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    Inside Wrexham revolution where footie fans buy beer by suitcase load and bucket hats sell out – thanks to Ryan Reynolds

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    DRIVING into football’s unlikely new hotbed, you are greeted with 3ft-high letters on a pub roof reminiscent of the famous Hollywood sign – but this time reading “Wrexham”.The grey skies above the Grey-hound Inn and the bitter wind blowing off the Welsh mountains, however, are hardly Californian.
    Wrexham beat  Coventry 4-3 in previous round of FA CupCredit: Getty
    Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds’ reaction as he celebrates the equalising goal against Sheffield UnitedCredit: Rex
    The Grey-hound Inn is hardly Californian but Reynolds has helped transform the fortunes of this North Wales former coal and steel cityCredit: .
    Even so, celebrity glitter has helped transform the fortunes of this North Wales former coal and steel city that’s had its fair share of hardship.
    The dozens queuing for FA Cup tickets in Wrexham AFC’s car park are quick to credit American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — who bought the club in 2021 — for the transformation.
    Ryan, best known for his starring role in the Deadpool films, was at the club last week with daughter James, eight, to watch his non-league side’s dramatic FA Cup clash against Sheffield United.
    And it seems the club have had a similarly transformative effect on the Hollywood star.
    READ MORE ON Wrexham
    He was pictured celebrating with fans as Wrexham looked to have pulled off a shock win against a team who sit second in the Championship, three leagues above them.
    It was not to be as a last-second equaliser saw the game end 3-3, prompting Ryan to later tweet it was “one of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen”.
    His wife Blake Lively, who stars in Gossip Girl, posted a snap of Ryan with his head in his hands and added: “I bought ESPN+ today. Just to watch my husband experience crippling anxiety live. Worth it.”
    ‘On the up’
    Talking to me outside the ground, fan Les Buxton, 66, a retired Royal Navy submariner, said: “When I heard two Hollywood stars were taking over the club I thought it was pie in the sky.
    Most read in Football
    “The club was on its knees but they’ve come in and they’ve turned the place around. I sit below Rob and Ryan in the stands and can see what this club means to them.
    “They’ve taken the town to their hearts, as well as the football club.”
    Wrexham, with a population of around 62,000, was once a heavy industry powerhouse. Its coalfield boasted 38 pits and employed 18,000 people at its peak.
    Fans queue for tickets for the next game in the FA Cup against Sheffield United at Wrexham Football clubCredit: .
    Mark, pictured, and Vaughan Roberts, managing directors of brewery Wrexham Lager, say sales of their beer have risen ‘exponentially’Credit: .
    In 1864 a football club was formed, making it the third oldest professional side in the world, and it was soon a cornerstone of the working-class city.
    A stalwart of lower-division football, its league high watermark was 15th in the old Second Division (now the Championship) in 1979.
    As Welsh Cup winners, there were European competition nights, with celebrated victories at its atmospheric Racecourse Ground against Antwerp and Porto.
    The last local coal mine, Bersham, closed in 1986 with the loss of 700 jobs. And the city and its proud football club went into decline.
    Retired building manager Graham Roberts, 74, who watched his first Dragons game 60 years ago, told me: “My father was a steel worker and my grandfather a miner.
    “Every family had someone that was a miner. When the pits closed, the town struggled, and so did the football club.”
    In 2004 the club went into administration with massive debts and was given notice to quit the Racecourse Ground by its former owner so it could be sold as a retail site.
    In 2008, after 87 years, the club was relegated from the Football League, with its Kop stand dilapidated.
    It had hit rock bottom, then stayed there. It would take a fan buy-out to save it from going under.
    Then came a twist that could have been written in Hollywood. And in a way, it was.
    Actors Ryan and Rob, who stars in US sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, bought the club, injecting glamour and £2million.
    Their ownership saga was filmed for documentary series Welcome To Wrexham — screened on Disney+ — which turned the Dragons into one of the best-known clubs in the world.
    At the Chevron Clothing shop in the High Street, manager Jamie Powis said: ‘Since Rob and Ryan came in it’s gone through the roof for us’Credit: .
    Ex-steel worker Alan Hughes, 61, said of the new owners: ‘I think they genuinely love the club and the city’Credit: .
    Kit sponsor Ifor Williams Trailers, based nearby, was joined by multinational heavyweights TikTok and Expedia as backers.
    Fans from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the US have flocked to the city, giving a boost to local commerce and business.
    In December Ryan and Rob met the King and Queen at the Racecourse Ground after visiting Wrexham to celebrate it gaining city status.
    At her constituency office, local MP Sarah Atherton told me: “Wrexham is on the up and football has been a catalyst. The global reach of Disney has helped. It’s fantastic, there’s a real buzz around the town.”
    THEIR HONOURS

    1977/78: Third Division champions
    1976: European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finalists
    1974, 1978, 1997: FA Cup quarter-finalists
    1961, 1978: League Cup quarter-finalists
    2005: Football League Trophy
    2013: FA Trophy
    Welsh Cup: Won 23 times
    Welsh Premier Cup: Won 5 times

