Digital Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Sick world of ‘football trafficking’ where desperate kids are shipped to UK like Man United star… then sold into sex

      by

      SMILING for the cameras, Amad Diallo looked delighted this week as he signed a stunning new deal with Manchester United.The dazzling prodigy – originally from the Ivory Coast – has fulfilled the dream of so many African youngsters of a lucrative career at one of the world’s richest clubs.Amad Diallo is now Manchester United’s biggest rising star after being trafficked to Europe aged just 12Credit: GettyThe football ace at Boca Barco in ItalyCredit: Boca BarcoThousands of African youngsters share the same dream, only to find they have been sold a lie by sick traffickersCredit: GettyIt’s a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the gifted youngster whose footballing journey began with him being trafficked to Europe as a 12-year-old.His dramatic equalising goal against arch-rivals Liverpool last Sunday follows his brilliantly executed volley to seal victory in the Manchester derby.His story will now be one of riches and, if he can help revive slumbering giant United, glory too.Yet, for thousands of other African youngsters, the promises of trials at clubs like United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain made by shysters claiming to be agents are a sick con.READ MORE FEATURESThese ‘agents’ demand thousands in upfront payments which often amount to the life-savings of a player’s family.The trials never materialise. The ‘agents’ disappear with the cash and the teenagers are abandoned, leaving them at risk of being sexually exploited or left destitute.A few years ago a young lad turned up at the reception at Tottenham’s old White Hart Lane ground saying he’d come from overseas for his trial with the club.The youngster had been conned, there was no trial. Spurs’ safeguarding procedures kicked in and the police and local authorities were contacted.Most read in FootballCharity Foot Solidaire has estimated that as many as 15,000 teenage footballers are shipped out of West African countries every year under false pretences.Former Watford midfielder Al Bangura has told how attempts were made to force him into the sex trade after he was trafficked into the UK.Amad runs the show again but Rashford is lucky to stay on the pitch and Onana has night to forgetFleeing his native Sierra Leone after elders tried to make him follow in the footsteps of his late father and become the leader of a voodoo cult, he made for neighbouring Guinea aged just 14.There a Frenchman promised to help him secure his dream of bringing him to the UK to become a Premier League footballer.Bangura revealed: “I didn’t know he had another different intention – to get me into the sex trade.”On arriving in the UK, he says he was taken to premises where he met men who hadn’t come to discuss his football career. “All of a sudden I saw two or three guys come around me, trying to rape me and make me do stuff,” he remembered.”Because I was young and I was small, I just started screaming. They probably thought I knew what I was there for – obviously I know what I came over here for, I was here to play football.”I was just crying and proper screaming and I tried to make my way out – I was cold, I was crying, I was shaking, I didn’t know what to do, I was all over the place.”I made my way outside. I didn’t know where to start, I thought it was the end of my life.”Al Bangura opened up about how he was almost led into the sex tradeCredit: GettyWatford fans protest over a Home Office ruling that Bangura should return to Sierra Leone in 2007. The ruling was eventually overturnedCredit: Getty Images – GettyBangura managed to escape and seek asylum. He was spotted by a talent scout and joined Watford when he was 16 and later awarded a work permit based on his footballing abilities.The youngster played for the Hornets in the Premier League and also played for Brighton, Blackpool, Forest Green Rovers and Coventry City.Bangura, now 36, has worked with the Premier League and charities to raise awareness on trafficking.”I think there’s loads of vulnerable kids in Africa who want to achieve what I’ve achieved in my life,” he said.”There’s loads of kids who might not even tell their parents, or their parents might use their last money to make sure they come over here to play football and they end up doing something else.”It’s important for me, having been through what I’ve been through in my life, for me to say I’ve been through that, I’ve survived, but what about the young kids coming up, will they survive?“Are they going to be able to cope with that? So we really need to find a way to stop all of that.”It’s quite emotional to talk about it now, I’m happy I’ve got over it, but it’s sad for me.”Crooked agents Dr Serhat Yilmaz – a Lecturer in Sports Law at Loughborough University – describes football trafficking of children as “a dark form of modern slavery”.Ramshackle football academies have sprung up on dustbowl pitches across West Africa with youngsters chasing the dream of a lucrative contract with a top European team.Crooked agents wheedle cash out of families after promising child players a trial at a footballing giant.Instead many are abandoned or enslaved on reaching Britain and other leading footballing nations.An investigator with the Spanish National Police says the number of trafficking cases is “sharply increasing” there.One youngster, 17-year-old Tidiane, originally from Conakry, Guinea, believed his dream of playing professional football in Spain had come true.Scouted while playing in his homeland, his family raised cash to pay a smuggler who promised a place in a Barcelona academy.“I was brought to Spain in March 2023 with documents saying that I had come on a school exchange trip, along with several other Guineans my age,” he revealed.The youngsters were told that they would be supported by an academy while continuing to go to school.Football trafficking is ‘a dark form of modern slavery’, says an expertCredit: GettyTidiane added: “After 15 days, we still hadn’t started school or football training.“They didn’t tell us anything, and after a month and a half, we were asked to pay again, even though it hadn’t been planned.“We were lost, so we fled late one night while everyone was sleeping.”With no money and his ID card confiscated by his smuggler, Tidiane was reduced to scavenging for food and sleeping in parks for five months.In October 2023, he was rescued by the Caritas charity who are helping him restart his schooling.The teenager said: “My story is far too common in Spain, many of us end up in the clutches of ill-intentioned people who take advantage of youth and their dreams.”International governing body FIFA’s Article 19 – written in 2003 – forbids clubs from signing international players below the age of 18.Since then, amid football’s scramble for new young talent, agents, players and clubs have been trying to break it.Article 19 has a clause allowing a club to sign a player under the age of 18 if it can be proved the child’s family was moving to that country for “reasons other than football”.It means job opportunities for the child’s parents can suddenly emerge in the city of the club that is interested in signing the youngster.Diallo’s journeyManchester United star Amad Diallo managed to leave his Ivory Coast homeland and, aged 12, and join an Italian club.His footballing journey – well before arriving at Old Trafford – left him a pawn in the sometimes murky world of signing young African talent.Born in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast’s capital in 2002, his precocious talent suggested he had the ability to follow countrymen Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Gervinho to stardom in Europe.In 2014, the youngster – then known as Amad Diallo Traore – joined minnows ASD Boca Barco not far from Parma. His brother Hamed Junior Traore, also a gifted footballer, would join him.The pair were able to make a new life in Italy under the family reunification system as their parents were Italian residents.My story is far too common in Spain, many of us end up in the clutches of ill-intentioned people who take advantage of youth and their dreams.TidaneYouth coach Denis Cerlini would later tell the BBC: “We didn’t discover Amad, but rather he just came to us. It was a great stroke of luck.”The brilliant youngster and his brother were noticed by Giovanni Galli, the ex AC Milan goalkeeper who played for Italy at the 1986 World Cup, who was working for an Italian third division club.Galli invited the brothers for a trial, remembering: “I quickly saw they were simply too good for us. Amad played with bigger boys and drove them insane with his dribbling.”Instead, Galli tipped off Serie A club Atalanta who signed Diallo in 2015. His brother signed for Empoli.Then in 2017 agent and talent scout Giovanni Damiano Drago was arrested as part of Operation Baby Elephant, an investigation into the trafficking of footballers.In a plea bargain, Drago gave information to police about the immigration status of Diallo and other young players. It left the scout with a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months.Former AC Milan icon Giovanni Galli noticed Amad and his brotherCredit: GettyA young Amad poses with former Manchester United star Paul PogbaFive people were arrested, accused of smuggling Diallo, his brother and three other young footballers into Italy.DNA tests by investigators proved Diallo and his ‘brother’ – now on Bournemouth’s books – were not related to the purported parents. It was all an elaborate sham.Incredibly, the scam led to Diallo – who was a child when he was trafficked – being fined £42,000 by the Italia FA. Hamed Junior Traore received a fine for the same amount.Diallo dropped his fake surname Traore on his 18th birthday.Dreams & nightmaresIn January 2021 Diallo joined Manchester United for £18.7million from Atalanta. He has been described as the “jewel in the crown” of new manager Ruben Amorim’s team.In West Africa, thousands of young footballers will be admiring the now 22-year-old’s progress, dreaming of their own lucrative career.Some, desperate for the riches European football can offer, take matters into their own hands.On the migration routes along the Mediterranean coast and in the camps of Calais and Dunkirk I’ve met many aspiring young footballers trying to make it to the UK by flimsy boat.Dr Ini-Obong Nkang, 32,  author of the book Football Trafficking: A Legal Analysis of the Trade of African Minors – says the key to preventing trafficking is to boost African leagues.Dr Nkang told The Sun: “Dig deep, and you’ll find South African players aren’t being trafficked because South Africa has the most developed league on the continent.“They can see for themselves that, ‘OK, if I stay here and join an academy, I can still make a future for myself’.“In West Africa – where the bulk of trafficked players come from, the leagues are not up to scratch. That has to change.”READ MORE SUN STORIESDiallo’s goals against Liverpool and Manchester City made him the toast of Old Trafford.For other African youngsters dreaming of football’s wealth and glory, their journey to Europe at the hands of traffickers brings only misery.Amad has been described as the “jewel in the crown” of new manager Ruben Amorim’s teamCredit: GettyHe joined Manchester United for £18.7m from Atalanta in 2018Credit: EPA More

