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      How Italian rich kid Gianluca Vialli brought the fizz to English football and gave the Prem some much-needed glamour

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      AS Gianluca Vialli prepared to lead out Chelsea for his first game as player manager, he ordered the Champagne to be uncorked.The Blues were 2-1 down against Arsenal from the first leg of their 1998 League Cup semi-final.
      Gianluca Vialli drank champagne before leading Chelsea out for his first game as player managerCredit: Getty
      Vialli kisses his winners’ medal after Chelsea defeated Stuttgart in the 1998 Cup Winners’ Cup finalCredit: Alamy
      Yet the Italian, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 58, said that as his team were “starting on a new adventure” it was cause for celebration.
      “You should mark the occasion with a toast and some champagne,” he said afterwards.
      “We wished each other all the best and said we must enjoy ourselves. Sometimes in modern football, it is hard to enjoy yourself.”
      Vialli picked himself to play upfront and Chelsea duly turned the tie around with a 3-1 victory.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA FC
      Cultured and flamboyant, he was a man who knew how to win — and also how to enjoy life.
      The club went on to claim the trophy at Wembley and also lifted the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup that season.
      Stylish and charismatic, Vialli was among the vanguard of foreign talent who brought a cosmopolitan new glamour to our Premier League.
      Arriving at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge in the summer of 1996, the club — then owned by eccentric Ken Bates — was emerging from the doldrums.
      Most read in Football
      ‘A gorgeous soul’
      The team hadn’t won a title since 1955 and had been in the old Second Division just seven years before Vialli’s arrival.
      Like London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal — who had signed Jürgen Klinsmann and Dennis Bergkamp respectively — Chelsea recruited abroad.
      Footie hero Gianluca didn’t have the typical rags-to-riches story and was born to a self-made millionaire dadCredit: Instagram @lucavialli
      Graeme Souness broke down in tears as he described his friend’s legacy in a TV interviewCredit: Sky Sports
      Gianluca with actor pal Sean ConneryCredit: Instagram
      Bates had brought in Dutch superstar Ruud Gullit as player manager in 1995 and Vialli’s arrival a year later helped transform the club into one of the biggest names in world football.
      At 32, Vialli was one of the best forwards in Europe and had just won the Champions League with Italy’s Juventus.
      Joined at Stamford Bridge by countrymen Roberto Di Matteo and Gianfranco Zola, Vialli was Chelsea’s top scorer that season as the club lifted the FA Cup.
      It was Chelsea’s first trophy in a quarter of a century.
      Vialli’s was far from the usual rags-to-riches footballing story.
      The youngest of five children, his self-made millionaire dad owned a construction firm and young Luca was brought up in a castle in Cremona, Lombardy.
      At 16 he made his debut for local team Cremonese, then in the third tier.
      The boy from a wealthy background made sure he always worked hard because: “I never wanted anyone to question my attitude on the football pitch.”
      In 1984 he moved to Italian side Sampdoria, where he played alongside ex-Liverpool great Graeme Souness.
      On one occasion Souness got one up on renowned practical joker Vialli — dressed in club blazer and tie — by pushing him into a lake.
      Vialli later responded by cutting the legs off Souness’s favourite trousers, putting shaving foam in his shoes and itching powder in his pants.
      Vialli spoke good English but mangled phrases. In a press conference he said “when the fish are down”, not “the chips”. English football was hard to get used to, too. A Leeds game was “like playing rugby”
      The Italian would later joke: “I never saw him move so quickly.”
      Souness today broke down in tears as he described his friend as a “special person” and a “gorgeous soul” in a TV tribute.
      Vialli left Sampdoria for Juventus in 1992 for £12.5million — then a world record.
      He would win the Uefa Cup and European Cup for the Turin club before London came calling.
      Suave Vialli loved the capital, living in splendour in a luxury flat in exclusive Eaton Square, Belgravia.
      There were trips to the theatre and meals at Knightsbridge’s San Lorenzo, his favourite Italian restaurant.
      The Italian superstar said: “Here I can walk down the street with my girlfriend, I can go shopping, sit in a pub or go out to dinner and nobody asks me for an autograph.
      “That’s a dream. After 15 years of worrying, I’m finally a free man.”
      On match days Vialli would speed away from Stamford Bridge on a Piaggio scooter to avoid the traffic.
      The striker, who scored 16 goals in 59 games for the Italian national side, soon became proficient in English but sometimes mangled turns of phrase.
      Once, during a press conference he remarked “when the fish are down”, rather than chips.
      English football also took a bit of getting used to.
      He described a game against Leeds as “like playing rugby”.
      While swerving the then heavy drinking culture in the English game, he did like a cigarette — even while sitting on the substitute’s bench.
      Despite a successful first season with Chelsea, a lack of minutes on the pitch — including a short run out as the clock ticked down in the 1997 FA Cup final — soured his relationship with Gullit.
      Then, with Chelsea second in the table in 1998, the club sensationally sacked Gullit and replaced him as manager with Vialli.
      Just 33 and still a player, he was the first Italian to manage in the Premier League and guided the Blues to victory over Real Madrid to win the Uefa Super Cup.
      Chelsea came third in the Premier League that year — their highest finish since 1970.
      In 2000 Vialli led Chelsea to FA Cup glory and a quarter-final in the Champions League.
      The practical joker sometimes found the transition to stern boss difficult, saying of his players: “They wanted me to be Luca, having a laugh all the time.”
      After falling out with senior players, Chelsea sacked him in September 2000.
      ‘Sense of shame’
      He stayed in Britain to take his coaching badges and improve his golf.
      Then, in 2001, Watford offered him a route back into management.
      Gianluca married interior designer Cathryn White-Cooper in 2003Credit: REX
      Gianluca at a charity event with former Watford chairman Elton JohnCredit: REX
      Gianluca had other famous friends like Mel CCredit: REX
      A year later he was dating interior designer Cathryn White-Cooper.
      The couple married in 2003 and they had two daughters, Olivia and Sofia.
      “I never wanted to move back to Italy,” Viall said in 2002.
      “My girlfriend is English, I love London.”
      Watford sacked Vialli after a season but he remained in London and worked as a commentator for Sky Sports Italia.
      Then the football world was left reeling in November 2018 after he revealed he had suffered pancreatic cancer for almost a year.
      He initially tried to hide weight loss by wearing a sweater under his shirt as he underwent eight months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy.
      “I knew it was hard to have to tell others, to tell my family,” Vialli said.
      “You would never want to hurt the people who love you, my parents, my brothers and my sister, my wife Cathryn, our little girls.
      “It gives you a sense of shame, as if it is your fault.
      “I would wear a sweater under my shirt so others did not notice anything, that I would still be the Vialli they knew.”
      The tumour returned in March 2019, requiring nine months of chemotherapy, when he lost the hair from his beard and eyebrows.
      At first he tried to draw them back on himself, adding: “Then my daughters helped, and I got my wife advising which make-up looks better.
      “We laughed. You have to laugh. You need to find the funny side if you can.
      “I hear people say ‘fight with cancer’. It’s not a battle for me.
      “It’s more like a journey. I see it as a journey with an unwanted travel companion.”
      In 2020 he revealed he had been given the all clear from the disease after 17 months of chemotherapy.
      He admitted: “It was difficult, even for someone as tough as me, both physically and mentally.”
      In 2019 he was appointed as new delegation chief of Italy’s national football team under head coach and great friend and teammate from his Sampdoria days Roberto Mancini.
      “Being on the bus, the music pumping, hugging the players before the match, the national anthem, the joy afterwards — I was missing football and I didn’t realise how much,” he said.
      He had to step away from the role on December 14 last year due to the aggressive return of cancer.
      In his final public statement he said he hoped his absence from the national team was “temporary”.
      His death in a London hospital, with his family at his side, was announced today.
      Before his passing, he and great friend Mancini had enjoyed a final sweet triumph with Italy’s Euro 2020 win over England.
      Before the final at Wembley, Vialli read Theodore Roosevelt’s rousing “Man in the Arena” passage to the Azzurri players.
      The speech includes the lines that “credit belongs to the man” who “at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
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      “So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
      It stands as something of an epitaph for a man loved both in his birth nation and his adopted homeland. More

