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sports Diabierna 7 OctOber 2022

Brazil will be top-ranked team at World

Cup in Qatar

ZURICH (AP) — Brazil team that failed to qualify
will go to this year’s World The World Cup in Qatar for the World Cup, miss-
Cup as the top-rated team starts on Nov. 20. ing back-to-back editions.
after extending its lead Spain fell one place to No. 7,
over second-place Bel- Host Qatar will be the 50th- with Netherlands, Portugal
gium in the latest FIFA ranked team, just ahead of and Denmark unchanged to
rankings released Thurs- No. 51 Saudi Arabia. Ghana complete the top 10.
day. will be the lowest ranked
team at No. 61. Germany, the 2014 cham-
Brazil won its two warmup pion, is No. 11, just ahead of
games in September — Group B at the World Cup 2018 finalist Croatia.
against Ghana and Tunisia is the strongest by rankings
— while Belgium lost to the with all four teams in the top Also, Russia rose two places
Netherlands in one of its two 20 — No. 5 England, No. 16 to No. 33 despite not play-
Nations League games. United States, No. 19 Wales ing a recognized game in
and No. 20 Iran. 2022 because the national
Argentina stayed at No. 3 and team was suspended follow-
2018 World Cup champion Italy rose one place to No. ing the country’s invasion of
France is still at No. 4. 6 and is the highest-ranked Ukraine.

Lionel Messi says World Cup in Qatar will be his last

BUENOS AIRES (AP) Messi did not make it clear
— Lionel Messi has con- whether he would retire
firmed that the World from the national team after
Cup in Qatar next month Qatar.
will be the last of his ca-
reer. Argentina won the World
Cup in 1978 and 1986. The
The 35-year-old Argenti- team will open the tourna-
na star will play in his fifth ment on Nov.22 against Sau-
World Cup but is still seeking di Arabia in Group C before
his first title at the showpiece facing Mexico and Poland.
tournament.
“I don’t know whether we are
“There’s some anxiety and big favorites, but I believe Ar-
nerves at the same time ... it gentina is a candidate because
is the last one,” Messi said in of its history, which means
an interview with Star Plus. even more now because of
the way we got here,” Messi
It is the first time the Paris added. “But in a World Cup
Saint-Germain striker has anything can happen, all the
spoken openly about his fu- matches are very difficult. It
ture after the tournament, isn’t always the favorites who
which starts on Nov. 20. win it.”

Rahm off to a good start at Spanish Open;

Wu leads early

hun Wu. Open, when he said he ar- with increased confidence
rived with more pressure be- after shooting 62 in the fi-
Rahm is trying to win for the cause he was the world No. 1 nal round of the BMW PGA
third time at home and join and had won the U.S. Open Championship at Wentworth
the great Seve Ballesteros for and played well in the Ryder last month.
the most Spanish Open titles. Cup.
“I’m glad I could follow back
“It’s not that my heartbeat Wu, the Chinese player who up my last competitive round
was faster, but it was definite- finished in a tie for 79th in with another really good
ly a lot more intense on the Spain last year, took the early round and keep the good play
first few shots and the first lead after making eight bird- going,” Rahm said. “It’s im-
few putts just because I’m ies and no bogies in a round portant to start strong. The
playing in front of he home of 8-under 63. Also a shot course is only going to get
crowd and I want to do good, back was Frenchman Mat- harder. To come out in the
and they want me to play thieu Pavon, who was 6 un- morning and take advantage
well,” the world No. 6 said. der par through the first six of the easier conditions was
holes after picking up four great.”
Rahm made six birdies, an birdies and an eagle. He add-
MADRID (AP) — Jon the opening round of the eagle and a bogey at Club de ed another birdie in a quiet Rahm’s only win this season
Rahm overcame early jit- Spanish Open on Thurs- Campo Villa de Madrid. back nine. came at the Mexico Open in
ters from playing at home day to sit one stroke be- Rahm finished in a tie for May.
and shot a 7-under 64 in hind clubhouse leader As- 17th in last year’s Spanish Rahm arrived in Madrid