    A giant industrial estate on the edge of Wrexham — soon to be Europe’s biggest — announced a further 56-acre development last month, citing the “feelgood factor” engendered by the football club.
    Tim Knowles, managing director of FI Real Estate Management, which has invested more than £136million at the site, said of the Hollywood connection: “It’s supercharged Wrexham.
    “It’s so exciting. Wrexham is a great place and we know we can attract major tenants which will create more jobs.”
    At the Chevron Clothing shop in the High Street, manager Jamie Powis said: “Since Rob and Ryan came in it’s gone through the roof for us.
    “Our themed bucket hats have completely sold out and we’ve been selling T-shirts to America.”
    ‘Down-to-earth guys’
    Jamie, 49, who sells hoodies emblazoned with Ryan’s face for £45, added: “We had a couple over from Texas last week to see the game but it was sold out.
    Local MP Sarah Atherton revealed: ‘Wrexham is on the up and football has been a catalyst. The global reach of Disney has helped’Credit: .
    Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the club in 2021 for the transformationCredit: PA
    “They ended up watching it in a pub by the ground instead.”
    At the Cross Foxes pub nearby, landlady Joanne Mee said Ryan has popped in for a game of darts.
    She told me: “We just let him get on with it. He was playing darts with a friend.
    “Since Rob and Ryan took over we’ve had a massive improvement in sales and foot traffic. I think the documentary has boosted tourism.
    “We get lots of Americans coming in, drinking shots and pints.
    “The atmosphere on match day is fantastic.”
    Just up the road, Ahmet Karakaya and Zico Yunus run the Central Kebab And Pizza House, and say match days are “crazy”.
    Ahmet, originally from Turkey, said: “Before the football and after the football the fans love a kebab.
    “It’s the busiest I’ve known in my five years working here. Wrexham is booming.”
    Locals say the Hollywood pair are approachable and genuine, giving cash to a number of good causes.
    In August 2021 they donated £20,000 for four-year-old Aria Hodgkiss to have treatment for a rare brain cancer.
    Last month Ryan gave £1,600 to local indoor football team FC United of Wrexham’s under-12 boys’ side to pay for new kit.
    Mark and Vaughan Roberts, managing directors of brewery Wrexham Lager, say sales of their beer have risen “exponentially”, spurred on by the city’s Hollywood connection.
    With a picture of their great-grandfather, Wrexham and Wales footballer Jack Jones staring down from their city-centre office wall, Mark, 62, says that the celebrity pair have “brought a new lease of life to the city”.
    He adds: “We get tourists from all over because of the documentary series. The furthest was from New Zealand.
    “They take beer home in their suitcases and some of our branded merchandise.”
    Wrexham Lager’s Pride Of The Celts was first brewed in 1882, making it Britain’s oldest.
    It was served on the Titanic — prompting Mark’s joke, “It went down well”. The firm now sponsors a stand at the Racecourse Ground.
    Actor Rob has visited the brewery and Mark’s brother Vaughan, 59, said: “The club was kept alive by the fans and attendance was down to around 4,000 diehards.
    “What Ryan and Rob have done for the city is amazing but they’re just normal, down-to-earth guys. I’ve never heard a bad word said about them.”
    The celebrity pair have clearly won over the city but they have found escaping the National League — England’s fifth tier — tough.
    There’s just one automatic promotion place and last season Wrexham lost to Grimsby in a play-off semi-final.
    Tomorrow evening the Dragons, who beat Coventry in the previous round of the FA Cup, head to Bramall Lane for their replay against Sheffield United.
    In the queue for tickets, the hum of mechanical diggers can be heard as work continues for a new 5,500-capacity Kop stand.
    It’s heady days for the fans. But after so much heartache in previous years, are they worried the Hollywood duo will quit if ratings slump?
    Ex-steel worker Alan Hughes, 61, said: “If they left we would be on a sound footing but I don’t think they will. I think they genuinely love the club and the city.”
    Rob has said that he and Ryan are “in this for the rest of our lives”, while Ryan said recently: “It has been the greatest experience of my entire life.
    “I love it because it’s a project that’s going to be multi-decades. The part I find most gratifying is the support from the community outside the club.”
    Also queuing for his cup ticket, technician John Michael, 49, said: “The club has been totally reborn.
    “Ryan and Rob have brought jobs to the town and got the whole place buzzing.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Kids are now proudly walking around the city in their Wrexham strips, even if their parents support Liverpool or Manchester United.
    “Ryan and Rob have really changed people’s lives. How could you walk away from that?”
    WHY DID ACTORS BUY IT?
    WREXHAM fans can thank Netflix – not Disney – for their Hollywood takeover.
    Rob, 45, got the idea to buy a team while watching the platform’s documentary Sunderland ’Til I Die.
    He needed a wealthy entrepreneur to join him and Deadpool actor Ryan said yes even though the two men had never met.
    They were just text friends before becoming business partners. The pair made a list of clubs they might be able to afford and in November 2020 chose Wrexham because of its 158-year history.
    Ryan, 46, said “the thing that really hooked me” was “getting involved in the community around that club and growing that”.
    Another key factor was British actor Humphrey Ker, 40, who got Rob into football while working with him on It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
    He is now executive director at Wrexham, helping to oversee the day-to-day running of the club. More

