FIFA is investigating how celebrity chef, Salt Bae gained “undue access” to Argentina’s on-pitch celebrations after the World Cup final.

Salt Bae, the Turkish chef and social media presence whose real name is Nusret Gokce, posted several photos of himself with the World Cup trophy on social media after the finals.

The chef was also seen attempting to pose for a photo with Lionel Messi and several Argentina team-mates.

Read Also: FIFA expands Club World Cup to 32 teams from 2025

His presence in the immediate aftermath of the trophy presentation is now the subject of a FIFA investigation after attracting widespread criticism.

A widely reported statement from world football’s governing body read: “Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail stadium on Dec. 18.

“The appropriate internal action will be taken.”

Earlier this month, Bae posted an image on Instagram of himself at a World Cup match alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Brazil greats Ronaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos.

(dpa/NAN)

Qatar 2022: Starting XI of Argentina vs France

 

GK- E Martínez

Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, Di María, De Paul, Fernández, Mac Allister, Messi, Álvarez,

 

GK- Lloris

Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, Hernández, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Dembélé, Griezmann, Mbappé, Giroud

FRANCE hope they have contained the virus that has swept through their camp after Kingsley Coman, Raphaël Varane and Ibrahima Konaté returned to training before Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina.

The world champions have had to put social distancing measures in place in an attempt to stop more players falling unwell before the final at the Lusail Stadium. Coman, Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot missed France’s semi-final victory against Morocco on Wednesday and the situation worsened when Varane and Konaté were forced to skip training on Friday.

However, their hopes of beating Argentina were boosted when all 24 of their players reported for training on Saturday night. Varane, Coman and Konaté rejoined their teammates, while Hernandez and Tchouaméni were also back.

“On the virus, you are never really prepared for that type of thing,” France’s captain and goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, said. “But we are trying to get ready for this match as well as we can. We remain focused.”

MOROCCO finished in fourth place after losing 2-1 to Croatia in the third-place play-off on Saturday at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. They were never ahead in the match as Luka Modric’s side proved superior, and speaking after the game, Jurgen Klinsmann and Alex Scott believed that Morocco would ultimately shake off any disappointment and be proud of their tournament.

Jurgen Klinsmann believes that Morocco will come away from the 2022 World Cup believing that they “conquered the world” in Qatar.

Morocco ended the third-place play-off against Croatia on Saturday as losers, with Luka Modric’s side winning 2-1.

Josko Gvardiol opened the scoring on seven minutes, but two minutes later, Morocco equalised through Achraf Dari, and just before half-time, Mislav Orsisc grabbed the winner, though both teams had plenty of chances to change the course of the match.

Morocco are the first African and first Arabic nation to reach the semi-final stages, and while they were disappointed with the final result, they were again impressive as they attempted to secure a third-place finish.

Speaking on BBC One after the match, Klinsmann said: “They will realise they conquered the world, they showed that an African nation can go all the way to the semi-finals.”

Coming up against World Cup veterans Croatian, who have contested every World Cup from 1998 since the formation of their country after the break-up of Yugoslavia, was a step too far for Morocco.

Klinsmann acknowledged that Luka Modric’s men were the deserved winners as they were the better side and more ruthless.

“The last final piece was just lacking. They did well but you had the feeling they were never going to win this game.”

Alex Scott agreed that Morocco would not let the disappointment cloud their success. Given the historic achievements of the North African country, the pundit suggested that the players would ultimately realise what a step forward it had been to reach the final four, and be in a position to contest Saturday’s game.

“The game gave us everything we wanted,” he said. “The pure emotion. We don’t want these scenes from Morocco players, but that’s what it means for their country, how proud they are. You can see how much it means to them.”

Having just delivered arguably the most exciting group stage ever seen at a World Cup, FIFA now faces the prospect of ripping it all up.

The Qatar group stages saw a tried and tested format keep hundreds of millions of fans enthralled until the very last match.

Reform of the group system mooted before the 2024 event would see the current formula ripped up and replaced by a turgid fortnight of drab games and dead rubbers as the governing body tries to accommodate 48 teams in the 2026 tournament.

FIFA’s plan to have 16 groups of three teams in the first phase, with two from each advancing to the next stage, now look dangerously dull, as well as potentially courting unsporting behaviour.

As things stand now for 2026, when Canada, Mexico and the US host the World Cup, there’s a risk of ‘dead’ matches involving two teams that have already qualified – or, worse, contrived results.

FIFA conceded earlier this year it was concerned about the possibility of contrived results where two teams could engineer a result that would eliminate the third group team.

The 2026 format has the 48 teams reduced to 32 after the group phase after which the tournament becomes a knockout affair.

Alternative formats are now on the table, with the FIFA Council, the organisation’s all-powerful cabinet, to decide next year.

One option, according to FIFA’s head of global football development Arsene Wenger, is to feature 12 groups of four teams, with the best third-placed teams advancing with the top two.

Another option would be to split the World Cup into two separate halves of 24, each with six groups of four teams. The winner of each half would meet in the final.

Given how dramatic and exciting some of the four-team groups were in Qatar, that seems a more viable proposition.

But that will mean a substantive increase in the number of games. The 32-team World Cup in Qatar has a total of 64 games completed in 29 days and, for now, the 2026 finals will be 80 games over 32 days.

With four team groups, there would be 104 matches, requiring at least an extra week.

There, FIFA runs the risk of tilting the delicate balance of all-consuming excitement that the World Cup has proven in Qatar into a drawn-out affair that loses its lustre with the quality of entertainment diluted.

However, more matches would mean more television rights money and – as the World Cup brings in some 90 per cent of FIFA’s revenue – its leaders could be tempted.

France were pushed all the way by World Cup wild cards Morocco before the holders sealed a place in Sunday’s final against Argentina.

The first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final refused to buckle despite suffering the early blows of losing key defender Nayef Aguerd to injury after he was named in the starting line-up, and then going behind to Theo Hernandez’s scrambled fifth minute goal.

France, for all Morocco’s endeavour and spirit, were more clinical and substitute Kolo Muani ensured they will defend their crown against Argentina and Lionel Messi at Lusail Stadium on Sunday when he turned in Kylian Mbappe’s deflected shot 11 minutes from time.

Morocco also lost the clearly unfit Romain Saiss to injury before half-time but, roared on by their fanatical support, they came close to drawing level, especially when Jawad El Yamiq’s overhead kick was kept out by a combination of the post and France keeper Hugo Lloris.

France, with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate outstanding, kept their composure in the hothouse atmosphere of Al Bayt Stadium and had chances of their own, Olivier Giroud striking the post in the first half.

Didier Deschamps’ side always threatened on the break and so it proved as the lurking Muani finally broke Morocco’s resistance late on. (BBC)