World Cup 2022 news LIVE: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal future in doubt

The next World Cup will be the biggest ever after world soccer body FIFA took the leap from a 32-team field to 48 teams in 2026.

It means more of soccer’s so-called “little teams” that didn’t make it to Qatar will be given a chance of a lifetime when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That could be great news for everyone who was entertained by Saudi Arabia’s stirring upset of Lionel Messi’s Argentina at this World Cup, Japan‘s two wins over former champions Germany and Spain or Morocco‘s humbling of star-studded Belgium and Spain on its way to an unexpected quarterfinal run. More surprises surely await in four years.

Still, it’s not clear to everyone that bigger is better.

Callum Wilson did not join England’s other non-starters at training on Monday due to a minor muscle strain.

The Newcastle striker has made two substitute appears in Qatar and was an unused substitute in Sunday’s 3-0 World Cup last-16 win against Senegal.

England’s starters worked inside the following day at their Al Wakrah Sports Complex base, where the rest of the group worked outside with Gareth Southgate and his coaches.

Wilson was the only absentee from the session for non-starters, with a slight niggle meaning the striker sat out as a precaution.

It is a description that was almost overlooked at the time, but that Qatar was highly attuned to, and warrants mention every day of this World Cup.

“Consultations and reports in Qatar reveal that racial and ethnic stereotypes operate in both the public and private spheres, according to which, for example, sub-Saharan African men are presumed to be unsanitary, sub-Saharan African women are presumed to be sexually available, and certain South Asian nationalities are presumed unintelligent. The Special Rapporteur received credible reports that, on the other hand, North Americans, Europeans and Australians are presumed superior, and whites in general are presumed to be inherently competent in various contexts, such as hiring and promotion decisions.”

For Spain, this World Cup was supposed to be about optimism for the future, but it has only ended up recalling the pessimism of the past.

Even worse, the defeatism of it recalled the fatalism of Spanish football history, as if the glory era of 2008-12 had never happened.

So much of this is interconnected, though, and why it should influence the future. It was Spain’s academy revolution that was the primary reason for that glory era, directly creating players like Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The conveyer belt has only continued, especially in their successors in Pedri and Gavi. A problem is nevertheless that the process has become so defined that Spain produces too many of this type of player at the expense of everything else.

Matty Cash, Mbappe’s last-16 opponent with Poland, and former England full-back Gary Neville are among those tipping the pacy Manchester City full-back as the ideal man to shackle Mbappe.

That France will look to work Mbappe into space in dangerous positions is not exactly news, but his 28.7 times per 90 minutes receiving the ball between the midfield and defensive lines is far and away the highest of any player from either of these teams.

Kingsley Coman, who deputised as France’s go-to wing forward in their dead rubber against Tunisia, is next at 21.7 with England’s Phil Foden at 21.2.

Here are the photo highlights from Day 17 of the World Cup in Qatar which saw Morocco record a famous and historic victory over Spain and Portugal demolish Switzerland in the final last-16 fixture.

Exuberant Moroccans poured into the streets of their capital and in cities across Europe on Tuesday, waving flags and honking horns to celebrate their national soccer team’s historic victory over Spain at the World Cup.

Morocco defeated Spain in a penalty shootout, making the Atlas Lions the only team from outside Europe or South America to make it to the quarterfinals Qatar — and the first Arab team in World Cup history to make it to the last eight.

“We are so proud of our Lions, who fought hard to get us into the quarterfinals,” said Niama Meddoun, a Rabat resident. “We are delighted to be Moroccans today, since we are the first Arab country that has reached the quarterfinals.”

Yesterday former England captain David Beckham was invited to the Al Wakrah training camp to chat to England’s current crop of talent as well as receive a legacy shirt from manager Gareth Southgate.

Former Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has apologised after admitting he had a “violent altercation” with a football supporter at the World Cup in Qatar.

Video footage emerged of Eto’o, who is now the president of Cameroon’s Football Federation, appearing to attack a man after Brazil’s 4-1 victory over South Korea on Monday night. In the footage, Eto’o appears to knee the supporter in the face after he was approached when leaving the Stadium 974 in Doha.

In his statement, Eto’o said the fan was “probably an Algerian” and claimed Cameroon fans have been “harassed and pestered by Algerians” since the two African nations met in a controversial World Cup play-off in March.

The 37-year-old was only named on the bench as Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos – who hit a hat-trick on his full debut to secure a comfortable 6-1 victory and set up a quarter-final clash with Morocco.

Ronaldo’s name was chanted around Lusail Stadium before he was introduced in the closing stages, having been left out of a starting line-up at a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2008.

Asked about Ronaldo, who left Manchester United under a cloud during the finals, Santos said: “That is still something that has to be defined.