FIFA on Friday announced it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Argentina for “offensive behaviour” during their World Cup final triumph over France last month.
The South Americans downed holders France on penalties in Qatar after a dramatic 3-3 draw.
A member of Oman’s parliament, Ahmed Al Barwani, has offered Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi $1 million (Watch Video Here) for the bisht which the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, gifted him following his team’s victory over France at the finals on Sunday in Doha. (Watch Video Here)
The bisht is an Arabic robe traditionally worn for special or ceremonial occasions such as Weddings or religious festivals.
The Qatar Emir decorated the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner with the bisht as he was about to lift the coveted trophy. (Watch Video Here)
Making his offer in a Twitter post Al Barwani, who is also a lawyer wrote, “My friend Messi, I congratulate you on winning the World Cup. (the Emir of Qatar) dazzled me as he placed a bisht, a symbol of magnanimity and wisdom, over your shoulders. (Watch Video Here)
“I’m offering you a million dollars to give me that bisht,” he further said.
Argentina dethroned France as world champions following 4-2 victory on penalties after 3-3 draw in a dramatic 120 minutes of football that saw Mbappe score a hat-trick while Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi scored a brace for Argentina, with Angel Di Maria scoring the other goal for the South American champions
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on Friday accused (Watch Video Here) Argentine players of being “inelegant winners” and “vulgar” for mocking her country’s star Kylian Mbappe after winning the World Cup final. (Watch Video Here)
“As much as our French team knew how to lose with panache, so the manner in which this Argentine team acted after this victory was not worthy of the match we saw”, the minister told French radio station RTL. (Watch Video Here)
Oudea-Castera singled out goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was seen in the victory parade in Buenos Aires holding a baby doll, its face covered with a photo of French star Mbappe. (Watch Video Here)
Immediately after the match, a call for “a minute of silence… for Mbappe,” was heard from Argentina’s changing room. (Watch Video Here)
Mbappe scored a hat-trick as France twice fought back to take the game to a penalty shootout and then beat Martinez with the opening spot kick. (Watch Video Here)
“I find it pitiful,” said Oudea-Castera.
“It’s just vulgar, inappropriate, really not up to the occasion,” she said.
“This Emiliano Martinez is not distinguishing himself. It is rather pathetic”. (Watch Video Here)
The minister said she was pleased that the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Noel Le Graet had written to his Argentine counterpart to complain of “abnormal excesses” in the celebrations.
The FFF has also said it intends to file complaints against French fans who posted racist comments on social media after Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed in the shootout and Kolo Muani squandered a chance late in extra time.
Lionel Messi will celebrate his World Cup triumph by agreeing to stay at Paris Saint-Germain, local media claimed Wednesday, as he attempts to steer the French side to an elusive Champions League title.
The 35-year-old, who led Argentina to victory in the World Cup final against France in Qatar last weekend, will pen a one-season extension to his current deal in the French capital which expires in the summer.
Le Parisian and RMC Sport reported that Messi will sit down with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and other top club officials when he returns after his World Cup break.
Messi joined PSG in 2021 on a two-season deal with an option for another year after having spent his entire professional career with Barcelona.
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Patrice Motsepe believes the Super Eagles have the potential to win the World Cup.
Nigeria have qualified for the World Cup six times with their best performance at the competition coming in 1994, 1998, and 2002 when the team reached the second round of the global football showpiece.
Despite not qualifying for the recently concluded edition in Qatar, the Confederation of African Football president is optimistic the three-time African champions can win the title.
“I am absolutely confident [because of] the talent, God-given skills, and history of Nigerian football. Nigeria is one of those countries that have the potential – not just to go to the semi-final, not just to go to the final, but to win the World Cup,” he told Channels Television.
The Super Eagles line up against Sao Tome and Principe. Twitter@Randa Andrew
To make this happen, the South African business tycoon says CAF has several programmes for its member countries.
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“To focus on youth football development, football facilities for boys and girls, amateur football, football development at club level, training coaches and training the trainers, the development of referees and very importantly, to make sure that we work together with the football federation in Nigeria so that they can continue the leadership that they have provided for many years,” Motseppe added.
“We are confident that Nigerian football will continue to be not just amongst the best in Africa but in the world and will make us proud as it has on so many occasions in the past. Our plan is to see Nigeria in the next World Cup.”
His comment came days after Morocco became the first African team (after only four teams from the continent have reached the quarter-final) to reach the semi-final of the quadrennial competition, a feat the billionaire said has opened the floodgate for the continent.
“Morocco opened the door by reaching the semi-finals this month and I am confident an African nation will go further at the next World Cup,” the chief said.
“The main objective of CAF (Confederation of African Football) is for an African nation to win the World Cup and that goal is within reach.”
When the World Cup returns in 2026, there will be nine or 10 African nations for an expanded 48-team championship in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — up from five in Qatar
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The bank also denied reports that it wants to close some deposit money banks in Nigeria over their inability to dispense new naira notes amid a cash crunch in the…
The increasingly contentious former FIFA head, Sepp Blatter, has gone public to vociferously denounce Gianni Infantino’s plans for a 48-team World Cup and an enlarged Club World Cup.
In an interview with the German weekly Die Zeit on Wednesday, Blatter said: “What is happening at the moment is an over-commercialization of the game. There are attempts to squeeze more and more out of the lemon. For example, with World Cup having 48 teams, or now with a Club World Cup that must be viewed as direct competition to the Champions League. FIFA is encroaching here on something that is actually none of its business, club football,” he was quoted as saying.
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The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will be the first 48-nation tournament, meeting Infantino’s election pledge of a bigger and more inclusive World Cup going beyond European and South American teams. This year’s version in Qatar featured 32 teams.
