jassim is bidding for 100 percent control, aiming to return the club to its “former glories”.
A source close to Sheikh Jassim’s bid told AFP he remains confident his bid is “the best for the club, fans and local community”.
‘Stupid prices’ INEOS chemical company founder Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, wants to buy the combined Glazer shareholding of 69 percent of the 20-time English champions. The 70-year-old told the Wall Street Journal this week he was not interested in paying “stupid prices” in a bidding war for one of football’s most iconic clubs.
Ratcliffe, who already owns French club Nice, said his interest in United would be “purely in winning things”, calling the club a “community asset”, rather than a financial one.
The Glazers have angered many United fans by saddling the club with huge debts since they took over in 2005.
They appeared ready to cash out at an enormous profit when they invited external investment in November.
However, they could yet shun the option of selling a controlling stake in the club, with other parties understood to be interested in a minority shareholding.
Ratcliffe visited Old Trafford last week along with INEOS representatives, a day after a delegation from Sheikh Jassim’s group toured the club’s stadium and training ground.
Thelegendary France striker Just Fontaine, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 89, will always be remembered for his incredible feat of scoring 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, a feat that seems unlikely to be repeated.
Even though Fontaine only participated in one tournament and played in six games, only three players have ever scored more goals at the World Cup.
In Qatar, Lionel Messi equaled his previous total of goals scored, but it took him five World Cups to get there. Most people associate the 1958 World Cup in Sweden with the emergence of a 17-year-old Pele, who propelled Brazil to victory after scoring a hat-trick in their 5-2 semifinal victory over France.
Part of a wonderful attacking trident alongside Roger Piantoni and Raymond Kopa, Fontaine might never have gone to Sweden at all.
Only injuries to Thadee Cisowski and his Reims teammate Rene Bliard saw him make the squad and then the starting line-up.
“It was only at the airport before leaving for Sweden that Paul Nicolas (part of the national team staff) and Albert Batteux (the France coach), who didn’t really want me, told me I would be playing as centre-forward,” Fontaine told AFP in 2013.
Only Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16), Brazil’s Ronaldo (15) and Gerd Mueller, the West German hero of the 1970s who scored 14 times, have netted more World Cup finals goals.
Just two other players — Mueller with 10 in 1970 and Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis with 11 in 1954 — have reached double figures at a single World Cup.
Yet Kopa is remembered as the biggest French star of the era. When he died in 2017, Fontaine remembered fondly his “big brother”. “Raymond had character,” he said. “So did I, and that made us a magical duo.” Born in Marrakech in August 1933 to a French father and Spanish mother at the time of the French Protectorate in Morocco, Fontaine went to school in Casablanca, and began his football career there.
Career cut short by injury
In 1953 the stocky penalty-box poacher moved to France, joining Nice.
His three years there were spent combining football with military service,but Fontaine still won the French Cup in his first season and a league title in 1956. He then moved to Reims, the great French side of the 1950s who had just been beaten by Real Madrid in the first European Cup final and that summer lost Kopa to the Spanish giants.
He scored 10 goals in that European campaign, but 1958 was his crowning glory — in his second season with Reims, they won a league and cup double and he was the league’s top scorer with 34 goals.
However, his career ended in 1962 aged just 28. He had hardly played for two years after suffering a double leg fracture. In all he won 21 caps for France, scoring 30 goals. “We talk a lot about my record but I would definitely have swapped it for another five or six years, because football was my passion,” he said. “I was at the very top, and I was earning a lot of money at the time. It was not the money you see nowadays, it was five times the minimum wage, whereas now it would be more like one hundred times that.
Fontaine went into coaching and in 1967 took charge of France. However, he lasted just two games, both defeats in friendlies. A spell with Paris Saint-Germain was more successful, as “Justo” took the side from the capital into the top flight in 1974.
His career in football ended back where it began, in Morocco, as he led the national team to third place at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. He then retired to Toulouse, in the south-west of France.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s current deal at PSG expires in June, and he has not yet agreed to a new one. Inter Miami has been mentioned as a potential next stop for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has also been linked with a return to Barcelona, even though talks over a new contract are believed to be ongoing.
Inter Miami manager Neville weighed in on what could the move mean for his club in an interview with The Athletic, stating: “I think it goes bigger than Inter Miami. I think it’s in MLS. It’s big for the MLS. I think this would be probably the biggest signing ever in American sports.”
Pressed on whether Inter Miami would be prepared for the media circus that follows Messi, Neville added: “The trees might have to be bigger (around the training ground.) The security might have to be tighter. The walk that the players have today over to that stadium; that might have to be different. The travel might be different. The hotels we stay in might have to be different. But really, that might be what we’re aspiring to be like anyways. It’s exciting, but I think it’d be a massive challenge.”
Messi is gradually getting back to his best at club level after guiding Argentina to their third global crown in Qatar. In his last outing with PSG against Lille, he scored a stunning free-kick in the 95th minute to maintain their five-point lead at the top of Ligue 1. However, Barca are said to be eager to bring Messi back to Camp Nou, and he is also being linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal on a mammoth $300 million (£247.4m) annual salary.
Concerns have been raised about the potential effects on Paris Saint-Germain, which was taken over by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) more than ten years ago, after it was revealed that a consortium led by a Qatari banker is in the running to buy Manchester United.
For just 70 million euros ($74.7m at the current exchange rate), QSI, a division of the sovereign wealth fund of the Gulf state of Qatar, acquired control of the French club in 2011.
PSG is now used by Qatar to project soft power because, while still the dominant club in France, they are also a major player on the European stage and a household name thanks to QSI’s ownership.
More than 1.5 billion euros have been splashed on transfers over the last dozen years, including the two biggest fees in the history of the game for Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in 2017, although all that money has not yet delivered Champions League glory in which Qatar could bask.
But now the tiny, gas-rich state is aiming even higher with its sights set on United, the most successful club in the history of the most powerful league in the world, with commercial and broadcasting income far greater than what can be generated in the French top flight.
The bid, led by the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is believed to be worth between four and six billion euros, according to several sources.
“This means nothing has been done without the approval of the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.”
However, there is no suggestion of the Qataris abandoning PSG in the short or medium term. New strategy? If the Qatari bid for Manchester United succeeds, “the plans for PSG would not change at all. The two clubs would be totally separate on the field and off it. The QIB is totally separate from QSI,” a source close to PSG’s owners insisted to AFP.
Last December, PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi also shut down any suggestion of a possible withdrawal when he said in an interview with the Financial Times “we have a long-term project here”.
At the same time, Khelaifi admitted the French champions had been in discussions with several investors about potentially selling a 15 percent stake. “Qatar is capable of persisting with the two clubs. That doesn’t mean that it is finished with PSG. It is above all a demonstration of Qatar’s power that it is able to show an interest in a club like Manchester United,” Raphael Le Magoariec, who specialises in the Gulf and sport at Tours University in France, told AFP.
“It is unlikely that they would withdraw from Paris because that would be seen as a failure.” Nevertheless the dispute with Paris city council over PSG’s attempts to buy their Parc des Princes stadium from the local authority has left a bitter taste with the club’s owners. Qatar, according to Le Magoariec, “has invested a lot and thinks that its generosity is not being respected”.
