WORLD CUP: Countdown Diary

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is fast approaching and our team are on the case with all breaking news pre-tournament in the Star Sports Countdown diary!

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2️⃣ days to go
Friday, 18 November…

🏆 James Maddison missed another England training session with a knee complaint – but the 25-year-old continues to be confident he can play a part in Qatar.

🏆 Joe Allen trained separately as Wales attempt to get him fit for their opening game against the USA.

🏆 Spain finished their warm-ups with a 3-1 win over Jordan thanks to goals from Ansu Fati, Gavi and Nico Williams.

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3️⃣ days to go
Thursday, 17 November…

🏆 Lionel Messi scored and assisted last night as Argentina beat UAE 5-0 in their final warm-up match.

🏆 Senegal forward Sadio Mane has undergone surgery on a knee injury he sustained playing for Bayern Munich and will miss the World Cup.

🏆 Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech scored a stunning strike from inside his own half during Morocco’s 3-0 win over Georgia in their final warm-up game.

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4️⃣ days to go
Wednesday, 16 November…

🏆 Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Portugal’s World Cup warm-up match against Nigeria on Thursday due to a stomach bug.

🏆 Kyle Walker says he will not be fit to play any part in England’s opening World Cup game against Iran on Monday but insists he will be fit afterwards.

🏆 France have called up Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani to their squad as a replacement for the injured Christopher Nkunku.

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5️⃣ days to go
Tuesday, 15 November…

🏆 Senegal forward Sadio Mane will miss the “first games” of the World Cup due to a leg injury.

🏆 Midfielder Joe Allen hopes to be fit for Wales’ World Cup opener, despite not playing since September because of a hamstring injury.

🏆 Lionel Messi says “anything can happen” in the World Cup but is cautious over Argentina’s chances of lifting the trophy in Qatar.

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6️⃣ days to go
Monday, 14 November…

🏆 England have revealed their squad numbers for the World Cup with Jordan Pickford handed the No 1 shirt and Harry Maguire given No 6. Gareth Southgate has landed James Maddison No 25 whilst Southgate has given the numbers one to 12 to the same players who wore them at Euro 2020, where they lost on penalties to Italy in the final at Wembley.

🏆 Ghana have named Tariq Lamptey and Thomas Partey amongst their 26-man squad for the World Cup.

🏆 Carlos Queiroz has announced his 25-man Iran squad for the World Cup. Porto forward Mehdi Taremi, who has scored five goals in the Champions League this season, and Brentford midfielder Saman Ghoddos have been included in the squad.

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7️⃣ days to go
Sunday, 13 November…

🏆 Kylian Mbappe scored and came through unscathed along with fellow PSG stars Lionel Messi and Neymar in their final match before the World Cup, a 5-0 Ligue 1 rout of Auxerre

🏆 Australia players, including Celtic’s Aaron Mooy and Dundee United’s Aziz Behich, land in Qatar

🏆 Jurgen Klopp has called Roberto Firmino’s Brazil axe ‘madness’ after he scored for Liverpool against Southampton

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8️⃣ days to go
Saturday, 12 November…

🏆 Serbia have named Aleksandr Mitrovic in their 26-man World Cup squad for the World Cup, despite the Fulham striker being injured over the past fortnight

🏆 Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Reading’s Junior Hoilett have made Canada’s 26-man squad for the World Cup

🏆 Iran’s World Cup squad announcement has been delayed because of ‘technical problems’

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1️⃣1️⃣ days to go
Thursday, 10 November…

🏆 England have announced their squad for the upcoming World Cup with James Maddison and Callum Wilson included and Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham among those to miss out. WIN £250 FREE BET IN OUR STARTING XI COMP

🏆 Germany have unveiled their squad for the World Cup with Mario Gotze called up for the first time since 2017.

🏆 Romelu Lukaku has been included in Belgium’s squad despite concerns over his fitness.

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1️⃣2️⃣ days to go
Wednesday, 9 November…

🏆 Wales have announced their squad for the upcoming World Cup. Gareth Bale has been included and Ipswich Town’s Wes Burns among those to miss out

🏆 Despite a lack of game-time due to injury, Kalvin Phillips is reportedly in with a chance of selection for England

🏆 Reece James is not going to be risked for selection by England manager Gareth Southgate following a knee injury

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1️⃣3️⃣ days to go
Tuesday, 8 November…

🏆 Ecuador will play at this year’s World Cup in Qatar after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Byron Castillo, – whom Chile sensationally said was ineligible to play during the qualifiers – was an Ecuadorean national

🏆 Australia have released their squad, with soon to be Newcastle forward Garang Kuol – who’s just 18! – included in their 26 strong group. There are also seven SPL players including Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy, and Hearts’ Nathaniel Atkinson, Cameron Devlin and Kye Rowles.

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1️⃣4️⃣ days to go
Monday, 7 November…

🏆 Japanese manager Hajime Moriyasu expects Takehiro Tomiyasu to be fit for the World Cup despite an injury scare with Arsenal which ruled him out of their 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday

🏆 Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has been named in Denmark’s preliminary squad – along with Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Leeds United defender Rasmus Kristensen and Eriksen’s ex-Brentford team-mate Mathias Jensen.

🏆 Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli has been named in Brazil’s squad along with Gabriel Jesus, whilst Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino has been left out. 12 Premier League players are present, including Alisson, Ederson, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Fred, Bruno Guimaraes, Liverpool’s Fabinho, Lucas Paqueta, Anthony and Richarlison.

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1️⃣5️⃣ days to go
Sunday, 6 November…

🏆 Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp believes that Gareth Southgate should take Leicester’s James Maddison, writing in the Sun that: “In any other country, a player like Maddison would be on the plane to the World Cup without a moment’s hesitation,”

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1️⃣6️⃣ days to go
Saturday, 5 November…

🏆 Alphonso Davies could be an injury doubt for the World Cup after he limped out of Bayern Munich’s win over Hertha Berlin

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1️⃣7️⃣ days to go
Friday, 4 November…

🏆 Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips’ World Cup hopes hang in the balance after Pep Guardiola revealed that both are still not fit 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

🏆 The BBC have announced their punditry team for this year’s World Cup – with Rio Ferdinand, Ian Rush, Vincent Kompany and Didier Drogba among the big names joining Gary Lineker in Qatar 📺

🏆 Star Sports have published their mega pinstickers’ guide for the World Cup with each nation’s chances of success extensively assessed and ranked. Click here to read! 

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1️⃣8️⃣ days to go
Thursday, 3 November…

🏆 England’s injury woes continue as Chelsea wing-back Ben Chilwell, expected to be on the plane to Qatar, has almost certainly bee ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

🏆 Germany now have a conundrum to solve in the striking department as RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has been ruled out of the World Cup due to an ankle injury 🇩🇪

🏆 Former Celtic full-back Jeremie Frimpong has pledged his allegiances to the Netherlands ahead of the World Cup, reportedly ‘failing to answer’ a call from Ghana chiefs  🇳🇱🇬🇭

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1️⃣9️⃣ days to go
Wednesday, 2 November…

🏆 Following a recent injury scare, England’s Bukayo Saka has returned to training with Arsenal and will be available for selection by Gareth Southgate 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

🏆 Hibernian and Australia winger Martin Boyle is due to see a specialist over an injury which could threaten his dreams of playing at the 2022 World Cup  🇦🇺

🏆 Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane admits the World Cup is on a lot of players’ minds: “I think a lot of players have got it in the backs of their minds but I think the top, top players manage to give 110% no matter what” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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2️⃣0⃣ days to go
Tuesday, 1 November…

🏆 According to The Athletic, Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck has been included in England manager Gareth Southgate’s 55-man long-list for the World Cup 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

🏆 Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has been left out of Japan’s 26-man squad for the World Cup 🇯🇵

🏆 Star Sports have published a Trading Room interview with Head of Trading, Dave Jolly, where he was asked 10 questions ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Click here to read! 

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2️⃣1️⃣ days to go
Monday, 31 October…

🏆 Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku could miss the World Cup after picking up a hamstring injury; Inter Milan have said that his condition will be assessed in the coming days 🇧🇪

🏆 According to L’Équipe, France midfielder Paul Pogba has faced a further injury setback that has all but ended his hopes of making Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad 🇫🇷

🏆 The Star Sports World Cup YES/NO competition went live on Monday CLICK HERE. In the popular free to enter competition we want the answers to 10 YES/NO questions on what you think will happen in the World Cup. There are three great prizes up for grabs £300, £150 and £50 FREE BETS with starsports.bet … enter now! ⭐

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