Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed but British media reported that the Saudis paid 53 million euros ($61.69 million) plus add-ons that could take the final price tag up to 56.6 million pounds for the 26-year-old.

“Al-Hilal Club Company is pleased to announce the signing of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez from Liverpool FC on a three-year contract,” the Saudi club said on their website.

“Nunez has just joined the squad during the current pre-season training camp in Germany,” Al Hilal added.

Nunez joined Liverpool in June 2022 from Benfica for an initial fee of 75 million euros but struggled for consistency, with 40 goals and 26 assists in 143 games in all competitions.

The striker found himself on the fringes of the first team during Liverpool’s title-winning campaign last season, starting only eight league matches and netting five times.

His departure will help finance Liverpool’s outlay of almost 300 million pounds so far for the 2025-26 season.

They have already signed Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz for a club-record fee of up to 116 million pounds and French forward Hugo Ekitike for 69 million plus add-ons.

Al-Hilal, under former Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, became the first Asian club to defeat a Premier League side in an official match when they beat Manchester City at the Club World Cup last month.

Inzaghi’s new side are aiming to secure a record-extending 20th league title this season, having finished second in the Saudi Pro League last term. Their other high-profile signing of the transfer window was Theo Hernandez from AC Milan.

The 37-year-old fought back tears as he confirmed Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday (00:30 BST) will be his last appearance for his country.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, having made his debut for Uruguay against Colombia in February 2007.

“I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time,” said Suarez.

“I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team. I’ll be just as excited to play as I was in 2007 when I played for my national team for the first time.

“That 19-year old kid is now a veteran player, an older player – however you want to call it – with an incredible history with the national team, that will give his life for the team.”​​​​​​​

Suarez played in nine major international tournaments for Uruguay.

He was sent off in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final when he handled on the line during the final minute of extra time to prevent Ghana from progressing to the semi-finals.

Ex-Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent spot-kick and Uruguay won the resulting penalty shootout to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

In 2011, Suarez led Uruguay to victory in the Copa America in Argentina, finishing as the tournament’s second top scorer with four goals.

At the 2014 World Cup, he scored twice to help Uruguay beat England in the group stages but missed the knockout stages after receiving a fourth-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in his side’s final group game.

Suarez was also handed a nine-game international ban and missed the 2015 Copa America.

“We did go through difficult moments. There were many,” Suarez said during his retirement press conference. “Personally, it was worse for me after my massive mistake in 2014. But there’s nothing that I would reproach.”

Suarez would go on to play at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while he appeared in five editions of the Copa America.

Nunez, 25, was seen physically confronting Colombia fans in the stands after the final whistle in the Copa America semi-final in July.

The player has also been fined £15,145 ($20,000).

South American football’s governing body Conmebol issued a statement on Wednesday stating five players had been banned, including Nunez, and 11 fined for their part in the altercation.

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, 27, has received a four-game ban.

Napoli defender Mathias Olivera, 26, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, 25, and Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez, 29, have all received three-game bans.​​​​​​​

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: There were more than 70,000 fans in the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina

‘Unacceptable scenes’

Conmebol had opened an investigation into the “unacceptable” scenes following Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.

The incident broke out in a section of the stadium where many family members of the Uruguay players were seated.

Nunez had climbed railings and made his way into the crowded stands.

“There was no police and we had to defend our families,” said Gimenez at the time.

“This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”

The bans are a blow to Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa, the former Leeds United manager, whose side are involved in several qualifying matches in September and October for the 2026 World Cup.

Bielsa said at the time his players deserved an apology from Colombia fans for the brawl that broke out.

Asked if he feared sanctions for his team, Bielsa said: “The sanction does not have to be for the footballers but for those who forced them to act like this.

“This is a witch hunt. It is a shame.”

Uruguay face Paraguay in Montevideo in a qualifying match on 6 September.

The 27-year-old Uruguayan had been undergoing treatment in hospital since his collapse during Nacional’s game against Sao Paulo on 22 August.

“It is with the deepest sorrow and shock in our hearts that the Club Nacional announces the death of our beloved player Juan Izquierdo,” his Uruguayan side posted on X.

“We express our most sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. All of Nacional is in mourning for his irreparable loss.”

On hearing the news, a spokesperson for Brazilian side Sao Paulo said it was a “sad day for football”.

Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez said: “Pain, sadness, it is hard to explain. May he rest in peace. I wish a lot of strength for his family and friends.”

Izquierdo was put on a ventilator on Sunday and had been under neurological care since Monday.

The defender was a half-time substitute for former Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates during his side’s match with Sao Paulo.

He collapsed in the 84th minute and was not in contact with any other player at the time of the collapse.

Izquierdo received medical treatment on the pitch and was rushed to an intensive care unit shortly afterwards.

Uruguay’s first and second division leagues were postponed at the weekend following Izquiedro’s collapse.

In the quarterfinal clash against the two-time World Cup winners, Gyan missed a crucial penalty in the final seconds of regulation time, with the match tied at 1-1.

The former Liberty Professionals striker, who had successfully converted penalties earlier in the tournament, sent the ball over the crossbar.

This miss proved costly, as Ghana eventually lost 4-2 in the subsequent penalty shootout, leading to their elimination from the tournament.

“The backlash was intense and it took a toll on me,” Gyan admitted at the Afro Sports Summit in Accra.

“But it also made me realize the importance of mental health. Athletes need to take mental health issues seriously and seek help when needed” he added.

Gyan also highlighted the influence of former defender Sammy Kuffour, who served as a mentor and source of inspiration.

“Sammy Kuffour was a trailblazer. His vision and tenacity for creating wealth helped me through some of my toughest times before and after my footballing career.”

Gyan, who announced his retirement in June 2023, remains the country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 51 goals and Africa’s leading goal scorer in the history of the World Cup.

Canada’s Ismael Kone saw his spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and Alphonso Davies missed to hand Uruguay victory.

The match at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium went to penalties after it had ended 2-2 in normal time.

Rodrigo Bentancur had earlier fired Uruguay ahead before goals from Kone and Jonathan David put Canada 2-1 up.

However, Suarez equalised in the second minute of injury time for Uruguay to take the contest to spot-kicks.

Suarez scored his effort to make it 4-3 in the shootout after Federico Valverde, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Bentancur had all converted.

Davies then struck the crossbar with an attempted panenka which hit the crossbar and bounced out.

Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa felt his side “barely deserved” to make it to the shootout and felt they underperformed in the tournament as a whole.

“I thought that given our roster, we could have played a bit better than what we showed,” he said.

Canada boss Jesse Marsch praised the overall performance of his side as they used the tournament as a stepping stone to the 2026 World Cup which they are co-hosting with the United States and Mexico.

Marsch added: “We’re still a young team. It’s not so easy to build a tactical model with such short time and under such big stresses against such good opponents.”

Copa America holders Argentina face Colombia in the final at 01:00 BST on Monday.

Liverpool forward Nunez was involved in an altercation with spectators in the stands after Colombia’s 1-0 win in Wednesday’s semi-final in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The incident broke out in a section of the stadium where many family members of the Uruguay players were seated.

“It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence,” read a statement from Conmebol, South American football’s governing body.

“On the eve of the final of Copa America, we want to reaffirm and warn that no action will be tolerated that tarnishes this global football celebration, which involves both the players and the fans present in the stadium.”

The governing body stressed it wished to “understand the sequence of events” that led to the incident.

