Belgium’s Courtois ‘Deeply Disappointed’ by Tedesco’s Remarks
Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is honored for his 100th international match, prior the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Austria, in Brussels, Belgium, 17 June 2023. (EPA)
TT
TT
Belgium’s Courtois ‘Deeply Disappointed’ by Tedesco’s Remarks
Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is honored for his 100th international match, prior the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Austria, in Brussels, Belgium, 17 June 2023. (EPA)
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rejected coach Domenico Tedesco comments that he walked out on the Belgium squad after being passed over for the captaincy and said he left their training camp due to a knee problem.
Courtois played in Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Austria in Euro 2024 qualifiers but told Tedesco after the match he would not make himself available for Tuesday's game against Estonia.
Tedesco said Courtois was unhappy that striker Romelu Lukaku was given the captain's armband for the Austria game in the absence of injured regular skipper Kevin De Bruyne.
However, the 31-year-old Real Madrid keeper disputed that account and hit back at Tedesco.
"I want to make it clear that it is not the first time or the last time that I talk to a coach about issues related to a locker room, but it is the first time that someone decides to tell it publicly," he said in a statement.
"I am deeply disappointed with this, but I want to make it clear that the coach's assessments do not fit with reality."
Courtois said he had never demanded anything from Tedesco and that he had already spoken to Lukaku to clear things up.
Courtois, who has 102 caps since making his national team debut in 2011, said he made himself unavailable after undergoing a check-up for a problem with his right knee.
"The medical team of my club and the national team were in contact and reviewed all the corresponding material to make the decision to leave the training camp," he added.
His father, Thierry, also told Belgian media he had pulled out of the Estonia game with a knee injury but Tedesco dismissed this.
"I wish I could say it's an injury but I can't lie," said Tedesco, who described Courtois as the "best goalkeeper in the world". "I always try to protect players but that's impossible in this situation."
Belgium have four points from their opening two qualifiers in Group F, having also won 3-0 in Sweden.
Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan gestures during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group D football match between Mauritania and Algeria at Stade de la Paix in Bouake on January 23, 2024. (AFP)
TT
TT
Somali Referee Says World Cup ‘Dream’ Ruined
Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan gestures during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group D football match between Mauritania and Algeria at Stade de la Paix in Bouake on January 23, 2024. (AFP)
Somali referee Omar Artan said the "biggest dream of my life" had been ripped away after he was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup.
Artan, who was named referee of the year in 2025 by the Confederation of African Football, has been dropped from FIFA's list of officials after he was refused entry to the United States on arriving in Miami on Saturday.
Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
A US State Department official told AFP late Tuesday that the referee was "associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations," therefore "making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States."
After an 11-hour interview with border officials, Artan said he was taken to a separate holding cell where he was detained for several further hours before being put on a flight back to Istanbul.
"I'm just simply a referee who's trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup," Artan told the New York Times on Tuesday in a telephone interview from the Turkish city.
"I had the right papers and everything. I had the right visa," he added.
FIFA said it was powerless to influence the decision, which it said was the sole preserve of tournament co-hosts the United States.
"In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country," said a spokesperson for football's governing body.
A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection said Artan was denied entry following a routine inspection.
"Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry," the statement said.
The Somali government expressed "deep regret" at Artan's exclusion from the tournament.
"Artan represents the very best of Somali talent," the sports ministry said.
The largest World Cup in history begins on Thursday, shrouded in political tension.
Iran, who will play their three group games on American soil, were forced to switch their training base to Mexico due to the military conflict between Tehran and the US.
The Iranian football federation on Tuesday said its allocation of tickets for supporters had been revoked, while some of the team's support staff have been denied visas.
Iraq Conclude World Cup Preparations with a Defeat to Venezuelahttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5282342-iraq-conclude-world-cup-preparations-defeat-venezuela
Iraq's forward #11 Ahmed Qasim runs with the ball past Venezuela's midfielder #05 Ted Quintero during the international friendly football match between Iraq and Venezuela at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois on June 9, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT
Iraq Conclude World Cup Preparations with a Defeat to Venezuela
Iraq's forward #11 Ahmed Qasim runs with the ball past Venezuela's midfielder #05 Ted Quintero during the international friendly football match between Iraq and Venezuela at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois on June 9, 2026. (AFP)
Iraq lost 2-0 to Venezuela on Wednesday in their final warm-up friendly before the World Cup.
Midfielder Cristian Casseres opened the scoring for the South Americans in Bridgeville, Illinois in the 17th minute with a close-range finish.
Venezuela doubled their lead immediately after interval when Casseres won the ball before passing to striker Jesus Ramirez, who dribbled past a defender and fired in a powerful shot.
