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Goal takes a look at the interesting monikers of the 32 teams that are travelling to Qatar in November 2022…

The World Cup is the grandest stage of international football where people, art, and culture from across the globe come together. It is a month-long carnival where the finest footballing nations lock horns for the ultimate prize in football.

Almost every football team has got nicknames that gives an insight into their roots or their distinct characteristics. There is usually a story behind each of these monikers that also resonate well with the fans at large. These nicknames would be used by commentators and journalists.

In fact, Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history, has got around six nicknames. Argentina are popularly known as for its colour of the flag and jersey. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are known as for their rich naval history whereas England are known as

GettyAustralia – Socceroos

The term 'Socceroos' was coined by Sydney-based journalist Tony Horstead who wanted to highlight Australia's iconic kangaroos. The words  and  are combined into a portmanteau word as 

AdvertisementGettyIran – Team Melli

in the Persian language means "The National Team". There are a few other nicknames as well such as meaning the "The Iranian Lions", meaning the "Lion Hearts" and "Princes of Persia".

Getty ImagesJapan – Samurai Blue

The Japanese team is nicknamed the in close reference to their historical Samurai background.

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GettyQatar – The Maroon

Qatar is nicknamed The Maroon, corresponding to the colour of their home jersey.

It was a hard fought win for Real Madrid, who came up against an awesome performance from Cadiz goalkeeper David Gil on Saturday

Nacho Fernandez and Marco Asensio were the surprise heroes for Real Madrid as they each scored to secure a 2-0 win at Cadiz on Saturday.

Karim Benzema and Rodrygo had been the biggest threats throughout the game as they enjoyed plenty of chances, as did many of their team-mates, but couldn't break through. Real Madrid had an incredible 35 shots overall.

It was a magnificent performance from Cadiz goalkeeper Gil that frustrated the reigning Spanish champions and gave the home team a fighting chance.

That all came to an end after 72 minutes when the shot stopper's incredible work was undone by a sublime long-range effort from Nacho that sailed into the bottom corner, before Asensio found the same spot just four minutes later to ensure Carlo Ancelotti's team left with three points.

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GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Nuevo Mirandilla…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Had a couple of saves to make and dealt well with everything that came at him.

Lucas Vazquez (5/10):

Offered some good support in attack as he played high and wide but he lacked quality and his weak defensive play offered little protection on the right.

Eder Militao (8/10):

Nothing got past him because of his excellent reading of the game and willingness to fight for the ball.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

Comfortable alongside Militao and was strong on the ball, making a couple of runs forward.

Nacho Fernandez (7/10):

Offered support on the left side but did not look like making an impact until he unleashed a ferocious shot from distance that flew into the bottom corner.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Federico Valverde (7/10):

Some fantastic runs into space and set up Rodrygo for a golden chance the attacker missed. Went on a good drive forward to set up Asensio for the second.

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Not one of his better performances as he made some sloppy passes and was not his usual reliable self when it came to protecting the back line.

Dani Ceballos (6/10):

Played with a lot of energy as he got all over the pitch, helping his team out defensively while making good passes and runs forward.

GettyAttack

Marco Asensio (8/10):

A danger to the Cadiz goal as he forced a strong save early on and linked up well with Benzema and the Madrid midfield. Fired low into the bottom corner to double their lead.

Karim Benzema (7/10):

A lot of great movement and could have had two goals by half-time but was denied by a good save while he also hit the bar and the post.

Rodrygo (6/10):

Worked hard and got into dangerous positions down the left in Vinicius Junior's absence but simply couldn't put the decisive finish to attacks as his shots were either snuffed out or wide.

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GettySubs & Manager

Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):

Replaced Vazquez midway through the second period and slotted into the back line with the intention of carrying the ball forward to open up chances.

Luka Modric (6/10):

Came on for the last 10 minutes and put in a comfortable performance in midfield before seeing an audacious shot go just wide.

Eden Hazard (5/10):

Lost the ball too easily shortly before coming on for Rodrygo.

Carlo Ancelotti (8/10):

His team were always on top and put Cadiz under a great deal of pressure in the absence of Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos. They were well set up and could have had the game wrapped up by half-time had it not been for Cadiz's excellent goalkeeper.

