Online insults cause retirements
TEHRAN: Online bullying has just cost Iran one of their top players. Forward Sardar Azmoun said on Thursday that he's retiring from the national team. The 23-year-old Azmoun was the target of numerous attacks on social media after failing to score in any of Iran's three group matches at the World Cup. He was sent obscene messages and mocked for his perceived lack of impact. Azmoun said his mother had been recovering from a serious illness, but the insults caused it to flare up again. Between football and his mother, he wrote on Instagram that "I chose my mother." The Rubin Kazan striker had been built up as Iran's top goal-scoring threat before the tournament and has scored 23 goals in 36 international appearances. Another forward, the 30-year-old Reza Ghoochannejhad, said that he's also leaving the Iran team. He was an unused substitute in all three games. "My mind, my personality and my pride do not allow me" to wear the Iranian national team shirt again, Ghoochannejhad said in his Instagram statement. Ghoochannejhad didn't say whether he was reacting to the online abuse or to coach Carlos Queiroz's decision not to play him at the World Cup.
‘Death' report ANGERS MARADONA
BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona has offered a $10,000 reward to identify the source of reports he had died after Argentina's World Cup match against Nigeria, his lawyer said on Thursday. The reports, circulated via WhatsApp voice messages from a man with an Argentine accent, said the 57-year-old star had been hospitalized and had died of cardiac arrest. "I gave instructions to make public the decision to offer a reward of 300,000 pesos (around $10,000) to anyone who can provide true and accurate information about the author of the audios," lawyer Matias Morla told Argentina's Clarin daily from Russia. The Argentine star took ill at the end of the match and had to be helped from his seat. But he denied rumors of ill health the day after, telling reporters: "I'm perfect. I've never been better." Morla said Maradona had suffered "a spike" in blood pressure. "It's a subject that at one time alarmed him. It's no secret how he lives through a game. How he lived them as a player is how he lives them as a fan." According to Morla, Maradona shouldn't even have been at the stadium for the second half of the game, in which a late goal secured Argentina's World Cup."The doctors told him to rest, not to stay for the second half of the Argentina-Nigeria match, but asking that of Maradona is like asking a son not to love his mother."
British flag for british hopes
london: Britain's House of Commons is to fly the St George's flag in support of Gareth Southgate's England team as World Cup fever sweeps the nation following a bright start in Russia. The decision followed an announcement by Prime Minister Theresa May that the flag would fly over her official residence at 10 Downing Street on the days the team were playing. The Commons will start flying the flag on the day England play their last-16 match next week. "I am keen that the House shows its support for the team in the World Cup, as I would be if any of the other home nations were competing -- as I hope they will be in 2022," Bercow told MPs. "I've therefore decided that the House of Commons will indeed fly the St George's flag for the next England game, which will be on Monday, July 2 or Tuesday, July 3 -- dependent on the outcome of today's match against Belgium. "I know I speak for the whole House in wishing the Three lions the best of luck tonight." England beat Tunisia 2-1 and hammered Panama 6-1 to qualify for the World Cup knockout rounds.
British media gaga over german defeat
london: British newspapers revelled in Germany's World Cup despair on Thursday as Italy's Corriere della Sera commiserated with their plight — mindful of the fact the Italians did not even make it to Russia. Germany, 4-time world champions, are England's historic nemesis after inflicting some painful defeats over the course of more than half a century. And the press made the most of the demise of Jogi loew's side, eliminated from the World Cup at the first-round stage for the first time since 1938. "Schadenfreude, noun (from the German): Pleasure derived from another person's misfortune," said the Sun's front page. The paper also printed a cut-out-and-keep table showing Germany rooted to the bottom, also listing several English footballing names who suffered at the hands of the Germans. "Sir Bobby (Robson), Psycho (Stuart Pearce), Chrissy Waddle, El Tel (Venables), Gareth (Southgate), lamps (Frank lampard) and every England fan... This is for you. The Sun issued a rallying call for the England team, set to play Belgium on Thursday to decide who finishes top of their group: "Now come on England!"