2022 FIFA World Cup Referees: Selection Process & Refs For Qatar

  • Selecting referees for a World Cup is a long process
  • Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor are the two English referees heading to Qatar
  • Read below for more on how referees qualify and reach the World Cup stage

Researching referees is a standard part of football betting online.

Learning the tendencies of officials is important in all forms of football, and that doesn’t change when the World Cup rolls round. Just like players and managers, taking part in a World Cup is a huge honour for referees.

Being selected for a tournament means an enormous amount of pressure too, though. A mistake can ruin the hopes of a nation.

Even if it doesn’t swing the outcome of a match, errors will go down in the history of the sport, impacting an official’s legacy. Just ask Graham Poll.

World Cup Referees Guide:

The FIFA World Cup referees in 2022 could become a live betting story. The use of technology has intensified the glare towards officials if anything. There is nowhere to hide with millions around the world watching every decision.

Only the best of the best will play in a World Cup, and it’s meant to be the same idea for referees.

Of course, there are a fair few criteria for aspiring World Cup referees to check off before they can hop on the plane, and FIFA makes sure that there is a geographical split, too.

This is the pinnacle of the sport, and as such, referees must have demonstrated an ability to cope with the biggest fixtures.

Experience is a must. Let’s take a look at the FIFA World Cup referees selection process.

Selection Process

To start with, referees must be Grade 1 to stand a chance at featuring in World Cup betting fixtures. Assistant referees can be Grade 2. Every single referee is given a grading by FIFA dependent on their previous experience and qualifications.

A Grade 1 FIFA referee is the highest level attainable – they must be at least 25 years old, and have passed various tests.

For an official to reach that level, they must have been nominated by their Football Association. For instance, the FA can nominate a select number of officials each year.

Once nominated, referees must prove their fitness through 40 metre sprints and an interval test consisting of 75 metre sprints and 2 x 12.5 metre recovery walks.

Keeping up with the pace of play is crucial in high stakes World Cup matches -- making sure officials have high levels of fitness is a necessity.

Only Grade 1 referees have a shot at being selected for a World Cup. This process took three years for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Conducted by the FIFA Referee Assistance Program, referees are in teams of three. The Club World Cup was used as a yardstick to measure officiating performance.

Ultimately, a list of 52 refereeing teams was developed based on officiating standards.

Created by the FIFA Refereeing Department, it was possible for refereeing teams to be eliminated from this list if fitness tests were failed or they fell short in other areas.

From the pre-tournament selection of 123 referees, both match referees and assistants, the group is narrowed down to around 80.

Of those given the nod to head to the tournament, they will be split between referees taking charge of matches and a support group.

The support group will be a backup for any injuries or illness to the match-allocated officials, but will also take on the responsibilities of fourth and fifth officials.

Of course, recent tournaments have increased the pool of referees due to the introduction of video-replay. These referees are also part of the selection process.

World Cup Final Referees

Every referee heading to a World Cup dreams of getting the World Cup final gig. The teams involved will eliminate some candidates, and the allocation of previous fixtures can play a part in the decision to select a referee for the final.

Argentina has had the most representation in Men’s World Cup final history, having had nine referees involved. However, just two Argentinians have been the match referee.

Three Englishmen and three Italians have fulfilled that role, including the iconic Pierluigi Collina in 2002 and Howard Webb in 2010.

2022 World Cup Referees List

While FIFA usually confirm a list of 36 referees for a World Cup, there are 35 on the initial list ahead of Qatar 2022.

The final group of officials will be confirmed one month before the opening game but the vast majority of referees in action at the tournament will be regulars in European football.

Unfortunately, 2021 Referee of the Year Damir Skomina retired at the end of last season and will not be appearing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, that leaves the door open for one of the following to shine on the biggest stage of all. Without further ado, here are the officials that look set to appear at this year's tournament.

  • Michael Oliver
  • Anthony Taylor
  • Benoit Bastien
  • Clement Turpin
  • Daniel Siebert
  • Orel Grinfeeld
  • Daniele Orsato
  • Danny Makkiele
  • Szymon Marciniak
  • Artur Soares Dias
  • Ovidiu Hategan
  • Sergei Karasyov
  • Srdan Jovanovic
  • Slavko Vincic
  • Carlos del Cerro Grande
  • Jesus Gil Manzano
  • Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz
  • Cuneyt Cakir
  • Redouane Jiyed
  • Mustapha Ghorbal
  • Maguette Ndiaye
  • Omar Mohamed
  • Bamlak Tessema
  • Abdelkader Zitouni
  • Adham Makhadmad
  • Ko Hyung-Jim
  • Ahmad Al-Kaf
  • Abdulrahman Al-Jassim
  • Fernando Rapallini
  • Gery Vargas
  • Raphael Claus
  • Roberto Tobar
  • Nicolas Gallo
  • Carlos Orbe
  • Mario Diaz de Vivar

World Cup 2022 Referee Appointments

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup draws closer, we'll have a better indication as to which officials will take charge of each match throughout the tournament.

Come back here for an updated view on referee appointments at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - starting of course with the opening match of the competition on November 21st.