An injury setback has ruled England captain Leah Williamson out of Arsenal's huge Women's Super League clash with Manchester United on Saturday.

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Williamson ruled out of Man Utd clashArsenal star suffered 'minor' hamstring injuryIlestedt also absent due to illnessWHAT HAPPENED?

Williamson recently returned from nine months out after rupturing her ACL, making her comeback in a cup fixture with Reading in January. However, despite starting for Arsenal in their FA Cup defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, she wasn't fit for the massive meeting with Man Utd on Saturday, ruled out because of a hamstring problem.

AdvertisementWHAT EIDEVALL SAID

Speaking to Sky Sports before the game, Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall said of Williamson: "[It's a] minor injury, really unfortunate, but it keeps her away from this fixture here."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Williamson wasn't the only absentee for Arsenal, with fellow centre-back Amanda Ilestedt also ruled out of the game due to illness. It meant that Laia Codina was named to the starting XI for just the third time in the WSL this season, alongside England international Lotte Wubben-Moy.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Williamson was one of four players to suffer a devastating ACL injury at Arsenal last season, along with Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Laura Wienroither. After making her initial comeback before Christmas, Miedema returned to the Gunners' matchday squad for Saturday's game following a knee irritation.

Tim Weah impressed off the bench for Juventus, despite their dreadful performance in a 4-2 loss to Sassuolo.

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McKennie started for Juve in wing-back roleReplaced by Weah, who impressedAllegri's side suffer dismal 4-2 defeat

USMNT duo Weston Mckennie and Tim Weah featured for Juventus in their 4-2 loss to Sassuolo Saturday evening, with the latter out-performing his international compatriot off the bench. Weah replaced McKennie in the 58th minute and played a part in his side's only goal from open play.

However, the story to tell is one of errors and horrendous blunders from the Italian giants as a disastrous own-goal, two goalkeeper errors and calamitous defending haunted the Bianconeri.

Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

It was a night to forget for the Bianconeri, as they fell to Sassuolo 4-2 on the road in a Serie A clash. Juve were well below their best and plagued by defensive errors as the pressure mounts on Massimiliano Allegri and his side.

Armand Lauriente opened the scoring for the hosts just 13 minutes in before an own-goal eight minutes later brought Juventus level. Italy international Domenico Berardi then doubled Sassuolo's lead just before the break. Federico Chiesa brought Juventus level once again in the 78th minute in what seemed like a burst of momentum, but it was undone just four minutes later after Andrea Pinamonti capitalized on a Wojciech Szczesny goalkeeping blunder.

Come stoppage-time, Juventus defender Federico Gatti added to the mountain of errors with a calamitous own-goal to make it 4-2.

USMNT star Weston McKennie started the match for the Bianconeri before being replaced by compatriot Tim Weah in the 58th minute, who capitalized on his short cameo with a promising showing.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Weah took advantage in the second half with a fantastic impact on the match, while McKennie – who he replaced – struggled for much of the game in a wide role. The question needs to be asked as to whether Allegri is using the former Leeds man to his full potential, as it was another disappointing showing.

It would be hard to pin blame on McKennie for the result, however, as Szczesny had a howler of a night with two goalkeeper errors, but he didn't exactly do anything to convince Allegri to continue with him ahead of Weah.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

It's never ideal when you have two players competing for the same spot in an XI, especially when neither view it as their best position. Unfortunately, that's the case for USMNT duo McKennie and Weah at the moment. The former is typically a central midfielder while Weah plays as a winger for his national team. Under Juventus boss Allegri, they're playing right wing-back, which doesn't suit either.

For Gregg Berhalter, it's an issue because in an ideal world, both players are starting and both are playing in the positions he sees as best for his players. Despite that, though, both McKennie and Weah had great September international windows for the USMNT. With October friendlies on the horizon, it's fair to expect the duo to replicate their excellent September showings but with the competition for game time at Juventus – with each other don't forget – there is cause for concern.

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Getty ImagesGOAL'S RATINGS

Weston McKennie (5/10): A quiet night, but was consistent in driving forward on the right flank. Frankly, though, McKennie did nothing to warrant another start in the role.

