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      ‘One day someone is going to die’ – Fans concerned as struggling Uruguay star forced to take OXYGEN 4km above sea level

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      FOOTBALL fans were left stunned after seeing a Champions League star need the support of an oxygen mask to breathe during a game 4,000km above sea level.The scenes were an unbelievable sight during a World Cup qualifying clash between Bolivia and Uruguay.Jose Gimenez was seen breathing heavily near the end of Uruguay’s clash with BoliviaHe needed an oxygen maskThe match was being played at a stadium more than 4km above sea levelIn the final few minutes of the game, Atletico Madrid star Jose Gimenez was seen breathing heavily before walking off the pitch to pick up an oxygen mask.The 30-year-old is then seen breathing into the mask to combat the difficult conditions he was playing in at the Villa Ingenio stadium in El Alto.The stadium sits a staggering 13,615 feet or 4.1kilometres above sea level.The Bolivian FA remarkably decided to move to this venue last October to help them qualify for the World Cup in 2026.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBolivia have always been tough to beat at home due to their traditional home, La Paz, sitting 11,940 feet above sea level. But three defeats in five games in World Cup qualifying left them in dire need of a result and prompted the switch to the venue 2,000 feet higher.At the height of the new venue, total air density decreases to around 0.82 grams per litre of which there is only roughly 0.17 grams of oxygen per litre.Less oxygen means more difficulty breathing, which naturally is counterproductive in a sport like football when players are constantly on the move.Most read in SportThe Bolivia clash ended 0-0 with Uruguay defender Gimenez able to complete the match, but fans on social media were disgusted at the risks being taken for the match.One fan on social media said: “One day someone is going to die.”Argentina players celebrate humiliating rivals Brazil in World Cup qualifier A second said: “Crazy!!”A third added: “South American football is something else.”The plan has not exactly gone to plan for Bolivia either, failing to win either game at home since the move. More

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      ‘Was he sent by Madrid?’ – Arsenal fans lose it as footage emerges of Norway coach WRESTLING Martin Odegaard

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      ARSENAL fans lost it as footage emerged of Martin Odegaard being WRESTLED by his own Norway coach.And that prompted some to even question if he had been sent by Real Madrid as a secret agent to hurt the Gunners captain.Stale Solbakken gave Martin Odegaard a tight hug as he subbed him offCredit: RexThe Norway boss then got his captain in a headlockCredit: XThey then wrestled but it was the gaffer who hit the floorCredit: XOdegaard, 26, led his country to a 4-2 victory over Israel in their World Cup qualifier played in Hungary on Tuesday.The playmaker racked up a hat-trick of assists before being subbed off by manager Stale Solbakken in injury time.Solbakken was clearly delighted with his star’s performance – and has a great relationship with Odegaard.So much so that he shook hands with the Arsenal hero and gave him a hug as he shared some words of encouragement.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLEx-Wolves boss Solbakken, 57, then jokingly got Odegaard in a headlock in the technical area at the side of the pitch.And he suddenly escalated the prank by yanking the footballer down in an apparent wrestling move to try and floor his skipper. Hilariously, though, it was Solbakken who hit the deck before releasing his grip as Odegaard somehow managed to stay on his feet. The pair were both laughing as the Gunners man walked to the dugout to take his seat and watch the last few minutes of action.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut Arsenal fans did not see the funny side as much.Mikel Arteta’s men have an important run of fixtures coming up – to keep their faint Premier League titles hopes alive but more importantly their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.Footballers are great role models… but they need to be able to go partying, like I did, says Jack WilshereThe Gunners host the reigning Kings of Europe on April 8 before the return leg at the Bernabeu on April 16.And fans are desperate to see their injury-hit captain wrapped up in cotton wool to face his former team – rather than flung around in a wrestling match on international duty.After seeing the video clip with Solbakken, one quipped on social media: “Was this coach sent by Madrid to take out Odegaard??”Another wrote: “This man must be a Madrid fan… he wants our captain injured.”A third added: “I’d be flying to Norway to chin him if he injured him.”A fourth commented: “Get tf off my captain man we can’t afford any more injuries.”And a final user replied: “Dear coach, please stop doing that. Sincerely, all Arsenal fans.”Odegaard registered three assists in the 4-2 win over IsraelCredit: AFP More

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      Chelsea and Man City’s Club World Cup prize money confirmed with Premier League giants raking in millions