As with World Cup predictions and tips, appointments will be published as and when made available. Fingers crossed every official involved at the 2022 World Cup enjoys a successful tournament and mistakes are at a premium.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 13th May 2022

May 24, 2022
Football
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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Epsom Derby Trends: Trials, Jockeys & Trainers To Follow

  • The Derby is one of the highlights of the flat season
  • Aidan O'Brien is the most successful trainer of the Epsom Downs race
  • Bet on the Epsom Derby at 888sport!

The first running of the Derby on Thursday, 4th May 1780, was open to three-year-old colts (8st 0lb) and fillies (7st 11lb), at an entry fee of 50 guineas each, and run over a distance of a mile.

There were just nine runners and Sir Charles Bunbury owned the first winner – Diomed, sent off the 6-4 favourite. The Derby distance was extended to a mile and a half from 1784.

After its first 50 years (1780-1829), the Derby became firmly established as the premier event in the racing year.

The fascination of Derby Day itself attracted the aristocracy and the working man alike, both rubbing shoulders for the day and both in pursuit of a good day out.

The dramatic events of the 1913 Derby produced the most talked about chapter of the Derby’s history.

Emily Davison – a protesting suffragette brought down the King’s horse by running onto the course at Tattenham Corner.

Her death certificate read a “fracture of the base of the skull caused by being accidentally knocked down by a horse through wilfully rushing onto the racecourse at Epsom Downs”.

Of course the Derby horses have always been the stars of the show. Many name Sea Bird as one of the best Derby winners of the 20th century.

He won the 1965 renewal with complete authority and backed up his lofty status with victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Other greats from that era include Nijinsky and Mill Reef.

Skip forward to the 21st century and horses such as Galileo and Sea The Stars need no introduction, and to this day their offspring still continue to figure in the Derby and the Classics.

The top three quickest run Derby’s over the last 20 years:

  • 2010 - Workforce (2:31.33)
  • 2015 - Golden Horn (2:32.32)
  • 2017 - Wings Of Eagles (2:33.02)

Epsom Derby Winners

  • 2012: Camelot 8/13f (2:33.90) Joseph O'Brien/A P O'Brien
  • 2013: Ruler Of The World 7/1 (2:39.06) Ryan Moore/A P O'Brien
  • 2014: Australia 11/8f (2:33.63) Joseph O'Brien/A P O'Brien
  • 2015: Golden Horn 13/8f (2:32.32) Frankie Dettori/John Gosden
  • 2016: Harzand 13/2 (2:40.09) Pat Smullen/D K Weld
  • 2017: Wings Of Eagles 40/1 (2:33.02) P B Beggy/A P O'Brien
  • 2018: Masar 16/1 (2:34.93) William Buick/Charlie Appleby
  • 2019: Anthony Van Dyke 13/2 (2:33.38) Seamie Heffernan/A P O'Brien
  • 2020: Serpentine (2:34.43) 25/1 Emmet McNamara/A P O'Brien
  • 2021: Adayar 16/1 (2:36.85) Adam Kirby /Charlie Appleby

Epsom Derby Statistics

  • Age: Only three-year-olds are eligible to run.
  • Price: 3/10 winners were favourite/joint favourite, 6/10 came from the top three in the betting.
  • Draw: 8 of the last 10 winners were drawn in stall 7 or higher.
  • Previous Run: 10/10 winners ran in the last 35 days or less, 7/10 winners won on their last start before The Derby, 10/10 winners at least placed on their last run before The Derby
  • 3/10 winners ran in the 2000 Guineas on their last run, 1 of the 3 won, 2 placed.
  • 2/10 winners ran in the Dante Stakes on their last run, 1 of the 2 won, 1 placed.
  • 2/10 winners ran in the Chester Vase on their last run, 1 of the 2 won, 1 placed.
  • 2/12 winners ran in the Derby Trial Stakes on their last run, 1 of the 2 won, 1 placed.
  • Course Form: None of the last 10 winners had run or won at Epsom before.
  • Distance Form: 9/10 winners had at least one previous start over 10-12 furlongs, 6/10 winners had at least one previous win over 10-12 furlongs.
  • Rating: 10/10 winners were rated 108 or higher.
  • Group Wins: 8/10 winners had at least one win in a Group 1-3 race.
  • Season Form: 10/10 winners had at least one run that season, 8/10 had at least one win that season.

Epsom Derby Best Trainers

The leading trainer in the Derby over the last 20 years is Aidan O’Brien who has saddled the winner an amazing 7 times.

Those 7 winners were High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler Of The World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings Of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019) & Serpentine (2020).

Aidan o'Brien successful Derby trainers


Other current trainers who have registered multiple Derby wins are Sir Michael Stoute (3 wins) and Charlie Appleby (2 wins).

One trainer on the Derby cold list is Saeed bin Suroor, who has entered 13 runners in the race over the years to no avail.

Epsom Derby Best Jockeys

Two jockeys lead the Derby stats over the last 20 renewals with both Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore having won the Classic a couple of times each.

Frankie Dettori scored with Authorized (2007) and Golden Horn (2015). Ryan Moore was successful with Workforce (2010) and Ruler Of The World (2013).

Jamie Spencer has had a total of 13 rides in the race without recording any wins. He has been the jockey to swerve for punters betting on horse races online.

