Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Megabucks life of ‘world’s sexiest footballer’ Alisha Lehmann as she builds fortune with Prime deal & sizzling calendar

      by

      SHE’S the Swiss sports star who has been branded the “world’s sexiest footballer”.And it’s not just on the pitch where Aston Villa star Alisha Lehmann is achieving her goals – thanks to a whopping 15.2million Instagram followers that have made her one of the most valuable stars in the women’s game.
      Alisha Lehmann has been branded the ‘world’s sexiest footballer’Credit: alisha-lehamann.com
      She reportedly earns £160,000 playing for Aston Villa but makes way more on the sideCredit: PA
      The 24-year-old is bagging extremely lucrative deals away from her sporting career, including partnerships with Boohoo, EA Sports and Adidas.
      Recently, Alisha was unveiled as the first female ambassador for sports drink Prime in a deal that PR expert Carla Speight could be worth up to £1million.
      And now she has just unveiled a sizzling 2024 calendar – selling signed limited-edition copies for £149.99 and normal ones for nearly £50.
      Carla tells us: “Alisha is the David Beckham of the women’s football world. She’s snapping up sponsorships with the likes of drinks, fashion and sportswear. 
      READ MORE ON WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
      “Like David Beckham, Alisha has realised football won’t last forever and she has to develop a lucrative career outside of it to secure her future.”
      Alisha’s latest deal is one of many money-spinning ventures that’s helping her to transcend football and live a lavish lifestyle – all while earning a tidy sum in the process.
      On her Instagram, there are scores of photos of the star soaking up the sun in exotic locations – on one occasion seemingly travelling by quadbike.
      Alisha regularly shares bikini snaps from her holidays abroadCredit: instagram/alishalehmann7
      The footballer is often pictured in fancy hotels and barsCredit: instagram/alishalehmann7
      Last year, she shared snaps from a break in Miami, Florida, where she swamp with dolphins.  
      Most read in Football
      Alisha also took a trip to Brazil in 2022, where she visited animal sanctuaries, and high-end nightclubs, went fishing and played golf. 
      During these trips, she has been seen sporting branded merchandise from hotel chains including Waldorf Hilton London and Melia Hotel Resorts.
      Additionally, she regularly gives shout-outs to car rental companies while posing alongside flashy Lamborghinis. 
      Sizzling side hustles
      It’s reported that Alisha earns £160,000 a year playing for Aston Villa but it seems the star could be topping up her earnings with her side hustles. 
      PR expert Carla points out that if just one per cent of her 15.2million Instagram followers buy her cheapest calendar, it could earn her nearly £7.6million. 
      The footballer also shares photos and talks to followers on the subscription site FanTime, where she charges £67 ($84) for a year’s membership and just over £8 ($10) per month. 
      Carla adds: “If only one per cent of her followers subscribe at the lowest rate, she will be bringing in £1.2 million per month.
      Alisha has launched a 2024 calendar and is charged nearly £150 for limited edition copiesCredit: Instagram @alishalehmann7
      She also has a Fantime account where she shares photos and talks to her fanbaseCredit: Instagram @alishalehmann7
      “Given that we know her engagement rate is around seven per cent, she could bring in even more than that amount in calendars, subscriptions – and she can do that for brands too.”
      Alisha was audaciously approached to produce saucier content last year, when she was offered an £83,000 ($100k) signing-on fee from the adult site My.Club.
      Mike Ford, the company’s vice president, told SportBible that she could earn a fortune posting “training photos, thirst traps and personally field questions from fans”. Sadly for the executive, she did not take up the offer.
      According to sources, it was Alisha’s decision to showcase her “sexy side” that contributed to her break-up with Aston Villa men’s team star Douglas Luiz.
      Last year, we were told: “When asked to do a calendar, she jumped at the chance to show off her sexy side but he was not happy.
      “He didn’t think it was something she should be doing. They rowed a lot and in the end, Alisha simply had enough.”
      Alisha also has a range of products, including hot pink cushions for £29.99, journals for £20, water bottles for £30 and even mousemats for £10.99.
      Before her deal with Prime, Alisha collaborated with a number of companies including Adidas, Bootbag and EA Sports, who create the video game Fifa.
      She has appeared in multiple videos for the football game including one alongside the musician Big Zuu and another unveiling her own “Be Brave” kit.
      PR expert Jack Cooper, from Ed Hopkins PR, told us: “Collaborations with brands like Adidas, EA Sports, and Bootbag further highlight her appeal to diverse industries, from sportswear to gaming. 
      Alisha has worked with a variety of companies ranging from Coca-Cola to EA SportsCredit: Instagram @alishalehmann7
      “Her diverse content – from football training videos to lifestyle and fashion showcases – means she can attract a broader range of brand partnerships.”
      Alisha has also worked with other companies including CocaCola Switzerland, Bootbag and Gisada.
      Carla says: “For longer-term deals, such as sportswear, lingerie, fashion and even fragrances, she could command six figures and receive commissions too.” 
      ‘Breaking the mould’
      Alisha is women’s football’s most followed star on Instagram and her fanbase is increasing regularly thanks to her daily posts.
      From July to September alone, she gained nearly two million followers and regularly gets more than one million likes on her posts.
      PR expert Jack says: “Alisha is breaking the mould, proving that today’s athletes are more than just players.
      Alisha has recently bagged a deal with Prime, which our expert claims could be worth £1mCredit: Instagram
      “With a robust following on Instagram, she’s more than just a footballer; she’s a digital influencer and brand in her own right.
      “Her collaboration with Prime, one of the largest streaming platforms globally, is indicative of the powerful confluence of sports, entertainment, and influencer marketing.”
      Pundit potential
      While Alisha has cultivated an engaged following on social media, she insists her focus is on football.
      Earlier this year, she told Sky Sports: “Obviously I have a lot of followers, but I never dreamed to have it. I just played and shared my life. It just became like this.
      “I don’t see myself as someone with loads of followers on social media, obviously I’m proud of it – alongside my football – but it doesn’t change anything.”
      Our experts predict she’s likely to capitalise on her knowledge of the game by providing match analysis, which could also earn her huge sums. 
      Carla says: “Alisha also has a fun and bubbly personality, which means she has the potential to take up a career in sports presenting. 
      “Sports programmes would snap up the chance to hire her as she has the potential to bring her 15.2 million followers and convert them into viewers for each programme she’s on. 
      “That’s a huge number for any show to get, so I expect she will be paid very well.”
      Alisha was part of Switzerland’s 2023 World Cup squadCredit: Getty
      Humble beginnings
      While Alisha lives a life many could only dream of today, her upbringing in Tägertschi, Switzerland, was very different.
      There she used to play “street football” daily from the age of five alongside her brother and cousins and credits them as “the main reason I play today”.
      Alisha started her career at Swiss club BSC YB Frauen, where she scored 25 goals in 52 appearances. 
      In 2018, she moved to the Women’s Super League after being signed by West Ham United and helped the squad reach the FA Cup final a year later.
      Alisha went to Everton on loan in 2021 before being signed by Aston Villa, where she has scored seven goals.
      She has also scored a combined total of 22 goals from 82 appearances for Switzerland’s youth and adult national teams.
      It’s clear there are big things in the 24-year-old’s future both on and off the pitch – but her main focus is staying humble and focused on her footballing career.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Last year, she told Sky Sports: “I don’t think that I’m better than anyone else, I come from humble beginnings with how I grew up with my family in Switzerland.
      “The people who know me always see the footballer. Every time I’m with my friends and family, I just speak about football.” More