Iraq finished the match with 10 men after forward Ali Youssef was shown a straight red card in the 72nd minute.
Iraq return to the World Cup finals for the first time since their only appearance 40 years ago, and will begin their Group I campaign against Norway on June 17 before facing France and Senegal.
Venezuela is not a participant in this year's tournament in North America, and remains the only South American nation to never qualify for the World Cup finals.
Messi Plushies See Roaring Trade as China Firms Get World Cup Boosthttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5282336-messi-plushies-see-roaring-trade-china-firms-get-world-cup-boost
In this photo taken on June 5, 2026, a worker packs merchandise of Lionel Messi of Argentina's national football team, which will participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, at the All Star Partner factory in Yiwu in eastern China's Zhejiang province.(AFP)
TT
TT
Messi Plushies See Roaring Trade as China Firms Get World Cup Boost
In this photo taken on June 5, 2026, a worker packs merchandise of Lionel Messi of Argentina's national football team, which will participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, at the All Star Partner factory in Yiwu in eastern China's Zhejiang province.(AFP)
Toy charms shaped like a goat and decked out in Lionel Messi's Argentina number 10 shirt pepper a factory tabletop in China, where sellers are betting on the country's lucrative fan market for a big World Cup boost.
The World Cup begins in North America on Thursday, but China won't be there after failing to qualify once again, leaving their sole appearance back in 2002.
Yet there's still plenty of interest in the country and the showpiece is a boon for Chinese merchants crunching out kits and accessories for fans spending on "emotional value" -- a rare bright spot in a domestic economy plagued by sluggish consumption.
The palm-sized soft-toy goats -- homage to Messi's title as the GOAT ("greatest of all time") -- are a bestseller for All Star Partner, a Chinese firm who have a contract with teams including Argentina to make branded products.
The company's sales are up five-fold this year compared to the 2022 World Cup, according to its CEO.
At the factory in Yiwu, China's wholesale hub in the east of the country, workers affixed chains to the blue and white Messi "goats", which are designed to be attached to bags.
They are then packaged and sent out for storefronts across the country.
Nearby were soft-toy footballers resembling Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, fluffy roosters in France polos and teddy bears in Spain kits.
A "very ordinary" bear was the first iteration of the company's now-booming plush charms, sharing a market with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's wildly popular Labubus.
"We dressed it in a football kit and it sold really well," said CEO Luo Bin.
"We sold tens of thousands as soon as it came out, so very quickly we felt that this category was very popular."
Luo admitted that the plush pendants had little practical use.
"Perhaps now because of the economic environment... people's choices are no longer practical ones," he said.
"People now care a lot about emotional value. That is, 'I want to buy something that I really love. That, when I look at it, makes me really happy.'"
This photo taken on June 5, 2026, shows merchandise for Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal's national football team, which will participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, at the All Star Partner factory in Yiwu in eastern China's Zhejiang province. (AFP)
- 'Emotional exits' -
On a weekday at a nearby All Star Partner storefront, shoppers trickled in to browse racks of jerseys and plush bag charms, along with display tables scattered with key chains, pet toys and inflatable neck pillows stored in a silicone horse.
"Right now, young people are under a lot of pressure and they need some emotional and economic exits," said Fang Tian, a football fan since the 2014 World Cup.
The 79 yuan ($11.60) Messi goats -- which appear closer to lambs -- were probably the most popular products in the store, added influencer Zhu Hui.
"I've found that Chinese people are actually highly enthusiastic about football stars, and (their enthusiasm) lasts a long time," the 28-year-old said.
"My friends are all willing to fight to stay up to watch the games."
During the Qatar 2022 World Cup, despite their team not playing, China accounted for half of all viewing on digital and social platforms, according to FIFA.
England superfan Shang Jianxing, who bought a Portugal pet carrier for a friend, believes China's football culture is at the start of becoming a way of life.
The 43-year-old has been to several World Cups and plans to travel to the United States for a semi-final match.
Shang, who is from the eastern province of Zhejiang, chased his obsession with England's David Beckham and Michael Owen to north London where he studied business from 2003 to 2008.
He still hopes to see China's return to football's biggest stage, having watched them beaten 4-0 by Brazil at the 2002 World Cup.
China lost all three group games in 2002 and failed to score a goal.
Shang pointed to growing youth football programs in China as signs of better days ahead for the nation's much-maligned men's team.
"It's a pity" China has missed out on every World Cup except 2002, he said, given football's popularity at home.
"I think sooner or later the Chinese team will play in the World Cup again."
لم تشترك بعد
انشئ حساباً خاصاً بك لتحصل على أخبار مخصصة لك ولتتمتع بخاصية حفظ المقالات وتتلقى نشراتنا البريدية المتنوعة