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      Inside Shakira’s very petty split from Gerard Pique – from brutal diss track to row over bizarre witch doll

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      SHE styled herself as a She Wolf in one of her bigg­est hits — and Shakira’s claws are certainly out as she takes aim at her ex Gerard Pique.Once one of the world’s most glamorous showbiz couples, the singer and the Spanish football ace are now engaged in an extra­ordinarily bitter split.
      Superstar Shakira and Spanish football ace Gerard Pique are engaged in an extra­ordinarily bitter splitCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ever since Gerard ditched Shakira for the then 22-year-old Clara Chia Marti this summer, no act of revenge has been considered too pettyCredit: EPA
      Shakira with Gerard after his team won the Spanish cup in 2015Credit: Getty
      Ever since Gerard ditched Shakira for the then 22-year-old Clara Chia Marti this summer, no act of revenge has been considered too petty — with a brutal diss track, savage jibes and even a row over a bizarre witch doll playing out in public.
      Last week, 45-year-old Shakira dropped a new track which takes a swipe at love rival Clara’s age with the lyrics: “I’m worth two 22s. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo, you traded a Rolex for a Casio.”
      Gerard, 35, responded by turning up to work in an £8,000 Renault Twingo this weekend and boasting his new seven-a-side project the King’s League had landed a sponsorship deal with Casio — adding that the cheaper watch would “last a lifetime”.
      In another twist Shakira put a terrifying life-size witch doll on her balcony, facing her mother-in-law’s house in the same street.
      READ MORE ON GERARD PIQUE
      Neighbours reported she also blasted out the new song — BZRP Music Sessions #53 — on repeat so Gerard’s mum, Montserrat Bernabéu, could hear.
      The singer was devastated when he went public with new love Clara, now 23, just three months after she kicked him out of the family homeCredit: BackGrid
      Shakira was also deeply hurt by Gerard’s frequent visits to his parents’ home with Clara, which is in full view of her ownCredit: EPA
      ‘You left me because of your narcissism’
      The vitriolic break-up comes after a 12-year romance which began on the set of the video for Shakira’s 2010 World Cup anthem, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).
      The first of the couple’s two sons, Milan, nine, was born in 2012, prompting Shakira to move from the US to Barcelona. Sasha, seven, arrived two years later.
      Although Shakira and Gerard never married, the Colombian singer insisted he was “the one” in a 2014 interview.
      Most read in Football
      “We already have what’s essential. We have a union, a love for each other, and a baby,” she told Glamour magazine.
      “Those aspects of our relation­ship are already established, and marriage is not going to change them. But if I’m ever going to get married, he’s the one.”
      Ironically, she later revealed she feared becoming a wife would make him lose interest.
      “Marriage scares the sh*t out of me. I don’t want him to see me as the wife. I’d rather him see me as his girlfriend, his lover,” she said. “It’s like a little forbidden fruit. I want to keep him on his toes.”
      In 2021, the couple appeared to stand together as Shakira faced allega­tions she had dodged £12million in tax owed to the Spanish authorities — a claim she has dismissed as “false” although she has now paid the money in full.
      Shakira says Gerard has swapped ‘a Rolex’…Credit: Rolex
      …for a Casio instead and his Ferrari for a Twingo
      Pique turns up at work in a Twingo and says he’s signed a deal with CasioCredit: Twitter @KingsLeague
      But rumours the former Barcelona star was having an affair emerged in June 2022, and days later, the couple shocked fans with a joint statement announcing their split.
      They added: “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
      Spanish outlet El Periodico reported that they had been living separately for a few weeks, after Shakira kicked Gerard out of the family home.
      Three months later, she was devastated when he went public with new love Clara, now 23. She was also deeply hurt by Gerard’s frequent visits to his parents’ home with Clara, which is in full view of her own.
      And she wasn’t going to keep quiet about it. In September, she broke her silence with an emo­tional interview in Elle magazine, saying her situation was “probab­ly the darkest hour of my life”.
      She revealed her ex had left her while her 91-year-old dad fought for his life in hospital after a bad fall.
      She continued: “For [women] like me who believe in values like family, who had the big dream of having a family for ever, to see that dream broken or shredded into pieces is probably one of the most painful things you can ever go through.”