    • 213 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Inside football’s most explosive divorces…from star’s £10m payout to bitter split over twins fathered by another man

      by

      FOOTBALLERS’ love lives are notoriously messy – with numerous reports of playing away.And that can lead to explosive and VERY costly divorces. Kyle Walker, who shares four kids with Annie Kilner, is set for a courtroom showdown after she served him divorce papersCredit: BackGridIt comes after he fathered two kids with his on-off mistress Lauyn GoodmanCredit: GettyKyle was previously in a legal battle with Lauryn over child support paymentsCredit: PAKyle Walker’s bitter split from his wife, Annie Kilner, is the latest case shaking the sport.Annie finally filed for divorce earlier this year after their marriage was wracked by a series of scandals.In 2020, she agreed to stay with Kyle, 34, after it was revealed he had fathered a child with Lauryn Goodman during a brief affair and she stood by him during a bitter court battle which saw the Manchester City ace ordered pay a substantial amount.But, after it emerged that Kyle had fathered a second child with his on-off mistress, she is now preparing to battle it out in court for half of his staggering £27million fortune.READ MORE FEATURES But Kyle is far from alone in seeing his marriage end in explosive claims and courtroom showdowns over the players’ eye-watering wealth.’Not fair’Former Arsenal right-back Emmanuel Eboue, 41, had one of the most acrimonious divorces in football. Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner files for divorce and gears up to fight for star’s £27m fortuneEmmanuel Eboue says he lost a fortune to his ex-wife after their bitter divorceCredit: TwitterThe former Arsenal star blamed a lack of education for his lossesCredit: TwitterDuring his seven-year stint in the Premier League, he built an enviable fortune but lost it all in a bitter split with his ex-wife, Aurelie Bertrand, in 2017.She was awarded all their assets in the divorce, including their two mansions and his fleet of luxury cars – and he later claimed he had to wash his clothes by hand as he couldn’t afford to use his washing machine.Most read in FootballIn 2017, he told the Sunday Mirror: “I can’t afford the money to continue to have any lawyer or barrister. I am in the house but I am scared.”Because I don’t know what time the police will come. Sometimes, I shut off the lights because I don’t want people to know that I am inside. “I suffered to buy my house, but I am now scared. I am not going to sell my clothes or sell what I have. I will fight until the end because it is not fair.”Emmanuel also claimed naivety was to blame for his losses, saying that he signed everything Aurelie asked him to without question.He added: “I look back and say ­’Emmanuel, you have been naive… why didn’t you think about that before?’ It is hard. Very, very hard.”The money I earned, I sent it to my wife for our children.”He claimed of the €8 million he earned playing with Galatasary in Turkey – between 2011 and 2015 – €7million was sent to his ex wife.Paternity blowAfter 12 years of marriage, Geremi filed for divorce after a DNA test revealed he was not the father of Laure’s kidsThe Cameroonian star says it left him in “emotional shock”Credit: AFPCameroonian footballer Geremi filed for divorce from his wife Laure in March after a bombshell that blew the marriage apart.The former Chelsea star, 45, claimed he was “psychologically damaged” after finding out the 16-year-old twins he raised as his own were actually fathered by her ex.In court documents seen in March, the midfielder claims that the children were born after she had a fling while they were still together. It read: “No children have been born from this union” and also slammed her “repeated lies”. It also said that Laure had destroyed the harmony” of their marriage “through her abject behaviour”.The twins were born in 2008 and Geremi revealed they were the motivation for the pair tying the knot four years later.The court filing in March this year said that the revelation had “caused him a huge emotional shock”. Love ratRyan Giggs and his wife battled it out after she tried to take a large chunk of his fortuneCredit: Getty – ContributorRyan had a long-term affair with his brother’s wife NatashaCredit: Dan Kennedy – The SunRyan Giggs’ wife Stacey filed for divorce in 2017, after ten years of marriage, over numerous infidelities, including an eight-year affair with his brother’s wife, Natasha.He also cheated on Stacey with former beauty queen and Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas. As one of the highest-paid players, the former Manchester Utd star had amassed a £40million fortune and the bitter split looked set to end in an explosive courtroom battle over the cash.But in November 2017, it was announced that they had reached an agreement and the figures were kept under wraps.In a statement, their lawyers said: “The terms of the settlement are confidential, but both wished to express their sincere thanks to their respective legal teams.”They are pleased to leave this chapter of their lives as firm friends.”Mummy’s boyAchraf Hakimi’s divorce had a shocking and unexpected plot twistCredit: GettyMany wondered whether Achraf had always anticipated a divorce from his wifeCredit: GettyParis Saint-Germain player Achraf Hakimi’s divorce from his wife, Hiba Abouk, had a shocking plot twist that very few saw coming.Model and actress Hiba, who has two kids with the footballer, filed for divorce after he was accused of rape by French prosecutors in March 2023.During the court battle Hiba reportedly asked for half of Hakimi’s £18.4million fortune.But in a bizarre twist it was revealed that most of his assets were actually in his mother’s name and even his substantial salary, reportedly £170,000 a WEEK, was paid into his mother’s bank account.Legally, Hakimi owned very little in his own name, leaving his furious ex with limited claim to his wealth.The revelation led to speculation that Achraf had planned his financial arrangement in anticipation of the divorce.Timeline of Kyle Walker and Annie Kilner’s relationshipEarly years – Kyle and Annie first meet in Sheffield when she was 15 and he was 17Euro 2016 – Walker caught messaging Playboy model Carla HoweApril 2019 – Annie dumps Kyle after his alleged romps with reality TV star Laura BrownApril 2020 – Kyle allegedly hosts sex party with two escorts during covid-19 lockdownFebruary 2020 – Lauryn Goodman gives birth to Kairo, her son with WalkerNovember 2021 – Walker and Kilner marry in secretMarch 2023 – Lauryn announces her second pregnancySpring 2023 – Kyle allegedly flashes and kisses another woman in a Vodka Revolution bar in CheshireAugust 2023 – Lauryn gives birth to a daughterJanuary 2024 – Annie announces split from Kyle after two years of marriage. It emerges Kyle is the dad of Lauryn’s second child. Kyle begs for forgiveness in exclusive Sun interview. Lauryn brands him a ‘pathological narcissist’October 2024 – Annie files for divorceMessiest divorce The couple were hugely popular and seen as Italy’s answer to Posh and BecksCredit: GettyTheir 2005 wedding was a spectacle filmed for national TVCredit: GettyBefore their acrimonious split, they seemed happy and had three kids togetherCredit: RexFrancesco Totti and Ilary Blasi were branded Italy’s Posh and Becks after they married in 2005, on national TV, and went on to have three kids together.But their 2022 split, after 17 years of marriage, was one of the most sensational in the country’s history and things quickly got messy. It was revealed that Ilary had hired a private investigator after suspecting him of cheating.But Francesco, 48, also accused Ilary of infidelity, claiming she was the first one to betray their marriage. The AS Roma icon said: “It is not true that I was the first to betray.”I said I was not going to speak, and I did not, but I have read too many hoaxes in recent weeks. Some have even made my children suffer.”The divorce battle escalated over financial assets, as Totti accused his ex of running off with his expensive watch collection.In turn, he hid all her luxury handbags until she safely returned his belongings. In an interview, he said: “What was I supposed to do? I hid the bags, hoping for an exchange.”They also fought over their lavish home in Rome and custody of their three children. In November, Ilary claimed the Roma star left their eight-year-old home alone when he went away – an allegation he strongly refutes, saying she was being looked after by a ‘professional babysitter’.”The police came knocking on Totti’s door and a woman, allegedly a babysitter, opened the door,” says Italian journalist Daniele Fisichella.”It’s not clear whether it was actually a babysitter -Totti was away – or it was the concierge working at Totti’s residence. “If anyone wants to write a TV series, ‘The Totti’s’, that obviously could be part of it. It’s been going on for the last two years, to be fair… it seems that the end, it’s very far away.” The pair are still battling it out in court.Bankrupt star David James ended up paying his wife £3million in their divorceCredit: Getty – ContributorFor years, David James was one of the most recognisable faces in English football. The goalkeeper played for top clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City, and West Ham. He is said to have been earning £50,000 a week while playing for Portsmouth.He has four children with ex-wife Tanya, but the couple split in 2005 when he left her for his childhood sweetheart, Amanda Salmon, who wooed him by sending X-rated images of herself in a G-string.Tanya late said she found out about the affair when she saw a text he received during her birthday meal which read: “I would love to have your warm body next to mine right now.”The sender came up on his phone under the name Corgi Cars as David tried to hide her identity.During their bitter divorce battle, Tanya claims the star went back on his word of paying their children’s school fees and only gave her a “paltry” amount to live on after he took care of the household bills.But after paying Tanya £3million in the divorce settlement, the 51-year-old’s huge empire came crashing down and in 2014 he declared himself bankrupt, despite the £20million he had made from his time as a footballer.He was forced to auction many of his valuables, including his football memorabilia. In his 2004 biography, former Liverpool teammate, Stan Collymore wrote about David: “If he had a new car and he pranged it, he would just go and buy a new car – so there were five cars parked in the drive.”If he bought a new pair of shoes and he scuffed them, he wouldn’t clean them. He would just chuck them in the spare room and buy a new pair.”Too much disposable income, I suppose. Too easy just to bin stuff. Too easy to spend money like you’re going to be earning that kind of money for the rest of your life.”Huge payoutThierry Henry ended up paying his ex-wife nearly £10million after they splitCredit: GettyClaire was devastated when he walked outCredit: GoffINF.comIn 2003, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, 47, married Claire Merry. The couple welcomed their daughter, Tea, in 2005. However, after just four years of marriage, the French international announced he was leaving his wife, shortly before his transfer to Barcelona on a £130,000 a week contract.Claire was said to have been devastated when Henry walked out on their marriage amid rumours he had formed a “close friendship” with a Spanish actress.In court, Claire cited “unreasonable behaviour” as grounds for divorce. Thierry did not dispute the claim.In September 2007, a judge granted the divorce in a one-minute hearing at the High Court’s Principal Registry. Claire requested £10million and was reportedly awarded close to the figure, although Henry kept the £6million Hampstead mansion the couple shared. He has since demolished it and built a larger home in its place.He married Bosnian model Andrea Rajacic in 2011 and they have three children together.Locker room gossipThomas Tuchel and Sisi married in 2009 but ended their marriage 13 years laterCredit: GettyThe couple share two daughters together, Emma and KimCredit: GettyEngland’s new manager, Thomas Tuchel, 51, married his ex-wife Sisi while he worked in Germany in 2009. The couple eventually had two daughters, Emma and Kim. She quit her profession as a journalist to raise their young children.When he was offered a role as Chelsea manager, she moved to the UK in August 2021, and they bought a home near the club’s training ground in Surrey. But after 13 years together, their marriage broke down. Court documents show that Sisi had cited irreconcilable differences for their split. READ MORE SUN STORIESThree months after the divorce was finalised, he was seen out and about with his new girlfriend, Natalie Guerriero, 37, and it was revealed they have been dating since May 2022 – just a month after the split. According to the New York Post, his complicated love life and “erratic” behaviour had become a talking point in the Chelsea locker room. Shortly after, he was fired as the Blues’ boss.The breakdown of their marriage became a topic of conversation in the Chelsea locker roomCredit: Getty More

