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Egyptian Premier League side Al Ahly defeated Palmeiras 3-2 on penalties to finish third at the Fifa Club World Cup.

Having lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in the semi-final thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s double, Pitso Mosimane’s team squared up against the Brazilian Serie A side for a chance to win the bronze medal.

With the tough encounter ending 0-0 at Al Rayyan’s Education City Stadium, kicks from the penalty spot were used in separating both teams.

Nevertheless, it was the Africans who reigned supreme with captain Mohamed El Shenawy saving two penalties in the shootout.

As expected, social media went into meltdown in praise of the reigning Caf Champions League winners.

Mino Raiola has refused to rule out a potential return to Serie A for Paul Pogba, while claiming "people get nervous" when he talks about the Manchester United star.

Pogba's future has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, with it reported that Real Madrid and Juventus are both interested in signing the midfielder in the summer transfer window.

The 28-year-old, who re-joined United from Juve for £89 million ($123m) in 2016, has long been linked with a return to the Allianz Stadium, and Raiola has passed up the chance to silence those rumours once and for all.

What has Raiola said?

When asked if Pogba could make his way back to Serie A later this year, the Frenchman's agent told Tuttomercatoweb: "Pogba must also be left alone. When I speak people get nervous, he doesn't sleep at night, so I don't speak anymore.

"I will do what I have to do not in front of you, but in the shadows, as I always have."

Raiola's previous comments on Pogba

Raiola came in for heavy criticism after speaking out on Pogba's situation at Old Trafford before Manchester United's Champions League group stage decider against RB Leipzig at the start of the December.

The 53-year-old told Tuttosport: "I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United. Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air."

Raiola backtracked somewhat later in the month, telling reporters at the annual Golden Boy awards: “When it comes to him in England, they are sensitive, perhaps too sensitive. In January the great players hardly move, then in the summer let's see what happens.

“Pogba will have a great future.”

What has Pogba said?

Pogba has never directly addressed Raiola's claims in the media, but did recently insist that he is content in his current surroundings in Manchester.

"I'm on contract, I'm here, I'm enjoying myself," the World Cup winner said in January.

"Everybody knows that I have one year left, I'm going to speak with the club, see what's going on. 

"For now my goal, my objective is to win something, all I am thinking about is winning, to bring my energy, give my best to help the team." 

The bigger picture

Pogba's current contract is due to expire in less than 18 months, and United have been tipped to cash in on the playmaker before he is available as a free agent.

He had started to rediscover his best form before being sidelined with a thigh injury during a 3-3 draw with Everton in the Premier League at the weekend, with that issue set to keep him out action for at least a few weeks.

Solskjaer has plenty of alternative options in the middle of the park at his disposal, including Bruno Fernandes, who has replaced Pogba as the club's talisman since his arrival from Sporting in January 2019.

Further reading

Azam FC's slim hopes of winning the Tanzania Mainland League title suffered a major blow as they fell 2-1 away to Coastal Union at Mkwakwani, Tanga on Thursday evening.

Haji Ugando and Hamad Majimengi scored for the hosts while Daniel Amoah scored the lone goal for the Ice-cream Makers. 

The 2014 champions came into the match hoping to get maximum points and reduce the gap between them and the run-away leaders as well as second-placed reigning champions Simba SC.

However, they were shocked by a decent start from their hosts who were hungry for goals.

In the ninth minute, the Chamazi-based side conceded a penalty after good pressing by the Coastal side. The defenders were beaten and the goalkeeper had to stop the opponents from scoring, but he committed a foul in the process leaving the referee with no option but to award a penalty.

Ugando stepped up to put the ball past Mathias Kigonya in Azam's goal.

It was the first penalty the Ugandan was conceding after stopping Clatous Chama last weekend in the 2-2 draw with Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

The 2014 champions managed to level the scores in the 36th minute. They won a corner which was brought in and the goalkeeper punched it as far as Amoah who connected the ball into an empty net.

Individual brilliance won the hosts the game in the 55th minute. Majimengi danced his way past the defenders before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Kigonya to hand his team maximum points.

It became worse for Azam when Mudathir Yahya was sent off with seconds to go.

In another game played on Thursday, Kagera Sugar settled for a 1-1 draw with Gwambina FC.

The Sugar Millers scored their first goal in the sixth minute when David Luhende picked Yusuf Mhilu in the danger zone, and the Taifa Star did not hesitate to put the ball in the back of the net.

But in the stoppages, Meshack Ibrahim connected the Paul Nonga pass to ensure his team picked a point on the road. It was a reward for their hard work in the second half of the game.

Azam are third on 33 points, 10 points more than ninth-placed Coastal Union.

