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    I’m 3ft tall aged 20, was bullied out of school at 9 & lived in rainy shack – now I’m a millionaire & pals with Ronaldo

    HE’S now a millionaire with over 8million followers, travelling the world, dripping in designer clothes with a Rolex on his wrist.And he’s been seen hanging out with some of the world’s top celebs at some of the biggest fights in the world, including KSI v Tommy Fury in Manchester.
    Abdu Rozik speaks exclusively to The Sun about his rags to riches storyCredit: Stewart Williams
    Abdu was born with rickets, which meant he stopped growing at the age of sixCredit: Instagram
    But Abdu Rozik had far from an easy start in life.
    He was born and raised in poverty-stricken Tajikstan, with rickets, a condition caused by a lack of nutrients and vitamins. 
    Due to financial restraints, his family couldn’t provide treatment and he stopped growing at the age of six, leaving him standing at just 3″2, aged 20.
    Thanks to the condition, Abdu also can’t read or write, having had his education cut short at the age of nine, due to bullying from pupils AND teachers, as well as an exhausting two and a half hour walk to school.
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    “It’s been difficult for me,” he tells us in an exclusive interview. “When I went to school for the first time, teachers didn’t take me seriously. 
    “They were all laughing at me. 
    “Also my house from the school was a two and a half hour walk, and I’m small so it was very difficult. 
    “School started at 8 o’clock, but I used to get there at 11.30 or 10.30. It was too difficult. 
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    “Then I had teachers sometimes shouting at me for being late or they weren’t giving me books.
    “If they’d given me books, maybe they’d have let me be good at learning some other language, but I can’t read. I can’t write. They didn’t take me seriously, they didn’t allow me to learn the language. 
    “I can’t read or write in my own language. It’s difficult for me.”

    8 in a house with no roof
    Abdu grew up in Tajikstan living with seven others in a house with no roofCredit: Instagram
    Abdu was living in a house with no roof in Tajikstan with his two brothers, two sisters, mother and father, and grandmother – none of whom work.
    “When it rained, the whole house would be covered in water,” he recalls. “We couldn’t sleep, it was too difficult.”
    But it was singing that first started Abdu’s love for being in the spotlight, and gave him the drive to make a success of himself.
    He says: “When I was small, I loved to sing. I used to sing in my village in the bazaar.
    “I would be sat on the road and singing, and people would give me money. 
    “I used to work in one day, earn $1or $2 (80p or £1.60). It was very difficult.”
    Very slowly, Abdu managed to earn enough money to buy a mobile phone, and open Instagram.
    8.4m followers
    Abdu now has over 8 million followers on Instagram and lives in DubaiCredit: @abdu_rozik
    He now has 8.4 million followers on the social media app – and has moved to Dubai.
    “In one or two years, I got so many followers,” he says. “This, for me, is so big. And thank you so much for all my followers, for everyone supporting me.”
    His followers have been boosted thanks to the attention he’s got surrounding a potential fight with Russian dwarf Hasbulla, who’s also a social media star.
    “Everyone’s trying to get Hasbulla to fight me,” Abdu says. “I’m always ready to fight. He’s scared from me. He don’t want to do fight.
    “He can’t talk English. He can’t do anything. He doesn’t have any talent. Zero talent.”
    Celeb pals
    Abdu is pals with Tyson Fury, and went to see the Saudi Arabia fightCredit: @abdu_rozik
    He hung out with Ronaldo properly the second time they met, having learned EnglishCredit: @abdu_rozik
    Abdu only learnt English a year ago, thanks to a mugging incident, which happened the first time he came to the country.
    He says: “When we first came to the UK, we were meant to stay for 10-15 days.
    “But on the last day, three hours before we were meant to go to Dubai, we went to a shop and somebody stole our bag.
    “The bag had our passports in and they were so difficult to get back. 
    “They sent the passport from Tajikistan to Dubai, Dubai sent to Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi sent to Manchester, Manchester sent to London, and we were one and a half months stuck here.
    “I learned English a little bit slowly by asking the word. ‘What is this?’ ‘Glasses’, ‘What is this?’ ‘Spoon’, ‘What is this?’ ‘Chicken.’ 
    “After I started learning, then I went to Dubai and took English classes, and I learnt it in one year.”
    His language studies helped when he met his “hero” Cristiano Ronaldo for the second time a few weeks ago at Tyson Fury’s fight against Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
    “It was so good,” he beams. “I was much cooler than the first time.
    “The first time I met Ronaldo in Manchester last year, I didn’t know how to speak English, it was too difficult for me, and I was shaking when I met Ronaldo. 
    “I was like, ‘I am your huge fan. I love you so much. Really, I love you too much.’
    “He’s like ‘Okay. Don’t stress too much, calm down.’ 
    “I was too shocked. I love him so much. He’s my hero.”
    Celebrity Big Brother stint?
    Abdu tells Hayley Minn he wants to appear on Celebrity Big BrotherCredit: Stewart Williams
    As well as his singing and boxing, Abdu has started DJing recently, which he “loves”, and is also a reality TV star, having appeared on India’s version of Big Brother, Bigg Boss, last year.
    Abdu was in the house for a whopping 105 days, and says it was very difficult.
    He says: “It was too difficult, too crazy, without any family, without mobile for four months! 
    “It was a little bit difficult. Sometimes they were fighting, shouting. I loved it.”
    But that hasn’t put him off wanting to go back into the house next year.
    “I want to do Celebrity Big Brother in the UK,” he exclaims. 
    Bought his family a home
    Abdu has been able to provide for his family – but doesn’t forget where he came fromCredit: @abdu_rozik
    Abdu was able to buy his family a seven-bedroom home in Tajikstan, and fixed the old house too, thanks to his newfound fame and fortune.
    He says: “This, for me, was very important. 
    “It feels too good to provide for my family. They are all supporting me. They are so happy. They’re excited.”
    But Abdu doesn’t forget where he came from, and went to visit his old house when he was last in Tajikstan.
    “I went to sit and look at it,” he says. “Why? Because I’m remembering where I came from and who I’ve been before. 
    “It gives me a lot of motivation, power and strength.” More

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    Mike Tyson called me the world’s toughest white guy but my boxing dream died…I was broke & almost killed by machete gang