Despite that, the ties between France and Qatar, which possesses stakes in numerous French multinational corporations, make it unlikely the country will divert its capital away from a club like PSG.
“Paris is the type of platform which givesQatar standing in the world,” says Le Magoariec. Yet it is possible a slight change in strategy at PSG is taking place, given the club is being closely watched by UEFA to ensure they fall in line with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules of European football’s governing body.
The club made huge losses last season of 370 million euros and has an enormous wage bill, weighed down by the salaries of superstars Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. “There is maybe less investment.
They have already tightened their belts because of FFP constraints,” said Guegan. “But they are going to open up to foreign investors, and depending on the identity of these investors we will see if the club continues to be an asset in Qatar’s strategy of visibility or if they move on to a different stage.”
In order to transport search and rescue teams, vehicles, a field hospital, tents, and other supplies to the earthquake-affected areas, Qatar says it will begin operating relief flights to Turkey, according to its state news agency.
Qatar-funded Qatar Charity, in addition to providing supplies to shelters inTurkey and Syria it is also going to distribute 27,000 hot meals in Gaziantep, where it has an office.
For the initial phases of its response, the group has set aside $6 million.
Qatar’s human rights record is under scrutiny as the World Cup takes place in Doha. A lot has been written about the treatment of migrant workers who built the stadiums and hotels, but much less about the foreign maids who work for Qatar’s ruling classes.
On paper, their rights have been strengthened in recent years – but the new rules aren’t always followed.
I make contact with Gladys (not her real name) late at night after her employers from the Qatari elite have gone to bed.
In a brief online conversation, she tells me she works from 8am to 11pm every day. She cleans, helps prepare food and looks after the children.
She eats what’s left from the family’s meals, and says she hasn’t had a day off since she started 18 months ago.
“Madam is crazy,” Gladys, a Filipina woman in her 40s, says about her employer. “She shouts at me every day.”
Before Qatar won the competition to host the 2022 World Cup, foreign workers were unable to change jobs or leave the country without their employer’s permission. It’s still like this in most Gulf states.
Under scrutiny, Qatar began to introduce reforms, but Amnesty International says these have failed to end a pattern of abuses faced by domestic workers.
For example, Gladys’s employer has held on to her passport, preventing her from leaving without his consent.
But Gladys still feels lucky. At least she has been allowed to keep her phone, she says, unlike some other foreign maids. Also, she is not physically abused. In Qatar, this happens all too often, she says.
There is another reason she wants to stay in her current job – she thinks it’s unlikely at her age that she will get a better one. She earns 1,500 rials a month (just under £350) and is able to send it all home to support her family.
Domestic workers’ rights
There are an estimated 160,000 foreign domestic workers in Qatar, according to 2021 data from Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority
In 2017 Qatar introduced the Domestic Workers Law, which limits working hours to 10 hours a day, and requires daily breaks, a weekly day off and paid holidays
In 2020 it also introduced a minimum wage and gave workers the right on paper to change jobs or leave the country without seeking permission
However, Amnesty International says these laws have not been properly implemented or enforced and extreme overwork, lack of rest, and abusive and degrading treatment continue
Joanna Concepcion of Migrante International, a grassroots organisation supporting Filipino overseas workers, says that many keep quiet about bad working conditions because earning money for their families is their overriding priority.
But when those in Gulf states do feel confident enough to talk freely, she says, they often mention serious abuse.
One woman said her employer would push her head into a toilet basin and deny her food and water when he was angry.
By contrast, a maid employed by the ruling royal Al Thani family, says she is treated well – but she has no day off, as all workers now should under the new rules.
Smiley and animated, Althea (not her real name) video calls the BBC from the basement of a royal residence. She explains that her employers have given her an iPhone, clothes, jewellery and shoes of a kind she couldn’t afford back home in the Philippines.
As in Gladys’s case, it’s the difficulty of earning a living wage at home that has brought her here.
As we speak, other Filipino domestic workers, who share a large room in Althea’s living quarters, say Hi and join the call.
They have their own bedrooms and a shared kitchen. This is important. The maids Althea sees on TikTok and Facebook begging for food, and pleading for someone to rescue them, are not as fortunate.
“I see those videos online all the time, which is why I feel so lucky,” she says. “For me, every day feels like a fairy tale.”
Nonetheless, it’s hard work in these “Cinderella palaces” as she refers to them, with their high ceilings and chandeliers, antiques inlaid with gold, mother-of-pearl table tops, and freshly cut flowers.
The day generally begins at 6:30am, when staff prepares breakfast for the family. Althea eats once the family has finished. After clearing away, they clean the rooms and set places for lunch.
“It is light work because there are many of us,” Althea says.
Maids rest in their flats between 3pm and 6pm, then prepare for dinner. Once dinner is over, Althea has finished work, and is free to leave the compound if she wants.
The royal family doesn’t hold on to her passport. But Althea does work every day, including weekends. She doesn’t get the day off that Qatari law is now supposed to guarantee. It’s a price she pays for providing her family with vital financial support.
Mary Grace Morales, a recruiter in Manila who pairs Filipino staff with VIPs in the Gulf, says working for the palace is an “enviable” job.
“The family is generous,” she says. And, in a comment reflecting the hardships the maids may have faced at home, she adds: “The girls get fatter while they are in the palace. The family feeds them well.”
Mary Grace Morales: The palace wants “very pretty” staff no older than 35
But the royals have some very specific requirements, she reveals.
“The girls sent to work for the Qatari royal family are between 24 and 35 and very pretty,” Ms Morales says.
She pauses to look at the screen where I stare back at her from the BBC headquarters in London.
“Prettier than you,” she says, smiling.
She later sends a WhatsApp to apologise, as her children overheard and said she had been rude. I assure her I was not offended – and don’t mention that hiring people on the basis of their looks would be illegal in many countries.
Joanna Concepcion, of Migrante International, says she hopes Althea’s account of working as a royal maid is true but adds: “It’s unlikely that we can know that for certain while she is still in Qatar and working for such a powerful family.”
Some royal staff have complained after leaving the country. In 2019 three British and American workers – a bodyguard, personal trainer and private tutor – sued the emir’s sister, Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and her husband, in New York, alleging that they had been made to work long hours without overtime.
The couple denied the allegations and settled without any admission of liability.
“Reporting and addressing cases of violence and harassment, lack of occupational safety and health, and lack of decent accommodation can be challenging,” says International Labour Organization (ILO) regional director for Arab states, Ruba Jaradat.
The ILO says it is working with Qatar to implement the new rules guaranteeing a minimum wage, a day off each week, sick leave and overtime payments, although this remains “a challenge”.
Althea, in her royal palace, says she is happy despite the long hours.
When she goes to bed she will message one of her siblings or parents in the Philippines. She often feels homesick – a fairytale palace is not home.
However, it remains a crucial source of income.
“I could never support my family without this job,” she says.
The BBC asked the Qatari royal family and the Qatari embassy in London to comment but received no reply.
Qatar Charity Ghana has commemorated the Qatar National Day with an assurance of recommitting to fostering stronger relations with the Ghanaian community.
The Qatar Charity Ghana Office, in partnership with the Qatar Embassy, also used the National Independence day celebration to also reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to foster peace, unity and improving human dignity.
The day was also marked to highlight the support of Qatar to the Ghana’s national development.