Epsom Derby Trials

The following races generally have a major bearing on the Derby each season:

  • Craven Stakes (Newmarket)
  • Blue Riband Trial Stakes (Epsom)
  • Classic Trial (Sandown)
  • 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket)
  • Chester Vase Stakes (Chester)
  • Dee Stakes (Chester)
  • Derby Trial Stakes (Lingfield)
  • Derby Trial Stakes (Leopardstown)
  • Dante Stakes (York)
  • Irish 2,000 Guineas (Curragh)

Epsom Derby Starting Prices

Looking back at the starting prices over the last 20 years, one of the biggest shock winners of the Derby was Wings Of Eagles in 2017 for Aidan O'Brien who obliged at odds of 40/1.

Horses at the head of the betting market over the last 20 renewals have brought about just six winning favourites.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 10th May 2022

May 11, 2022
Horse Racing

By Steve Mullington

Steve Mullington
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    Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

    He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.

    Steven graduated from the University Of Lancaster in 1996 with a B.A (Hons) in Urban Policy & Race Relations (major) with Contemporary Religions & Belief Systems (minor) and still wonders if any of these help him find the winners?

    He writes for a number of websites and online publications and you can sometimes hear him at the weekend discussing racing on a number of local radio stations. 

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    Five Players Who Are Bound For Premier League This Summer

    • Premier League clubs are eying up Europe’s finest talents

    • The billion-pound barrier will once again be smashed this summer 

    • These five superstars are seriously interesting England’s top six giants

    The record amount spent across a Premier League transfer window is a whopping £1.47bn in 2019 and who’s to say that ridiculous figure won’t be topped this summer as clubs seek to get their very expensive ducks in a row ahead of a brand-new season.

    This is especially likely considering that several of the traditional big splurgers are determined to add a striker or two to their ranks in the months to come, with proven firepower always coming at a premium.

    Players Set For Premier League:

    Elsewhere, some of the most formidable talents setting the continent alight are reportedly up for grabs and that includes a bona fide English megastar in the making. His signature alone would have us reconsider our Premier League predictions for 2022/23.

    What awaits us is an awful lot of exciting developments but also sadly a deluge of misinformation, courtesy of an army of online ‘in-the-knows’.

    Amidst all the rumours however, five names do stand out. Brilliant players all, there is a distinct possibility they could be turning out for your club this August.

    Erling Haaland

    If the Norwegian nuclear missile joins the Blues this summer then all bets are off in the top scorer Premier League odds.

    Pep Guardiola’s champions-elect have once again scored an avalanche of goals this term and all without a conventional number nine. Add the phenomenal Haaland into the mix and records could easily be smashed to kingdom come.

    Haaland has scored just shy of a goal-a-game in the Bundesliga – 61 in 66 – since joining Dortmund in 2019, after a year bullying the Austrian league so remorselessly its defenders are still in therapy.

    Haaland to Manchester City


    A monstrous hybrid of power and prolificacy, the 21-year-old has topped the shopping list of every European giant for several years, but it appears that City’s patient approach is paying off with terms.

    According to reports, a deal has now been agreed with the player’s representatives – that includes his father, ex-City midfielder Alf-Inge - and a release clause set to be matched.

    Even the very best Premier League centre-backs around are in for one hell of a bumpy ride twice a season from now on.

    Darwin Nunez

    With Edinson Cavani off, Marcus Rashford in prolonged poor form, and Mason Greenwood clearly no longer an option, United have increasingly leaned on Cristiano Ronaldo’s magic for goals this season, a policy that has taken them so far but still left them mired in crisis.

    Unquestionably then, no other top six side is in greater need of a top-class forward this summer. Step forward Darwin Nunez, the latest South American hot-shot to emerge from the Portuguese finishing school.

    Man United target Darwin Nunez


    At 22 years of age and getting better all the time, Nunez has enjoyed a blistering campaign, bagging 26 league goals and perhaps more pertinently, finding the target against Barcelona, Bayern and Liverpool in the Champions League.

    Nimble, clever with his movement, and blessed with unerring accuracy, it’s little surprise to see him linked to numerous clubs but it’s the Reds who have stolen a march in recent weeks with one reliant source even suggesting a tentative deal has already been reached between the Uruguayan’s new agent and the club.

    As good as he is though, the player who was born just three weeks after United’s remarkable Champions League final turn-around in 1999 should not be considered an elixir to their problems. He would however, be one heck of a promising start to solving them.

    Jude Bellingham

    Doubts persist about this one, even if the young England megastar-in-the-making is currently short-priced to make a headline-making move to Anfield at this season’s conclusion.

    Should Haaland leave the Westfalenstadion, as he is widely expected to, would Dortmund be willing to sell their two best talents in a single window? That goes against their carefully adhered to business model.

    Furthermore, would Liverpool be prepared to shell out the £100m-plus it would take to dislodge the majestic Bellingham?

    Jude Bellingham Liverpool


    Huge outlays on Alisson and Virgil Van Dijk have been notable exceptions to a successful mandate put in place by the club’s owners to invest sensibly.

    Perhaps though Bellingham is another exceptional exception in waiting. Equally effective in both boxes it is all-too-easy to imagine this generational talent putting in one of the best Premier League debuts in living memory, then bossing Liverpool and England’s midfield for a decade to come.

    How can you put a price on that?