    STEPPING into the ring, 17-year-old Joe Egan stood his ground as blow after blow rained down on him from his ‘ferocious’ sparring partner Mike Tyson.It was the start of a lifelong friendship – and a promising boxing career – with the heavyweight champ, who dubbed the Irish fighter “the toughest white man on the planet” .
    Big Joe Egan was a champion amateur fighter dubbed the ‘toughest white man on the planet’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    The Irish fighter is a close pal of Mike Tyson and was his sparring partner
    But after 80 wins in US Golden Gloves bouts and seven Irish titles, Joe’s dreams were cut short by a horrific car accident, sending him into a downward spiral that saw him shot twice in a gang attack, accused of attempted murder and jailed for shipping stolen cars abroad.
    Now ‘Big’ Joe, who made his boxing comeback at the age of 38 and went on to star in a Hollywood movie, tells The Sun about his incredible life – from being bullied at school to losing his girlfriend to Michael Flatley.
    While few would mess with the 6ft 1in hardman now, Joe – the eldest of seven kids – was mercilessly bullied by older kids in the Ringsend suburb of Dublin and in the UK, where his dad moved to find work.
    “When I was seven or eight, I made my Holy Communion, and two of the bully boys, who were 15 or 16, tried to take away my Communion medal,” he says.
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    “I held on to it and I got my two front teeth knocked out. 
    “When I got bullied it was physical, and when you got an arm broken or a nose broken the doctors would say ‘It’ll heal in a week’.
    “In all my years in boxing I only ever had one tooth knocked out. The boxing ring literally was a safe place for me, compared to the years of bullying.”
    Joe’s dad encouraged him into the ring as a young boy and in his first fight, at 12, he was pitted against future middleweight champ Steve Collins, who he says “pounded me to a pulp, absolutely hammered me. I lost on points but I went the distance.”
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    Tyson even visited Joe’s late mother several timesCredit: YouTube
    At 17, he travelled to the US to train with the Irish Boxing Team and met heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson who asked him to stay on in the States as a sparring partner for a new heavyweight hope, Mike Tyson.
    The pair – who remain close friends 40 years on – bonded over their experiences of being bullied, sharing the ring for over two years and living together in New York’s Catskill Gym. 
    Tyson gave him his flattering “toughest man” title after their first sparring session, when he was the fourth fighter in the ring and the only one to stay standing after three minutes.
    “If you are going to get battered you might as well get battered by the best,” Joe says. “I got battered by Mike Tyson and I got battered by Lennox Lewis when I fought him in 1985. 
    “It was a privilege to share the ring with both of them and it is an honour to say Mike Tyson has been my close friend for 40 years now. He visited my mother at home in Ireland four times.”
    Shot by machete-wielding gang 
    As well as going the distance with champion Lewis, and wearing the green vest of the Irish boxing team 11 times, Joe’s proudest achievement was a win against World Heavyweight Champion Bruce Seldon in 1988.
    But after going pro in 1990, his promising career was cut short by injuries sustained in a car accident and his life began to “spiral out of control”.
    Joe ploughed his money into the Lyndhurst pub in Erdington, Birmingham, where he says he upped takings from £1,000 a week to £16,000 a week.
    But it was here the brawler faced his most terrifying opponents yet, in the summer of 1998.
    “I had a demand for £500 a week protection money from a racketeering gang in Birmingham,” he says. “I bow down to royalty only out of respect but no man out of fear. After telling them no, the following week, on July 26, 1998, they attacked my pub. 
    “There were 37 of them armed with handguns, shotguns, machetes. It was a horrific day. 
    “It was savage. I got shot twice while trying to help a man who had fought in World War II, only to get shot at in a pub in a Birmingham housing estate by scum. It was a nasty 25-minute experience.”
    Joe took over the Lyndhurst in BirminghamCredit: Frank Peters
    The war veteran was shot in the hip and Joe was shot in the arm and nose, but says he was “lucky nobody died”.
    He adds: “The gang that attacked me had burned down some pubs before in the Birmingham area. They even burned down the pub  belonging to my old boss, Harry.
    “Then afterwards I got charged with attempted murder. I was defending myself.” 
    Dumped for dance millionaire
    Faced with jail, Joe ran up huge legal bills as he fought the charge, and his business went under. He was eventually tried for attempted murder and found not guilty.
    At the same time, his relationship with fiancee Lisa Murphy fell apart in bizarre fashion.
    “When Lisa saw that I was a sinking ship, she jumped ship to Michael Flatley,” he says. 
    “He was the biggest star of Irish dancing in the world, earning a million pounds a week. 
    “It doesn’t bother me now but at the time it was very upsetting. 
    “Mike Tyson called me ‘the toughest white man on the planet’, but even my heart has been broken by a woman. 
    “There was a lot of anger there at the time, but it wasn’t always an angry relationship. There was a lot of love at one time. I thought we’d be together forever.
    “But I don’t hold a grudge against Michael or Lisa anymore.”
    After a six-year romance, Lisa split from the Lord of the Dance star who is now battling cancer, and Joe says: “I sincerely hope he wins this fight.”
    Joe with former fiancee LisaCredit: Newsteam
    She went on to a high profile romance with Michael FlatleyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Jail time
    With problems piling up, Joe says he got “involved in criminality” and in 2001, he was jailed for two and half years for his part in an international car-ringing gang.
    “My business was failing and I ran out of money so I got involved with crime to pay for my legal fees,” he says. 
    “I got grassed on and sent to prison. It shouldn’t have happened. I hadn’t been in trouble with the law before but all these things happened in my life. 
    “I don’t believe crime pays. Tragically, I was forced to go down that road but I regret it. 
    “The only time I saw my dad cry was because I was going to prison. The shame I had, the disgust I had for myself, the hurt and pain I had caused him, I was so ashamed of myself. 
    The only time I saw my dad cry was because I was going to prisonBig Joe Egan
    “I told him I’ll never get into trouble again. 
    “It’s not nice being locked up, you’re confined for 23 hours a day. I wouldn’t recommend it. But what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
    While in prison, Joe trained in the gym and on his release he announced his comeback, at the age of 38, after a 12-year absence.
    He won in the fifth round, against a pal in Dublin, and says: “It was good to be back as Joe the boxer and not Joe the criminal.” But he went back into retirement after the lone fight.
    New life
    His days in the ring finally over, Joe turned to acting after meeting Brit star Tamer Hassan and signing up with his agent, who sent him to audition for the 2009 Guy Ritchie hit Sherlock Holmes.
    Cast as a boxer who fights Robert Downey Jr’s fictional detective, Ritchie told him, “I’ve been trying to get you in one of my films for a long time,” adding that Downey Jr had also suggested him because of his “fearsome reputation”. 
    “I couldn’t believe that these people even knew me, but they knew me because of my close friendship with Mike Tyson,” he says.  
    “When he told me the amount I was getting paid, it was more than any of my professional fights. 
    “I said, ‘Guy, for that money, Robert Downey Jnr can really hit me if he wants to. I’ve been beaten up for a lot less.”
    Although the fight scene was dropped, the boxer instead filmed a specially-written prison scene as a character named Big Joe. 
    He went on to appear in Prize Fighter with Russell Crowe and has since made guest appearances in numerous TV shows, including Brassic in 2019. 
    Big Joe squares up to Sherlock in the 2009 movieCredit: Warner Bros
    The former boxer (far left) in the 2019 film Once Upon a Time in LondonCredit: Alamy
    Joe with A-lister Robert Downey JrCredit: Twitter
    Joe’s colourful life has earned him some high-profile pals including Ricky Hatton and heavyweight champ Tony Bellew, who is set to enter the I’m A Celebrity camp this week as a late arrival.
    More controversially, he has also been associates with notorious gangsters, including Daniel Kinahan, from the infamous Irish organised crime family, and Gerry Hutch, who was the prime suspect in the 2016 murder of David Byrne at a boxing weigh-in at the Dublin Regency Hotel, which sparked a tit for tat feud amongst rival gangs that left dozens dead.
    He previously told the Irish Mirror the horrific attack was “wrong on every level”.
    He added: “David Byrne was my friend and I know his dad Jaws Byrne since I was a little boy.
    “That room was full of boxing fans and boxers, so to go in and spray a machine-gun in a room full of people that weren’t involved in any criminal activity, that’s so wrong on so many levels.”
    While his career in the ring was short, he had no regrets.
    “I had nothing else to prove to anybody, nothing left to prove to myself,” he says. “I’ve been hit in the chin by some of the best punches in the world but they never once knocked me down – something I can be proud of.” More