    • 275 Shares129 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury’s warrior rival Usyk was taught to fight with a knife by soldier dad & is haunted by missing final moments

      by

      IT’S the highly anticipated rematch that will see British boxing legend Tyson Fury attempt to unify the heavyweight titles.Six months after the Gypsy King’s first-ever defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in May, the pair will face each other for a second showdown tomorrow night. Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will face off for a second time on December 21Credit: GettyTheir last bout in May ended with Usyk as the victorCredit: GettyOleksandr Usyk pictured as a baby with soldier dad and older sister ViktoriaCredit: East2WestUkrainian heavyweight Usyk, who is the first to hold all the major heavyweight titles in 24 years, carries with him the fighting spirit of his dead soldier dad and a boxer pal killed by the Russians.His father, also called Oleksandr, was twice injured while serving the Soviet army in Afghanistan.He taught his son to duel with a blade, something that could have come in useful when the boxer joined Ukraine’s territorial defence battalion after Russia launched an all-out invasion of his country two years ago.The city where Usyk, 37, was born and grew up is under the control of Vladimir Putin’s invading forces.Read More in The SunAnd his boxer friend Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi was shot dead by the dictator’s troops when they entered Irpin, close to the capital Kyiv, in 2022.Usyk, nicknamed The Cat, wanted to continue defending his nation, but was urged by soldiers to win for his country with his fists instead.The boxer’s dedication to his sport cost him his chance to say goodbye to his father properly – because he didn’t get back in time from winning a gold medal at the London Olympic Games in 2012 before he died.Talking about his late father, he said:  “Everything I have now is thanks to him. He put a lot in me, he taught me about the priorities in life, which are family, sports and education. Most read in Boxing“He was a military man. My mother hated it when he taught me how to fight with a knife.” She’d shout ‘Sasha, he’ll grow up to be a criminal’.”Tyson Fury warned there’s ‘nothing he can do to stop what’s gonna happen’ in rematch with ‘bogeyman’ Oleksandr UsykParents Oleksandr and Nadezhda were proud of his medalsCredit: East2WestThe boxer with mum NadezhdaCredit: East2WestBrush with deathUsyk was born in Simferopol in Crimea where his security guard dad had met his mum Nadezhda, who worked in construction.His father did not talk much about his time serving with the Soviet army, which had invaded Afghanistan in 1979.But Usyk recalled: “I saw the consequences of this post-war condition and what happened to him. He often had headaches, he had very high blood pressure.“I remember that until the last he had some nightmares in which he called out the names of his comrades who were killed.”Usyk senior was injured twice while fighting for the USSR, which controlled by Ukraine until 1991.His son, who was born under Communist rule in 1987, first had a passion for football.The family moved to a village called Rybotyn in the north of Ukraine where he nearly died from pneumonia as a child.Usyk said: “It was really bad. The doctor even told my mother that I might not survive.” Mum Nadezhda revealed: “As a child, Sasha was a very sick child.”Then my son spent a whole year in the Chernihiv hospital.”My heart was aching and the doctors were afraid to make any predictions for the future.”Oleksandr Usyk was born under Communist ruleCredit: instagram/usykaa/Usyk took up boxing at 15Credit: instagram/@usykaaPunch on pitchThe family returned to Simferopol when he was a teenager, still at school.His father was a harsh disciplinarian, who would give him a “slap on the head” if his grades fell below C.“He raised me to be a man from childhood,” he said. “He forced me to wash socks and underwear, clean the room, and iron my trousers. He said that if I don’t learn this, if I don’t learn discipline, then I won’t succeed in life. “He said: ‘The way a man behaves in life, behind the wheel, with women, shows his true strength. If he can’t cope, if he’s dirty, neglected, and doesn’t know how to behave with women, then he’s not a real man’.”He’d recovered enough from his illness to play football for his school team – something that ended when he punched an opposition player during a match.Aged 15 he took up boxing instead – encouraged by his dad, an amateur boxer.My children are asking, ‘Daddy, why do they want to kill us?’ I don’t know how to answer thatOleksandr UsykHis swift reflexes and dedication led him to success in the ring, which impressed his childhood sweetheart Yekaterina, generally called Kateryna.She once admitted: “I didn’t consider him at all, except as a friend. He said ‘If I win the fight today, will you go somewhere with me tonight?’ I say: ‘Win, we’ll see there.” He won. And that’s it.”Usyk became a national hero when he picked up a gold medal at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 in the heavyweight division.It was a victory that was to be followed by tragedy – because his dad died a few days later back in Ukraine while Oleksandr was abroad.He remembered:  “He watched me become Olympic champion, but I didn’t make it back in time to show him the gold medal.”When I arrived he was already lying in the coffin.”I handed him the medal, put it in his dead hand and then left the room.”What was most difficult to cope with is that rather than heading home directly from London, Oleksandr had stopped off to collect a supercar, which delayed him going home.During an emotional interview with TNT he said: “I wanted to bring it with me and show him what a cool car I had. My mom called me at 3am and told me the news.”Usyk’s dad saw him win an Olympic gold but died before he saw his son againCredit: Getty Images – GettyThe boxer wept as he told the story on TNTCredit: X @boxingontntHe later revealed the emotional phone call to his dad after winning the gold, saying: “I called my dad and started screaming: ‘Yes! We won!’ My father told me: ‘I congratulate you, son. I love you’. “My father never told me he loved me. It remains in my memory as something special. I tell my children every day that I love them.”War in UkraineIn 2013 Usyk became a professional boxer, becoming a world champion in the cruiserweight division, which is just below heavyweight.A year later Russian-backed separatists took control of Crimea and parts of the east of the country.He was the undisputed champion when he defeated Brit Tony Bellew in 2018.After that Usyk stepped up to heavyweight, twice beating Anthony Joshua, the second time after Russia had launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine.That fight had been in doubt because The Cat wanted to defend his country rather than be a sportsman. He returned to his homeland in February 2022, armed himself with a rifle and joined the territorial defence force.He later recalled the night bombs began to rain down on his house in Bucha, on February 24, 2022 – his daughter Yelizaveta’s birthday.He said: “My children are asking: ‘Daddy, why do they want to kill us?’ I don’t know how to answer that.”A month after signing up to fight he was persuaded to go on training for the bout with Brit Joshua.Instead, he is providing financial support for the rebuilding of his heavily bombed homeland.In his first bout, it was reported that Fury had to agree to give £1million of his reported £115m fight fee to the reconstruction of Ukraine in order for the contest to go ahead. Usyk is funding the rebuilding of a property in Irpin where one of his friends was killed by advancing Russians who seized the city in February 2022. It was recaptured by Ukrainian forces on March 28 of the same year. He said: “In this house, there was a boxing gym of my good friend. He and I were in the national team, we went to boxing competitions together. “Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi was shot by Russian soldiers right in this hall.”World champ Oleksandr Usyk after beating Tony Bellew in 2018Credit: PA:Press AssociationThe fighter (centre, in black) joined the Kyiv Territorial Defence in Ukraine in 2022Credit: Refer to CaptionUsyk and Yekaterina have three kidsCredit: instagram/@usykaaEeyore toy Usyk’s wife and three children, Kyrylo, Mykhalio and Yelizaveta, live in the capital, Kyiv.Unlike Fury’s wife Paris, who has appeared in reality shows with her husband, Kateryna stays out of the limelight.Usyk often speaks about how much he loves her and their children.Sometimes he can be seen clutching a cuddly Eeyore toy which was given to him by his daughter after the Russian invasion separated them.Usyk carries the Eeyore toy given to him by his daughterCredit: Instagram/@usykaaOleksandr Usyk with his daughterCredit: instagram/@usykaaThe dedicated, incredibly fit pugilist has been getting up at 4.45am every day to get in shape for the biggest bout of his career.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd before he walks out to the roaring crowd for a second time on Saturday, the spirit of his late father could be with him.Usyk said, with tears in his eyes: “Sometimes he comes to me the day before the fight. Yes, sometimes he comes the day before the fight and smiles.” More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      Jake Paul’s rise from ‘world’s most hated man’ who terrorised neighbours with ‘warzone’ parties to $80m Mike Tyson rival

