India’s Sunil Chhetri said yesterday comparisons with Lionel Messi are misplaced after overtaking him in number of goals, and added he remains a huge fan of the Argentine star. Chhetri surpassed Messi’s tally of 72 international goals in India’s 2-0 win over Bangladesh in Doha on Monday to stand behind top-ranked Cristiano Ronaldo (103) among active players.
“The fact is there is no comparison whatsoever (with Messi),” Chhetri, who has scored 74 international goals, said from Doha. “When anyone sees those (top goal scorer) chart, be happy for five seconds as an Indian and that’s about it. Forget about me and Messi because the whole world, including me, is a fan of Messi.”
Chhetri, 36, scored all two goals in India’s victory in the qualifying match for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
With 73 strikes Ali Mabkhout, of the United Arab Emirates, is also above Messi – a six-time Ballon d’Or winner widely regarded as the greatest player of the modern era.
India, who are ranked 105th in the FIFA team rankings, are already out of the race to qualify for the World Cup but can make it to the Asian Cup in China.

Wolves appoint Lage as new boss
Wolves yesterday announced the appointment of former Benfica boss Bruno Lage as the new manager of the Premier League club to replace Nuno Espirito Santo. The Portuguese led Benfica to the Primeira Liga title in his first season in management in 2019 but left the club the following year after failing to defend the crown.
“First of all, I’m very happy,” Lage told the club’s website. “It’s a big opportunity. I’m very happy because I’ve returned to this country, and to be the manager of a big team. It’s a team and a club that wants to do history and a chance to compete in the Premier League. So, I’m happy, excited, with a big ambition to do great things for this club.”
The 45-year-old has previous experience of working in Britain in coaching roles with Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City under Carlos Carvalhal. “I was here (in Britain) for three years, so I know Wolves, but now, the best thing to do – the next thing to do – is to know everyone better,” Lage said. Nuno, who left at the end of the season, secured successive seventh-place finishes in the Premier League after promotion from the Championship in 2018 but Wolves could only manage 13th place in the 2020/21 campaign.

South Korea salute late World Cup hero with five-goal romp

South Korea paid emotional tribute to late World Cup hero Yoo Sang-chul as they smashed Sri Lanka 5-0 to take charge of their World Cup qualifying group yesterday. With Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min watching from the bench, Shanghai Shenhua striker Kim Shin-wook scored twice in the Group H romp in Goyang, two days after Yoo’s death was announced.
Former midfielder Yoo, who was 49 and had been battling pancreatic cancer, was a mainstay of South Korea’s memorable run to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals on home soil.
A moment’s silence and video tribute preceded the game, while the Korean team wore black armbands. After opening the scoring in the 14th minute, Kim and his teammates held up a South Korea shirt bearing Yoo’s name and his number, six.
Lee Dong-gyeong then swept home his first international goal before Kim’s penalty made it 3-0 against outclassed Sri Lanka, who at 204th are just six spots off the bottom of the world rankings. Hwang Hee-chan rifled in the fourth before debutant Jeong Sang-bin, 19, joined Lee with his maiden international goal. Sri Lanka went down to 10 men when Asikur Rahuman was sent off in the 56th minute.
The result put South Korea, who are hosting Group H, three points clear at the top thanks to Lebanon’s late collapse against Turkmenistan. The Lebanese were 2-1 up with five minutes left but Annaguliyev Guychmyrat equalised before Altymyrat Annadurdiyev grabbed the winner in the first added minute.

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