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      CHELSEA and Manchester City have been dangled a near £100million carrot for taking part in this summer’s controversial expanded Club World Cup.City aces including Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne, as well as England skipper Harry Kane, have been among the global stars accusing football chiefs of piling even more games on a congested calendar, without thinking about player welfare.Manchester City or Chelsea could claim almost £100million in prize money if they win this summer’s Club World CupChelsea qualified as 2021 Champions League winnersAnd Man City are part of it after winning Europe’s elite competition in 2023But Fifa President Gianni Infantino believes his latest pet project will become a huge event.And Zurich officials have now outlined exactly how the £775m prize fund – with Fifa insisting every penny will go to clubs around the world – will be split.Fifa say the winners will earn up to $125m – which is a fraction over £97m – under a heavily performance-related prize structure.Clubs can earn a maximum £68m if they win all three group games and go all the way to lift the trophy in New York’s MetLife Stadium on July 13, with the final itself worth £31m to the winners and £23m to the runners up.READ MORE ON CHELSEAThat adds up to a total £368m in performance-related cash, with the remaining £407m split between the 32 competing teams as entrance money.However, to prevent the enormous sum warping the competitive balance in smaller countries, there will not be an even split – which would have seen each club earn around £13m.Instead, the majority of the pool will go to the 12 European qualifiers, with Real Madrid understood to have taken the biggest individual fee of around £30m and Austrian outfit Salzburg taking £10m.Chelsea and City, who qualified as Champions League winners between 2021 and 2024 and who are both also high in the Uefa coefficient table, are each understood to be taking slightly less than Madrid.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford BridgeBut New Zealand’s Auckland City, representing Oceania, will be handed just £2.8m while the six South American qualifiers – four from Brazil and Boca Juniors and River Plate from Argentina – will get £11.8m each.The tournament, which has been publicly backed by US President Donald Trump, will kick off on June 14 with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami playing Egypt’s Al-Ahly in the Hard Rock Stadium home of the Miami Dolphins.Argentina humiliate Brazil 4-1 with Emi Martinez even doing keepy ups in his own box in fiery World Cup qualifier Chelsea’s opening opponents remain unclear after Mexican side Leon were bored out of the tournament by Fifa because they are part of the same Multi Club Ownership group as Pachuca.Leon have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to be readmitted but Fifa will not confirm a replacement team for the match in Atlanta on June 16 until the resolution of the legal issues.Chelsea’s other opponents for the group stage are Brazilians Flamengo and Tunisian side Esperance.City will open against Morocco’s Wydad in Philadelphia on June 18 before matches against Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Juventus.If both Prem clubs win their groups they cannot meet in the competition before the final. More

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      Liverpool would be BOTTOM of Premier League table for English stars’ playing time without Trent Alexander-Arnold