    • 313 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      I’m David Ginola’s secret lovechild – we met for first time in 28 years, he said I was ‘a real Ginola’ then cut me out

      by

      FOOTIE legend  David Ginola’s lovechild has revealed she met him for the first time after 28 years and he said “Yes, you are a real Ginola” — then cut her adrift again.Joy Pinquier wept as the former France international finally admitted he is her dad and hugged her during an emotional meeting in her home town of Marseille.
      Joy Pinquier wept as former France international footballer David Ginola embraced her after nearly three decades apartCredit: Louis Wood
      Joy now says dad David has cut her adrift ever since their emotional meetingCredit: Rex
      David had met mum Joelle Pinquier in France where he was playing his football at the time
      But now devastated Joy claims she feels abandoned all over again  as following their hour-long meeting he severed any further contact.
      In an exclusive interview Joy said: “He looked me up and down and said, ‘Yes, you are a real Ginola.’ I replied, ‘Why did you ever doubt it?’
      “He took me in his arms and embraced me and it was a very special moment.
      “I had tears in my eyes because it was the hug I had always dreamed of having with my dad.
      READ MORE DAVID GINOLA
      “We talked for about an hour and it felt like we were connecting.
      “He kept saying we would go to a restaurant to get to know each other better but, 18 months later, I still haven’t seen him.”
      Ginola, 56, agreed to meet Joy after appearing on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021.
      Joy, now 30, said: “Two years ago I wrote to him through his Instagram account and, much to my surprise, he replied.
      Most read in Football
      “I gave him my phone number and he called. We must have spoken on the phone for about two hours and after that we started exchanging messages on WhatsApp.
      “One day I saw he was going to Marseille, where I live, to play boules with his friends. I decided to head over to meet him.
      “I sent a text to let him know I was there and, as I walked over, I saw he had a big smile on his face. Now I realise that he never had any interest in being my father, he was just being polite.
      “It’s a horrible thing to say, but I feel like I have been abandoned a second time.”
      David with ex-wife Coraline, who is mum to his son Andrea and daughter CarlaCredit: Getty
      The meeting came despite Ginola refusing to have contact with her for the first 28 years of her life.
      He was married and already had his first son Andrea, now 31, with model wife Coraline, 54 — also mum to his 28-year-old daughter Carla — when Joy was conceived during a fling with Joy’s mum in 1991.
      A French court ordered Ginola to take a DNA test confirming paternity three times but he always refused.
      Under French law, he was then automatically declared the father.
      Ginola was ordered to pay €450 (£345) a month in child support until Joy turned 18.
      Her mum Joelle Pinquier, 56, was working as a secretary in Brest, where Ginola was playing for the local club, when they met.
      He went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton.
      He was also capped 17 times by France before retiring in 2002.
      Ginola continues to work as a commentator in England and France and was one of the biggest stars of the 21st series of I’m a Celebrity, where he finished fourth.
      Joy said: “Mum had no idea he was married — he must have hidden his wedding ring in his pocket. I found out that he was my dad when I was six years old.
      “I remember we were playing a child’s game with a sticker album and when I came to his photo, I drew a heart on it.
      “That’s when my mother said to me: ‘I have a secret to tell you about that man, but I will tell you about it when you are old enough to understand.’
      “I said, ‘Tell me now’ and kept insisting. Eventually, she admitted he was my father.
      “It was difficult to comprehend. I loved watching football and he was a magnificent player and such a big star in France.
      “I would watch him on television all the time and I was in awe of him. Not having him around, it felt like a huge hole in my life.
      “I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be my dad.
      “A father plays such a hugely important role for a little girl.
      “Anyone that misses that is going to have a hard time and my childhood was tough. I stayed with my grandparents in Paris a lot as my mother struggled to raise me alone and we didn’t have much money.
      “I missed my dad and I needed his love and his guidance, but he did not want to take responsibility or own up to his mistake.
      “He was told to have a DNA test by the court — the first time was when I was ten or 11 years old — but he refused.
      “He started paying child support when I turned 13, but still he refused to see me and I felt his absence more and more as I got older.”
      Joy laid eyes on her dad for the first time when she turned 15.
      She said: “He asked to meet me at a lawyer’s office in Marseille, to see if we looked alike, but at the last minute he changed his mind.
      “When I got to the lawyer’s office, he was already leaving.
      “We saw each other across a spiral staircase and he looked at me and smiled.
      “To me, it looked like a smirk. It was horrible. By the time I got home I was in floods of tears.”
      Joy’s next close encounter with her dad came in May 2016, when she was 22. Ginola, who had recently separated from Coraline, collapsed during a charity football game in the south of France that month.
      He had suffered a cardiac arrest and was clinically dead for eight minutes but survived because his friend and fellow footballer Frederic Mendy performed CPR.
      Ginola was airlifted to hospital in Monaco where surgeons performed a six-hour quadruple bypass.
      Joy drove 136 miles to the hospital from Marseille as soon as she heard the news.
      She said: “I didn’t want the first day I met my dad to be when he was dead.
      “I got as far as his room. The staff outside asked to see my ID then refused to let me in.
      “Later that year, I was watching one of the games at the Euros in France when David appeared as a commentator on the big screen. I immediately burst into tears.”
      It would be another five years before their next contact.
      Joy said: “After we first spoke on the phone, he would write to me on WhatsApp and say ‘Happy birthday’ and things like that.
      “It gave me hope, but he never ended his messages ‘Dad’, he always ended them ‘David’.
      “Also, he refused to apologise. He told me he was not sorry because he had told my mother that he did not want to have a child — he was very harsh about the situation. I now realise that I can’t force him to be my father.
      “I am not interested in his money and I never wanted to attack him publicly. I always felt it my responsibility to defend his reputation.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “But it’s got to a point where I feel a terrible anger and resentment towards my dad.
      “More than anything, I want to finally look him in the eye and ask why he treated me like he did.”
      Ginola enjoyed a successful career in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and EvertonCredit: Getty
      He appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021 and later agreed to meet JoyCredit: PA More