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      A gas fitter’s son who said the only cup worth winning was the World Cup… George Cohen was England’s greatest right back

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      ENGLAND football hero George Cohen liked to say that if you’re only going to win a single trophy during your career, then it might as well be the World Cup.And he not only achieved that accolade as part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s glory boys of ’66, but no lesser figure than George Best described him as “the best full-back I ever played against”, while Sir Alf called him “England’s greatest right-back”. 
      George Cohen with Jack Charlton and West Germany’s  Lothar Emmerich looking on in England’s victorious World Cup final of 1966Credit: Getty
      George, second left, and ’66 cup-winning team mates collect MBEs in 2000 at Buckingham PalaceCredit: Mirrorpix
      George’s death yesterday aged 83 leaves just two of England’s world-beating squad of 1966 — Sir Geoff Hurst, 81, and 85-year-old Sir Bobby Charlton
      George’s death yesterday aged 83 leaves just two of England’s world-beating squad of 1966 — Sir Geoff Hurst, 81, and 85-year-old Sir Bobby Charlton.
      Hat-trick hero Sir Geoff tweeted: “Very sad to hear my friend and England team-mate has died.
      “Everyone, without exception, always said that George was such a lovely man. He will be sadly missed, my heartfelt thoughts are with George’s wife Daphne and his family.”
      Toothless kiss
      For George, 13 years of club football at Fulham brought no honours and relatively modest financial reward.
      READ MORE ON ENGLAND ’66
      Yet after beating cancer three times, and his mother, father and brother dying in tragic circumstances, he was only too aware of life’s priorities.
      When he sold his World Cup winner’s medal in 1998 for £80,000 to fund his and Daphne’s retirement, he said: “What I have been through does help put things in perspective.”
      Yet George — whose nephew is 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Ben Cohen — did treasure his memories of that glorious July day at Wembley 56 years ago, the only time England have been crowned football champions of the world.
      A witty and down-to-earth man, he recalled: “You can’t imagine the euphoria before the final. Then coming out of the dressing room, all we could hear was a beehive-like noise at the end of the tunnel.
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      “When we hit the open air the noise, movement and colour blew everything out of your mind.
      “When the final whistle went I was in shock. The next thing I knew I was on the floor with Nobby Stiles giving me a big, toothless kiss.
      “Now I know what it’s like to be kissed by Mick Jagger.”
      The victory was a crowning achievement for a working-class lad brought up amid post-war rationing and austerity in West London.
      George Reginald Cohen was born on October 22, 1939, at Walham Green in Fulham.
      His dad Louis was a gas fitter and mum Catherine worked as stores manager at the nearby Lots Road power station. They had two other sons, Peter and Harry.
      Though his surname came from a Jewish great grandfather, George was brought up in the Church of England.
      He excelled at boxing and football at Fulham Central School, and although his dad wanted him to be an electrician, sport was his calling.
      He joined the maintenance staff at Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground as a 16-year-old apprentice, and in 1956 at the age of 17 he made his debut as right-back against Liverpool.
      In 1957 he became a first-team regular, though the most he ever earned at Craven Cottage was £80 a week — loose change compared to the lottery sums paid to today’s players.
      George later said: “The biggest assets I had were speed and strength. I was chunky, never fat. We didn’t have the food to be fat.”
      In 1962 he married Daphne, the friend of a team-mate’s wife, and they had two sons, Andrew and Anthony.
      As a player he was as adept at getting forward as he was in defence, and soon attracted the attention of England boss Sir Alf.
      He made his full England debut in May 1964, against Uruguay, and played in every game at the 1966 tournament, to great acclaim. In the quarter-finals England met an Argentina versed in the art of games-manship, in a famously violent match.
      George later wrote: “Tackles were flying in — and so was the spittle. Our front men, (Roger) Hunt and (Geoff) Hurst, were taking most of it . . . and even in defence we were getting hit late and dangerously.”
      At the final whistle, George went to exchange shirts with Argentina forward Alberto Gonzalez, only for Sir Alf to abruptly intervene.
      In front of TV cameras there was a tug of war with the shirt, and George said later: “Alf was livid with the way the Argentinians had played. He said, ‘You’re not changing your shirt with that animal’. So I pulled it back.
      “Consequently I had a shirt with a sleeve four feet long.”
      Before the legendary final against West Germany, George recalled: “I felt like an infantryman going into the line and not knowing quite what to expect . . . maybe I wouldn’t be a hero but a goat.”
      But he had a good game, and with England’s 4-2 victory, sporting immortality beckoned — even if the rewards weren’t always world-class.
      Burger bar
      Each England player received a bonus from the FA — of a paltry £1,000. And the squad were invited to a celebratory banquet at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, West London — but the players’ wives were not included.
      George said: “OK, you were elated, but you couldn’t even enjoy the official dinner — our wives were upstairs in a burger bar.
      “We’d been away from our wives for ages, and even Nobby Stiles can look attractive after six and a half weeks. Hahaha! Perhaps not!”
      The next year George played his 37th and last England game, a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland. A couple of weeks later he suffered a knee injury playing for Fulham against Liverpool, which led to his retirement in 1969, aged just 29.
      A one-club man, he had played 459 trophy-less games and was given an £18,000 insurance payout by Fulham and received a further £8,000 from a testimonial match.
      Then after a spell as Fulham’s youth team manager, he left football and moved into the more lucrative field of property management.
      He made some profitable deals but when planning permission was refused on some land he had sunk all his capital into, he and Daphne had to sell their home, though they eventually recouped the losses.
      George also had to cope with family tragedy. His dad Louis died of lung cancer aged just 51, and in 1971 his mum Catherine was killed by a lorry in a Fulham street.
      In 2000 his younger brother, Northampton nightclub owner Peter — rugby star Ben’s dad — died after being attacked by thugs. 
      George recalled: “Initially, Ben couldn’t focus on anything other than what had happened to his dad.
      Clash of the Titans as George Best tackles his hero GeorgeCredit: PA:Press Association
      George and Sir Geoff Hurst have a cup of tea in 2009 at WembleyCredit: Getty
      George with his nephew and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Ben CohenCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      George sold his World Cup winner’s medal in 1998 for £80,000 to fund his and Daphne’s retirementCredit: PA:Press Association
      “It was an awful time for the family, but the boy knuckled down. We had long talks.
      “It’s something you never forget but eventually he started to come round and began playing again. 
      “Now you can see what a determined character he is. He’s very single-minded. I was much the same as a footballer. Ben’s devoted himself to his rugby.
      “Had Peter been alive today he’d be seven feet tall. He saw Ben make his debut and was so proud that he was playing for England.”
      George had had his own brush with death in 1976, aged 36, when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer after being mysteriously struck down by crippling fatigue following a five-mile run near his home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
      He recalled: “My world was turned upside down. I was a world champion and I was still very fit.
      “One day I felt invincible and the next, the doctors put me in a side room at the Royal Marsden (cancer hospital) for people who weren’t going to make it, and talked about getting my affairs in order.
      “Daphne told the doctors, ‘We’re not getting his affairs in order, because he’s not going anywhere’.”
      A series of operations removed so much of George’s bowel that he had to be fitted with a colostomy bag.
      He later said: “A colostomy brings you down to earth, believe me.”
      He was finally given the all-clear in 1990. When ’66 skipper Bobby Moore died from the same disease in 1993, George became a patron for the charity set up in his honour.
      Scandalously, it took a media campaign for George to be given an MBE in 2000, along with four team-mates from 1966 who had never received official recognition for England’s greatest sporting triumph.
      As George stepped up to receive the honour, the Queen — who had presented the Boys of ’66 with their medals at Wembley — told him: “It’s been a long time.”
      Bye to a true gent
      Match Of The Day host, Gary Lineker paid tribute to ‘hero’ GeorgeCredit: Getty
      FOOTBALL paid heartfelt tribute to George yesterday.
      Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker wrote: “Another of the heroes of the ’66 World Cup-winning team leaves us. He’ll always have footballing immortality. RIP George.”
      George’s former Fulham team-mate Alan Mullery said: “I’ve just got a kick in the teeth, he’s not been well for some time now.
      “George had a wonderful life, he’s got a wonderful family and he was a terrific player to play with.”
      Bobby Moore’s widow Stephanie spoke of her close friend GeorgeCredit: Dan Charity
      World Cup-winning skipper Bobby Moore’s widow Stephanie said: “George was a close friend of Bobby’s and he himself had bowel cancer in the mid-1970s, but made a full recovery. George was a loyal supporter of the Bobby Moore Fund and will be sadly missed by us all. We send our sincere condolences to Daphne and all the family.”
      Former England and West Ham striker Tony Cottee said: “So sad to hear about the passing of George Cohen. I had the pleasure of meeting this absolute gentleman on many occasions. So sad that another of our ’66 boys has gone . . . RIP George.”
      Fulham manager Marco Silva said: “It is a huge loss for Fulham, for English football. As manager, I want to send our condolences to his family.
      “He is one of the biggest examples in the club’s history, the numbers he reached speak for themselves. He is really important for the club and it is a sad day for us.”
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      Frank Lampard spoke of his sadness at losing another of the victorious ’66 squadCredit: Getty
      Everton manager Frank Lampard said: “I always was drawn to that group of players (1966 World Cup squad) and it is always more than a shame when we lose one of those players.”
      FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt said: “We are very sad. We would like to pass on our deep condolences to George’s family and friends at this sad time.” More

