World Cup 2022: summary news 22 November
World Cup 2022 live blog: latest news
World Cup headlines: Tuesday, 22 November 2022
- France beat Australia
- Giroud equals Henry's France record
- Mexico held to draw by Poland - Ochoa saves Lewandowski penalty
- Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer a Man Utd player
- Messi's Argentina lose to Saudi Arabia
- FIFA sanctions see multiple nations cancel rainbow armband plan
- Harry Kane targets Rooney record in group stage
- Watch the World Cup live on Fubo (free trial available).
- USA 1-1 Wales
- England fire six past Queiroz's Iran
- Mané and Salah complicate Pelé's dire prediction
Browse our latest World Cup 2022 articles:
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Giroud equals Henry's record for France
At Qatar 2022, Olivier Giroud had an extra impetus to get on the scoresheet. The AC Milan player started the tournament within reach of France’s all-time goal scoring record which has been held by Thierry Henry since 2010. Giroud had to score twice during the World Cup to match the Arsenal legend’s record of 51 goals for Les Bleus.
The talented Real Madrid midfielder is in the France squad at this year's World Cup and will be hoping to play an important role with injuries to both N'Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba.
Saudi Arabia lead Group C after the first round of games, beating Argentina 2-1 to cause a major upset earlier in the day. Mexico and Poland are behind them with a point apiece after their 0-0 draw. Argentina, many people's favourites for the tournament, a bottom.
Mexico 0-0 Poland: as it happened
Andy's live coverage has been building for a while and he is ready for kick off which is just moments away.
Hurry, head over and join him now...
More World Cup
Have you had enough of grown men kicking a ball around a field for the day? Of course not!! We love the Beautiful Game!
Well, guess what, we have the reigning champions up next... France are all set to play the Socceroos from Australia.
BREAKING: Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer a Man Utd player
He was meant to be focusing on winning the World Cup with his country but after that interview, things were headed south.
Still no goals but I have a feeling one is coming soon. My money is on El Tri given the way they're currently knocking at the Polish door.
You can follow Kieran's chat and see if I'm right... or, more likely given recent betting record, completely wrong.
In one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in their opening game. Argentina is one of the favorites to win the tournament while Saudi Arabia had never even won an opening game in the tournament before (this was their sixth World Cup).
No one expected this, but Saudi Arabia were actually one of the best teams in the Asian qualifiers, where they won Group B. They were clearly underrated underdogs and they came through with a 2-1 upset. Although Argentina lost, many people are concerned that the referee favored Argentina in the opening game.
Our Jen has a look at Slavko Vincic.
"I play in a position where a yellow card is not useful. I became a football player and I want to play these kind of tournaments. There are people who say we don't have a backbone, but that's not how it works. We just want to play football. I would have loved to play with that band, but not at the expense of a yellow card".
The career of El Tri’s goalscorer had a meteoric rise until, five minutes into a Wolves game against Arsenal, he suffered a blow that put his life on hold.
Wales vs USMNT broadcast drew peak of 13 million UK viewers
A peak of 13 million people tuned in to ITV's television and online coverage to see Wales clinch a draw against the United States in their opening game at the World Cup on Monday, the British broadcaster said. From kick off to final whistle, the match was watched by an average of nearly 10 million viewers, it said, adding that the game contributed to its most watched Monday night since England's Euro 2016 exit against Iceland.
According to the BBC, England's opening World Cup match - a 6-2 victory over Iran - attracted an average audience of 7.4 million viewers in an earlier time slot on Monday when many people were at work.
Tallest player at World Cup makes debut
The tallest player at the Qatar World Cup has also emerged as one of the biggest surprises after the 2.03 metre (6.66 feet) tall Andries Noppert made an unexpected international debut for the Netherlands on Monday. Veteran Dutch coach Louis van Gaal has penchant for springing a shock or two but picking the 28-year-old to keep goal in Monday’s World Cup win over Senegal was one of his more outrageous moves.
However, the giant Heerenveen goalkeeper, with a total of only 32 appearances in the Dutch topflight, did not put a foot wrong as he made a handful of impressive saves and kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory at the Al Thumama Stadium.
It capped a remarkable rise for a player quick to admit: "This is also bizarre to me, even a few weeks ago, I wouldn't have expected it. It’s special. You dream this, I never thought it was possible. As a little boy everyone dreams of it, later you don’t assume it. If anyone can do this, it’s me,' he told Dutch NOS television.
Van Gaal was pleased too. "Not a bad choice," he crowed in the Dutch television studio. "I picked him because he is the player in form."
Only two years ago, Noppert’s parents were advising him to quit the game and his girlfriend suggested signing up with the police after a meniscus injury saw FC Dordrecht fail to extend his contract and left him without a club for six months. But in the space of two years things have changed dramatically. "Louis van Gaal told me that I had to play like I do at my club, but in a different guise. I just have to stop balls. Does it make sense that I started the game? When is it the right time then?" he said. "In the Netherlands we all complain that we don't have good keepers, but then you have to give boys a chance. I don't care if it makes sense, I'm doing my best and that's all I can do".
Before a ball was kicked, few would have given Saudi Arabia a chance at a point far less a win. Yet, two Saudi stars reminded us that football can be a funny old game.