Earlier this month, Infantino called for a 32-team men’s Club World Cup in 2025.
Blatter announced in June 2015 that he would resign early as FIFA president in the fallout from a sprawling corruption investigation. He has long denied wrongdoing, saying in Wednesday’s interview: “I have never taken money that I did not earn, that’s why nothing on me could ever be proven in proceedings against me. And that will remain the case.”
Infantino, a fellow Swiss, succeeded Blatter in 2016. Blatter told Die Zeit that he has “no relation with Infantino” and that the current president “behaved disrespectfully because he has refused any contact with me since his election.” Blatter added, “He only communicates with me via lawyers.”
Blatter claimed that he had repeatedly “tried to control the business,” for example in attempting to limit transfers of talented South American or African players to Europe. An attempt to introduce a pay cap for players also failed. Blatter said: “We did not manage to protect football from economic and political influence. I really tried to always serve football. If in doing so I damaged it, then I am sorry.”
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Buhari, according to a statement issued on Saturday night by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, will unveil the equipment at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Messi’s fans went on a bid to make his photograph the most liked picture on Instagram
Remember the picture of a brown egg that became the most liked photo on Instagram in 2019? Argentinian football team captain, Lionel Messi, just broke the record, as his photograph lifting the World Cup trophy became the top liked post on Instagram today.
On Tuesday morning, Messi’s fans went on a bid to make his photograph the most liked picture on the social media platform, just two days after his team won the FIFA World Cup 2022 finals in Qatar.
Many fans took to Instagram and Twitter to say that they were “unliking” the picture of the egg to make their sport idol win.
On Tuesday morning, the Guinness World Records, on their official Twitter account (@GWR) shared a meme with the caption: “Us watching the amount of likes on Messi’s recent Instagram post against the world record egg’s current record.”
The record was previously held by the ‘photo of an egg’, which had garnered over 56 million likes after it was posted on Instagram on January 4, 2019, to beat the number of likes on Kylie Jenner’s post.
Messi, who reached 400 million followers on Instagram on December 20, now has over 60 million likes on his picture. His fans celebrated with memes and reposted his picture on their social media accounts, congratulating him.
Messi finished the World Cup with seven goals, one behind tournament’s top scorer Kylian Mbappe, and three assists. He was honoured with the Golden Ball for his performance.
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France footballers Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni were subjected to abhorrent online racist abuse after their failed attempts to convert penalties during Sunday’s World Cup final defeat against champions Argentina, according to the BBC’s Monday report.
Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez heroically denied Coman’s penalty kick, while Tchouameni’s shot flew wide, as La Albiceleste captured their first world title in 34 years, and their third overall.
Coman’s club Bayern Munich have taken a strong stance against racism, posting a powerful message of solidarity and support for the 26-year-old, unequivocally condemning the unfair racist comments made toward him.
“The FC Bayern family is behind you, King. Racism has no place in sport or our society,” they said on Twitter.
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The incident follows the same racist abuses directed at England players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after their Euro 2020 final defeat against Italy last year.
All three players endured scathing criticism on social media after failing to convert their penalties in the shootout, causing their team’s ultimate defeat.
Social media has been abuzz with support for the two French players, with many people feeling that they are being treated unjustly
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During the monitoring exercise, Jerry cans containing hoarded petrol were impounded in some fuel stations with the task force cautioning against such acts.
Germany could be a force to reckon with in the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament, being held on their home turf, despite the disappointment of an early group stage exit at the Qatar World Cup but coaching legend Arsene Wenger believes they are in desperate need of a top caliber striker if they are to be competitive.
Wenger, the longtime Arsenal manager who is now global director for development at the ruling body FIFA and also chaired over is Qatar World Cup technical study group, told publishers RND that Germany should be among the favourites for the continental event.
“The team still needs a little time to get back to the top, but it will certainly be one of the favorites again at the 2024 European Championship at home,” Wenger said.
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“Because of the euphoria surrounding the team, and also because they have world-class players, especially in midfield and on the wings.”
Wenger remarked that it was certainly not happenstance that Germany had numerous clear cut chances to find the back of the net during the Qatar tournament’s group phase, but that they need to refine their proficiency in the final third.
According to Wenger, there is a systemic issue in the Bundesliga; he believes that there is a dearth of world-class strikers in the league, as the most prolific scorers tend to be from outside the country.
“In the past, every German club had a top striker within their ranks, now FC Bayern has Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Borussia Dortmund has Sebastien Haller and Anthony Modeste, Borussia Monchengladbach has Marcus Thuram, at Bayer Leverkusen Patrick Schick provides the goals and so on,” Wenger said.
Germany’s only proper striker in Qatar was Werder Bremen’s Niklas Fullkrug who had never been called up before. He scored the winner in a tuneup game against Oman and two goals coming off the bench at the World Cup.
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The victorious Argentine national team, accompanied by their illustrious captain Lionel Messi, arrived back in their homeland at the Ezeiza international airport in Buenos Aires in the early hours of Tuesday to a rapturous welcome, after having clinched the World Cup title on foreign soil.
Having beaten France in Sunday’s thrilling final, the players will now spend the night at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) training complex near the Ezeiza airport where they arrived in Buenos Aires and where thousands of supporters were waiting to greet them.
They will then begin a tour of the Buenos Aires city center from midday on Tuesday with millions expected out in the streets on what is a public holiday.
“Crowned with glory,” read a banner on a newspaper kiosk in Buenos Aires on Monday, while Clarin and La Prensa dailies both sent a huge “Thank you” to Messi and his teammates for winning the country’s third world title, and first in 36 years.