The disorder broke out after Colombia’s victory, which sets up a final against Argentina on Sunday.

Nunez climbed the railings and made his way into the crowded stands.

“There was no police and we had to defend our families,” said Uruguay captain Jose Maria Gimenez.

“This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”

Nunez was seen hugging his son on the pitch after the altercation cooled down.

The striker is yet to comment publicly on the incident.

The striker was seen physically confronting Colombia fans in the stands after the final whistle in the Copa America semi-final.

According to Uruguayan outlet El País, disorder broke out close to where friends and family members of players were located.

Núñez is yet to comment publicly on the incident.

TV cameras and fans captured images of Núñez climbing up railings and making his way into the crowded stands of the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

He could then be seen confronting Colombia fans as others tried to restrain him.

Getty Images

Getty Images

Other Uruguay players were reportedly involved in the incident.

Uruguay captain José María Giménez said the players were trying to defend their families, describing the situation in the crowd as a “disaster”, Reuters reported.

He continued: “There was no police and we had to defend our families. This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”

Núñez was seen hugging his son on the pitch after the altercation.

South American football’s governing body Conmebol said it “strongly condemns any act of violence that affects football.”

“There is no pace for intolerance and violence on and off the field,” it added.

The incident happened after Uruguay slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Colombia in the last four match, denying them a place in Monday’s Copa America final.

Shortly before the crowd disorder began, players and coaching staff had clashed on the pitch after the match ended.

Núñez started the game up front for Uruguay but could not convert one of his four attempts on goal.

Liverpool signed the forward for an initial £64m from Portuguese side Benfica in June 2022. He has scored 20 goals in 65 appearances for the club.

BBC News has contacted Núñez’s representative for comment.

Colombia will play Argentina in Monday’s final.

Getty Images

Marcelo Bielsa’s team played the final 16 minutes a man down after Nandez was dismissed for a reckless lunge on Rodrygo, but with star winger Vinicius Junior suspended, Brazil were unable to find a winner and were made to pay in the shoot-out.

Sergio Rochet saved from Eder Militao before Douglas Luiz struck the post, and though Jose Gimenez squandered Uruguay’s first chance to win it, Manuel Ugarte made no mistake with their next attempt.

They will now face Colombia in the last four after James Rodriguez inspired Los Cafeteros to a 5-0 rout of Panama, while Brazil’s wait for a 10th Copa title goes on.

Brazil struggled to match Uruguay’s intensity early on and survived a couple of close calls. Darwin Nunez saw a header hit Militao and drop just wide of the left-hand post before Mathias Olivera powered over the crossbar from the resulting corner.

The Selecao’s first opening came just before the half-hour mark as Endrick intercepted a loose back pass from Matias Vina before finding Raphinha, who was just unable to get his shot off.

Uruguay lost Ronald Araujo to a hamstring injury 33 minutes in, and though the game became littered with fouls, both sides carved out chances before the interval.

Nunez should have done better when he headed Nandez’s glorious right-wing crossover, then Raphinha twice shot straight at Rochet after scampering in behind.

Federico Valverde fired over after the break as the blood-and-thunder nature of the game continued. Referee Dario Herrera repeatedly dipped into his pocket as the challenges became ever more rugged, and with 74 minutes played, he brandished a red card.

Originally booked for catching Rodrygo in full flight with his studs high on his opponent’s ankle, Nandez was given his marching orders following a VAR review.

Penalties were Uruguay’s goal from then on as they sacrificed Nunez for an extra defensive body and sat deep, and they got over the line as Endrick sent a tame effort straight at Rochet, making it three of four Copa quarter-finals to go to a shoot-out this year.

While Uruguay’s first three kicks were perfect, Rochet got down to palm Militao’s effort away and Luiz struck the left post, putting La Celeste on the brink.

Captain Gimenez was denied by a fine stop by Alisson, but Ugarte kept his nerve to blast his kick home and win the tie.

Brazil, five-time World Cup winners, knew victory in California would ensure they finished top of the group and they started brightly as Barcelona winger Raphinha scored a stunning free-kick to put his side ahead.

But Colombia, unbeaten since February 2022, responded emphatically and equalised just before half-time when Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz struck from close range.

Colombia, who have won the competition once, came closest to winning it when striker Rafael Borre fired over at the back post after being found by Johan Mojica’s cross with six minutes left.

The draw means Colombia win Group D and earn a favourable tie against Panama in the last eight, while runners-up Brazil will face 15-time winners Uruguay.

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr will miss Brazil’s quarter-final after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.

In the group’s other match, Costa Rica beat Paraguay 2-1 thanks to goals from Francisco Calvo and Josimar Alcocer.

But Costa Rica needed results elsewhere to go their way in order to progress and finished a point behind Brazil to miss out.

The tournament’s last eight commences on Friday, when holders Argentina play Ecuador (02:00 BST).

The US, who are tournament hosts, were beaten 1-0 by Uruguay as they finished third in Group C with only the top two advancing.

Uruguay claimed top spot to secure their quarter-final place, while Panama beat Bolivia 3-1 to progress to the last eight as Group C runners-up.

“We’re bitterly disappointed in the results,” said Berhalter, whose side beat Bolivia in their opening match before suffering defeats by Panama and Uruguay.

“We know that we’re capable of more and at this tournament we didn’t show it. It’s as simple as that.”

Asked if he thought he was the right person to lead the team up to the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, Berhalter said: “Yes.”

Uruguay won each of their three group games, with Mathias Olivera scoring the decisive goal against the US in Kansas City.

“You have to keep moving forward,” said Berhalter, who was re-appointed US men’s team coach in June 2023 after an internal investigation into his conduct in the wake of allegations made during the 2022 World Cup.

“It’s not where you say OK, this program is doomed. That’s not the case at all. It was a poor performance, we didn’t get the results that we expected and we need to get better.”

However, US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker has said the performance of the national team at Copa America “fell short of our expectations” and they “must do better”.

“We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa America and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 World Cup,” he added in a US Soccer statement.

Uruguay will play the second-placed team in Group D in their quarter-final, while Panama are to play the winners of that group.

Colombia lead Group D on six points, with Brazil second on four points. They play each other in their final group match at 02:00 BST on Wednesday.

Panama make history at Copa America

Panama, who are playing in only their second Copa America, reached the knockout stage for the first time with their victory over Bolivia.

Jose Fajardo put Panama in front and after Bruno Miranda equalised, substitutes Eduardo Guerrero and Cesar Yanis scored to seal their win.

“Football is daily suffering, but today there was a lot at stake,” said Panama boss Thomas Christiansen.

“We knew that not even a win guaranteed that we would make it to the quarter-finals after the first goal.

“Our performance dropped at times, they [Bolivia] began to control the game and they scored. We started to get a bit more anxious.

“But we reacted quickly. Our players were able to overcome those odds and the substitutions made a huge difference.”

Uruguay took an impressive step towards the Copa America knockout stage as Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez starred in a 5-0 win against Bolivia.

Nunez, 25, scored for the seventh consecutive match for his country as Marcelo Biesla’s side made it two wins from two in the United States.

Facundo Pellistri, the Manchester United winger, opened the scoring with a close-range header in the eighth minute before Nunez doubled the lead by clipping in a 10th goal in his last seven appearances for his country.

Winger Maximiliano Araujo tucked in his second goal of the tournament 13 minutes from time, before Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, with a low finish, and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, with a firm header, rounded off the win.