      by

      HE’S the motormouth YouTube sensation who has carved out a lucrative career in boxing – despite starting out as a star on the Disney channel. Few could have predicted Jake Paul’s meteoric rise and much of it is thanks to his infamous “problem child” persona that’s netted him a cool $80million (£63m).Jake Paul is due to fight boxing heavyweight Mike Tyson tomorrowCredit: RexThe 27-year-old is just as famous for his scandals as he is for his boxing careerCredit: GettyThe social media star’s £5.5 million LA mansion raided by FBI where guns were allegedly seizedCredit: KABC-TVNow the 27-year-old, from Ohio, US, is facing his biggest and most unexpected challenge to date – a boxing bout with legendary fighter Mike Tyson. Reaching this point has been no easy thing for Paul, who once branded himself the “world’s most hated man” due to his controversial posts online and wild partying antics. During that time he’s weathered a number of scandals from alleged cryptocurrency scams that defrauded fans out of millions and his notorious “warzone parties” that featured bonfires as tall as houses.Those notorious moments led to him being fired from the Disney programme but his outrageous misconduct didn’t stop there.READ MORE FROM FEATURESThere have been “roadmap” scams, mystery boxes with no prizes, a Tommy Fury fight ‘script leak’, as well as an FBI raid for firearms.Paul’s controversial stunts are endless have led him to be considered the ultimate scandal magnet – and it’s unlikely to stop now as he prepares to clash with Tyson. Childhood abuseThe 27-year-old opened up in Netflix’s Untold: Jake Paul The Problem Child about alleged childhood abuse by his “intense” father, Greg, in Ohio. Jake claimed his dad would “slap the s*** out of him” and would regularly tell him as a child: “Life’s not fair, get the f*** over it.” Most read in BoxingEven in the documentary, Greg, a real estate worker, was evasive when it came to shouldering any blame.He denied physical abuse, despite facing allegations from both of his sons, insisting he only ever “threw them on the couch a couple times.”Evander Holyfield’s shocking boxing return aged 58 should act as danger warning to Mike Tyson for Jake Paul fight In one section, Greg defiantly said: “That’s what the f*** dads are supposed to do. Welcome to life, get the f*** over it.”Older brother Logan weighed in, saying Jake remains “traumatised” by their father’s tough parenting style, calling it “not quite legal.”FBI firearm raidsIn August 2020, Paul’s Los Angeles mansion was raided by the FBI in a highly publicised investigation. In dramatic scenes, SWAT teams descended upon his lavish Calabasas home to allegedly collect firearms, although no federal charges were ultimately filed. This wasn’t Jake’s first run-in with the law. Brothers Logan Paul (L) and Jake Paul pictured together who described their dad as a “menace”Credit: Getty – ContributorDramatic footage captured the moment the FBI raided his luxury LA mansionCredit: KABC-TVHe faced looting charges during the Arizona riots in May 2020 following the controversial death of George Floyd, which were later dropped.He previously made headlines for hosting a massive party during COVID where revellers drank, played beer pong, and swung from construction equipment despite local health restrictions.Sex assault chargesPaul has faced significant backlash following allegations of sexual misconduct from two women.TikTok star Justine Paradise accused him of sexually assaulting her in his Los Angeles home in 2019, alleging he forced her into sexual acts without her consent. TikTok star Justine Paradise claimed she was sexually assaulted by the boxer in a 20-min video posted on YouTubeCredit: YouTube/Justine ParadiseIn a 20-minute video posted on YouTube, the 30-year-old alleged Paul grabbed her face and forced her to perform oral sex on him, and touched her inappropriately without consent.Paradise claimed she felt silenced by an NDA she had signed at his residence. Paul denied the accusations, stating they were “100% false”.Shortly after, model Railey Lollie claimed Paul groped her in 2017 when she was underage and often made inappropriate remarks calling her “jailbait” during their time filming. Paul’s legal team hit back, saying Paul “has every intention of aggressively disproving it and pursuing legal action against those responsible for the defamation of his character.”‘Warzone parties’Outside Jake Paul’s Calabasas mansion where he terrorised his neighbours with wild partiesCredit: Jake Paul/YoutubeJake setting fire to a mattress at one partyCredit: SuppliedJake’s infamous antics have turned his LA neighbourhood into what locals call a “living hell.” Posting his address online led his fans dubbed “Paulers” to swarm the area, sparking noise complaints, non-stop parties, and setting furniture on fire in his pool – flames reportedly reaching the height of his home. Paul openly laughed at his neighbours’ frustrations, even taunting them with laughing emojis online. Jake Paul embraced his “world’s worst neighbour” reputation with pride. His chaotic behaviour, including wild parties and disruptive antics, eventually led to his firing from the Disney show Bizaardvark. Meanwhile, his brother, Logan, praised their devoted fans, dubbing them “the strongest army out there.”Scam sitesPaul promoted mystery boxes saying they were packed with cash when they were actually emptyHe enjoys the high life with girlfriend Jutta LeerdamCredit: @juttaleerdamPaul has amassed his $80 million (£62 million) net worth by capitalising on his controversial “problem child” persona both online and in the boxing ring. Along the way, he’s been accused of multiple schemes, including a $7 (£5.50) “roadmap” to becoming an influencer, which allegedly left teens shortchanged because they didn’t have complete access to the site.His “MysteryBrand” campaign also stirred backlash, as users reportedly won no prizes despite paying to open digital “mystery boxes.” He was also criticised for promoting gambling to kids. Most notably, Paul was named in a crypto “pump-and-dump” case that allegedly cost fans $2.2 million (£1.7 million) in losses.The rise & falls of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul JAKE Paul is about to have the fight of his life against legendary boxer Mike Tyson. In a career like few others, he’s risen from Disney star to YouTube sensation before carving out a path as a high-profile sportsman.Here are some of the highlights from his boxing career: Paul debuted in boxing by defeating fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib in 2020.Later that year, he scored a knockout win against ex-NBA player Nate Robinson.In 2021, he turned his focus to MMA stars, stopping Ben Askren in a single round.He narrowly beat Tyron Woodley on points, then knocked him out in a rematch that December.Paul earned a decision win over Anderson Silva before facing his first loss to Tommy Fury by split decision in February 2023.He then outpointed Nate Diaz, followed by low-key knockout wins over Andre August and Ryan Bourland.Since then, he’s scored three knockout victories in the ring. His next fight is tomorrow vs. Mike TysonLike many celebrities tied to crypto scandals, Jake Paul allegedly promoted questionable cryptocurrencies – Safemoon, Yummy Coin, Milf Token, and others – without disclosing he was being paid for the role.He reportedly promoted these tokens, transferring them to a wallet linked to him before cashing out as their values dropped. This led to accusations of a “pump-and-dump” scheme – where a cryptocurrency’s value is inflated through celebrity endorsements or false claims about its value – causing fans to lose significant sums while Paul pocketed profits.Tommy Fury leaked ‘script’Tommy Fury punches Jake Paul during the Cruiserweight Title fightCredit: GettyPaul also faced accusations of fixing his rematch fight with British boxer Tommy Fury after a “script” was leaked online. The document, posted by UFC’s Mike Perry, claimed to outline the entire bout, including a dramatic TKO victory for Paul in the eighth round.But promoters quickly dismissed the document as a fake, calling it nothing more than a rumour. Despite the claims, the supposed “script” included outlandish details such as Paul walking out in a baby costume and Fury suffering a severe eye injury.