After Thursday's draw, Kagera are on 23 points while Gwambina have 20.

Alex Morgan admits her decision to leave Tottenham last month was harder than she expected, but said ultimately she returned to the U.S. for the benefit of her family and her NWSL side Orlando Pride.

Morgan signed for Spurs in September and departed in January, playing just five games and scoring two goals after initially battling a knee injury.

Though she didn’t manage as much playing time as she'd hoped, Morgan said she enjoyed her time with Tottenham more than she anticipated and her decision to return to Orlando was not an easy one.

How did Morgan fare at Tottenham?

The 31-year-old gave birth to her daughter Charlie in May 2020 and after returning to playing condition, she signed with Spurs in September on a deal through the end of 2020.

Morgan did not make her Tottenham debut until November after she overcame a knee injury, and she immediately started to have an impact on the pitch for Spurs. 

Spurs, who had been struggling in the Women’s Super League, won two and drew two of Morgan’s four league matches, with the USWNT star scoring two goals. 

Though there was some speculation that Morgan could extend her stay in north London, the two-time World Cup winner announced last month that she would return to the United States.

What Morgan said about her time with Tottenham

“When I did sign, I thought that it was going to be a short-term deal,” Morgan told reporters on Thursday. “That was my mindset going into it because I thought that the NWSL would start back up. I wanted to also be available for all of the training days with the national team. 

“I knew it was also going to be a strain on our family. Being across the world, not having Charlie be able to see a lot of her cousins or grandparents. And for Servando [Carrasco, her husband] to ask him to move there or not be with us if he was going to continue to pursue playing soccer as well I think would have been really difficult. 

"As I went through the season with Tottenham, I really enjoyed my time and I really loved it more than I expected. I got to know the girls a lot more than I thought. And the decision ended up being a lot harder than I expected. And I really weighed both sides for quite a few weeks, I had some conversations with Rehanne [Skinner, Tottenham head coach]. Also with some other people within the club, and a lot of my team-mates.

“I think ultimately it just came down to coming back to the U.S. because that way I would keep our family as close together as possible.

"Given the circumstances, just with the pandemic continuing to really extend into 2021 I felt like it was just best for me to be in the U.S. and be available for the national team and start off a full season with Orlando Pride rather than going to Tottenham late, then finishing the season with Tottenham, then going to Orlando Pride late. 

"I felt like I wanted to start off preseason with one team and go through an entire season with one team.”

What’s next for Morgan

The striker has returned to the Orlando Pride for the club’s preseason ahead of the kickoff of the 2021 NWSL season in April with the Challenge Cup.

Morgan is currently in camp with the USWNT for the SheBelieves Cup, which will begin next week.

The USWNT will face Canada on February 18, Brazil on February 21 and Argentina on February 24 in the four-team tournament, which will take place in Orlando. Argentina were a late addition after Japan pulled out due to coronavirus concerns. 

Further reading

Mohamed Salah has been crowned as Liverpool Player of the Month for January 2021.

The Egypt international featured in all seven of Reds’ encounters in the month under review – scoring five goals in the process.

Although Jurgen Klopp’s men lost three of those games, the African superstar put up awe-inspiring performances for the Anfield Stadium giants.

Salah saw off competition from captain Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold to clinch the individual accolade for the second term in a row.

"Thank you. Of course I'm happy to win this award but I'm always saying that every time the team comes first,” Salah told Liverpool website after being presented with the award at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday.

“It's good to win trophies individually but we just need to focus in that period and try to win games and go through the right way. 

“I think last month was better than months before but we still need to win games. When I score goals and help the team to win games, that's what makes me happy. 

“But if you score goals and the team is still not winning, that's not a great feeling. So we just need to carry on and I'm trying always to score goals to help the team. 

“I think they [the fans] always support us, especially when they were in Anfield. But now with COVID they cannot come but I'm sure they're always supporting us. 

“We just need to stick together and carry on, win games and stay with each other.”

Furthermore, his stunning strike against West Ham United at London Stadium was named Goal of the Month.

In the 3-1 win against the Hammers, the former AS Roma and Chelsea man perfectly controlled Xherdan Shaqiri’s twisting pass into the box and skilfully finished for his second goal in the Premier League game.

With that, he has now won the prize for the fifth consecutive months which spanned from September 2020.

Manager Klopp would be counting on the Egypt international to wreak havoc against Leicester City when they travel to the King Power Stadium on Saturday. The reigning English kings are currently fourth with 40 points from 23 outings so far in the 2020-21 campaign.

Ismaila Sarr’s agent says the Watford forward was so close to joining Liverpool in January that he asked Sadio Mane to help find him an apartment on Merseyside.