Argentina won the final in Qatar 4-2 on penalties after a rollercoaster 3-3 draw over 120 minutes of unparalleled drama.
Messi, who scored twice in the final, was the first player to emerge from the plane, holding the World Cup aloft, with coach Lionel Scaloni right behind him.
Forward Julian Alvarez, a revelation in Qatar with his four goals, was one of the next players to emerge.
A picture of Messi was emblazoned on the plane’s tail with the words: “one team, one country, one dream” on its side.
The players made their way from the plane along a red carpet straight to an open-top bus as their World Cup theme song “Muchachos” by ska band La Mosca blared out.
Better than 86 Excitement had been brewing since the party that began after Sunday’s final ahead of the players’ arrival.
“I’m going to greet them at the airport. Now that they have been crowned we have to greet them and thank them,” Jose Luis Quinoga, 56, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) at the Obelisk memorial in central Buenos Aires, where the night before more than a million people celebrated.
A private reception at a VIP suite in the airport had been arranged to greet the returning players and the AFA said they will celebrate with fans at the Obelisk on Tuesday.
“I will leave work and the first thing I will do is come here,” Julieta Rosel, 23, told AFP at the monument.
Messi finally crowned his record-breaking career with football’s biggest prize as he produced one of the greatest World Cup final performances, scoring a first-half penalty and netting again in extra time.
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In doing so he emulated his predecessor as Argentina’s idol, Diego Maradona who inspired the country to their second world title with a series of match-winning displays at Mexico 1986.
“I remember ’86 but this victory yesterday was much more emotional and much more stressful,” architect Ricardo Grunfeld, 65, told AFP.
“I don’t know if there’s any difference with ’86 but this comes at a good time,” added Zulema Guereri, 80.
Argentina had led 2-0 with 10 minutes of normal time left and 3-2 with only two minutes of extra time to go but Kylian Mbappe completed only the second World Cup final hat trick in history to take the gripping final to penalties, before Gonzalo Montiel swept home the decisive spot kick.
Despite the huge numbers of revelers during Sunday’s festivities “people acted in a very positive way,” a spokesperson for the municipality said.
Fewer than 20 people were arrested for isolated incidents of violence or theft.
It warms the heart France’s beaten players were given a rousing reception by fans in central Paris on Monday after their return from Qatar.
They appeared on the balcony of the Crillon Hotel overlooking the Place de la Concorde.
“Frankly, it’s magnificent, it warms the heart, it’s a great pleasure to see that we were able to make so many French people proud and happy,” forward Marcus Thuram told TF1 TV.
They landed at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport just before 8 p.m. (7 p.m. GMT) where a caravan of coaches took them straight to the center of Paris.
Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris told TF1 that it was a chance to “greet them (the fans), to thank them for their support and, after yesterday’s pain, to seek their consolation.”
Football’s world governing body FIFA said the cumulative stadium attendance was 3.4 million spectators and that more than a million visitors traveled to Qatar to watch the matches.
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Gary Lineker and Pablo Zabaleta were astounded by the sight of Lionel Messi, resplendent in a sheer black robe, triumphantly hoisting the World Cup aloft.
Argentina captain Messi scored twice in the dramatic 3-3 draw with France before his side triumphed on penalties to finally win football’s ultimate prize at age 35.
At the trophy presentation, he was offered a bisht, a traditional Arab cloak, to wear by the emir of Qatar.
Messi allowed the emir to place the robe around his shoulders before taking the trophy from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and lifting it in front of his ecstatic teammates.
BBC presenter Lineker felt the decision spoiled what should have been a “magic moment.”
The former England striker said: “This is a magic moment. It seems a shame that they’ve covered up Messi in his Argentina shirt.”
Ex-Argentina defender Zabaleta agreed, saying on BBC One: “Just why? No reason to do that.”
FIFA has been asked to comment by the PA news agency.
The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, wrote on Twitter: “I congratulate the Argentine national team for winning the Qatar World Cup 2022, and the French national team … and I thank all the teams for their outstanding play, and the fans who enthusiastically encouraged them.
“In conclusion, we have fulfilled our promise to organize an exceptional championship from the Arab countries, which provided an opportunity for the peoples of the world to learn about the richness of our culture and the originality of our values.”
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Dr. Mustafa Baig, a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter, told PA that the bisht is a formal robe worn by royalty, dignitaries, grooms on their wedding day and graduates at graduation ceremonies.
“So only a select few people would wear the best,” he said.
Baig said about Messi wearing the garment: “They honored him by putting it over his shoulders.
“It’s like a mark of honor and just kind of a cultural welcoming and acceptance.”
Baig said it is also representative of Qatar’s national dress – but only on important occasions.
“And this is a top occasion. I mean, there’s probably no bigger occasion, so they put it on him as a mark of honor,” he said.
Baig said he saw it as “an embrace by Messi of the local culture,” adding that it was “a pretty cool thing” for Qatar to do and “smart thinking” on their behalf.
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The triumphant Argentine manager, Lionel Scaloni, declared it was up to the illustrious Lionel Messi to determine whether he would be playing in yet another World Cup, as the South American nation rejoiced over their stirring victory against France in the title final match on Sunday.
Scaloni, who was emotional in his post-match news conference at the Lusail Stadium, praised his players for “breaking their backs” to win the nation’s third World Cup.
In a match for the ages in Doha, Argentina triumphed 4-2 in a penalty shootout after Kylian Mbappe’s hat trick ensured the game ended level at 3-3 following extra time.
Messi, 35, scored twice to win the first World Cup of his glittering career.
