AFC President Says Confident Saudi Arabia's Bid for World Cup 2034 Will Impress World 

Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)
TT

AFC President Says Confident Saudi Arabia's Bid for World Cup 2034 Will Impress World 

Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president and FIFA Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup is a significant milestone in the history of the sport in Asia and an important step towards hosting the global event.

It also reflects the historic development of Saudi sports, which have gained the trust of the football world, he told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

He added that Asia has placed its full trust in Saudi Arabia's bid due to the country's significant resources, future plans, and remarkable development, which align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 under the leadership of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

“Today, as we witness the official submission of the bid to host the World Cup, Asia’s confidence in Saudi Arabia's ability to organize one of the most remarkable editions of the World Cup is growing,” he noted.

“We are working as a unified system to support this and ensure the capability and effectiveness of the proposed plans and arrangements to deliver an unforgettable global football event,” he said.

“The world bid farewell to the exceptional 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Today, we are witnessing Saudi Arabia's submission of the 2034 World Cup bid, which will become an unforgettable reality.”

Moreover, he said: “We are very close to the movement and development of Saudi football, supported by Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal and led by president of Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal.

“So, let us send a message of reassurance to all football stakeholders worldwide that Saudi Arabia will present a World Cup of exceptional quality and distinction that will remain in everyone's memory,” he stressed.



Amorim Offers to Quit if Man United Board Want New Boss

Soccer Football - Europa League - Final - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - San Mames, Bilbao, Spain - May 21, 2025   Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim reacts during the match REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - Europa League - Final - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - San Mames, Bilbao, Spain - May 21, 2025 Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim reacts during the match REUTERS/Juan Medina
TT

Amorim Offers to Quit if Man United Board Want New Boss

Soccer Football - Europa League - Final - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - San Mames, Bilbao, Spain - May 21, 2025   Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim reacts during the match REUTERS/Juan Medina
Soccer Football - Europa League - Final - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - San Mames, Bilbao, Spain - May 21, 2025 Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim reacts during the match REUTERS/Juan Medina

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said that he was confident he was still the right man for the job after the club's woeful Europa League loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but would quit with no compensation if the club's board believed otherwise.

Amorim and his men had hoped to salvage something from a woeful season that has them languishing 16th in the Premier League with one game remaining.

Instead, Brennan Johnson bundled in a first-half goal in a 1-0 win that clinched Spurs a spot in the Champions League next season -- leaving United out of European football entirely, Reuters reported.

"In this moment, I am not going to be here defending myself, it is not my style," Amorim told reporters. "I cannot do it, it is really hard for me.

"So I have nothing to show to the fans and say 'I'm going to improve because of this, I have these problems,' I will not do nothing.

"In this moment, it is a little bit of faith. Let's see. I'm always open, if the board and the fans feel that I am not the right guy, I will go the next day without any conversation about compensation."

Missing out on the Champions League is costly with co-owner Jim Ratcliffe estimating the financial benefit of qualification between 80 and 100 million pounds ($107 - $134 million) in broadcast, matchday and commercial income.

"It is tough for a club like us not to be in the Champions League but now we have to deal with that with a different plan, even with the market," Amorim said. "But that means we have more time, more time to think and work during the week and to be better in the Premier League. This will be our focus.

"I know it's going to be tough, I know we lost to an English team, I know the pressure of the fans is going to be really short in the next season. But I guarantee you I will not quit, I will not go away, so I am really confident."

United played like a team more afraid to lose than one focused on winning on Wednesday, particularly in the first half, which proved costly as terrible defending led to Spurs' goal.

United fared better in the second half and threatened to equalize in the dying minutes with Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Luke Shaw all forcing terrific saves.

"I was always really honest with you guys. We did not perform perfectly today but we were better than the opponent," Amorim said. "In the second half we tried everything with the center defenders wide, crosses, going inside the box. I think today was not the day."

There have been questions about whether United have gone backwards since the Portuguese succeeded Erik ten Hag after the former manager's sacking in late-October.

"I don't agree (that we are going backwards)," Amorim said. "We've had some bad results but I think we have improved in certain areas. We were competitive in more games that we didn't score in.

"I understand I'm a young guy. But I also understand that if we have the chances that we had in the second half, if we managed to score one, the game should have been different, this press conference should be so different."