    Marcel Sabitzer

    According to those genuinely in-the-know – and not simply making links up in their mother’s spare bedroom – the Austrian attacking-midfielder has become surplus to requirements in Bavaria with the German behemoths willing to sell for a cut-price £15m.

    Naturally, this has gained the attention of several leading clubs, attracted to a player who was selected for the Bundesliga Team of the Year as recently as 2019/20.

    Again though, according to the informed journalists, it is only realistically Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in the frame to secure one of the most under-rated talents around.

    Sabitzer


    For the Gunners, Sabitzer makes all kinds of sense, not least his affordable fee. It would be a mistake to rely too heavily on Emile Smith Rowe across a demanding season next year that will contain European football no matter how superbly the youngster has fared to date.

    More so, the 28-year-old Zorro lookalike specializes in precisely the kind of intelligent possession-play that Mikel Arteta preaches.

    His signing may not dominate the back pages like some others will, but it would be a shrewd coup and a likely success story.

    Benoit Badiashile

    Just a few short months ago, the Magpies were prominent in the Premier League relegation betting markets. Now, one transformative takeover and a new manager later, they are being linked to every in-form player on the planet.

    The sheer wealth of players said to be on Newcastle’s radar means Badiashile has become something of a forgotten target and is therefore pitched at relatively long odds to rock up to St James’ Park this summer.

    In actuality, the Toon Army should be getting excited about the prospect of the young defender heading to the North-East very soon.

    Benoit Badiashile


    A bid was apparently made for the 6ft 4 Monaco ace back in January but nothing came of it.

    Since then, the French Under-21 international has admitted that playing in the Premier League is a long-held dream of him, evidently keen to make it known that he still wants to join the Newcastle revolution.

    Badiashile fits the profile of the kind of transfer Eddie Howe must make this summer many times over. He’s young with a high development ceiling, and available at a reasonable price – reported at £25m – to assuage financial fair play.

     

    May 9, 2022
    Premier League

    By Stephen Tudor

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    Stephen Tudor is a freelance football writer and sports enthusiast who only knows slightly less about the beautiful game than you do.

    A contributor to FourFourTwo and Forbes, he is a Manchester City fan who was taken to Maine Road as a child because his grandad predicted they would one day be good.

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    Hahasport | Hahasports | Haha Sport Stream

    • Sports fans around the world use Hahasport to watch football online for free

    • Hahasports streams cover a range of sports, including football, tennis and basketball

    • Haha Sport is popular with sports betting punters across the globe

    Just one of hundreds of free sports streaming pages on the internet, Hahasport is a popular website for watching live sport online.

    The sports streaming service is crammed full of advertisements and pop-ups, which is how Hahasports and similar pages continue to operate.

    https://www.888sport.com/blog/web-stories/most-successful-football-club-in-england/

    Like many other websites, Hahasport focuses on providing as many links as possible on each sports event – though no free sports stream is as reliable as watching an official broadcast.

    This self-proclaimed sports betting streaming blog functions daily, with sport links covering the biggest fixtures, tournaments and events around the world.

    Bet Calculator

    Undoubtedly, football is the most popular sport on the planet and Hahasport streams tend to centre around soccer leagues and competitions.

    Hahasport Stream

    As is the case with many sports streaming platforms, Hahasport is plagued with pop ups and advertisements.

    Along with the obvious legal issues surrounding Hahasports and similar pages, this is one of the main reasons why users should not use the Haha sport streaming platform.

    However, Hahasport must allow pop ups and adverts in order to operate and finance the running of the website. The more links, the more adverts placed.

    Hahasports state that the website offers “streaming with less annoying advertisements” but the number of pop-ups on Haha sport still impacts the viewing experience for football betting fans.

    To be fair, the Haha Sport webmaster has tried to keep the homepage clear and clean, with easy-to-access categories helping users find the correct sports streaming link for a specific game.

    Hahasports Online

    There is more than one Hahasport domain and each domain offers a plethora of links for the biggest sports matches, tournaments and events 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

    The Hahasports business model has been successful over the years and punters looking for football prediction tips may have stumbled across the page from time to time.

    Some versions of Haha Sport are not user-friendly, often redirecting viewers to other pages that require registration in a bid to steal personal information.

    It is important to research thoroughly when looking to access one of these sports streaming sites on the internet, and they should be used for sports news rather than watching football online for free.

    If you visit Hahasport and look at the different websites, there are similar links for almost every fixture – clone sites of sports streaming platforms can be extremely dangerous.

    In any case, be sure to close suspicious adverts and pop-ups and enjoy reading sports tips and news ahead of settling down to watch via an official broadcasting source.

    Streaming On Haha Sport

    Like most free sports streaming sites, Hahasport cover a wide range of sports including but not limited to football, tennis, ice hockey, boxing, Formula 1 and cricket.

    It is tough for these streaming pages to stand out in such a competitive, online industry but Hahasport have built an easy-to-use website that is clear and concise.

    Information is easily accessible for those looking for the latest Hahasport statistics and tips on sport – though some of the Hahasport domains are not as inviting.

    The Hahasport.me domain is especially popular with users, with plenty of sports fans visiting the site to get their sporting fix and discuss the latest sport predictions, horse racing tips and more.

    Once again, we remind those streaming on Hahasports to consider another method when it comes to watching sport online. Illegitimate streaming sites should not be trusted for live streaming.