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      Inside Lionesses star Beth Mead’s glamorous life with partner Vivianne Miedema – from Ibiza hols to very pampered pooch

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      HER stunning goals helped the Lionesses bring it home this summer – and made her one of the most recognisable sportswomen on the planet. And this week, Beth Mead’s rapid rise to fame since the Women’s Euros was rounded off when she won the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.
      Beth Mead took home the coveted BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award this weekCredit: bethmead_/Instagram
      Beth and partner Vivianne Miedema at the Ballon D’or AwardsCredit: viviannemiedema/ Instagram
      The 27-year-old was accompanied at the ceremony by partner and teammate Vivianne Miedema, 26 – with both pictured in crutches following recent injuries.
      It followed a glamorous appearance at the prestigious Ballon d’Or Feminin in October, where both were dressed to the nines in stunning black dresses and walked the carpet together.
      Eventually, Beth came second place – just 26 points separating her from the top spot, while Vivienne came 11th over all.
      At just 16 years old in 2011, Beth was signed by Sunderland and played there for five years before Arsenal came calling.
      It was here that she met her former girlfriend, Danielle van de Donk, who lived with her during lockdown before they split.
      She has since found love with Dutch footballer Vivianne, who also plays for Arsenal and is one of the most prolific goal scorers in the Women’s Super League
      Opening up on her love life, Beth said: “When I was growing up, where I came from, there weren’t many people I knew that were openly gay or bisexual.
      “My parents, at the time, maybe struggled in the beginning and it was something that was hard for me to say.”
      Most read in Football
      Luxury holidays
      Beth shared snaps of her girls’ holiday to Ibiza with some of her Arsenal teammates earlier this yearCredit: bethmead_/Instagram
      Beth and Viv know how to enjoy life off the pitch tooCredit: viviannemiedema/ Instagram
      The pair keep fans updated with their lives on InstagramCredit: bethmead_/Instagram
      Now, however, Beth is happy to keep her legions of fans updated with her life off the pitch and regularly posts pics with her girlfriend.
      Their Instagrams show they love a holiday, with Beth sharing snaps from recent trips to Zakynthos and Greece.
      Beth also posted pictures from a girls’ holiday to Ibiza with her Arsenal teammates back in May, including one shot of them posing with club owner Wayne Lineker.
      Closer to home, they celebrated Beth’s 27th birthday with a trip to the Radio Rooftop in London earlier this year.
      Another member of her family that Beth loves to show off is her adorable pooch Rona.
      The footballer even dresses the dog up for Christmas in a Santa outfit.
      Journey to the top
      Beth initially had to play on all-boys teams as there weren’t any for girls in her hometownCredit: Beth Mead
      Beth has her own home in London, where she spent lockdownCredit: bethmead_/Instagram
      Despite her incredible success, Beth’s journey to the top hasn’t been easy.
      Growing up in the small village of Hinderwell in North Yorkshire, she had to play on boys’ teams at school because they didn’t have a female team.
      Initially, her parents were worried that playing with boys might be too rough for their daughter, but she quickly proved they had nothing to worry about.
      Beth recalled: ‘When she [mum] came back an hour later, he [the coach] basically said I was rougher than most of the boys!”
      She then went on to play for Middlesbrough Academy, with her loving mum taking on a second job to cover the cost of petrol to get Beth to and from training and games.
      Ever thankful to her parents, the striker has described them as “big people who have influenced [my] footballing career”.
      She shared her parents’ strong work ethic and took on double shifts as a waitress and behind the bar so she could earn enough to buy her first pair of football boots.
      Beth said: “I used to work Friday, Saturday. Sunday was double time behind the bar. I was a waitress part-time just to afford the boots. I enjoyed working there and I got my boots in the end.”
      Tragic diagnosis
      In 2021 Beth’s mum June was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer.
      “I know I’m not going to share all those moments with my mum for the rest of my life anymore, so to share that moment with her last summer was just incredible,” Mead told the BBC after her SPOTY nomination was announced.
      “For me, football’s always been my first true love.
      Read More on The Sun
      “My mum sacrificed so much, she worked two jobs and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. Nearly a year down the line we found out it was incurable. She’s still fighting.”
      Her father Richard also thinks the tragedy spurred his daughter on. He said: “The diagnosis with her mum, was a trigger for her to show the world what Beth Mead is really about. I think in the Euros she managed to do that.”
      The star is always up for a laugh and got dressed up for Halloween with Arsenal teammates Steph Catley and Jen BeattieCredit: bethmead_/Instagram
      Pictured with her pup and ex girlfriend Danielle van de DonkCredit: bethmead_/Instagram More