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    Roman Fury went from 20st jobless ‘mess’ to follow brother Tyson’s footsteps with boxing record that can rival siblings

    ONE brother is a Love Island star and the other a champion boxer.Now Roman Fury is stepping out of Tyson and Tommy’s shadow and is well on his way to becoming a household name.
    Roman is following in Tyson’s footsteps after winning his latest boutCredit: Getty
    The 26-year-old, who has little amateur experience, KO’d Bradley Davies in his third pro-fight – and sibling Tyson has given him the seal of approval, calling him a champ of the future.
    He is the ninth member of the Fury family to enter the ring – and a PR expert has now tipped him for stardom outside the ring.
    Roman was destined to be a rugby league player but switched to boxing after training with Tommy helped him out of a rut when he lost his job during lockdown.
    He said: “I used to be six stone heavier than what I am now. I was 20 stone, a real mess.
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    “Lockdown happened, I had no work, I was eating crap, playing on the Xbox, and I had no life whatsoever.
    “Tommy invited me down to train with him, I had a couple of sessions and I started getting into it.
    “I trained more and more until it went from training twice a week to six times a week and the weight came off, the confidence grew.
    “It’s not just a physical thing, it’s a mental thing as well. It’s turned my life around completely.”
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    Roman takes his inspiration from big brother TysonCredit: Instagram / @romanfuryy
    He has dropped even more weight in training and is now 14st 2lb.
    And if he ever gives up boxing, Roman could still rake in the cash by following in brother Tommy’s footsteps on reality TV.
    He shares the same good looks as Tommy, who is three years younger, but is shaping up to have the boxing prowess of brother Tyson, 35.
    Tommy is estimated to be worth £3.2million, according to Sportskeeda, and lives in a £4m Cheshire mansion with fiancee Molly-Mae Hague after they famously met on Love Island.
    Roman is no stranger to the villa, having visited Tommy with mum Chantal during the 2019 series.
    Talent agent and PR expert Carla Speight told The Sun: “Roman has a lot of work to do to catch up to his brothers, but if he plays his cards right, he could end up having a lucrative career outside boxing.
    Roman is no stranger to the Love Island villa having visited with mum ChantalCredit: Rex
    “Knocking someone out has changed his career path. He’s gone from being not just another Fury fighter to significant. 
    “His sponsorship opportunities will increase, especially if Tommy and Tyson stand with him.
    “Watching videos of him, he doesn’t look at the camera much and seems quite shy, but if he can show more of his personality he will absolutely fly.
    “He could easily follow Tommy into reality TV and would be a great choice for something like Big Brother or I’m a Celebrity.”
    Roman is the full brother of Tommy, both born to dad John and mum Chantal, while half-brother Tyson was raised by mum Amber.
    Roman was just 13 and brother Tommy 11 when John went to prison for trying to gouge out a man’s eye in a brawl at a car auction in 2010.
    He was given 11 years for the attack on victim Oathie Sykes, who was left half blind, but was out after four years.
    Tommy and Roman are close, having grown up togetherCredit: instagram/jakelee28
    John said he asked his brother Peter to help bring up the boys while he was inside.
    He wrote in his autobiography When Fury Takes Over: “I needed somebody to guide them for the rest of their formative years and I turned to my younger brother Peter to bring them up as his own.
    “And that’s exactly what he did. He shaped them into decent fighters and took care of them outside the ring. For that I am forever grateful.”
    John says that he “often worried” about Roman, who like Tyson suffered from depression.
    He wrote: “I often worried about him when he was growing up… once again boxing came to the rescue.
    “When Tyson won the heavyweight world title again, this time from Wilder, Roman was hugely inspired. He said, ‘If Tyson can do it, then so can I.’ He shaved his weight down to 14 stone. 
    “He’s now turned professional and has already won some impressive matches. I’m really proud of how he now has a positive outlook and has settled into life.”
    Brother Tyson said of Roman: “He’s an inspiring cruiserweight champion of the future.”
    Nervous start
    Roman is proving he’s got what it take to follow Tyson – but could end up on Love Island like brother TommyCredit: Instagram
    Roman’s first fight came in October 2022 in Doncaster when he beat Ryan Hibbert over four rounds.
    He had no amateur experience prior to the bout other than “messing around on the pads”.
    He admitted being nervous saying: “The past four weeks since I’ve known about the fight I’ve been nothing but a bag of nerves – I was terrified. 
    “I had bad dreams and no sleep, but as soon as I got in there, fate took over, I’ve never been as calm in my life. I felt sharp, good and I’m so happy, thanks to God, thank you very much.”
    After his win, brother Tyson said: “I’m very, very impressed. Roman’s never had a fight before, amateur or professional, and from what I’ve seen tonight I really like what I’ve seen.”
    Roman’s second fight was at York Hall in June when he beat Erik Nazaryan on points.
    And at the weekend he showed signs of greatness, KO’ing Bradley Davies in the third round.
    Roman told VIP boxing that he “didn’t have much experience”.
    Roman punches Bradley Davies during the Cruiserweight fightCredit: Getty
    Roman has shed an impressive amount of weight since piling on the pounds in lockdownCredit: Instagram / @romanfuryy
    He said: “If it’s nothing else it’s a story.
    “How many people do you know that jump into it right at the deep end, no experience or nothing, and do well for themselves? But that’s the challenge and I like a challenge.
    “I’ve always been messing around on the pads with my dad and my brothers from a young age, but actually sparring and fighting, I don’t have that much experience.”
    Roman later said he had “put everything on hold” for his boxing career adding: “It’s like an experiment, I wanna see how far I can go…it’s all about self-belief and I do have a lot of that.”
    But despite his success, Roman says he doesn’t want to trade on his family name.
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    “I don’t want to box on big bills just because I carry the ‘Fury’ name,” he said.
    While he might not want to deliberately cash in on his famous brothers, there’s no doubt it will open doors and his future is bright.
    Roman with proud dad JohnCredit: Instagram
    Roman with Tommy and Chantal on Love IslandCredit: Rex More

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    Ultimate Ballon d’Or rich list – from Ronaldo’s eye-watering net worth to star who splashed £435k on a watch

