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All Ben McAleer posts on WhoScored.com Articles RSS

Argentina vs Croatia: How big a blow is Marcos Acuna's absence?

by Ben McAleer at Monday, Dec 12 2022 15:40
Argentina vs Croatia: How big a blow is Marcos Acuna's absence? Football fans couldn't take their eyes off of Friday's second quarter-final meeting. The Netherlands and Argentina played out a World Cup classic as the pair went the distance at the Lusail Iconic Stadium. It was a gripping contest that no neutral fan wanted to end, so when Wout Weghorst popped up w...
Categories: World Cup

Modric defying Father Time as Croatia again reach World Cup semi-finals

by Ben McAleer at Saturday, Dec 10 2022 11:50
Modric defying Father Time as Croatia again reach World Cup semi-finals Brazil were minutes away from securing their place in the World Cup semi-final. Neymar scored a superb individual effort at the end of the first half of extra time and they seemed destined to progress to the next round, only for Bruno Petkovic to strike late on to take the game to penalties. From th...
Categories: World Cup

Ramos already proven the stronger candidate to lead talented Portugal side

by Ben McAleer at Friday, Dec 9 2022 14:40
Ramos already proven the stronger candidate to lead talented Portugal side When it was confirmed that Portugal had dropped Cristiano Ronaldo in place of Goncalo Ramos for their last-16 meeting with Switzerland, it was seen as a welcome reprieve. Ronaldo is arguably one of the games greatest strikers, but in time, he has become more a hindrance than a help for both club and...
Categories: WhoScored

Highlighting Enzo Fernandez's importance in Argentina's World Cup quest

by Ben McAleer at Tuesday, Dec 6 2022 15:50
Highlighting Enzo Fernandez's importance in Argentina's World Cup quest It's been a whirlwind 12 months for Enzo Fernandez. This time last year, he hadn't even earned his first senior cap for Argentina, and had only been a first team regular for heavyweights River Plate for a few months. As Julian Alvarez hogged the limelight, Fernandez casually went about his business ...
Categories: World Cup

Ziyech's return key as Morocco eye World Cup upset against Spain

by Ben McAleer at Monday, Dec 5 2022 15:55
Ziyech's return key as Morocco eye World Cup upset against Spain Even without Hakim Ziyech, Morocco still had one of the strongest squads at AFCON 2021, yet crashed out at the quarter-final stage at the hands of eventual finalists Egypt. Nevertheless, it was a sub-par campaign for the Atlas Lions, who had been one of the pre-tournament favourites.Fast forward to ...
Categories: World Cup

Messi, Mbappe and Fernandes make World Cup group stage best XI

by Ben McAleer at Saturday, Dec 3 2022 11:10
Messi, Mbappe and Fernandes make World Cup group stage best XI With the group stages having come to an end, and the last-16 now set, it's time to take a look at the group stage best XI of those to have made at least two appearances. France are the dominant side in the team, while Argentina, England, Brazil, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Morocco and Cameroon ar...
Categories: World Cup

Gvardiol's World Cup showings cementing reputation as one of Europe's top defenders

by Ben McAleer at Friday, Dec 2 2022 16:11
Gvardiol's World Cup showings cementing reputation as one of Europe's top defenders Buying a player on the back of their performance at an international tournament is so often a risk. The standout example is Karel Poborsky, who was excellent for the Czech Republic at Euro 96, playing a key role in their progression to the final, and sealing a summer move to Manchester United as a r...
Categories: World Cup

Why Fernandes, and not Ronaldo, is now Portugal's most important player

by Ben McAleer at Wednesday, Nov 30 2022 16:35
Why Fernandes, and not Ronaldo, is now Portugal's most important player Cristiano Ronaldo may have claimed the goal was his, but after going through the footage with a fine tooth comb, Portugal's opener against Uruguay was awarded to Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United man put a perfectly weighted cross into the box early in the second half that ended up sneaking pas...
Categories: World Cup

Fullkrug proving the unlikely saviour of Germany's World Cup campaign

by Ben McAleer at Monday, Nov 28 2022 16:50
Fullkrug proving the unlikely saviour of Germany's World Cup campaign Kai Havertz as a striker for Germany failed. Thomas Muller as a striker for Germany failed. Niclas Fullkrug as the super-sub worked, or at least it did against Spain. With 20 minutes to go, Germany stared down the very likely scenario of a second successive World Cup group stage exit as they trailed...
Categories: World Cup

Harry Maguire silences critics as he again shines for England

by Ben McAleer at Saturday, Nov 26 2022 16:47
Harry Maguire silences critics as he again shines for England Gareth Southgate's England squad was always going to draw groans of discontent. There were maybe one or two issues with his selection for Qatar 2022, but on the whole; the squad was fine. There is ample experience and plenty of exciting youngsters to select from, though based on form, the centre-bac...
Categories: World Cup