Uruguay, who sit 14th in Fifa’s world rankings, are aiming for an outright record 16th Copa America title as they close in on the quarter-finals. They and Argentina both have 15 wins to date.

“There are still several important steps to take in order to be convinced that Uruguay can reach the level we imagine with the individual talent it has,” said manager Bielsa.

“It would be incorrect to make conclusions.”
Uruguay face the United States in their final Group C match at 02:00 BST on Tuesday, when a draw would assure Bielsa’s side of top spot.

The Liverpool striker, 25, volleyed home at the near post with five minutes of normal time remaining to double Uruguay’s lead after defender Ronald Araujo had opened the scoring after 16 minutes.

Left-back Matias Vina added a third in added time for the 15-time champions, before defender Michael Amir Murillo scored a consolation for Panama.

“When it comes to Uruguay’s aspirations, we will see that and build it match by match,” said Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa.

“My expectation is that each match will increasingly help us to improve on our level. Uruguay has players of a very good level and we need to see if I can build with those players.”

Uruguay have been in fine form and have been tipped to impress at the Copa America after beating Argentina and Brazil in World Cup qualifiers over the past 12 months.

Group C’s other game saw Christian Pulisic score one goal and set up another as the United States beat Bolivia 2-0 in their tournament opener in Arlington, Texas.

The AC Milan frontman curled in a fine opener after three minutes before setting up Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, whose low left-footed finish added a second just before half-time.

The 37-year-old is Uruguay’s second-most capped player with 136 appearances, and their second-highest scorer (58) behind only Luis Suarez.

Cavani made his debut in a friendly draw with Colombia in February 2008 and was part of the team that won the 2011 Copa America title.

However, the striker has not made an appearance for his national team since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when they were knocked out in the group stages.

In a post on social media, Cavani said: “My beloved Celeste, I just want to thank you for every lesson you gave me under your process.

“I won’t take long. Today my words are few but profound. Thanks to every single person who was a part of this road over the years. I was and always will be blessed to have worn this jersey representing what I love most in this world, my country.

“They were without doubt so many wonderful years. I have a thousand things to say, tell and remember, but I want to dedicate today to this new stage of my career and give everything I’ve got to where I’m supposed to be now.

“I have decided to step aside but with my heart still beating, as it was when it was my turn to take to the pitch wearing this beautiful jersey. Sending a strong embrace to all of my fans.”

Uruguay will begin their Copa America campaign against Panama on June 23.

The Celeste’s victory ends a streak of four consecutive wins by European teams in the tournament.

Luciano Rodriguez scored the winning goal in the 86th minute in a header from close range, giving Uruguay a much-deserved victory after dominating the entire match against Italy.

More than 40,000 people, mostly cheering for Uruguay, attended the match at the Diego Maradona Stadium. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also present.

Uruguay barely needed to count on their steady defense, which conceded only three goals in the tournament, all against England in the group stage.

The South American team had clear chances to open the scoring much earlier in a free kick taken by Rodríguez, two long-distance shots by captain Fabricio Díaz and a header by Anderson Duarte that forced Italy goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches to make one of the best saves of the tournament.

Italy’s Cesare Casadei, the top tournament’s top scorer with seven goals, had a disappointing performance in the final.

Neither Uruguay nor Italy were among the favourites when the U20 World Cup kicked off on May 20, but unlike Brazil, Argentina and England they faced less resistance from clubs about releasing players for the tournament.

It is not mandatory for clubs to allow their players to take part in international youth competitions.

Uruguay lost the final of the tournament in 1997 and 2013. Brazil were the last winner from South America in 2011.

The title for the Celeste comes in the wake of Argentina’s World Cup title in December, which also ended a sequence of wins by European teams.

Earlier, debutant Israel beat South Korea 3-1 to secure third place in the same stadium in La Plata.

Indonesia were initially scheduled to host the tournament, but the Muslim-majority country did not accept Israel’s participation. FIFA decided to hand the organization over to Argentina one month before kickoff.

The 67-year-old Argentine has been out of a job since he was sacked by the Elland Road club in February 2022.

He held talks with both Bournemouth and Everton in recent months over their then-vacant managerial positions.

Two-time champions Uruguay failed to progress out of their group at the World Cup in Qatar.

Bielsa joined Leeds in 2018 and is still revered by the club’s fans for overseeing their return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.

Before moving to the Premier League, he managed in France, Italy, Spain and Argentina, as well as taking charge of Chile for four years between 2007 and 2011.

Marcelo Broli has served as interim head coach since February. Diego Alonso, who was appointed Uruguay boss in 2021, resigned following the World Cup.

Uruguay are 16th in Fifa’s world rankings.

The four South American nations have called for the World Cup to return to “where football was born”.

They will compete with a joint bid from Spain and Portugal and possible bids from Morocco and Saudi Arabia.

The United States, Canada and Mexico will co-host the 2026 World Cup.

“The 2030 World Cup is not just another World Cup, it deserves a celebration with recognition for 100 years,” said Alejandro Dominguez, South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) president.

“We are convinced that Fifa has an obligation to honour the memory of those who came before us, believed in greatness, and made the first World Cup,” he added.

Two-time winners Uruguay won the first World Cup as hosts when it was held in the country’s capital Montevideo in 1930.

Argentina, the 1978 hosts, were crowned world champions for a third time at Qatar in 2022. Chile also previously hosted in 1962.

Argentine Football Association (Afa) president Claudio Tapia said: “As world champions, we carry out this launch, which is the dream of all South Americans – not only on the centenary of the first edition but because of the passion with which we live football.”

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez also said on Twitter that neighbouring Bolivia would be asked to join “this dream”.

Ghana were on the verge of playing in the semifinal of the Mundial but Gyan missed out on a crucial penalty against the South Americans in stoppage time, which eventually led to Ghana’s elimination in the shootouts.

The Black Stars in 2010 were awarded a late penalty after Luis Suarez made a goal-bound header save with his hand in extra time.

Ghana, who were making their second appearance at the global showpiece eventually lost 4-2 on penalties after the match ended one-all.

Asked about the first words he uttered after missing the kick at the Romanus Incomplete Comedy Show, Asamoah Gyan revealed that, “Me Wu” which means “I’m dead,” were his first words.

The former Sunderland striker was honoured at the event for his incredible contribution to the growth of Ghana football and for ending his career as the top scorer for Ghana with 51 goals.

Asamoah Gyan is also Africa’s top scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup, a competition that started 92 years ago.

Gyan has been out of active football after leaving Ghana Premier League side, Legon Cities.

Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 in their final Group H game but were angered that referee Daniel Siebert did not award them penalty kicks in the contest. Another goal would have sent Uruguay into the last 16 in place of South Korea.

At the final whistle, the Uruguayan bench erupted against the referee who decided not to award penalties for tackles on Darwin Nunez in the opening half and Cavani in the dying minutes, with striker Luis Suarez saying FIFA was “against Uruguay”.

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FIFA also opened proceedings against the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) over potential breaches of fair play rules.

“Separate proceedings were opened against Uruguayan players Gimenez, Cavani, Muslera and Godin,” FIFA added in a statement.

The AUF has 10 days to reply to FIFA, as per AUF vice-president Gaston Tealdi’s comments to Uruguayan newspaper Ovacion.

South Korea’s late win over Portugal lifted them above the South Americans, who were long in control against old foes Ghana thanks to Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s first-half double.

