The World Cup

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Saudi Arabia's Salem Aldawsari celebrates with a flip after scoring his side's second goal during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

A guide to the World Cup when you know nothing about soccer

By LEANNE ITALIE - Associated Press

Kaka returns to theme park mecca, at least on TV

Associated Press

A police van drives near brightly colored apartment buildings, near the Mordavia Arena, one of the stadiums where matches of the 2018 soccer World Cup are played, in Saransk, Russia, Tuesday, June 19, 2018.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Saransk swells from building boom of World Cup proportions

By BRETT MARTEL - Associated Press

World Cup fans show up early to watch the match between Morocco and Iran at Avaya Stadium, the home of the Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes, Friday, June 15, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. The Earthquakes are showing all 64 games of the tournament at their stadium for free. (AP Photo/Josh Dubow)

Fans turn out early for World Cup party in San Jose

By JOSH DUBOW - Associated Press

Russia’s UN Mission does a special Cup launch

Associated Press

FILE - In this May 29, 2018, file photo, Argentina's Lionel Messi controls the ball during a friendly soccer match between Argentina and Haiti at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have split the last 10 FIFA Player of the Year awards, and this is likely their last chance to win a World Cup. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File) **FILE**

Germany seeks to become first World Cup repeat champion in half-century

By Ronald Blum - Associated Press

The World Cup trophy is on display at the FIFA museum in Moscow. The 21st World Cup begins Thursday when host Russia takes on Saudi Arabia. (Associated Press)

Russia’s World Cup fans see win for country, not national soccer team

By Marc Bennetts - Special to The Washington Times

In this photo taken on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, police officers stop to check Spartak Moscow's supporters before the a Russian Premier League Championship soccer match between Spartak Moscow and Tosno in Moscow, Russia. Ahead of the World Cup, Russian authorities are cracking down on the hooligan culture in football. Groups which wreaked havoc two years ago report surveillance and threats from law enforcement. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Russian hooligans in World Cup crackdown after 2016 rampage

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH - Associated Press

This photo taken on Thursday, May 17, 2018 shows a view of the Olympic Sports Center where Panama's soccer team will live during the 2018 World Cup in Saransk, Russia. Russia is trying to wipe its sports reputation clean by hosting the World Cup after years of doping scandals. In the host city of Saransk, a training center notorious for doping abuses and tainted medals will now be the home of Panama’s soccer team. (AP Photo/Julia Chestnova)

Russia’s doping capital gears up for World Cup

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH - Associated Press

FILE - In this April 27, 2018, file photo, former Japanese national soccer coach Vahid Halilhodzic speaks during his press conference in Tokyo. Fired Japan national team football coach Halilhodzic is suing the Japanese federation and president Kozo Tashima for his dismissal last month - just two months before the opening of the World Cup. Lionel Vincent, the lawyer representing Halilhodzic, told the Associated Press on Monday, May 21, 2018, that the suit asks for an apology from Tashima and indemnification of 1 Japanese yen - less than 1 US cent.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Fired coach Halilhodzic suing Japanese soccer association

By STEPHEN WADE - Associated Press

Japanese national soccer coach Akira Nishino answers reporter's question during a press conference on an upcoming friendly match against Ghana Friday, May 18, 2018, in Tokyo. Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa were named on Friday to Japan's squad for an international friendly on May 30 against Ghana in Yokohama.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Honda, Kagawa named to Japan squad for Ghana friendly

By JIM ARMSTRONG - Associated Press

In this photo taken on Thursday, May 17, 2018, the new World Cup stadium Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia. Several of Russia’s 12 World Cup stadiums look set to be largely empty after the tournament. It’s a problem for Russia, which is spending almost $11 billion on the World Cup, and for FIFA. Fans and officials predict more government money will be needed to maintain several stadiums set to host mostly unglamorous lower-league games.(AP Photo/Julia Chestnova)

Several World Cup arenas risk becoming white elephants

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH - Associated Press

Marquez trains for national team with no logos on jersey

By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ - Associated Press

World cup match ball during the International Friendly soccer match between Argentina and Italy at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Friday, March 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Argentine Football Federation manual instructs players on seducing Russian women at World Cup

Associated Press

World Cup referee banned in Saudi match-fixing case

Associated Press

Argentina’s federation left embarrassed by seduction manual

Associated Press

FILE - In this March 27, 2018, file photo, Japan's national team poses for a team picture prior to an international friendly soccer match between Japan and Ukraine at Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liege, Belgium. Japan is expected to name its 23-man squad for the World Cup on May 31, several days ahead of the June 4 deadline set by soccer's world governing body FIFA. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File)

Japan expected to name World Cup squad on May 31

Associated Press

Germany's head coach Joachim Loew watches from the gallery prior the presentation of Germany's team for the soccer World Cup in Russia on Tuesday, May, 15, 2018 in the German Football Museum in Dortmund, Germany. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Germany coach Joachim Loew to stay through 2022 World Cup

Associated Press

Andres Iniesta to likely quit Spain after World Cup

Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, CSKA's Sergei Ignashevich watches the ball during a training session prior to their Champions League soccer match against FC Bayern Munich, in Munich, southern Germany. Russia has cut from its World Cup squad a player who faced a doping investigation. The Russian Football Union says defender Ruslan Kambolov picked up a calf muscle injury during a game on Sunday, May 13, 2018. He has been replaced by the 38-year-old veteran Sergei Ignashevich, who is coming out of international retirement. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file)

Russia cuts World Cup squad player who faced doping case

Associated Press