Earlier in the tournament, he said the tournament in Qatar would be his last but Scaloni said the ball was in the veteran forward’s court.
The coach told reporters it was up to Messi to set a timescale on his retirement when asked about the possibility of his playing at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“If he wants to keep playing, he will be with us. He is more than entitled to decide whether he wants to keep playing for Argentina or not, or how he wants to proceed with his career. He is such a huge player for us. It is such a pleasure for us to coach him and his teammates. Everything he transmits to his teammates is unparalleled, something I’ve never seen before,” Scaloni said.
After the match, Messi vowed to continue playing international football despite realizing his lifetime ambition, but he admitted his career was in its final stages.
“I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion. My career is nearly over because these are my last years,” said Messi, whose next target will be to help his club side Paris Saint-Germain bag the first Champions League title.
Fighters Scaloni, who guided Argentina to bag the Copa America crown last year, praised his men for digging deep against defending champions France.
“We have fighters who were very strong despite the goals that we conceded,” he said.
“These players play for their people, play for Argentina fans. That’s what I have always seen. There are no rivalries. Everyone is headed in the same direction and this is for the whole country. It is the greatest pride to play for your country. The players broke their backs. They have achieved this today because they understand what they had to do on the pitch and we are happy and proud,” Scaloni elaborated.
The coach was asked what he had told his players at the beginning of extra time after France had come back from 2-0 down to level at 2-2 in normal time, and before the penalty shoot-out.
“I told them we had to be optimistic,” he replied.
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“We knew if we played our game, we were going to create chances. We kept attacking and before the penalty shootout I told them the same thing: To remain calm,” he replied.
Scaloni said his goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, had crucial words of encouragement before the nailbiting penalty shootout.
“He was very positive. He told his teammates he was going to save some penalties and then we had so many players ready and willing to take penalties,” the coach said.
Scaloni was also asked about what his message would be to the late Argentine great Diego Maradona, who died just over two years ago.
Maradona captained Argentina to their second World Cup crown in 1986.
“You make me realize that he’s not here. Otherwise you think he’s amongst us. Fortunately, we managed to lift this trophy, something we have been dreaming about for so long. We’re such a football passionate country. If he’d been here I’m sure he would have been the first one on the pitch. You asking me this question makes me remember he’s not here,” he said, wearing a new Argentina shirt with three stars on it to represent their three triumphs.
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The ASUU president added that in order to adequately assess the extent of the harm caused by the crisis brought on by the country’s currency redesign, developmental economists would need…
After a spectacular win against France in the World cup 2022, Lionel Messi and his teammates were due to arrive in Argentina to a hero’s welcome on Monday with many eagerly waiting to glimpse the precious World Cup trophy.
In the capital Buenos Aires and throughout the country, millions took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate the penalty shoot-out victory over France in a remarkable final in Qatar.
Messi finally crowned his record-breaking career with football’s biggest prize as he produced one of the greatest World Cup final performances, scoring a first-half penalty and netting again in extra time.
France had fought back from 2 to 0 down in the last 10 minutes of the match as Kylian Mbappe scored twice to equalize and force extra time in a pulsating match watched by an 89,000 crowd in Lusail Stadium.
Messi seemed to have decided the match in extra time with his second goal of the game before his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe completed only the second World Cup final hat-trick in history to bring the score to 3-3 and force penalties.
Gonzalo Montiel swept home the decisive spot kick to win the shootout 4-2 for Argentina – but this was Messi’s moment.
And while the players were able to celebrate with about 40,000 fans inside the stadium on Sunday, 45 million people back home are eager to share the moment with them on Monday evening.
“Of course, it’s what we’re all waiting for,” teacher Veronica Silva, 44, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) from the Plaza de Mayo square in central Buenos Aires.
“This will continue for a couple of days. It started now and it won’t end tomorrow because they arrive tomorrow: it will go on for longer.”
“Of course, we can’t wait to see the players, all of them,” added cleaner Rosa Rodriguez, 63.
“It’s a good team who did us proud. The biggest celebration will be when they arrive.”
‘I can’t ask for more’ Messi had tasted bitter defeat in the 2014 final against Germany but in his fifth and final World Cup, the 35-year-old finally emulated Argentina idol the late Diego Maradona by leading his nation to World Cup glory for the first time since 1986.
He told Argentine television: “My career is ending because these are my final years. What more could there be after this?”
But he said he would continue with the Argentina squad. “I want to keep experiencing a few more matches as world champion,” he added.
The disappointed France players became the last team to leave Qatar on Monday and after some confusion over their plans agreed to greet their fans in central Paris.
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Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said the team planned to go to the Place de la Concorde in Paris after their plane touches down.
But within hours, the chief of France’s football federation (FFF), Noel Le Graet, contradicted the minister, saying the players just wanted to go home.
“When you don’t win you don’t feel like wandering down the Champs Elysees or anywhere else,” Le Graet told the BFMTV broadcaster, in reference to the glamorous avenue running from Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.
However, the French federation said Le Graet had returned earlier than the team and had not been aware of their decision to meet with the fans.
France coach Didier Deschamps rued failing to become the first team in 60 years to retain the trophy.
“I don’t want to take any merit away from Argentina but there were lots and lots of emotions and it was cruel at the end because we were so close,” he said.
The captivating final rounded off one of the most controversial World Cups in history.
Qatari organizers had to face persistent questions about the country’s treatment of migrant workers and its laws on homosexuality.
Football’s world governing body FIFA said the tournament attracted over 3.4 million spectators, making it one of the most watched ever.