The independence of Qatar, which was marked last Friday, attracted Qatari living in the country, friends of Qatar, some government officials and other guests.
It also brought together many beneficiaries of the Qatar Charity projects in the country.
The Qatar Charity Ghana Office Director, Hassan Owda, noted that it was necessary to mark the celebration with the beneficiaries because it reaffirmed their support to them.
“We are recommitting, assuring that we still support our people in the country through different sectors and various kinds of projects,” he said.
Qatar Independence Day, also known as Qatar National Day, is celebrated every year on December 18.
The day commemorates the unification of Qatar in 1878.
Mr Owda stated that Qatar’s journey to independence stemmed from “commitment, cooperation, creativity and respect”.
He said those were the main principles that directed them towards achieving their vision, which was “a world where only human beings have the rights to live in peace and dignity”.
“It is in line with this vision that we try to work in diverse sectors to improve human lives,” Mr Owda added.
The Qatar Charity has, through its partners, contributed to the country’s development with projects such as building schools, clinics and boreholes in some parts of the country.
In addition, the non-governmental organisation has sponsored children’s education, among various other areas of support, including water and sanitation, education, health, housing, mosquitoes, economic empowerment projects, emergency support and disaster relief.
Mr Owda noted that the Charity had sponsored over 5,000 orphans in the country with various scholarships through their “Child Welfare Programme”.
Moving forward, he expressed the hope that the number of children who would benefit from the scholarship would expand to 10,000.
Also, he said, the organisation would expand their interventions by coming up with innovative, creative and dignified projects like building more schools and clinics in areas that were hard to reach.
“This will constitute the 126 projects for the coming year. It will further strengthen the bilateral relationship and development cooperation between Ghana and Qatar,” Mr Owda stated.
At the event, the charity presented school bags and stationeries to more than 100 brilliant but needy children who were present.
The Social Welfare Manager, Qatar Charity Ghana, Dr Mohammed Hafiz Amadu, said the donation would be extended to orphans in different parts of the country.
As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar comes to an end this weekend, it is already time to take stock. Morocco, the surprise team of the tournament, was able to place Africa on the world map of football.
Never a team of the continent had reached the semi-finals of a World Cup. A unique performance that was greeted Friday by the president of FIFA, the Italian Gianni Infantino
“I want to congratulate Morocco, hat. And also I want to congratulate the other African teams. Senegal made it through the group stage. they played against a very strong England. And also Cameroon, Ghana and Tunisia. Fighting until the last minute to qualify. This puts on display the level of African soccer. I am very happy. The moment of African soccer was always about to arrive. And it finally did.
Gianni Infantino also recalled that from the next edition, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, twice as many African teams will qualify. Indeed, the World Cup will be held in 2026 with 48 teams instead of 32 until now.
In total, 9 or 10 places will be allocated to African soccer.
The US-Africa Leaders’ Summit discussions were put on hold while President Joe Biden of the United States and several of his guests watched some World Cup action.
The game in question being the second semi-final clash between Morocco and France at the Al Bayt stadium in Doha, Qatar.
A photo shared by the US president showed him seated in the company of among others, presidents George Weah and Muhammadu Buhari of Libéria and Nigeria respectively.
Ethiopian and Moroocan Prime Ministers, Abiy Ahmed Ali and Aziz Akhannouch were also watching the game as was Malawian president Lazarus Chakwera.
The performance of Morocco’s Atlas Lions at the 2022 World Cup did not only impress Moroccans, Africans and Arabs but also presidents of some powerful countries.
United States of America president, Joe Biden and French President, Emmanuel Marcron are two world leaders who have been awed by the spirited performance of the Atlas Lions.
In a social media post, President Biden announced that he watched Morocco’s 2-0 defeat to France with the Moroccan Prime Minister and despite the defeat was proud of the performance of the team.
More praise for Atlas Lions despite France defeat
Leading world sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano also reported that French president Emmanuel Marcron stormed the Moroccan dressing room after the game and commended them for their incredible run in the tournament, singling out midfielder Amrabat for praise as the best midfielder in the competition.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also took to Twitter to shower praises on the Moroccan for becoming the first African country to reach the semi-final of the World Cup.
Former Arsenal and German midfielder Mesut Ozil who was at the Al Bayt Stadium to support Morocco also applauded them and so did Arsenal and Egyptian midfielder Mohammed Elneny.
Despite not making the final, Morocco are being hailed as true winners as the upset odds to reach the semis.
During what hs been described as being historic as an incredible run, Morocco defeated Spain, Portugal and Belgium to set up a date with France.
Unfortunately for the Atlas Lions of Africa, they were overpowered by an efficient French team that scored through Theo Hernandez and Kolo Muani.
France will now play Argentina in the final on Sunday, December 18, 2022 but before then Morocco will take on Croatia in the third-place play-off.
In Montpellier, a southern French city, a 14-year-old boy was run over and killed shortly after France defeated Morocco in theWorld Cup semi-final.
After the match, according to the authorities, he was hit by a car and later died in the hospital.
Images shared on social media showed a car covered in a French tricolour, which was later seized by onlookers.
The driver then accelerated into two teenagers, seemingly in a panic.
The 14-year-old was struck and suffered a cardiac arrest as the driver turned around and sped away.
“Immense sadness that a sporting event should end in total tragedy,” said local MP Nathalie Oziol, who expressed her sympathy with the boy’s family.
The local prefect in the southern Hérault area said the car was later found abandoned not far from the scene of the accident, and police have begun searching for the driver.
#FRAMAR d’un côté les supporters marocains de l’autre les supporters français. Tirs de mortiers à plein régime pic.twitter.com/H3HI4xJFP5
The incident happened in Montpellier’s north-western district of La Paillade, around half an hour after the final whistle in Qatar, where France beat Morocco 2-0.
Tensions between France and Morocco supporters briefly spilled over in the centre of the city as flares were lit and police responded with tear gas. France has a large Moroccan community of some 1.5 million people.
Celebrations in cities across France were largely peaceful,although police used tear gas to halt trouble involving far-right youths in the centre of Lyon.
Ten thousand police were deployed across the country and a reported 167 arrests were reported nationally.
Morocco’s Ines Laklalech has become the first golfer from North Africato qualify for the LPGA tour, having been inspired by the coach behind her country’s World Cup run in Qatar.
Laklalech, 25, earned a spot on the premier tour in women’s golf despite shooting her worst round on the final day of the qualifying event in the United States.
The Casablanca resident fired a one-over par 73 in the final round at Highland Oaks in Dothan, Alabama on Sunday.
Yet she finished on 19 under par at the end of the eight-round tournament and shared 12th place – good enough to claim a much sought-after spot on next season’s tour.
“I’m a big fan of the Moroccan national team so I’m super, super happy,” Laklalech said. “It definitely gave me an extra boost on the course.”
The Atlas Lions have become the first African side to reach the semi-finals of football’s World Cup, and Laklalech has been using the positive attitude of Morocco coach Walid Regragui, when speaking about his squad, while out on the course.
“I’ve been watching very closely what the national coach is saying about the team because it’s history,” she said.
“His words really gave me confidence that everything is possible, because that’s their mindset right now. I think it’s all connected and related because I’ve been watching videos of the press conferences every single day.”