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      We have no money and no way of getting home to Argentina but seeing our hero Messi lift World Cup is all we care about

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      ARGENTINA is the economic basket case of the world, with incredible 88 per cent inflation and four in ten of the population living in poverty.Its citizens are so poor — with an average wage of just £320 a month — that virtually all have two or three jobs and work 16-hour days in a desperate struggle to pay rocketing bills.
      Argentina fans have put financial worries aside to travel to Qatar to watch the World CupCredit: Dan Charity
      Fans have flown en masse to watch Lionel Messi attempt to win the World CupCredit: Dan Charity
      Messi is playing at his last World Cup and attempting to win the one trophy missing from his collectionCredit: Getty
      But an incredible 60,000 of the country’s soccer fans have somehow begged and borrowed their way 8,200 miles to Qatar to cheer on their heroes in the national team.
      And blue and white-shirted supporters were all smiles yesterday — because they have Lionel Messi and an unshakeable belief that they will win the World Cup tomorrow.
      Genius Messi — playing in his last World Cup at 35 — goes head-to-head with superstar rival Kylian Mbappe and France in tomorrow’s final at Doha’s Lusail Stadium.
      Argentina fans in the 89,000-seat venue will outnumber the French by at least ten to one, creating an astonishing wall of sound.
      READ MORE ON ARGENTINA
      But their dream of ending their nation’s 36-year wait for soccer’s Holy Grail is the only ray of hope for a country blighted by economic woes.
      Argentina has spent more time in recession than almost any other nation since the 1950s and has had double-figure inflation for decades.
      The Argentine peso has also lost 30 per cent of its value in recent months and lack of cash reserves, foreign investment and confidence in President Alberto Fernandez’s regime has sent inflation to that amazing rate of 88 per cent — with predictions it will top 100 per cent in the New Year.
      Argentina fans are expected to outnumber France supporters 10 to one at the finalCredit: Getty
      ‘WE DESERVE SOME JOY’
      But tens of thousands of fans have travelled to Qatar from Argentina — where prices have been skyrocketing faster than in any other G20 nation.
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      In contrast, many England and Wales fans — with UK inflation at around just nine per cent — shunned Qatar’s pricey tournament.
      But despite Argentina’s problems at home, even senior politicians in the capital Buenos Aires believe winning the World Cup is now the impoverished nation’s top priority.
      Asked whether lifting the trophy was more important than tackling inflation, Labour Minister Kelly Olmos shrugged: “We must constantly work against inflation, but one month won’t make a huge difference.
      “We want Argentina to be champions — the Argentine people really deserve some joy.”
      Nicolas Orellano from Buenos Aires says he has no idea how he will get homeCredit: Dan Charity
      Lawyer Nicolas Orellano — who also runs a wine business in Buenos Aires to help make ends meet — used all his savings and borrowed money from his girlfriend to go to Qatar.
      He flew to Spain, then on to London to catch a flight to Dubai, then travelled by bus and train through Saudi Arabia to the capital, Doha.
      Nicolas, 30, is now virtually penniless and is living in a bustling Argentine fan commune in Barwa Barahat Al Janoub, south of Doha, dubbed “Little Buenos Aires”.
      Yesterday fans there were roasting a lamb donated by Argentina’s ambassador to Qatar on a makeshift barbecue beneath a giant Messi banner as footy anthems blared from a loudspeaker.
      Nicolas said: “I have no money and no idea how I’ll get home but there is no way I can leave, now we’re so close to seeing Lionel Messi lift the World Cup.
      “Our politicians back home have let us down but our football team has not — they are the only hope we have.
      “It is a special kind of madness which brings us here when we have so little.
      “My girlfriend supports me and loaned me $500 (£410) when my cash ran out.
      “But I know some people who have sold their homes to find the money to travel to Qatar.
      “The people of Argentina are suffering but they love it that so many of us are here and are even donating money to us so we can stay and support the team.
      “I still don’t have a ticket for the final but would give anything and everything to be there, having been to five games so far — and I’m sure we will win.”
      Accountant and part-time meat trader Javier Mahmud, 36, had been struggling to save a deposit for his first home in Buenos Aires with partner of 15 years Carla Barletta, 34.
      But Carla supported his decision to clear out their entire savings account to travel to Doha via Egypt and Lebanon.
      Javier, at his third World Cup, said: “We have the best fans in the world who are giving everything to be here.
      “Our country is in a terrible state economically but Lionel Messi will repay us by winning tomorrow.
      “I have very little money left and no ticket for the final but I still hope to find a way of being there after following the team this far.
      “I’ll be flat broke when I get home, with no money to buy Christmas presents, but I won’t care and my family will understand. The only gift we want is the World Cup.”
      Fridge repair man Sergio Pendola, 30, from Buenos Aires, flew to Doha via Spain and Saudi Arabia to see his third World Cup finals.
      He said: “Diego Maradona is our god but Lionel Messi has a chance to become another god if he wins the World Cup for us — and he won’t let us down.
      “He has Maradona’s passion now because there are so many fans here willing him to win.
      “There is no question that he is the best footballer on the planet now and Kylian Mbappe will be no match for him.
      “Our fans are the 12th man for the team. I’ve spent my entire $6,000 (£4,920) savings and borrowed another $4,000 (£3,280) — but many here have sacrificed much more.
      ‘FOOTBALL IS ALL WE HAVE’
      Fan Evelyn Galiano has the middle name Milagros — Spanish for miracles — because she survived being born six months premature.
      But she said: “We do not need another miracle — we have Messi.”
      Evelyn, 26, is working in Andorra as a chef, but told her boss she needed a month off to see her idols.
      She said: “It is the last World Cup for Messi, that’s why I am here, and it has been beyond all my expectations.
      “I’m travelling alone but three of the guys here ran out of money for accommodation and are staying in my room.
      “They are staying for free — I wanted to help them. I feel completely safe because we are all fans together.”
      Mauro Fernandez, 32, a chef from Buenos Aires, travelled from Thailand via Madrid to get to Doha.
      He said: “I paid 400 US dollars (£328) for the Holland match and 600 (£492) for Croatia but I have run out of money.
      “They are asking more than 1,000 (£820) for the final ticket so I may have to watch it on a giant screen but I will go to Lusail, so I can be with the fans and see the players.
      “For me it is all about seeing Messi lift that trophy. I’ve been here for ten days and I’m not sure how I will get home.
      “I know Messi is better than Mbappe, he is the best.
      “There will be 50,000 Argentina fans at the final, there are more flights coming in from Buenos Aires. Yesterday they were completely full.”
      Gaston Didier-Lardet, 33, from San Luis, near the Argentine city of Mendoza, made the 12-hour, 6,500-mile flight from Australia, where he was working at a mine.
      He is now living in a low-rise block in the Argentine fan village, and said: “This is not the Sheraton but the atmosphere with the fans is just great.
      “It feels like home — we are surrounded by fans, we have barbecues and music.
      “I am a Messi soldier — he is proof of total sacrifice.
      “I’ve got a ticket for the final and I am very lucky. I am nervous and will not sleep, but I am looking forward to it.
      “I’ve probably spent around $10,000 (£8,200) but it is hard to explain why — I just had to be here.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’ve heard crazy stories of people selling their houses, their cars, possessions, anything to see Messi lift that World Cup.
      “We know it is his last chance and he is a God to us. I think he is going to do it.”
      Argentina are biddingto win their first World Cup since 1986Credit: Dan Charity
      Argentina fans have made stadiums in Qatar feel like home for the playersCredit: AFP
      Argentina fans roast a lamb donated by Argentina’s ambassador to Qatar on a makeshift barbecueCredit: Dan Charity
      Argentina fans’ tributes to the great Diego Maradona are easy to spotCredit: Dan Charity More