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe celebrity boxing rivals spent two years feuding before finally squaring up in Saudi Arabia in February 2023. Paul fought Tommy in an eight-round cruiser-weight fight. The bout resulted in a split decision victory in favour of Tommy. More

    • 275 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Gary Lineker ‘could be snapped up by Netflix & DOUBLE £30m fortune’ after building TV empire away from Match of the Day

      by

      HE may be giving up his £1.36 million-a-year job, but the BBC’s highest-paid star will be just fine after building a canny media empire of his own.We revealed this week that Gary Lineker will be leaving Match of the Day after 25 years at the end of this season.Gary Lineker will leave Match of the Day at the end of the seasonCredit: BBCHis own company has had success with documentaries like Football, Prince William & Our Mental HealthCredit: BBC SportHe has struck deals for the likes for Vision Express. Pictured in a photoshoot for the brandCredit: SWNSThe football pundit will quit the BBC after anchoring the Corporation’s 2025/26 FA Cup coverage and the next World Cup.In a statement confirming he’s stepping down, Lineker said: “I’m delighted to continue my long association with BBC Sport and would like to thank all those who made this happen.”While many might shudder at the thought of stepping away from such a well-paid role, Lineker’s booming projects away from the Beeb could still see his estimated £30million fortune DOUBLE in the coming years, according to experts.And it’s all thanks to his TV production company, Goalhanger Films.READ MORE SPORTS FEATURESThe firm has already been behind high-profile BBC shows, including Football, Prince William And Our Mental Health in 2020, but it’s also found success with steaming giants, selling a Serena Williams documentary to Amazon last year.Brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes big beasts like Netflix will now have Lineker’s future projects in his sights – and could reward him with a multi-million pound deal, if David Beckham’s £20 million payday was anything to go by.He tells us: “This is a golden moment for Gary to make even more money, spread his broadcasting wings and create compelling content that will help him double his wealth. “I’m sure he will be selling his documentaries and series back to the BBC but now he has the option to sell to the highest bidders with the biggest viewership, making him one of the most powerful men in the media and it’s only going to get more successful for him as the demand is increasing.Most read in Football“Netflix has massive budgets and knows that his shows rate really well, like his Prince William doc. “With his black book full of the greatest sports stars in the world – and royals – plus Netflix’s high demand for content, he will be top of their list for programmes, and could earn tens of millions.”Watch first look trailer for BBC’s ‘Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health’Goalhanger also has an extremely successful podcast production arm, which is now signed up with global entertainment agency WME.In 2022, Lineker hailed  the “incredible growth” of Goalhanger Podcasts, and admitted he could leave the BBC to work on it full time – so it’s very possible that’s what his plans are.He told The New Statesman: “Maybe. Who knows? Life’s thrown many things at me. And I’m 61. “We don’t really know what the boundaries are in terms of growth. But it’s a very, very good business.”Brand dealsThe Rest Is Football podcast has over 320,000 subscribers on YouTubeCredit: The Rest Is FootballLineker has been the face of Walkers for 30 yearsCredit: AlamyHis company has also sold a Serena Williams documentary to AmazonCredit: AFPGoalhanger has produced some of the biggest podcasts in the country, including The Rest Is Politics , hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, and The Rest Is History, presented by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.And it has found success Stateside recently, too, launching The Rest Is Politics: US.Last year, Gary began fronting The Rest is Football podcast with Micah Richards and Alan Shearer – which has 320,000 subscribers on YouTube.And Nick thinks he’ll continue to earn even more from YouTube thanks to his many brand deals.His most famous is Walkers – who he’s been working with for 30 years, and appeared in over 150 adverts for.Lineker is estimated to earn around £1 million a year from the crisps giant, and signed another three-year deal with them in 2022.He’s also got his own range of specs in high street chain Vision Express, with glasses frames starting at £99 and sunglasses at £39.Shirts brand TM Lewin, also signed Lineker up, to promote its budget range, starting at £25. In 2023, he launched his own line with Next, modelling his own clothes online.Having previously also hosted for the likes of NBC and TNT Sports, Nick says a move to YouTube for Lineker may be on the cards – as he’ll be free from the BBC guidelines.He adds: “He will soon be using YouTube to carry on his football commentary and be able to monetise this.“Without the BBC stronghold for limited commercial activity, he will be getting offers from brands who want to piggyback on the perennial success of his Walkers crisps ads and maximise on his popularity.”Lavish lifeLineker has a £4m mansion in BarnesCredit: SWNS:South West News ServiceThis includes a £50k Jaguar F-PaceCredit: JaguarLineker’s business acumen has led to him owning a £4 million home in Barnes, London – complete with gym and cinema – as well as a car collection worth over £300,000.That included his super-smart Jaguar F-Pace, worth around £50,000.But he’s also been seen riding a Mercedes SL550, BMW 650i convertible, Range Rover Sport and a Jaguar XJ.The hotshot striker was even spied in a £20,000 Mini Cooper Turbo once upon a time.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe car collector has also invested in insurance company, Ticker, which aims to reduce premiums for drivers between the ages of 17 and 25, and is backed by former Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell.Nick finishes: “Lineker has cleverly created a media business that doesn’t need to rely on him and is set to make much more money after BBC.”Lineker has a range with NextCredit: NextHe broke BBC guidelines when he wore his range on the EurosCredit: BBC More