The 1994 World Cup in the United States had the most spectators with over 3.5 million. Brazil in 2014 also had over 3.4 million spectators.
FIFA said more than one million visitors traveled to Qatar to watch the matches, matching predictions from the Gulf state that people would not be dissuaded by the negative publicity over its rights record.
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Nweke said: “Our attention has been drawn to two news items concocted from the imagination of mischievous individuals and published on AnchorNews and TrendOnline platforms.
Coming agonizingly close to capturing a second consecutive World Cup title, Didier Deschamps’ valiant efforts to lead France on a remarkable comeback ultimately culminated in a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Argentina on Sunday.
Les Bleus, bidding to become the first team to retain the title since Brazil in 1962, went through the opening hour like ghosts and fell 2-0 behind after Lionel Messi’s penalty and Angel Di Maria’s goal before the unthinkable happened.
After Deschamps had made several changes, taking off Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann and Theo Hernandez, France burst into life as Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty and a stunning volley within 97 seconds to level the scores.
Messi struck again in extra time, but so did Mbappe with another penalty to make it 3-3, only for Randal Kolo Muani to be denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds before France lost the shootout 4-2, becoming the first team to taste defeat in a World Cup final after scoring three goals.
“We came back from the brink, that’s what gives us so many regrets,” Deschamps, who guided France to the title in 2018, told a news conference.
“We’ve got a World Cup ball in the last minute but it was not meant to be. If we’re 2-0 down and then we lose 3-0, it’s different. You say ‘bravo’ to Argentina and that’s it.
“I still congratulate them, they played a great game, with a bit of gamesmanship, but we were expecting that and it does not take any merit from their victory.”
Lack of aggression France were hit by a virus during the lead-up to the final and appeared to lack their usual aggression in the first half.
“We did not have the energy we had in our previous games but I was not worried about any player who started the game tonight,” Deschamps said.
“We were against a team who played a World Cup final while I had the feeling it was not our case.”
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Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram came on in the 41st minute, before Eduardo Camavinga and Kingsley Coman entered the fray in the 71st.
“(For the first two changes) I could not wait until halftime. Ousmane and Olivier took us to the final but they were not as good today. When things don’t work, you have to shake things up,” said Deschamps.
“In the end, I’m very sad for my players, my staff.”
Deschamps’s contract expires at the end of the year but having reached the goal of making it to the last four, he must decide whether to extend it.
“I’m having a meeting with my president at the beginning of the year. Then, you’ll know,” said Deschamps, who has been in charge since 2012, reaching the Euro 2016 final, winning the 2018 World Cup, last year’s Nations League and making it to the World Cup final again.
The coin could have flipped the other way, especially thanks to Mbappe’s magnificent performance as he became the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
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Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot and Julian Alvarez struck twice as Argentina, backed by a huge majority of the crowd at the Lusail Stadium, produced their best display of the tournament to ensure they will meet the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal clash between holders France and Morocco in Sunday’s final.
Messi, 35, who suffered defeat to Germany in the 2014 final, is desperate to crown his extraordinary career by winning his first World Cup and bringing Argentina a third title to add to those won in 1978 and 1986.
And after getting his team on the way to victory with a perfectly struck first-half penalty he made sure of the win by brilliantly creating the third goal.
Croatia, runners-up in Russia four years ago, paid the price for some untypically poor defending as they went out in the last four for the second time after their 1998 loss to France in their maiden tournament.
It was not until the 25th minute when the game showed signs of life with a low pot shot from outside the box by Enzo Fernandez but Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic did well to get across and keep it out.
It was a tight affair but then a simple lofted ball over the top from Fernandez caught out the Croatian defense, Alvarez latched on to it, knocking the ball past the advancing Livakovic who collided with the striker and Italian referee Daniele Orsato pointed to the spot.
Scoring record Livakovic guessed correctly that Messi would go to his left but his dive was in vain as the Argentine’s sweetly struck drive flew high into the net to put his side 1-0 up in the 34th minute.
It was Messi’s fifth goal of the tournament, making him joint top-scorer with France’s Kylian Mbappe. His 11th career goal – in a record-equalling 25th World Cup appearance – also took him past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all-time World Cup top scorer.
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Five minutes later, Argentina doubled their lead when, after a break from a corner, Alvarez picked the ball up inside his own half and began a long dribble goalwards.
With the Croatian defense backing off, Alvarez rode weak challenges from Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa and then slipped the ball past Livakovic to send the heavily Argentine crowd into delirium.
Alexis Mac Allister then went close with an angled header from a corner, forcing a fine save out of Livakovic to avoid a third.
All Croatia could muster in response, before the break, was a low Juranovic cross-shot that Emiliano Martinez reacted well to.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic responded with a double substitution at the break, introducing Nikola Vlasic and Mislav Orsic, and five minutes later and threw on striker Bruno Petkovic.
They were positive moves but still Argentina looked the more dangerous with Messi, after a swift exchange with Fernandez, forcing a save at the near post.
Messi saved his best for last though, tormenting Josko Gvardial down the right before leaving the 20-year-old defender behind and pulling the ball back to Alvarez who coolly slotted home.
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Ishaku said the Council of State members made it clear that the policy is accepted and has come to stay but that the resistance of the populace to its introduction…
According to him, that would confirm the 35-year-old’s status as the greatest of all-time (GOAT).
Messi will lead his country out in the semi-finals against Croatia on Tuesday.
If they emerge victorious, they will face either France or Morocco in the final.
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France eliminated England, while Morocco sent Messi’s eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, out of the tournament thanks to a 1-0 win over Portugal.
Carragher, speaking to Sky Sports, feels the stage is set for Messi to write history.