      Shakira also claimed she had sacrificed her own music career by moving to Barcelona saying: “I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love.”
      Her heartbreak hit, Monotonia, released in October, bewailed the monotony that led to the bitter break-up and contained the dig: “Suddenly you were no longer the same.
      “You left me because of your narcissism. You forgot what we once were.” The video shows the singer being shot in the chest, then her heart pulled out and stamped on.
      As their life unravelled, claims that Gerard had been dating his new love long before the split have fuelled the bitter feud, with some unconfirmed reports suggesting they met at the Davis Cup in 2019.
      The scandal has fuelled constant headlines in Spain — and seemingly, more heartbreak for Shakira.
      ‘A lot of gyms. But work your brain too’
      In a New Year message to her 80million Instagram fans, she wrote that she knew how it felt when “wounds are still open”.
      She added: “Even if someone’s betrayed us, we must continue to trust others. When faced with contempt, continue to know your worth. Because there are more good people than indecent ones.”
      But the sniping and revel­ations have continued to escalate, leading to a brutal war of words.
      This month, Shakira was said to be “devastated” over new footage of a Zoom interview from August 2021, which seemed to show Clara at the family home in Spain.
      It was ten months before she and Gerard announced their separation. The video shows a woman resembling Clara stepping into the frame as Gerard spoke to US video live-streaming service Twitch, while Shakira was reportedly abroad with the boys.
      The bitter star’s new diss track, which has had more than 110million views on YouTube, swipes at Gerard, Clara and her mother-in-law.
      In an apparent dig at the former Manchester United and Barcelona defender, Shakira sings: “A lot of gyms. But work your brain a little bit too.”
      Shakira put a witch effigy on her balcony facing mum-in-law’s home and blasts out her new revenge trackCredit: Splash
      She adds: “No hard feelings baby, I wish you the best with my supposed replacement.”
      Referring to her tax fraud case and her proximity to Gerard’s family home, she sings: “You left me my mother-in-law as my neighbour, press at my door and in debt with the treasury.”
      She also uses a play on words against her rival, adding: “She has the name of a good person, It’s clearly not what it sounds like”. The Spanish word for “clearly” — “claramente” — which sounds similar to Clara Marti’s name, is emphasised.
      Defending her song on Twitter, amid accusations of misogyny against Clara, Shakira wrote: “This is for all the women who taught me that when life throws bitter lemons at you, all you can do is make lemonade.”
      Fans took it as a reference to Beyonce’s album Lemonade, about the infidelity of husband Jay-Z. The feud reached a new level this weekend amid reports Shakira has installed a witch on a broomstick at her home — looking directly at Montserrat Bernabéu’s house.
      Reports say relations between the two turned sour after Gerard’s mum readily welcomed her son’s new girlfriend into the family.
      Journalist Marc Leirado said the mannequin, with long grey hair and a witch’s hat, had spooked Montserrat. “Weeks ago, I got some information that Gerard’s mother was worried about an alleged ritual that was done to her with a black witch,” Marc wrote.
      He says Gerard’s mum had asked a member of Shakira’s staff to remove it and it was temporarily taken down before being put back.
      Read More on The Sun
      Yesterday, Shakira was having the last laugh as the new song made history, by becoming the fastest Spanish track to make 100million views on YouTube.
      Whatever happens next in the savage tit for tat, you can expect the She-Wolf to bite back.
      HER REVENGE LYRICS
      THESE are the most brutal lyrics in Shakira: BZRP Music Sessions #53
      I’m worth two 22sYou traded a Ferrari for a TwingoYou traded a Rolex for a Casio
      – Clara Marti is rumoured to have started dating Pique when she was 22. The lyric also alludes to his goal celebration, which was a two formed with each hand in tribute to his and Shakira’s shared birthday on Feb 2.
      So much talk of being a championAnd when I needed you, you gave me the worst version of youYou left me my mother-in-law as my neighbourPress at my door and in debt with the treasury
      – A reference to her tax fraud case.
      You thought you’d hurt me, but you made me tougherWomen don’t cry anymore, women invoice.She has the name of a good personIt’s clearly not what it sounds like
      – An apparent pun on the Spanish word “Claramente”, meaning clearly, and its ­similarity to Clara Marti.
      Lots of time at the gymBut your brain needs a little work too More

