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France v Spain team news: Barcola in for Doue

14 July 2026 250 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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100 matches down, four to go: it’s World Cup semi-final time as France meet Spain.

Kick-off in Dallas is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Les Bleus make two changes from the 2-0 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals.

One is expected as Aurélien Tchouaméni ($6.5m) returns from injury to replace Manu Koné ($6.1m) in the engine room.

The other alteration is more of a surprise – or at least, it was until the news broke on social media earlier this afternoon. Bradley Barcola ($8.0m) comes in for Desire Doué ($7.5m) on the wing.

As for Spain, Luis de la Fuente has named the same side that started Friday’s quarter-final win over Belgium.

Mikel Merino ($6.2m), the match-winner in each of the past two rounds, has to settle for substitute duty once again.

Pedri ($8.1m) is once more kept out of the side by Fabian Ruiz ($6.8m).

Now that we’ve seen the line-ups, we know that only four starters qualify for Scouting Bonus. Unsurprisingly, they are the four central midfielders: Ruiz, Rodri ($7.5m), Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot ($6.4m).

LINE-UPS

France XI: Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Olise, Barcola, Mbappe.

Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Kone, Thuram, Kante, Konate, Zaire-Emery, Theo Hernandez, Doue, Lucas Hernandez, Mateta, Cherki, Akliouche, Lacroix.

Spain XI: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal.

Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Gonzalez, Munoz, Iglesias.

PRE-DEADLINE READS

250 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Chester Pepperpot
    • 7 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Good to see Mbappe starting. Had a feeling he'd be r****d.

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    1. Haa-lala-land
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      😀

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  2. Bobbyg1
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Max cap sf or final? What are you guys going for?

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    1. Roshen
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      holding for the final

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    2. windclock
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Final for me, third place game could have a good differential who scores well.

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  3. Roshen
    • 4 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    who would you sacrifice? need 0.2 to afford this team

    Maignan, Pickford
    Cucurella, Curbasi, Digne, Martinez, O'Reilly
    Dembele, Barcola, Bellingham, Olmo, Baena
    Messi, Kane, Mbappe

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    1. Bobbyg1
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Olmo or Barcola?

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    2. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      if you sacr someone you wont have that team

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      1. Roshen
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        thanks

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    3. Massimo_AC
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Martinez -> Tagliafico

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    4. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Martinez

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    5. Fresco
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Martinez -> Molina

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  4. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Predictions

    France 2 - 1 Spain

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    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      agree with that

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      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        Okay, you can predict the goal scorers 🙂

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        1. TopMarx
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 13 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          ha! I'm going Mbappe, Dembele, OG Digne

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          1. Jafooli
            • 14 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            Agree with that…

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            1. TopMarx
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 13 Years
              1 month, 17 days ago

              He gave away the pen, does that count?

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              1. PartyTime
                • 5 Years
                1 month, 17 days ago

                It counts but soft pen in a game of this magnitude

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              2. Jafooli
                • 14 Years
                1 month, 17 days ago

                Yes

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  5. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    The bronze final also counts for the fantasy game, right?

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    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      yes, there's even an article on it https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/07/13/does-the-third-place-play-off-count-in-fantasy-fifa-world-cup 😀

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  6. fenixri
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Chasing, gtg?

    Maignan Martinez
    Cucurella Porro Cubarsi OReilly Molina
    Bellingham Gordon Yamal Olmo Dembele
    Oyarzabal Mbappe Messi

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    1. fenixri
      • 10 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Alvarez instead Messi

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    2. GCHILD2K16
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Too much spain
      Alvarez for oyarzabal
      Barcola for olmo
      Digne for cubarsi
      Romero or martinez for porro

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  7. windclock
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 month, 17 days ago

    GK: Maignan, Pickford
    DEF: Cucurella, O'Reilly, Digne, Upamecano, Halhal
    MID: Olise, Dembele, Bellingham, Ruiz, Baena
    FWD: Mbappe, Kane, Messi
    £0 ITB, any obvious changes?

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    1. GCHILD2K16
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Drop ruiz and baena for barcola and macallister

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      1. TopMarx
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        I like that suggestion too

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  8. Miro
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Can a team get more aesthetically pleasing and balanced than this ?

    https://imgur.com/a/HMKjjzI

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Marvellous…my favorite side task on FPL…sometime even choose who to bench to make it work lol…

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    2. GCHILD2K16
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Post the team

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      1. Miro
        • 15 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        I posted a link. Cant open it ?

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  9. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Anyone have anytime goalscorer odds for this round?

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    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      this help? https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2026/07/14/fantasy-fifa-world-cup-2026-clean-sheet-goalscorer-odds-2

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    2. GCHILD2K16
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Mbappe, dembele, olise, merino, barcola, doue
      Long shots: rodri, f.ruiz, touachmeni

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  10. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Allez Olise

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  11. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Really wish they continued with the original walk on music - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=feoHV5JUbuo&ra=m - and not that Dai Dai bs….

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  12. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    With the max captain it doesnt matter where you place it initially right?

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    1. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      No

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      1. Goro Majima
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        No as in it doesn't matter.

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    2. Fresco
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Yes, it'll update once players have some points allocated

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    3. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      It updates in real time, which is pretty cool…bouncing from player to player

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  13. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Maignan - {Beach}
    Upamecano - Cucurella - Dinge - Martinez - Medina
    Dembele - Olise - Bellingham - Gordon - Mac Allister
    Mbappé - Kane - Messi

    5 - France
    5 - Argentina
    3 - England
    1 - Spain
    1 - Socceroo (the Beach)

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      And literally on the beach, most probably, which is probably what you’re suggesting…

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  14. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Only three goals conceded by both teams in the tournament so far….new prediction 0-0

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  15. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    ZzzZzzZpain

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Ref forgot his shaving foam lol…highlight so far

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  16. SM001
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Olise is a lucky boy.

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    1. Mozumbus
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Yes, so lucky

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  17. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    What is Michelob ultra zero beer?

    Is that with like less than 0% alcohol - so even more boring?

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  18. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Spain peno…

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Digne on Lamal…how is he meant to avoid that?

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      1. Feanor
        • 17 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        How is who supposed to avoid what?

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        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          Digne kicking Lamal

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          1. Feanor
            • 17 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            By not kicking him

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      2. Bada Bing
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        By looking around and not kicking him in the leg?

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      3. JBG
        • 8 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        Exactly.. Yamal tosses himself at Dignes foot basically

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        1. Feanor
          • 17 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          Just stop watching the sport mate. You haven't got a clue.

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        2. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          So way to go is now just throw yourself at defenders legs when they’re clearing the ball…madness

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          1. JBG
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            Exactly

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          2. Feanor
            • 17 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            Yamal jumped for the ball and made contract with the ball

            Then Digne kicked him in the thigh

            100% penalty at any level of the game

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      4. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 17 days ago

        Dunno.

        Weak pen. Did the thigh tap even affect the play at all?

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        1. BeaversWithAttitude
          • 8 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          Agree – lame! Yamal launched himself into Digne's path as he was kicking the ball...

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          1. Feanor
            • 17 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            he didn't kick the ball

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        2. Feanor
          • 17 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          How can you people not know the rules... astounding

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          1. JBG
            • 8 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            It's not about the rules, everyone understandsit'sa foul... it's about what Yamal knowingly did there.

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            1. Feanor
              • 17 Years
              1 month, 17 days ago

              He made contact with the ball and didn't touch Digne. Then Digne kicked him without touching the ball..

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            2. jacob1989
              • 4 Years
              1 month, 17 days ago

              Its soft but probably correct.. but foolish by Dighe.

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    2. Fresco
      • 16 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Wasn't there a handball by Yamal before the kick from Digne

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      1. Feanor
        • 17 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        No it hit his back

        Then Digne kicked him

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        1. Fresco
          • 16 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          I rolled back a replay. It hits the triceps, there's an angle that shows it

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          1. jacob1989
            • 4 Years
            1 month, 17 days ago

            Saw that too. Var as usual chose to close their eyes for some decisions and interfere for other minor things

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      2. FFS ManU
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        Yes - a clear handball. It was lower than the shoulder area.

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        1. Feanor
          • 17 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          None of these happened.

          A handball offence is committed when a player (except the goalkeeper in their own penalty area):

          deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm

          touches the ball with their hand/arm when it is in a position that makes their body unnaturally bigger and that position is not the result of their body moving fairly as part of play

          scores a goal against the other team with their hand/arm or scores immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm (even if the touch was accidental)

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  19. lilmessipran
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    World Cup semi final and all ITV can do is Ally McCoist on commentary? He can't even identify half of the players on the field, what a shitshow

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Ha, he’s useless lol…

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      1. THE Wild Rover
        • 16 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        He really is..

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  20. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Lol what... Yamal tosses himself there and Digne doesn't know what he's doing

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    1. lilmessipran
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Looks like a clear pen to me imo

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      1. PartyTime
        • 5 Years
        1 month, 17 days ago

        Look at Yamal before the contact

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        1. Feanor
          • 17 Years
          1 month, 17 days ago

          Yamal got the ball. Then Digne kicked him.

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    2. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      That's the problem - he needs to be aware of what he's doing.

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  21. Feanor
    • 17 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Spain 1-0

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  22. Mozumbus
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Lamine (c) here

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  23. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    1-0 Spain. Oyarzabal via the penalty kick

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  24. Nomar
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Digne is an idiot

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  25. SM001
    • 10 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    I took Oyarzabal out and brought in Digne. Great!

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    1. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      You're not alone.

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  26. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Only have two from Spain. Could go very wrong lol!

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    1. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Same lol

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    2. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Yep, France need to get their backsides into gear.

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  27. Pornchef
    • 2 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Saliba and Mbappe playing with injuries tonight

    100%

    Mbappe been training alone and having his ankle iced, but according to France he was 100% fit

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 17 days ago

      Saliba now off…

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  28. Chester Pepperpot
    • 7 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Guys, I'm shopping in the metro centre. It's my nans birthday tomorrow so getting her something special. I'll be home soon to watch the match. Please don't judge me

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  29. THE Wild Rover
    • 16 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    Cucu deserved two yellows there

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  30. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 17 days ago

    What a goal that would have been…quality

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