Find the main information of the day on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar on the 18th day of the competition.
On the 18th day of the World Cup, the knockout phase of the competition continues, with the end of the round of 16. Morocco created the feat against Spain, Portugal rolled out, while the Belgian Eden Hazard put an end to his international career… The World Cup will return on Friday with the start of the quarter-finals.
Tuesday’s results
Morocco 0-0 Spain (3-0 pens). For 120 minutes, the Education stadium in Doha looked like a boiling beehive, vibrating and whistling nonstop. Before finally exploding, almost three hours after kick-off: at the end of the effort, in a closed match in which he never really seemed worried, little Morocco has just taken out big Spain , once again thwarting the predictions of a World Cup full of surprises. For the first time in their history, the Atlas Lions are invited to the quarter-finals of a World Cup that they will play next Saturday against Switzerland or Portugal.
Portugal 6-1 Switzerland. Ronaldo on the bench, the Portuguese machine unrolled an offensive power that crushed the Swiss defense, completely overwhelmed. In a state of grace, the young Benfica striker Gonçalo Ramos planted a hat-trick, for his fourth selection with Portugal. The men of coach Fernando Santos, who had not reached this stage of the competition since 2006, will meet Morocco on Saturday (4 p.m.) as favorites.
Casablanca danced all night
As soon as the end of the match was whistled, fans flooded the streets of the Moroccan economic capital. By car, scooter or simply on foot, tens of thousands of people gradually fill the city center, slowed down by the huge traffic jams caused by the crowds. On the roads, sidewalks and even on the roofs of bus shelters or at the top of traffic lights, Casablanca turns red, Moroccan flags are everywhere. The horns punctuate the songs of happiness of the young people, jumping and dancing in all directions, under the gaze of the older ones. “I am very, very, very proud, comments Fatima-Zahra, in her sixties. It’s nice to see all the Moroccan people together this evening, thank you Lions! Report in Casablanca.
The picture of the evening
Small earthquake on the scale of the Portuguese selection: CR7 on the bench during an eighth final of the World Cup. What the photographers of the World Cup did not miss, who watered the bench in shots, heated by the buttocks of the fivefold Ballon d’Or. Portugal coach Fernando Santos had little taste for Ronaldo’s swearing outing against South Korea in the third pool game. “If I saw the images again? Yes, Santos told reporters. I didn’t like it at all. I really didn’t like it at all. From there, these matters are settled at home. They are settled. Final point on this question.” Not exactly, since his replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, planted a hat-trick against Switzerland.
sentence of the day
“My players perfectly represented my idea of football”
— Luis Enrique, Spain coach
Sleight-slew-slew… Side-back-side… Sigh-sigh-sigh. After a match with invariable geometry from Spain, which only framed a shot in 120 minutes of play against Morocco, and multiplied transmissions without danger, races without aggressiveness and bags for centers, here is the Spanish coach , Luis Enrique, satisfied with his team. Which reproduces, again and again, the same pattern of play since its double Euro 2008-World Cup 2010, and puts the rest of the world to sleep. Luis Enrique, Tuesday evening at a press conference: “We could have been more effective in the last meters, it’s true. But this zone is where the space-time is the smallest. We could have created more, but I’m more than satisfied with what my players did.” uh ben.
For DD, a nice gift by Christmas
“My wish is that Didier stays.” Here is Noël Le Graët, president of the French Football Federation of his state, who has already confirmed Deschamps on the bench of the Blues. “We have a clear objective: the semi-finals. I always said that if he reached this level, the decision was his. repeated the boss of the FFF in an interview for Le Figaro. In case of elimination, Saturday in quarters against England, «on discuss». The contract of DD and his staff ends on December 31, after the World Cup. Le Graët claims not to have “never called” Zinédine Zidane, on pole to regain the position if Deschamps abandons. “When you’re lucky enough to have a Didier Deschamps, you don’t knock on the next door, as long as he’s in place. You insist. So I’ll be honest: my wish is that Didier stays. Who do you want to find better? It is the president who speaks, not the friend.
The English between boycott of croissants and fear of the “galloping Gaul”
«Here OUI go» (“Here we are”), headlined the newspaper Metro the day after the English victory against Senegal. A 3-0 that sealed the poster for a France-England duel in the quarter-finals, Saturday, December 10. The historic rivals, “Three Lions” on one side and “Bleus” on the other, have not faced each other since 2017, a year before France were crowned world champions in Russia. So, for the fans, it will be “Carling diet” (a very popular beer in the UK). Say goodbye to pastries, baguettes and macaroons – at least until game day. the Daily Star reports the words of a dedicated supporter, who assures that “Anyone in England who is seen eating a baguette, croissant or pain au chocolat between now and Saturday should be jailed.” The Sun for its part dedicates a double page to the “galloping Gallic” Kylian Mbappe, and does not fail to remind that he is a man “fallible”, with as proof a missed penalty at Euro 2020. The press review across the Channel.
Pele’s health is ‘gradually improving’
This was reported by the São Paulo hospital where the 82-year-old Brazilian, who is battling colon cancer, was admitted a week ago. The three-time world champion “has stable vital signs […]sans complication» and continue to be cared for “in a normal room”, without the need to be placed in intensive care. According to his family, this hospital stay is due to a respiratory infection after a Covid-19 contamination contracted three weeks ago. Two of his daughters gave an interview on Brazilian TV on Sunday to deny rumors of a deterioration in his state of health. “He is not at risk, he is in treatment”, they explained, before adding: “We are tired of receiving condolences.”
The Red Devils, it’s over for Hazard
A few days after the elimination of the Belgians during the group stage, the captain of the selection announced on Wednesday that he was retiring from international football on his Instagram account, after 126 caps and 33 goals. “A page is turned today… Thank you for your love. Thank you for your unparalleled support. Thank you for all this happiness shared since 2008. I have decided to put an end to my international career. The succession is ready. I will miss you”, writes the former Lille resident.