Agent Thierno Seydi also claims Manchester United wanted to sign Sarr on loan in the summer but could not reach an agreement with the Hornets.

Sarr, 22, joined Watford in a club-record move from Rennes in 2019 but was widely tipped to leave the club following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

How close was Sarr to joining Liverpool?

Seydi told PanAfricanFootball: “With Liverpool, a few days ago, we were at the stage of signing the contract that would tie the Reds to Ismaila Sarr.

“Everything was sorted: the monthly wages and the length of the deal. I’d even asked Sadio Mane to find him an apartment.

“But it in the end, they weren’t able to put the €40 million (£35m/$49m) on the table to finalise the deal.

“You have to say that if English clubs that once animated the transfer window are struggling to put funds together, that shows the depth of the crisis affecting football.”

What about Manchester United?

“During the summer, they wanted to sign him. At the last moment, they offered a loan without the option to buy," Seydi added.

“Watford did not accept this because they wanted the loan to include an agreement to buy him.”

What has Sarr said?

Sarr hasn’t commented on Seydi’s interview but back in August, he seemingly opened the door to a move to Liverpool.

“Liverpool are a really great team, everyone would love to play there,” he told Senegalese outlet Sans Limites.

“They won the Premier League this year and the Champions League last year. But there are other great teams in the English league.

“Frankly, I have yet to make a choice. If I am to leave, I just hope it is for a good team. At the moment, it is just guesswork.”

Further reading

Pitso Mosimane guided Al Ahly to a 3-2 win over Brazilian giants Palmeiras SC on penalties following a 0-0 draw in the 2020 Fifa Club World Cup third-place playoff match on Thursday evening.

The two teams were unable to find the back of the net in regulation time at the 2022 Fifa World Cup venue, Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar. 

The Red Devils were looking to end their Club World Cup campaign with a victory after losing 2-0 to European and German champions Bayern Munich in a semi-final match on Monday.  

Mosimane had to make changes to the starting line-up which faced Bayern due to the absence of injured defender Ali Maaloul and suspended duo of Mahmoud Kahraba and Hussein El Shahat. 

Yasser Ibrahim replaced Maaloul in the left-back position, while Akram Tawfik and Walter Bwalya made their return to the Red Devils starting line-up. 

Al Ahly pressed Palmeiras high up the pitch and they were looking play balls in behind the Big Green's defence, but goalkeeper Weverton was always alert. 

Amr El-Sulaya couldn't get on the end of a through pass as Weverton rushed out to collect the ball and the 33-year-old shot-stopper also gathered a defence-splitting pass which was meant for Taher Mohamed.

The Red Devils should have opened the scoring after some good work by Bwalya, who nicked the ball off Felipe Melo on the edge of the area and the loose ball fell for El-Sulaya.

El-Sulaya then controlled the ball well, before dribbling past his marker, but the 31-year-old playmaker fired wide of the target with only the Weverton to beat in the Palmeiras goal-posts.

It was Palmeiras, who finished the first-half the stronger of the two teams with Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy forced to make two fine saves to deny Rony and Luiz Adriano.

Al Ahly struggled to created chances in the opening stages of the second-half and Mosimane introduced an attack-minded duo of Junior Ajayi and Mohamed Sherif on the hour-mark.   

Ajayi thought he had opened the scoring when he fired home on the rebound after an acrobatic kick from El-Sulaya was parried into his path by Weverton.

However, the goal was disallowed for offside and the African champions continued to launch attacks with Mosimane having introduced striker Marwan Mohsen and midfielder Aliou Dieng. 

Both teams pushed for a late winning goal in the latter stages of the game, but it never came and the match ended in a 0-0 draw a penalty shootout followed.

Al Ahly went on to win 3-2 on penalties against the South American champions with Nigeria international Ajayi scoring the Red Devils' last penalty-kick.

The victory saw Al Ahly equal their best-ever finish in the global competition having also finished third in the 2006 tournament in Japan. 

Former AC Milan and Real Madrid midfielder Kaka is among the latest luminaries from the world of football to have been left impressed by the preparations for the 2022 World Cup, set to be held in Qatar. 

Kaka, a former World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, was in Qatar for the final of the Club World Cup which is set to contested by Bayern Munich and Tigres on Thursday. 

The tournament serves as one of the preparatory events as Qatar tests its readiness for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held across eight venues. All eight venues for the 2022 World Cup are located within an hour's distance of each other which makes the tournament unique from the previous editions.

Kaka, part of Brazil's three World Cup squads in 2002 (South Korea and Japan), 2006 (Germany) and 2010 (South Africa), explained that he was looking forward to a very different but enjoyable experience in Qatar. 