“I would love to see Argentina win it for Lionel Messi. France is the best team but perhaps it’s written for Messi and Argentina to win it. Having lost that first game, they’ve built on that. The support they’ve got in the stadiums is absolutely outstanding.
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Croatia captain, Luka Modric, has made an honest confession about Argentina captain Lionel Messi ahead of both sides’ 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final tie on Tuesday.
Modric said Croatia is going to have a lot of difficulties stopping Messi at the Lusail Stadium.
The Real Madrid midfielder also described Messi as Argentina’s best player.
Croatia and Argentina will clash on Tuesday night in the World Cup last four.
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Both nations defeated Brazil and the Netherlands, respectively, in the quarter-final stage.
Speaking to the press, Modric said: “Argentina is a big team, I don’t just want to play against one player. Of course, Leo Messi is very big, their best player, and we are going to have a lot of difficulties stopping him, but we are prepared and we are going to give it our all.
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Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba, has sent a message of support to England captain Harry Kane after his penalty miss in his side’s 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal 2-1 defeat to France over the weekend.
Kane missed a penalty and also scored another spot-kick as France defeated England in the last-8 in Qatar.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Olivier Giroud scored for France against England.
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However, Drogba, who helped Chelsea to many successes during his ten years at Stamford Bridge, told Kane that his missed penalty would make him stronger going forward.
The Ivorian also described Kane, a Tottenham Hotspur striker, as a true captain and leader.
Drogba wrote on Twitter on Sunday, “It will hurt @HKane but you are a true Captain and leader. I really like the way you played during this World Cup, an example for strikers to watch: score, assist, hold and lead !!” It will take time to get over it but this will make you stronger!!!”
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Brazil, tipped as one of the World Cup’s favourites, crashed out of the competition at the quarter-final stage on Friday.
Croatia had the upper hand during a penalty shoot-out that ended 4-2 in favour of the Luka Modric-led Europeans.
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Antony had regretted Brazil’s exit from the tournament, expressing sadness over the premature exit but promised that the Selecao would come back even stronger.
Pele reminded the 22-year-old his story is “just beginning.”
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Brazilian football legend, Ronaldo Nazario, has admitted he would be a “hypocrite” if he claimed he would like to see Lionel Messi win the World Cup with Argentina.
Last Friday, Brazil were sent home from the tournament in Qatar at the quarter-final stage by Croatia.
“But, you know, we have a great rivalry between Brazil and Argentina. But I will not be that much of a hypocrite to say I will be happy for Argentina because it’s not true,” Ronaldo said
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It usually goes like this: A football tournament begins, underdogs are eliminated in a couple of rounds (usually in the group stage) and heavy hitters such as France, Germany, Brazil and other countries with traditionally powerful national squads dominate the rest of the competition.
But guess what, Brazil and Germany, two national teams whose badges carry five and four stars respectively – representing that many World Cup victories – have been eliminated in the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup. Brazil lost to Croatia and Germany could not even make it past the group stage due to a goal-difference tiebreaker.
Now we’re at the semifinals and the remaining four teams are France, Argentina, Croatia and Morocco.
If you are interested in football, the first three teams’ qualification in the semifinals might not come as much of a surprise. But Morocco? Now that’s a shocker. A shocker that has been hailed as some sort of “victory of the masses” worldwide – because we are at one of those “football is never only football” moments where we vividly experience the unexpected. Just like when Türkiye advanced all the way to the semifinals in Euro 2008 with consecutive last-minute victories, which led to the European press uttering those words: “A match cannot be considered over unless Turks get on the bus.”
Will a similar expression be used for Moroccans as well? This question will only depend on the magic of football, the surprises the very sport is highly prone to and the North African contenders’ determination. Nonetheless, even the fact that they have proven to be at least the fourth-best team in the world has been hailed as the long-awaited triumph of underdogs worldwide. And they actually have a shot at winning the World Cup when you think about how the apparently outclassed team defeated many heavy hitters to throw their hats into the semifinals.
They are not just the underdogs in football or even sports. The underdogs around the globe, who are living in underdeveloped countries and those that had to grow up with the inferiority complex deeply embedded in their psyches.
Glass ceiling Let’s be honest here: It is glaringly obvious that the most developed states in the West are at least several centuries ahead of the “third world countries” in terms of humanitarian development, health systems, democratic governance and many other important aspects of life. The course of the time was in favor of the Westerners and they got the upper hand through brutal imperialism, the slave trade, the occupation of native lands and other inhumane practices. They have left many methods of their previous barbarianism behind but to tell the truth, the fact that the Western world is envied today is the product of what they did back in the day. As time progressed, the civilizational and developmental difference between the developed West and the rest has only gotten bigger, leading to a very painful scar in the subconscious of “third world peoples.” As a result, a feeling that being bested by the West is inevitable, be it in sports, science, literature or any other intellectual realm.
That feeling has been utterly shattered now that Morocco has made it in the shade. They have advanced all the way to the semifinals and they are only two victories from bringing the World Cup to a geography that has never seen it firsthand before – if you ignore the proximity of Spain to Morocco, of course.
But history is clear on the issue: The World Cup has never been won by any African team before, and even Morocco’s qualification to the semifinals as an African team was a first too. There have been some strong contenders, but they ultimately hit the glass ceiling.
Morocco vs. ex-colonial rulers Morocco, on the other hand, seems determined to break through any obstacle that dares cross its path. Now, they have the absolute level boss against them: France.
Their former colonial rulers.
As history tells us, the French occupation of Morocco began in 1907 and continued until 1934. By the Treaty of Fez of 1912, France formed a protectorate over Morocco and spent the next two decades taking advantage of the country’s riches.