    • 250 Shares119 Views

      in Motorsport

      We’re brothers with 10 MotoGP world champion titles, countless crashes and broken bones between us – but we won’t retire

      by

      OVER the years, tennis fans have witnessed some of the biggest sibling rivalries of all time, including Serena and Venus Williams as well as Andy and Jamie Murray.And the MotoGP world has one of the most exciting brotherly battles too.
      Alex and Marc Marquez have spoken exclusively to The Sun about their sibling rivalryCredit: Getty
      8-time world champ Marc has become known as the “Senna of the MotoGP world”Credit: Estrella Galicia
      8-time world champion Marc Marquez, 30, has been called the “Senna of the MotoGP world” and became the youngest ever rider to win the MotoGP title in 2013, at the age of 20.
      He went on to win the world championship every year following, until 2020, when he came crashing into the air at around 100mph, suffering a fractured humerus, leading to surgery.
      Marc returned the following year, only gaining 7th place, followed by 13th in 2022.
      And, as he prepares for the 12th competition in San Morino this Sunday, he’s placing at 19th.
      MORE SPORT FEATURES
      Meanwhile, his younger brother, Alex Marquez, 27, won the Moto2 Motorcycling World Championship in 2019 with Team Estrella Galicia, and has been coming up behind him, hot on his (w)heels.
      ‘Jealous’ of older brother
      For the first time in the boys’ careers, throughout this year’s world championship, Alex has been much higher up the league table than Marc, currently in 9th place in the GP.
      And, as we sit down with him at Estrella Galicia’s bar at Silverstone, Alex admits his success is down to the competition he’s had with his brother.
      “I look up to him quite a lot, I’m quite jealous of him,” he tells us. “I’ve achieved much more than what I imagined when I was young, and I think it’s because I’ve been fighting him. 
      Most read in Motorsport
      “When I was younger, I was comparing myself to him quite a lot.
      “Later, I started to actually follow him.”
      Marc and Alex were both in Honda until this year, as Alex has moved to Ducati – and he feels much more relaxed racing against him now.
      He says: “Competing against each other is really nice, but it’s something that, if you can avoid it, it’s better, because when you see your brother crashing or something like that, it’s hard to not take it with you. 
      “But I love being in a different team to him. I feel more relaxed. 
      “In the same team, we’re on the same bike, we’re fighting, it’s something that in the first moment is nice, but later on, it gets hard.”
      And Marc has loved having his brother around him as they’ve travelled the world together every year for each Grand Prix.
      “Having my brother there is one of the coolest things I have in my career and in my life because it’s become a lifestyle,” he says. 
      “To spend your profession with your brother, race the same racetracks, it’s something very special and very nice. And yeah, we’re travelling around the world together. 
      “We are competing against each other, but also I try to help him, and he tries to help me. So this is very nice.”
      Horror crash
      Marc had a horror crash in 2020 and then had many more in the following yearsCredit: Estrella Galicia
      Since Marc’s 2020 crash, he’s suffered complications with the metal plate in his arm, and has been back for surgery twice more, and he’s no longer able to extend his right arm out fully, meaning he finds controlling the bike on corners more difficult.
      A later crash in 2022, during a warm-up session for the Indonesian GP, saw Marc flung from his bike while travelling at 115mph after his rear tyre gave way.
      He suffered concussion and damaged a nerve in his eye after being flung 15 feet in the air, leading him to be diagnosed with diplopia, meaning he was seeing double.
      At the time, BT Sport commentator Gavin Emmett said: “That’s a shocking crash for Marc Marquez. That’s one of the biggest high-sides I’ve seen in 25 years covering this sport.
      “He must have been 12 to 15 feet in the air, the Repsol Honda man.”
      Thought about retiring
      Marc did think about retiring after losing confidence in his abilitiesCredit: Instagram/@marcmarquez93
      And when we spoke to him, he confessed he was starting to lose confidence prior to this year’s GP, and he did think about retiring.
      He says: “I never feel scared but it’s true that sometimes you lose confidence and, in the last races, I crashed many times and then I started to lose more and more confidence, and then, when you lose confidence, you are slower and even more unsafe.
      “These last three years, with the four different injuries, four different situations on the arm, with a lot of injuries, I was thinking about stopping, and saying ‘okay, why am I doing this?’ 
      “But it’s my passion, and I can not imagine, right now, a life without riding a bike, without riding in MotoGP. 
      “So at the moment, it’s my passion and I still feel competitive.”
      Marc and Alex have been sponsored by Estrella Galicia, since 2012, and both tell us how important the relationship with the Spanish, family-run beer brand is to them.
      Marc says: “It’s been such a long relationship, so it’s been very nice to see us grow together. 
      We’ve got bigger and bigger, step by step, and we’ve helped each other a lot.
      “It looks like a very big company, but it’s a family company, and you can feel it.”
      Alex adds: “We’ve had many years together, and they’ve invested in me.
      “It’s really important, especially when you start, in smaller championships, and have less visibility to have help, because you need the money and to pay, because it costs a lot. 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “So to have them on your side is important.”
      Estrella Galicia 0,0 is the Global Official Beer Partner of MotoGP™.
      Alex and Marc have been sponsored by Estrella Galicia since 2012Credit: Estrella Galicia More