Tempers flared violently at full time as Uruguay players targeted referee Daniel Siebert to ask for explanations on two dismissed penalty appeals – one on Darwin Nunez and another on Edinson Cavani in stoppage time.

Jose Gimenez was one of the leading aggressors, being seen shoving those around him while trying to get explanations. A video circulating on social media shows Gimenez hitting a FIFA official in the back of the head and swearing at the officials.

Mundo Deportivo say the Atletico Madrid defender could face a 15-game ban if that hit is reported as some form of assault.

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After the incident, Gimenez was seen shouting at a camera: “They [the referees] are all a bunch of thieves, these sons of b******. Yes, record me. Son of a b****.”

Any such ban could translate to club football, like when Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup and was made to wait for his Barcelona debut.

Uruguay stars Cavani and Luis Suarez aren’t out of the clear, either. Suarez took aim at referees, saying: “I see a penalty for Cavani because he is cut off by the defender and he puts his body in front of him. Darwin’s is very clear too. They are not excuses, but incredible penalties are being awarded in this World Cup. And there is the committee of referees and FIFA, and they have to try to explain themselves better, at least.”

Cavani was seen punching a television monitor as he made his way through the tunnel and could face retrospective action.

The Black Stars were hoping to secure revenge against the South American side in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after halting Ghana’s chances of playing in the semifinal of the Mundial in South Africa 12 years ago.

Gyan missed a crucial penalty after Luis Suarez blocked a goal-bound header by Dominic Adiyah. The West African country subsequently lost the game 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

In the final Group H game against the two-time world champions in Doha, Ghana needed a draw to progress to the next round of the competition.

Ghana had a perfect opportunity to take the lead by Andre Ayew, who is the captain of the side and failed to convert the spot-kick. After 90 minutes of football, the Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat.

Speaking on SuperSport, Gyan, who is a former Black Stars captain said it hurts Ghana lost but he is optimistic the country will record a win over Uruguay someday.

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“It happened again yesterday. For me, I know what Andre [Dede Ayew] is going through right now.

“Maybe he might act very strong but he is human. It looks like history has repeated itself again in some way but I don’t think it is a curse, it is one of those things. Things happen in football and of course, we just have to be strong and move forward. You might never know.

“As I said earlier, the Uruguayans were laughing 12 years ago [2010] and now they are going home crying.

“The person [Lius Suarez] who was laughing at Ghana was crying yesterday so two things, you cannot predict anything in the future.

“We didn’t know it was going to happen again but we have to stay strong mentally and move on. Football, we are not playing football forever

“Maybe our kids will come to redeem us one day, you might never know,” Gyan said.

Ghana exited the tournament with three points after three games played.

The South Americans finished on level with Korea, however, the goal difference was in favour of the Asians as they narrowly slip through the 16 stage at the ongoing Mundial.

The two goals from Uruguay in the first half were not enough as they bow out from the tournament at the third place in Group H with four points.

In the dying embers of the game, Suarez, who had been substituted earlier, was spotted on the bench, unable to control his tears as his country edges towards a group stage exit.

Check out some photos below:

It’s a Déjà vu – after 12 years history repeated itself as the South Americans triumphed over the West African country at the Mundial in Qatar.

However, this time around both teams failed to progress to the next stage of the tournament after a late goal from South Korea to win 2-1 against Portugal in the other fixture.

Despite their loss, some fans are joyous with the results as they got their revenge with Suarez and his teammates bowing out of the tournament as well.

Check out some reactions from fans:

The Black Stars are aiming to book a place in the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup which is ongoing in Qatar.

Alidu Seidu and Baba Rahman have returned to the squad with the Ayew brothers keeping their place in the team for the clash.

The Black Stars, after a 3-2 win against South Korea, will need a draw to go through.

The game comes off at the Al Janoub Stadium with kick-off scheduled at 15:00GMT.

Starting XI below:

• Ati Zigi 
• Alidu Seidu
• Baba Rahman 
• Daniel Amartey
• Mohammed Salisu 
• Salis Samed 
• Thomas Partey 
• Jordan Ayew 
• Andre Ayew
• Kudus Mohammed
• Inaki Williams

The Black Stars will take on the South American side later today at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Ahead of the game, many football fans have called on the Black Stars to seek revenge after the heartbreak in South Africa 12 years ago after Suarez blocked Dominic Adiyah’s goal-bound header with his hands.

Speaking to AKoma FM in an interview, Rajevac says the issue of revenge should not be the focus.

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He advises that Ghana should leave the past in the past and go into the Uruguay game as a different match.

“I believe Ghana should leave the past in the past regarding the Uruguay game and take the match against Uruguay as any other match,” the Serbian trainer said.

“It was a tragic memory for all of us but anyway, we made all of Africa proud at that time, so we should learn from that experience and use I for future challenges.

“They should stay focused and determined to win, because every next match is the most important match,” Milovan Rajevac said.

Ghana’s encounter against Uruguay is scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT. The Black Stars need a draw to make it to the next round of the tournament.

Uruguay striker Suarez broke Ghanaian hearts 12 years ago in South Africa when his deliberate handball stopped a certain goal in the dying moments of their quarterfinal.

Suarez was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty and Uruguay then beat the Black Stars in a shootout after the game ended 1-1.

“If the same incident would have happened the other way around and Ghana would have proceeded to the semifinals, everyone would have said okay, it’s normal that a player would do anything he can to help his team to go to the semifinals,” Oddo said on Thursday.

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“This is what I wish from every player, to do all he can to help his team qualify, sacrificing himself with a red card.”

A win on Friday would guarantee Ghana passage from Group H and eliminate Uruguay but Addo said he was not thinking about dumping out Suarez, who was unrepentant over his actions when told he was considered “the devil himself” by Ghanaians earlier on Thursday.

“It was a very sad day for me… but this is my perspective,” said Addo. “If I see it from another perspective it’s a normal thing so for me it’s not a big topic.

“It’s not a normal game because the public is making it a different game. But for me, it’s a normal game. We want to qualify for the next stage, we surely want to win.

“For us what happened in 2010 is very sad but we can’t change it. We’re looking forward and we want to win this game.”

Asamoah Gyan hit the woodwork with a penalty in the last minute of extra time after Uruguay’s Luis Suarez had been sent off for pushing the ball away with his hands on the goalline.

It meant the game ended 2-2 and Uruguay went on to win a dramatic shootout, which Suarez celebrated wildly.

The two teams meet again at 15:00 GMT on Friday. For Ghana, it is a long-awaited chance to get revenge. For Suarez, it prompted more questions.

This is a crucial match in Group H, with Ghana knowing victory will send them through and Uruguay needing a victory to stand a chance of qualification.

The match 12 years ago was one of the most controversial in World Cup history and BBC World Service has produced a program on what happened and how it will influence their meeting in the current World Cup.

“When the draw was made and they saw Uruguay in Ghana’s group, the only thing in people’s mind was revenge. Ghana wants revenge, it is motivatminds” Gyan told the BBC.

“People all over the world know what happened. It is behind me, but I’m human and it’s in the back of my mind.

“We have South Korea, Portugal and Uruguay – and the most important game for Ghana is against Uruguay. It is in the back of everybody’s mind, going for revenge, revenge, revenge.

“Our goal is to qualify for the next stage of the competition. If we are going to think Uruguay, Uruguay, Uruguay it is going to be a mistake. We have to qualify, that’s the most important thing.”