    Haha Sport Tennis

    Excluding football, tennis is probably the biggest sport on the planet and Grand Slam fans often head to Hahasport chat forums to discuss the latest tennis predictions.

    Haha Sport pride themselves on their tennis streaming service, with the service even adding a disclaimer to the ATP and WTA streaming links shared on the category page.

    Tennis streaming is popular amongst fans around the world, with bookmakers offering legal ways to stream tennis live online – just simply place a bet and get watching.

    Hahasports tennis streams are more unreliable than those shown on Eurosport, BBC and online bookmakers and the Haha Sport tennis section should be used solely for news.

    *Credit for the main photo belongs to Clive Brunskill / Pool via AP*

    May 5, 2022
    All Sports

    By Alex McMahon

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    Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

    He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

    As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
     

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    The Top 10 Greatest Comebacks In NFL History

    • We look at 10 of the best comebacks in National Football League history
    • Some of the greatest NFL comebacks have occurred during the playoffs
    • A major Super Bowl comeback features on this list…

    There’s nothing quite like an underdog victory in the National Football League and the greatest NFL comebacks live long in the memory.

    Whether it’s Week 1 of the regular season or the AFC Championship game, a comeback win can act as the catalyst for success – and it has done just that on so many occasions.

    Greatest NFL Comebacks Of All-Time

    Leading a team to victory in a Super Bowl is an incredible feat but inspiring an entire team from the depths of despair at half-time is the stuff of legend.

    Tom Brady, one of the highest paid NFL players, was at the centre of the greatest NFL Super Bowl comeback as the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons at Super Bowl LI.

    While that success misses out on top spot here, it is undoubtedly the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history and the sheer scale of that triumph was unprecedented in sport.

    The greatest sporting comebacks are based on drama and it doesn’t get more dramatic than the National Football League.

    From fourth quarter comebacks to Super Bowl underdog stories, we’ve got you covered on the greatest NFL comebacks of all-time.

    If you’re big into American football betting, chances are you’ll remember most of the games on this list. If not, then sit back and enjoy the 10 greatest NFL comebacks of all-time.

    49ers vs Giants (2003)

    One of many playoff games to feature on our greatest NFL comebacks list – and it is easy to see why this result makes the cut.

    With the Giants up 38-14 with less than 25 minutes to go, most fans will have expected the head coach to make a change at quarterback.

    However, Jeff Garcia was about to do the unthinkable. Given the green light to go aggressive on offense, Garcia led the 49ers to one of the great NFL comebacks in the blink of an eye.

    With little over a minute remaining, Garcia threw a touchdown pass to Tai Streets to give the 49ers the lead and San Francisco advanced to the Divisional Weekend.

    Lions vs Cowboys (2011)

    It’s a shame NFL memes weren’t really a thing in 2011 as Tony Romo and the Cowboys would’ve been the butt of all jokes after this collapse.

    With Dallas 27-3 up, Romo and co were cruising to victory before inexplicably throwing not one but TWO pick-sixes to gift the Lions a way back into the game.

    The Cowboys added a field goal but Detroit were in the ascendency and Calvin Johnson, aka Megatron, bagged himself two touchdowns to put the Lions in front.

    Romo’s confidence was shot and he had no answer in the closing stages of the game. It was a great comeback from the Lions but Dallas (and Romo in particular) threw that one away.

    Broncos vs Chargers (2012)

    A comeback win is always great for morale but it’s even better when it is against a divisional rival and that is exactly what happened in 2012.

    The Chargers raced into a 24-0 lead but Denver weren’t about to lie down and accept defeat, especially not with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning under center.

    Manning was in a new scheme but that didn’t stop him from exploding in the second half, throwing three touchdown passes to get the Broncos back in the game.

    There was no reply from the hosts and Denver ran out convincing winners in the end. This result was start of a run of 11 consecutive wins for the Broncos that year.

    Browns vs Titans (2014)

    A great NFL comeback involving the Browns? It seems hard to believe but Cleveland, led by Brian Hoyer, produced one of the team’s greatest performances in 2014.

    With the Titans leading 28-3, Hoyer led the Browns to a touchdown score late in the second quarter and that gave the Dawg Pound faithful hope of a dramatic road win.

    Travis Benjamin was key as the Browns built up momentum but it was the defence forcing a safety early in the fourth quarter that turned out to be the decisive moment.

    At the time, it was the largest road comeback in NFL history and warrants a spot on any list of the greatest NFL comebacks.

    Bills vs Colts (1997)

    One of the greatest NFL comebacks but only the second best Buffalo Bills comeback – as you’ll find out later on…

    The Colts raced into a 26-0 lead early in the second quarter but even that wasn’t enough to secure victory on this day in Buffalo.

    The Bills, under intense pressure early on, suddenly clicked into gear and produced one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history – emerging victorious after a thrilling contest.

    The Bills ran out 37-35 winners but it wasn’t exactly plain sailing. Antowain Smith was very effective with his touches, scoring three touchdowns on just 12 carries.

    Cardinals vs Buccaneers (1987)

    Way before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were Super Bowl contenders, they were regularly fighting to climb up the weekly NFL power rankings.

