November 22, 2022 coverage of the World Cup

By Ben Church, Patrick Sung, Matias Grez, Alasdair Howorth, Aditi Sangal and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 2230 GMT (0630 HKT) November 22, 2022
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11:02 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

FIFA's "OneLove" armband ban is a "big mistake," German minister says 

From CNN's Inke Kappeler in Berlin

FIFA’s decision to ban European captains from wearing the "OneLove" armbands at the Qatar World Cup is “a big mistake that tears the heart of fans," German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said Tuesday. 

"I believe that it must be possible to stand up for openness and diversity, and to do so openly, and that's why I also very much regret the decision of the European associations to bow to FIFA's decision," Faeser told reporters. 

The minister said that she will travel to Doha to discuss the issue. 

“I think it is important for us to discuss human rights with the decision-makers there,” she said.   

German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas said Tuesday that it will continue to sponsor the German national football team.  

“Sport provides a stage for important issues. It is essential to continue the discussion,” Adidas spokesperson Stefan Pursche told CNN. 

The captains of several European teams canceled plans to wear the rainbow armbands at the World Cup due to the danger of receiving yellow cards.

England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Wales were set to participate in the “OneLove” campaign to promote inclusion and oppose discrimination.

 

11:00 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Saudi Arabia declares public holiday after historic World Cup win over Argentina

From CNN’s Mostafa Salem in Abu Dhabi

Saudi Arabia fans celebrate their team's first goal during the match against Argentina on November 22.
Saudi Arabia fans celebrate their team's first goal during the match against Argentina on November 22. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered a national public holiday for a day on Wednesday after the national football team beat Argentina in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“Based on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, it is directed that tomorrow, Wednesday, will be a holiday for employees in the public and private sectors, and students in all educational stages,” the Saudi Press Agency said on Twitter.

10:51 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Mexico looks to end the curse of "el quinto partido"

From CNN's Matias Grez

Andres Guardado of Mexico poses during the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 portrait session on November 18, in Doha, Qatar.
Andres Guardado of Mexico poses during the official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 portrait session on November 18, in Doha, Qatar. (Hector Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images)

For the last 28 years, few national teams — if any — have been as consistent as Mexico at the World Cup.

El Tri has reached the round of 16 at each of the previous seven editions, a run stretching back to USA 1994.

However, for a country that is football mad and has a rich history in the sport — not to mention a population of 130 million — that consistency is now seen as something of a disappointment.

So much so, some fans believe there is a curse on ‘el quinto partido,’ or the fifth game, at World Cups for the national team — in fact, Mexico has only ever reached a fifth game at a World Cup once, when it hosted in 1986.

Several of Mexico’s stars have spoken about the supposed curse in the lead up to the World Cup, with captain and stalwart Andrés Guardado desperate to put an end to the run in what he has said will be his last World Cup.

When asked if he would swap his career to play in a fifth game, the 36-year-old told Star+: “I don't know if I would change my entire career because it has cost me a lot of work over many years.

Maybe, [I would swap] a few years of my career in Europe for that fifth game, sure. Half and half, yes.”

However, Mexico is facing a serious challenge to even reach a fourth game in Qatar, with Argentina and Poland providing stiff competition in Group C.

10:34 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Here are the Mexico and Poland squads for their Group C clash

The Mexico vs Poland kicks off at 11 a.m. ET. Here's a look at the squads:

Poland:

Manager: Czesław Michniewicz

Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczęsny, Łukasz Skorupski, Bartłomiej Drągowski

Defenders: Kamil Glik, Bartosz Bereszyński, Jan Bednarek, Artur Jędrzejczyk, Matty Cash, Nicola Zalewski, Robert Gumny, Jakub Kiwior, Mateusz Wieteska

Midfielders: Grzegorz Krychowiak, Kamil Grosicki, Piotr Zieliński, Przemysław Frankowski, Sebastian Szymański, Damian Szymański, Szymon Żurkowski, Krystian Bielik, Jakub Kamiński, Michał Skóraś

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Krzysztof Piątek, Karol Świderski

Mexico:

Manager: Gerardo Martino

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa, Alfredo Talavera, Rodolfo Cota

Defenders: Jorge Sánchez, Kevin Álvarez, Néstor Araujo, Johan Vásquez, Gerardo Arteaga, Héctor Moreno, César Montes, Jesús Gallardo

Midfielders: Erick Gutiérrez, Orbelín Pineda, Héctor Herrera, Andrés Guardado, Roberto Alvarado, Edson Álvarez, Luis Chávez, Luis Romo, Carlos Rodríguez, Uriel Antuna

Forwards: Hirving Lozano, Rogelio Funes Mori, Henry Martín, Raúl Jiménez, Alexis Vega

10:53 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Full time: Denmark 0-0 Tunisia

Players react after the finale whistle of the match between Denmark and Tunisia on November 22.
Players react after the finale whistle of the match between Denmark and Tunisia on November 22. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)

Well ... thank goodness that is over.

We've experienced a lot of injury time so far at this World Cup, but fortunately the referee blessed us with only five minutes in this drab encounter.

We've been spoiled with brilliant games so far, but it's fair to say this was by far the worst of the lot.

There looked like there was going to be some late VAR drama as the referee reviewed a possible penalty to Denmark for handball, but he made the right decision and waved away the Danish appeals.

Both teams had chances to snatch a win and both will really feel as though this was an opportunity missed to take all three points.

9:51 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Saudi Arabia’s historic upset a triumph for local football

From CNN's Zayn Nabbi

Saudi Arabia's Salem Al-Dawsari, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the match against Argentina on November 22.
Saudi Arabia's Salem Al-Dawsari, second left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the match against Argentina on November 22. (Luca Bruno/AP)

Saudi Arabia defeated Lionel Messi's Argentina 2-1 at the Qatar World Cup Monday, ending run of 36 matches without defeat for La Albiceleste, and did so with a team containing only locally-based players.

The Green Falcons lined up with 11 players based in the Saudi Pro League and even featured substitute Haitham Asiri who plays in Saudi Arabia's second division.

Alongside host Qatar, Saudi Arabia is the only team to only have a squad made up of entirely domestically-based players.

Some of the players have ventured abroad before returning home including match-winner Nasser Al-Dawsari, who spent six months on loan at Spanish side Villarreal in 2018, only making one 33-minute appearance against Real Madrid.

With thousands of Saudi Arabians crossing the border into Qatar to watch the game, the majority of the 88,012 fans in attendance roared the Middle Eastern country to victory.

Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Saudi minister of sports, congratulated the team on Twitter.

"Thank God. A thousand congratulations to you champions. Congratulations to the nation and the leadership. An exceptional performance and an historic win. #Qatar2022 #WithYouGreens"

9:28 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

"It's like a dream": Saudi Arabia fans react to stunning victory over Argentina

From CNN's Matias Grez in London and Don Riddell in Lusail

Saudi Arabia fan Faisal Alharbi tells CNN's Don Riddell about his glee at the shock Saudi win over Argentina.
Saudi Arabia fan Faisal Alharbi tells CNN's Don Riddell about his glee at the shock Saudi win over Argentina. (Don Riddell/CNN)

For the thousands of Saudi fans that were inside the Lusail Stadium, the victory over Argentina will be a moment they remember for the rest of their lives.

Saudi Arabia's 2-1 win will go down as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history and for those lucky enough to witness it in person, it will be an "I was there" moment.

Speaking to fans inside the stadium after the full-time whistle, there was sheer elation but also a sense of disbelief at what they had just witnessed.

“This is a hysterical moment," fan Faisal Alharbi told CNN's Don Riddell. "I can’t believe I came all the way here thinking I’d be happy with a draw, but now I can’t explain my feelings.

"Against Lionel Messi with the best team ever, I cannot believe it. I am very thrilled that I am here.”

Saudi fan Yazid Aldakheel tells CNN's Don Riddell that the match against Argentina was "one of the craziest games I’ve seen in my whole life."
Saudi fan Yazid Aldakheel tells CNN's Don Riddell that the match against Argentina was "one of the craziest games I’ve seen in my whole life." (Don Riddell/CNN)

Very few people – if any – had given Saudi Arabia a chance against Argentina, the team ranked third in the world and undefeated for 36 matches, a run stretching back three years.

"I'm feeling very proud of my team," Saudi Arabia supporter Yazid Aldakheel said.

This is one of the craziest games I’ve seen in my whole life. Beating Argentina, one of the best teams in the world, it’s like a dream.

"Playing in the World Cup is good, beating Argentina is something else, it’s a different world."

9:10 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

ICYMI: Today, we witnessed arguably the biggest upset in World Cup history

If you're only just tuning into Tuesday's World Cup action, we have quite the story to bring you.

Saudi Arabia produced one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2-1 in an astonishing Group C match.

Many had expected the South American team, ranked third in the world, unbeaten for three years and among the favorites to win the tournament, to sweep aside its opponent, ranked 48 places below it in the world rankings.

All the pre-match talk focused on Messi, one of the greatest players ever who is playing in what is likely to be his last World Cup.

The Argentina captain scored an early penalty to put his side in the lead, but two second-half goals from Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al Dawsari turned the game on its head.

Al Dawsari’s incredible winner from distance – and subsequent acrobatic celebration – will become one of the moments of this or any World Cup and undoubtedly, in time, an ‘I-was-there’ moment for fans.

According to sports data group Gracenote, which is a Nielsen company, Tuesday’s result was the biggest upset in the history of the competition.

“The most surprising World Cup win ever according to Gracenote was USA’s victory over England in 1950 with a 9.5% chance of victory for the US team, but Saudi Arabia’s chance of victory today was estimated at 8.7% so takes over at number one,” it said in a statement.

Other famous World Cup upsets include North Korea's victory over Italy in 1966, Cameroon's win over defending champion Argentina in 1990 and Senegal's victory over holder France in 2002.

You can read the full match report from CNN's Ben Church below:

9:11 a.m. ET, November 22, 2022

Budweiser: Fans' loss will be the winning country's gain

From CNN's Jordan Valinsky

Cans of Budweiser beer are seen in Doha on November 18.
Cans of Budweiser beer are seen in Doha on November 18. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)

Qatar's last-minute decision to ban alcohol at World Cup stadiums has left Budweiser with loads of beer left on its hands. The company has an innovative solution to offload it.

Budweiser will ship the unsold Buds to the country that wins the tournament, the company said in a tweet. The company confirmed the plans in a statement to CNN Business, writing that it "wants to bring this celebration from the FIFA World Cup stadiums to the winning country's fans."

"We will host the ultimate championship celebration for the winning country. Because, for the winning fans, they've taken the world. More details will be shared when we get closer to the finals," an Anheuser-Busch InBev spokesperson said in a statement.

Qatar is a Muslim country that is considered to be very conservative, and it tightly regulates alcohol sales and usage. So last week, just a few days before the World Cup was set to begin, when Qatar announced that the stadiums couldn't sell alcoholic Budweiser, the company had tweeted, "Well, this is awkward." However, the social media post was quickly deleted.