• ‘I don’t know how that penalty went high’

Gyan, who joined Sunderland after the 2010 World Cup in a then club-record £13m transfer, scored three goals in South Africa and Ghana were on the attack in the last minute of extra time as their thrilling 2010 quarter-final with Uruguay was tied at 2-2.

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Suarez blatantly blocked Dominic Adiyiah’s header on the line with his hand and was promptly sent off – but Gyan could not take advantage as his penalty bounced off the bar. Suarez, watching on from the tunnel, wildly celebrated the miss.

The match went to a penalty shootout and Gyan scored Ghana’s first penalty, but Uruguay won 4-2 before losing to Netherlands in the semi-final.

“I scored a penalty in the first game, a very crucial one against Serbia and I scored against Australia through a penalty as well,” recalled Gyan, now 36 and withe thout a club.

“I scored in extra time against America so the confidence level was that high. Against Uruguay when we had a penalty, although there was pressure, I was the most confident player in the world.

“I just needed to step up and shoot. Honestly I will say it was one of these days because my penalties do not go that high.

“I didn’t know how that penalty went high. I think it was a technical error or something.

“When we went to the p,enalty shootout I just wanted to prove a point. I had to step up and I scored – you have to come back and prove yourself.”

• Ghana fans unable to forgive Suarez

Suarez, now 35, is in Uruguay’s World Cup squad but is still a hated figure in Ghana 12 years on.

Ghanaian sports broadcaster Juliet Bawuah said: “I’m yet to meet a Ghanaian football fan who is willing to forgive Suarez for that travesty of football justice.

“A lot of people think if the Black Stars had beaten Uruguay they would’ve gone to win that World Cup and given Africans something to hold on to for years.

“Any time Suarez was playing for Liverpool, if anything happened to him like an injury, he gets a yellow card, he gets sent off, he gets punished by the FA, then people were happy. No one wants to hear his name.”

The Uruguay striker broke Ghanaian hearts at the 2010 World Cup when his deliberate handball stopped a certain goal in the dying stages of their quarterfinal.

Suarez was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty – cue wild celebrations from Suarez on the sidelines – and Uruguay then beat the Black Stars in the penalty shootout.

It is a dark day scorched deep in the memory of many Ghanaian football fans.

“We were waiting to celebrate, but we cried in the streets,” said Samuel Quist, 36, buying a Ghana team shirt in the capital Accra in preparation for Friday’s game.

“I hated that day.”

This time it is Uruguay who are up against it – a Ghana win would put them into the last 16 and send Uruguay home, but a draw for Ghana could also be enough.

Current Ghana skipper Andre Ayew, the only player left from the 2010 squad, attempted to play down talk of revenge.

“Everyone felt bad (in 2010) but for me, I just want to get to the next stage,” he told reporters in Qatar.

“Revenge or not, we would go with the same determination and desire to win because we want to get to the next stage.”

“I am not looking back, I don’t want to focus on the past,” added the softly-spoken 32-year-old forward.

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The Black Stars will come up against the South American side at the Al Janoub Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 15:00GMT.

This is the second game for the 38-year-old, having made his World Cup debut in the Group D clash between Tunisia and Australia on November 26.

Siebert – who has been an international referee since 2015 – continues with his team of assistants in compatriots Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn.

Japanese Yoshimi Yamashita has been named Fourth Official.

The Ghana-Uruguay clash will be his 37th game as centre referee over the last 12 months.

He has handled several Uefa inter-club competitions, a World Cup qualifier, Nations League, and domestic games in his native Germany.

The Black Stars, who sit 2nd on the Group H log with three points need a draw or a win to make it to the last 16 while the two-time world champions need a win after picking up just a point after two games.

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Full appointment:

Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)

Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel (GER)

Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)

Fourth Official: Yoshimi Yamashita (JPN)

Reserve Assistant Referee: Vasile Marinescu (ROU)

Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert (GER)

Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel (NED)

Offside Video Assistant Referee: Ciro Carbone (ITA)

Support Video Assistant Referee: Paolo Valeri (ITA)

Standby Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Alessandro Giallatini (ITA)

The West African country will clash with the two-time world champions in their final Group H game at the Al Janoub Stadium.

The Black Stars need just a draw or a win to seal their place in the last 16 while the South American side needs a win to progress.

Ghana secured an all-important win against South Korea in their second group game while Uruguay suffered a defeat against Portugal.

Ahead of the game, Addo says he is confident his side will overcome Diego Alonso’s who are just with a point after two games.

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“They [Uruguay] have very good strikers, lots of experience and they are a very compact, very good team,” he said.

“Every game will be on edge and we have to be at our best to beat them.

“I am confident enough to know that we can win this game,” he said.

Ghana are aiming for a win after Luis Suarez deliberately blocked a goal-bound header from Dominic Adiyah to crash the country’s chances of playing in the semifinal. 

The game has been scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT.

Ghana and Uruguay face off in their final Group H game at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday, December 2, 2022.

The two sides are chasing for qualification to the Round of 16 with Ghana needing a win to automatically seal their spot in the next round.

For the Uruguayans, they must beat Ghana to progress to the next round.

The game will be a repeat of the 2010 World Cup quarter-final incident which saw Luis Suarez save his side with the handball incident and Ghana eventually eliminated during the penalty shootouts.

After 12 years the two sides meet again at the World Cup tournament in search of qualification to the next round.

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“One thing I’m confident of is the work Otto and the technical staff have put in. This team will be very well prepared and the players will give everything,” Chris Hughton told the Mail.

“We will have to play well and we’ll need a bit of luck. But we’ve seen in past tournaments that anything is possible for a country like ours,” he added.

Black Stars are currently second in Group H while Uruguay lie bottom with only one point.

Kick off is at 15;00GMT.

The South Americans who halted Ghana’s chances of playing in the semifinals 12 years ago in South Africa will come up again at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday.

According to the former Liverpool and Barcelona forward, all the Uruguayan players will put their lives on the line in order to beat Ghana and hopefully qualify for the next round.

Speaking to the press ahead of the game on Friday, Suarez said his country has made it a must for them to beat Ghana.

“We have one point and the final match against Ghana is do and die. We have no option than to win to make our fans happy,” he said.

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“We are going to put our lives and soul into this last match, Ghana is a good team but we know them, we have beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.

“We have watched their video clips and they have a porous defense, we will utilize that to beat them,” he added.

The game has been scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT.

Ghana will come up against Uruguay in their final group game on Friday at the Al Janoub Stadium with kick-off scheduled at 15:00GMT.

After securing a 3-2 win over South Korea on Monday, the Black Stars must avoid defeat to make it to the last 16.

However, Uruguay would need a win and hope Portugal beat Korea in the last round of matches. 

It would be recalled that in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Uruguay denied Ghana a place in the semi-finals courtesy of a Luis Suarez handball. 

Many Ghanaian football fans are calling for revenge against the Sky Blue.

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In an interview with GNA Sports, Ayew said the Black Stars were focused on defeating the two-time world champions, and not concerned about revenge.

“I’m the only one who was in the squad when that happened, so the others don’t know how we felt but everyone felt bad. For me, I just want to get into the next stage so if it was revenge or not, we would go with the same determination and the same desire to win because we want to get to the next stage.

“So, it’s not a matter of revenge, it is just a matter of us getting into the next stage.”