    In 1987, Tampa found themselves in a rare position – much to the shock of NFL expert picks followers. The Buccaneers were 28-3 up approaching the fourth quarter…

    However, the game was far from over. The Cardinals found a new lease of life, scoring four touchdowns late on to complete the greatest comeback in franchise history.

    While some will suggest this was more of a collapse from the Buccaneers than a Cardinals comeback, that would be doing the St Louis team a disservice.

    Patriots vs Falcons (Super Bowl LI)

    I still can’t quite believe that the Falcons lost that game. The merchandise was being rolled out, some Patriots fans were leaving – Super Bowl LI was done.

    However, the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead to hand Tom Brady another championship ring and that will undoubtedly go down as the greatest Super Bowl comeback of all-time.

    The Patriots were on the ropes for the entire first half and they were still 28-9 down after scoring a touchdown late in the third quarter.

    But that all changed in a sensational fourth quarter. The Patriots ran out 34-28 winners after a walk-off touchdown in overtime and the Falcons fans will never, ever forget that night.

    Bills vs Oilers (1993)

    And here is the second Bills comeback on the list – and many believe that this is the greatest NFL comeback of all-time, though it is only third for our writer.

    It was the Wildcard Weekend and it was a spectacular contest, with the Bills coming back from 35-3 down in the third quarter to complete the biggest comeback in NFL history.

    Quarterback Frank Reich threw four touchdown passes in the second half to drag the Bills back and it took until the fourth quarter for Buffalo to actually lead in the game.

    While the Oilers threatened to go again, Buffalo held their nerve to win in overtime and secured a place at Super Bowl XXVII.

    49ers vs Saints (1980)

    The legendary Joe Montana, quite possibly the best quarterback to play the game, led the 49ers to one of the greatest NFL comebacks in 1980.

    With the Saints leading 35-7 at half time, Montana put on an exhibition in the second half to lead the 49ers to an unlikely triumph.

    The 49ers put up 31 points without reply and eventually won 38-35 in overtime, cementing their place on every NFL greatest comeback list for years to come.

    While the 49ers slumped to a 6-10 record that year, the comeback was a sign of things to come as San Francisco went on to win four Super Bowls later in the decade.

    Colts vs Chiefs (2014)

    The Kansas City Chiefs were in a dominant position midway through the third quarter, having built up a 38-10 lead over the Indianapolis Colts.

    However, Andrew Luck had other ideas and he showed why the Colts selected him with the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

    Firing the Colts to five second half touchdowns, including a miraculous fumble touchdown on the Chiefs goal-line, Luck defied sports betting odds to send the NFL world into shock.

    While the Colts came unstuck against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game, this success was widely touted as the greatest NFL comeback of all-time.

    *Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

    May 4, 2022
    NFL

    By Alex McMahon

    Alex McMahon Sport
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    Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

    He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

    As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
     

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    Who Has The Most Hat Tricks In Champions League History?

    • According to the UEFA website, 93 players have scored a hat-trick in the Champions League

    • Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are tied with eight hat-tricks each

    • Find out key statistics and records relating to Champions League hat-tricks here!

    The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the competition that every young footballer wants to win.

    While some never manage to get their hands on the famous Champions League trophy, others thrive on the big stage.

    Some players have taken the Champions League by storm, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominating the competition for over a decade.

    These superstars of world football crop up regularly amidst Champions League records and that is testament to their impact on Europe’s elite club competition.

    There’s nothing quite like scoring a Champions League hat-trick. It is, quite frankly, the stuff of dreams and a treble can have a major effect on betting odds.

    Here, we look at some of the records associated with scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League. From the most hat-tricks to the oldest hat-trick scorer, we’ve got everything you need to know…

    Most Champions League Hat-Tricks

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    According to the official UEFA website, a total of 93 players have scored a hat-trick in the Champions League.

    The odds in Champions League final betting markets for a hat-trick in the final are very slim indeed – there has never been a treble scored in the tournament’s finale.

    • Lionel Messi – 8 (Barcelona)

    • Cristiano Ronaldo – 8 (Real Madrid 7, Juventus 1)

    • Robert Lewandowski – 5 (Borussia Dortmund 1, Bayern Munich 4)

    • Karim Benzema – 4 (Real Madrid)

    • Filippo Inzaghi – 3 (Juventus 2, AC Milan 1)

    • Mario Gomez – 3 (Bayern Munich)

    • Luiz Adriano – 3 (Shakhtar Donetsk)

    • Neymar – 3 (Barcelona 1, Paris Saint-Germain 2)

    Most Hat-Tricks In A Champions League Season

    Cristiano Ronaldo had the greatest individual Champions League campaign in 2015/16 as he notched a record three hat-tricks throughout the competition.

    The Portugal legend was central to Real Madrid’s success that year as Los Blancos went on to lift the trophy after beating Atletico Madrid at the San Siro.

    • Cristiano Ronaldo (2015/16) – 3

    • Karim Benzema (2021/22) – 2

    • Robert Lewandowski (2021/22) – 2

    • Cristiano Ronaldo (2016/17) – 2

    • Lionel Messi (2011/12 and 2016/17) – 2

    • Luiz Adriano (2014/15) – 2

    • Mario Gomez (2011/12) – 2

    Best Season For Champions League Hat-Tricks

    The 2019/20 Champions League campaign was a sight to behold. Incredibly, a record tally of 10 hat-tricks were scored in the competition.