Timothy Weah (6/10): Weah subbed on for McKennie in the 58th minute and made an instant impact as he played the pass directly before the assist for their 78th minute equalizer. The humiliating loss certainly wasn't his fault.

Clubs in the English top flight have until June 23 to tie down players to short-term deals if they want to finish the 2019-20 season

The coronavirus pandemic threw football into chaos this year.

While the Premier League season has now resumed, clubs and players alike face an uncertain future.

The financial ramifications of the disruption are yet to be truly seen but, in the short term, players up and down the country find themselves with decisions to make.

Most player contracts in the Premier League end on June 30 of a given year, but the 2019-20 season is now expected to run until late July. For clubs playing in Europe, fixtures may continue until the end of August.

The Premier League has set a deadline of June 23 for players to agree short-term contract extensions in order to play until the end of the season.

Some have already taken up this option – David Silva at Manchester City and Liverpool’s Adam Lallana among them – but plenty of players are still set to be without a club on July 1.

GettyWillian – Chelsea

Brazil international Willian has played more than 300 times for Chelsea since joining in 2013, winning two Premier League titles after the Blues hijacked a proposed move to Tottenham.

However, his future has been up in the air for some time now and he has been linked with a number of clubs during the 2019-20 season.

Manchester United and Arsenal have both been linked, with the 31-year-old still a useful player for any club looking to add strength in depth.

Barcelona were also rumoured to be considering a move during the January transfer window but for now, he is believed to be open to signing a temporary contract to finish the season with Chelsea.

AdvertisementGettyRyan Fraser – Bournemouth

Fraser’s decision not to agree a short-term contract extension has left Bournemouth staring down the barrel of relegation as the final stretch of the season looms.

He notched seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League last season, though he has scored only once in the current campaign.

The Cherries restart the season in 18th. Simon Francis, Andrew Surman, Artur Boruc and Charlie Daniels have all agreed to short-term deals, but Fraser will depart for free.

Arsenal and Tottenham have both been linked with his signature.

Getty ImagesJan Vertonghen – Tottenham

Contrasting reports around Vertonghen’s immediate future mean it is currently unclear whether or not he will still be a Tottenham player come July 1.

The 33-year-old has been at Spurs since 2012, one of the key figures in their progression under Mauricio Pochettino.

His experience also means he will be a wanted man if he does leave on a free transfer.

Fellow defender Japhet Tanganga, who made his debut earlier this season, is also out of contract but had reportedly been in talks over a new deal before Covid-19 struck.

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GettyDavid Luiz – Arsenal

Arsenal are looking to reshape their squad on a budget under Mikel Arteta, and it remains to be seen whether Luiz will be part of the rebuild.

He may well have already played his last game for the Gunners, having been sent off in a disaster-class performance against Manchester City in their first game back.

Luiz has shown signs of being keen on another year at the Emirates Stadium but, after an unconvincing season, some fans would doubtless be content to see him go.

The defender’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has said his future will be decided before the June 23 deadline.

Manchester United are ready to cash in on Raphael Varane in the January transfer window, according to a new report.

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Varane has fallen out of favourBarely playing under Erik ten HagInterest from Bayern Munich and Al-IttihadWHAT HAPPENED?

Varane has fallen way down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and has played just eight times in the Premier League. Since the beginning of October, Varane has played 18 minutes of football, and was on the bench for both of the club's recent games against Everton and Newcastle. A report from now claims that United are willing to sell the France international in January.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Both Bayern Munich and Al-Ittihad are said to be interested in signing the defender when the transfer window opens. Ittihad's interest is said to be the most advanced, although Bayern have enquired about his availability. He could cost around €30m (£25m).

DID YOU KNOW?

Varane has a contract until 2025 and has played a total of 75 games for United since arriving in 2021. However, it remains to be seen if he will be willing to leave in the January window, or whether he will decide to run down his contract.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VARANE?

He may wish to bide his time, as reports state that manager Ten Hag is under significant pressure. United face a difficult run of games and face Chelsea on Wednesday, before also playing Bayern and Liverpool before Christmas.

Where to watch the Ligue 1 game between PSG and Lorient on TV, plus live stream options, team news and more.

Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping to continue winning to seal the Ligue 1 title soon when they take on Lorient at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

🖥️ Watch PSG Ligue 1 games with Sling TV in the US!