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Now, more than ever, it is time for the Maghrebiens to show their former rulers that they do not bow to overlords anymore – through sporting merit, of course. The times of colonialism and protectorates are over – although several aspects of imperialism continue to linger, such as French corporations’ stranglehold on African business – so a victory against France would mean very, very much for the Africans and other people around the world who suffered from European colonialism in the past.
It would at least be a relief, a kind of revenge against their former oppressors. That’s why football is never only football; it has many aspects of real life embedded in it, and fans demonstrate how seriously they take the sport with their demonstrations all across the globe. The African team’s success was hailed all around the globe, not only in North Africa or Arab states.
That lone is very telling: The victory has not been perceived as an African or an Arab victory by the masses around the globe; rather, it has been perceived as the success of all underdogs on all seven continents.
That is why Morocco’s victory matters so much to all those people who probably have never been to the country and never wandered around the historical streets of Marrakesh. They only want some relief, some kind of a feeling that they have finally tasted revenge against those that have oppressed them.
And of course, the players of the French national team are not the ones who have committed the atrocities, and in stark irony, many of the French squad are ethnic Africans whose parents’ countries were colonized by France. With that said, it is clear that the footballers wearing the France jerseys are not the ones to take revenge against. It is a basic aspect of human psychology: We love symbolisms and representations, and competition lies at the core of our evolution – “survival of the fittest,” for starters.
Before you lament about how football lovers are dumb people who get unreasonable amounts of pleasure from just seeing 22 people kicking a ball around on a green pitch – think again. Think about imperialism, think about history, think about human evolution, think about the rivalry between the West and the East, think about culture wars, and think about how we got here as humans.
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three-member panel led by Justice Tertsea Kume had on that day nullified the victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 16, 2022 governorship…
With no racket, commotion and fireworks of the World Cup games, there’s a comfortable and safe space for fans who might get overwhelmed in a stadium environment. The “sensory rooms,” at three stadiums in Qatar, provide a calm refuge for children and young adults with autism, learning difficulties or other sensory access requirements.
Located at the stadium skyboxes at the Al Bayt, Education City and Lusail stadiums, the rooms feature soft furnishings, noise-canceling headphones and interactive tools and toys to help children cope with the loud atmosphere and allow them to ease anxiety and enjoy the unique experience of a World Cup game.
“Having a space like this is a respite. It’s like a warm hug,” said Raana Smith, co-founder of Sensory Souk, a Doha-based company that staffs the sensory rooms.
“Everybody should have the right and the opportunity to experience football,” she said. “If someone has limited speech, limited mobility, that shouldn’t be a barrier ever to experience something as wonderful and as crowd-pleasing.”
The dimmed-lit rooms include soft cushions, soothing colorful lights and rising bubble tubes and boards mounted on walls that provide different textures to help people calm down and refocus. Fans are also provided with sensory bags that include noise-canceling headphones, weighted lap pads and fidget toys like plastic clappers and gloves.
Large floor-to-ceiling windows let families keep an eye on the field. The ultimate goal is to gradually introduce fans to the game, allowing them to sit in the stands for periods at a time and then return to the sensory room when needed, Alison Saraf, co-founder of Sensory Souk, said at the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, where the World Cup final will be played.
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“In children, what we ideally want to do is ignite a passion for a new sport,” Saraf said. “The aim is always really to have as many people enjoy the game outside and experience everything that’s here.”
The initiative is run by FIFA and the host country’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.
Sensory rooms have also been introduced in recent years in professional sports in the United States, including at the MLS, NBA and the NFL to provide calming spaces for fans with sensory challenges.
“This is really a worldwide phenomenon as people are understanding more and more the fact that they need to broaden the appeal of sports to every single demographic,” said Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder of KultureCity, a U.S.-based organization that has helped sports teams across the U.S. with programs for visitors with a range of sensory issues, including people who have autism.
“Because of their sensory issues, where going to a large-scale sporting event like a stadium cannot only be overwhelming but physically painful because of the crowds, the noise, the smells, a lot of these individuals tend to withdraw from the community and don’t engage,” Maha said.
By providing sensory rooms, he said, the World Cup is “opening up the game to really a ton more people, people who have largely been demarginalized and not included, and giving them the opportunity to reengage and become part of the community again and enjoy all the things that we as neurotypical individuals take for granted.”
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South American football chiefs have passionately pleaded with Brazil to transform three of the five stars on their jerseys into heart symbols, paying homage to the iconic footballer, Pele.
Brazil currently wear five stars on their famous yellow jerseys to represent the five World Cup trophies they have won, more than any other nation has managed.
Three of the World Cup triumphs came with Pele in the squad, while no other player has scored more times for Brazil. Neymar is now tied with Pele, having netted his 77th Selecao goal in Friday’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Croatia.
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That loss came in the wake of the news that Pele had been hospitalized back home in Sao Paulo, though it was reported the 82-year-old is making “progressive improvement.”
CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, sent Pele its best wishes while proposing Brazil make an alteration to their kits.
It said in a statement: “A hundred people gathered this Sunday, December 11, at the CONMEBOL Tree Of Dreams in Doha, Qatar, to honor Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known sportingly as Pele, the only player in soccer history to win three world titles.
“It is in honor of this unprecedented event that the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) proposes to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) that they change three of the five World Cup stars that appear on the chest of their shirt for three hearts, in recognition of Pele.
“Another central focus of the act was the message of encouragement and great strength to Pele admitted since November 29 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he is recovering satisfactorily from a lung infection, according to the doctors.”
