MATT BARLOW'S WORLD CUP DIARY: England post back to base video

MATT BARLOW’S WORLD CUP DIARY: England and France join in with the latest fashion of posting back to base videos, Serbia are being investigated by FIFA, and footage emerges of USA striker Ricardo Pepi jokingly pole dancing in a Holland shirt

  • England and France both posted footage of them returning to their base camps
  • Serbia are being investigated by FIFA for potential misconduct by players
  • A video emerged of USA’s Ricardo Pepi jokingly pole dancing in a Holland shirt
  • Matt Barlow gives his World Cup diary round-up ahead of the final last-16 ties
  • Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results

The quarter-finals are edging closer after an exciting start to the last-16 with just two more matches left to be played.

Netherlands, Argentina, England, France, Croatia and Brazil have cemented their places in the quarter-finals of the major tournament in Qatar.

Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland are still yet to battle it out for the final two places in the next round of the World Cup. 

But it seems videos and investigations are dominating some of the headlines, including back to base camp videos from the already named quarter finalists England, France, and Holland. 

Below, Sportsmail’s MATT BARLOW shares the latest instalment of his World Cup diary ahead of what promises to be a thrilling end to the last 16.

Jack Grealish took particular glee in the reception – dancing to the enjoyment of those who had greeted him and his team-mates

FRANCE AND ENGLAND POST BACK TO BASE VIDEOS

The back-to-the-base video is de rigueur for those teams progressing in the World Cup. France and England posted footage on social media yesterday.

The French were greeted with red, white and blue confetti and hotel staff waving tricolore flags. Kylian Mbappe shuffled in at the back, still looking as if he was trying to obscure the Budweiser logo on his man of the match trophy.

Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker did their best to engage as England checked back into Al Wakrah after beating Senegal, but no one has trumped Louis van Gaal’s weird moves, dancing, hugging and filming his way back into the lobby.

Kyle Walker mirrored his club team-mate Grealish in dancing alongside the staff and supporters

SERBIA BEING INVESTIGATED

Serbia are being investigated by FIFA for potential misconduct by players and officials during the ill-tempered group game against Switzerland, which took place with an undercurrent of Balkan rivalry, involving Swiss-Albanians such as Granit Xhaka. 

It is the second FIFA probe launched during the World Cup and both relate to tensions rooted in the former Yugoslavia.

Serbia are being investigated by FIFA for potential misconduct by players against Switzerland

RICARDO PEPI JOKINGLY POLE DANCING

Speaking of strange Dutch dance moves, the USA’s last-16 defeat by the Netherlands appears to have left teenage striker Ricardo Pepi in an uncompromising position. 

American Pepi, 19, who plays in the Eredivisie for Groningen, on loan from Augsburg, was not selected for the World Cup squad but is believed to have lost a bet which resulted in him engaging in pole-dancing, wearing the orange shirt of the Dutch national team.

Pepi was filmed pole dancing while wearing a Holland shirt after they beat his USA team




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