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China Daily | Updated: 2022-11-17 00:00
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Studying abroad

For Spain's Hugo Guillamon, any downtime at the World Cup may mean study time.

The 22-year-old Valencia defender is heading to Qatar for his first World Cup while still attending university and studying biomedical engineering.

"If there's time and everything goes well, I'll try to (study) a bit," Guillamon said Tuesday. "In a tournament like the World Cup, there is not a lot of time to think about anything else, but I'll try to do what I can."

Guillamon said that luckily there won't be any need to pack any books as "now everything is done through the internet".

He said his parents always encouraged him to keep studying despite making it as a professional.

"It's always been something natural for me," he said. "I try to go little by little and combine the studies with soccer."

Guillamon is one of the up-and-coming players selected by coach Luis Enrique in a revamped World Cup squad. He will wear the No 15 jersey that used to belong to his idol, Sergio Ramos — one of the many veterans who are not in the team anymore.

"Sergio is a legend and a reference for every player," Guillamon said. "I grew up watching him play, paying attention to him and trying to do what he did."

Guillamon has been playing mostly as a defensive midfielder at club level with Valencia, but with the national team he will be among the central defenders that also include Eric Garcia, Pau Torres and Aymeric Laporte.

Portugal tensions

Cristiano Ronaldo's explosive interview with Piers Morgan could raise some tensions within the Portugal squad before the World Cup.

Ronaldo seems to be looking for a way out of Manchester United after saying in the interview he feels "betrayed" by the club and does not respect manager Erik ten Hag. In another excerpt released before the full interview is broadcast, Ronaldo said United's US owners, the Glazer family, "don't care about the club".

Ronaldo has now linked up with the Portugal squad that contains two teammates from United — Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese soccer federation published footage on Monday of Ronaldo and Fernandes greeting each other in the locker room ahead of practice and the interaction looked frosty.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos will have to hope internal club issues don't affect the team's buildup to its opening game against Ghana on Nov 24.

Portugal midfielder Joao Mario played down the issue, saying Monday: "I don't see a problem with the timing (of the interview) because everyone always speaks about Cristiano, so it's fine for us."

France concerns

Coach Didier Deschamps has an anxious wait to see if his best central defender, Raphael Varane, is fit to face Australia on Nov 22 — a month since he limped off for Manchester United with a hamstring injury.

"He's doing well," Deschamps said. "We're not going to be reckless, but he's meant to be ready for the first match."

Varane was a standout helping France win the 2018 edition, along with excellent midfield play from Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante. They are both already out injured.

Who Varane would partner is uncertain after fellow World Cup winner Presnel Kimpembe was replaced Monday, also due to a hamstring injury. Kimpembe played 15 minutes for PSG on Sunday but had not recovered fully after a six-week layoff.

There is also a doubt over Karim Benzema's fitness. Since winning the Ballon d'Or last month, Benzema has played less than 30 minutes for Real Madrid.

Deschamps dismissed suggestions that a late call Monday for striker Marcus Thuram of Borussia Moenchengladbach was linked in any way to Benzema's fitness.

Booze news

Half a liter of beer will cost 50 Qatari riyals ($13.73) inside the main fan zone at the World Cup, a source with knowledge of alcohol sales at the tournament told Reuters.

Major World Cup sponsor Budweiser has exclusive rights to sell beer at the finals and will serve its products at the 40,000-capacity FIFA Fan Fest in central Doha's Al Bidda Park.

Budweiser will also serve beer within the ticketed perimeter surrounding each stadium, where the beer price is "to be confirmed", according to the source, who declined to be named.

The World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar on Sunday, is the first to be held in a Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol. While not a "dry" state like neighboring Saudi Arabia, consuming alcohol in public places is illegal in Qatar.

The beer price in the FIFA fan zone falls in line with relatively expensive prices hotel bars charge in the Gulf Arab state, where a beer also costs around 50 riyals per half liter.

Tournament organizers, who started negotiating the alcohol price with FIFA in at least 2019, had said they wanted to make alcohol "accessible" to fans and that Qatar would consider offering alcohol at lower prices.

Feels surreal

Tim Weah is relishing the chance to play on the one stage his famous father never graced when he takes to the field for the United States.

The 22-year-old Lille winger is a key part of a talented US squad in Qatar which is plotting to spring a surprise in Group B where the Americans face England, Wales and Iran.

Weah's father George long dreamed of playing in the World Cup, but was never able to guide Liberia to the tournament during a club career that saw him acclaimed as one of the greatest players in history.

"My dad wanted the opportunity to play in a World Cup with his country but never got the opportunity to do it," Tim told reporters on Tuesday. "Now he's kind of reliving that through me."

Twelve years ago, Weah was a wide-eyed 10-year-old soccer fan accompanying his father as a guest at the 2010 World Cup final, watching in awe as Andres Iniesta's extra-time winner sealed the title for Spain.

"Just watching that, and watching all my favorite players on the field was a dream come true," Weah told AFP at the team's training base on Tuesday.

"To be in that same position now is crazy, kind of surreal. I guess when you're in the position that I'm in now you don't really realize how blessed you are.

"This is something that we've been working on for such a long time. To be here is an amazing feeling... It hasn't really hit me yet if I'm being honest."

Agencies

Hugo Guillamon

 

 

Tim Weah

 

 

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