Sports
Police Detain Chinese Pitch Invader After Hugging Messi
Chinese police detained a young football fan and barred him from stadiums for a year after he invaded the pitch and embraced Lionel Messi during an Argentina-Australia friendly in, authorities said Friday.
The jersey-clad man ran onto the pitch at the Worker’s Stadium midway through the match’s second half on Thursday night and scored a hug from his idol before being chased down by guards.
The crowd roared and clapped at the man’s antics, but police were not amused.
“The Chaoyang District public security bureau has already imposed administrative detention on him in accordance with the law,” police said in a statement on Friday, identifying the 18-year-old by his surname Di.
Police ordered Di not to attend matches at stadiums for the next twelve months.
“Di also expressed remorse for his actions and accepted the punishment from the public security organ,” the statement added, without specifying how long Di had been detained or whether he had been released.
Messi is idolised in football-mad China, where the underperforming national team and struggling domestic league are chronic sources of disappointment.
More than 50,000 people in Beijing braved the searing heat on Thursday to watch Messi lead his team to a 2-0 win over the Socceroos.
Many donned replica shirts bearing Messi’s name, while others wore blue-and-white face paint and waved miniature Argentina flags.
Hundreds of fans had massed outside the team’s luxury hotel earlier in the week and lined heavily guarded streets in the hopes of catching a glimpse of their hero.
One fan told AFP he had hidden inside the janitor’s closet at the Argentinian team’s hotel hoping to get close to Messi.
He was caught and questioned by hotel security before being released.
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AFP
Real Madrid boss José Mourinho has weighed in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic retirement from international football.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr striker shocked the footballing world on Thursday by announcing his permanent withdrawal from the Portugal national team, drawing the curtain on a legendary 23-year international career.
Addressing the media fallout during his Friday press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s upcoming LALIGA fixture against Valencia, Mourinho offered a supportive perspective on the situation.
Mourinho, who previously managed Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabéu, insisted that the veteran’s controversial exit should not overshadow his monumental contributions to the country.
“His decision must be respected, and I do respect it,” Mourinho daid
However, the Portuguese tactician also expressed visible regret over the sour circumstances surrounding the departure of his nation’s greatest-ever player.
“The only thing I wish for is that the moment of his retirement as a player will be different from his farewell yesterday,” the Real Madrid boss added.
While Ronaldo’s international days are officially over, Mourinho was incredibly quick to remind reporters that the forward remains a devastating force in domestic football.
“He hasn’t ended his career; those who know him are aware that he still has goals,” Mourinho stated emphatically.
Kelechi Iheanacho was on target as Bursaspor played out a 1-1 draw against Antalyaspor in their TFF 1. Lig encounter on Friday night.
The Nigeria international had previously scored in 12 consecutive league matches for Bursaspor before his remarkable scoring run came to an end against Bandırmaspor last weekend
Iheanacho restored his scoring touch by opening the scoring against Antalyaspor in the 26th minute.
However, an own goal from Tural Bayramov brought the visitors level before the half-time break.
The striker has now recorded an impressive 17 goals and four assists in 14 league appearances for Bursaspor this season.
Despite dropping points, Bursaspor remain top of the league standings with 37 points
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left Cole Palmer and Phil Foden out of his latest squad for the final Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.
However, Jobe Bellingham and Fulham midfielder Josh King have received their first senior call-ups.
Tuchel said Palmer had missed too many opportunities to represent England, despite scoring five goals and providing three assists for Chelsea this season.
Jobe Bellingham joins his elder brother, Jude, in the squad after impressing at Borussia Dortmund.
King also earns his first call-up following a strong start to the season, with two goals and one assist in the Premier League.
Defender Ben White returns to the squad for the first time since March, while Declan Rice is also back after missing the previous camp through injury.
Djed Spence has also returned after recovering from injury.
England will host Croatia at Wembley on November 12 before travelling to Madrid to face Spain three days later.
Tuchel’s side are second in Group A4, three points behind leaders Spain. The top two teams will qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals.
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