"It will be unique this World Cup because all the stadiums are very close, so everybody will be almost in the same location," he said. 

"That will be amazing because we will be able to watch two, maybe three, games in the same day in different stadiums with different atmospheres and different supporters. It will be really nice and I’m looking forward to it.”    

Kaka was sharing his views after visiting the Al Bayt stadium, yet to be inaugurated, which will host the inaugural match of the 2022 World Cup. 

In the meanwhile, the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner also spoke about how excited he was to watch the ongoing Club World Cup after all the travails the world has gone through due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Kaka was at pains to point out how the tournament being held in Qatar, albeit with limited attendance inside the venue, is a sign of hope. 

"The experience was really nice because we’ve all been through a very, very tough period," he said. "To be able to come back to the stadiums and watch a tournament like this – even if it is just with a limited capacity in attendance – is a sign of hope that we are almost finished after this dark period.”

Thomas Tuchel has explained why he didn't consider loaning out Billy Gilmour, having quickly learned that the Chelsea starlet is "living his dream" at Stamford Bridge.

Gilmour was heavily linked with a temporary move away from Chelsea amid reported interest from Rangers in January, but Tuchel made sure he stayed put after replacing Frank Lampard in the managerial hot seat.

The Scottish midfielder looks set to make his first appearance under Tuchel in a fifth-round FA Cup tie against Barnsley on Thursday, and the German head coach is determined to help the 19-year-old fulfil his considerable potential as he continues to mature and develop his all-round game.

What was said?

Tuchel told a pre-match press conference of his decision to keep Gilmour at Chelsea: “For me, he represents everything a young guy from the academy should represent.

"He is humble. I feel that he is happy to be here. That he is living his dream and that he is ready to give everything to fulfil his dream.

“He gives me the exact right feeling. The exact perfect mix between being humble and being impatient and trying every training session to improve, to learn and not show too much respect.

“We have a strong midfield and right now he is one of four players for central midfield. The other three players are (Mateo) Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.

“That makes it not easy for Billy to find his place, but he is the No4 right now in my head and to be the No4 out of two positions is a pretty good start for Billy.

“I wanted him absolutely to stay because he has a big impact in training games and his quality is obvious. We are happy to have him and are absolutely ready to push him and help him on his way.”

Gilmour's record at Chelsea

Gilmour has racked up 16 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea since graduating to the senior squad in 2019.

The Scotland U21 international, who is still on the lookout for his first goal for the Blues, saw his progress halted by a serious knee injury last summer which forced him to miss the first half of the 2020-21 campaign.

Gilmour was able to return to action in December though, with Lampard handing the playmaker minutes in two Premier League and two Champions League fixtures before he was axed on January 25.

The bigger picture

Gilmour is widely regarded as one of the most talented young midfielders in English football, having already proved he can hold his own at the highest level on both domestic and European fronts.

The teenager's current contract at Chelsea is not due to expire until 2023, and he will give Tuchel a valuable extra option in the middle of the park as the Blues negotiate their way through a congested fixture list between now and the end of the season.

Further reading

Odisha head coach Gerry Peyton was a relieved man after his team shared spoils with Kerala Blasters in their Indian Super League 2020-21 clash at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa on Thursday. 

Even though the Warriors couldn't match Kerala Blasters in terms of the number of chances created, Peyton said that his team stuck to their gameplan and could have even grabbed all three points from the game. 

"I think we had a game plan. We stuck to the plan and that enabled us to pinch the game in the end. We had two massive chances. Jacob (Tratt) had one from the corner. Brad (Inman) had one where he could have hit it out of the goalkeeper's reach. But he hit it well. We could have stolen the game," Peyton said.  

"I never give up on anything. The last game, the penalty, we lost our way a little bit. But when I got back in the dressing room. I spoke to them the next day in the briefing. I said listen, boys, we never stop playing football, if it's 95 minutes or 97, we give our everything. We could have stolen the game because we kept going," he added. 

Talking about Odisha's defending in the match, he said,  "I think, during the season, the defensive line has been under pressure. They have handled the pressure very well. Like today's game, they came down on the left side in the first half. And then I freshened up the left side. And then I changed Jerry to the other side.

"I knew they are going to overload our flanks. I thought we stayed narrow as well and stopped them coming through the middle. I know they had chances. I saw the chances they missed. But I am delighted with the two goals and two big chances to win the game."

The Irishman also revealed that young midfielder Paul Ramfangzauva, whom he praised highly in the previous fixture, was absent from the game as he was injured. He, however, mentioned that Bradden Inman was his man-of-the-match due to his fantastic skills on the ball. 

