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Morocco trump teams nearly four times their price tag Just two of the world’s most expensive squads remain in the competition England leave the competition despite their billion pound price tag England topped the list of teams whose transfer values have increased outlandishly over the past decade. Despite cash being king in the world of football, a study conducted by Bonusetu has revealed much about the changing finances within the game, and one team defy the odds to become the semi-finalists with the lowest valuation. England’s 26-man squad has a total estimated transfer value of over £1.08 billion, an increase of just below £800 million from their value at the 2014 World Cup. That equates to 277% of their transfer value at the tournament eight years ago in Brazil. These figures are not only an indicator of the drastically increasing stakes in the world’s richest sport, but of the talent pool that England Manager Gareth Southgate was able to pick from. Transfermarkt.com’s 25 most valuable players across the tournament features as many as six English stars including Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham. The Lions featured more than any other team on this list with English players worth nearly £500 million between them. Despite their large price tag, they lost 2-1 to France in the World Cup quarter-finals this past weekend. Brazil were the second most expensive squad in the World Cup with a total value of £980.4m, up £578m from their 2014 total worth - the second highest rise of any squad. The South American football giants boasted five players in the most expensive 25 category including Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior who holds the tournament's second highest price tag at around £105m. The famous footballing nation were the betting favourites to win the tournament but despite this, were beaten on penalties by Croatia, a side worth a staggering £650m less than them. France, the third most valuable side on the list, have become the priciest team remaining …

Remarks Wendy R. Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State Benjamin Franklin Room Washington, D.C. November 21, 2022   DEPUTY SECRETARY SHERMAN:  Okay, so my eyes are on the clock, so I’m going to talk fast because you’re not here for me or even for Mary or for Scott. You’re here to watch the game. You may have noticed – (applause) – so thank you, Scott, and thanks to everyone in our Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs and our Office of Protocol for organizing this event. We are really fortunate to have so many distinguished guests with us today. There is our Diplomatic Corps. (Applause.) There is a superstar on the field and in sports diplomacy, Mary Harvey. (Applause.) There is staff from across the State Department representing nearly every corner of this agency. Yay, staff. (Applause.) And among them is one incredible member of our team, Walter. Walter, where are you? Ah, okay. Walter, come forward, Walter, so everybody can see you. Walter Devonish, who can boast what nobody else here can: He actually played in a World Cup qualifying match when he suited up for his native Guyana over 40 years ago. He works here at the Department of State. Walter, it is a real privilege to have you here. (Applause.) So we never know who works with us. (Laughter.) No matter where we’re from, as everyone said, soccer has played a role in all our lives. For me, it goes back to taking my daughter to practice from age seven when she and her best friend were the only two girls on an all-boys team – she learned to play very aggressive soccer – through high school, bringing orange slices and snacks for her team to enjoy after games, and feeling such joy watching her coach my two grandsons today. I also remember soccer showing up in a very different context: amidst negotiations over the Iran deal. No joke – it was July 2014, and we were holed up in the Coburg Hotel in Vienna. As some might recall, there were a few disagreements to iron out in those talks. …

Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Oxygen Park Doha, Qatar November 21, 2022   SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Thank you very much. First, I really just want to thank all of our colleagues here today from the Qatar Foundation, from the Ministry of Sports, from Generation Amazing, who are doing such wonderful work. And the spotlight’s on it now because of the World Cup – what’s so wonderful about the work that all of you are doing is that it started well before the World Cup, and it’s going to continue long after the World Cup. I hope that many of you will continue to participate in these programs. I am a lifelong lover of football – a very mediocre player, but a lover of the sport. And the thing that’s so powerful about it is everywhere that I go in the world, I find other people who love the game. And they love to play it; they love to watch it; they love to argue about it; they love to support a team with all of the joy and heartbreak that that brings. But it’s an incredibly powerful way of bringing people together. And when we see – as some of you talked about – so many of the differences and divisions in the world, it’s just a powerful reminder of what brings us together across geography and across backgrounds, across groups of one kind of another. And it’s just wonderful that all of you are participating in this, not only learning a few new football skills, but also some incredibly powerful life skills that I think are going to stay with you for a long, long time – and especially the friendships, the networks. One of the things that we do is we engage in what we call sports diplomacy. We use sports as a way of connecting people, connecting people to our country. We just brought Qatari players and coaches to the United States on an exchange program. We’ll have some American players and coaches coming here in just a few weeks’ time. And this too – for us, whenever I go around the world – whatever, again, our differences may be – sports brings us …

FIFA Museum presented by Hyundai is part of the company’s FIFA World Cup 2022TM ‘Goal of the Century’ campaign ‘Goal of the Century’ aims to encourage football fans around the world to move towards achieving the greatest goal of ‘A united world for sustainability’ The company also officially reveals the record-setting recycled steel sculpture ‘The Greatest Goal’ by contemporary artist and Team Century member Lorenzo Quinn DOHA / SEOUL, November 16, 2022 – Hyundai Motor Company today opened the FIFA Museum presented by Hyundai at FIFA Fan FestivalTM in Doha, Qatar as part of its FIFA World Cup 2022TM ‘Goal of the Century’ campaign. Opening under the theme of ‘Goals Create History,’ the special exhibition within the FIFA Museum recalls the best moments and goals in FIFA World Cup™ history. Hyundai built the FIFA Museum using the rammed earth construction technique, which allows the exterior of the building to return to nature without generating waste upon decomposition. Hyundai collaborated with UK based Architectural Consulting Group ‘Grimshaw’ and Germany based Design Agency ‘Uniplan’ for the construction and exhibition. The interior was finished with recyclable materials, highlighting the ‘Goal of the Century’ initiative’s commitment to sustainability. The exterior also embodies the combination of goal posts of the football field into one, conveying solidarity and unity toward the ‘Goal of the Century.’ At the opening event, the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ Winner’s Trophy was available only for the special viewing section, while the Jules Rimet Cup™, the original FIFA World Cup™ Trophy between 1930 and 1970, is now on show for the regular viewing section throughout the entire duration of the exhibition. The visitors can also see the iconic ‘Rainbow of Shirts’ display with the jerseys from all 32 qualified national teams as well as unique showcases dedicated to each FIFA World Cup™ since 1930, including original objects and their stories. Other highlights …