“Where I am now, I’m not looking back but I’m just looking at what’s coming on Friday, I don’t want to talk about the past, I just want to focus on what’s coming and how to win.”

The Friday clash would be the second meeting between the two countries at the World Cup.

After securing a win in an all-important win against South Korea in the second Group H game on Monday, the Black Stars will have to win or draw against the South Americans.

Ghana will be hoping to secure a win against the two-time world champions after halting Ghana’s chances of playing in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Speaking after the game, Andre lauded his teammates for their impressive performance but added that the final group game will be a tough game.

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“The players did very well because they played to their best and winning against South Korea is what we wanted,” he said after the game.

“I am proud of the players but it will be extremely difficult against Uruguay on Friday,” he added.

The much-anticipated game has been scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Ghana will be hoping to make it to the last 16 after exiting at the group phase at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

A game short on real quality saw the deadlock broken in the 54th minute when a cross from Bruno Fernandes floated beyond Uruguay keeper Sergio Rochet, the goal given to Manchester United’s midfield man despite Cristiano Ronaldo claiming it had glanced off his head.

Portugal made most of the running until they went ahead but Uruguay, who must now beat Ghana in their final Group H game to have a chance of qualifying, created chances of their own and could have taken a point.

Rodrigo Bentancur’s brilliant first-half run was halted by Portugal keeper Diogo Costa’s save, while substitute Maxi Gomez hit the post as Uruguay went in search of an equaliser.

Portugal wrapped up the win in stoppage time when Fernandes got his second from the spot after a video assistant referee intervention which adjudged Jose Gimenez had handled.

Fernandes almost got his hat-trick before the final whistle but saw a low shot strike the post.

The game was interrupted in the second half by a pitch invader carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Save Ukraine’ on the front and ‘Respect for Iranian woman’ on the back.

Ghana secured a 3-2 win over the Asian side at the Education City Stadium in their second Group H game with a brace from the Ajax star while Mohammed Salisu scored the other.

Kudus’ brace and performance on the day saw him clinch the Player of the Match award at the end of the game.

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Speaking after being given the award, the 22-year-old said, “We got the three points today and the focus is on Uruguay,” he said.

“So we go in with the same mentality and the same attitude. I know everyone is up for it,” the Ajax forward added.

With the win over South Korea, Ghana now has three points, having lost their opening game. They face Uruguay on Friday, December 1 at the Al Janoub Stadium.

The game has been scheduled to kick off at 15:00GMT.

In front of a vibrant crowd at the Education City Stadium, the South Koreans frustrated Uruguay but did not create many clear-cut opportunities.

Their best fell to Hwang Ui-jo, who fired over the bar in the first half, before Uruguay captain Diego Godin headed a corner against the post.

Hwang stood with his head in hands afterwards, while team-mates fell to their knees in disbelief, all in front of a group of South Korean fans behind the goal, who were in fine voice throughout.

South Korea had controlled most of the first half but Uruguay began to dominate as the game wore on and they almost won it in the final minute of normal time when Federico Valverde’s long-range effort crashed off the post.

There was one last chance for Tottenham striker Son Heung-min – South Korea’s star man – but he dragged his shot wide, much to the relief of the Uruguayan supporters.

The draw leaves Group H wide open, with many seeing it as a three-way battle for qualification to the knockout stages between Uruguay, South Korea and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Ghana was on the verge of history in 2010 – becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a senior World Cup before Luis Suarez struck.

Dominic Adiyah’s header from a free kick in the stoppage time was deliberately handled on the goal line by Suarez, although he got sent off.

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However, Gyan failed to convert the resulting spot-kick before Uruguay triumphed on penalties.

“Everyone in Ghana is waiting for the game against Uruguay because of what happened in 2010,” Gyan said as a co-anchor on a SuperSport World Cup show.

“We feel like it is our opportunity to get revenge,” the country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 51 goals added.

While Suarez is still active and will most definitely feature against Ghana, Gyan is retired and will only participate as a TV analyst.

Ghana will meet Uruguay in their last Group H game on December 2. The Black Stars will open their campaign against Portugal before taking on South Korea.

Former Liverpool striker Suarez, 35, plays for Uruguayan side Nacional.

Ex-Manchester United forward Cavani, also 35, has scored four goals for Valencia this season but is currently recovering from an ankle injury.

Defender Diego Godin, 36, is included in an experienced squad.

Three Premier League players have been selected by the South American side, who won two of the first four World Cup titles. Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham and Manchester United’s Facundo Pellistri are all in.

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Key defender Ronald Araujo of Barcelona has been picked despite having thigh surgery in September.

Uruguay are in Group H along with South Korea, Portugal and Ghana.

Uruguay squad

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Sergio Rochet (Nacional), Sebastian Sosa (Independiente)

Defenders: Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Sporting CP), Diego Godin (Velez Sarsfield), Martin Caceres (LA Galaxy), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona), Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), Jose Luis Rodriguez (Nacional), Mathias Olivera (Napoli), Matias Vina (Roma)

Midfielders: Lucas Torreira (Galatasaray), Manuel Ugarte (Sporting CP), Matias Vecino (Lazio), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Facundo Pellistri (Manchester United), Nicolas De La Cruz (River Plate)

Forwards: Agustin Canobbio (Athletico Paranaense), Facundo Torres (Orlando City), Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Flamengo), Maxi Gomez (Trabzonspor), Luis Suarez (Nacional), Edinson Cavani (Valencia), Darwin Nunez (Liverpool).

Ghana was on the verge of becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup during the 2010 Mundial in South Africa before losing on penalties to the South American side following a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.

The West African side had a penalty in the final seconds of extra time after Luis Suarez blocked Dominic Adiyah’s goal-bound header.

Suarez was sent off but Gyan missed from the spot, with Uruguay going on to record a 4-2 victory in the shootout.

“A day before the Uruguay game, I shot 20 penalties against our goalkeeper at training,” Gyan told FIFA in an interview.

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“I scored all 20. I was going to my left side of the goalkeeper and I saw him and then I saw him going to my right when I was shooting the ball.

“He feinted me and then he went to where the ball was going. I didn’t know how the ball went up. Technically there was something wrong. I didn’t have the right technique.”

Over 12 years after that incident, Gyan believes he let down his country and the whole continent by missing that penalty.

“I let the whole continent, my country down. Anytime I’m alone in a room, it just pops up in my mind. I’m going to live with it for the rest of my life,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ghana will face the two-time world champions in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Black Stars had a brilliant opportunity to play in the semifinals of the Mundial after Luis Suarez prevented Dominic Adiyah’s goal-bound header.

However, Gyan failed to convert the crucial penalty.

Ghana subsequently exited the tournament after losing in a penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of football.

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“I had to cry because I felt like I went from hero to zero,” Gyan told FIFA.com.

“I let the whole continent, my country down. Anytime I’m alone in a room, it just pops up in my mind. I’m going to live with it for the rest of my life.”

Meanwhile, the Black Stars will once again face Uruguay in the Qatar 2022 World Cup after being paired in Group H, alongside Portugal and South Korea.

Gyan remains the country’s all time leading goalscorer with 51 goals.

The West African country that has made a return to the Mundial has been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.

The Black Stars were on the verge of becoming the first African nation to compete at the semifinal stage of the World Cup but lost a penalty shootout to Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup in a match that is best remembered for a Luis Suarez’s handball on the goal line but the subsequent penalty was missed by Asamoah Gyan.