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      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua signs up for CBeebies bedtime story rematch as he reads second book on the channel

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      BOXER Anthony Joshua is expected to be such a big hit on CBeebies Bedtime Stories he’s already signed up for a rematch.It was revealed last week the ex-world champ is to read children’s tale The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats.
      Anthony Joshua is expected to be such a big hit on CBeebies Bedtime Stories he’s already signed up to read another oneCredit: PA
      A date has not been fixed for that but I can reveal he will read another story on the kids’ channel tomorrow — Ravi’s Roar, by Tom Percival.
      A TV insider said: “The reaction to AJ featuring on CBeebies Bedtime Stories has been huge. There’s so much excitement.
      “The BBC were desperate to book him in for another sitting, which he gladly agreed to. It’s a privilege to be asked twice and he sees it as a great honour.”
      AJ follows in the footsteps of Harry Styles, Tom Hardy and Chris Hemsworth.
      READ MORE ON CBeebies
      Ravi’s Roar tells the story of an angry young boy who learns to express and understand his feelings. The Snowy Day is about a lad named Peter who puts on his snowsuit and steps out of his house into a wintry world.
      When published in 1962, he was among the first African-American characters to feature in a major children’s book.
      Kate Winslet and Richard E Grant are some of the big names to read a story on CBeebies over Christmas. But neither packs a punch as big as AJ.
      DAVID KID ’COPTER CAPERS
      ONLY Fools And Horses legend David Jason is lining up a cartoon return with his own series.
      Most read in Boxing
      The voice of Eighties favourite Danger Mouse, who is also a qualified helicopter pilot, has come up with a character called Olly the Heli, which is “in development”.
      David Jason is lining up a cartoon return with his own seriesCredit: Getty
      David revealed in his new book, The Twelve Dels of Christmas, his creation is a young helicopter with a friendly face who “misbehaves a bit”, and “something perhaps on the Thomas the Tank Engine lines” .
      David came up with the idea on a visit to an airfield last year, when he was flown in a Gazelle helicopter by astronaut Tim Peake.
      He added: “‘Do you want to land it?’ Tim generously asked as we returned to the airfield. I wasn’t going to push my luck. ‘I think I’ll leave that to you, Tim,’ I said.
      “So, that was how the idea of Olly the Heli got going – a little production journey still in development at the time of writing. We’ll see where it ends up.”
      Prue’s truth
      PRUE LEITH wants “someone I’ve heard of” to replace host Matt Lucas on Bake Off.
      On Virgin Radio, the Channel 4 show’s judge said she didn’t have a clue who co-host Noel Fielding was when he joined the series.
      Prue added: “I’ve never understood Matt and Noel’s jokes.”

      WONDER MOVIE IS TOP PICK
      IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE has been voted the greatest Christmas film of all time by Radio Times.
      The 1946 festive classic starring James Stewart topped a readers’ poll.
      More than one in five voters – 1,650 in total – named the movie their favourite.
      Somewhat criminally, Will Ferrell’s Elf only made No4, with The Muppet Christmas Carol and Home Alone taking the No2 and No3 spots and Love Actually making up the remainder of the top five.
      The black and white movie also topped last year’s poll. But Die Hard, which was No4, slipped out of the top five in 2022 and down to No6.
      Bruce Willis would pull his hair out, if he had any.
      GARY: I’M ON BABY MISSION
      GARY LUCY’s romance with Celebs Go Dating co-star Laura Anderson could be getting even more serious.
      The pair, who met on the E4 dating show, have already discussed having children together.
      Gary Lucy’s romance with Celebs Go Dating co-star Laura Anderson could be getting even more seriousCredit: Instagram
      And dad-of-four Gary says his virility is so strong, Laura could already be expecting.
      He said: “We’re smitten. We’ve talked kids. I mean, I’m quite potent, so she might already be pregnant! I have four kids already but I want more. I’ve always wanted kids. I love kids.”
      The former Hollyoaks actor says a huge incentive for having more children is being able to name one Gary – as the name is dying out.
      He added: “I do want a boy, because I want to have another little Gary – carry it on, as I hear the name’s dying out and I think that’d be a real shame.”
      Spare a thought for us Rodericks.
      LAURA A SUCKER FOR PIGS
      LAURA BINGHAM has left fans of her TV adventurer hubby Ed Stafford gobsmacked – after claiming she breastfed a pig.
      The fellow explorer and mum-of-three took care of a piglet when it was rejected by its mum at their farm.
      The piglet has now been welcomed into the family home. Writing on Instagram she said: “So I can now tick breast feed a piglet off my bucket list!
      “Did you know that indigenous communities do it?! So it’s normal OK?! I force fed some formula down her with a syringe and then when she started waking up a bit more, she didn’t want a bottle so I thought, what the heck?!”
      We’ve all been there, Laura.

      STRICTLY runner-up Helen Skelton said pros on the show didn’t want Hamza Yassin, partnered with Jowita Przystal, to take home the trophy.
      On her Radio 5 show she said they wanted her partner Gorka to triumph on his third time in the final, adding: “You could tell how gutted we were.” More

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      in Soccer

      Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois’ WAG Mishel Gerzig wows in lacy lingerie set

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      MODEL Mishel Gerzig is making sure her footballer fiancé Thibaut Courtois is putting his World Cup blues behind him.The Israeli, 25, posed in a lacy lingerie set for a shoot for fashion brand Hunkemoller.
      Model Mishel Gerzig showed off her stunning figure in this lacy lingerieCredit: Hunkemoller
      The stunner, 25, is dating football ace Thibaut Courtois
      Mishel had cheered on Belgian stopper Courtois, 30, and his team-mates in Qatar.
      But after they crashed out in the group stages, the couple have gone on a romantic trip to the Maldives.
      Courtois captioned the post: “Maldives with wifey to be.”
      The Real ace also enjoyed snorkelling.
      READ MORE GLAM
      Fans flooded to Israeli Gerzig’s comments to shower her with compliments.
      The couple have been an item since August last year and became engaged in June.
      The couple have gone on a romantic trip to the Maldives
      Mishel had cheered on Belgian stopper Courtois, 30, and his team-mates in Qatar More