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      Meet Morocco’s ‘David Beckham’ Achraf Hakimi who’s married to ‘world’s most beautiful actress’

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      MOROCCO might be the underdogs but they have already got the makings of a superstar squad on and off the pitch.And after French striker Kylian Mbappe’s uncontrolled laughter at the site of Three Lions captain Harry Kane missing a crucial penalty, most of England will be behind them.
      Achraf Hakimi is married to Hiba Abouk – described as one of the world’s most beautiful actressesCredit: Getty
      Hakimi captured the world’s attention with his winning penalty which knocked Spain out of the World CupCredit: Getty
      The North African side will be looking to their answer to David Beckham, Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi, to help them see off France in the semi-finals.
      The 24-year-old captured the world’s attention with his winning penalty which knocked Spain out of the World Cup last week.
      Hakimi is married to Hiba Abouk, 36, described as one of the world’s most beautiful actresses.
      The glamorous couple appeared on the front of Vogue Arabia in October.
      Read More on Achraf Hakimi
      His cleaner mum and street fruit seller dad emigrated from Morocco to Madrid — where Achraf was born — for a better life.
      Achraf said in 2020: “We come from a low-income family that struggled to make ends meet.
      “Today, I fight for them every day. They gave up their lives for me.
      “They took many things away from my brothers in order for me to succeed.”
      Most read in Football
      Hakimi played for local team CD Colonia Ofigevi before Real Madrid offered him a trial when he was seven.
      He played his debut for them aged 18, before signing with Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan.
      He was then sold to Inter Milan for £35million before transferring to PSG for £60million and is now one of the top paid footballers, taking home more than £1million each month.
      In July 2018 he met Hiba and they married two years ago.
      First son Amin was born in February 2020 and another boy this year.
      Like Beckham, Hakimi was a young dad at 22, and says he has no expectation for his sons to follow in his footballing footsteps.
      Morocco — known as the Atlas Lions — are the first African and first Arab team to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
      Captain Romain Saiss is married to Arab Idol popstar Salma Rachid.
      Team mates Hakim Ziyech, Ilias Chair, and Anass Zaroury all play for British clubs — Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Burnley.
      Hakimi married Hiba two years ago after meeting in 2018Credit: Getty
      The glamorous couple appeared on the front of Vogue Arabia in OctoberCredit: Getty
      Hakimi said: ‘We come from a low-income family that struggled to make ends meet’Credit: Getty
      The Atlas Lion, celebrating with his cleaner mum, added: ‘Today, I fight for them every day. They gave up their lives for me’Credit: Rex
      Kylian Mbappe’s uncontrolled laughter at the site of Harry Kane missing a penaltyCredit: Rex More

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      From a super tattooed model to the brainbox psychologist, meet the glam French WAGS taking on England