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      LIVERPOOL are the champions-elect of England — yet have never given less playing time to English players.And now homegrown hero Trent Alexander-Arnold looks set to leave Anfield for Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones are one of five first team players eligible to play for England at LiverpoolBut Alexander-Arnold is the only regular starter in Arne Slot’s XIWhich means  the Reds could find themselves bottom of the table next season when it comes to footballers qualified to play for Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.In Kop chief Arne Slot’s debut season, Liverpool’s English contingent have racked up the second-highest total of minutes in all competitions — behind his fellow Dutchmen Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.But although Slot has fielded 11 different English players, Alexander-Arnold’s 2,869 minutes represents almost 35 per cent of the total.In the Premier League, Englishmen have played 4,258 minutes for the Reds,  the fifth-lowest figure in the top flight.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd Alexander-Arnold, despite his injury issues, accounts for 2,157 of them  — more than half.Take the right-back out of the team and the total falls to 2,101, only slightly more than the 2,075 that puts Wolves in 20th place.If Alexander-Arnold does leave and his replacement is not English — current understudy Conor Bradley is a Northern Ireland international — Liverpool’s English presence could be the lowest in the Prem  next season. The Reds are set for their lowest number of English minutes in the Premier League era, unless Alexander-Arnold regains fitness fast or Curtis Jones, Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott can feature prominently in their nine remaining league games.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSOf course, the fact Liverpool’s five- highest totals came in the first five seasons of the revamped competition demonstrates a wider trend.The situation at Anfield is one example of the challenge that Tuchel — and any England manager — has in finding English players operating at the top level.Top 10 highest-paid Premier League starsAs things stand, this season is on course to be one of the lowest overall shares of Premier League minutes for Englishmen, dipping below 30 per cent for only the second time.If Champions League football is the gold standard of club football, then the figures do not make great reading for Tuchel — or for Liverpool’s Englishmen, either. The club gave 1,684 minutes of action to English players in Europe’s premier competition, the lowest of the Prem’s four entrants across the same number of games — and only slightly more than Italian giants AC Milan.And Aston Villa, who are in the quarter-finals unlike Liverpool, have given nearly twice as much time to Englishmen in their campaign so far (3,318 minutes).Joe Gomez is not a regular starter for Liverpool, even though he’s currently out injuredCredit: The Mega AgencyAlexander-Arnold, “the Scouser in our team”, is England’s only representative in Slot’s first XI.The Reds have always looked beyond the country’s borders for players, dating back to their foundation.When John Houlding left Everton to set up a rival club in 1892, he drafted in a lot of Scots, leading to newly-formed Liverpool being nicknamed “Team of all the Macs”.Current left-back Andy Robertson is just the latest legend in a proud Scottish heritage that includes Kop heroes like Billy Liddell, Bill Shankly, Ron Yeats,  Ian St John, Kenny Dalglish, Alan  Hansen and Graeme Souness.When Dalglish led Liverpool to the Double in 1986 as manager, none of the starting XI in the FA Cup final against Everton were English.However, in Liverpool’s six European Cup/Champions League wins, there were as many as nine and never fewer than two English starters.The trophy was lifted by an English captain every time —  except in 1984 when Souness did the honours.Alexander-Arnold was the other Englishman in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI on a Madrid night in 2019 that ended with Jordan Henderson collecting the silverware after a 2-0 win over Tottenham.READ MORE SUN STORIESLiverpool have never started a European Cup or Champions League game without an English player.If Alexander-Arnold leaves, that proud tradition could well end.How Trent could look at the Bernabeu next season More

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      Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi deal ‘faces being hijacked by Real Madrid with £50m transfer plotted’

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      ARSENAL’S bid for Martin Zubimendi is at risk of being hijacked by Real Madrid.The Gunners have been keeping tabs on Real Sociedad star Zubimendi, 26, ever since last year when they tried to lure him away from Spain.Arsenal’s bid for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi could be hijacked by Real MadridCredit: GettySociedad star Zubimendi has also been linked with LiverpoolCredit: RexThe North Londoners are going toe to toe with Premier League rivals Liverpool for the midfielder’s signature – with the midfielder having dramatically snubbed the champions-elect last summer.Now, according to El Partidazo de COPE, Arsenal – and the Reds for that matter – are now facing serious competition from Real who are pushing hard for the Spain international’s signature.As per the same source, Zubimendi’s agent is listening to offers ahead of the summer transfer window.And Real president Florentino Perez is making his move as he understands his team’s advantage.Read More on ArsenalThe reigning European champions can guarantee the talented Spaniard Champions League football next season as well as silverware in the near future.Sociedad, on the other hand, are 12th in Laliga with 17 points separating them from the top four.This comes after Imanol Alguacil’s side were eliminated from the Europa League in the Last 16 by Manchester United.Real are more than willing to meet Zubimendi’s €60million (£50m) release clause and the potential arrival of Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso in the dugout will have no affect regarding their plans.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Arsenal Files every Friday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from The EmiratesThe same report claims the final decision now lies on the defensive midfielder.Zubimendi is highly rated and has been compared to Chelsea and Real legend Claude Makelele, Barcelona hero Sergio Busquets and Manchester City star Rodri.Myles Lewis-Skelly lost for words after finding out he has broken England recordArsenal and Liverpool were very keen to sign him last summer but he was persuaded to remain at his beloved Sociedad by manager Alguacil and sporting director Roberto Olabe.The pair prepared a presentation and pulled on the player’s San Sebastian heartstrings with pictures of his favourite local tapas restaurants and mountain hikes he enjoys in the Basque Country.The talented No6 has amassed a total of two goals and two assists in 38 appearances this season. More

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      Harry Kane claims players are being ignored over burnout fears as Thomas Tuchel shares break concerns