Since their back-to-back home defeats against Rennes and Lyon, PSG have put together three wins in a row and Kylian Mbappe scored a brace as the French champions beat Angers in their previous outing. With an eight-point lead over second-placed Marseille, PSG will be looking to wrap up their league campaign as soon as possible without any hiccups.

Their opponents Lorient are 11th in the standings but they are winless in their last five matches. Going up against the defending champions will be a difficult challenge for the team in the bottom half of the table,

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game on TV and online, as well as team news, head-to-head record and more.

Getty ImagesPSG vs Lorient kick-off timeGame:PSG vs LorientDate:April 30, 2023Kick-off:11.05am EDT Venue:Parc des Princes

The fixture between PSG and Lorient will be played on Sunday April 30, 2023. The match will kick off at 11.05am EDT in the U.S.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow to watch PSG vs Lorient – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & live stream options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.beIN SPORTSSling TV

PSG vs Lorient can be streamed live with Sling TV in the United States and beIN SPORTS will be broadcasting the game live on TV.

GettyTeam news & squadsPSG team news

PSG will be without Neymar, Presnel Kimpembe and Nordi Mukiele, who have all been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Renato Sanches is yet to fully recover from his injury and is set to miss another game. Nuno Mendes and Timothee Pembele, who were injured, have resumed training and the latter is in the squad selected for the game against Lorient.

PSG predicted XI: Donnarumma; Pereira, Ramos, Marquinhos; Hakimi, Ruiz, Vitinha, Verratti, Mendes; Mbappe, Messi

Position PSG players

Goalkeepers:Donnarumma, Rico, LetellierDefenders:Hakimi, Ramos, Mendes, Marquinhos, Bernat, Bitshiabu, Fernandez-Veliz, Lamy, PereiraMidfielders:Ruiz, Vitinha, Danilo, Soler, Zaire-Emery, Gharbi, VerrattiForwards:Mbappe, Messi, Ekitike, HousniLorient team news

Jean-Victor Makengo and Igor Silva have picked up injuries in the last week and will miss Lorient's big game against defending champions PSG. The duo will join Theo Le Bris and Julien Laporte in the treatment room.

Julien Ponceau missed a training session earlier this week due to illness but is expected to take the field on Sunday.

Lorient predicted XI: Mvogo; Le Goff, Meite, Talbi; Kalulu, Innocent, Abergel, Yongwa; Le Fee, Faivre; Kone

Position Nice players

Goalkeepers:Mannone, MvogoDefenders:Talbi, Matsima, Yongwa, Meite, Kalulu, Le Goff, Wackers, JamesMidfielders:Innocent, Adil, Faivre, Abergel, Ponceau, Le Fee, Kari, Lebas, Nagera, Bellon, DoumbouyaForwards:Diarra, Kone, Dieng, Cathline, Kroupi, Doucoure, Doumbia, Colas, NilorHead-to-head record

Date Result Competition

November 2022Lorient 1-2 PSGLigue 1April 2022PSG 5-1 LorientLigue 1December 2021Lorient 1-1 PSGLigue 1January 2021Lorient 3-2 PSGLigue 1December 2020PSG 2-0 LorientLigue 1

PSG won the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier in the season and will be confident of getting another win against the same opponents at home. Lorient's last win over PSG was in 2021 and a shock result looks very unlikely.

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GettyUseful linksPSG newsLigue 1 newsLive soccer to watch in the U.S. today

Gabriel Jesus and Co had an afternoon to forget as the Gunners posted their first draw of the season at St Mary's

Arsenal saw their eight-game winning run in all competitions come to an end as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at struggling Southampton.

The points extends the Gunners' lead at the top of the Premier League table to two points over Manchester City, but Mikel Arteta will know his side threw away the chance of a ninth successive victory.

It looked like they would be cruising to another win when Granit Xhaka swept in a stunning half-volley after just 11 minutes to open the scoring.

But the visitors wasted several chances to extend their lead, with Gabriel Jesus the main culprit, and the misses were to prove costly in the second half.

Arsenal were sloppy after the interval, just as they were at Leeds last weekend, and this time they were punished when Mohamed Elyounoussi played in Stuart Armstrong to equalise.