    • 188 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Footballers’ financial disasters…Gary Neville’s ‘Teletubby’ eco-home to star’s £1.2m mansion taken over by drug dealers

      by

      THEY make more money in one day than most of us will all year.But for cash-flush football stars looking to invest their millions in creative ways, fortune doesn’t always favour the brave.Gary Neville’s restaurant has gone into liquidationCredit: GettyHis £8m eco-home was likened to the TeletubbiesCredit: SWNS:South West News ServiceIt never got built in the end and he struggled to sell the plot of landCredit: Make ArchitectsThis week, we revealed how Gary Neville’s Michelin-star restaurant, The Man Behind the Curtain, has become his latest business flop.The Leeds eatery – run by chef Micheal O’Hare – has gone into liquidation with debts reported at £1 million, including £519,000 owed in taxes.It’s a disappointing result for the former Man United ace, who has had more hits than misses with his business ventures, allowing him to build up a £100million empireBut Gary – who even appeared as a guest Dragon on Dragons’ Den earlier this year – is far from alone when it comes to footballers and financial disasters.READ MORE SPORTS FEATURESFrom a former Arsenal star who FORGOT he had bought a £1.2million home and saw it overrun by drug dealers, to an ex-Chelsea ace swindled in a multi-million pound betting scheme, we look at some of the game’s biggest cautionary tales.Tellytubby eco-home nightmareNeville’s kitchen nightmare isn’t his first setback. He also made a disastrous business decision in 2010, when he bought a plot of land to build an £8million eco-house.The Sky Sports pundit was planning a futuristic carbon-neutral mansion with its own 130ft wind turbine on, to sit in Harwood, Greater Manchester.The house would be built into the ground with a grassy roof fitted with solar panels.Most read in FootballThe two-storey home would have an open plan kitchen and living room downstairs, plus five bedrooms, as well as a fitness suite, plant room and double garage for bikes and cars.Neighbours said the planned house resembled the one in children’s TV show Teletubbies, but after a long battle with them, Neville eventually got the green light to go ahead in 2012.Gary Neville reveals he bought and sold a Bentley after three weeks as he ‘felt like a w*****’However, the house was never built, and by 2020, he was struggling to sell the 8,000 square foot site – with his original eco-friendly plans included in the price.Eventually, he was forced to slash the £650,000 asking price by a quarter to £500,000.Nightclub turned lapdancing jointStephane Mahe opened up nightclub Seventh Heaven in GlasgowCredit: John Kirkby – The Sun GlasgowIt flopped and became a strip clubCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdEx-Celtic and Hearts defender Stephane Mahe hooked up with former team-mate and fellow countryman Stephane Bonnes for a step into the business world in 2002, when he plunged £400,000 into a nightclub near Glasgow’s Charing Cross.But it was over even quicker than his two-year spell with the Hoops.The pair opened Seventh Heaven, hoping to lure 1,300 revellers to the venue each weekend – including fellow pros and their Wags.Instead they managed just 50 punters some nights.With debts reported at the time to be close to half a million pounds, the doors were quickly closed, less than half a year after the business kicked off.Seventh Heaven was soon re-opened as a lapdancing club and the new owners quickly struck up a sponsorship deal with Airdrie United chairman Jim Ballantyne, who joked he was bringing “sexy football” to the club.Pitch-side hoardings at the New Broomfield ground described the venue as “The Chairman’s Choice”.Betting swindleChris Sutton got involved in a million-pound scam and was declared bankruptCredit: Kenny RamsayIn 2014, former Chelsea and England striker Chris Sutton was declared bankrupt after being caught in a spread betting foreign currency scam.Sutton and his wife Samantha both invested £50,000 each after his former financial adviser Simon Grint assured him he would make a “good return”.But the investment was part of a multi-million-pound fraud scheme, for which Grint was jailed in 2013.In a statement released at the time, ex-Celtic forward Sutton said: “During the investment period, I was led to believe that I was making a profit on the investment. “However, I now realise that I was not.”He also told the Daily Record: “I’ve been given bad financial advice.”Forgotten mansion overrun by drug lordsJermaine Pennant admitted to squandering £10millionCredit: Simon JonesA gang took over his forgotten mansion and turned it into a cannabis factoryCredit: YouTubeFormer Arsenal player Jermaine Pennant declared himself bankrupt last year, having run up debts of around £1million.Describing himself as “financially illiterate,” he revealed how he squandered around £10million during his career.The former Liverpool winger splashed out on a fleet of supercars, homes, five-star holidays abroad and once paid a £25,000 bar bill on a lads’ break in Las Vegas. He told The Sun: “In all honesty, I could have been a billionaire and still f***ed it up. I have made so many mistakes but I did not know how to deal with things and would not think of the consequences of my actions.”Pennant even bought a £1.2million six-bedroom mansion in Cheshire but later forgot he owned it – although he was still paying the interest-only mortgage on it.When he moved to Spain he left it empty, but it was later occupied by a drugs gang who caused a fire at the property.Pennant admitted: “I bought houses but never spoke to an estate agent and had mortgages that I did not know about.“I took bad advice from bad people and just lived day to day.“There was a fixer who arranged things for me — but now I realise he swindled me out of money.“He advised me to buy the house in Hale for well over the odds and then to do a load of building work on it. But I wasn’t paying the builders, I was paying him.”£5 left in the bankRonaldinho owed millions but only had £5 in his bankCredit: Instagram @ronaldinhoHis supercars were taken off him, as well as propertiesCredit: Instagram @ronaldinhoIn 2018, Ronaldinho was reported to have just £5 in his bank account despite owing a massive £1.75million.The Brazil legend was fined heavily for illegal construction in a protected area in his home country, along with his brother Roberto Assis.Despite remortgaging the property, Ronaldinho was said to be unable to pay his debt due to the sky-high interest rate, and had just £5.24 left in his bank account.As a result of that, a judge in Brazil ordered Ronaldinho to have his passport seized in a bid to ensure he didn’t flee the country.READ MORE SUN STORIESRonaldinho also had his luxury cars and artwork seized by Brazilian officials after he and his brother Roberto de Assis Moreira were chased by officials claiming he owed money for fines levied against his charity.The former Barcelona and AC Milan star continued to have money problems, and had two of his properties in Brazil seized in 2021, to recoup any money owed by the former footballer. More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Meet world’s biggest WAG with more fans than Georgina Rodriguez & pals like Madonna… can you guess her footie boyfriend?