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      HARRY KANE claims the world’s top stars are being ignored over burnout fears.England captain Kane faces another summer without a proper break as Fifa’s month-long Club World Cup starts five days after the Three Lions’ friendly with Senegal on June 10.Harry Kane has expressed concerns about player burnoutCredit: GettyThomas Tuchel is also concernedCredit: PAThe Bayern Munich striker, 31, is one of at least a dozen England stars who are due to play in the revamped £600million 32-team tournament in the US — with boss Thomas Tuchel also  concerned.Players’ unions, including the PFA, have filed a legal complaint against Fifa over the tournament amid  welfare worries.But Kane said: “There’s nothing we can really do about it. I don’t think the players are listened to that much, if I’m honest.“We’re getting used to it but it’s another summer where you do not have a break.  There are arguments from the clubs — to generate more money.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“But there’s also a player welfare point where there’s only so much you can do without more injuries. It is a really hard balance.”Kane, who had less than four weeks off after Euro 2024, previously urged Prem chiefs to bring back a winter break to combat the crazy calendar.While Manchester City’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, 28, warned stars were close to going on STRIKE before his heartbreak ACL injury in September.He insisted: “Someone has to take care of us. We are the main characters of this sport.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSRodri’s City team-mates Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva, Liverpool keeper Alisson and Aston Villa boss Unai Emery have also pleaded for a reduction in the number of games.City and Chelsea are England’s representatives in the Club World Cup, while Kane’s Bayern and Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid will also take part.Harry Kane scores from a distance in Bayern Munich training And Kane added: “If we get to the Champions League final on May 31, you’ll go straight into England then straight into the Club World Cup. So there won’t be any time.”England boss Tuchel also expressed his fears about the tournament, which runs from June 15 to July 13.Tuchel’s side face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on June 7, then Senegal three days later.And the German boss admitted: “I am worried about the players being able to have a break.“I am not so concerned about the amount of games they play, I am more concerned they never have a real break of four weeks. That’s the problem.”PFA chief Maheta Molango wants players limited to a MAXIMUM of 60 games per season.And Tuchel added: “The Fifa June window is not ideal for anyone, especially the players. Maybe Fifa can put this window somewhere else for the benefit of players.”Rodri previously claimed that players could go on strikeCredit: Getty More

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      Six players to watch from Baller League as former Team GB Olympics ace is hailed by Shearer after stealing show

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      BALLER League UK kicked off on Monday night – and delivered on everything it had promised. With huge names like John Terry, Jody Morris, Jens Lehmann, Gary Lineker, Chunkz, The Sidemen, Alan Shearer and more involved, the pressure was on to deliver on debut night. Marvin Sordell impressed Alan Shearer with a hat-trickChelsea legend John Terry is managing the 26ersCredit: PAEx-Watford and Burnley forward Sordell caught the eyeWith the rules being hugely different to normal football, it was spectacular to see how the players took to the format.Some really stood out, even among talents from the football league and ex-Premier League players like Ciaran Clark and Marvin Sordell. It was Angry Ginge’s ‘YANITED’ who ended the night at the top of the tree.But there were a host of players who impressed from each game.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSSunSport’s Lloyd Canfield has noted down the ballers to watch…Game One: Mo Mahyoub – YANITEDPK Humble will take the headlines in this game, with his performance bringing the dancing, the skills and the entertainment to the pitch alongside the first goal of the tournament.But it was Mo Mahyoub who stole the show for YANITED on night one. Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKThe attacker was on fire with electric feet, and scored a beauty at the near post, just kissing it before hitting the back of the net. It was a brace for Mo on the night before you knew it, and he was awarded the Man of the match too. Fans baffled as Mark Goldbridge ‘chats up Alisha Lehmann’ on Baller League live watchalongHe is going to be a threat in this league, and it was evident he has shone previously at academies like Man City and Man Utd as well as becoming Manchester’s 1v1 ‘Top Baller’ champion. Serious tekkers. Game Two: Declan McCarthy – MVPs UnitedAlisha Lehmann’s MVPs United took the win over Clint419’s FC R.T.W, and it was no doubt down to their sensational goalkeeper. A good link-up up top provided them with goals, but it was a stunning triple save from McCarthy that really blew me away. Michael Ndiweni scored but it was his keeper Declan McCarthy who shoneCredit: PAAlisha Lehmann is in charge of MVPs United along with Maya JamaCredit: Sky SportsFormer Newcastle striker Michael Ndiweni is not to be sniffed at, and neither is ex-Manchester United midfielder Josh Harrop, but the man in net managed to deny them both numerous times. He was a great stopper, but in this format you also have to be great with your feet, and he had it all. Game Three: Michael Folivi – SDS FCComing up against a side managed by John Terry and Jody Morris would strike fear into some forwards.Not Michael Folivi.The ex-AFC Wimbledon frontman looked more than comfy on the ball, showed off no better than when he strolled forward from the penalty line to stroke the ball into the top right corner when the pressure was on.The 27-year-old is up against some elite forwards in this competition, but for my money he is one of the very best involved. Expect to see more from the lethal striker for SDS FC, who looked like one of the best teams on the night.Micah Richards was a big-name observer at the Copper Box ArenaCredit: PAGame Four: Michael Hill – Santan FCMichael’s footballing pedigree, being formed at academies like Chelsea and Fulham was evident from the get go as he took on a Prem defender with 200 caps in Ciaran Clark. The midfielder was the ‘Starlight’, always in the right ‘Location’ to put the ball in the back of the net in what was a crunch ‘Clash’ for Dave’s side. Working perfectly in the ‘System’, defenders will be having a ‘heart attack’ seeing him line up against them next week. There really were ‘No Words’ that would do his performance justice, with a clean touch and tidy finish making it clear why his gaffer gave him the nickname KDB previously. Game Five: Toby Bull – M7 FCMiniminter’s M7 FC clutched up with a win against Chloe Kelly’s Wembley Rangers, with another goalkeeper proving one to watch in this game. The ex-Brighton stopper, who was in their matchday squad for a win over Manchester United in 2022 now plays for Lewes FC – and is still only 21. Let me tell you this kid made some exceptional saves, with two big ones springing to mind, palmed onto the post and bar. In what was such a tight game his performance was vital, and was another stopper who looked relaxed and composed with the ball at his feet. If I was Todd Boehly at Chelsea, I’d be taking a look that’s for sure. Game Six: Marvin Sordell – Depotrio FCBeing a striker selected for the team by Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer can either bring you extreme pressure or extreme confidence. For ex-Prem baller Marvin Sordell, it was the latter. A debut hat-trick bought critical acclaim from Newcastle legend Shearer, and it was more than deserved.When the 1v1 wildcard was called, it was he who stood up, lobbing Henri Lansbury and watching the ball loop into the back of the net as well as keeping it out of his own. READ MORE SUN STORIESA sublime performance from the Kettering Town forward who previously represented Bolton, Burnley, Watford and even Team GB at the Olympics showed that this is far from the end of his journey. An experienced attacker in these tight games will bring an air of calmness to his side which may just prove vital as we progress through the league.  More