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Winner: Granit Xhaka

Xhaka stealing the headlines is becoming all too familiar now.

This was another fine performance from the midfielder, who must be in the running for Arsenal's player of the season so far.

His finish was exceptional and takes his tally for the campaign to four, more than he has amassed in each of his last three seasons combined.

It was also the first time he has scored in competitive games since he netted against Hull City and Nottingham Forest in 2016.

Winner: Ben White

It will be laughable if Ben White doesn't make the England squad.

Gareth Southgate may be blessed with right-back options, but there is no one playing better football in that position than White right now.

He was good again against Southampton and looks like he has been playing the right-back role for years, rather than just a couple of months.

White's run and cross for Xhaka's goal was excellent and his all-round performance was typical of what he has been producing since the start of the campaign.

Winner: Kieran Tierney

It's been a frustrating season so far for Kieran Tierney, who has had to watch Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu move ahead of him in the pecking order.

But this could be the game that sees Tierney come back into the Premier League starting XI.

Arteta once again started Tomiyasu at left-back after his strong recent performances on the left-hand side of the defence.

But the Japan international really struggled, especially in the second half, and you wonder if Mikel Arteta might opt to restore Tierney to the lineup against Nottingham Forest next weekend, if Zinchenko continues to be unavailable.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Loser: Gabriel Jesus

Jesus has had such a good season so far for Arsenal, but he had an off day here.

The Brazilian had several opportunities to extend Arsenal's lead and couldn't take any of them.

He's now gone five games without a goal in all competitions and that will be a concern for Arteta.

Jesus had one big chance when he went through one on one in the second half, but he never looked confident and his shot was eventually blocked.

It proved to be a costly miss as Southampton got their equaliser soon after.

Loser: Takehiro Tomiyasu

The Japan international has adapted well to the left-back role, having been asked to play out of position by Mikel Arteta in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko.

But this was a tough afternoon for Tomiyasu, who was put under a lot of pressure in the second half as Southampton looked to get back into the game.

The hosts targeted him a bit and it was no surprise to see Arteta make a change, bringing on Tierney and moving Tomiyasu back to his natural position on the right side of the back four.

Loser: Robert Jones

You know the referee is bad when he infuriates both sides.

Jones had an absolute stinker, making questionable decisions throughout the contest.

None more so than in the first half when he decided to book Bukayo Saka for diving when the Arsenal winger went down as he was racing through on goal.

Whether it was a foul was debatable, but there was clearly enough contact from two Southampton defenders for Saka to go down.

It was an awful decision from Jones to show the 21-year-old a yellow card, but one that summed up his performance.

GettyArsenal Ratings: Defence

Aaron Ramsdale (6/10):

Did well to cope with Southampton's set pieces.

Ben White (7/10):

Good again. Great assist for Xhaka's goal.

William Saliba (6/10):

Couple of sloppy moments, uncharacteristic for him.

Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

Dealt with Southampton's aerial bombardment well.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (5/10):

Really struggled during the early moments of the second half.

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GettyMidfield

Thomas Partey (6/10):

Not at his best. Never really got control of the game.

Granit Xhaka (7/10):

Another excellent finish.

Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Couple of excellent passes to create chances for Jesus, but should have done better himself in front of goal.

Who were the players who led Spain to their first-ever World Cup win and what has happened to them since?

Spain were one of the favourites to lift the World Cup in 2010 heading into the tournament.

They had convincingly won Euro 2008 and more or less the same squad was named by manager Vicente del Bosque for the South Africa finals.

However, in the very first match, they suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Switzerland, with Gelson Fernandes scoring early in the second half to upset the European champions.

In the second match, they steadied the ship with a 2-0 victory over Honduras, courtesy of a brace from David Villa, while they beat Chile 2-1 in the final group-stage game to finish as table-toppers.

In the quarterfinals, Spain clashed with Paraguay and it was Villa once again who came to the rescue as he scored the winner in the 82nd minute.

In the last four, Spain defeated Germany 1-0 with Carles Puyol scoring from a corner to set up a summit clash with Netherlands.

In the final, John Heitinga received his second yellow in extra time which left Netherlands with 10 men on the pitch.