    IT’S football’s most prestigious award given to the best player in the world.And with this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony taking place on Monday October 30, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi are the hot favourites to take it home.
    Along with Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi has been tipped to win this year’s Ballon d’OrCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or an impressive five times and tops the rich listCredit: Instagram / @cristiano
    Argentinian superstar Messi has been tipped to win for the eighth time, while Haaland is also in the running after scoring 52 goals in his first season with Manchester City.
    Since it first began almost 70 years ago, 64 players have won the prize – and with it has come, mostly, great fortune.
    Here, we reveal the biggest earners in our Ballon d’Or rich list.
    Cristiano Ronaldo – £363million
    As well as being the most popular athlete – with over 876million social media followers – Cristiano Ronaldo is also the best paid sportsman in the world.
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    The Portuguese star, who has won the Ballon d’Or an impressive five times, has an estimated net worth of a whopping £363million.
    In December 2022, Ronaldo signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, earning £62million a year.
    And thanks to the various commercial opportunities involved within the deal, it’s thought that he could earn as much as £173million for every year he is with the team.
    The 38-year-old also has a lifetime contract with Nike, which began in 2003, worth an eye-watering £1billion.
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    As well as lending his name to other brands, Ronaldo has his own business empire. It includes two hotels, underwear, CR7 blankets, facial fitness devices and shampoo.
    Lionel Messi – £105million
    Lionel Messi, who has won the award seven times, is considered one of the greatest footballers of all timeCredit: AP:Associated Press
    His business ventures include a hotel empireCredit: Instagram @leomessi
    He’s considered one of greatest footballers of all time, so it’s no surprise that Lionel Messi is tipped to win the Ballon d’Or – after already bagging the award a record seven times.
    The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player moved to David Beckham’s Inter Miami in June after signing an initial deal for two and a half years. He’s believed to be earning around £35-£47million per year.
    Messi’s net worth at the start of 2023 was estimated to be £105million, according to Forbes. It has no doubt increased since his move to Inter Miami.
    Along with his football salary, the 36-year-old has a range of sponsorship and brand deals that help boost his earnings.
    He signed a lifetime contract with Adidas in 2017, worth £20.4million a year, and is also a global ambassador for Pepsi.
    When it comes to his personal ventures, Messi released his luxury clothing label with Tommy Hilfiger’s sister Ginny Hilfiger in 2019.
    He also became a hotelier in 2017 after buying the MiM Sitges in a coastal resort near Barcelona for £26million.
    MiM has since opened other establishments in Ibiza, Mallorca, Baqueira and Sotogrande.
    Kaka – £74million
    AC Milan and Brazil playmaker Kaka holds the 2007 Ballon d’Or trophy in Paris
    He helped Milan overcome Liverpool in the Champions League final that same yearCredit: Getty
    Before Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi hogged the trophy for over a decade, the last player to beat them to it was Brazilian legend Kaka.
    The playmaking superstar, 41, won the award in 2007, the same year he set up the winning goal for Milan in the Champions League final against Liverpool.
    Two years earlier, he had tormented the English giants once again in Istanbul, only for them to turn it around in one of the most dramatic games of all time.
    After retiring in 2017, Kaka is still reported to be worth £74million, thanks in part to his huge social media following.
    He was the first athlete to gain over 10million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, and has 22.7million fans on Instagram.
    The savvy star has struck up lucrative deals with Global smart technology company OPPO, American Tourister and Playstation, whom he recently starred in a promo for alongside Gareth Bale.
    Karim Benzema – £62.5million
    Karim Benzema won the prestigious award last yearCredit: Reuters
    He isn’t afraid of flaunting his wealth on social mediaCredit: Instagram / @karimbenzema
    Former Real Madrid player Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 and is worth around £62million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
    The French national reportedly earned £275,000 a week playing for the Spanish team, before leaving the club in June after 14 years.
    He signed a megabucks deal to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, and now earns £3.3million per week.
    He clearly likes to flash the cash, rocking up to last year’s awards bash wearing a Richard Mille watch worth a staggering £435,000.
    In his victory speech, Benzema, 35, said: “To see this prize in front of me makes me really proud. It was a childhood dream for me and all the work I have done, I never gave up.”
    Michael Owen – £54.4million
    Michael Owen took home the award in 2001Credit: Presse Sports
    The TV pundit has invested his fortune in racehorsesCredit: themichaelowen/instagram
    Michael Owen, who took home the award in 2001, has a reported £54.4million fortune.
    The 43-year-old former striker played for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City during his glittering career before retiring in 2013.
    Since then, he has gone on to work as a pundit for BT Sport.
    He’s also involved in breeding race horses and founded Manor House Stables, a racehorse training facility in Cheshire, with his wife Louise.
    Zinedine Zidane – £52million
    Zinedine Zidane’s net worth is reportedly £52millionCredit: AFP
    The French legend knows how to live in styleCredit: zidane/instagram
    French star Zinedine Zidane inspired his side to their World Cup victory in 1998, the same year he won the Ballon d’Or.
    Following his successful football career as a player, he went into management, first with Real Madrid Castilla and then the senior squad.
    He announced his retirement in 2018, before returning 10 months later. But he left for a second time in the summer of 2021.
    Zidane, 51, earned £2.3million a year as Real Madrid’s manager, which doubled when he revived the team at the end of the 2015/2016 season.
    While he’s currently without a job, his net worth is reportedly £52million.
    Endorsement deals with brands such as Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior have contributed to his income.
    Luís Figo – £41million
    Portugal and Real Madrid star Luis Figo with his prestigious 2000 Ballon d’OrCredit: AFP
    The 50-year-old is married to model Helene SvedinCredit: luis__figo/instagram
    Portugese player Luís Figo’s controversial transfer from Barcelona to rival Real Madrid in 2000 – the year he bagged the Ballon d’Or – set the world record fee of £50million.
    He enjoyed a great success at the club, where he earned £3.74million a year, with 45 goals and 58 assists in 249 appearances throughout a five-year stint.  
    The 50-year-old, now worth around £41million according to Idol Net Worth, joined UEFA in 2017 as he took on an advisory role, promoting its competitions across the world.
    “Luís Figo was a fantastic player who was exemplary in the way he conducted himself both on and off the pitch,” the UEFA president said.
    “He is a highly respected figure within the game and I am very pleased he is joining our team. His tremendous football experience will be a very valuable asset to UEFA.”
    Fabio Cannavaro – £36million
    Fabio Cannavaro is now a professional football coachCredit: L’Equipe
    Fabio is now a coach and earned millions in the Chinese Super LeagueCredit: fabiocannavaroofficial/instagram
    Former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, who won both the World Cup and Ballon d’Or in 2006, is said to be worth £36million.
    The 50-year old was regarded as one of the best defenders of all time before retiring in 2011.
    He’s now a professional football coach and has coached teams in the Middle East and China.
    He was briefly appointed as manager of the China national team in 2019 and more recently, he was the head coach of Serie B club Benevento.
    It was previously reported that he was the highest paid manager in the Chinese Super League, where he managed for five seasons, and the fourth highest paid in the world, earning £10.6million a year.
    Ronaldinho – Unclear
    Ronaldinho was reported to have just £5 in his back account in 2018Credit: Reuters
    He was the face of football in the early NoughtiesCredit: ronaldinho/instagram
    Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho has previously had a net worth reported up to £80million, but has lose thousands to crushing debts.
    He was reported to have just £5 in his back account in 2018 – the same year he announced his retirement from football – while owing up to £1.75million.
    The 43-year-old was heavily fined for illegal construction in a protected area in his home country.
    After remortgaging his property, he was still unable to cover the debts due to the high interest rate and a judge ordered for his passport to be seized.
    In 2020, he was detained in a prison in Paraguay for allegedly attempting to enter the country with forged documents.
    Read More on The Sun
    Ronaldinho, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, has had endorsements with companies including Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, EA Sports and Danone.
    He currently works for sponsorship and development firm Nooke, and he’s also the co-founder of Footsider, which is described as an “application that facilitates and digitizes recruitment in the world of football”. More