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      BEHIND every good striker is a dedicated Wag cheering on from the sidelines.Never mind France’s Kylian Mbappe taking on England on Saturday, these are the French wives and girlfriends taking on our very own Wags.
      Englands WAGs will be facing off with the glam French WAGs on SaturdayCredit: PA
      From glamorous influencers to brainbox scientists, we ask who has the upper hand in the battle of the Wags?
      THE ADVENTUROUS ONES
      AC MILAN defender Theo Hernandez’s Italian girlfriend breaks the mould for Wags.
      Heavily-tattooed Zoe Cristofoli, 26, has more than a million Instagram followers and has modelled in music videos and also owns her own tattoo parlour.
      Zoe Cristofoli breaks the mould for WAGsCredit: Instagram @zoe_cristofoli
      Her passion for inking started young, as she apparently got her first tattoo at just 15.
      Read more on Wags
      Now most of her body is covered.
      Designs include her mother’s face, a snake and the word “love”.
      She met left-back Hernandez in 2020 and gave birth to their baby boy – thought to be named Theo Junior – in April this year.
      Theo Hernandez’s Italian girlfriend owns her own tattoo parlourCredit: Getty
      GUNNERS keeper Aaron Ramsdale’s fiancee Georgina Irwin regularly travels to many far-flung locations.
      Most read in Football
      But it’s not down to her footballer partner – it’s all part of her job as a flight attendant.
      Georgina Irwin may go to far flung locations – but that’s thanks to her job as a flight attendant
      The 26-year-old works for British Airways and often posts pictures of her trips – including to Mexico and the Maldives – on her Instagram.
      She doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty, either.
      Pundit Jamie Redknapp recently told how Georgina came to his rescue when on the same a flight after his son Raphael had an explosive nappy.
      Georgina is engaged to Gunners keeper Aaron RamsdaleCredit: Getty
      THE SECRETIVE ONES
      ARSENAL midfielder Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson is notoriously private, only appearing publicly to cheer on her man.
      The pair are thought to have started dating in late 2020 but have kept their relationship secret until recently.
      Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson is notoriously private, only appearing publicly to cheer on her man
      The 22-year-old does not share pictures of Saka and her – but last month she uploaded a picture of herself with a masked man who is believed to be the 21-year-old England star.
      The pair don’t even follow each other on social media.
      The pair are thought to have started dating in late 2020 but have kept their relationship secret until recentlyCredit: Getty
      MARSEILLE’S Matteo Guendouzi and wife Maelle seem to have married in 2020 – but little else is known about the beauty.
      The ex-Arsenal player met the model in London in 2019 and is believed to have proposed shortly afterwards.
      They had a daughter in May last year who they called Mayleen.
      Matteo Guendouzi and wife Maelle got married in 2020Credit: Instagram
      The couple welcomed a daughter in May last year called MayleenCredit: Getty
      THE BRAINBOXES
      FERN Hawkins, married to Man United captain Harry Maguire, proved her smarts by getting a first-class honours degree in science and physiotherapy in 2017.
      She and Harry were teen sweethearts from Sheffield.
      Fern Hawkins has a first-class honours degree in science and physiotherapyCredit: Refer to Caption
      They got engaged in Paris in February 2018 before getting married this year in a £500k bash in France.
      They have two girls, Piper and Lillie.
      Fern and Harry Maguire were teen sweethearts from Sheffield and have two daughtersCredit: Getty
      KEEPER Hugo Lloris’s wife Marine has two masters degrees – one in psychology and another in human resource management.
      The 36-year-old has used her skills to start her own kids clothing brand, Manege en Sucre, which has fans including Jessica Alba.
      Marine Lloris has two masters degrees – one in psychology and another in human resource managementCredit: llorismarine_off/instagram
      Marine and her Spurs star husband have daughters Anna-Rose and Giuliana plus son Leandro together.
      They recently celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary.
      Marine and husband Hugo Lloris just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversaryCredit: Getty
      THE INFLUENCERS
      WITH a glamorous and established modelling career, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood is one of our top Wags.
      She started modelling aged 13 after being scouted while out with her mum.
      Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Atwood started modelling aged 13Credit: Getty
      Last year she scored a lucrative deal with online shop Boohoo thanks to her 158,000 Instagram followers.
      She has been with Jack since they were 16 and led the other player’s partners on a raucous £20k night out after England’s 6-2 Iran win.
      Jack and Sasha started dating when they were 16Credit: Getty
      WEST HAM keeper Alphonse Areola’s wife Marrion, 34 isn’t just a pretty face – she’s a Gwyneth Paltrow-style wellness guru.
      Alphonse Areola’s wife Marrion is not just a pretty face but a Goop style wellness guruCredit: areola.marrion/instagram
      Her website offers health, fitness and lifestyle advice for a £7 a month fee – and with 108,000 Instagram followers she’s surely making a euro or two.
      She married Alphonse in 2014 and together they have three young daughters – Ayva-May, Ayleen-Grace and Aymma-Lyse.
      Marrion married Alphonse in 2014 and together they have three daughtersCredit: Getty
      THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR
      RAHEEM STERLING’S fiancee Paige Milian, 27, met the Chelsea midfielder when she was working at JD Sports.
      Low-profile Paige quit her job to live with him in Liverpool after he transferred from QPR’s academy.
      Paige Milian met Chelsea midfielder Rahem Sterling when she was working at JD SportsCredit: Social Media – Refer to Source
      But the couple recently hit headlines when intruders broke into their Surrey home where they live with sons Thiago and Thai-Cruz.
      It caused Sterling to fly home and miss England’s 3-0 win against Senegal but he’s due back in Qatar today.
      Paige left her job to live with him in Liverpool after he transferred from QPR’s academyCredit: Getty
      ATLETICO Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann’s Spanish wife Erika Choperena, 32, was a student teacher when she met her husband, who was playing for Spain’s Real Sociedad.
      But Erika, who shuns the limelight, refused to go out with Antoine for over a year.
      Erika Choperena, was a teaching student when she met Madrid’s Antoine GriezmannCredit: Instagram / @eri_chope
      The couple met in San Sebastian when Antoine was playing for Real SociedadCredit: Getty
      She went on to graduate as a child psychologist and also runs kids’ clothing line Duzama.
      The couple now have three young children.
      THE GLAM MAMS
      MANCHESTER United left-back Luke Shaw is thought to have been dating his partner Anouska Santos since 2017 but only occasionally post a glimpse into their life together on social media.
      Anouska Santos has her own jewellery business Treats StudiosCredit: anouskasantos/instagram
      Londoner Anouska, 30, had son Reign in November 2019 and little Storie in May this year.
      As well as being a full-time mum, Anouska finds time for her jewellery business Treats Studios.
      Anouska and long term partner Luke Shaw have two adorable little childrenCredit: Getty
      JENNIFER has been married to Olivier Giroud – who has just become France’s all-time top goal-scorer – for 11 years.
      Read More on The Sun
      But in 2014, The AC Milan star, who was playing for Arsenal at the time, was caught cosying up to a model in pictures that leaked on the internet and he was forced to make grovelling public apology to his wife.
      They have four children together, Jade, Evan, Aaron and Aria.
      AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud has been married to Jennifer for 11 years and together they have four little onesCredit: Instagram
      In 2014, Olivier was caught cosying up to a model in pictures that appeared on the internetCredit: Getty More