Alejandro Dominguez, the CONMEBOL president, added: “We are on his side in this game that he is playing. It is the right time to pay tribute to him again and let him know that he will live in the heart of anyone who loves football. Our job is for people to continue to know and love Pele.”
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The man with handle @Vhoyde disclosed that he recently discovered that his mother cheated on his dad before he was born, and his dad forgave and accepted her back.
Argentina skipper Lionel Messi expressed his discontent with the Netherlands’ coach, Louis van Gaal, claiming he was not given the right amount of respect before the two countries’ dramatic quarterfinal match on Friday that granted La Albiceleste a triumph while dashing Oranje’s dreams of winning the World Cup.
Van Gaal, remembering the 2014 semifinal between the teams, said ahead of Friday’s game: “Eight years ago at the World Cup in Brazil, we succeeded well in neutralizing Messi. He didn’t hit a ball then.”
That comment may have been one of the issues that upset Messi, while Argentina were also fired up by suggestions the Netherlands fancied themselves if the game came down to a penalty shoot-out.
The 2014 match finished goalless, with Argentina triumphing on penalties before losing to Germany in the final, but this time the Netherlands supposedly liked their chances on spot-kicks.
As it happened, a roller coaster game at Lusail Stadium came down to a shoot-out, and Argentina cruised once again to book a semifinal against Croatia.
Messi was rankled by the Dutch approach in the game, which saw Argentina’s 2-0 lead reeled in after the Netherlands bombarded the Albiceleste penalty area with highballs in the closing stages.
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Quoted by ESPN, Messi said: “I feel disrespected by Van Gaal after his pre-game comments and some Dutch players spoke too much during the game.
“Van Gaal says that he plays good football and then he puts forward in the box and starts throwing long balls. We deserved to go through and that’s what happened.”
Reports have also claimed that when Messi approached Van Gaal and Dutch assistant coach Edgar Davids after the game, he was complaining the Netherlands boss had too much to say, and his hand gesturing suggested as much.
Van Gaal’s direct intentions were made clear when he brought on Wout Weghorst for Memphis Depay in the 78th minute, and the 169-centimeter-tall striker made a major impact against the Argentina defense.
He headed in to cut the deficit, then scored from a sublimely worked free-kick that deceived Argentina, with his equalizer in normal time coming after 100 minutes and 30 seconds, the latest World Cup knockout stage goal on record, since Opta has exact goal times (from 1966).
Weghorst became the first substitute to score twice in a World Cup match for the Netherlands, and he apparently departed with another souvenir: a tongue-lashing from Messi.
“What are you looking at, fool?” Messi said to somebody off-camera before a TV interview with TyC Sports. That bystander has been identified by the Argentina broadcaster as having been Weghorst.
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Queues in filling stations surfaced in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other parts of the country in the latter part of last year with marketers selling the products at between…
As Qatar is on the world’s agenda with the World Cup, it also hosts a diverse collection in Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), offering a peek into diverse aspects of Muslim heritage.
An emerald inscribed for a Mughal emperor. A Safavid-period knotted wool carpet. An Ottoman-era curtain, intricately embroidered with metal threads, which was part of the covering of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure in Mecca that Muslims consider the metaphorical “house of God.”
In a capital where so much is new, the museum showcases a variety of the old and historic. And with soccer fans from around the world descending on Qatar, the story that the museum tells now has more listeners.
On a recent day, visitors – some wearing soccer jerseys or scarves – stopped to snap photos, inspect an object, read a label or browse shelves lined with books and souvenirs.
Qatari officials say they hope the tournament will help provide visitors with a better understanding of their culture and that of the larger region. The World Cup host has faced intense criticism over rights issues, including the treatment of migrant workers, and accusations of “sports washing” or attempting to use the event’s prestige to remake its image.
Sports is not the only area where Qatar, a small country with big ambitions and the vast wealth to match, has sought to leave its mark as part of a quest for global influence. It has also been aiming to carve out a name in the culture and arts arenas, including with museums like MIA.
“We have the ambition to show Islamic culture in all its diversity and sort of also show the regional differences,” said Julia Gonnella, MIA’s director. “The idea is really for education, for diversity, also to build up a society beyond oil and gas.”
The museum attracts both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors, she said, adding that MIA’s “first audience” is the people who live in Qatar.
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Designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, the MIA complex has a presence that is somehow both imposing and simple, with its waterfront location, light-colored exteriors and sharp and clean architectural lines. Geometric shapes and Islamic motifs appear inside. Windows drench the surrounding area in sunlight and provide a view of modern-looking buildings jutting into the sky across the water.
The museum’s collection includes metalwork, ceramics, woodwork and textiles. Items on display include jewelry, manuscripts of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, armor and arms.
The museum also offers glimpses into religious beliefs and rituals. Visitors can read about the five pillars of Islam – the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting and hajj or pilgrimage – or learn about hajj rituals and different funerary practices in the Islamic world.
Initially opened in 2008, the museum closed in April 2021 and reopened a month before the World Cup with expanded interpretive materials to help provide more context for items on display.
A temporary exhibition titled “Baghdad: Eye’s Delight” celebrates the capital of Iraq as one of the “most important and influential cities in the Islamic world” and highlights its role as a city “of power, scholarship, and riches,” according to the museum. The exhibition features objects on loan from world-renowned institutions, MIA says.
Rob Humphreys, who was visiting from Wales, said he particularly enjoyed viewing Baghdad from a different angle.
“At least in Europe, we tend to associate Baghdad with … war and so on and the invasion,” he said. “Learning about how important Baghdad was as a cultural and scientific and trading city … was really interesting.”
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