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    We live INSIDE famous football stadium & it’s like having a private box…but when club got promoted it caused big problem

    WHEN Ikram Patel rented his two-bedroom flat in East London, he was mainly attracted by its location in an upcoming area that would suit his young family.But a year later the property manager has become such a big fan of Leyton Orient Football Club that he often finds himself jeering away fans on a Saturday afternoon.
    Ikram Patel’s balcony overlooks the Leyton Orient football pitchCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    There are blocks of flats on the corners of the historic, 9,271-capacity stadium which has been home to the O’s since 1937Credit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    His flat boasts an unrivalled view of the O’s Brisbane Road pitch, a vantage point so good it’s like having his own private box.  
    His living room balcony is close enough to rival supporters in the East Stand that he can respond to their taunts while his sons, aged three and one-and-a-half, look on from their tiny chairs.
    When The Sun visited as part of our Life’s a Pitch series, Ikram, 30, told us: “I’m a cricket and tennis fan and I was never interested in football until I moved here.
    “But this is an upcoming area – it’s beautiful around here – and when I saw the view it encouraged me to rent the flat. I thought it would give my sons something to look at.
    READ MORE LIFE’S A PITCH
    “Now my cousin is always messaging me asking if he can pop round to watch the games and the boys are fascinated by the crowd and the noise.  
    “They really look forward to the games and will sit out on the balcony in their little chairs, while we stand most of the time.
    “It’s fantastic on match days especially when the stadium is full.
    “My friends follow football and, being from the area, they tend to come round to watch the match because it’s like having our own private box.
    Most read in Football
    Ikram admits he wasn’t hugely into football until he moved to the flatCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    He says his kids love watching the games from their balconyCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    “We are very close to the away fans so we do hear a lot of colourful language.
    “They have a go at us sometimes, especially when we are all cheering on Leyton on the balcony – and I do give it back occasionally.”
    However, living in the corner of the historic, 9,271-capacity stadium which has been home to the O’s since 1937, does have its downsides for Ikram and his family.
    He added: “It does get a bit much for the kids, especially when they are trying to have their afternoon nap.
    “My wife sometimes complains. It can be annoying for her as she doesn’t follow sports.
    It does get a bit much for the kids, especially when they are trying to have their afternoon nap. My wife sometimes complainsIkram Patel
    “There are often big crowds outside that can make it difficult to get around on match days and the traffic can get really bad.
    “Also, the rent has shot up since Orient won promotion to League One last season.
    “It’s a bit pricey and has gone up to about £1,300 to £1,500 per month now, which is about £50 to £100 more than it was last season.
    “But there was a huge celebration when they got promoted and the atmosphere was lovely because we weren’t sure if they were going to make it.
    “I have to admit that I find myself checking the scores online all the time now when I’m not at home.”
    When Leyton Orient got promoted, Ikram says the rent shot upCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Some residents complain about the noise – especially from away fans – on match daysCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Supporters witnessed a sad tragedy last week when lifelong O’s fan Derek Reynolds, 74, collapsed and died while watching the match against Lincoln City.
    Leyton Orient were winning 1-0 at the time and Ikram’s wife Nosheen watched the aftermath of paramedics giving him CPR on the side of the pitch.
    Mum-of-two Nosheem, 30, said: “I was putting the kids to sleep when that guy died. 
    “One of the fans told my husband what happened and when I got to the living room I saw the police and the ambulance crew. It was really sad.
    “My husband loves football so you can see why he likes living here because the view is amazing. 
    “He’s always posting videos of the games on TikTok, but for me it’s a lot of noise.
    “All of our cousins and friends want to come round on match days. I think we had 10 people in here for one game. 
    “My husband’s first cousin comes here for every single game.
    Ali Barker is another resident who has had to get used to facing thousands of screaming football fansCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Some residents complained the noise from matches keeps their kids awakeCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    “Sometimes there are fights in the stands and on the pitch, although that doesn’t happen often.
    “The away fans do swear a lot and they’re always putting their fingers up. 
    “It doesn’t bother me too much except when it keeps the kids awake.
    “Also, when the game is on it’s really hard to get out of the house because there are so many people milling around – you have to plan ahead.”
    Leyton, where the stadium is based, has been described as east London’s “hot new neighbourhood” by property experts.
    Despite its crime-blighted past and the fact it still holds significant pockets of deprivation, locals are bracing themselves for young professionals flocking here in the near future.
    Gentrification is expected to spill over from neighbouring Walthamstow, which the Sunday Times has described as one of London’s best places to live thanks to its “arty, crafty shops, street market and pretty houses”.
    The average house price there has already shot up to £500,000, forcing traders at Walthamstow market to move out.
    And a similar process seems to be taking place in Leyton, where the air around the O’s stadium vibrates with noise of trendy flats being built ready to welcome the new arrivals.
    Ali Barker is another resident who has had to get used to facing thousands of screaming football fans – despite not giving a hoot about the game.
    One year ago he moved into a one-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor of one of the modern block of flats built into the corners of the stadium by property developers.  
    The modern blocks of flats were built into the corners of the stadium by property developersCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Some of the apartments, which include service charges of around £2,400 a year, come with fake grass on the balconies to encourage football fans to snap them upCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Going for between £300,000 and £400,000 at the time, he considered this something of a deal given that the flats – which were constructed around 20 years ago – are within walking distance of Leyton Underground Station and the Central Line.
    Some of the apartments, which include service charges of around £2,400 a year, come with fake grass on the balconies to encourage football fans to snap them up.
    But unlike his downstairs neighbour, Ali has yet to be converted to become a fan of the O’s.
    The software engineer, 30, who hails from Hampshire, said: “This is one of the few places in London I could afford to buy. 
    “It was good value given its size and location. I don’t know if it’s more affordable or less because it’s attached to a football stadium.
    “I did spend a while thinking if I wanted a flat so close to a pitch before I bought it.
    It was good value given its size and location. I don’t know if it’s more affordable or less because it’s attached to a football stadiumAli Barker
    “But eventually I decided I wasn’t too worried about a bit of noise.
    “I do follow the team a little bit, but mainly out of curiosity. I’m not a huge fan.
    “You can see three quarters of the pitch from my balcony and only one of the goals so it’s not ideal for watching the game.
    “It can get really busy on match fans and some fans get really drunk. I’ve seen them urinating in the park.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Overall I would say moving here has worked out well for me. Once in a while, I have thousands of people outside my flat.
    “But that’s OK and I imagine that the area is going to change a great deal when the new flats are built opposite the stadium.”
    Ali Barker on his pitch-side balconyCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
    There are more flats being built in the area surrounding Leyton Orient’s stadiumCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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    Max Verstappen’s lavish life with model WAG Kelly Piquet… from £12m private jet bought from famous Brit to £5m car fleet