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      How Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez is different to other WAGS – £2m jewellery to outburst over Portugal snub

      by

      FOR years, the likes of Victoria Beckham and Coleen Rooney have ruled the roost as queens of the WAGs.But during the Qatar World Cup, it has been Georgina Rodriguez, the girlfriend of Portugal ace Cristiano Ronaldo, who is making a claim for the throne.
      Georgina Rodriguez has stood out amongst the Qatar World Cup WAGsCredit: Instagram / @georginagio
      While the Three Lions’ wives and girlfriends are keeping a low profile, the stunning model, 28, has set herself apart with Kim Kardashian-esque photoshoots, eye-wateringly expensive jewellery and savage outbursts over the management of her partner, 37.
      Georgina and her man have been dating since 2017 after first meeting at the Gucci shop where she worked.
      She is now the most-followed WAG on Instagram, not surprising considering Ronaldo has more fans on the platform than anyone else in the world.
      Here, we take a look at how Georgina has carved out a different path to the other World Cup WAGs – and established herself as the one to beat.
      READ MORE ON WAGS
      Dripping in bling
      Georgina made sure to turn heads when she went to cheer on Portugal on TuesdayCredit: Instagram/@georginagio
      The model’s jewellery was worth nearly £2millionCredit: Instagram/@georginagio
      While many WAGs show up in T-shirts and trainers to cheer on their other halves at the World Cup, Georgina has other ideas.
      Dressed to the nines, she arrived at Portugal’s clash with Switzerland on Tuesday wearing a bunch of jewellery that was reportedly worth nearly £2million.
      She looked incredible in a figure-clinching black midi dress and green coat paired with metallic silver pumps.
      Her lavish jewellery list was topped by a £600,000 diamond engagement ring from Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Most read in Football
      She was also decked in a £450,000 necklace and bracelet set and a 10ct ring on her other finger thought to be worth a whopping £300,000.
      In addition, the brunette beauty wore a 40mm Rolex GMT 18ct gold watch set with diamonds that retails for £400,000.
      But that’s not all – Georgina added a £50,000 diamond band to her look and clutched a £7,090 Chanel bag in grained calfskin.
      She also wore diamond-encrusted earrings, which is likely to have pushed her jewellery estimate well over the £2million mark.
      Standing by her man
      She wasn’t afraid to speak out and slam Portugal’s coach this weekCredit: SOCIAL MEDIA
      Ronaldo was not too happy about being benched for Portugal’s clash with SwitzerlandCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Georgina railed against the decision on Instagram
      Georgina posted a number of pictures from her time at the stadium on that same day, where she spoke out against Portugal’s coach, Fernando Santos.
      Much to her frustration, the football boss benched her man for the majority of the match.
      The snub came after the former Manchester United player appeared to throw a tantrum when he was substituted off in Portugal’s loss against South Korea.
      When asked about Ronaldo’s sulk, Santos said: “If I see the images, yes, I didn’t like it, not at all. I really didn’t like it.”
      Writing on her Instagram post, Georgina said: “Congratulations Portugal. While the 11 players sang the anthem all goals placed on you. 
      “What a shame he didn’t get to enjoy the best player in the world for the 90 minutes. The fans haven’t stopped claiming you and screaming your name. 
      “I hope God and your dear friend Fernando hold hands and make us vibrate one more night.”
      Her post marked one of the very few times any WAG has dared to openly criticise the decision of their partner’s coach.
      Sultry desert photoshoots
      Georgina has been making the most of her time in QatarCredit: Instagram @georginagio
      She showed off her sophisticated style with a series of snapsCredit: Instagram @georginagio
      Georgina has been making the most of her time in Qatar and even did an impromptu Kim Kardashian-style photoshoot during a desert walk.
      Ahead of Portugal’s match with Switzerland, she wore a tight army green dress with a patterned Louis Vuitton scarf tied around it.
      This time, she settled for a more understated look with her long locks slicked back in a braided ponytail.
      She also opted for medium-sized hoop earrings, and a cross necklace.
      In other snaps, she’s seen wearing a long Adidas tracksuit coat over her dress teamed with a pair of chic sunglasses.
      Her sister, Ivana also posted a picture of the pair with the caption: “Desert of Qatar. Super experience. What a great time we had!!!”
      Building a brand
      She was greeted with a huge cake of Ronaldo and the family upon arrival at her Qatar hotelCredit: Instagram @georginagio
      Upon arrival in Qatar, Georgina was greeted with a giant Cristiano Ronaldo cake.
      A staunch supporter of her partner, she was naturally seen in a CR7 tracksuit bottom and has been instrumental to the couple’s brand building.
      With a following of 40.3million, Georgina is the most followed WAG on Instagram.
      Her closest competition is Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards, who is the fiancée of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at 16.5million.
      Since meeting Ronaldo while working in a Gucci shop, she has become a businesswoman, model, and brand ambassador in her own right.
      Earlier this year, she scored big when she landed her own reality show, I Am Georgina on Netflix.
      The six-part show told the Spanish model’s story in her own words and featured appearances by Ronaldo, who gushed about his love for her.
      On the show, viewers got a peak into her lavish lifestyle, which included watching the Monaco Grand Prix from her personal yacht to walking down the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.
      They have three children together and managed to navigate the storm of losing an unborn baby earlier this year.
      Georgina is now said to be making plans to wed Ronaldo, who is reportedly worth over £300million.
      In a 2019 interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo said it would be his mother’s dream to see him wed Georgina.
      He said: “We’ll be [married] one day, for sure,” he said.
      “It’s my mum’s dream as well. So, one day. Why not? It’s great. She’s my friend. We have conversations. I open the heart for her and she opens the heart for me.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Georgina and Ronaldo with the family
      Ronaldo says his mother would like to see him and Georgina married one dayCredit: Getty
      She now enjoys lavish holidays and the finer things in lifeCredit: Instagram
      Georgina starred in her own Netflix reality showCredit: IMDB More

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      Meet Kylian Mbappé, the £100m striker who’s England’s World Cup ‘enemy number one’ and can sprint like Usain Bolt

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      IF England are going to win the World Cup they need to stop the quickest, most expensive and deadliest striker on the planet – Kylian Mbappe.The top scorer in Qatar can challenge Usain Bolt for pace and has raked in more than £100million this year.
      If England are going to win the World Cup they need to stop the quickest, most expensive and deadliest striker on the planet – Kylian MbappeCredit: Getty
      The young Mbappe with childhood hero and French World Cup legend Thierry Henry
      The then 19-year-old striker celebrates with the World Cup trophy following France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Final victory over CroatiaCredit: Getty
      And the 23-year-old powerhouse is so important to France that President Emmanuel Macron begged him not to quit Paris St Germain for Real Madrid this summer.
      But he is far from infallible.
      Booed at this year’s Ballon d’Or football awards ceremony in Paris, the divisive young star has chinks in his armour, on and off the pitch.
      Mbappe has missed a couple of crucial penalties, including one that saw France crash out of Euro 2020.
      READ MORE ON MBAPPE
      He has reportedly fallen out with teammates, developed a Ronaldo-like superiority complex, demanded the use of private jets and has been accused of hypocrisy.

      Mbappe made several ethical stands while at the same time turning down the move to Real Madrid this summer, after Paris St Germain’s Qatari owners — who are linked to alleged human rights abuses — offered him £156million to stay at the club.
      This was a player who organised a national-team revolt against sponsorship by the fast food firm KFC and French gambling website BetClic.
      Such double standards tarnished the image of a sporting genius who, during the 2018 World Cup final, high-fived an anti-Putin pitch invader from Russian protest group Pussy Riot in front of the despotic Russian president — a gesture for which he deserved a lot of credit. Mbappe also gave all his earnings from that controversial tournament to charity.
      Most read in Football
      Chelsea trial
      Prior to the even more tarnished World Cup in Qatar, he said: “I want to be more than just the guy who shoots the ball and goes to his yacht and takes his money.
      “Sometimes people think I have to just play football. But I think not. I think the world has changed.’’
      Mbappe was born in the troubled Parisian suburb of Bondy, to Cameroonian dad Wilfried, a football coach, and mum Fayza, a handball player of Algerian heritage.
      At six Mbappe witnessed disaffected youths torching patrol cars as they rioted against police harassment. But his parents knew from early on that their son had the talent to escape such problems.
      By the time he was 11 a host of top teams wanted him to join their youth sides, with Real Madrid and Manchester City among them.
      He had a trial for Chelsea three years later, but the club wanted him to return for a second try-out because they weren’t convinced by his willingness to defend.
      Mbappe’s forceful mum Fayza, now 48, reportedly told the scout: “My boy won’t be coming back. If they want him, they have to take him now or in five years’ time they will be coming back to buy him for €50million (£43million).”
      And some say that insult still rings in his ears today. A family friend said: “It’s quite possible that Kylian himself has a bit of a downer on what was said about him in England all those years ago.
      “This might well give him a bit of extra determination to beat the English on Saturday.” With the Premier League ruled out, in 2015 Mbappe’s dad, now acting as his agent, decided he should sign with Monaco instead — which happens to be a tax haven. The young star received a signing bonus of £345,000.
      Five years ago his mum almost convinced him to sign for Liverpool because she was a fan of the Merseyside team, but instead he decided to join PSG in France for £166million. 
      Leaked documents revealed Mbappe asked for 50 hours of private plane use every year as part of the deal.
      In Paris he showed how quick he could be, clocking up speeds of 23mph during one match.
      That’s very close to the 26mph that Usain Bolt reached in his world record-breaking 100m sprint in 2009.
      But what turned Mbappe into a global sports star at the age of 19 was when he became only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final, when France beat Croatia 4-2.
      He was named the young player of the tournament for his four-goal tally.
      After that, Mbappe was linked to a string of models such as French beauty Emma Smet and Belgian catwalk star Rose Bertram, but he preferred not to talk about his love life.
      That is perhaps understandable, given the vile abuse he received from rival fans at this World Cup. Argentinian supporters in Qatar made rude references to him and a transgender model called Ines Rau, with whom he was spotted at the Cannes Film Festival this summer.
      Young Kylian meets another idol, Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Viral Press
      Mbappe’s dad, acting as his agent, decided he should sign with Monaco — which happens to be a tax haven
      Mbappe was linked to a string of models such as Belgian catwalk star Rose Bertram, aboveCredit: rose_bertram/instagram
      He has also been linked with French model Emma Smet, but he has preferred not to talk about his love lifeCredit: Getty
      Mbappe has spent a fortune on a string of flash cars, including two Ferraris, and a huge apartment in Paris. At the same time he has set up a charitable foundation that aims to help 98 children — a nod to his birth year, 1998 — to achieve their dreams in fields such as maths.
      He also congratulated England star Marcus Rashford on his efforts to give more free school meals to British children.
      But that campaigning streak has caused tension during this World Cup. Mbappe did not want to be photographed near the tournament sponsor Budweiser’s logo because he disapproves of alcohol and he has refused to give media interviews.
      Such demands would perhaps have more impact if it wasn’t for the fact that Paris St Germain are bankrolled by Qatar.
      The oil and gas-rich nation has been criticised for locking up homosexuals and treating foreign workers so poorly that more than 6,000 are estimated to have died while working on the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.
      Witch doctor
      Mbappe has not uttered a word against his club’s paymasters, who view him as their poster boy.
      This year he has also been caught up in an explosive row between France teammate Paul Pogba and his brother Mathias.
      There were wild claims by Mathias that midfielder Paul had used a witch doctor to put a curse on Mbappe. Mathias tweeted to Mbappe: “It’s never good to have a hypocrite and a traitor near you.”
      There are also rumours that Mbappe has lobbied against the tactics at PSG, who again failed to reach this year’s Champions League final, and campaigned for Brazilian superstar teammate Neymar to leave. 
      When Mbappe missed a penalty in August the pair argued after another spot-kick was awarded by the referee.
      Legendary French midfielder Emmanuel Petit hit out at Mbappe, saying: “He annoys everyone today. He makes it personal all the time. 
      “He even puts himself above the institution. Has everything that has happened in recent months gone to his head?” 

      The youngster denies interfering in team affairs, saying: ‘’That’s not my job. I don’t want to do this because I’m not good at it. I’m good on the pitch.”
      What he doesn’t deny is wanting to join Real Madrid and holding contract negotiations with the Champions League title holders.
      That led to him being barracked by PSG fans on more than one occasion.
      But Macron rang the star striker to change his mind.
      The President told him: ‘I want you to stay. I don’t want you to leave now. You are so important for the country.’
      Throughout the protracted negotiations Mbappe has his mum standing in his corner.
      After one journalist dared to say her son had reneged on the Real deal, she tweeted to him: ‘When we don’t know, we shut up.’
      Coming into this World Cup he certainly had a lot to prove.
      His tame spot kick in a crucial shoot-out against Switzerland in the Euros last summer meant that France crashed out.
      Understandably, Mbappe was outraged by the racist hatred he received for missing the penalty.
      So much so he even considered quitting the national side, saying: “I cannot play for people who think I’m a monkey”.
      In Qatar, Mbappe has shut up his critics and the bigots.
      Having scored five goals in this tournament, including two unstoppable efforts against Poland this week, the forward now has netted nine times at a World Cup.
      That’s more than legends Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
      It’s not surprising that France’s sports newspaper L’Equipe had a headline ahead of the quarter-final against Gareth Southgate’s side declaring “God save Notre King” alongside a photo of Mbappe.
      Read More on The Sun
      On Saturday, England fans will be praying that our goalie Jordan Pickford does the saving.
      At six Mbappe witnessed disaffected youths torching patrol cars as they rioted against police harassmentCredit: Getty
      The star’s father Wilfried Mbappe and mother Fayza LamariCredit: Getty
      Mbappe pictured living the high life in CannesCredit: Goff
      The star with model Emma SmetCredit: Mega
      Celebrating a goal with Giroud against Poland on SundayCredit: Getty More