Saudi Arabia stunned two-time winners Argentina, one of the favourites to lift the World Cup on Tuesday - the latest upset in the tournament’s history. We look at some of the other major upsets the World Cup has seen over the years.
"We are very grateful to the Germans, they are role models for us. We are still developing, of course, and at the same time have incorporated good qualities from Japan into our playing style. So we have kind of mixed feelings about playing Germany but no matter who our opponents are, we are going to give absolutely the best performance that we can. We are aiming to win, but it's important that we play at our best otherwise it's going to be difficult. We want to go to the round of 16 and maybe even further and that will make history. That's our target".
A few things you might not have known about the Barcelona and Poland striker...
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The USMNT were pegged back by Gareth Bale’s late penalty in their opening Group B match, but that has not dented their confidence and both Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams are hopeful the team can get a result against England.
Swiss aiming for positive start against Cameroon
Switzerland hope to secure early points in a tough Group G when they face Cameroon in their World Cup opener on Thursday after a year of solid performances on the European stage. The Swiss reached the Euro 2020 quarter-finals before losing a penalty shootout to Spain. They also finished ahead of Italy in their World Cup qualifying group to avoid the playoffs.
With Granit Xhaka anchoring the midfield and Xherdan Shaqiri commanding the right wing, Switzerland are expected to dominate Cameroon and, at the very least, cause trouble for their other group opponents Serbia and favourites Brazil. The biggest question mark comes in goal. Manager Murat Yakin has selected four goalkeepers due to injury concerns over starter Yann Sommer and back-up Jonas Omlin, calling up RB Salzburg's Philipp Kohn as one of two uncapped members of the squad.
Although Cameroon are considered the least likely side in the section to reach the round of 16, the attacking talent of players such as Napoli's Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has the potential to rattle the Swiss defence. But Cameroon, playing in an eighth World Cup, a record number of appearances for an African nation, have failed to leave their mark at the finals since the 1990 edition of the tournament, when they dazzled by reaching the quarter-finals.
The Indomitable Lions have gone out at the group stage of all the World Cups they have played in since their 1990 exploits, winning only one of 15 matches. Cameroon will aim to at least get another World Cup victory this time, a task that could prove difficult for a side that qualified thanks to a stoppage-time goal at the end of extra time in the second leg of their playoff tie away to Algeria.
AS USA caught up with just a few of the many thousands of Mexico fans who have descended on the Gulf state ahead of El Tri’s Group C World Cup opener against Poland.
Tuesday's matches
It's Day 3 of the World Cup, here is what's in store.
Favourites Argentina and Saudi Arabia open the action at Lusail stadium; that is followed by the first game in Group D - Denmark versus Tunisia, then bringing the action to a close, Mexico and Poland go into battle at Doha's Stadium 974.
Plenty to enjoy...
Argentina prepare for first World Cup since Maradona's death
Argentina head to their first World Cup since Diego Maradona's death but the Albiceleste great will be there in spirit. That was the message from Maradona's former agent Guillermo Coppola at the opening of CONMEBOL's 'Tree of Dreams' in Doha to celebrate South America's rich football heritage.
Lionel Scaloni's side are among the pre-tournament favourites in Qatar ahead of Tuesday's Group C opener against Saudi Arabia, searching for a first World Cup crown since a Maradona-inspired triumph in 1986.
There has not been a South American winner of FIFA's top tournament since Brazil in 2002, but Coppola hopes that will change for Argentina in their first outing since Maradona passed in November 2020. "This is going to be the first World Cup that [Maradona] is not physically with us," said the 74-year-old. "But Diego will always be with us. The most precious good for Diego was the football. It wasn't life, which is the most precious good that human beings have. It wasn't freedom – to be able to decide and to do – which is the second one, the freedom for him was the ball. Where a ball rolls there is Diego, do not forget this, when you see a ball rolling say, there is Diego."
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With doubts over Luis Enrique's future, Spain's Football Federation has several candidates in mind in the event that the Asturian leaves after the World Cup - Valverde, De La Fuente and Marcelino.
USMNT striker Tim Weah opened the scoring in Monday’s 1-1 draw against Wales in the group stage opener. His father, a soccer legend, never played in a World Cup and was watching from the stands.
Germany's Sané to miss Japan game with knee injury
Germany winger Leroy Sané has suffered a knee injury and will miss their World Cup Group E opener against Japan, the team said on Tuesday. The 26-year-old did not take part in their final training session in northern Qatar ahead of Wednesday's game in Doha and it was unclear how long he would be sidelined.
The Germans also play Spain on 27 November before wrapping up their group matches against Costa Rica on 1 December. Four-times champions Germany, who suffered a shock first-round exit at the 2018 World Cup, also had striker Niclas Fuellkrug out for a few days with the flu but he has since returned to training.
World Cup daily blog: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live 2022 World Cup blog as we bring you all the latest from Qatar.
Messi's Argentina get Tuesday's action underway against Saudi Arabia, Denmark face Tunisia in the second match and Mexico versus Poland, the other Group C game, brings the day to a close later this afternoon.
Our team are split between the offices and on the ground around the various venues so stay with us and we'll ensure you know what you need to know.