    While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both miss out on this list, some of the best strikers in world football make the cut – including Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland.

    Both players will feature prominently in Champions League predictions next season but will Haaland still be at Borussia Dortmund or is he destined for a move to the Premier League?

    • Erling Haaland - (Salzburg 6-2 Genk, 17/09/2019)

    • Mislav Oršić - (GNK Dinamo 4-0 Atalanta, 18/09/2019)

    • Serge Gnabry - (Tottenham 2-7 Bayern, 01/10/2019)

    • Raheem Sterling - (Manchester City 5-1 Atalanta, 22/10/2019)

    • Kylian Mbappé - (Club Brugge 0-5 Paris Saint-Germain, 22/10/2019)

    • Rodrygo - (Real Madrid 6-0 Galatasaray, 06/11/2019)

    • Robert Lewandowski - (Crvena Zvezda 0-6 Bayern, 26/11/2019)

    • Arkadiusz Milik - (Napoli 4-0 Genk, 10/12/2019)

    • Gabriel Jesus - (GNK Dinamo 1-4 Manchester City, 11/12 2019)

    • Josip Iličić - (Valencia 3-4 Atalanta, 10/03/2020)

    Fastest Hat-Tricks In Champions League History

    Raheem Sterling’s 11-minute treble against Atalanta in 2019 was quick but it only put him third on the list of fastest Champions League hat-tricks.

    Raheem Sterling fastest hat tricks


    Here, you can see the quickest hat-tricks scored in the history of the Champions League.

    • 8 mins - Bafétimbi Gomis (Dinamo Zagreb 1-7 Lyon, 07/12/2011)

    • 9 mins - Mike Newell (Blackburn 4-1 Rosenborg, 06/12/1995)

    • 11 mins - Raheem Sterling (Manchester City 5-1 Atalanta, 22/10/2019)

    • 11 mins - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid 8-0 Malmö, 08/12/2015)

    • 12 mins - Robert Lewandowski (Bayern 7-1 Salzburg, 08/03/22)

    • 12 mins - Robert Lewandowski (Crvena zvezda 0-6 Bayern, 26/11/2019)

    • 12 mins - Luiz Adriano (BATE Borisov 0-7 Shakhtar, 21/10/2014)

    Who Is The Youngest Player To Score A Hat-Trick In Champions League History?

    Real Madrid and Spain legend Raul Gonzalez announced himself on the European stage with a hat-trick against Ferencvaros in 1995.

    At just 18 years and 114 days old, the Los Blancos striker notched his sport in the history books as he became the youngest hat-trick scorer in the Champions League.

    Who Is The Oldest Player To Score A Hat-Trick In Champions League History?

    Another Real Madrid player to feature on this list, Karim Benzema was 34 years and 108 days old when he scored a hat-trick against Chelsea in the 2021/22 quarter-finals.

    Benzema Champions League hat trick


    Benzema’s treble at Stamford Bridge turned out to be decisive as Real Madrid advanced to the semi-finals of the competition – and it cemented his spot in Champions League history.

    Champions League Debut Hat-Tricks

    Making your debut in the Champions League is special but scoring a hat-trick on your debut in the competition is something else.

    At the time of writing, only 10 players have managed to score a hat-trick on their Champions League debut and that makes this a very exclusive club.

    The first player to do so was the great Marco van Basten while Sebastien Haller is the most recent inductee to the Champions League hat-trick debut group.

    • Marco van Basten - (AC Milan 4-0 IFK Göteborg, 25/11/1992)

    • Faustino Asprilla - (Newcastle United 3-2 Barcelona, 17/09/1997)

    • Yakubu Aiyegbeni - (Maccabi Haifa 3-0 Olympiacos, 24/09/2002)

    • Wayne Rooney - (Manchester United 6-2 Fenerbahçe, 28/09/2004)

    • Vincenzo Iaquinta - (Udinese 3-0 Panathinaikos, 14/09/2004)

    • Grafite - (Wolfsburg 3-1 CSKA Moskva, 15/09/2009)

    • Yacine Brahimi - (Porto 6-0 BATE Borisov, 17/09/2014)

    • Erling Haaland - (Salzburg 6-2 Genk, 17/09/2019)

    • Mislav Oršić - (GNK Dinamo 4-0 Atalanta, 18/09/2019)

    • Sébastien Haller - (Sporting CP 1-5 Ajax, 15/9/2021)

    Most Goals In A Champions League Game

    While a four-goal haul has been hit on 16 occasions in the Champions League, only two players can boast about scoring five goals in a fixture.

    Lionel Messi is one. The other? No, not Ronaldo. Luiz Adriano defied the odds to score five goals in Shakhtar’s 7-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov back in 2014.

    Messi, meanwhile, scored five goals in Barcelona’s 7-1 thumping of Bayer Leverkusen at Camp Nou in 2012.

    Lewandowski deserves a token mention here, scoring four goals in a Champions League match on two occasions but a fifth goal eluded him in both matches.

    • Lionel Messi – 5 (Barcelona 7-1 Leverkusen, 07/03/2012)

    • Luiz Adriano – 5 (BATE 0-7 Shakhtar, 21/10/2014)

    Most Champions League Goals Without A Hat-Trick

    Thomas Muller is the most prolific player in Champions League history without scoring a hat-trick.

    Despite scoring 52 times in the competition, Muller has never scored three or more goals in a Champions League match.

    Thomas Muller no hat trick


    He has been part of a team who embarked upon one of the longest unbeaten runs in Champions League history but the presence of Lewandowski has impacted his goal-scoring ability.

    Some of the deadliest strikers to feature in Europe’s elite club competition appear on this list but a Champions League hat-trick is not on their resumé just yet…

    • Thomas Müller – 52 (Bayern)

    • Edinson Cavani – 33 (Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain)

    • Patrick Kluivert – 29 (Ajax, Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven)

    • Arjen Robben – 29 (PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern)

    • David Trezeguet – 29 (Monaco, Juventus)

     

     

    August 2, 2022
    Champions League

    By Alex McMahon

    Alex McMahon Sport
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    Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

    He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

    As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
     

    Alex McMahon
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    Fabrizio Romano: Romelu Lukaku's Chelsea Future Up In The Air

    The rumours have not stopped for a year now around the name of Romelu Lukaku.

    One of the best strikers in the world with an excellent performance under Antonio Conte, an experience at extraordinary levels with Inter until the win of the title in Serie A and then the departure to re-join Chelsea last August.

    Fabrizio Romano articles

    A real surprise for the Inter board: everyone was convinced and sure that Romelu would remain in Milan after having stated several times to feel like the King of the city.

    But when the proposal of the European champions arrived, Lukaku could not resist the temptation: a record deal for €115 million, a salary of €12 million net per season and a situation that has become complicated since the first months in London.

    The injuries did not help Romelu, but the tactical and environmental aspects did the rest.

    The numbers of Lukaku's season with Chelsea are not as expected: Thomas Tuchel often preferred Timo Werner or Kai Havertz to him, the performances were below expectations and from here the rumors of these weeks start again.

    But it all started with the interview last December in which Romelu Lukaku opened up on his farewell to Inter: "One day I'll be back in Milan", the title of a long interview with Sky Sports in which Lukaku expressed nostalgia for the past at the Inter compared to the present in London.

    Since that time, something has broken between the Belgian striker and the Chelsea fans. The atmosphere has never been the same, despite Romelu having tried in every way to rebuild the relationship with the Chelsea world.

    There is an important detail to reveal: Lukaku has the respect of everyone inside the Chelsea dressing room.

    Romelu is considered a great professional, he knows well that what happened in December influenced his history with the club but he did not want to give up and tries in every way to rebuild this relationship.

    This is also true for Thomas Tuchel: the German manager in a difficult situation has always tried to protect Romelu in public and in private.

    The reality behind the scenes clearly has different details: Lukaku would never leave Inter for any other club in the world.

    This is not only valid for Chelsea but in general as his personal and sporting choice - Inter were his happy world, the relationship with the club was excellent, the fans considered him as a divinity and his teammates helped his performance in a way excellent, above all Lautaro Martinez who was doing great together with Romelu.

    But what's next for Lukaku now?

    The intention all the way is to try to resolve the situation with Chelsea and move forward together, a matter of respect for the club that has invested €115 million and its fans.

    But the reality is that Romelu's departure cannot be ruled out as early as this summer: the club will have to restructure with new ownership, a consortium headed up by Todd Boehly - the co-owner of the LA Dodgers baseball team.

    In addition, there is a board waiting for new indications for the next few months. It has been a complicated few weeks for Chelsea due to the sanctions which prevented the club from implementing its own strategies on new signings, outgoings, contracts and more.

    This is why no club has yet started talks for Romelu Lukaku: there is no possibility of dialogue with Chelsea, it will take time to define the situation of the Belgian forward in the coming weeks.

    Certainly, the price of €115 million invested a year ago puts the Blues in a difficult position: accept defeat on Lukaku deal by letting him leave for a much lower fee or wait another year?

    Lukaku Romano

    An important decision for a top club, which will also include the player's will. Because Romelu cannot live another season of exclusions, difficult situations and complications.

    In England rumors have emerged about a possible move to AC Milan as a solution for the summer, but both from the Italian club and from those close to Lukaku comes a unique answer: it is not a real possibility, Romelu was also clear in that famous interview released last December. In Italy for Lukaku there is only and only Inter.

    Inter, however, as of today have other priorities and cannot pay the €12 million net salary that Romelu earns in London, but not even the €115 million that Chelsea invested a year ago for the Belgian striker.

    That's why a comeback is difficult, everything will depend on the English club and Romelu's possible sacrifices in case he really wants to leave London in the summer.

    In the latter case, a door should also be left open for solutions abroad, in other leagues where Romelu has never played before.

    The important thing will be to find the serenity, the smile of those who feel like a protagonist and the desire to make a difference, whether at Chelsea or far from London. With priority to the Blues: Romelu was clear.

     

    May 8, 2022
    Fabrizio
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    Fabrizio Romano is an Italian sports journalist. He was born in 1993, he lives in Milan and has over 30 million followers in total on the major social networks.

     

    He collaborates with 888sport, CBS Sports, Sky Sport, The Guardian and has been a transfer market expert since 2011. He will take care of a column dedicated to some "Behind the Scenes" of transfers.

    Fabrizio Romano
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