MARTIN SAMUEL: Qatar 2022 rolled over us and we had to lie back and take it. A Saudi World Cup in 2030? Football just needs to say NO to the hideous Gianni Infantino and his FIFA henchmen

MARTIN SAMUEL: The beautiful game gives Messi the ending he richly deserves as Argentina win the World Cup on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw‚ with Mbappe's hat-trick not enough for France

Fans want to see Lionel Messi fulfil his destiny in his World Cup swansong‚ but Zinedine Zidane and his infamous headbutt back in 2006 shows why he might NOT get the fairytale win... Sportsmail's MARTIN SAMUEL tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

Gareth Southgate privately called the World Cup his last dance and was fully expecting it to be his final tournament as England boss before being convinced to stay on for Euro 2024... Sportsmail's MARTIN SAMUEL tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

MARTIN SAMUEL: This is Lionel Messi's last chance to shape his legacy and rest in the pantheon beside Pele and Maradona... an off day against a great French side will be fatal. No pressure‚ then.

MARTIN SAMUEL: Is it racist to think the manager of England's football team should be English? No. Is it nationalist? Yes. That's the POINT of international sport

France 2-0 Morocco: North Africans' World Cup dream is OVER despite valiant attempt to beat reigning champions... as Hernandez and Kolo Muani strikes set up final with Argentina for Les Bleus

Does England's next boss HAVE to be English? Is it the right time for Southgate to bow out? Our experts MARTIN SAMUEL‚ CHRIS SUTTON‚ IAN LADYMAN and SAMI MOKBEL debate the big issues

MARTIN SAMUEL: If Gareth Southgate does not want to carry on as England manager‚ there is ALWAYS someone else. He shouldn't leave feeling guilty. He has fixed a lot and has let nobody down

Martin Samuel argues with Chris Sutton over next England boss and suggests it would be CHEATING to appoint a foreign manager - ruling out Brendan Rodgers! Sportsmail's experts debate who should lead the Three Lions on WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

'I've always thought this would be his last tournament': Gareth Southgate could quit even if England WIN the World Cup as fans 'pick him apart'‚ Sportsmail's Martin Samuel tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

MARTIN SAMUEL: Gareth the gambler will lose without a grand plan to stop Kylian Mbappe... it would be arrogant and negligent for Southgate to think England can beat France and this generational talent without one

MARTIN SAMUEL: Gareth Southgate's England side are a difference beast so of course the FA want to extend his contract... the Three Lions have got better the longer he is in charge

Gareth Southgate's side don't get the respect they deserve back home... Senegal triumph WASN'T lucky and France know what a tough test the Three Lions pose‚ Martin Samuel tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

MARTIN SAMUEL: The next Gazza? NO. Bellingham is SO much more than that. They're both mighty talents who have lit up a World Cup‚ but Jude has a maturity that far outstrips Italia 90 star

So‚ were the boogying Brazilians out of line? MARTIN SAMUEL insists their celebrations were fantastic and life-affirming... but ROGER ALTON says it was nothing but showing off and FIFA should take action!

Portugal benching Cristiano Ronaldo would be 'the point of no return' for his international career just like it was for his time at Man United... he just won't be an impact sub - Sportsmail's Martin Samuel tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL

MARTIN SAMUEL: Qatar got to host the World Cup as a vehicle for change‚ but change has since been repurposed as more western disrespect... this is the cake-and-eat-it playbook of politics

MARTIN SAMUEL: Gareth Southgate needs finishers who can finish instead of players who put out fires and grimly cling on... England have a wealth of depth that is the envy of the world - it's time to utilise that against Senegal

MARTIN SAMUEL: Gareth Southgate is held to a higher standard by the public than Matt Hancock and that CAN'T be right... PLUS‚ Cristiano Ronaldo is easy to mock‚ but let's give him the benefit of the doubt over his goal claim

MARTIN SAMUEL: Phil Foden can still be England's key man but don't build him up as a world beater... Gareth Southgate is RIGHT to ignore the hype over young star who is still learning

MARTIN SAMUEL: Don't panic‚ most World Cup winners suffer a blunder in the group stage... PLUS‚ Jamal Musiala was born in Stuttgart and chose Germany over England - so why the fuss?