    • 288 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Finally disgraceful Luis Rubiales has resigned but he’s not a ‘good guy’ & it’s not up to him to decide if he assaulted

      by

      FINALLY, Luis Rubiales has jumped. He says he did it because he was becoming a distraction, when in actual fact he became a disgrace.
      Ulrika Jonsson shares her thoughts on Luis Rubiales resigning after he shockingly planted a kiss on Jenni HermosoCredit: Getty
      Most of us had worked that out nearly three weeks ago.
      It’s not that I’m all for sacking people with immediate effect as soon as there is a hint of wrongful behaviour.
      We all make mistakes.
      But Rubiales’ suggestion that he is innocent and “a good guy” just doesn’t cut it, I’m afraid.
      READ MORE ON THE CONTROVERSY
      Of course, he would say that now, wouldn’t he?
      The kiss he planted on Jenni Hermoso’s lips made me audibly wince at the time and sent a shiver down my spine.
      It’s one thing getting caught up in the euphoria of the moment but quite another to actually forcibly land a smacker right on someone’s mouth.
      It was such an invasion of personal space – the grabbing hold of her – just moments after he’d ­grabbed his crotch while sitting alongside the Queen of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter.
      Most read in Football
      What Rubiales has failed to comprehend throughout this drawn-out tale is that it is not for him to decide whether there was any aggression – sexual or otherwise – associated with his actions.
      That is the job of the person on the receiving end.
      Perpetrators do not have the right to say what is and isn’t acceptable.
      Of course, we know football has a problem with women and needs a culture change to get rid of the sexism and misogyny.
      It needs a root-and-branch overhaul.
      Rubiales going is merely a snip at a bough.
      Wrong, but keep it in perspective
      By Laura Dodsworth
      I SYMPATHISE with Jenni Hermoso.
      When I was 21 my first male boss pinned me to a wall at a work do and tried to stick his tongue in my mouth.
      In the words of Hermoso, I did not enjoy it.
      Rubiales’ behaviour was inappropriate, even if it was a genuine expression of Latin exuberance.
      With the cameras rolling and in the face of his high spirits, Hermoso might have felt she had to go along with a kiss she would not have ordinarily consented to.
      But to get some perspective, it was just a second or two, happening after a hug and before a slap on the back.
      Kissing is more typical in some countries (such as Spain) and it is also a jubilant response to success.
      Do you remember Maradona and team-mate Claudio Caniggia sharing a kiss after a goal?
      Gary Neville even gave Paul Scholes a smacker.
      None of these celebratory kisses caused a scandal.
      While they didn’t share the same power imbalance, they could have caused a backlash of a different sort. But they didn’t.
      Rubiales should have reflected more humbly on the impact of this kiss and given an unequivocal apology.
      Yet he steadfastly refused to resign.
      And instead of being seen as a football heroine, Hermoso has been cast as a victim.
      Read More on The Sun
      One problem with the #MeToo scandals in the US was grouping together too wide a spectrum of sexual misbehaviour.
      This kiss has launched Spain’s #MeToo moment, but it shouldn’t ignite a Spanish Inquisition. More

    • 213 Shares149 Views

      in Motorsport

      How F1 legend Enzo Ferrari bedded factory workers, had secret love child & pushed drivers to brink

      by

      THE creator of the world’s most desired sports cars was a daring racer who lived his life on the edge – in the bedroom and the boardroom.Now the story of how Enzo Ferrari pushed himself, his loved ones and his drivers to their limits is being told in a new biopic starring Adam Driver and ­Penelope Cruz.
      Enzo Ferrari’s enduring love affair with motor racing began in his early days as a young driverCredit: Alamy
      Ferrari pushed himself, his loved ones and his drivers to their limitsCredit: Imago
      Adam Driver, who plays Ferrari, said the film ‘seemed like a subject I didn’t know much about and seemed daunting and exciting’Credit: Alamy
      The film, titled Ferrari, received a seven-minute standing ovation following its world premiere at last week’s Venice Film Festival.
      The tale of how Enzo, the son of a metal shop owner, survived World War One and built the first Ferrari after his factory was flattened during the Second World War would be enough for one movie in itself.
      But the high octane film, which opens in the UK on Boxing Day, focuses on an even more turbulent period.
      In 1957, with his company on the verge of going bust, Enzo bet that he could win the 1,000-mile Mille Miglia road race through Italy.
      Read More on Ferrari
      It was a highly dangerous challenge which resulted in the deaths of two of his drivers and nine spectators.
      At the same time he was struggling to save his marriage following the death of his son and amid a long running affair with the mother of a secret love-child.
      The genius behind the Prancing Horse branding, who died at the age of 90 in 1988, was not content with just one mistress.
      Not only did the insatiable businessman have three serious relationships on the go at once, Enzo also had a reputation for bedding the female staff working at his Modena factory.
      Most read in Motorsport
      There is already talk of Oscar nominations for ­Penelope, who plays Enzo’s wife Laura, while Shailene Woodley is praised for her performance as mistress Lina Lardi.
      It was this personal drama that attracted Adam Driver to the role.
      He says: “This version of Ferrari, whose internal engine was very much driven by grief, and the difference in his relationship with Laura versus Lina Lardi, all seemed like a subject I didn’t know much about and was daunting and exciting.”
      Enzo first tasted the thrill of fast cars and fumes at the age of ten when his dad Alfredo took him to see a race in Bologna.
      From that moment on he was a devoted petrol-head, filled with the dream of getting behind the wheel himself.
      That hope, as for so many young men in Europe, was almost taken from him by the outbreak of war in 1914.
      He suffered from the serious lung condition pleurisy while working with mules as part of Italy’s mountain regiment three years into the conflict.
      Discharged from the military on health grounds, Enzo set about making a name for himself as a driver at the then-fledgling sports car firm Alfa Romeo.
      He won the first of 11 Grand Prix in 1923, but the death of his friend and team-mate Antonio Ascari on the track two years later left Enzo fearful of pushing his car to its limits.
      The birth of his first son Dino in 1932 convinced him to transfer his talents to the safety of design and manage- ment.
      Having set up his own manufact- urer — Auto Avio Costruzioni — eight years later, he was soon told to makeair-craft engines for Italy’s fascist ruler Benito Mussolini and his factory became a target for Allied bombers.
      Not wishing to be associated with the stain of the despised regime, Enzo changed the firm’s name to Ferrari at the end of the war, and in 1947 a gleaming red 125 model rolled off the production line.
      He was a tough taskmaster whose motto was “the best Ferrari that has ever been built is the next” and worked all week long, wearing his trademark shades, even in his office.
      The business was a distraction from his personal turmoil.
      ‘Beyond reasonable limits’
      In his memoirs, Enzo said: “One must keep working continuously — otherwise one thinks of death.’’
      His son Dino died aged 24 in 1956 after a long battle with a severe type of muscular dystrophy.
      His dad and brother were killed by the Italian flu epidemic in 1916, and eight of his drivers were killed in his cars between 1955 and 1971.
      Adam explains: “He is absolutely instinctive, he’s impulsive, he’s making decisions in a vacuum because he’s used to doing them alone.
      “He’s built a way of coping with that, of death, and especially with people that he’s cared for — not only by his son, but team-mates who have died because of the metal that he has made.”
      The demise of so many of his daring drivers was not down to mechanical failure, but often due to the demanding races Ferrari competed in.
      The most notorious of all was the Mille Miglia, which saw 56 people die in its 30-year history.
      It was so dangerous that the dashing Spanish aristocrat Alfonso de Portago, who had flown a plane under London’s Tower Bridge for a bet, was wary about competing on the twisting roads.
      Penelope Cruz plays Enzo’s wife Laura in the biopic
      The businessman also had multiplel lovers
      Enzo once said: ‘I am convinced that when a man tells a woman he loves her, he only means that he desires her’
      He was right to be worried.
      Shortly after stopping to share a kiss with his film star girlfriend Linda Christian, Alfonso’s third-placed Ferrari 335 S blew a tire and swathed through the crowd.
      It was a moment of pure horror.
      Five of the nine spectators killed were children; Alfonso, 28, was scythed in half and his American co-driver Edmund Nelson also died.
      The photo of Linda and Alfonso was dubbed the Kiss Of Death and Enzo was charged with manslaughter.
      Even though he was eventually cleared of responsibility for the fatal crash, critics have claimed that the Ferrari boss over-stretched his team.
      The late British Formula One driver Tony Brooks, who raced for Ferrari, said in a 2004 documentary: “He would expect a driver to go beyond reasonable limits.”
      Enzo pitted his drivers against each other, including Italian Luigi Musso, who was a fierce rival of his English team-mates Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, the latter played by Jack O’Connell in the new movie.
      Musso, 33, died after going flat out on a bend while pursuing Hawthorn in the French Grand Prix in July 1958 and, a month later Collins, 26, was killed when his Ferrari struck a tree during the German Grand Prix.
      Most disturbingly, Enzo pursued Luigi’s young girlfriend Fiamma Breschi following his driver’s fatal crash.
      Fiamma revealed in 2004: “He started to desire me. At first he hinted at it, and later he made it very clear. He told me that he couldn’t imagine his life without me.
      “I refused him, but he kept writing to me about a passion that he said was literally consuming him. This lasted for years.”
      She was, though, only one of many women in Enzo’s colourful life.
      He married Laura in 1923, had a son, Piero, with his mistress Lina in 1945, and kept them both in his life.
      There were other short-lived affairs in the province of Modena, which Enzo rarely left.
      He once said: “I am convinced that when a man tells a woman he loves her, he only means that he desires her.”
      But even after his wife died in 1978, Enzo went to visit her grave every morning, which was situated alongside those of his son and parents.
      Devoted Lina and Piero were by his bedside when he died.
      Piero, 78, was given a ten per cent share of the Ferrari company and has been vice chairman of the firm ever since his father’s death.
      He is now a billionaire thanks to massive demand for the glamorous sports cars, which have a starting price of £166,000.
      Classic Ferraris are even more sought after, partly because Enzo would let them rot at the back of his factory once they had been replaced by a newer model.
      A 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO fetched more than £50million at auction five years ago.
      Ironically, though, Enzo drove a modest Fiat to work.
      Read More on The Sun
      His interest was not in creating desirable machines for the public, but in being first past the chequered flag.
      As he once said: “Racing cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.”
      The one remaining AAC 815, the first car built by Enzo Ferrari, pictured in 1973Credit: Getty
      A 2003 Ferrari EnzoCredit: Rex More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Everything you need to know about Sidemen v Youtube Allstars football match – from most subscribers to richest player

      by

      ENGLAND may be taking on Ukraine today, but the biggest football match will be between two teams you have probably never heard of.The Sidemen versus The YouTube Allstars will take place in front of a sold-out 62,000 crowd at West Ham’s London Stadium at 3pm — and will be watched by millions online.
      Social media-savvy youngsters will now YouTubers like KSI – but anyone over 40 may struggle to recognise the playersCredit: Alamy
      While anyone over 40 may struggle to recognise the players, to social media-savvy youngsters, they are the Tom Cruises, Brad Pitts and Will Smiths of their world.
      Online, the Sidemen are a group of top YouTube celebrities, including British phenomenon KSI, who is also known for his boxing bouts with YouTuber Logan Paul.
      With more than a billion social media followers among both sets of players, the charity match — which has been running annually since 2016 — is expected to pull in a global audience of more than 20million.
      Last year, the game, held at Charlton Athletic’s ground, raised £1million.
      READ MORE BEAUTIFUL GAME
      The match has since been streamed more than 34million times.
      Tickets for this year’s game, which cost from £8 upwards, sold out in less than 90 minutes and proceeds will go to charities Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), Teenage Cancer Trust and Rays Of Sunshine.
      PR and brands expert Ed Hopkins says: “I’ve been closely watching the incredible journey of Sidemen’s charity game, and it’s nothing short of a masterclass in how to capture the hearts and minds of young people while creating a formidable brand in the world of sports.
      “It’s not far-fetched to imagine Sidemen’s charity game gracing the hallowed grounds of Wembley Stadium in the future.”
      Most read in Football
      Here, we take a closer look at some of the stars aiming to give professional footballers a run for their money.
      THE SIDEMEN
      VIKKSTAR 123
      7.61million subscribers
      Vikram Singh Barn started out by posting gaming videos every day for four years straightCredit: Twitter
      VIKRAM Singh Barn, 28, is one of the most dedicated social media personalities in the world.
      When he first started out, he posted gaming videos every day for four years straight.
      It led to him gaining a combined 3.8billion views and more than 7.6million ­subscribers on YouTube.
      His hard work has also earned him a reported £8million fortune.
      Recently, he has been giving fans a glimpse into his dream home along with his side-hustle as a DJ.
      In April 2021, he proposed to girlfriend Ellie Harlow, 26, in front of Dubai’s gleaming Burj Al Arab hotel.
      KSI
      40.4million subscribers
      UNDOUBTEDLY the biggest name on the pitch will be YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI, who has firmly established himself as one of the world’s hottest internet personalities.
      He started out as a gamer with a focus on Fifa, but now posts everything from reaction videos to a look at a day in his life.
      The Sidemen FC skipper is also a rapper and co-founder of the Prime Hydration drink alongside American YouTuber Logan Paul.
      Real named Olajide Olayinka Williams, the 30-year-old also co-founded XIX Vodka and owns a restaurant chain called Sides.
      KSI, who has kept tight-lipped about who he is dating, has a reported net worth of £21million.
      W2S
      16.3million subscribers
      Harry Lewis, known as Wroetoshaw or W2S, is such a footie fanatic that he has his own football challenge clubCredit: Instagram
      HARRY LEWIS, known as Wroetoshaw (or W2S), is such a football fanatic that he has his own football challenge club,
      KickTown in London, where competitors take on ball-based skills exercises.
      Across his various YouTube channels and social media platforms, the 26-year-old has amassed 16.3million subscribers.
      He typically posts about gaming and real-life football content and is able to pull in tens of millions of views per video.
      He is also known for his real-life challenges with his family and friends, and has a reported net worth of more than £4million.
      ZERKAA
      4.69million subscribers
      Zerkaa began posting Call Of Duty gaming videos, but he expanded his career by covering football content tooCredit: Instagram
      AT 31, the oldest of the Sidemen began his career by posting Call Of Duty gaming videos, which he later expanded to cover football content.
      Since then, Zerkaa, whose real name is Joshua Bradley, has built up 4.69million followers on YouTube.
      Last year, he celebrated ten years of game play.
      He also has a podcast called Homegrown and is estimated to be worth £3million.
      Since 2010, he has been dating Freya Nightingale, 30, who has been dubbed the “merch Queen” due to her regularly wearing Sidemen clothing.
      MINIMINTER
      10.2million subscribers
      Miniminter says he narrowly missed out on becoming a professional footballerCredit: Instagram
      He married singer Talia Mar in a lavish Italian ceremony this yearCredit: Instagram
      HE was man of the match at last year’s game, and having just turned 31, he will be looking to cap off his birthday week with an even bigger impact this year.
      Born Simon Minter, he says he narrowly missed out on being a professional footballer when a clash in fixtures meant he was unable to meet a scout.
      He is another star who started as a Fifa gamer on YouTube, but nowadays he showcases more of his personal life.
      According to reports, he’s the second-richest member of Sidemen and has a net worth of £9million.
      Earlier this year, he married singer Talia Mar in a lavish Italian ceremony.
      YOUTUBE ALLSTARS
      ISHOWSPEED
      20.2million subscribers
      IShowSpeed is a Cristiano Ronaldo superfan who is worth a reported £9.6millionCredit: Rex Features
      IF you ever doubt the pull of YouTubers, just look at the huge crowd who chased a car carrying US sensation IShowSpeed this week in Edinburgh.
      The 18-year-old – real named Darren Watkins – is a Cristiano Ronaldo superfan, worth a reported £9.6million.
      He is one of the biggest streamers in the world and mainly live-streams himself playing games such as Fifa and Minecraft.
      He began dating girlfriend Ermony Renee after meeting her in an ice cream shop in 2021.
      At last year’s charity football match, he was given the yellow card after whipping the referee with his T-shirt.
      XQC
      2.32million subscribers
      xQc is one of the most controversial streamers and has faced several bans for showing explicit contentCredit: Rex Features
      THE 27-year-old Canadian is a former professional player of first-person shooter Overwatch who now mostly posts reaction videos.
      Real name Felix Lengyel, xQc is one of the most controversial streamers and has faced several bans for showing explicit content.
      It doesn’t appear to have hurt his fanbase too much, however.
      He was named the most-watched streamer on platform Twitch for three consecutive years from 2020.
      He will play in goal today, but team-mate IShowSpeed has called him a “skinny pip” and fears he will cost them the game.
      NIKO OMILANA
      7.15million subscribers
      Niko Omilana is best known for parody videos and daring pranks – but he also decided to run for Mayor of London in 2021Credit: Rex Features
      HE may be best known for his parody videos and daring pranks on YouTube, but it was no laughing matter when Niko decided to run for Mayor of London in 2021.
      After managing to rack up 50,000 votes and coming fifth with a campaign based on telling Boris Johnson to “shush”, the 25-year-old returned to his day job after the election.
      On YouTube, he has 7.15million subscribers as well as 2.3million followers on Instagram.
      In 2018, one of his pranks saw him sneak into the ring during fellow YouTuber KSI’s first boxing match against American Logan Paul in Manchester.
      DANNY AARONS
      1.49million subscribers
      Danny Aarons has been rising up the ranks of YouTube with his videos of Fifa gameplayCredit: Rex Features
      ENGLISHMAN Danny has been rising up the ranks of YouTube with his videos of Fifa gameplay.
      His tips and advice have earned him many fans, but there was controversy on Boxing Day last year when he was banned from the game’s Transfer Market feature for allegedly breaking its rules – something that he denied.
      On his channel, which he launched in 2012 with Minecraft videos, he has more than 1.49million subscribers and hosts 1,200 videos.
      The 21-year-old also has a large following across Instagram, gaining around 80,000 views per video.
      MRBEAST
      181million subscribers
      MrBeast is miles ahead of everyone else in the game on YouTube with a whopping 181million subscribers – and is in a relationship with South African Thea BooysenCredit: Instagram
      WHEN it comes to YouTube, MrBeast is miles ahead of everyone else in the game with a whopping 181million subscribers and 47billion combined views.
      He is also a big hit on Instagram, where he has 40.8million followers.Worth a massive £88.2million, the American, real name Jimmy Donaldson, is also one of the most charitable content creators and showcases himself on YouTube gifting fans everything from a private island to hundreds of cars.
      The 25-year-old Kansas native gave a fan $1million in one video and walked around his city giving out $1,000 to a series of homeless people.
      Thanks to MrBeast’s ­lucrative brand endorsement deals, he is able to host several such giveaways without his personal fortune taking a significant hit.
      Read More on The Sun
      He is known for pioneering the genre of videos based on expensive stunts and challenges.
      And he has been in a relationship with South African YouTuber Thea Booysen, 25, since late last year. More

    • 263 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      Meet the Sidemen & YouTube All-stars’ WAGs – from ‘Merch Queen’ to Mr Beast’s girlfriend who had a tricky first date

      by

      IT’S the hotly anticipated charity football match that will see some of the biggest streaming stars on the planet battle it out.Tickets for the Sidemen VS YouTube All-Stars at London Stadium sold out within hours back in June and tens of millions more are likely to be watching online. 
      Sidemen star KSI dodging a tackle from YouTube All-Stars’ IShowSpeed last yearCredit: PA
      The Sidemen are a collective of British streaming stars including KSI, Zerkaa and Vikkstar123Credit: Instagram
      The annual football match will see famous British stars including KSI, Miniminter and Zerkaa take on the likes of Mr Beast, IShowSpeed and Chunkz.
      Last year, they raised more than £1million for charity in a thrilling 8-7 win to the Sidemen before 35,000 spectators at Charlton Athletic’s Valley Stadium. 
      This year will be even bigger, with 62,000 cheering from the stands of the West Ham ground – including the streamers’ glamorous girlfriends, fiancées and wives. 
      From the ‘Merch Queen’ to the novelist and a popular singer with 1.9million monthly listeners, we reveal the love interests of the online-obsessed stars.
      READ MORE ON THE SIDEMEN
      Miniminter 
      Talia Mar is a musician with 1.9million monthly listeners on SpotifyCredit: Instagram
      She’s engaged to Simon Mintor, who’s known as MiniminterCredit: Instagram
      Miniminter, whose real name is Simon Mintor, has been engaged to beautiful British singer Talia Mar, 26, since last summer.
      The 31-year-old Sidemen star met his glamorous beau at Wireless Festival back in 2017 and they confirmed their relationship a year later, according to The Tab.

      Talia, who is best known for her 2022 song Stay The Night, has a whopping 1.9million monthly listeners on spotify and a considerable online following.
      She has more than a million fans following her content on both YouTube and Instagram as well as 757,000 on Twitch, where she plays video games and sings.
      Most read in Football
      Away from music, Talia had her own fashion line with PrettyLittleThing and was an ambassador for clothing range The Martian Club. 
      The songstress, who released new hit Forget About Your Ex last month, also posts make-up, hair and beauty tip videos online. 
      Zerkaa
      Freya Nightingale is known as ‘Merch Queen’ due to wearing so much Sidemen clothingCredit: Instagram
      She’s dating the Sidemen’s Zerkaa, real name Joshua BradleyCredit: instagram
      Joshua Bradley, known as Zerkaa, is among the Sidemen XI and has been dating Freya Nightingale since 2010. 
      The 29-year-old influencer is often dubbed the “Merch Queen” due to regularly sporting Sidemen’s clothing range online. 
      Freya has her own YouTube channel, which has 268,000 subscribers, where she posts video gaming content and gives fans an insight into her relationship. 
      On Instagram, where she has 436,000 followers, she shares holiday snaps from stunning locations around the world and is often pictured in the fashionable outfits.
      Freya also has 104,000 TikTok subscribers and nearly 1million likes as well as more than 282,000 followers on Twitch.
      Behzinga
      Social media influencer Faith Kelly in a barely-there bikini before her pregnancyCredit: Instagram
      She and dad Ethan Payne, aka Behzinga, is now the mum of daughter OliveCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Ethan Payne, known as Behzinga, became a dad to daughter Olive Ottilie Payne just hours after his win alongside his Sidemen teammates at last year’s charity football match. 
      It’s not known when he started dating girlfriend, Faith Kelly, 23, but she started to appear on his social media channels in June 2021. 
      She’s also an online star with an impressive 1.6million followers on TikTok, where she posts beauty tips along with sharing insights into her life with Behzinga.
      Faye, who has 804,000 Instagram followers, often shares photos of herself with baby Olive and her partner as well as snaps of her horses Cali and Lorenzo.
      Last month, she and Ethan spoke out about the “hate” she received online for dating Behzinga and he described her regularly “getting smoked” by trolls. 
      Vikkstar123
      Vikram Barn, aka Vikkstar123, has been engaged to Ellie Harlow since 2021Credit: INSTAGRAM
      The YouTube star proposed to his girlfriend in front of the Burj Al Arab hotelCredit: Instagram
      Sidemen star Vickram Barn, who is known as Vikkstar123, proposed to girlfriend Ellie Harlow in front of Dubai’s iconic seven-star hotel the Burj Al Arab back in 2021.
      Unlike the Sidemen stars’ other halves, the Brit is very private and is said to be “not really interested in having a lot of followers”.
      That came as a relief to her partner Vikkstar123, who admitted: “I quite like it as well because I like that there’s some part of me that isn’t on YouTube.”
      It’s not known what Ellie, who is believed to be 25, does for work but she is regularly seen in her fiancé’s YouTube videos and at red carpet events. 
      Mr Beast
      Mr Beast’s girlfriend Thea Booysen in one of many glamorous holiday photosCredit: INSTAGRAM
      She’s been dating the All-Star player, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, since 2022Credit: INSTAGRAM
      YouTube All-Star player Jimmy Donaldson, from Greenville, North Carolina, is known as Mr Beast online and has been dating Thea Booysen since late last year. 
      In a podcast, the gaming streamer revealed he “tested” his future beau, 24, on their first date with a list of pre-made questions to test their compatibility.
      And it seemed they had plenty of chemistry because they couple are still together today and regularly feature on each other’s streaming channels. 
      Thea, from Cape Town, South Africa, has 163,000 followers on Instagram and regularly shares gaming videos on Twitch and YouTube, where she collectively has 54,000 subscribers.
      Away from gaming, she has a degree in psychology and law and is believed to be studying For a Master’s degree in neuropsychology.
      She’s also self-published a book last year titled The Marked Children, which she claimed to have started writing for seven years. 
      IShowSpeed
      IShowSpeed revealed his girlfriend Ermony Renee back in 2021Credit: Tiktok
      She’s been dating Darren Jason Watkins Jr, aka IShowSpeed for around two yearsCredit: Rex
      IShowSpeed, real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr, hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, and will be joining Mr Beast on the All-Star team.
      He met glamorous Ermony Renee at ice cream shop United Dairy Farmers and the pair revealed they were dating back in 2021.
      Unlike her YouTube star partner, she keeps her private life to herself and has a private social media account with 10,600 followers.
      Not a lot is know about Ermony, who was nicknamed ‘Dream’ by IShowSpeed, apart from her having studied at Walnut Hills High School and the University of Cincinatti. 
      Chandler Hallow
      Chandler Hallow and Cara Davis got married in 2022Credit: instagram
      Chandler Hallow, who is one of Mr Beast’s closest friends, has more than four million fans on Instagram alone. 
      The 24-year-old, from North Carolina, revealed he was in a relationship with Cara David back in 2020.
      Read More on The Sun
      The pair got engaged a year later and married in 2022.
      Cara has 102,000 followers on Instagram despite only having 25 posts. More

    • 263 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      How Laura Woods overcame sexist trolls and sad split to become TV’s hottest new star – and Prem footballers’ celeb crush

      by

      SHE’S the TV presenter famous footballers want to date – and women look up to.With killer looks, an enviable wardrobe and a new Love Island beau on her arm, Laura Woods might just be the sporting world’s answer to Maya Jama.
      Laura Woods’ star is on the riseCredit: The Sun
      Gorgeous Laura has stolen the hearts of Premiership starsCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      This week we revealed Laura enjoyed a low-key date with Adam Collard, 27, in a County Durham pub – after splitting from long-term love England rugby player Alex Corbisiero.
      The TNT Sports host – who won praise for her coverage of the Women’s World Cup for ITV –  is being tipped to become a household name with the potential to earn millions.
      One expert reckons stylish Laura, 36, could bag major fashion deals and presenting jobs away from sport as her star rises.
      Brand and culture expert Nick Ede, who runs a PR firm in London, told The Sun: “There are people out there who are stand out stars and Laura is definitely one of them.
      READ MORE CELEB STORIES
      “Female sports presenters like Gabby Logan and Kirsty Gallacher will always be iconic but Laura is fresh blood and looks like the perfect person to take on the reins.
      “She’s very intelligent and did great coverage of the Women’s World Cup and has shown off her knowledge of different sports.
      “Yet she’s not too pigeon-holed in sport that other presenting roles won’t be offered to her and she could even branch out to fashion and produce her own collections.
      “She’s a British celebrity but her job means she has an international profile and that will really help in her quest to become a big star.”
      Most read in Football
      Nick says Laura dating Adam won’t do her profile any harmCredit: �ITV Plc
      Nick described Laura as the ‘perfect package’Credit: Instagram
      Nick added that dating some like Adam Collard – known for his bad boy antics on Love Island and recent dalliance with Lottie Moss on Celebs Go Dating – will “only elevate her status”.
      “It means Laura might find herself propelled onto the front of newspapers as much as the back, which is something new for her, but she can utilise it in a strong way to raise her profile,” he said.
      “She’s clever and gorgeous and really is the perfect package. She could be on her way to earning millions just like Maya Jama.”
      Humble start
      Laura with Jack Grealish after Manchester City won the FA CupCredit: Reuters
      Laura with former England player Jill ScottCredit: Getty
      Laura, who played rugby as a kid, started her career as a humble runner at Sky Sports in 2009 before working her way up to a producer role.
      She kicked off her presenting career with behind-the-scenes interviews on the darts coverage for Sky Sports’ YouTube channel.
      Laura then got a job on the Saturday morning kids’ show Game Changers before joining the Soccer AM online presenting team.
      By 2018 she was a regular pitch-side reporter on Super Sunday before leaving Sky Sports four years later.
      She was also Talksport’s breakfast show host with Ally McCoist from 2020 until June this year.
      She joined TNT Sports as the lead presenter for the UEFA Champions League and boxing coverage.
      But it was Laura’s knowledgeable coverage of the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup that has really propelled her into the limelight. 
      Hurt feelings
      Laura with Ally McCoisCredit: Instagram
      Laura on A League of Their OwnCredit: Instagram
      She had already won over leading sportsmen with her knowledge and good looks.
      Ex Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek admitted she is his celebrity crush live on air, leaving her giggling.
      And in April boxer Anthony Joshua told her she was his “dream date” after he flirted with her during an interview.
      Laura has also bagged two major presenting awards and has won plaudits on social media for her stunning dress sense.
      But her stratospheric rise to fame has not been easy.
      When she first hit our screens Laura faced criticism that she’d only landed on TV because of her looks – something that hurt her feelings.
      She said: “I accept that as presenters we are putting ourselves out there; we’re essentially targets. I’m learning to live with it because that’s part of our job. You’re never going to please everybody.
      “It would hurt me a lot more if I took it all to heart, so I take it with a pinch of salt now as much as I can.”
      Boxer Anthony Joshua told Laura she was his dream dateCredit: YOU TUBE
      But Laura soon proved the haters wrong, proving herself a worthy adversary to the male presenters.
      She said she “wouldn’t get in the door” without her knowledge adding: “If you don’t have a grasp of what’s going on, you’re never going to get to the top.”
      Laura added: “We are all striving for equality but the reaction to a woman on screen or radio is still not equal. A producer once told me that women reporters have higher to fall from.
      “It stuck with me. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you look, the way your voice sounds.
      “I have had it all in tweets and stuff. ‘You are underweight’. ‘You are overweight’. ‘You have too much make-up’. ‘You look tired’.
      “Men have to deal with scrutiny, too. I know. But their knowledge is never attacked in the same way.
      “Women have transitioned into some sports such as cricket incredibly well. But what is it about football that people can’t accept something if it’s coming out of a woman’s mouth?”
      As well as succeeding in a mainly male dominated world, Laura is famous for slapping down sexist Twitter trolls with witty one-liners.
      On Instagram, when one man told her to get ‘back in the kitchen’ she swiftly replied: “Ohh Mick. Nothing screams ‘I have a small penis’ more than this old phrase.”
      Sad split
      Laura in happier times with ex, Alex CorbisieroCredit: Instagram
      She might be in the public eye but Laura is fiercely protective of her private life.
      Laura dated her ex Alex for eight years and was by his side while he battled testicular cancer in 2019, which later spread to his lymph nodes.
      The retired prop, who played for London Irish and Northampton Saints, now hosts The Scrum Down podcast.
      Laura said the split was her decision, and she’s “never regretted it”.
      “We’d lived in each other’s pockets and breaking up with him felt like coming up for air,” she explained.
      She recently told The Sun: “I am single, but I’m also dating. That’s a part of my life that I have learned to keep private.
      “I don’t want to put my whole life out there for everybody to see. I want to keep some things like ‘that person’ more sacred.”
      Laura grew up in the north east before her family moved to Dagenham, London. Her mum Michelle coached rugby, and dad Steve is a former English cricket player.
      A huge Arsenal fan, Laura says that while she’s living the dream in a job she loves, she wishes she could spend more time with her family.
      She said last month: “I’d really love to get healthy. I want to be able to exercise more and take my dog for long walks.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’m just tired of feeling tired. I want to give my family and friends more of my attention. I really want to prioritise that part of my life more.”
      Tipped to be propelled to superstardom, it may be a while yet before Laura gets that rest…
      Laura headed to Glasto this yearCredit: Instagram/@laurawoodsy
      Laura would like to spend more time with her familyCredit: C1 Media More