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      ‘I couldn’t believe it’ – Ronaldo still stunned by how Brazil team-mate drank his £8,000 bottle of wine

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      RONALDO has a vintage reason for remembering a jaw-dropping incident with a team-mate.The former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker played alongside Vampeta for both Brazil and Inter Milan.Ronaldo has told of his shock when his pal opened some special wineCredit: GettyVampeta had an unusual reaction to spotting the bottleCredit: AP:Associated PressAnd even though the midfielder played only eight games for the Italians, he still made a special mark on Ronaldo – or at least his wine collection.The 98-cap legend had spent 10,000 euros – about £8,000 – on a bottle of Petrus wine.Arguably the most famous ‘plonk’ in the world, the brand from Bordeaux originated in the 18th century.Petrus wine takes three or four decades to reach its best – but Vampeta needed just a few seconds to do his worst!READ MORE IN FOOTBALLRonaldo, 48, told Brazilian podcast Charla what unfolded when the 51-year old saw the bottle.He said: “I bought a bottle of Petrus wine. I brought it home more for its symbolic value, being the most famous wine in the world. “I had no intention of opening it because the bottle dated back to the year of his birth – 1500.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”They had told me it hadn’t even been a good year! Most read in Football”Well, Vampeta opened it, took some plastic glasses, poured it, drank it and made a disgusted face saying, ‘It’s damn hot, is there ice in it?'”Erling Haaland’s salary is only ninth biggest in football with Chelsea flop Koulibaly earning more than Man City starIf that wasn’t enough for poor Ronaldo to deal with, he explained that Vampeta wasn’t quite finished.The ex-PSV Eindhoven hero added: “Then he started putting an ice cube in each glass.”And I couldn’t believe it because, as I said, it was just a wine for display.”There was no suggestion Vampeta was aware of the wine being so special.And it’s also unclear what Ronaldo meant by the date “1500”.That’s because the earliest trace of the Petrus vineyards in Pomerol, Bordeaux, appears to be the 1750s.Interestingly, however, the 19 years of especially fine vintages for the elite brand include 2000… the year Vampeta was making his own unique contribution to its history! Wine connoisseur Ronaldo twice won the World Cup with BrazilCredit: AFP More