MARTIN SAMUEL: Harry Kane's scare WASN'T scary. Gareth Southgate's England could ride the challenge of a game without their captain... he's built a group who are‚ for once‚ more than the sum of their parts

MARTIN SAMUEL: Come on down‚ billionaires. Now we get to see if talk from Manchester United's suitors is hot air or cold reality... PLUS‚ why Lionel Messi needs to be more like Gareth Bale

'He's a high maintenance PEST': MARTIN SAMUEL tells WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer worth the fuss for Portugal after losing the 'ability to deliver' on the biggest stage

MARTIN SAMUEL: Argentina's shock defeat against Saudi Arabia shows England are NOT going over the top after putting six past Iran... tougher tasks will await‚ but it's a start Lionel Messi and Co would have snatched our hands off for

France 4-1 Australia: Holders bounce back from conceding early goal with a statement victory as Kylian Mbappe shines with a goal and an assist‚ while Olivier Giroud nets twice to give Les Bleus perfect start to their World Cup defence

MARTIN SAMUEL: When Qatar are inevitably knocked out‚ will the World Cup hosts roll up the welcome mat? What more promises might be reneged upon then?

MARTIN SAMUEL: England's armband protest was always a hollow gesture but the real villains here are FIFA... AGAIN. Gianni Infantino can feel like whoever he likes or whatever he wants‚ the rest of the world knows what he REALLY is

MARTIN SAMUEL: Southgate has made the impossible possible - he's created an England side capable of glory and if he can alter the image of this cursed tournament‚ he truly will be 'The One'

MARTIN SAMUEL: It's CHEATING if England go for Mauricio Pochettino next... national coaches MUST share the emotions of the people - and what would it say if the FA could not find a single domestic coach worthy?

MARTIN SAMUEL: FIFA fools took the World Cup to Qatar and now expect it not to be Qatari! Other countries find our drinking culture objectionable and they have a point... PLUS‚ there's no conspiracy over Ivan Toney's England exclusion

MARTIN SAMUEL: The interview is REALLY about Cristiano Ronaldo's utter inability to accept he can no longer be the focal point of the team... that's why Pep Guardiola did not pursue him and why Mikel Arteta would not tolerate him

MARTIN SAMUEL: FSG's decision to put Liverpool on the market confirms that the Super League was the end game‚ after all. The backlash here saved English football‚ but has exposed the elite

MARTIN SAMUEL: How dare FIFA take the World Cup to a repressive state then order stars to leave their morals at home... asking participants to focus on football is despicable

MARTIN SAMUEL: Blame FIFA's cabal of crooks for the injury chaos that is cheapening their World Cup crown jewel... this may become a rogue competition with a rogue winner‚ based on good fortune

MARTIN SAMUEL: Football clubs sell their soul when they go chasing clicks like Crawley have done... PLUS‚ Antony needs to grow up - and will Callum Wilson's hamstrings take the strain of the World Cup?

MARTIN SAMUEL: 'Intent' rule that broke Tottenham's hearts is illogical nonsense... PLUS‚ Raheem Sterling shouldn't start for England on form - and someone tell Ben White that title chasers don't have to win them ALL

MARTIN SAMUEL: Cristiano Ronaldo has not just burnt his bridges at Man United but at ALL elite clubs. Everything about him is high maintenance. And why would Chelsea‚ or anyone‚ want that?

MARTIN SAMUEL: A Premier League all-star game is fantasy football as played by IDIOTS... PLUS‚ don't let Government and politicians anywhere near football if you want it run properly

MARTIN SAMUEL: Nottingham Forest and Newcastle should not be the Big Six's useful idiots... if they think these people are their friends‚ it is only because the elite hope to skew Premier League votes against the rump of 14

MARTIN SAMUEL: Todd Boehly only has one shot at fixing Stamford Bridge and he HAS to get it right... this is Chelsea's chance to think big and cement their place among the elite

MARTIN SAMUEL: All integrity is lost when sport becomes a cynical game of looking for loopholes... PLUS‚ Pep and Haaland will one day leave City and their dominance will pass - and maybe Neville and Qatar will be a perfect fit!

MARTIN SAMUEL: The Portugal project has left Wolves with an identity crisis... Jorge Mendes has too much influence‚ leaving them fishing in a small pool to replace Bruno Lage

MARTIN SAMUEL: Getting rid of relegation - as rugby league plans to do - slices at the heart and soul of sport... PLUS‚ arrogant Wales have no right to interfere with Bale's club - and why Maguire was wrong to dismiss criticism

MARTIN SAMUEL: English football doesn't need Netflix or even Sky - it needs to think BIGGER... PLUS‚ Southgate abandoned the Trent midfield experiment too early and Neville's Qatar expose came too late

Italy 1-0 England LIVE: Three Lions RELEGATED from the top tier of the Nations League as a stunner from Raspadori gives the hosts victory.. as the pressure on Gareth Southgate increases

MARTIN SAMUEL: Why does it feel as if we are entering the final months of Gareth Southgate's time as England manager? There really is no easy way out for him or the FA after Qatar

As England take a deeply underwhelming stance on World Cup hosts' human rights abuses‚ a despairing MARTIN SAMUEL asks: Is the plan to armband Qatar's bullies and bigots into submission?

MARTIN SAMUEL: It's time to think again about the role football plays in days of mourning... a busy stadium full of partisan‚ boisterous and hyped fans is NOT the perfect venue for those same people to become solemn‚ introspective and respectful

MARTIN SAMUEL: Not every idea from the US stinks‚ but Todd Boehly's one for an All-Star game does... we already have international football‚ where team-mates do battle and arch-rivals come together

MARTIN SAMUEL: Why Liverpool fans will NOT sully minute's silence for Her Majesty at Anfield... PLUS‚ Sergio Garcia shows he's a complete ROTTER after going AWOL at Wentworth

'When Arsenal sacked me it was brutal. I left with tears in my eyes': David Dein was key to Gunners' trophy-laden years but the club's board did not share his vision and he was ousted... the pain of his departure has not gone away

MARTIN SAMUEL: It's crazy that fans have been denied the chance to pay their respects to the Queen in an appropriate way‚ at an appropriate time... but the Premier League was left with no choice but to cancel thanks to the cowards in Government

MARTIN SAMUEL: Graham Potter's step-up to Chelsea is a victory for all English coaches... the elite are finally rewarding managers for sticking it out at mid-table Premier League sides

MARTIN SAMUEL: Giving Thomas Tuchel £300m to spend and then sacking him is LUNACY... if Todd Boehly decided the manager was not his kind of guy then why didn't he act sooner?

MARTIN SAMUEL: It's a sign of the Premier League's success that clubs could spend £2bn on players this summer... football is a ray of sunlight - it's not meant to pay your utility bills

MARTIN SAMUEL: Scott Parker's Bournemouth sacking was not about results‚ performances or losing the dressing room - it was about blame... owner Maxim Demin's fragile ego doomed this marriage and the Cherries look braced to drop straight back down

MARTIN SAMUEL: UEFA's Champions League draw was a STITCH-UP as the richest clubs enjoy the perks of success without being successful... PLUS‚ why Rashford shouldn't have apologised

MARTIN SAMUEL: The Cristiano Ronaldo marriage is over... but it's UNITED who want the divorce. For arguably the first time in his career‚ his club looks better without him after stirring Liverpool win

MARTIN SAMUEL: Viva Newcastle for being able to tell Real Madrid where to go as they were linked with Bruno Guimaraes... anything that annoys the monsters of the Super League must be good for football

Man United 2-1 Liverpool: Red Devils produce a fine display out of NOWHERE to earn Erik ten Hag's first win‚ with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford finishing superbly before Mo Salah's consolation

MARTIN SAMUEL: Manchester United have become a punchline like City once were as they continue flailing wildly... WHY would Sir Jim Ratcliffe get involved if the Glazers are still calling the shots?

MARTIN SAMUEL: It's not an insult‚ it's not a slight. Graeme Souness calling Chelsea's thrilling draw with Tottenham a 'man's game' is just the language of football

MARTIN SAMUEL: The problem with VAR? It doesn't sort out clear and obvious errors... PLUS‚ why the Glazers are the LEAST of Manchester United's problems

MARTIN SAMUEL: Excitement‚ tension... and high octane chaos! Chelsea and Spurs serve up 2-2 thriller to kickstart the Premier League season‚ with Harry Kane netting a 96th-minute equaliser as managers clash

MARTIN SAMUEL: With Adrien Rabiot's move to Old Trafford going the same way as Marko Arnautovic's‚ Manchester United in 2022 have become a club of Twitter transfers‚ trials by TikTok and Facebook football

MARTIN SAMUEL: Man United thought that success was ALL in the name. It's the Ed Woodward effect... but they're not getting the best...

MARTIN SAMUEL: The BBC and their market research department are missing the point with the decision to rid Sports Report of the...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Erling Haaland scores TWICE on his Premier League debut for Man City as Pep Guardiola's champions begin their title defence in ominous form with a 2-0 win at West Ham

MARTIN SAMUEL: Todd Boehly's scattergun summer shows Chelsea's real need for a transfer guru like Michael Edwards... PLUS‚ why high maintenance Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer worth the hassle

MARTIN SAMUEL: Taking the knee has become an empty gesture that has served its purpose and outlived its usefulness... but by only...

MARTIN SAMUEL: There are NO excuses left for not buying a ticket to see female stars in the Women's Super League... PLUS‚ the men...

MARTIN SAMUEL: A FEROCIOUS Euro 2022 final showed women's football ISN'T a meeker‚ milder‚ version of the game. So much hard work and sacrifice paid off in two glorious (and bruising) hours

MARTIN SAMUEL: 'Lionesses' is a harmless branding tool‚ but this team have outgrown it. This great football team have outgrown the...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Levy has worked out that Conte is different to Pochettino and Mourinho. He doesn't bluff... PLUS‚ Pogba's excuse for his United failings was lame - HE was the upheaval

MARTIN SAMUEL: Rory McIlroy's outspoken and principled Saudi stance makes him the most important golfer in the WORLD right now......

MARTIN SAMUEL: The Cristiano Ronaldo spat is a reckoning for mediocre Manchester United that was always going to happen... Erik...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Qatar's reply to gay rights was chilling‚ with the World Cup looking more disturbing as promises sink into the...

MARTIN SAMUEL: You can't blame Todd Boehly for giving Chelsea board the boot‚ he needed a clean break from Roman Abramovich's regime... he's got it spot on by chasing operator Michael Edwards

MARTIN SAMUEL: England's players are EXHAUSTED so let's give the Nations League a rest... we cannot boast proudly of the Premier League and not expect it to come at a price (but the 2022 World Cup might come at a perfect time)

MARTIN SAMUEL: UEFA's head of security Zeljko Pavlica is lucky no one is dead after three chaotic major finals under his watch... he and his close friend Aleksander Ceferin must resign NOW

MARTIN SAMUEL: If sport chiefs like Aleksander Ceferin lived one day as a fan‚ the Champions League final chaos would be the last...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Tear-gassing A-listers has exposed all the LIES made about by Liverpool fans by UEFA and French politicians......

MARTIN SAMUEL: Those who hoped that Chelsea would crumble will be disappointed... Roman Abramovich's greatest gift was creating a...

MARTIN SAMUEL: The buck stops with UEFA and their staggering ineptitude... They have been selling out the real football family for years‚ lost sight of what is important for safety and cannot organise a big match

MARTIN SAMUEL: Are Jurgen Klopp's lot a team of nearly men? Manchester City‚ Chelsea‚ Tottenham and now Real Madrid have worked Liverpool out... this great side is in danger of going down in history as underachievers after Champions League final defeat

MARTIN SAMUEL: Jurgen Klopp's ability to find the right words is why he's probably the best manager in the world right now... this...

MARTIN SAMUEL: The Champions League final may be a final fling for this exceptional Liverpool side. Nothing is forever in football...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Sue Everton? Burnley only have BURNLEY to blame for their demise... plus‚ Real Madrid's sense of entitlement over...

MARTIN SAMUEL: Erik ten Hag has been hoodwinked by the hoax that Manchester United were title contenders under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer... it was LUCK that saw them finish second in 2020-21

MARTIN SAMUEL: Three months inside is not enough for unruly mobsters who attack players and managers while invading the pitch... they will only be deterred by PROPER jail sentences

MARTIN SAMUEL: Why Idrissa Gueye should NOT be forced to wear a rainbow shirt... European football clubs want the bounty of African talent‚ without the complication of African mores. This is the new colonialism

MARTIN SAMUEL'S MATCH REPORT: Everton produce STUNNING comeback to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and secure Premier League survival... with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting late winner after Frank Lampard's side had trailed 2-0 at half-time

MARTIN SAMUEL: Arsenal's crushing defeat at St James' Park should terrify Mikel Arteta in more ways than one... Newcastle have...

Joel Matip's header seals Liverpool comeback win at Southampton to keep their title hopes alive going into final day of the Premier League season... despite Jurgen Klopp making NINE changes

MARTIN SAMUEL: Mark Noble is part of a dying breed of one-club men who grew up wanting to play for his local team‚ that's why his West Ham send-off was so poignant... PLUS‚ Kostas Tsimikas' glory showed why fringe players are happy to hang around

MARTIN SAMUEL: Jake Daniels is a trailblazer‚ a man of vision and footballer of this (or any other) year... but‚ after coming out as gay‚ he MUST be allowed to go back to being a teenager trying to break into Blackpool's first team

MARTIN SAMUEL: Liverpool's penalty shootout win over Chelsea at Wembley was a true reflection of English football right now... the...

MARTIN SAMUEL: The London Stadium was NEVER viable as the home of athletics and now we need to give it a legacy it deserves... a...