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    Veronika Rajek wows in busty Italian-inspired outfit as Tom Brady admirer swaps NFL for Europa League final

    TOM Brady superfan Veronika Rajek has swapped the NFL for a very different kind of football. The Slovakian stunner, 27, wowed in a daring Italian-inspired outfit as she attended the Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma in Budapest, Hungary.
    Veronika Rajek declared her allegiance for Italian side Roma in the Europa League finalCredit: Instagram / Veronika Rajek
    The Slovakian model, 27, soaked up the atmosphere pre-match in BudapestCredit: Instagram / Veronika Rajek
    Rajek is a huge fan of the NFL but is currently back in Europe for the summerCredit: Instagram/veronikarajek
    Veronika made no secret of where her allegiances lay as she donned a red, green, and white outfit to support Italian side Roma.
    The Slovakian model paired knee-high red boots with a teasing green crop top as she took her seat at the Puskas Arena.
    Soaking up the atmosphere, she posed for selfies as the players warmed up in stifling Hungarian heat.
    Veronika shot to fame last fall after watching Brady play at Raymond James Stadium during his final NFL season.
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    She revealed her “love” for the newly-single quarterback, while declaring her own body “too dangerous for social media”.
    Rajek has previously opened up on her childhood love for soccer in an exclusive interview with The U.S Sun.
    She explained: “My childhood love was David Beckham and I think he’s the best football player ever. I grew up in his era and admire him.
    “From the new age, it’s really tough to choose Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi because they’re both amazing but different.
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    “I don’t watch football that much but I think they’re both GOATs.
    “When I was living in Milan, I had a friend Juraj Kucka who played for AC Milan so I watched them.”
    Rajek is hitting Europe after a whirlwind tour of the USA over the past two months.
    Usually based in Cancun, Mexico, the stunning model toured California, Nevada, and Florida during her sport-filled trip.
    Since arriving in Europe, she’s undertaken a glam makeover and showed off her new silver hair in her latest snaps on Instagram.
    The Europa League is the second-tier soccer competition in Europe, ranking just below the Champions League.
    It sees 58 clubs from around the continent fight it out in a tournament separate from their domestic leagues.
    Sevilla are targeting a record seventh title this season, while Roma has never won the competition.
    She shot to fame after watching the GOAT play for the Buccaneers last seasonCredit: Instagram/veronikarajek
    The Tom Brady superfan has almost 5m followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram/Veronika Rajek More

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    Harry Kane wears full NFL gear including helmet and pads but fans make cheeky jibe about Tottenham star switching sports

    FANS could not resist making a cheeky jibe as Harry Kane went NFL crazy in a new Instagram post.Kane is a huge fan of American Football and even has his own limited edition NFL jersey – and previously revealed he would love to try himself as an NFL kicker after retiring from football.
    NFL nut Harry Kane has gone all-out as he posed in full American Football attireCredit: Instagram
    Fans could not resist a cheeky jibe in the photo comments of the Spurs and England aceCredit: Instagram
    The star is an ardent New England Patriots supporter and in 2019 went to the Super Bowl in Atlanta to cheer on his team as they battled it out with the LA Rams.
    In his latest show of love for the sport, the NFL UK’s Instagram channel shared a number of snaps of the star kitted out in full NFL gear.
    But football fans couldn’t resist taking the chance to have a cheeky dig – suggesting he should make the switch to the NFL in order to finally win some silverware.
    One wrote: “Time to try for a trophy… in the NFL”.
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    Another said: “Might win a trophy with this new career venture @harrykane.”
    While another commented: “He should get a switch, might win a cup at NFL.”
    The Spurs ace, who has never won a trophy, previously revealed how he could see himself making his NFL debut one day as a kicker.
    He said: “That’s real. Something that in ten or 12 years I definitely want to try.
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    “It goes back to that drive to be the best. Even if I download a game on my phone, can I be the best in the world?
    “If you play in the Premier League and the World Cup and you then play in the NFL, would you then be considered one of the greatest sportsmen ever?”
    And he added that NFL legend Tom Brady inspired him to become the football superstar he is today.
    Kane added: “I started watching him on YouTube, we’ve had a similar path being doubted when we were younger. Maybe not being the best athletes as kids.
    “It was quite a big inspiration. Not many people thought he’d become that good, or even play in the NFL, and he went on to become the best ever.
    “At the time, it gave me a real boost to say, look, anything is possible. If you have that self-belief and that drive and that hunger, you can do it.”
    The striker overtook Wayne Rooney to become the second-highest Premier League goalscorer on Saturday.
    Tottenham’s all-time top scorer, 29, headed in to earn a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
    That was his 209th strike in the Premier League, moving him one clear of Rooney on 208 and the current Three Lions captain, who is also our country’s all-time top scorer, is now just 51 goals behind Alan Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals.
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    Manchester United have made the star one of their top summer transfer targets as Kane’s future remains in the spotlight with just over a year left on his contract.
    It has been another year of disappointment for him at club level and he will end this season without landing that first trophy.
    Harry Kane has admitted he would like to make the switch to NFL after retirementCredit: Reuters
    The England captain previously revealed how he was inspired by NFL legend Tom BradyCredit: Getty More

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    Ex-NFL star JJ Watt joins Burnley fans on pub crawl for ‘research’ after following Ryan Reynolds into English football

    FORMER NFL star JJ Watt enjoyed a pub crawl before Burnley’s last game of the season for “research” purposes.The 34-year-old recently confirmed he had invested in Burnley alongside his wife, Kealia Watt, who is a former USA international footballer.
    JJ Watt and wife Kealia are minority owners of BurnleyCredit: PA
    Watt enjoyed a pub crawl around Turf Moor before Monday’s game against CardiffCredit: Getty
    Watt brought the Championship trophy onto the pitch after the matchCredit: Getty
    Watt’s pub crawl involved a stop at The Royal DycheCredit: Getty
    They revealed they are now part owners of the Turf Moor outfit, who won promotion to the Premier League this season as champions under Vincent Kompany.
    Watt and Kealia were in attendance on Monday as Burnley beat Cardiff 3-0 on the final day of the Championship season.
    And Watt even got to bring out the Championship trophy after the match before it was presented to the players.
    But ahead of the game, Watt revealed he got to know fans during a pub crawl around Turf Moor.
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    His “research” trip included a visit to The Royal Dyche, which is named after former Burnley boss Sean Dyche.
    Watt, who is destined for the NFL Hall of Fame, told BBC Breakfast on Tuesday: “I did a pub crawl yesterday on my way to the stadium.
    “So I started at the Royal Dyche, I worked my way down to the Vintage Claret and all my way up to Turf Moor.
    “Just getting to know the supporters, I just want to earn their trust by showing them how much we care and how passionate we are.”
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    Watt went on to add that his pub crawl was a great way of getting to know the local fans.
    He continued: “It’s research, I’m doing research and lots of pints of Guinness along the way.
    “But it was a lot of fun and it was really good to get to know them on a personal level, and hopefully they get to know us as well.”
    Ex-Houstan Texans and Arizona Cardinals star Watt has followed fellow Americans Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney into the world of football club ownership.
    Reynolds and McElhenney bought Wrexham in 2020 before officially taking over in 2021.
    They recently marked promotion to League Two by arranging for their players to enjoy a trip to Las Vegas.
    Watt and Kealia bought a minority stake in Burnley earlier this monthCredit: Rex More

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    I’m Muhammad Ali’s grandson and I gave up on NFL dream to pursue MMA with the PFL… but here’s why I’m NOT a boxer

    BIAGGO ALI WALSH is the latest fighter from his legendary bloodline – having given up on his dream of playing in the NFL to pursue MMA. The 2-1 amateur prospect is the brother to rising 8-0 boxing star Nico and most notably a grandson of Muhammad Ali. 
    Muhammad Ali with grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh
    Biaggio was a talented American football player
    He is now signed to the Professional Fighters League
    But a fighting career was never initially Biaggo’s goal as he instead planned to go all the way on the American football field. 
    Biaggio got a scholarship to play in California but the staff he already committed to got fired before he even joined. 
    And after moving back to Las Vegas in hope of getting another scholarship, he found game time hard to come by. 
    By this time, Biaggio had started training in MMA and his NFL hopes had been KOd by the 2019 season.
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    At 21, he decided to focus on MMA and after the coronavirus lockdown gave him nothing else to do but train, a new passion had been discovered. 
    Biaggio, 24, told SunSport: “When everything shut down, that’s when I started training in my garage. 
    “My brother was actually helping me out a lot too, he’d hold pads for me and show me certain things he knows with boxing. 
    “But then when the gyms opened back up that’s when I started training again and that’s pretty much the journey.” 
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    His grandfather is remembered as not only The Greatest in the boxing ring but also a sporting icon worldwide. 
    Ali’s daughter Laila, who is Biaggio’s aunt, was a two-weight unbeaten world champion while Biaggio’s brother Nico, 22, is currently making strides in the middleweight division. 
    But despite being surrounded by boxing since birth, it was MMA that intrigued Biaggio the most. 
    He revealed: “It grabbed my attention since high school.
    “I enjoyed MMA, I enjoyed that there are multiple martial arts that can play a part in a fight. 
    “It’s just something that I enjoyed. Even when I was playing football, I was in the garage practising kicks and stuff. It was just something that I enjoyed to watch. 
    “Boxing too, I grew up watching boxing, I’ve been around boxing my whole life but there was something about MMA that I just really liked because there was multiple martial arts. 
    “There are multiple ways to win or lose, there’s an endless amount of possibilities in MMA and that really intrigues me.” 
    Ali sadly died in 2016 at 74 after battling idiopathic Parkinson disease but left an ever-lasting mark on the sport. 
    Muhammad Ali sadly died in 2016
    Biaggio says Muhammad Ali would have been a fan of MMA
    The heavyweight great was a huge admirer of martial arts pioneer Bruce Lee and Biaggio believes his grandfather would have loved modern-day MMA. 
    He said: “I definitely think he would have been a fan, for sure. Especially around 2015 or 2016 when McGregor was at his peak. 
    “Conor brought so many people’s eyes to the sport and he was so entertaining to watch, to see him talk and he was all about bringing the views and that was what my grandfather was about. 
    “I feel like if he would have tuned in around that time, he would really have become a huge fan.” 
    Biaggio has been signed by the Professional Fighters League, where stars compete in qualifying and knockout stages for a $1million prize and belt, but he will only appear in the prime-time undercard slot as he is not a pro.
    Despite the prospect still learning his craft in the amateur lightweight ranks, his surname bears a super-heavy weight. 
    Biaggio said: “I’ve had that target on my back since high school, I’m definitely prepared for it.
    “When people found out, regardless of the sport we’re in, we’re always going to have a target on our back. 
    Biaggio is currently a 2-1 amateur fighter
    Biaggio took up MMA after leaving behind his NFL dreams
    “If I was playing baseball it would be, ‘I’m going to strike out Muhammad Ali’s grandson.’ 
    “Obviously, because both me and my brother are in combat sports, it’s a little bit more pressure because my grandfather fought as well. 
    “But, for me in order to deal with that pressure I just normalise everything, I try to dumb down everything. 
    “So if it’s a big stage I try to make the stage small, mentally in my head, I like to think, ‘This is just a fight.’ 
    “Whether people are in the audience putting pressure on me or not, I’ve still got to fight this guy in a cage, so I like to normalise everything.” 
    Biaggio returns on Saturday night in Las Vegas in the PFL’s season opener and will do so with eyes of the fight world on him. 
    He said: “I’m so beyond grateful to have this platform as an amateur, I’m still a baby in the game.
    “I’m 24 years old, I’m an amateur fighter fighting in the PFL on that stage. 
    “That is ten years of experience, because a lot of pro fighters don’t get the chance to fight on that stage, on ESPN. 
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    “So for me as an amateur so early on in my career to have that kind of stage, it’s priceless experience and I’m super blessed.
    “Because five years down the line when I turn pro, I’m going to already be used to it.” 
    Biaggio returns to the PFL cage on SaturdayCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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    Man Utd £5bn bidder Sheikh Jassim set to offer sweetener to Glazers… with NFL games in the Middle East

    THE billionaire Qatari sheikh trying to buy Manchester United hopes to persuade the Glazer family to sell — by dangling an NFL-sized carrot in front of them.Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani put in an improved world-record £5billion offer to rival Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid a day earlier.
    Sheikh Jassim is planning on offering a sweetener to seal a £5bn deal for Man Utd
    Avram Glazer owns a stake in NFL side the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    SunSport understands the sheikh also discussed a joint venture with the Glazers which could see NFL games in the Middle East.
    Sheikh Jassim thinks buying United from the Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could kick-start a relationship which would see NFL teams take American football to the Middle East.
    In recent years, team owners, including Joel Glazer, have tried to grow the popularity of the game by sending teams to London to play at Tottenham’s stadium.
    And Sheikh Jassim believes the idea could give him the upper hand in ongoing negotiations.
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    A source said: “Sheikh Jassim has been very clear he wants to buy the club and has the money to do so.
    “He has been impressed with the Glazers and would like to work with them in the future.
    “Part of his proposal has been that the Glazers could bring their NFL team to Qatar for an exhibition game in the national stadium in Doha.
    “This would help cement Qatar’s stature as a destination for sporting spectacles and offer the Glazers a chance to spread their NFL brand and cash in.
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    “Sheikh Jassim has offered to insert a clause in any takeover deal guaranteeing this and it appeals to the Glazers.”
    The NFL has already committed to take the game to other parts of the world to capitalise on its worldwide fanbase.
    In January it announced that the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots will play games in England and Germany.
    NFL executive vice-president Peter O’Reilly said: “Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the NFL, and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the US in 2023.”
    An estimated 113million viewers in the US tuned in for last month’s Super Bowl which saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, with a further 40m elsewhere in the world.
    Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho, 18, is in line for a new £50,000-a-week United contract worth TEN times his current salary.
    Talks over a new deal began in December. And United insiders say there is growing confidence Garnacho will put pen to paper soon, when the small print over image rights is agreed.
    The NFL could be headed to the Middle EastCredit: Getty
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    He is out of contract next year, but United hold a 12-month option to extend that.
    The attacker has enjoyed a fine debut campaign, making 29 appearances and scoring five goals. More

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    ‘He’s the GOAT’ – NFL legend Tom Brady sends Harry Kane personal video message after breaking England record

    NFL legend Tom Brady has sent his friend Harry Kane a touching message after the striker broke yet another record. The 29-year-old became England’s all-time leading goalscorer on Thursday night as he converted a penalty against Italy for his 54th international goal.
    A delighted Harry Kane received a message from a sporting greatCredit: @England
    NFL’s greatest ever player Tom Brady has seven Super Bowls to his nameCredit: Getty
    The strike took him one clear of Wayne Rooney who had held the record for eight years after he overtook Bobby Charlton.
    The incredible achievement has not gone unnoticed in sport with Brady sending Kane a video message to congratulate him.
    England’s Twitter account revealed the moment the Tottenham forward received a tablet that showed Brady.
    The retired American Football star said: “Congratulations Harry on becoming the top goalscorer in the entire England national team. It’s an amazing accomplishment.
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    “You’ve accomplished so much in your club career and now the national team.
    “Keep it going man, I’m very proud of you and I know there are many more goals to score so good luck, take care and congratulations.”
    Kane appeared taken aback by the message and reflected on how much it meant to have the video from his sporting hero.
    He said: “What a man. Yeah Tom … He’s the GOAT right there. I’ve said before that he was a big inspiration for me since I was about 17, 18.
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    “I was on loan at Norwich and Leicester and I was having a bit of a tough time.
    “I come across a Tom Brady video on Youtube about his career and how people doubted him when he was younger but how he worked hard and had self-belief and kept knocking on the door and ended up becoming, in my eyes, the greatest of all time in his sport.
    “It was a real good video to watch at that stage in my career and it gave me self-belief. I’ve been lucky enough to be in contact with [Brady] over the last few years and we’ve met a couple of times now he continues to be an inspiration.”
    The pair have had a blossoming friendship for some years now and Brady has often been there to wish Kane good luck before big moments in his career.
    Kane and Brady have built up a friendship over the last few years
    Brady, 45, retired “for good” earlier this year with an astonishing seven Super Bowl wins under his belt after a 22-year career in the NFL.
    Kane is nowhere near retiring himself but is beginning to regularly knock down individual records after almost a decade of performing at the top level.
    Speculation surrounds his future at club level as he approaches the final year of his Tottenham contract. More