"He (Paul) is injured. As soon as he's fit I'll put him back on the team. Bradden Inman for me today was outstanding. He reminded me of some of the touches and how he turned and how he combined with the players. I'm very pleased," he said.

Diego Mauricio saved the day for Odisha with a brace. But Peyton also wants other players to step up and score goals.

"I think it would be nice if everyone contributes to scoring goals. Diego (Mauricio) scored all the goals, Cole (Alexander) scored a few. Other members of the team contributed. But assists are good as well," Peyton said. 

"I'm going to spoil it (for other managers). Will upset as many managers as possible in the last few games," he added.  

Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has revealed Victor Osimhen is far from his best after featuring against Atalanta in a Coppa Italia game on Wednesday night.

The Nigeria international was handed a starting role in the encounter but struggled to make much impact despite playing for 79 minutes as his side suffered a 3-1 loss in the game.

Osimhen only recently returned to the Parthenopeans team after suffering a shoulder injury while on international duty with Nigeria in November.

The forward then contracted coronavirus after visiting the West African country to celebrate his 22nd birthday and the yuletide season.

Subsequently, Osimhen did not play for the Stadio San Paolo outfit for more than 90 days and after watching the forward against Atalanta, Gattuso revealed the forward is still not at his best.

“It’s not easy to be at the top of the game after being out for 94 days,” Gattuso told the club website.

“He’s still lacking that sharpness, which is his main asset, but he’s gradually making progress. He’s capable of much more.”

Napoli paid a club-record fee of €80 million to French club Lille in order to secure the signature of the Nigeria international last summer. 

The 22-year-old has only made 13 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

Osimhen will hope to deliver convincing showings when Napoli take on Juventus in their next league game on Saturday.

Napoli are winless in their last three games which ensured they dropped to the sixth spot on the league table after gathering 37 points from 20 games.

Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr will hope Osimhen returns to his impressive form before their 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

The centre-forward has bagged four goals in the qualifiers to help the Super Eagles lead Group L table with eight points.

Osimhen has 10 caps for the Nigeria national team since he made his debut against Togo in 2017 in a friendly.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah insists the decision to leave Manchester United for Bayer Leverkusen in January was his, with the Dutch defender jumping ship at Old Trafford rather than being pushed.

The 23-year-old had been with the Red Devils since 2014, allowing him to step out of a famed academy system when becoming a senior professional.

Game time was, however, hard to come by in Manchester and, after seeing unfortunate injuries further stunt his progress, a new challenge is now being embraced in the Bundesliga.

What has been said?

Fosu-Mensah has told PA Sport on leaving a Premier League heavyweight: “Yes, it was my decision.

“It was difficult because I ruptured my ACL after my loan spell at Fulham. I was out for a long time. I came back, [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer gave me the minutes, they triggered the option in my contract.

“Solskjaer's been good to me but at the end I was not playing a lot and obviously, when you're 22, 23, 24 you need to be playing.

“I didn’t play much and I wanted to play, and I think it was the best decision in the end for me to go somewhere else where I would get more minutes.”

How many games did Fosu-Mensah play for Man Utd?

The highly-rated Dutchman was lured away from Ajax in 2014, with United buying into obvious potential.

A senior debut was made in February 2016, with Fosu-Mensah making his bow at left-back in a 3-2 home win over Arsenal.

He was expected to kick on from that point, with a new long-term contract being signed, but after reaching 21 appearances for United, an exit door was opened.

Loan spells at Fulham and Crystal Palace delivered regular game time, but just nine more outings would be taken in back at Old Trafford – taking him to 30 in total – before heading to Germany.

Further reading

Thomas Partey has handed Arsenal a fresh injury headache, with the Ghanaian midfielder being ruled out of a Premier League clash with Leeds on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who was snapped up by the Gunners from Atletico Madrid during the summer of 2020, has fared admirably in English football when clear of niggling knocks.

He is, however, finding it difficult to stay away from the treatment room and is now back on the sidelines with a hamstring complaint.

What has been said?

Arsenal have stated in a fitness update posted on the club’s official website: “Thomas sustained a strain to his left hamstring during last Saturday’s match at Aston Villa and will miss the match against Leeds United on Sunday.

“Thomas will continue to be assessed and rehabilitate from this injury.”

How many games has Partey missed this season?

An untimely hip problem ruled Partey out shortly after his arrival at Emirates Stadium.

Having shown the kind of promise that could see him become a key part of Mikel Arteta’s plans, a 10-game spell was taken in on the sidelines.

The Gunners struggled for consistency in his absence and, after briefly displaying shoots of recovery, have gone three games without a win at a time in which they could do with having everybody available.

Partey has taken in 13 outings across all competitions.

Is anybody else ruled out?

Kieran Tierney is proving to be a big miss for the Gunners, as the Scottish left-back has earned plenty of plaudits for his performances and attitude in 2020-21.

He is another nursing a knock, with Arsenal saying: “Kieran is recovering well from a strain to the right lower leg and is aiming to integrate back into training next week.”

Elsewhere, Brazilian defender David Luiz and Germany international goalkeeper Bernd Leno are back in contention for starting berths against Leeds after serving one-match suspensions.

Further reading

Former Barcelona, Chelsea and Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o has joined in the celebration of Fete de la Jeunesse.

Also known as Youth Day, Fete de la Jeunesse is celebrated in Cameroon holds every February to mark the importance and right of young people in the country.

In preparation for this occasion, activities like games, folk culture exhibition, dances are organised in high schools, university campuses and associations in Cameroon.

To celebrate the 2021 edition, the four-time African Player of the Year visited a school in his native country.

In a post on social media, Eto’o expressed his delight meeting the pupils who he claimed were ‘full of energy and wonderful creativity’.

“I had a great time meeting the children at a school in Cameroon celebrating Fête de la Jeunesse! They were full of energy and wonderful creativity!,” he tweeted.

Aside from that, he has reportedly offered humanitarian support to abouth 25,000 kids affected by conflict in that district.

Considered as one of the greatest African footballers ever, Eto’o retired from football following the expiration of his contract with Qatar SC.

In a professional career that spanned over two decades, the legendary forward began his career at Kadji Sports Academy before heading to Real Madrid in 1997.

Following his inability to tie down a regular place in the star-studded Los Blancos, he was loaned to Leganes, Espanyol and Real Mallorca.

Thanks to his notable performances at Mallorca, he was signed permanently for a club record £4.4 million fee. Four seasons later, he joined Barcelona There, he won two Champions League titles, three LaLiga diadems as well as two Supercopa de Espana trophies.

Before signing out at Qatar SC, he had featured for Inter Milan, Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, Sampdoria, Antalyaspor and Konyaspor.

On the international scene, he made his senior debut for the Indomitable Lions in their 5-0 friendly defeat to Costa Rica on March 9, 1997. He retied with 56 goals in 118 caps for the country – winning two Africa Cup of Nations diadem and an Olympic gold medal to his name.

Real Madrid need to be tying Sergio Ramos to a new contract because the World Cup winner is capable of achieving what Raul and Iker Casillas failed to do by seeing out his playing days at Santiago Bernabeu, says Predrag Mijatovic.

As things stand, a talismanic presence in the Spanish capital - one who is nursing a knee injury at present - continues to run his current deal down towards free agency.

The Blancos are, however, still in a position to thrash out fresh terms with their 34-year-old captain and Mijatovic believes every effort should be made to keep a long-serving centre-half on the club’s books – with legendary figures having been allowed to slip the net in the past.

What has been said?

Former Real striker Mijatovic has told Goal on the speculation surrounding Ramos’ future: “I do not know the opinion of the club or Sergio about it. But what I would like is for him to renew.

“He can still perform at a very important level, he is a leader. Someone who has been and is so important should retire at Real Madrid. Neither Raul, Casillas, nor Fernando Hierro, nor many others have done that.

“In any case, it should be resolved as soon as possible. And, when there is a firm decision, communicate it to the fans.”

Who has been linked with Ramos?

As his deal runs down, leading sides from across Europe are said to have cast admiring glances in the direction of Madrid.

Manchester United have faced plenty of calls for another proven centre-half to be added to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad, and Ramos would tick plenty of boxes for the Premier League heavyweights.

Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be keeping a close eye on developments in Spain, with the Ligue 1 champions keeping across various developments in La Liga – with Barcelona forward Lionel Messi another potential free agent that they have their eye on.

Is anyone else seeing a Madrid exit mooted?

Pressure has been building on Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane amid recent struggles for consistency.

He has remained coy on the chances of seeing out a contract through to 2022, but Mijatovic believes faith and patience will be shown in the iconic Frenchman.

He added: “Real Madrid is a club that puts a lot of pressure on you, it wears down any professional, players, coach, presidents … it's not easy to live with that.

“Zidane has achieved something that no-one will repeat in terms of titles won, such as his three Champions Leagues in a row. It has never happened before.

“It is normal for him to get angry. He knows perfectly well where the shots are coming from. But he holds that pressure very well.”

The bigger picture

Real have moved back into second spot in the Liga table, but they have played a game more than Clasico foes Barcelona in third and remain five points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid despite taking in two more fixtures than their neighbours.

Disappointing exits have been suffered in domestic cup competitions, piling pressure on Zidane, but the Blancos are still in the hunt for another Champions League crown and are counting down the days to a last-16 showdown with Atalanta.

Further reading

When it first emerged at the end of 2019 into the start of 2020, few could have imagined that the Covid-19 crisis would stretch into 2021, yet it continues to affect everyday life.

Public health measures have been introduced across the world to deal with the pandemic and, while football - like most other sports - ground to a halt for a while, games are now being played behind closed doors.

Some countries have even trialled allowing a limited number of supporters into grounds to watch games, but the situation remains delicate as vaccines are rolled out and there is very little certainty.

Not even the biggest tournaments in the world have been able to escape, with leagues thrown into disarray in 2020, while Euro 2020 was postponed until 2021 and there is no guarantee that fans will be present.

The World Cup in Qatar is a little further into the future, taking place at the end of 2022, but will fans be allowed to attend what is ordinarily the biggest sporting spectacle in the world?

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Will fans be allowed at World Cup 2022?

The short answer is that we don't know for sure yet, but there is a strong sense of optimism among organisers that supporters will be able to attend World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

In fact, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is confident that venues will be packed with fans for the tournament, which kicks off on November 21, 2022 and concludes on December 18, 2022.

"At the World Cup 2022 in Qatar we will have full stadiums," Infantino told reporters in early 2021 when quizzed about the prospect.

"Covid-19 will be defeated by then and we will all have learned to live with it."

The FIFA chief added, pointedly: "If, in two years time, we are not there yet, we will have a bigger problem than the World Cup."

Even if the global public health situation is not as positive as Infantino projects come November 2022, there is a good chance that games will permit a limited attendance.

Indeed, Qatar hosted the Club World Cup in February 2021, with supporters permitted to attend and stadiums operating at 30 per cent capacity.

So, up to 12,000 socially distanced fans were allowed in the 40,000-seater venues of Al-Rayyan Stadium and Education City Stadium for games.

Strict protocols were put in place for those wishing to attend games, including the requirement to be vaccinated and to quarantine.

The experience of staging the tournament, though smaller in scale, allows the organisers a chance to test their readiness to implement restrictive measures, according to Nasser Al-Khater, Qatar World Cup chief.

"With two years to go until the FIFA World Cup in 2022, we do hope that the world goes back to normal and that people can enjoy their lives as they previously did," said Al-Khater.

"Of course we want to make sure sports is also enjoyed the way we are all used to it being enjoyed. However, it is important for us to be able to test all our protocols as we've been doing. You need to be prepared.

"We hope we don't need to implement any of these protocols that we are implementing right now. We hope that sport can go back and that the fans can really enjoy it the way they want to enjoy it."

When do World Cup 2022 tickets go on sale?

FIFA has not yet announced when World Cup 2022 tickets go on sale, but it is likely that they will be available to buy around 10 months to a year before the tournament begins.

Tickets for the 2018 World Cup went on sale in November 2017, for example, so if we take that as an approximate indicator, fans may be able to buy from anywhere between November 2021 and January 2022.

It's possible that they will be available sooner. FIFA's official website advises those wishing to buy tickets that information will be made available "in due course" and to check their ticketing page regularly for updates.

Ticket inclusive hospitality packages went on sale in February 2021 and are available to buy now.

Prices for hospitality packages range from $950 (£690) per group match to over $200,000 (£145,000) for a luxury 'venue series' offer.

You can find out more about FIFA's World Cup hospitality packages here.

How much will World Cup 2022 tickets cost?

While we will have to wait to see how much general tickets will cost for World Cup 2022, it is useful to look at the ticket prices for World Cup 2018 in Russia.

So, for example, tickets for the opening match at that tournament ranged from $220 (Category 3) to $550 (Category 1).

The cost of tickets for group matches ranged from $105 to $210, while tickets for the final ranged in price from $455 to $1,100.

Prices for the World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be finalised ahead of sale opening.

Real Sociedad star Mikel Oyarzabal has been diagnosed with a hamstring problem and will miss the Spanish side's upcoming Europa League clash with Manchester United as a result.

The news comes as a huge blow to the San Sebastian outfit, with the 23-year-old's scintillating form this season playing a huge role in helping propel the club to sixth in the Liga standings.

It is currently unknown as to how long the Eibar native will have to spend on the sidelines.

What has Real Sociedad said?

In a statement released on Thursday, La Real said: “Mikel Oyarzabal has presented with tendinopathy in the proximal hamstring tendons of the right thigh.

“He has begun physical therapy treatment. A return to action will depend on the evolution of his symptoms.”

How has Oyarzabal been performing this season?

Oyarzabal has been in incredible form in the 2020-21 campaign, scoring 12 goals and registering five assists in all competitions so far.

The winger himself scored from the spot to see Sociedad finish level at 1-1 against Barcelona in the Spanish Supercup, although the Blaugrana would eventually lift the title after a penalty shoot-out.

Is there a rough idea when he'll be back?

Tendinitis can take anywhere up to six weeks to fully heal - and rushing back into action too early can mean weakened tissues won't fully recover and become more prone to recurrence of injury. 

In addition, the more times the same area is affected, the higher chance there is for long-term damage.

As such, the tail-end of March is likely to be when Oyarzabal will return to action, meaning he would miss important matches against Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barcelona, though he may be in line to feature against Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey at the beginning of April.

Further reading

Erling Haaland is “much more of a killer” inside the box than Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, claims Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Meunier, with the right-back having played with both strikers.

Both Haaland and Mbappe have established themselves as two of the most lethal frontmen in world football, seemingly scoring at will and attracting the attention of Europe's biggest clubs in the process.

Playing in a similar position and with only two years between them, many have wondered which of the forwards would represent the better value for money. For Meunier, however, their styles are simply too different to compare.

What are the differences between Mbappe and Haaland?

Speaking to reporters, the Belgian said: “I can't compare the two, they're totally different. They're both quick, but that's it. 

“Kylian is someone who looks for the one-v-one, he has a bit of everything. He makes me think of Thierry Henry.

“Erling on the other hand is more of a killer [in the box], he can beat any goalkeeper in the world. In the coming years, he can take the steps needed to be among the best players in the world.

“They will both be among the best players in the world when they're around 25 years old.”

What makes Haaland such a killer in the box?

“I think it's in his blood,” Meunier added of Haaland's lethality in front of goal. “He's an old-school striker in his way of playing. I really like that kind of striker. 

“He has two good feet; he can improve his heading but honestly, he's only 20 years old and has time in front of him to be one of the best in the world.

“I really believe that in the coming years he will be kind of a [Robert] Lewandowski or a [Romelu] Lukaku, scoring 25-30 goals a season. He will be one of the best.”

What's next for Mbappe and Haaland?

Mbappe's future is currently the topic of hot debate, with the World Cup winner's deal scheduled to run out in 2022. His strike partner, Neymar, is on the verge of signing an extension with PSG, however, which could go some way to convincing Mbappe to remain at the club.

With Lionel Messi set to become a free agent at the end of the season and linked with a move to Parc des Princes, playing with one of football's greatest ever players would likely be an extra incentive to stay.

Haaland, meanwhile, is contracted until 2024, with Dortmund showing no signs of sanctioning a sale any time soon despite admiring glances from La Liga and the Premier League.

Further reading

Sofapaka forward Joseph Waithera has revealed the conversation he had with his head coach Ken Odhiambo after making his debut in the 2-0 win over Zoo FC in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League game played at Wundanyi Stadium on Wednesday.

Despite the win, the tactician had pointed out he was not impressed owing to the chances missed by his charges. The former Wazito FC striker has now stated what his coach said after the game.

"The coach felt I should have easily grabbed a hat-trick on Wednesday," Waithera told Goal on Thursday.

"There was a time when I cut back the ball searching for my teammate, and at some point, I shot narrowly wide. I also miscued the ball with the goalkeeper to beat and for the coach, those were good chances for me to score.

"I agree with him; there is next time for me and I have to work on it."

The soft-speaking Waithera also expressed his feelings after making his debut for the 2009 champions.

"It was the best debut ever and I believe it is a sign of good things to come," he continued.

"I managed to create three scoring opportunities for my teammates and managed to have a decent game. The only disappointment was that I did not get a goal.

"Otherwise, everything went on well, and I am happy to have helped my team get maximum points."

Against the Kericho-based side, Lawrence Juma and Kepha Aswani earned the goals in a dominant first half for Batoto ba Mungu and the visitors were lucky not to concede more in the subsequent half.

Collins Wakhungu set Juma through on goal in the 10th minute and the former Gor Mahia midfielder – who scored a hat-trick against Mathare United – managed to find the back of the net.

Wakhungu, who was lively from the first whistle, was unlucky to see his effort parried over the bar by Lumumba in the 12th minute as Sofapaka mounted more attacks.

Batoto ba Mungu were not to be denied in the 28th minute when Aswani scored with an assist from Roy Okal. At this point, Zoo were clearly unable to deal with a Sofapaka side that attacked from all angles.

The 2009 champions are now in the ninth position with 14 points that have come from the 10 matches they have played.