    HE’S the three-time world champion – so it’s no surprise Formula One heavyweight Max Verstappen lives a life of luxury away from the track.At just 26 he’s already making history, joining the likes of Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and future father-in-law Nelson Piquet by winning the Formula One drivers’ championship for the third time.
    Max Verstappen has clinched his third consecutive Formula One world titleCredit: Rex
    He has been dating Kelly Piquet for the past three yearsCredit: instagram/kellypiquet
    Unstoppable Max has a lot to show for his hard work and talent – including a staggering estimated fortune of £165million.
    He also has a fleet of James Bond-inspired cars, a lavish seafront apartment in Monaco, and a stunning model girlfriend in Kelly Piquet.
    Here, we take a closer look at his enviable life off the grid.
    Eye-watering fortune
    The son of F1 legend Jos Verstappen made his debut at the Australian GP in 2015 and is now one of the top earning drivers in Formula One.
    MORE FORMULA 1 FEATURES
    Last year he signed a five-year deal with Red Bull which has been described as one of the most lucrative in the history of the sport.
    According to reports his contract is worth £45million a year – and is likely to increase given his impressive winning streak continues.
    Max also benefits from endorsement deals from brands like G-Star RAW, Red Bull and EA Sports.
    The Dutch driver also has his own MV merchandise company, selling caps, clothing and accessories.
    Most read in Motorsport
    Since his debut in 2015, he has been a dominant force in the sportCredit: EPA
    Despite his success, Max has hinted he may retire early.
    Asked if he would like to race into his late thirties like other drivers, he replied: “No, absolutely no – no desire.
    “No, I have my mind already set on what I want to do also outside of Formula 1.
    “It’s a big passion of mine and I want to make that happen as well.”
    Dating daughter of F1 legend
    Max went Instagram official with Kelly in 2021 and called her his ‘love and happiness’Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
    The couple often post loved-up snaps on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
    Max has been dating German-born Kelly, 34, the daughter of Nelson Piquet, for the last three years, and she’s regularly seen cheering him on trackside.
    Although her father is worth over £164m, she’s made a name for herself as a model, public relations agent and motoring columnist.
    She attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York where she graduated in International Relations with a major in Political Science and Economics.
    Before her romance with Max she was in a relationship with Russian driver Daniil Kvyat, with whom she shares a daughter, Penelope.
    Daniil made 110 Formula One starts from 2013 to 2020, and ironically when he was given the boot from Red Bull in 2016, it was Max who replaced him.
    Kelly often shares snaps of herself on holiday at exotic destinationsCredit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
    Max shares a kiss with Kelly during a boat ride while her daughter looks into the cameraCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
    Max and Kelly went Instagram official when he posted a snap of them together on the beach with the caption: “Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine.”
    Since then they have been photographed together on numerous occasions looking loved up.
    Kelly has graced the covers of several high-profile magazines including Vogue in the Netherlands and has fully embraced life as one of the world’s biggest socialites.
    On Instagram she is followed by 1.2million fans and keeps them regularly updated with glam shots of herself and Max on holiday in exotic locations like St Tropez and Florida.
    In one snap, she can be seen locking lips with the racer while her daughter smiles at the camera.
    She has also uploaded pics of herself at glitzy dos like the Cannes Film Festival.
    Living large
    Max lives in Monaco, which has become a haven for some of the biggest F1 stars
    Max working out on his balcony with his two Bengal cats in the backgroundCredit: Instagram @maxverstappen1
    During his free time, Max takes to the water in a £16,000 jet skiCredit: Refer to Caption
    Like his fellow Formula One racers Lando Norris and Valtteri Bottas, Max has chosen Monaco as his home, where he lives in a £13million rented apartment overlooking the Mediterranean.
    He keeps his physical condition in top condition by working out on the balcony, which is kitted out with gym equipment and a frame for bungee pulls.
    He has shared glimpses of his chic pad, which he and Kelly also share with their two Bengal cats, Jimmy and Sass.
    In his spare time he likes to take the water on a Red Bull-branded jet ski, said to be worth around £16,000.
    For all his travels around the world, Max is said to have bought a private jet from Sir Richard Branson, worth £12million, which costs over £830,000 to maintain.
    Max has made sure the Falcon-900EX is customised to his expensive taste – it has a matt finish and brands Max’s logo of a lion on the tail fin, paying homage to the national animal of the Netherlands.
    He travels in the jet when he has to travel long distances for races and often gives other Monaco-based drivers, like Daniel Ricciardo, a ride.
    Max bought his private jet from Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson
    He has given stars a ride on the jet including Daniel Ricciardo
    The jet has been customised to Max’s expensive taste
    £5million car collection
    Max’s personal car collection, worth an estimated £5m, is nothing short of impressive and rivals that of Hollywood stars.
    After becoming the youngest ever racer to score a podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, aged just 18, Max splashed out on a Porsche 911 GTS R3.
    His car collection has been heavily inspired by James Bond – he owns a 007-type Aston Martin DB11, a follow-up to the DB10, driven in the movie Spectre.
    Read More on The Sun
    Alongside a 2018 Vantage and a DBS Superleggerais, Max is reported to have added an Aston Martin Valkyrie to his collection. According to reports, the vehicle is priced at a whopping £2.2million.
    The manufacturer’s website describes the car as the closest anyone will get to having the Formula 1 experience on the road.
    Max has an impressive car collection, including the £2.2million Aston Martin ValkyrieCredit: Alamy More

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    Inside David Beckham’s dad Ted’s ruthless quest to get his son signed by Man Utd – including raw egg and Guinness diet