On Saturday, Laklalech took a big step towards securing her tour card when she made four birdies in the last four holes and posted her best round of the event, a six-under par 66, just as the country’s footballers were upsetting Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Success on the world stage may be a new experience for Morocco’s men’s football team, but Laklalech is no stranger to making history.
In September, she won the Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour (LET) to become that tour’s first Moroccan, Arab and North African winner.
With four other top-10 finishes on the LET this season, her success in qualifying for the most high-profile tour in women’s golf is the latest chapter in a stellar year for sport in North Africa.
In July, Morocco reached the final of football’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat, where they lost 2-1 to South Africa, and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali won steeplechase gold at the World Athletics Championships in the United States.
Meanwhile, Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur became the first North African to reach the singles final of a Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in July – before impressively repeating the feat a few months later at the US Open.
The 28-year-old finished as runner-up on both occasions, but ended the season with the WTA’s Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, voted for by her peers and announced on Sunday, for “demonstrating conduct befitting of a professional sports figure and observing the rules of fair play”.
A World Cup security guard who had a catastrophic fall during last Friday’s quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands at Lusail Stadium, has passed away.
John Njau Kibue received immediate care underground and was transported to a local hospital, where he died on Tuesday while receiving intensive care.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Qatar Supreme Committee announced an investigation will be conducted into the events leading up to Kibue’s murder.
“We send our sincere condolences to his family, colleagues and friends during this difficult time,” the statement read.
“Organisers are investigating the circumstances leading to the fall as a matter of urgency and will provide further information pending the outcome of the investigation.
“We will also ensure that his family receive all outstanding dues and monies owed.”
Kibue is the second known migrant worker to have died since the tournament began, following the death of a Filipino man in the group stage at a resort used by Saudi Arabia.
Speaking last week, Qatar 2022 chief executive Nasser Al Khater said “death is a natural part of life” when he was questioned over the passing of the migrant worker.
The Lusail Stadium is to host Sunday’s final between Argentina and either France or Morocco, who face off in the second semi-final on Wednesday.
The relationship between Tunisia and Morocco may be in disarray, but Tunisian Wissam Sultani will inspire the Atlas Lions on Wednesday against France in the World Cup semi-final in Qatar.
Football unites people when politics split them.
“On the pitch, politics has nothing to do. Supporting an Arab country, whatever it is, is a duty when it reaches this stage of the competition,” said Sultani, 41, who runs a fruit and vegetable stall in the central market of Tunis.
After breaking a glass ceiling by becoming the first African or Arab team to reach the last four of a World Cup, Morocco can indeed count on the support of an entire continent whose hopes it carries, by challenging the French title holders for a place in the final.
Morocco’s run, which eliminated the Spanish giants in the round of 16 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarterfinals, has sparked a surge of pride and excitement among neighbors Tunisia and Algeria, transcending political squabbles in the Maghreb, as well as in the rest of Africa.
In downtown Tunis, a sports store’s sound system blares Moroccan folk songs to attract customers. The red Atlas Lions jersey is the highlight of the display.
“Stand up”
The country is however in cold with Morocco, which reproaches him for having aligned with the position of Algeria in the Western Sahara issue, at the heart of extreme tensions between the two neighbors of the Maghreb.
In Algeria, if the official media have virtually ignored the performance of the Moroccans, sometimes content with the dry result, the private press has welcomed their achievements.
“It is quite normal that Algerians support Morocco, which is a Muslim country, brother and neighbor,” says Madjid, 58 years.
For Salim, 45 years old, employee of a public company, “Algerians are with the Moroccan team because it represents a Maghreb country and Amazigh” (Berber).
In the Maghreb as elsewhere in the Arab world, fans say their support for Morocco is increased tenfold when they see its supporters and players waving the Palestinian flag, showing their attachment to the Palestinian cause even though Rabat normalized relations with Israel in December 2020.
According to Tunisian sociologist Mohamed Jouili, this support for Morocco, which is becoming more and more apparent as the match against Les Bleus approaches, can also be explained by “France’s colonial past in the Maghreb.
“The countries of the region can not compete with France economically, militarily or geopolitically, but can stand up to 90 minutes on a soccer field and even beat it,” he added, recalling the victory of Tunisia in the group stage against the men of Didier Deschamps.
A Belgian judge has charged four people with receiving money and gifts from a Gulf state in order to influence decisions in the European Parliament, putting the European Union’s credibility at risk.
Prosecutors searched 16 homes in Brussels on Friday and seized 600,000 euros ($631,800) as part of an investigation into money laundering and corruption.
Initially, six people were detained. Prosecutors said in a statement on Sunday that four people had been charged and two had been released. They did not name any of the individuals involved.
Prosecutors said they had suspected for months that a Gulf state was trying to influence decisions in Brussels.
As various media outlets reported that Qatar was the Gulf state at the centre of the allegations, a Qatari official said the country “categorically rejects any attempts to associate it with accusations of misconduct”.
“Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” the official said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera on Sunday.
“The State of Qatar works through institution-to-institution engagement and operates in full compliance with international laws and regulations,” the official added.
‘Very worrisome’
European Union Foreign Affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that the news is “very worrisome”.
Borrell said the investigation did not involve anyone from the EU’s diplomatic service.
“There is nothing and no one being referred to neither from the External Action Service nor from the delegations,” he said.
The European Parliament said on the weekend it had suspended the powers and duties of one of its vice presidents, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, in light of the Belgian investigation.
The Greek socialist PASOK party said in a statement that it was expelling Kaili from its ranks.
It was not immediately clear if she had been charged in the case. Her office did not answer telephone calls or respond to an email requesting comment.
Prosecutors said they had also searched the home of a second EU politician on Saturday, without detaining anyone.
Belgian Socialist party member Marc Tarabella confirmed it was his home and that a computer and mobile phone had been taken.
“The justice system is doing its work of gathering information and investigating, which I find totally normal. I have absolutely nothing to hide and I will respond to all questions of the investigators,” he said in a statement.
Credibility at stake
European Economics Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told Italy’s Rai 3 television that the case appeared to be “very serious”.
“If it were confirmed that someone took money to try to influence the opinion of the European Parliament, it will really be one of the most dramatic stories of corruption in recent years,” he added.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Monday that the news is “damaging”.
“This is a scandal that we need to expose the truth around so we can ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Coveney told reporters in Brussels.
The credibility of the European Union is at stake, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned on Monday.
“This is an unbelievable incident which has to be cleared up completely with the full force of law,” she told reporters as she arrived for a meeting with her EU counterparts in Brussels.
“This is about the credibility of Europe, so this has to trigger consequences in various areas.”
The European Parliament is due to vote this week on a proposal to extend visa-free travel to the EU for Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador.
The tension was palpable on the pitch and in the stands. Morocco’s fans chanted seer or “go ahead” in Arabic, and let out a massive cheer as their team scored.
“This is a night that I’m going to tell my children and grandchildren about,” Soufiane Megrini told me.
“Morocco made us proud. We’re proud of our team and our coach.”
Image caption, Soufiane Megrini said he was proud of his team
Soufiane told me how touched he felt at the massive Arab support for his team.
He said despite finding the Moroccan dialect difficult, some spectators from other Arab countries had wanted to take part in the chants, asking how to say the words.
“They were standing next to us… they were singing Moroccan songs,” he said.
Flags tell an important part of the Moroccan World Cup story. As I write this, the skyscraper outside my window is radiating red with a green star in the middle. But there were others alongside Morocco’s red and green: Fans carried Saudi Arabian, Iraqi, Egyptian, Palestinian, Qatari and Jordanian flags.
Thousands of fans have travelled from across the Arab world to be here in Doha. Many have told us they’ve changed their tickets every time Morocco won. Some may have to change them again to witness another historic match for their team.
Zineb Aklikm and her husband Aziz Benyahya travelled to Doha from Morocco the day before the game. They left their two-month-old baby back home.
“As a mother, I feel guilty,” Zineb said, “but I’ll tell him about tonight.
“I don’t think we actually realise what just happened. We were witnessing history.”
Image caption, Mohammed Rizki said Morocco was here to win, not just to take part
Mohammed Rizki was beaming, the fringes of his traditional Moroccan hat moving as he spoke animatedly.
“I can’t really describe it,” he said.
“It’s a mix of feelings. We’re so happy about the win and excited for what’s coming.”
This is a mammoth sporting moment for Morocco. It’s the best performance in this team’s history, but it goes well beyond football. This is a much-needed moment of collective joy and pride for a whole region and a continent.
More crucially, this is a moment that has shifted the way Arab and African teams are viewed not just in the eyes of European and South American squads, but in the eyes of their own crowds.
One of the most shared videos after the game, apart from Morocco’s team celebrating, is the one of Cristiano Ronaldo crying – as Portugal exited the tournament.
One spectator told me that this is a moment of “confidence” – to stand head to head with the giants of this game and be real contenders and a formidable force.
“What we want now is the cup,” Mohammed Rizki said.
He added: “We’re not here just to be in the competition. We’re here to win.”
Fifa expressed its sorrow over the alleged death of a migrant worker at a World Cup facility in Qatar.
The organisation says it is “deeply saddened” following the reported death of a migrant worker at a World Cup facility in Qatar.
The Filipino national fell to his death while carrying out repairs at a resort used as a training base by the Saudi Arabian team, The Athletic reported.
Football’s world governing body said it had been made aware of an accident, without giving details of the incident.
It added it was in touch with the local authorities to request more details.
“Fifa is deeply saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts and sympathies are with the worker’s family,” it said.
“Fifawill be in a position to comment further once the relevant processes in relation to the worker’s passing have been completed.”
Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers has been one of the main controversies overshadowing the build up to the World Cup.
A report by the Guardian newspaper last year said 6,500 migrant workers had died in Qatar since the country was awarded the World Cup in 2010.
That figure has been rejected by the Qatari authorities, who say there have been three work-related deaths in construction related directly to the tournament and a further 37 non work-related deaths.
World Cup officials say a number of reforms to improve the health and safety standards for migrant workers have been implemented in recent years, and that they are “committed” to making more improvements as a legacy of the tournament.
Human rights organisations and a number of football associations whose countries are involved in the tournament say they will “continue to press” Qatar and Fifa to establish a compensation fund for migrant workers and their families, as well as the establishment of a migrant worker centre in Doha.
In the final round of 16 match, Goncalo Ramos scored a sensational hat-trick to secure Portugal‘s place in the World Cup quarterfinals as Switzerland was trounced 6-1.
The 21-year-old striker for Benfica only recently made his debut for his country in November, but he took advantage of the chance presented by his unexpected call-up to score the first triple-goal haul at Qatar2022.
Morocco, who earlier in the day defeated Spain in a nail-biting penalty shootout, will be the Portuguese’s next opponent.
Spain struggled to score any of their three penalty kicks after extra time had failed to yield a goal, but Morocco scored three out of four to earn the victory.
Netherlands kicked off the knockout phase, cruising to a 3-1 victory over the United States.
Louis van Gaal’s men will face Argentina in Friday’s late game after Lionel Messi inspired the South Americans to a 2-1 win over Australia.
Olivier Giroud became France’s all-time top scorer as they overcame Poland 3-1, while England saw off Senegal 3-0 following some hairy moments in the first half to set up a clash with Les Bleus on Saturday.
Croatia booked their place in the last eight with a penalty shootout win over Japan, following a 1-1 draw.
Their reward is a quarter-final clash with Brazil, who looked majestic as they swept South Korea aside 4-1.
Qatar 2022 round of 16 results
Saturday, December 3
Netherlands 3-1 United States (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)
Argentina 2-1 Australia (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
Sunday, December 4
France 3-1 Poland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha)
England 3-0 Senegal (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor)
Monday, December 5
Japan 1-1 Croatia (Croatia won 3-1 on penalties, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Brazil 4-1 South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)
Tuesday, December 6
Morocco 0-0 Spain (Morocco won 3-0 on penalties, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan)
Portugal 6-1 Switzerland (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail)
Quarter-final draw
Friday, December 9
Croatia vs Brazil (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, 3pm, BBC)
Netherlands vs Argentina (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail,7pm, BBC)
Saturday, December 10
Morocco vs Portugal (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, 3pm, ITV1)
England vs France (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, 7pm, ITV1)
Semi-finals: Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14
Editor of the Custodian Newspaper, Awudu Mahama, has criticized Ministers who travelled to Qatar for the World Cup, rather than staying in the country to review the 2023 budget.
According to him, these ministers should have been in the country taking notes and addressing specific sector budgetary issues raised by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
“I have serious issues with ministers who went to the World Cup. After the budget has been read, we expect every minister to come and take notes on their sectors as addressed in the budget. But instead of being there to take notes and review the budget, these ministers go to the World Cup, especially at a time where Ghanaians are agitated and the economy is in bad shape,” he told Samuel Eshun during the Editors’ Take Discussion on the Happy Morning Show.
Awudu Mahama was peeved these Ministers ignored the tension within the majority caucus to go watch the World Cup. “I wasn’t happy when ministers after the budget was read went to the World Cup, especially with the tension amongst the majority caucus. So, if a minister, you stay away from the budget, do you expect the MP who is already agitated to take your actions lightly?”
On Thursday, November 24, the embattled Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta presented the government’s economic programme to Parliament for the 2023 fiscal year.
Amongst the highlights of the budget were the revision of the E-levy from the current 1.5% to 1%, plus an increment of the VAT rate from 12.5% to 15%.
After the budget presentation, some ministers and MPs travelled to watch the tournament rather than deliberate the 2023 budget.
Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Prof Kofi Agyekum, popularly known as Opanyin Agyekum, has bemoaned the absence of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) during the debate on the 2023 Budget and Economic Statement in the House.
According to him, the travel by the NPP MPs to Qatar for the World Cup at the expense of the budget debate show their lack of respect for Ghanaians and their constituents who voted for them.
Speaking in a Peace FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, Opanyin Agyekum added that the failure of the NPP MPs to appear for the 2023 budget debate will certainly affect the fortunes of the party in the upcoming elections.
“… If Kufuor was not alive, he will be rolling in his tomb when he sees that NPP MPs are boycotting the budget debate for their own government. I didn’t understand this, it makes no sense that a party in government will boycott the debate of its own budget.
“It would have been okay if the opposition MPs were the ones who were absent but they were even more the MPs of the government in power. They (the NPP MPs) are destroying the party because of one man, Ofori-Atta.
“These are the things that lead parties to opposition. These are the things that discourage people from voting for you. They will not vote for the NDC (National Democratic Congress). If I vote for you and this is how you’re going to behave why won’t I sleep,” he said in Twi.
The minority caucus in Parliament expressed concern on Tuesday (October 29) about the absence of members from the majority side from the House.
The concern was anchored on the premise that the debate on the 2023 budget, as presented by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was expected to start with a race to pass the Appropriation Bill in time.
Though no official reason was given for the mass absence of the majority members, GhanaWeb checks show that some of the majority Members of Parliament (MPs) were out of the jurisdiction.
At least three of them were spotted in Qatar, where the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing.
One of the MPs who has been in Qatar for the past two weeks is Mustapha Ussif of Yagaba-Kubori, who doubles as Minister of Youth and Sports.
Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, was also spotted in Qatar, according to social media posts.
Minister of Energy and Manhyia South MP, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was also in Qatar cheering on the Black Stars.
Patrick Yaw Boamah, Okaikwei Central MP was also in Qatar, where he shared photos of himself on the streets and at the stadium supporting Otto Addo and his charges.
It was a night of disappointment for Senegalat the World Cup in Qatar on Sunday after they lost 3-0 to England at the knockout stage.
The Teranga Lions were without their key players which proved to be a blow to them as the England midfield dominated play.
England will meet France in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
In a tweet, Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance at the tournament.
He said: “Dear Lions, You have not failed. And you played without Sadio [Mane], [Cheikhou] Kouyate and [Idrissa] Gana. You are among the top 16 teams in the world and England were a strong opponent.”
Talisman Sadio Mane expressed similar sentiments on Twitter.
“The people are very proud of your journey which has warmed the hearts of the supporters, defending the national flag with dignity.”
He added: “The learning continues. We will go in search of other trophies.”
The MP claimed in a tweet that the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in their final World Cup group match in Qatar in 2022 proves they require a qualified coach.
“Four lessons learned from this defeat; We need an experienced coach.
Parts of the MP’s tweet read, “The GFA Executives need to quit meddling in team selection.
The MP, however, indicated that Ghanaians can find some solace in the fact that Uruguay has also exited the tournament.
“Even if we lost, we are going home with Uruguay,” Sam George said.
The Black Stars were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing by 2-0 to Uruguay in their final match of the group stages.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay were not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.
The Black Stars had a slow start in the game as Uruguay was on fire from the blast of the whistle.
However, Ghana’s first chance in the game which fell to Jordan Ayew nearly saw him score but Sergio Rochet pulled a good save which saw Kudus go in for a rebound.
Ghanaian fans were captured celebrating in Qatar despite the Black Stars’ loss to Uruguay in the final Group H fixture at the Al Janoub Stadium in Doha on December 2, 2022.
Ghana lost but opponents Uruguay, led by Luis Suarez, also crashed out on goals scored after finishing with four points apiece with South Korea.
In a video shared by Isaac Fanin, a BBC journalist covering the tournament, a pool of Ghanaians are captured dancing to a popular song titled, African Girls, by late musician Castro featuring former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan.
Hundreds of the fans are seen singing along as the song is blasted on loud speakers as they dance ostensibly to celebrate Uruguay’s exit despite having inflicted a similar fate on Ghana.
He captioned the video thus: “This is absolutely top tier pettiness from Ghanaians! A DJ is playing Asamaoh Gyan’smusic whilst Ghanaians party at Uruguay’s expense! Baby jet is here. Imagine if Ghana had won.”
Gyan in 2010 missed a crucial penalty after Suarez handled a goal-bound effort. Uruguay went on to win the game on penalties denying Ghana a place in the semi finals.
Match Report: Uruguay vs. Ghana
The Black Stars of Ghana had one task going into their final Group H fixture at the 2022 World Cup.
Win at all costs, worse case draw against Uruguay and secure passage into the Round-of-16 stage of the competition.
The match was, however, settled with three major incidents in the first half. A penalty miss by Black Stars skipper Andre Dede Ayew, when the score was goalless.
Then Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s two goals for Uruguay which came in quick sucession, consigned the Black Stars to a second World Cup defeat against the South Americans who broke hearts of Africans in 2010.
Their 2 – 0 victory over the Black Stars was, however, not enough to get them through to the next round of the tournament as South Korea beat Portugal 2-1.
With Uruguay in dire need of a third goal to progress to the next round of the World Cup, Suarez was reduced to tears as efforts to score another goal proved futile.
Portugal and South Korea advanced from Group H as Uruguay and Ghana exited the tournament after finished 3rd and 4th respectively.
This is absolutely top tier pettiness from Ghanaian’s! A DJ is playing Asamaoh Gyan’s music whilst Ghanaians party at Uruguay’s expense! Baby jet is here. Imagine if Ghana had won 😂 pic.twitter.com/Rjg3wyAsP2
After winning one of their three games, Ghana was eliminated from the Group G tournament.
The Black Stars of Ghana needed at least a draw to advance to the round of 16 after falling to Portugal in their opening match and earning all three points against South Korea.
The team’s final game was against Uruguay, where they were defeated two goals to nil.
The GFA while expressing gratitude to the Ghanaian populace and other groups for their support apologised for the team’s failure to progress out of the group stage.
“The Ghana Football Association is extremely grateful to the government,
the Ghanaian people, the football family, Corporate Ghana, our esteemed sponsors and supporters for their unflinching, unwavering and unalloyed
support during the Black Stars FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 campaign,” part of GFA’s statement read.
“We regret our inability to progress to the knockout phase of the competition and offer our profound apologies to the government, the people of Ghana and all stakeholders across the globe,” the GFA said.
According to the GFA, it has gathered valuable lessons from the team’s qualification and participation in the global showpiece and will communicate further developments in due course.
“We believe that valuable lessons have been learnt from our qualification and participation in the tournament and aim to continue with the positives going into the future.”
“The Ghana Football Association would in due course inform all stakeholders about any further developments concerning the Black Stars,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Head Coach of the Black Stars, Otto Addo, has announced his decision to resign from the position.
“Me & my family are happy in Germany. I said I would step down after the World Cup even if we’re world champions after the tournament. I’ve resigned from my role as Ghana coach,” Otto Addo told the press in his post-match interview.
That is the age-old World Cupquestion for Germany, who crashed out as Japan beat Spain thanks to an opinion-dividing winner that left many scratching their heads.
Kaoru Mitoma’s cutback for Ao Tanaka’s tap-in happened just after the ball looked to have crossed the byeline.
Even after cropping and zooming it looked incredibly close. Eventually it was ruled that the ball had not fully crossed the line.
In other words, if you drew an imaginary line upwards at 90 degrees from the far edge of the whitewash, it would have still passed through the curve of the ball – albeit only just – even though the part of the ball that touched the ground had fully crossed the line.
The goal was initially ruled out by the assistant referee after a long pause, then the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened and ultimately Japan’s lead would stand – and they would go on to win.
“I have seen a photo that must have been tampered with, it cannot be that this photo is real. It has to be manipulated,” said Spain boss Luis Enrique.
“I felt that something fishy was going on when the VAR took as much time as it did to decide… I have nothing to say.
“Luckily, the team only goes into collapse mode once every four years, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to cope.”
The controversy evoked memories of Frank Lampard’s “ghost goal” against Germany in 2010, when England went out in the last 16, and – no doubt for German fans of a certain vintage – of 1966 and Geoff Hurst’s extra-time effort when England won the World Cup.
In Qatar, those three points for Japan meant Germany were out, the four-time winners falling at the group stage for a second consecutive tournament.
It was just one moment on a World Cup night full of spinetingling drama.
A rollercoaster night in Group E
It was a frantic and thrilling Thursday night which began with Belgium, the side ranked second in the world, being eliminated by a goalless draw with Croatia in Group F.
And halfway through the second half of the late games, both Germany and 2010 winners Spain were set for an early exit.
At the break Germany had a comfortable 1-0 lead over Costa Rica, with Spain also winning 1-0 as both European sides seemed to be cruising into the last 16.
Then the drama unfolded. Japan levelled against Spain four minutes into the second period.
Then, incredibly, 142 seconds later they were in front. Japan and Spain, despite trailing, were heading through. With just under 40 minutes to go Germany and Costa Rica were going out.
“The Japan fans around me can barely believe their eyes,” said BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan. “An incredible turnaround from their team, with the added drama of a long VAR delay.”
“Japan are a completely different animal,” added former England defender Matthew Upson.
Defeat for Spain wasn’t a disaster, unless Costa Rica – then 1-0 down to Germany – took the lead.
But Costa Rica equalised in the 58th minute, and after 70 minutes they were ahead. At 2-1 Costa Rica were suddenly set to advance with Japan at Spain’s expense.
However, that lead lasted for only three minutes before Kai Havertz levelled for Germany.
For three second-half minutes Costa Rica were heading through and Spain were going out
“Germany desperately needed that,” said BBC Radio 5 Live’s Connor McNamara. “It may not be enough for them but it could save Spain.”
“It’s hard to keep up with what is happening at the moment,” added Bevan. “There were huge roars here from the Japan fans when the big screen flashed up what the group looked like with Costa Rica winning… but then seconds later the Spain fans to my right celebrated wildly after hearing that Germany had equalised.”
‘The tension is unbearable’
Germany would hit two further goals to win 4-2. But, as long as Japan held on to all three points against Spain, the champions in 2014 would go out.
“The tension is unbearable,” chuckled Upson.
Spain kept on coming but Japan, dodgy goal or not, survived until full-time, winning 2-1. They and Spain, despite their defeat, reached the last 16. Germany and Costa Rica were out.
Spain boss Enrique said he was not aware his side were on course to head out of the tournament when Costa Rica led Germany.
“If I had found out, I would have had a heart attack,” he confessed.
For Germany forward Thomas Muller, the night had turned into an “absolute catastrophe”.
“It is unbelievably bitter for us because our result would have been enough,” he added. “It’s a feeling of powerlessness.”
Team-mate Havertz, meanwhile, said it was “like watching a horror movie”.
“For the second tournament in a row, Germany go out in the group stages,” added McNamara. “One of the really big guns, one of the four-time winners of the World Cup, they are out of Qatar 2022. It’s one of those nights where it just hasn’t been enough.”
“Incredible doesn’t do it justice,” said BBC Radio 5 Live chief football reporter Ian Dennis. “The drama fluctuated throughout the course of the second half.
“We’ve had a game that was the football equivalent of snakes and ladders.”
However, former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley summed it up best – simply saying: “It was chaos.”
Many have termed the team’s final Group H game as a ‘revenge’ match against Uruguay who shattered Ghana’s dream of progressing to the semi-final stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Fancy Gadam on Friday published a photo that captured him at the airport. The singer has predicted a win for his country and called for prayers ahead of the game.
His tweet dated December 1 read: “Ghana plays against Uruguay Tomorrow. Taking the next flight to Qatar to support my beloved country! Remember Ghana is winning by a lone Goal to Nil. This is a must win for us. Say a prayer.”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s coach, Otto Addo has stated that Senegal and Morocco’s qualification to the next stage of the FIFA World Cup has motivated the Black Stars.
Speaking at the pre-match presser on Thursday, Otto Addo said, “I’m happy to see our African brothers qualifying to the next stage of the tournament. We don’t have a lot of representation like the other continents like Europe which have about 15 representations; our number is five so our probability to qualify is low. We take motivation from that and I hope we can have about 3 countries into the next stage. It won’t be easy but we know the importance of the match against Uruguay.”
Check out the post below:
Ghana 🇬🇭 plays against Uruguay 🇺🇾 Tomorrow. Taking the next flight to Qatar 🇶🇦 to support my beloved country ! Remember Ghana is wining by a lone Goal 🥅 to Nil. This is a must win for us . Say a prayer 🤲 🏈 pic.twitter.com/lBoP0bg5KM
One of the star athletes at the World Cup in Qatar has been Mohammed Kudus.
Anyone who has watched the 22-year-development old’s at Ajax and his Eredivisie season will not have been surprised by his performances for Ghana.
Kudus has established himself as one of football’s most sought-after attackers after excelling for both club and nation.
We put the Black Stars’ talented prodigy in the limelight as they attempt to secure their spot in the tournament’s last-16 in a crucial match against Uruguay.
World Cup versatility
Kudus’ performances in Ghana’s first two World Cup games served as ideal illustrations of his versatility.
He played central midfield in the 3-2 loss against Portugaland sent a risky ball into the penalty area, where Andre Ayew was able to score.
Kudus was then utilized on the right side of Ghana’s attack in the triumph over South Korea when manager Otto Addo changed to a 4-2-3-1 system and scored twice.
He gave his team an early 2-0 lead with a superb header before giving them the lead back with a composed left-footed effort after the Koreans had rallied for an equalizer.
Those goals took his tally at international level to seven in 20 appearances, which suggests that as good as Kudus is in a deeper position, his future with Ghana is likely to be further forward.
Mohammed Kudus’ touch map shows his versatility in Ghana’s World Cup campaign
Striking performances
Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder certainly seems to think that the talents of Kudus are best used in attacking areas.
Schreuder has been using him as a false nine after two injury-plagued seasons under former manager Erik ten Hag, and he has responded with 10 goals in 21 appearances.
Six matches from the Champions League account for four of those. His goal against Liverpool at Anfield in particular stood out, with Kudus unleashing a powerful finish that rebounded off the crossbar.
The rising star is accustomed to this position because he filled it during his final year with Danish club Nordsjaelland, where he scored 11 Superliga goals and caught the eye of the Dutch powerhouses.
However, the 5-foot-9 player is rumored to like playing in the middle of the field, and Thiago Alcantara was his childhood hero.
Transfer talk
Europe’s biggest clubs do not seem put off by the debate over his positional future.
Before transforming his options with his performances for club and country, Kudus came close to making a summer transfer to Everton, even refusing to train to try and force through a move.
With no disrespect to the Merseysiders, it would appear that any chance that they had of signing him has come and gone.
Just about every major Premier League club have been linked with a move for Kudus since the World Cup started.
So too have the cream of Europe. With Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid all said to be monitoring the player, Kudus truly has the world at his feet.
Ajax ace Mohammed Kudus is a wanted man
Future roles
The fact that Kudus has already proved his ability to play in deep or attacking midfield roles, along with on the wing and as a striker just makes an eventual transfer more inevitable.
His many talents mean that any suitors do not have to worry too much about where they will utilise him, as he can seemingly play anywhere.
The player himself is likely to be more discerning and choose a club where he will be used in a settled role, rather than as a solution to multiple problems.
Ajax have a rich history of using creative midfielders as a No9 and it makes sense for Ghana to use him in a position where he can provide a cutting edge.
With his finishing ability, pace, skill and strength, Kudus has everything needed to be a top forward but his ability off the ball, both going forward and back, are also perfect for a midfielder.
For all the speculation regarding where Kudus will end up playing, it appears certain that it will be at an extremely high level.
Roberto Martinez stated he would resign as the nation’s head coach after Belgium‘s 2022 World Cup group stage elimination on Thursday.
The Red Devils were eliminated from the World Cup after a scoreless tie with Croatia at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, despite the fact that they were in need of a victory.
In his post-game interview, the Spaniard made an official announcement of his departure.
“This was my last game as national coach. I said goodbye to the players and staff,” Martinez said.
The third-placed team from the 2018 World Cupbegan their campaign with a valiant 1-0 victory against Canada before falling to Morocco. They needed a victory over the winners of the 2018 Russian Cup to advance, but they blew their chances.
“Today we were ourselves again. It is never easy to win a match at a World Cup. In that first match against Canada, we won, but we weren’t ourselves. We deservedly lost the second match against Morocco. We weren’t ready,” the 49-year-old added.
Despite 15 shots at goal, Belgium was unable to break through against the Croats. Notably, Lukaku blew three good opportunities.
Martinez stated that despite being one of the favorites to win the championship, they are leaving the international competition proud with what they have accomplished.
“Today we created a lot of chances, so no, I have no regrets. We can leave the World Cup with our heads held high.”
According to Neymar’s father, the Brazilian superstar will be “back to his best” in time for the World Cup championship game.
After defeating Switzerland and Serbia in their opening two games in Qatar, the Selecao has already advanced to the round of 16 and only needs a point to take top place in their group.
Neymar was forced to sit out until the knockout rounds due to an ankle injury he sustained during the matchday one triumph over Serbia.
Despite Neymar’s uncertain return date, Brazil are still among the favorites to win the competition.
The forward, though, will reportedly return in plenty of time for the World Cup final, provided Brazil advances that far. He is just two goals shy from tying Pele’s record total of 77 goals for Brazil.
The most crucial factor is that he can return to the field and perform at his top, Neymar Sr remarked in an interview with talkSPORT through an interpreter.
“When he was injured before and he came back again he was at his best. He will do his best.
“Everyone knows Neymar is very important, a great influence on the field and [on] all his colleagues. When Neymar is on the field it’s totally different because he’s number one. We know Neymar’s importance to the group.
“I believe Neymar will be in the field again in the final match and he’ll do his best to win the World Cup together with his colleagues in the Brazilian team.
“He’ll do his best to help them and together win the competition.”
Brazil face Cameroon in their final group game. They will meet the still undecided Group H runners-up if they do finish top.
The Selecao are aiming to win the tournament for the first time since 2002.
King Promise is living the good life in Qatar, having been spotted hanging out with football legends.
In a post the musician shared on his various social media handles, he was captured sharing a meal with three of Chelsea’s top players from back in the day, John Terry, Didier Drogba, and Marcel Desailly.
“Breakfast In Qatar with Chelsea GREATS! @didierdrogba @JohnTerry26 @marceldesailly,” he shared on Twitter along with love and star emojis.
The ‘Ginger’ artiste could not hide his excitement while he stood amid greatness donning a black graphic sleeveless shirt and amber pants.
After taking a group picture, King Promise took turns with the former Chelsea players to get singles with each one of them.
From the smiles on the artiste’s face, one needn’t ask if it was one of the best days of his life while the Black Stars prepare to play Uruguay in their next game tomorrow, December 2, 2022.
Tunisianfans celebrate their surprise 1-0 win over France, but it isn’t enough to prevent them leaving the World Cup without progressing from Group D.
Wahbi Khazi’s goal was the difference between the two sides, but with Australia beating Denmark 1-0 in the other game, it is France and Australia who progress.
But in stoppage time, the Tunisians on the sidelines were more interested in the other Group D game, crowding around a TV screen on the bench hoping Denmark would be able to score against Australia — a circumstance that would have lifted Tunisia into second place and also into the round of 16 in Qatar.
“We were praying for a Denmark goal but it never game,” Khazri said. “But that’s the thing with soccer, you should only count on yourself. We didn’t do enough in the first two games, otherwise we’d be through.”
The Tunisian fans are still hopeful, their energy is refilled.
France ended up winning the group with six points, ahead of Australia on goal difference. Tunisia finished with four points in third place. Denmark, which lost to Australia 1-0, ended up in last place with one point.
Meanwhile, the French soccer federation is filing a complaint with FIFA over Antoine Griezmann’s disallowed goal at the end of their loss to Tunisia.
Griezmann was in an offside position when a cross came over but then retreated and appeared to be played back despite the referee having blown the whistle to terminate the game.
Tata Martino acknowledged that Mexico’s World Cup performance was a “major failure” and that his contract had expired, with little chance of him taking over again.
Martino has not been a very well-liked El Tri coach, and his reputation took a hit on Wednesday when his team was eliminated from Qatar 2022’s group stage.
Mexico came agonizingly close to advancing through the round of 16 for the eighth consecutive World Cup before being eliminated on goal differential behind Poland in Group C.
Mexico and Poland are level on points, goal differential, and goals scored after Mexico and Saudi Arabia drew their head-to-head match at Lusail Stadium. Henry Martin and Luis Chavez scored goals in the second half against Saudi Arabia.
Salem Al Dawsari of Saudi Arabia scored a goal in stoppage time to prevent Mexico from being eliminated when Poland’s game versus Argentina was over due to a poor fair play record.
Ultimately, Martino’s team was too late to mount a comeback, and much of the criticism was leveled at the coach, whose name had been booed before to the game.
Told of his status as a “villain” in Mexico, Martino replied: “I can’t tell you anything abut people’s opinions.
“I am the main [person] responsible for the frustrations we have. I’m responsible and it’s a source of great sadness.
“I assume all the responsibility of this huge failure. It’s been eight World Cups this hasn’t happened.”
“Today, we looked for the third goal when we realized it was necessary based on 🇵🇱’s result. We knew that the yellow cards would keep us out.”
Martino’s contract was to expire after the World Cup, and he continued: “I have no reasons at the moment to think the future should be different. The contract expired with the final whistle and there is nothing else to do.”
Chavez was asked for his opinion later in the news conference and added: “We are the players, we assume full responsibility.
“I would say in the second match [against Argentina] we didn’t fully understand what he [Martino] wanted to see on the pitch.
“We defended well for some time but didn’t create enough chances.”
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard accepted his side did not deserve to advance with their performance against Mexico.
However, he sought instead to focus on their campaign as a whole – including the shock opening win over Argentina.
“Congratulations to the players. We did our best,” he said. “Today it was more difficult for us, but we don’t have to forget what we did together. I will always protect them. I’m proud of their World Cup.”
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