Spain started attacking with more teeth and finally, in the 116th minute, Andres Iniesta latched on to a ball from Cesc Fabregas and found the far corner to score the winner and give Spain their first and only World Cup trophy to date.

Who were part of the squad that made history, though, and what's happened to them since?

GettyIker Casillas – Goalkeeper

Casillas has made 167 appearances for Spain, the second-most for the national team.

He kept five clean sheets at the 2010 World Cup and won the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper.

The Real Madrid legend retired from professional football in August 2020 and returned to his boyhood club as a deputy to the general director of the Real Madrid Foundation.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSergio Ramos – Right-back

Ramos is the most-capped (180) player in the history of the Spanish national team.

He was playing as a right back-back back in 2010 and kept a close eye on Dirk Kuyt in the final.  

The defender ishis country's eighth-highest all-time goalscorer and also holds the record for most international victories for Spain with 131 matches won.

After ending his association with Real Madrid, Ramos moved to PSG in 2021.

Getty ImagesCarles Puyol – Centre-back

The legendary centre-back has made 100 appearances for Spain and will always be remembered as one of the greatest ever.

He scored the winner against Germany in the semi-finals and put in another impressive shift in the final.

Puyol is currently Barcelona's Assistant Sporting Director.

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GettyGerard Pique – Centre-back

Pique made his international debut on February 11, 2009 and has made 102 appearances since then for Spain.

He was a key member of the World Cup winning squad and retired from the national team after the 2018 edition.

He recently announced his decision to hang up his boots altogether, having represented Barcelona for almost his entire career.

Luke Littler has taken the darts world by storm but he is also a keen football fan – GOAL takes a look at who he supports and his favourite players.

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The sporting story of the year could be written just a few days into 2024 if 16-year-old Luke Littler does the unthinkable and wins the PDC World Championship.

The teenage darts star has pulled off a stunning march to the final, beating established pros including Raymond van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross to set up a final showdown with Luke Humphries at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night.

It's no secret that Littler is a keen football fan – so who does he support, and who is his favourite player?

Getty ImagesWHO IS LUKE LITTLER?

Luke Littler is a 16-year-old darts player who – despite only making his senior tournament debut in 2023-24 – has reached the final of the PDC World Championship. He has produced some of the best performances ever seen in the competition, including the phenomenal 6-2 win over Cross in the semis that saw him achieve 16 180s, averaging a score of 106.05. Indeed, if Littler completes the job and wins the final against Luke Humphries on Wednesday night, he will take home the prize money pay-out of £500,000 ($630,000).

AdvertisementWHICH FOOTBALL TEAM DOES LUKE LITTLER SUPPORT?

Littler may have been born in Runcorn, but the teenager is a huge Manchester United fan. In a recent interview, the darts star said he will take a tour of Old Trafford after the PDC World Championship is over. Ahead of the final at Alexandra Palace, United players past and present including Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Luke Shaw sent the youngster their good-luck wishes, while the official Manchester United Instagram account wrote that they're "right behind" him in his quest for glory.

WHO IS LUKE LITTLER'S FAVOURITE FOOTBALL PLAYER?

Littler's favourite player is likely to be a United star, and it could well be Marcus Rashford. After his third round victory last week, the Reds fan copied the striker's trademark celebration, and posted a side-by-side photo on Instagram.

He is clearly a massive football fan in general, though, and recently posed for photos with Declan Rice and Aaron Ramsdale after watching Arsenal lose 2-0 to West Ham. He then attended Tottenham's 3-1 win against Bournemouth with injured Spurs midfielder James Maddison, who has helped put darts on the map with his infamous celebration. Littler has also been spotted sharing a selfie with United midfielder Donny van de Beek, using the caption 'legend'. The Dutchman has since left Old Trafford, however, after completing a loan move to Frankfurt.

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Getty/GOAL/IG:@lukethenukelittlerDOES LUKE LITTLER PLAY FOOTBALL?

Littler has played darts since a young age, but as a child he also enjoyed playing football. He told reporters that he used to play at centre-back, and remarked that "no-one was getting past me". The teenager doesn't play the beautiful game now, after deciding to fully focus on darts at the age of 10, although is clearly a fan of the EA Sports FC/FIFA franchise, having admitted that he only knew Brazil legend Pele from playing the game.