    THERE are many dads desperate for a footballer son, but David Beckham’s went to extreme lengths – even feeding him raw egg and Guinness once a week.In the Beckham documentary, out today on Netflix, David reveals the way Manchester United-obsessed Ted Beckham treated him growing up, training him from morning to night, giving him 50p for every target hit.
    David Beckham pictured with mum Sandra and dad Ted, who was Manchester United-obsessed and very strict on himCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Beckham always saw Sir Alex Ferguson as his second “father figure”Credit: Netflix
    With a disciplinary parenting style that his mum, Sandra, wasn’t a fan of, it’s no wonder Beckham always saw his equally strict Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson as a guiding “father figure”.
    Aside from both men famously falling out with David when he moved from Man Utd to Real Madrid in 2003, there are many similarities between the two men who shaped the football legend’s career.
    Growing up in Leytonstone, Beckham got used to strict training from his dad, who would take him “out for hours”.
    “I’d loved to have been a footballer but I had the next best thing,” Ted says. “I taught him how to kick a ball properly.
    READ MORE SPORT FEATURES
    “I used to say to him, ‘Right, every time you hit the crossbar, I’ll give you 50p’ and it used to cost me a fortune.”
    Beckham adds: “Left foot, right foot, over and over again. And it was all about control. 
    “Even when I was seven or eight years old, he’d boot the ball up as high as he could and say ‘control it,’ ‘OK, not good enough, do it again,’ ‘Not good enough, do it again’ over and over again.”
    When he joined the youth team Ridgeway Rovers, he went 92 matches unbeaten – but his dad still wasn’t content.
    Most read in Football
    “I was a bit worried about the size of him,” Ted says. “So that’s when we started giving him Guinness and raw egg. 
    “To be fair to the boy, he did it every week.”
    Becks adds: “I was scared when he was there because I knew if I put a foot wrong, he’d tell me. And he’d always tell me. Always.”
    Mum’s fears
    Beckham was never out of the garden when he was growing upCredit: Netflix
    He was given 50p by his dad every time he hit the crossbarCredit: NETFLIX
    In the documentary, Beckham’s mum Sandra – who divorced Ted in 2002 – says she thought the determined dad was “too strict”.
    She says: “I used to say, ‘he’s only young, leave him be, let him be happy.’
    “I tried to tell him but he wouldn’t listen to me, and I used to get upset when he made him cry.”
    Beckham adds: “I would hear my mum turn round to my dad and say, ‘Stop talking to him the way you’re talking to him. Stop shouting at him, stop telling him off. He did well today,’ and my dad would always be like, ‘He did alright’.”
    But, having watched his hairdresser mum and gas engineer dad work so hard to provide for him, Becks didn’t mind the brutal regime.
    “I saw my mum and dad working hard every day until 11 or 12 o’clock at night and I knew the only way to be a professional footballer was to work hard,” he says. “From the moment I got in from school to the moment I slept, I would be out in the garden.”
    Beckham had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City and attended Tottenham Hotspur’s school of excellence, though never represented the club in a match.
    He also played for Brimsdown Rovers’ youth team for two years and attended one of Bobby Charlton’s Soccer Schools in Manchester.
    It was here that he won the chance to take part in a training session with Barcelona, as part of a talent competition, which is when Sir Alex first became aware of him.
    Fergie time
    After being snapped up by Manchester United in 1991, on his 14th birthday, his first training session with the gaffer made him realise he was dealing with another disciplinarian father figure .
    On his first day, he brought in white trainers to wear on the pitch, rather than the required black boots and was told by Sir Alex “absolutely not”.
    Beckham’s former teammate Paul Ince says: “Sir Alex would buy players not just because they were talented, but he’d look at their background. 
    “‘Have you got a girlfriend?’ ‘Yes Gaffa’ 
    “‘How long you been with her?’ ‘Two years.’ 
    “‘When you getting married? ‘1990 gaffa.’ 
    “He liked the fact you were going home to someone because he liked you to be stable, not having parties every night.”
    Gary Neville adds: “He had socialist principles; You might be an individual but, in here, we’re all equal.  He built a team of mini-mes.
    “We all knew the rules. You had to conform. Go against him and you were out.”
    1,400 games on video
    David pictured with his mum and Sir AlexCredit: Tim Stewart
    While Becks says his dad never complimented him to his face, his pride is obvious in the documentary, and insists his strictness “turned out to be the right thing”.
    Speaking of his time prior to Manchester, Ted says: “He was brilliant. 
    “He won 92 games without getting beat. 
    “He was that good. I said to him, ‘See what we’ve been practicing? 
    “Whenever he played, I phoned the clubs up and got the videos sent to me. 
    “I got about 1,300 or 1,400 games on video. 
    “It was just a pleasure watching him play and he loved it, he enjoyed it.”
    Meanwhile, Sir Alex looks proud of Beckham every time he watches him score in the documentary.
    And when he speaks about first meeting him, he says: “He came to us as a small, skinny little boy you know? But when you see potential it sticks out at you.
    “It’s your job then to bring that to fruition, to make them a man.”
    Brought him back from the brink
    Beckham’s red card at the World Cup was his lowest momentCredit: Getty
    Beckham opens up on the worst year of his life in the documentary, when fans abused him and spat at him in the street, after he got a red card at the 1998 World Cup.
    He says he was “clinically depressed” at the time, but it was his upbringing, as well as Fergie’s help that got him through.
    “I think I was able to handle being abused by the fans, because of the way my dad had been to me,” he says. 
    “Wherever I went, I got abused, every single day. To walk down the street and to see people look at you in a certain way, spit at you, abuse you, come up to your face, and say some of the things they said, it’s difficult. That’s difficult. 
    “I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping. I was a mess.
    “I didn’t know what to do. Then the boss called me up.
    “He said, ‘David how you doing, son?’ I got quite emotional and said, ‘Not great, boss.’ 
    “He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, son.’”
    Sir Alex adds: “I told him, ‘Go on your holiday, get back and we’ll look after you. Don’t read the papers. There’s no point to it. What you can do is ignore it.’”
    When Becks returned to Man Utd, Gary Neville recalls him being “battered and bruised”.
    “But Sir Alex created an island and any unfriendly that came near the island didn’t get near it. We f***ed them off,” he adds. “It’s like an inner sanctum with no windows. 
    “We all look after each other. You look after your own, you never s*** on your own. 
    “We never leave one another in trouble and we never would. Ever.”
    Making history
    In 1999, Becks made history when he set up two goals in injury time in the European Cup Final, winning Man Utd the treble.
    And Beckham says all he was thinking about was what his dad had taught him at the point when he got a corner.
    He recalls: “I was thinking, ‘Do what I did when I was a kid.’ 
    “My dad used to make me do corner after corner after corner after corner and put it in the exact same spot as he wanted, and if I didn’t he’d kill me. 
    “He used to tell me, ‘It’s moments like corners at the end of a game that can create history.’”
    And he wasn’t wrong. Man Utd had been losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich for most of the game and, reflecting on the match, Fergie says: “With David, that night there was something inside him saying, ‘I am not going to let this happen’. 
    “It was a personal thing that he had in him, that stubbornness and determination.”
    Torn apart by Man Utd
    David and his dad have healed their rift and the star was best man at his 2021 weddingCredit: Tim Stewart
    Sir Alex speaks about his and Beckham’s row in the documentaryCredit: Netflix/BECKHAM
    Beckham’s dad was “absolutely obsessed” with Man Utd, and that was always where he’d wanted his son to play.
    “That was his dream. His dream was to have a son that played for Manchester United,” Beckham says.
    In fact, so obsessed was Ted that Beckham’s full name is David Robert Joseph Beckham.
    “The Robert is after Sir Bobby Charlton,” says Ted. “He’s my hero.”
    He’d get a Man Utd kit for Christmas every year, despite his parents “not having much back then”.
    So, when a furious Fergie – literally – booted David out of Man Utd and into Real Madrid in 2003 after a dressing room clash, Ted was far from happy.
    He learned of the transfer – which he opposed – from Beckham’s agent and he said the news hit him “like a sledgehammer”. 
    He publicly accused Sir Alex of betrayal and furious Becks refused to let Ted come to watch him sign for his new club. 
    “I don’t know if I can repair my relationship with him,” devastated Ted said at the time. “We’ve hardly spoken. My bigg­est upset was not being invited to his signing. I’m choked, really.
    “I’ve been there since day one and that really upset me. I’ll never forgive him for that.”
    The physical move put more distance between them, with Ted no longer able to get to matches to watch his son play on a weekly basis.
    “I’ve lost him – that’s how I feel,” he said. “We’ve lost that comradeship we had between us. It will be even worse now he’s gone to Madrid. 
    Read More on The Sun
    “I still have to work and I can’t afford to fly over to Madrid every week. When he was at Man­chester United, I could pop in the car and drive up the road. I can’t do that now. My biggest fear is that it is all over for us.”
    Thankfully, David has since healed his rifts with both of his father figures. More

