Innehållsförteckning för 1 November 2022 från MATCH!

THE GOSSIP! According to reports, deadly RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku has already completed a mini-medical for Chelsea and has agreed to join the Premier League club in 2023! He was one of Europe’s most-wanted stars after scoring 35 goals in all competitions in 2021-22! FEARSOME FRENCH ATTACK! Nkunku only made his senior France debut in March 2022 but he’s already established himself as a crucial member of their squad! Depending on what formation boss Didier Deschamps chooses, he’ll either line up alongside Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe or be used as an impact sub! MORE TO COME? Footy gossips reckon Nkunku isn’t the only RB Leipzig player ready to make the move to Stamford Bridge next year! They reckon classy Croatia centre-back Josko Gvardiol has also agreed in principle…

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Argentina Population: 47m Capital: Buenos Aires Gaffer: Lionel Scaloni Ranking: 3rd STRONGEST LINE-UP! 28 Argentina’s victory in last year’s Copa America ended a 28-year trophy drought for themega nation! STAR MAN! Lionel Messi Forward The footy legend is about to embark on his fifthWC campaign! If he can guide Argentina to the final, and play in every game, he’ll overtake Lothar Matthaus as the player with the most World Cup appearances! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 22 ★ S. Arabia Lusail, 10am November 26 ★ Mexico Lusail, 7pm November 30 ★ Poland Doha, 7pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… Time is quickly running out for Messi to follow another Argentina legend in Diego Maradona in lifting the WC! VERDICT! A run of 35 games unbeaten that stretches back to 2019…

Belgium Population: 11.6m Capital: Brussels Gaffer: Roberto Martinez Ranking: 2nd STRONGEST LINE-UP! 0 Belgium have never won a major international trophy, with their third-placed finish in 2018 their best-ever at a World Cup! STAR MAN! KevinDe Bruyne Midfielder A lot of Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” are on their way out, including the likes of Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and even Eden Hazard! De Bruyne, meanwhile, still seems to be getting better each season! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 23 ★ Canada Al Rayyan, 7pm November 27 ★ Morocco Doha, 1pm December 1 ★ Croatia Al Rayyan, 3pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… Belgium are getting ready for a big generational change with lots of their older stars playing their final tourno! VERDICT! In Thibaut Courtois and De Bruyne they have…

CHELSEA v ARSENAL PREMIER LEAGUE Sunday, 6 November, 12pm JUVENTUS v INTER SERIE A Sunday, 6 November, 7.45pm MAN. UNITED v ASTON VILLA EFL CUP THIRD ROUND Thursday, 10 November, 8pm BURNLEY v BLACKBURN CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday, 13 November, 12.30pm TOTTENHAM v LIVERPOOL PREMIER LEAGUE Sunday, 6 November, 4.30pm MAN. CITY v CHELSEA EFL CUP THIRD ROUND Wednesday, 9 November, 8pm ENGLANDW v JAPANW WOMEN’S FRIENDLY Friday, 11 November, 7pm ENGLAND W v NORWAY W WOMEN’S FRIENDLY Tuesday, 15 November, 7pm…

Netherlands Population: 17.8m Capital: Amsterdam Gaffer: Louis van Gaal Ranking: 8th STRONGEST LINE-UP! 3 Popular gaffer Louis van Gaal, who used to manage Man. United, is in his third spell as Netherlands manager and has said he will retire once the World Cup ends! STAR MAN! Virgil van Dijk Centre-back Liverpool’s commanding centre-back wears the captain’s armband for his country and plays in the middle of a three-man central defence! He’ll be pumped for Qatar after missing last year’s Euros! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 21 ★ Senegal Doha, 4pm November 25 ★ Ecuador Al Rayyan, 4pm November 29 ★ Qatar Al Khor, 3pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… No nation has reached the World Cup semi-finals more times (five) than the Dutch without winning the trophy! VERDICT! LVG has…

France Population: 68m Capital: Paris Gaffer: Didier Deschamps Ranking: 4th STRONGEST LINE-UP! 1 France won the World Cup in 1998 and followed that in 2002 by finishing bottom of their group with one point. Denmark came top of that group. Uh oh… STAR MAN! Kylian Mbappe Forward We could have picked either KM7 or Karim Benzema but we’ve gone for the PSG superstar over the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner because of his jaw-dropping displays at the 2018 tournament! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 22 ★ Australia Al Wakrah, 7pm November 26 ★ Denmark Doha, 4pm November 30 ★ Tunisia Al Rayyan, 3pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… The holders have got to be the trophy emoji! They’ve loved being world champs over the past four years! VERDICT! It’s been a…

Brazil Population: 217m Capital: Brasilia Gaffer: Tite Ranking: 1st STRONGEST LINE-UP! 43 Richarlison has averaged a goal every 43 minutes in his last six games for The Samba Boys. Lethal! STAR MAN! Neymar Forward The trickster goes into the World Cup as one of the most in-form players on the planet! He scored nine goals and got seven assists in his first nine Ligue 1 starts for PSG this season, which are just mad stats! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 24 ★ Serbia Lusail, 7pm November 28 ★ Swit’land Doha, 4pm December 2 ★ Cameroon Lusail, 7pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… Eyes on Brazil because they’re most people’s faves to win the WC! Their squad is packed with quality! VERDICT! The world’s top-ranked side have won their last seven…

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3.57 The 2018 World Cup was watched by a combined 3.57 billion viewers, which is almost half the world’s population! Brazil have appeared in every World Cup since the first one took place in 1930! Lionel Messi is the only player in World Cup history to bust net in his teens, 20s and 30s. Legend! 8 The 1954 World Cup holds the record for the most hat-tricks in a single tourno, with eight scored! 0 The 2006 World Cup is the only one in the tournament’s history to fail to have a single treble! 10.8 Hakan Sukur scored in 10.8 seconds at the 2002 World Cup – the fastest goal in WC history! 15 Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo got a yellow card after 15 seconds in 2018 – the quickest caution…

KYLIAN MBAPPE Team: France Qualifying goals: 5 ROMELU LUKAKU Team: Belgium Qualifying goals: 5 LAUTARO MARTINEZ Team: Argentina Qualifying goals: 7 THOMAS MULLER Team: Germany Qualifying goals: 3 ALVARO MORATA Team: Spain Qualifying goals: 2 ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI Team: Poland Qualifying goals: 9 RICHARLISON Team: Brazil Qualifying goals: 6 LUIS SUAREZ Team: Uruguay Qualifying goals: 8 GARETH BALE Team: Wales Qualifying goals: 6 SON HEUNG-MIN Team: South Korea Qualifying goals: 7 ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC Team: Serbia Qualifying goals: 8…

CAPACITY 80,000 STAR GAME THE FINAL LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM This is where the final will take place and, although 80,000 fans will pack in for the big day on December 18, it will be converted into a 40,000-seater stadium once the tourno has finished! CAPACITY 60,000 STAR GAME Spain v Germany AL BAYT STADIUM This ground will host some massive games, including the hosts’ first-ever World Cup clash, Germany v Spain and England v USA. With a retractable roof, it will stay cool under the sizzling sun! CAPACITY 45,416 STAR GAME England v Iran KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM England’s World Cup campaign begins against Iran on November 21 in the oldest ground being used at the WC. The Khalifa was first built in 1976 and hosts Qatar’s home international games! CAPACITY…

England Population: 56m Capital: London Gaffer: Gareth Southgate Ranking: 5th STRONGEST LINE-UP! 0 The Three Lions didn’t lose a single match in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, conceding just three goals! STAR MAN! Harry Kane Striker Spurs’ superstar striker doesn’t always find his best form for England but he does tend to find the net! He’s only two goals away from Wayne Rooney’s all-time record, which he could break at the WC! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 21 ★ Iran Al Rayyan, 1pm November 25 ★ USA Al Khor, 7pm November 29 ★ Wales Al Rayyan, 7pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… England’s failure to win any of their last six matches ahead of the World Cup has put a dampener on things! VERDICT! Despite recent improvements in major…

Spain Population: 47m Capital: Madrid Gaffer: Luis Enrique Ranking: 7th STRONGEST LINE-UP! 11 No player has scored more goals for Spain in all competitions than Alvaro Morata under Luis Enrique – level with Ferran Torres! STAR MAN! Pedri Midfielder Pedri’s performances for Spain at last year’s Euros catapulted him into the spotlight as he won the tourno’s Best Young Player award and was then named 2021’s Golden Boy. He’s the perfect Spanish midfielder! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 23 ★ Costa Rica Doha, 4pm November 27 ★ Germany Al Khor, 7pm December 1 ★ Japan Al Rayyan, 7pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… Spain will boss possession this winter, with coach Luis Enrique demanding his side play out from the back! VERDICT! Spain play with style and flair but lack…

Portugal Population: 10m Capital: Lisbon Gaffer: Fernando Santos Ranking: 9th STRONGEST LINE-UP! 10 Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in history to have scored at least once in nine major tournos in a row – and can extend that to ten! STAR MAN! Bernardo Silva Midfielder Despite CR7 being the nation’s superstar, he has been accused of ghosting in recent games! It’s been up to Bernardo Silva to create the magic spark up top that they’ve needed to win games! WORLD CUP RECORD! FIXTURES! November 24 ★ Ghana Doha, 4pm November 28 ★ Uruguay Lusail, 7pm December 2 ★ S. Korea Al Rayyan, 3pm IF THEY WERE AN EMOJI… Portugal are a confusing side! They’ve got some absolute world-beaters but never seem to properly gel! VERDICT! Portugal don’t have a…