      by

      WITH 64.4 million fans on Instagram, she’s got more followers than Cristiano Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez.But chances are Brits may not have heard of Brazilian superstar Anitta, who can lay claim to the title of the world’s most popular WAG.Brazilian megastar Anitta is officially the world’s most popular WAGCredit: GettyDespite being worth a reported $50m, she remains relatively unknown in the UKCredit: AlamyWith multiple accolades under her belt, the singer says she’s ready to take on the English-speaking worldCredit: Savage X FentyCareer highlights for the star so far include performing at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony and joining Madonna on stageCredit: Instagram @anittaOne of the biggest Latin musicians of her generation – with more than 30million monthly Spotify listeners, a Grammy nomination, and collaborations with stars such as Cardi B and Kylie to her name – Annita is said to be worth a cool $50million.So she’ll certainly be out-earning her footballer beau, Vinicius Souza, who hails from plucky Championship side Sheffield United.From humble beginnings in a Rio de Janeiro favela, Annita has conquered South America with her chart-topping hits, even performing at the Olympics opening ceremony.Fiercely independent, she acted as her own manager for years, and has even sat on the board of Latin America’s biggest banks.Read More FeaturesAnd a viral video of her getting a tattoo on her bum spiralled into a controversial political scandal engulfing then-president Jair Bolsanaro.So just who is the “Queen of Brazilian Pop”?Humble originsWith an artisan mum and a car battery salesman dad, Anitta was born in 1993, growing up in the Honório Gurgel favela, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro.Following her parents’ divorce when she was a toddler, the family found themselves even more strapped for cash. Most read in FootballThe future pop-megastar slept in the same room as her mum and brother, as this was where their aircon was – but they could only afford to switch it on for a few minutes every night.Anitta has spoken since about how much family means to her – and how they keep her humble.“Family is the thing that makes me feel grounded,” she said, speaking to Nylon mag.“When I come back home, I’m treated as the same motherf***er as always. I speak to them literally every day.”While she’d always declared at a young age that she was destined to be a star, it was a viral video uploaded in 2010 of her singing into a stick of deodorant that led to that becoming a reality.At just 16 years old, she caught the attention of record label Furacão 2000, which specialises in a style of music called “funk carioca”.Family comes first for the superstar, who grew up in a room with her mum and brotherCredit: InstagramRio – Brazil’s second largest city – is home to landmarks such as Christ the Redemeer and the Sugarloaf MountainCredit: AlamyAfter releasing her first single, Meiga e Abusada, in 2012, she then brought out her self-titled debut – which went straight to number one and is certified platinum in her home country.Shortly after this, the music video for her second single, Show Das Poderosas, went viral.In less than a week, it became Brazil’s most-watched music video on YouTube of all time.Now, with 32.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify, she’s widely considered to be Brazil’s biggest female popstar.She’s won four Latin American Music Awards, three MTV Music Video Awards, and has been nominated for a Grammy for best new artist – while her 2022 hit Envolver spawned a TikTok challenge of twerking with your head on the floor.The star has also frequently cited Madonna as an inspiration, and performed alongside her in front of 1.6 million people on Copacabana Beach in Rio.Fiercely outspokenAnnita isn’t afraid to do things her own way, having acted as her own manager until 2019, maintaining total control over sponsorship partnerships, business deals, and directing her own music videos.She has spoken confidently about showing off her cellulite – but is also happy to talk about her plastic surgery journey, which includes a nose job, jaw-line reshaping, and multiple breast reductions. Speaking to Nylon she said: “I won’t be pretending I’m some type of way that I’m not.”Annita joining Madonna – who she cites as one of her biggest inspirations – on stage earlier this yearCredit: GettyThe superstar has only gone from strength to strength since going viral on YouTube in 2010Credit: AlamyAs one of Latin America’s biggest stars, the singer has performed with stars including Snoop Dogg and Cardi BCredit: Getty“Girls don’t need men for s**t. We got vibrators, we got friends – we got gay friends, which is way better than any other f***ing husband. Trust me.”While she proudly embraces her sexuality, she’s also made it clear that she’s so much more than just a sex object.She told Today: “I don’t care about talking about sexuality. It’s part of our life, and it’s a big part of who I am, so I don’t mind at all being asked about it. I love being a sexual person. It’s part of my character. “I just don’t like it when people think that’s just it. When people treat me as if ‘Oh, being sexy is all she knows.’ No, that’s not all I know. I was managing my own career for so many years. I’m a business woman. “I can’t be reduced to just sex – I do so much, and I still want to do much more.”Insta’s biggest WAGsWhile Anitta may take number one spot, here are the other WAGs that have stacked up the followers on Instagram… and become stars in their own right.Georgina Rodriguez – 61.6mAntonela Roccuzzo – 40.3mBecky G – 47.4mVictoria Beckham – 33mPerrie Edwards – 19.2mAlisha Lehmann – 17mPilar Rubio – 11mBruna Biancardi – 10.6mLeigh-Anne Pinnock – 10mDiletta Leotta – 9.1m‘15million boyfriends’Since coming out as bisexual in her first Netflix documentary, Vai Anitta, in 2018, the star has been open about her relationships – and the variety of her dating life.“I hate hiding things,” she told Nylon. “Yeah, [I] f*** girls too.”She’s previously been linked to stars including Brazilian singer Mr Thug, dancer Ohana Lefundes, Colombian megastar Maluma, and 365 Days actor Simone Sussina.And in 2017, she took a leap into marriage, tying the knot with Brazilian businessman Thiago Magalhães in a private ceremony in the Amazon rainforest. But things only lasted for a year before they split.Anitta – who says she has ’15 million boyfriends’ – has a love life that’s hard to pin downCredit: GettyAnitta was married to businessman Thiago Magalhaes for a yearCredit: RexThe Brazilian star has most recently been linked to Sheffield United midfielder Vinicius SouzaCredit: RexMost recently, Anitta’s been linked with Sheffield United and former Flamengo player Vinicius Souza, with the pair recently seen together at Paris Fashion Week, as reported by Billboard.But while he may be her boyfriend for now, she’s happy to admit that exclusivity in relationships isn’t exactly something she craves – and she’s been in plenty of open relationships before.“I have 15 million boyfriends, whatever,” she told Nylon.“If the guy makes me feel respected and incredible, I don’t care if he sleeps with another woman. I’ve had boyfriends who never cheated on me, but they treated me like trash.”I stopped caring about all of the things that I used to care about, like record sales, or the number of people talking about me. Now, I honestly just want to have a good timeWhile she’s always had a free-wheeling attitude to life, a hospitalisation in 2022 that left her thinking she was “going to die” led to further enlightenment.“I got really sick and was so physically ill I couldn’t work, and I hadn’t stopped working in so many years,” she told Today, adding: “It was a big wake up call.”Doctors investigated her illness for five months to no apparent avail.It was only after travelling to Mount Everest to heal with shamans that things got better.“After my health issues, I started taking better care of my spirituality. I follow Yoruba religion, and I had to jump into that. I dove into myself, and everything that makes me feel peace,” she said.“I stopped caring about all of the things that I used to care about, like record sales, or the number of people talking about me. I used to care so much. Now, I honestly just want to have a good time.”She counts celebrities such as Camila Cabello among her palsCredit: GettyAfter performances at Coachella and more recently in London, she has her sights set on global dominationCredit: GettyBum tattoo scandalWhen it comes to activities outside of music – and outside of jetting around the world to see her lovers – Anitta has also kept herself busy in the world of business.In 2019, she became Head of Creativity and Innovation for the Brazilian version of the drink Skol, launching Skol Beats – a citrus take on the beer, coming in several fruity flavours.And in 2021, she became a member of the Board of Directors of Nubank, the largest Fintech bank in Latin America – and even played a crucial role in getting the bank listed on the Brazilian stock exchange.While she’s no stranger to dipping her toe into politics, being an outspoken advocate for protecting the environment and LGBT rights, she also became embroiled in a political scandal for a very different reason.In February 2021, a video went viral showing Anitta getting “I love you” tattooed on her bum.One year later, right-wing Brazilian artist Zé Neto took a swipe at the star – because of a political debate over government subsidies for the arts, known as the Rouanet law.And I was thinking that all I was doing was an intimate tattoo“We are artists who do not depend on the Rouanet Law,” he said to the crowd.“Our fee is funded by the people. We don’t need to put a tattoo on our butt to show that we are doing well.”Anitta’s hordes of fans turned against him – and it was exposed that Zé Neto himself had relied on public money to fund his shows.READ MORE SUN STORIESEventually, the spiralling scandal led to state public prosecutors investigating funding irregularities in 29 municipalities across the country.“And I was thinking that all I was doing was an intimate tattoo,” the star later posted on X. More