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    Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke set to be ruled out of hosting 2026 World Cup final leaving him with stadium dilemma

    STAN KROENKE is set to be ruled out of hosting the 2026 World Cup Final – because the pitch at his £4.1billion stadium is too small.Arsenal owner Kroenke supervised the construction of the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which opened in 2020.
    Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke won’t be hosting the 2026 World Cup
    Stan Kroenke’s ground the SoFi Stadium doesn’t meet the required FIFA criteria
    Home to both the city’s NFL teams, the Rams and the Chargers, it was confirmed as a World Cup venue last year.
    With the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, which hosted the Final in 1994, not included in FIFA’s chosen grounds for 2026, the SoFi was thought to be in a head-to-head contest with New York’s MetLife Stadium to host the Final on July 19.
    But officials have been alerted to the fact that the artificial pitch laid to meet NFL demands is too narrow for official FIFA use.
    While a grass pitch will be installed for the World Cup, the area set aside for play is too tight to meet FIFA demands for photography positions and space for officials.
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    Incredibly, the current playing surface is 63ft – almost 16 yards – too narrow for FIFA demands.
    It means a number of “field seat suites” – hospitality boxes at pitch level – will have to be ripped out to provide the required infrastructure, with the plating surface itself raised slightly.   
    SoFi Stadium has a basic capacity of just over 70,000 under its state-of-the-art roof, although it can be extended, with the necessary alterations likely to bring a significant loss of seats.
    With FIFA mandating that the stadium for the Final must have a capacity of 80,000, it seems almost impossible for it to get the honour of hosting the biggest game in world football.
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    That makes the MetLife Stadium, home of New York’s two NFL sides and with a capacity of 80,242, as very much the frontrunner.
    The only downside of playing the Final there is that it is an open stadium and with a likely 3pm kick-off local time – 8pm in the UK – FIFA does have concerns about mid-summer heat impacting on its showpiece match.
    This comes after Arsenal’s majority shareholder Kroenke and his son Josh became the club’s Co-Chairs. More

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    Man Utd legend David Beckham and Tom Brady enjoy ‘daddy-daughter dates’ at pizza restaurant in Miami

    MANCHESTER UNITED legend David Beckham and one of NFL’s greats, Tom Brady, enjoyed a “daddy-daughter” date at a pizza restaurant in Miami. Becks, 47, and Brady, 45, got together at Miami Slice, an artisan NY-style pizza slice bar.
    David Beckham and daughter Harper, 11, with Tom Brady and Vivian, 10Credit: Instagram / @davidbeckham
    Beckham and Brady went to a plush pizza restaurant for a daddy-daughter dateCredit: Instagram / @davidbeckham
    The two sports legends’ get-together has been hailed as the ‘GOAT pizza party’Credit: Instagram / @davidbeckham
    The two sports legends spend a lot of time in the Sunshine State with Beckham being the co-owner of MLS team, Inter Miami.
    While Brady performed a retirement U-turn to continue playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
    But following the end to the Buccaneers’ season, with a 31-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs, retirement speculation has sparked up again.
    Brady, however, seems more focussed on spending time with his children John, Vivian and Benjamin following his divorce from Gisele Bundchen.
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    And so he took Vivian to meet Beckham and daughter Harper in a “daddy-daughter” date on Thursday at a plush Miami pizza restaurant.
    Becks described the pizza as the best he’s ever had.
    While the restaurant owner, Dave Grutman, hailed Beckham and Brady’s presence as a “GOAT pizza party”.
    Following the Buccaneers’ NFL disappointment, Brady was spikey when asked about retirement.
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    Brady insisted he hasn’t made his mind up in an X-rated interview.
    The seven-time Super Bowl winner said: “If I knew what I was going to f**king do, I would’ve already f**king done it, OK.
    “I’m taking it a day at a time.” More