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      in Soccer

      Raheem Sterling vows ‘I won’t go back to the World Cup until my family is safe’ after terrifying raid on his mansion

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      DISTRAUGHT Raheem Sterling has vowed he will only return to England’s World Cup campaign when his family are “safe”.The Three Lions ace’s mansion was targeted by a gang who stole £300,000 worth of watches and designer jewellery — he is said to be the fourth Chelsea FC player hit by them in recent months.
      England ace Raheem Sterling has vowed he will only return to England’s World Cup campaign when his family are ‘safe’ – pictured here with fiancée PaigeCredit: Getty – Contributor
      A security patrol is seen at the home of couple, in SurreyCredit: LNP
      The horrific raid took place on Saturday night – less than 24 hours before England’s clash against Senegal – pictured Sterling with Bukayo SakaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Police understand his fiancee Paige, 27, discovered the raid on Saturday night, less than 24 hours before England’s clash with Senegal on Sunday.
      Raheem, also 27, pulled out of Gareth Southgate’s squad and dashed home after learning of the terror raid. He is hoping to return to Qatar for Saturday’s quarter final against France — but only if he thinks his home is secured and his family are not at risk.
      A source said: “Raheem has told everyone, ‘There is no way I’m going anywhere unless I’m 100 per cent sure that my family can be kept safe’. He is security conscious and part of the reason they moved into the property was that it is on a very exclusive estate, with regular security patrols.
      “Despite this, he has still managed to be targeted, which is very upsetting for Raheem and Paige. They have just moved back to London and want to feel safe.”
      READ MORE ON STERLING
      The family moved into the property in Oxshott, Surrey, after Chelsea paid Man City £47.5 million for the winger this summer.
      ‘Patrol night and day’
      It is understood Paige returned to the UK from Qatar with his three young children after cheering on Raheem in the group stages.
      She had a work commitment related to her property firm. Yesterday, Raheem met with detectives from Surrey Police who are investigating the crime.
      One of the other Chelsea victims defender Reece James, 22, was raided by a gang who targeted his home in Cobham, Surrey, in September 2021. They stole his safe containing his Champions League, Super Cup and Euro 2020 medals.
      Most read in Football
      Two other teammates have also suffered similar crimes in recent months, with cops now looking into potential links.
      It is feared a highly organised criminal gang has the club’s wealthy players in its sights. Yesterday, England ace Harry Maguire blasted the thugs who targeted Raheem.
      Man United star Harry, 29, said: “It’s extremely disappointing to hear that when we are out here playing for our country and giving everything there are people back home targeting us.
      “The game could have gone different and we might have needed Raheem.”
      And England skipper Harry Kane, also 29, was yesterday helping to calm his teammates worried by the raid.
      A Three Lions source said: “Harry knows the players’ families are really shaken up by what has happened and that is a worry for the players themselves.
      “He sees it as his job as skipper to keep the morale of the team up and to focus everyone on the France match.”
      England manager Gareth Southgate said he and the FA had discussed security arrangements with the squad prior to leaving for Qatar.
      Harry knows the players’ families are really shaken up by what has happened and that is a worry for the players themselves. A Three Lions source
      When asked if the FA had offered to increase security, he said: “We had offered that to players. I think there’s a little bit [for Raheem] in the midst of moving house that played a part in that.”
      And other Wags have offered Paige their support. Meanwhile, Raheem plans to beef up security at his home once the police have finished their investigations.
      A source said: “He has got a firm on standby to go straight in to install 24/7 security with enhanced infra red night vision. He’s looking to get dozens of cameras installed.
      “And he’s going to employ a security firm to patrol his house night and day, and will keep them in place until the World Cup is over. All the jewellery of value has since been removed from the house to a safe deposit place.”
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      Last night, a security guard ­provided by Chelsea FC stood watch outside the house.
      Police said no arrests had yet been made. More

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      Tyson Fury in desperate hospital dash after family emergency sees him miss training

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      BOXER Tyson Fury had to take a break from training for his big fight next week after his mother fell ill.The heavyweight boxing champ, 34, went to be at her bedside after mum Amber was taken to hospital.
      Tyson Fury, due to fight Derek Chisora next Saturday, rushed to be at his mum Amber’s bedside after she was taken to hospitalCredit: Getty
      The Gypsy King has taken a break from training but ‘will return as soon as possible’Credit: AP
      He is said to have headed to Manchester after leaving his training camp at his gym in Lancaster, where he is preparing for next Saturday’s fight against Derek Chisora.
      A source said: “Tyson was really worried when he heard his mum wasn’t well. They’re really close and he just wanted to be with her.
      “It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind but he’s determined he’ll be able to fight next week. After making sure she’s OK, he will return to training as soon as possible.
      “His fans mean everything to him and he doesn’t want to let them down.”
      READ MORE ON BOXING
      Fury is now thought to be back at his training camp and is determined to fight Chisora at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      But even without the health scare, it is unlikely Amber would have watched the Gypsy King’s bout.
      Fury said: “She has never been to one of my boxing fights, amateur or professional, and never been in the public eye.
      “She’s a private person. I don’t think it means anything to my mum. She doesn’t care if I’m world champion or not, as long as I’m healthy and happy.
      Most read in The Sun
      “That is the only thing that means anything to her.
      “She doesn’t want to be anything that she isn’t already and that is what she has been all her life and brought up to be.” More

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      in Soccer

      Joe Lycett ‘shreds’ £10,000 in protest at Beckham’s £10m deal with Qatar

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      JOE Lycett has “shredded” £10,000 in protest of David Beckham’s £10 million deal with Qatar.The comedian, 34, put his money where his mouth is by destroying the currency after Beckham refused to pull out of his World Cup ambassador role.
      Joe Lycett, 34, destroyed £10,000 after Beckham refused to pull out of his World Cup ambassador roleCredit: PA
      The comedian posted the stunt to his Twitter pageCredit: PA
      He threw two large bundles of £5 notes into a woodchipper, leaving a shredded bundle of money on the floor before walking awayCredit: PA
      In a clip posted to his Twitter page, Lycett threw two large bundles of £5 notes into a woodchipper, leaving a shredded bundle of money on the floor before walking away.
      Openly pansexual Lycett gave England legend Beckham, 47, an ultimatum last Sunday, telling the star, who he called a “gay icon”: “Qatar was voted one of the worst places in the world to be gay.
      “If you end your relationship with Qatar, I’ll donate this £10,000 of my own money.
      “However if you do not, at midday next Sunday I will throw this money into a shredder, just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup.”
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      Beckham made his first public appearance at the controversial tournament on Saturday ahead of yesterday’s opening ceremony and first match.
      On Saturday FIFA chief Gianni Infantino defended Qatar’s human rights record in a bizarre rant, with the Swiss accusing Western nations of “hypocrisy” and “racism”.
      Some online slammed the comedian – and said he should have donated the money to charity.
      Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “Shredding £10k will earn Joe Lycett far more than it will cost him and is in effect a paid-for publicity stunt which has worked.”
      Most read in The Sun
      One former fan said the stunt had changed his view of the comic, saying on Twitter: “I liked Joe Lycett but he’s just shown what a privileged life he lives that he can afford to shred £10,000.”
      But actor Chris Addison defended the comic, labelling Lycett: “A force for good”.
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      in Soccer

      I’m a career WAG and made loads of money off my marriage, we dropped thousands on champagne alone, says Lizzie Cundy

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      MOST people know I’ve made my career out of being a WAG. While married to former-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur footballer Jason Cundy, I lived it up at two World Cups – and enjoyed every minute of it.
      ‘I’ve made my career out of being a WAG,’ says Lizzie Cundy, ‘and enjoyed every minute of it’Credit: David Cummings
      The WAGs of England’s Euros 2020 teamCredit: TIM STEWART NEWS
      Pictured from left Paige Millan, Lucia Loi, Sasha Attwood, Fern Maguire, Megan DavidsonCredit: Alamy, Getty Images, Backgrid
      Despite Jason and I splitting in 2010, much of my money has been made on the back of our marriage.
      But the new breed of WAGs (wives and girlfriends) is a very different species.
      They keep such a low profile that I don’t think many people could even name half the England team’s partners.
      Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, is a successful model, but the rest are not exactly household names.
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      Despite most being in their 20s, many of the WAGs of 2022 are married to their other halves, have kids together and their own careers – some as influencers with hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
      They can’t be seen to be getting drunk on Veuve Clicquot and dancing on tables – they have reputations to protect.
      It’s all a million miles away from the tournament where the term “WAGs” was coined.
      During the infamous 2006 World Cup in Germany, the wives and girlfriends went wild in the England team’s base of Baden-Baden, shopping up a storm and dropping tens of thousands of pounds on booze.
      Most read in The Sun
      The women – including Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole – were treated like movie stars.
      While these days, their every move would be charted on social media, back then everything they did made the headlines.
      In the beginning, some of the girls liked it, but others were a bit scared, having never faced such scrutiny before.
      You have to remember that some, like Coleen Rooney, were barely out of school.
      Then they realised they could make a career from all the attention they were getting, and their attitudes changed.
      I remember Nancy Dell’Olio, the girlfriend of then England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, called me and said: “I’m queen of the WAGs, I’m with the boss.” Of course she was.
      Who would have thought she would visit Downing Street for a reception with Prime Minister Tony Blair in a daring red catsuit?
      It was unbelievable and made all the front pages. We’d never seen such sights before – and I don’t think we will see them again.
      The girls had a lot of power, but Sven got right behind it. He liked the attention being on the women, as it meant it wasn’t on the men, and they could just concentrate on the game. 
      I’m queen of the WAGs, I’m with the boss.Nancy Dell’Olio
      Sven loved women and the glamour; it’s what he was all about. He wanted his players on the back pages of the newspapers, but he didn’t mind the girls being on the front, too.
      He wanted them there on the sidelines supporting their partners. It was amazing. It made the atmosphere incredible – there was a real buzz about it.
      But ultimately, the WAGs became the story.
      After England lost to Portugal in the quarter-finals, the WAGs shouldered the blame.
      Two years after that tournament, England defender Rio Ferdinand said: “We became a bit of a circus. Football almost became a secondary element. People were worrying more about what people were wearing or where they were going than the England football team.”
      Things changed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
      Unlike Sven, new manager Fabio Capello hated press attention. He didn’t want the players’ girlfriends or wives there.
      It suited him that it was held in South Africa, as he could say it was too dangerous and that was a reason for the women to keep a low profile. He wanted the attention on the football.
      Victoria Beckham leads the WAGs into action 2006 World Cup in Germany – where they attracted all the attentionCredit: REX FEATURES
      Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, is a successful model, but the rest are not exactly household namesCredit: Instagram
      Katie Goodland, wife of Harry Kane, is a fitness instructor who likes ice-swimming in Finland and rarely drinks
      We became a bit of a circus. Football almost became a secondary element. People were worrying more about what people were wearing or where they were going than the England football team.Rio Ferdinand
      For that reason, the atmosphere at the football matches was totally different. It just wasn’t as fun. It was never the same after that.
      The decline of the WAGs began – they were no longer centre stage.
      Perhaps some of the players got a bit jealous of the attention their partners were getting, too.
      They would say: “Why are they all focused on you? What do you know about football? 
      It should be about me.” So you had that battle of the egos as well.
      Sadly for Rebekah Vardy – who wanted to get in on the WAG act at the 2018 World Cup in Russia – it was just that little bit too late and interest was waning.
      And as the World Cup 2022 kicks off today, it’s unlikely you’ll see much of the WAGs at all.
      If you do, it’s likely to be on their carefully curated Instagram stories than paps snapping them falling out of bars.
      Despite Jason and I splitting in 2010, much of my money has been made on the back of our marriage. Lizzie Cundy
      Back in Baden-Baden, Elen Rivas (then-girlfriend of Frank Lampard), Lisa Roughead (girlfriend of Michael Carrick) and Terri Poole (girlfriend of John Terry) let their hair down.
      They were there to have a wild time and they didn’t have to worry about losing commercial deals or – as is the case this year – going to jail or bringing shame on their country.
      The army of WAGs accompanying the players to Qatar will reportedly be staying on a £1billion cruise liner off the coast of Doha, with their husbands not allowed on board.
      They’ve been warned that if they put a designer-shoe-clad-foot out of place in strict Qatar, they could end up behind bars.
      No booze, no skimpy outfits, no PDAs, no singing in public and no selfies – well, not outside official buildings at least.
      It’s hardly fair on the WAGs going to support the Welsh team in its first World Cup in 64 years, is it?
      However, it’s not likely these girls would get up to anything like that, even if they were allowed. They are a different breed.
      Katie Goodland, wife of Harry Kane, is a fitness instructor who likes ice-swimming in Finland and rarely drinks.
      And back-up goalie Aaron Ramsdale’s other half, Georgina Irwin, part-owns a gym that gives a portion of its profits to the mental health charity Mind.
      To be honest, WAGdom is probably best left in the past anyway, because you can never recreate those golden days.
      And of course, now we have a generation of women wanting to follow in our Euros-winning Lionesses’ footsteps – to be on the pitch and be the stars themselves.
      Read More on The Sun
      Though I doubt we’re gonna see the rise of the HABs (husbands and boyfriends). 
      Sadly, I think the idea of WAGs causing mischief and being centre stage at the World Cup is a thing of the past.  More

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      in Soccer

      Peter Crouch’s wife Abbey Clancy wows in sexy Victoria’s Secret lingerie just in time for Christmas

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      ABBEY Clancy unwraps husband Peter Crouch’s gift in time for Christmas.The model, 36, who has four children with the former England striker, 41, posed in a series of seasonal lingerie sets for the first UK festive campaign for Victoria’s Secret.
      Abbey Clancy unwraps husband Peter Crouch’s gift in time for ChristmasCredit: Victoria’s Secret
      The model has four children with the former England striker Peter CrouchCredit: Victoria’s Secret
      She has posed in a series of seasonal lingerie sets for the first UK festive campaign for Victoria’s SecretCredit: Victoria’s Secret
      That puts Santa’s suit firmly in the shade.
      The ex-Tottenham and Liverpool striker told a hilarious tale about the couple which ended with Abbey fuming at him.
      He told Chris Moyles on Radio X: “My career finished when Abb was locked out the house and I was playing Call of Duty.
      “I had the headphones on and the mic and she was locked out the house and I had no idea.
      READ MORE GLAM
      “I was telling people to ‘get down! Frag out!’ And she’s been outside for ages banging on the door. She’s gone to the neighbours and they let them in.
      “And I’m still in there, dark room, full headphones on, telling 12-year-olds to get down and cover me.
      “The look she gave me was like ‘you loser!’ And that look was the moment I thought I better leave this.”
      The ex-Tottenham striker told a hilarious tale about the couple which ended with Abbey fuming at himCredit: Getty
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