    • 300 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Spice up your sex life & DON’T watch Celebs Go Dating – my 8 rules for Kyle Walker and Annie to rescue rocky marriage

      by

      LOVE rat Footballer Kyle Walker has been taken back into the family home by Annie Kilner. His long-suffering wife, 32, has allowed the Manchester City player, 34, back for the sake of their children but has told pals they have not fully reconciled. Annie has allowed Kyle to move back into the family home for the sake of their kidsCredit: BackGridKyle’s former mistress Lauryn Goodman, 33, is currently appearing on Celebs Go DatingCredit: PAA source said: “They either had to make a go of it or move on, and they’ve decided to see how things go.“It’s on a trial basis.“Kyle’s been back for over a week now, and he’s sleeping in a separate bed on the third floor of the house.“Annie is determined to do what she thinks is best for her kids.”READ MORE FEATURESBut patching things up between the pair is going to be extremely hard, warns relationship expert Jo Hemmings. “This situation has been a rather excessive love triangle as he’s had an affair twice with the same woman,” she said. “Making things work after getting back together once is hard, but doing it a second time reduces the chances of it working even further.“But it is possible with work from both parties.”Most read in FootballHere, Jo gives her no-nonsense rules for the couple to have the best chance of a successful marriage after Kyle’s infidelities.Turn off the TVKyle’s former mistress Lauryn Goodman, 33, is currently appearing on Celebs Go Dating, which is sure to make things harder for Annie and Kyle as they make a go of their marriage.Lauryn Goodman breaks down in tears as she describes Kyle Walker drama as ‘going to war’Lauryn is still wearing a necklace embalzoned with Kyle’s initialsCredit: RexShe’s been breaking down in tears on the E4 dating showCredit: Channel 4Jo said: “They need to avoid watching Celebs Go Dating, no matter how tempting it might be.“Lauryn is wearing a necklace with KW engraved on it, which suggests that she isn’t over Kyle.“It’s not something either of them need to see while mending fences. “It could make Annie want to fight for her man if she sees Lauryn’s behaviour, but I would just recommend they don’t watch it. Especially Annie.”Spice up sex lifeThe couple share four children and have been together since they were 16 years oldCredit: AFP or LicensorsSince returning to the family home earlier this month, Kyle has been sleeping in a separate bedroom to Annie, which is also on a different floor of the house. But if they want to make this reconciliation work and go the distance, they need to bring back intimacy into their relationship.Jo said: “They 100 per cent need to work on their intimacy if things are going to work out. “But he’ll need to behave scrupulously well before Annie is likely to even consider letting him back into her bedroom again.“To start working on it, they need to spend time together one on one. Starting with dedicated date nights is a good idea. “If they’re not having a full, proper relationship, then it won’t work.“It also means he’ll be more likely to stray again, be it to Lauryn or someone else.”Couples counsellingJo’s top recommendation for Kyle and Annie is to get in touch with a couple’s counsellor and book in session to work through their issues. She said: “I can’t see them working this out without getting external help. Their relationship is so fragile at this point.“This is a very messy situation and they are going to need structure and external advice from someone who is neutral and will listen without judgement to get their relationship back on track. “Part of that counselling will require full candour from Kyle. He needs to be honest about what has happened and why he strayed.“Thrashing it out in private during a couple’s session is a great way to work through their issues, away from their young children.”Drop the pastAnnie needs to accept the children Kyle has with LaurynCredit: INSTAGRAMOne of the hardest things to do for any couple that has gone through issues is to leave the past behind. Jo reckons this is absolutely vital for Kyle and Annie to make their relationship work.“They do initially need to have conversations about what has happened in the past with Lauryn and properly wring everything out,” Jo said. “But once that is done, they need to focus on what their future can be like. “They’ve already got four children together, so they’ve got a good reason to try.“But having another baby to bring them closer won’t work. This is more about looking at what their life could be like if things work out. “They need to make plans to help them move forward, rather than constantly looking back.” Accept the kidsKyle’s betrayals have been made very clear with the two children he’s fathered with Lauryn.While this may be a painful reminder for Annie, Jo says she needs to accept they exist and aren’t at fault. “These children are innocent at the end of the day, and they deserve to know their father,” she said. “While their existence is likely to be painful to Annie and a constant reminder of his betrayal, I am sure she would want him to be a good father to all his children.“That said, I imagine for now she’ll want things reasonably restricted because of Lauryn and I can’t see them going away as a blended family any time soon. “But accepting the children as part of life is a step towards things being easier.”Annie makes the rulesKyle needs to understand he has betrayed his wife’s trust and needs to follow her leadKyle has shattered his wife’s trust by straying not once, but twice, with the same woman. As a result, Jo says he needs to accept that Annie will rule their house, and he has to prove his trustworthiness to her. “Annie is going to struggle to trust Kyle, and that means he has to prove himself to her in any way possible,” she told The Sun. “So if she wants to know where he is and have access to his phone, he needs to give her that while they rebuild. “If he feels like it’s ridiculous and an invasion of his privacy, then he probably isn’t really up for repairing things. “A lot of making this work is based on him being willing to be honest. He has got to play by Annie’s rules if he wants to make this work.”Grow up The couple need to rediscover their romantic sideCredit: Tim StewartJo reckons that Kyle’s infidelities are a result of him not being mature enough to handle being a father and a husband. In order to make things work with Annie, he needs to start growing up. “Kyle has got a lot of growing up to do emotionally,” she said. “He’s not the first Premier League footballer to stray, and won’t be the last. Kyle’s love life2007 – Kyle Walker meets Annie in their hometown of Sheffield when she is just 16. The pair start dating shortly after.2013 – Annie and Kyle welcome the birth of their first son, Roman, 11. 2016 – Rumours first arise of Kyle’s bad behaviour when he was caught messaging Playboy model Carla Howe. Sources claimed she cut it off when she found out he had a partner and a child.2017 – Annie and Kyle’s second child, Riaan, is born.2019 – Reign, Annie and Kyle’s third son is born. May 2019 – Annie leaves Kyle after it came to light that he had an affair with reality star Laura Brown. Laura claimed they had romped in the back of Kyle’s Bentley. February 2020 – Lauryn Goodman gives birth to her first child with Kyle, Kairo, who was conceived when he was on a break from Annie. It causes Annie and Kyle to briefly split. April 2020 – It was revealed that Kyle had a lockdown sex party with escorts. June 2020 – It is reported that Kyle has proposed to Annie.November 2021 – Kyle and Annie get married in secret after reconciling. March 2023 – Lauryn announces she is pregnant with her second child but doesn’t reveal the father. Kyle allegedly flashes and kisses a woman in the bar.August 2023 – Lauryn announces the birth of her son, and says it is fathered by a footballer. She then tells Annie privately that Kyle is the father of her latest child. January 2024 – Kyle is publicly revealed as the father of Lauryn’s second child. Annie announces she has split from Kyle after his infidelities. Kyle then issues a public apology to his wife. May 2024 – Annie gives birth to Kyle’s fourth son by her, Rezon. July 2024 – Kyle takes Annie to North Wales to try and win her back.September 2024 – The Sun reveals that Annie has allowed Kyle to be back in the family homeKeep clear of negative palsJo reckons Annie, pictured, will have a fight on her heands to keep Lauryn from KyleCredit: InstagramLauryn with baby KairoCredit: instagram/@lauryngoodman91Given the public nature of Annie and Kyle’s struggle, everyone has an opinion on what they should do. But talking with pals who don’t support their attempt to reconcile will make things tricky, Jo claims. She said: “I’m sure Annie has heard everyone express their doubts about Kyle and views on his behaviour.”But she, and Kyle, need to find a close pal who they can talk to who is supportive of their attempts to get back together. READ MORE SUN STORIES”They both need to hear people saying they can make it work by giving it another go and that they have their unconditional support. “Hearing negative things about how Annie should dump him won’t help now they’re trying again.” More