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    Inside jetset life of F1’s hottest new racer Jessica Hawkins – from TV star girlfriend to ‘nearly killing’ James Blunt

    BRITISH racing driver Jessica Hawkins is quite literally living life in the fast lane after becoming the first woman in five years to test a Formula One car.The 28-year-old Aston Martin ambassador made history last week when she drove 26 laps of the Hungaroring in Budapest in the AMR21.
    Jessica Hawkins became the first female in almost five years to drive a modern Formula One car during a recent test in BudapestCredit: PA
    The 28-year-old is an Aston Martin ambassadorCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
    As Jessica breaks down barriers, we take a look at her jetset life on and off the track – from a James Bond role to the time she “nearly killed” James Blunt…
    The former karting champion made her professional motorsport debut in British Formula Ford at Silverstone in 2014 in a one-off event, claiming two top 10 finishes.
    She joined the Aston Martin F1 team in an ambassadorial role in 2021, and is a regular face around the paddock.
    Prior to that she worked as a stunt driver, spending much of 2017 on Fast and Furious Live –  a global live-action show based on the film franchise, featuring super cars and acrobatic stunts from the movies – all performed live.
    READ MORE F1 STORIES
    Jessica landed a plum role as a stunt driver in James Bond movie No Time to Die in 2021.
    Sharing a string of behind-the-scenes snaps on Instagram, where she was seen driving a classic Aston Martin, she wrote: “The best experience with the best people in the world. An unforgettable experience!”
    Her stunt driver career happened by chance, after a friend tagged her in a Facebook post advertising for a female driver with “good car control”.
    “I stopped racing a good few years before W Series purely because I’d run out of budget to continue on my motorsport journey,” Jessica told the Mirror.
    Most read in Motorsport
    Jessica on the red carpet at the No Time to Die premiereCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
    Jessica driving the James Bond car in the No Time to Die movieCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
    “Bond was actually my first movie. There was quite a lot of pressure, but I was confident in my ability and I had an incredible team around me.
    “I’m super proud of what I’ve done.”
    Rubbing shoulders with famous faces
    Last year Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua.
    In a clip the professional boxer was seen behind the wheel as Jessica sat in the passenger seat.
    As part of the launch, Jessica completed a dramatic world-first climb up a flooded dam in Iceland in the motor.
    She said: “Driving into it, knowing that a 90-metre drop was waiting for me at the bottom of the slope if things went wrong, made this the most challenging drive I’ve ever undertaken.”
    Jessica also featured in James Blunt’s music video for his 2021 single Love Under Pressure, starring as a driver attempting to kill the singer.
    Posting a picture with the musician, she joked: “Not every day you find yourself trying to kill @jamesblunt for his new music video!”
    Jessica was also part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, behind the wheel of a Land Rover to drive down the Mall.
    Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua last yearCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
    She featured in a James Blunt music video in 2021Credit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
    Jessica captioned this snap of her driving at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations ‘a special car for a special event’Credit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
    Glam TV star girlfriend
    Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driver.
    Abbie is also a TV star, having starred as the test driver for the second and third series of Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
    James May revealed that “she was the fastest and the best” driver that had been tested.
    In 2015 she appeared on ITV’s Drive, coaching rapper Professor Green in a string of racing car challenges.
    Jessica and Abbie, who both race in the W Series, have been together for over three-and-a-half years after meeting through the sport.
    Abbie, 31, said: “I met Jess before the W Series. Motorsport is a small world, especially for the female drivers.
    “I remember crossing paths with her at Goodwood and seeing what she was up to but when I came to W Series we got to know each other a bit more.”
    When it comes to competition between them both, Abbie explained: “We’re always competitive – we’d be rubbish racing drivers if we weren’t.
    “But if one of us is having a difficult time or our confidence is tested, we’re always there to support each other.
    “Ultimately, we both want each other to do well. The dream is to be at the front together.”
    Jessica’s girlfriend Abbie is also a TV starCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
    Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driverCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
    Lavish trips
    Jessica’s career has taken her around the world – and she often documents her work trips on Instagram.
    Over the past few years she’s jetted off to the likes of Miami, Iceland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
    She was also photographed at the Monaco GP earlier this year, posing with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff.
    Jessica enjoys travelling during her time off, too. Last summer, she spent some time on the Greek island of Rhodes with Abbie.
    The couple also made a trip to Wembley last summer to cheer on England’s Lionesses as they beat Norway 8-0 during the Euros.
    Jessica with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff at the Monaco GPCredit: naomischiff/instagram
    Jessica and Abbie cheered on England’s Ladies in the EurosCredit: abbieeaton44/instagram
    Jessica often documents her work trips on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
    ‘Wild journey’
    Jessica got into motorsport from a young age, telling Glamour that she “begged” her dad to let her have a go at karting after spotting a kart track while playing golf.
    She explained: “Luckily for him, I was too small at the time. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of me going karting.
    “But then we went back a few months later, and they’d moved the height restriction down, much to my dad’s despair. I had a go and absolutely fell in love with it.”
    She continued: “And I’ve never, ever intended, or it was never supposed to happen, that I’d still be here 20 years later having made or making a career from it.
    “I’m not quite where I want to be just yet, but I’m very proud of where I have come.
    “And a highlight of my career was obviously signing for Aston Martin Formula One team a couple of years ago. So yeah, it’s been a wild journey.”
    Jessica with Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso
    Jessica, pictured with Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, is a regular sight around the F1 paddock
    Jessica’s performance at Silverstone in 2014 saw her picked up by Falcon Motorsport to compete in the 2015 MSA Formula Championship.
    In 2016 she moved into single-make racing and competed in the Volkswagen Racing Cup series.
    Jessica crossed over to the Mini Challenge in 2017 before returning to the VW Cup in 2018.
    She moved to the W Series in 2019 and a year later, she made her debut in the 2020 British Touring Car Championship.  
    This week Jessica followed in the footsteps of Colombia’s Tatiana Calderon, who drove with with Sauber – now Alfa Romeo – in Mexico City in 2018, by taking the Aston Martin AMR21 for a spin.
    Susie Wolff, the wife of Mercedes team principal Toto, was the last woman to compete in a practice session in 2015 – however a female driver has not started an F1 race since Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
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    Jessica admitted that it’s taken “blood, sweat and tears to get here”, but that it has been a “dream come true”.
    She added: “I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”
    Jessica got into the sport from a young ageCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
    She enjoyed a holiday to Greece last yearCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
    Jessica living it up in MexicoCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram More