Parted Beard
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Parted Beard
@PartedBeard
“Football is the most important of the least important things in life.”


If, as a top source in African ⚽️ has told me, that Olivier Safari Kabene, the head of @CAF_Online’s Referees Committee, told Patrice Motsepe, at an exco meeting, that he gave an order to Jean-Jacques Ngambo Ndala, the centre referee of the #AFCON final (pictured right), not to issue yellow cards to the #Senegal players that walked off the field in Rabat, why have disciplinary proceedings not been instituted against both men? Why is Kabene still in his job, when he had no right to give such an egregious instruction? Why is Ndala still on the #FIFAWC2026 list?








Many of us wanted 4312 or 4222 since August as it was clear based on the new players profile and changing characteristics of some existing players. Why did Slot resist? The most stupid yet logical answer: Slot wanted Gakpo to continue starting and 4312 or 4222 benches Gakpo.






🚨Gianni Infantino on Morocco winning the Africa Cup of Nations two months after the tournament: “Because of this, I don’t see any African country hosting the World Cup in the next 100 years. I can’t imagine an African nation hosting it and feeling that it must win it. In what world would that happen?”


Steven Gerrard on Mo Salah’s wonder goal: “He’s played a little bit more centrally tonight. Liverpool played more of a 4-2-2-2 with the width coming from the full-backs. It allowed them to get in more of these positions and when he gets in them he’s deadly in these areas.”

Hugo Ekitiké is the biggest underpeformer of xG in the #UCL this season (-4.47). 😬📉

I think this is an excellent piece from Jonathan Liew, and it eloquently describes what I have been pondering for the past few weeks. theguardian.com/football/2026/…



🚨🇲🇦 BREAKING: Morocco have been announced as AFCON winners with final result overturned by CAF. Senegal have been declared to have forfeited the match with Morocco declared 3-0 winners by official statement. CAF statement tonight. ⤵️🇲🇦