With several Ghanaian football fans urging the team to seek revenge against the two-time world champions, Paintsil, who featured in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup believes the playing body must look beyond beating only the South American side.

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“It’s a game that anytime any Ghanaian remembers, it becomes a bit emotional,” he told Citi Sports during the Walk with the Legends organized by the Ghana Football Association [GFA] over the weekend.

“It was a game that denied us from playing in the semifinal even going to the final. I will urge my players, the Stars to take (the games) one at a time.

“It’s not only Uruguay that we are going to play in the group stage. Definitely, for Uruguay, we will beat them but they are not (the) only team we are targeting,” he added.

Ghana will commence preparations for the Mundial on November 10 in Abu Dhabi and will take on Switzerland in their final preparatory game.

The team will arrive in Qatar on November 19.

The Barcelona defender sustained a thigh injury while on international duty in a friendly with Iran.

The centre back is said to undergo surgery which will sideline him for estimated 6-7 weeks according to Javi Miguel, Diario AS.

“The first team player Ronald Araujo will undergo surgery on Wednesday for the adductor longus tendon avulsion he has in his right thigh.

“The operation will be carried out by Dr. Lasse Lempainen, under the supervision of the Club’s medical staff, in Turku, Finland. When the operation is completed there will be another medical statement,” the club wrote on the website.

Araujo will be a doubt for Uruguay who are drawn in Group H alongside Ghana, Portugal, and South Korea, due to start on November 20.

Ghana will lock horns with the South Americans on December 2, in what looks to be an intriguing encounter as Black Stars will be seeking revenge for 2010 fiasco.

The four South American nations hope to bring the tournament “home” for the centenary edition, 100 years after the inaugural World Cup was hosted, and won, by Uruguay.

Chile (1962) and Argentina (1978) are also former tournament hosts.

“This is the dream of a continent,” said Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL.

“There will be more World Cups, but the cup only turns 100 one time, and it needs to come home.”

Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association, added: “It’s right for the World Cup to be hosted where it all began, 100 years later.”

Spain and Portugal have already announced their own joint bid to host the tournament.

FIFA is due to select the 2030 host in 2024.

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The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland withdrew their plans to submit a bid of their own, choosing to instead target hosting rights for the men’s European Championships in 2028.

The first edition of the FIFA World Cup was held in July 1930, featuring 13 teams from three confederations in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.

The final was played on Wednesday 30 July, with the hosts fighting back from 2-1 down to beat Argentina 4-2 in front of nearly 70,000 people.

The 2022 tournament will be held in Qatar later this year.

Canada, Mexico and the USA will be joint hosts in 2026, the second time that the competition will be contested in more than one nation (2002, Japan and South Korea).

In the past week, Joy Sports have been reliving some of Ghana’s World Cup moments whilst running the rule of some of the refereeing decisions under the close microscope of VAR.

In the history books, Suarez remains a villain but if there was VAR, that wouldn’t have been the case and perhaps most people would have forgotten about that moment.

Let’s go back in time – specifically 12 years ago – with the World Cup shoring on the borders of Africa for the very first time, African football excellence was served on the side, with the Black Stars of Ghana playing a remarkable tournament.

July 2, 2010, marked one of the happiest moments for Ghana football faithful, and it was also the sourest; a cocktail of a game really, which had everything – from quality to diverse emotions on offer.

After a Sulley Muntari strike from over 30 yards, the Black Stars were locked in a stalemate with Uruguay, following Diego Forlan’s equalizer from a freekick. But Ghana had history staring them right in the face and were a penny close to rewriting football’s legends.

In the final minute of extra time, the Black Stars had a last gasp opportunity to win the game. Painstil, hands on waist and feet apart, delivered a peach into Uruguay’s 18-yard box, a prowling Kevin Prince-Boateng flicked on with Muslera desperately hitting the air in a failed attempt to swat the ball away from the area.

The Black Stars were so close, yet so far as the ball bounced in the six-yard-box of a goal post abandoned by Muslera. Organized chaos best describes the events which followed.

A first swipe was taken at the ball by Stephen Appiah, but was repelled on the line by deputizing goalkeeper, Luis Suarez – incredibly, as the commentator’s voice peaked at that moment.

Seconds later, events escalated as Suarez took his just-adopted responsibility too far. Dominic Adiyiah, was on the cusp of becoming a cult hero with his powerful header seemingly destined for the back of the net, till Suarez made a save Richard Kingson will probably have wanted to make on Forlan’s freekick.

Referee, Olegário Benquerença, called back Suarez, handed him a straight red card and awarded the Black Stars a penalty, after the flag of his assistant went up. Ghanaians and Africans in the soccer city went wild but were quickly red-eyed once Asamoah Gyan’s penalty struck the wrong side of the crossbar.

Suarez’s handball was a brilliant spot by the referee’s assistant, but was that actually a penalty? New information reveals Suarez should have still been on the pitch. Let’s roll the sequence back a few seconds.

Painstil’s freekick is flicked on by Prince Boateng and Muslera fluffs his line with an attempted clearance, as Mensah makes contact with the ball. Appiah steps in and kicks the ball but sees it cleared off the line before Adiyiah’s header.

However what many missed but has been made available by new information is, that Appiah was ahead of all of Uruguay’s players at the time Mensah made contact with the ball.

So I’ll bring back the question; poetic justice or karma? Call it whatever you want and you could be right, and should VAR have been eight years earlier, this piece will not even have existed.

Suarez became a public enemy for the majority of Ghanaians and Africans as a whole after blocking Dominic Adiyiah’s goalbound header with his hand in the dying embers of the quarterfinal clash between Ghana and Uruguay in South Africa during the global showpiece.

Though the Black Stars were awarded a penalty for the forward’s action, the resulting advantage was missed with Ghana going on to lose the game on penalties while Uruguay qualified for the semifinal stage.

Speaking in an exclusive with JoySports’ Gary Al-Smith Ayew, who was part of Ghana’s 2010 World Cup squad, said he would have acted the same way if the incident happened at the other end.

“Like I said before and I said in the past that maybe if it was me or someone else, I could have done the same on the action,” the Al Sadd forward said when asked about Suarez’s action.

“It’s true he killed us, he killed our dream, he killed Africans’ dream, and we all have that feeling that he didn’t make us the first [African] country to get to the semifinals, so that will always be there.

“But he did it for his nation, he took a decision but we don’t look at that, we want to play well and try and succeed.”

Ghana will play Uruguay in their final group game at the World Cup in Qatar later this year after the pair were drawn in Group H alongside Portugal and South Korea.

Ghana has been pitched in Group H alongside familiar sides like Portugal and Uruguay, and South Korea completes the group.

Speaking in an interview, the former Asante Kotoko gaffer said that Ghana’s technical team expected a tough grouping during last Friday’s draw in Doha and that he believed the Black Stars could effectively contain the Cristiano Ronaldo-led side and group rivals, South Korea and Uruguay.

“We never expected anything less than this. Whatever it is, we expected to be drawn against other tough opponents apart from African teams,” he told Graphic Sports.

According to him, what was key to the success of the Black Stars in Qatar was effective planning and adequate preparation.

“I think the most important thing is planning and preparation. There are no minnows in football anymore.

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“What is required to ensure success is the right personnel and a good strategy,” he added.

Ghana will open their campaign against Portugal on November 24 at Stadium 974 in Doha.

Four days later, the Black Stars return to action with a clash with South Korea at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

On December 2, Otto Addo’s side will wrap up their group stage adventure with their much-anticipated encounter with Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.

At the 2010 World Cup, Ghana exited the competition following a 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat to La Celeste after Asamoah Gyan spurned a last-gasp penalty to win the game for the Black Stars in extra-time.

Ghana qualified for this year’s World Cup on away goals rule following a 1-1 aggregate draw with arch-rivals Nigeria in the African play-offs.

Ghana and Uruguay meet in Group H in what could be the biggest grudge game of the tournament.

The African side were inches and seconds away from reaching the 2010 semi-finals but Luis Suarez handled a shot on the line at the end of extra time.

He was sent off but Asamoah Gyan missed his spot-kick and Uruguay won on penalties.

Speaking after the draw on what will be an epic clash, Mr Okraku says the Black Stars will be in for revenge.

“We believe that it will be revenge time,” Ghana FA president Mr Okraku told BBC Sport Africa.

“We thought we had clearly won that particular game but for that save from Suarez. It is very interesting for us to play against them again.

“It is important that we all set the records straight,” he added.

The other Group H opponents for Ghana are Portugal and South Korea.

The reality, though, is Ghana didn’t win. A handball by Luis Suarez stopped a certain goalbound shot deep into injury time, in one of the most controversial and memorable moments of that tournament. Suarez was sent off – but Ghana missed the resulting spot-kick and, ultimately, went out on penalties after extra time.

The pain for Paintsil and his team-mate Hans Sarpei still lingers, 10 years on. For many Ghanaians, Suarez is the perpetrator of one of the greatest crimes in the country’s sporting history.

“We were cheated,” Paintsil says.

“To clear the ball from the line with your hand – it’s supposed to be a goal.”

Paintsil says people still talk about the incident in Ghana.

“I can’t forgive him because it was not an accident,” Sarpei adds.

“He knows what he has done. We were crying and you see someone who has cheated us is celebrating. How can I forgive him? Never. Never ever.”

• First African World Cup

On 2 July 2010, Ghana had the footballing hopes of a whole continent on their shoulders.

South Africa was the host of Africa’s first World Cup but Bafana Bafana were unable to make it past the group stage despite a valiant effort.

The other African teams had all been eliminated at the same point, leaving just the Black Stars in the competition.

“On the way to the game against Uruguay, I think everybody knew we could beat them – I think the whole world was supporting us,” left-back Sarpei says.

“The way we play the game: we’re playing on the front, we’re attacking in front. We try to enjoy the game. When you see Ghana, it’s like you’re listening to music because the ball is flowing.”

Ghana took the lead on the stroke of half-time via a 40-yard thunderbolt from former Portsmouth and Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari.

But Diego Forlan equalised with an exquisite free-kick and the two teams proceeded to play out in an engrossing contest – undoubtedly one of the best games of the competition – with both teams spurning chances throughout the game.

But it’s the final few minutes of the match that will forever live in World Cup infamy.

Ghana won a free kick on the edge of the box, which was whipped in by Paintsil. In an ensuing goalmouth scramble, Suarez legitimately cleared a shot off the line from captain Steven Appiah – before, seconds later, palming Dominic Adiyiah’s header away from goal.

“For me, I thought, ‘the last man on the line, touch it with his hand, it’s supposed to be a goal’ – so I was already celebrating that we are through,” Pantsil recalls.

“Then I saw it was a penalty and I said, ‘What?’ I was shouting, ‘No, no, take the ball to the centre (circle), take the ball to the centre.'”

Suarez was sent off, leaving the field in tears, whilst the Ghanaian players began to celebrate.

“I think everybody from our side was thinking ‘yeah, we’re going to the semi-final’ because Asamoah Gyan had scored two penalty goals before and he made it look easy,” Sarpei says.

Gyan had been talismanic for Ghana in the tournament, leading the line and scoring the winner in the previous round against the United States – a game which had also gone to extra time.

“I was standing there and for me, the ball was going into the net and we are going through to the next round,” Sarpei recalls.

“Then it hit the crossbar and my first thought was like, ‘is this real?’ Really? The ball is not into the net? What is happening? What is the problem?’

“And then it was difficult. At this moment, when he didn’t score and we had to go to the penalty shootout, the feeling was like, now it will be difficult to go to the next round.”

Suarez, who had stopped in the tunnel to watch the penalty, was pictured celebrating when Gyan missed – something that still rankles with Paintsil.

“After the penalty was missed you came out and then celebrated like you’re on top of the world by hurting people. At least be a professional, feel the pain. Just go to your dressing room and celebrate and then nobody will see it.”

Suarez was quoted in the press saying “the hand of God now belongs to me”, referencing Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Ghana would go on to lose via a penalty shootout and with it went Africa’s golden opportunity to win a World Cup.

In the two tournaments since no African team has come close to reaching the semi-final stage.

The match against Ghana is where Luis Suarez first gained international notoriety. Six months later, he would join Liverpool from Dutch giants Ajax.

Suarez took a gamble that helped his country get into its first semi-final since 1970, but they were beaten 3-2 by the Netherlands without him.

“One has to do what one has to do to make his country proud and that’s what he did to us,” says Paintsil – but asked if put in the same position as Suarez, whether he would handle the ball, he was adamant.

“There’s no African player that would have done that,” he argues.

“Africans are more athletic. Even when the ball is on the other line, I would have tried to kick the ball, kung-fu style.”

They say time heals old wounds. But 10 years on, the wound still appears to be open for Hans and John.

“It still pains. I’m still feeling it anytime I think about it,” says Pantsil.

“A lot of things would have changed in Ghanaian football, in our country and also in Africa. Maybe adding numbers to the next World Cup, the more an African team goes forward, the more we can add more countries to our package. For me I don’t know when I’m going to forget about this memory but now it’s part of me.”

The Uruguayan striker undertook the test last week in Perugia but, as outlined by Marca, it is now claimed by the police that there were irregularities in his application and they believe the questions he would be asked were leaked to him prior to the exam.

The allegations are of a serious nature as it appears that Suarez’s score in the test was pre-determined before its completion with the nature of the application viewed as a security breach.

It is said that the topics covered in the exam were pre-agreed with the Barcelona striker, who was undertaking the test ahead of a proposed move to Juventus which has subsequently collapsed.

A statement from the Perugia public prosecutor’s office said: “Some irregularities have emerged in the exam of certification of Italian, sat on September 17 by Uruguayan football player Luis Alberto Suarez Diaz, needed to obtain the Italian citizenship.

“From the investigation, it emerged that the topics in the exam had been agreed in advance with the applicant and that the relative mark had been attributed even before carrying out the exam, regardless of the fact that an elementary proficiency of the Italian language had been verified during remote classes carried out by lecturers of the University for Foreigners.

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“Today, the Italian financial police are moving forward to capture the documents at the university offices, to verify the actions described beforehand and notify the information assurances for the crimes of revelation of professional secrecy, false representation committed by public officials in official documents and other.”

Despite hitting 21 goals in an injury-hit season, Suarez’s physical levels have dropped in recent seasons since his prime and his future has come under increasing scrutiny in recent times, and he is not thought to be in the plans of new boss Ronald Koeman.

Suarez’s move to Juventus appears to have fallen through, with the Italian champions now set to re-sign Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid.

Suarez is now set to leave the Camp Nou to join La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid.