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      How Jude Bellingham went from footie-loving copper’s son to England’s wonderkid – & quirky reason he wears number 22

      by

      AT the Adidas concession here in Doha’s sprawling fan zone, a giant picture of Jude Bellingham stares out alongside another of Lionel Messi.Before the tournament kicked off some were wondering if the marketing bods hadn’t got a little ahead of themselves.
      Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring England’s first goal at the World CupCredit: EPA
      Toddler Jude with dad Mark at a non-league gameCredit: Tim Stewart
      Aged 19, Jude has only played 117 league games — 41 of which were for Birmingham City in the Championship.
      Messi is considered to be the greatest footballer of all time.
      But on Monday afternoon, at Qatar’s Khalifa International Stadium, Jude confirmed he had earned his spot next to the Argentinian.
      After a deft headed goal and a thrilling box-to-box performance in his first game in the World Cup finals, England fans awarded him a rousing rendition of Beatles song Hey Jude.
      Read More on Jude Bellingham
      No English teenager has lit up the world stage quite so effervescently since Michael Owen burst on to the scene in 1998 with a wonder goal against Argentina.
      Born in Stourbridge, West Mids, to working-class parents, articulate Jude — with model good looks — remains remarkably grounded.
      “I’m just Jude,” he told a podcast for his German side Borussia Dortmund.
      “I don’t see myself as some sort of special person because I play professional football. I’m no better than anyone else just because I can kick a ball around.”
      Most read in Football
      It is a humility ingrained in him from childhood by his mum Denise and dad Mark.
      He has also said of both Mark, 46, and Denise, 54: “Before being great parents they’re great people. Both are working-class and filled me with the things you need to get along.
      “You can take those lessons in your personal life and social life, but also into football: Not giving up, working hard and if you want something, putting in the graft to go and get it.”
      His dad, a police sergeant before retiring last week, was a journeyman non-league striker.
      On blustery, mud-splattered afternoons, Jude, accompanied by his mum and little brother Jobe, watched his father at football outposts from Southend to Sutton Coldfield.
      One photo tweeted by Jude showed him being cradled by his crop-headed dad as he trudged off the pitch before a game for Southend’s Catholic United in Essex.
      Southend-born Mark reached 700 goals aged 40 at Midland League Division Two side Paget Rangers in 2016.
      The landmark — achieved in approximately 850 games — had begun with a strike for East Thurrock United in 1994.
      He had spells with some 15 different clubs, including Bromsgrove Rovers and Stourbridge, but described himself as “not very good!”
      The England midfielder said of his dad: “I used to watch him play all the time, it’s where I started to get that love for football.
      “That non-league style of toughness and being gritty when you need is reflected in my game, and I do think that comes from watching my dad play — even though he never tackled!”
      When Jude signed for Dortmund aged 17, he and Denise moved to the north German city and shared a flat.
      Jude showed ‘unreal’ raw talent at cricket & football aged just 11Credit: Tim Stewart
      Jude and his mum Denise share a cuddleCredit: Twitter
      Last May he said: “My mum keeps me in check on a daily basis, does pretty much everything for me. She keeps me level-headed and grounded, which is the most important thing.”
      Born in June 2003, Jude Victor William Bellingham’s footballing career began on a scrap of grass outside the family’s home in Hagley, near Stourbridge, West Mids.
      Former West Bromwich Albion winger Gary Hackett, who later managed Mark Bellingham at Stourbridge, remembers Jude and Jobe playing in a local park.
      He recalled: “Even if they weren’t involved in the session they would be running and kicking a ball and you could just see they had a passion for football.
      “You could see they were naturally gifted athletes. They could run and they had good technical skills.”
      Jude and Jobe also played cricket.
      Fady Jadayel, coach at Hagley Cricket Club, said: “At 11, Jude stood out as unbelievably talented. He had a raw sporting ability. It’s difficult to express it without sounding weird but he moved with a poise and a grace. His co-ordination was unreal.”
      Cricket would ultimately lose the boys to football.
      Jude signed for Birmingham City’s pre-academy aged seven. Former academy manager and mentor Mike Dodds remembered: “At under-sevens he was just like any other boy, really.
      “He was very good, obviously, but he wasn’t this mercurial, generational talent that people label him now.
      “He wasn’t the best at his age group, he wasn’t completely in love with the game. We liked him but if someone had said he would be in the England squad at 17 we’d have thought that person was crazy.”
      In 2015 Dodds had a conversation with a 12-year-old Jude which would help shape his young charge’s career.
      ‘Poise and grace’
      He explained: “I sat down with him and said, ‘I think you have the ability to play all areas of midfield’, so sitting midfield was a No4, No8 was a box to box and No10 was a scorer and creator.
      “We added all those numbers up and it came to 22. So we decided that was his number.”
      On August 6, 2019, Jude jogged out to face Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup with number 22 on the back of his Blues shirt.
      Aged 16 years and 38 days, he was Birmingham City’s youngest ever first-team player.
      He would play another 43 games for City that season, earning £145 a week, but the Championship was no place for his glittering talents.
      Soon Manchester United were sniffing round.
      But Premiership Big Six teams are tough places for youngsters to break through.
      Dad Mark was keener on Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, who offered a £25million deal and have a track record of blooding young talent, including England’s Jadon Sancho.
      Some believed Birmingham be- haved a little theat- rically when they retired the No22 shirt worn by a teenager on just 44 occasions, but they have been proved prophetically correct.
      In October 2020 he became the youngest Englishman to start a Champions League match, facing Italy’s Lazio aged 17 years and 113 days.
      A month later Gareth Southgate came calling.

      Wearing his beloved No22 shirt, Jude made his England debut as a substitute against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.
      At 17 years 136 days he became England’s third-youngest full international behind Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney.
      After his first start for England, against Austria in June 2021, Southgate said: “You can’t help but marvel at the performance of a boy that age. It’s a bit disrespectful maybe at 17 to call him a boy, and he certainly plays like a man.”
      Jude with his family signing for Birmingham City in 2019Credit: Birmingham City FC
      Jude’s dad Mark on patrol as a copperCredit: PA
      Former academy coach Dodds credits Jude’s close-knit family with nurturing his stellar career.
      He said: “They’re so consistent and the bond they have is so strong it’s made him very humble and incredibly focused. He’s so driven to be the very best and such a strong family bond is almost the perfect storm.”
      Brother Jobe, 17, is following his trajectory, making his debut for Birmingham last year.
      Last week Mark handed in his West Midlands Police warrant card, tweeting: “As of midnight I became a civilian after 24+ years service. Cops ain’t perfect but they’re trying their best under difficult circumstances. If we can show kindness to each other, we have a chance.”
      In his prime, Mark earned around £200 a week from football.
      Jude earns around £50,000 a week with Dortmund, but could more than triple that with a move to an English or Spanish giant.
      His opportunities off the field also appear limitless.
      So far he has used his new-found fame to fundraise for a school in Kenya.
      Read More on The Sun
      But despite being showered with adulation and riches, Jude is quick to remember those windswept days watching his dad on the muddy playing fields of England.
      He may be billed opposite Messi but it’s the hotshot non-league striker Mark Bellingham who he calls his “first footballing hero”.
      Proud Jude joining Borussia Dortmund in 2020Credit: Getty
      Young Lion Jude in his England trackie with mum DeniseCredit: Twitter
      Jude celebrates with team mate Mason MountCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The Sun reported on Jude leading England to thrash Iran 6-2 in their opening game More

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      Inside unfinished £175-a-night Qatar fan village with sweltering 37C container cabins and builders are still at work

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      WORLD Cup fans are facing sweltering 37C container cabins with broken air conditioning units, dirty water and builders still working on the unfinished camps. Qatar has a popped up a number of temporary villages to help accommodate the more than one million fans expected to descend for the sporting extravaganza.
      Sun man Oliver Harvey stayed at one of the £175-a-night cabins near DohaCredit: Dan Charity
      Temperatures inside our cabin hit highs to 37C – and the air conditioner was brokenCredit: Dan Charity
      The tube connecting the air con unit to the outside wasn’t set up – leaving a gaping hole in the wallCredit: Dan Charity
      Parts of the fan village simply looked unfinishedCredit: Dan Charity
      Workmen were still on site even as fans moved in for the World CupCredit: Dan Charity
      But despite billions of pounds being ploughed into infrastructure – including an entirely new city – some of it appears to have been hastily knocked together on a tight budget.
      Sun man Oliver Harvey forked out £175 to spend the night at the Fan Village Cabins Free Zone just outside of Doha.
      The tiny container-style cabins house two people in a cramped bedroom with an en suite shower – and the metal structures are left baking beneath the blazing sun.
      “[It is] constructed on a site which resembled an unfinished car park,” said Oliver.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP
      Staying in cabin E11-15, the site is wedged between two busy roads and is around 30 minutes away from the luxurious hotel being enjoyed by England.
      After opening up his digs for the night, our reporter was met with a blazing wave of hot air as he stepped inside the “shipping container” cabin.
      He found the air conditioner was not even hooked up – with the tube connecting it to the outside world not even attached and a gaping hole left in the wall of his cabin.
      The container did have a desk-style fan attached to the wall – but it only offered light relief from the insufferable heat.
      Most read in Football
      Our man came prepared, and the sweating Oliver got out his thermometer to measure the staggering temperature.
      The mercury quickly climbed to nearly 38C.
      “It [was] really stifling,” said Oliver, “We are going to be ‘oven ready’ England fans after a night in here.”
      When he did manage to get the aircon working, it was incredibly noisy and would made it hard to sleep.
      And it only managed to drop the temperature down to 31C.
      Oliver went to test the shower and sink, only to find it was piping hot and the water appeared to be dirty.
      Finding he could not spend another “sweltering second” inside his cabin, Oliver headed out to explore the rest of the fan village.
      What he found was rows upon rows of hundreds of metal boxes arranged on a flat, barren piece of land which appeared to be little more than a disused car park.
      Beyond hunkering down between the rows of cabins, there was very little shade.
      And that made sitting on prearranged bean bags around the village’s big screen extremely unappealing as the sun beat down.
      Low-flying planes roared overhead in the blue skies in what was quite a strange and bleak World Cup experience.
      Worth the price for a baking hot room? Probably not, says our reporter Oliver HarveyCredit: Dan Charity
      The fan village looks more like an ‘unfinished car park’Credit: Dan Charity
      At least there was ice cream to help you cool offCredit: Dan Charity
      The water in our cabin’s bathroom ran dirty when we first got thereCredit: Dan Charity
      And the pepperoni pizza – with just four pieces of pepperoni – cost £15Credit: Dan Charity
      There are beanbags to watch the big screen – if you can endure the sweltering heat and baking sunCredit: Dan Charity
      Oliver managed to find some other fans, running into two men from Japan.
      They agreed their room was “tiny, hot and expensive”.
      “I don’t like it”, one said.
      And the two Japan fans admitted they had a staggering 16 NIGHTS at the camp to endure, questioning whether they would even be able to get to sleep.
      “Outrageous,” they laughed.
      Oliver also ran into two Mexican fans who, despite being in good spirits, agreed it was incredibly hot in their cabin.
      Continuing to explore, our man decided to settle down for a meal.
      He picked himself up a pepperoni pizza for £15.
      And despite the grub being quite small with just four pieces of pepperoni on it, Oliver admitted it was “not too bad”.
      After enjoying his lunch, he then found himself in a massive unfinished grey gravel expanse in the middle of the village.
      Workers were still setting up the giant marquee – which Oliver wasn’t sure it was exactly meant to be, maybe a dining area?

      Qatar has already faced questions over organisation of the World Cup – with reports weeks before the start that the nation simply was not ready.
      Confusion over the sale of beer, infrastructure problems and reports of crowd trouble at the fanzone have already surfaced.
      The tiny country is expected to welcome more than one million fans during the tournament – when the country only has a population of 2.9million.
      Billions have been spent to try and ready the nation for its first attempt at holding an event of this scale.
      Japanese fans at the box village, Naota Endo and Daisuke Kusaba, were also unimpressedCredit: Dan Charity
      Oliver also ran into Mexican fans at the villageCredit: Dan Charity
      Other fans agreed with him the rooms were incredibly hotCredit: Dan Charity More

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      I’m a sexpert – my bedroom tips for England heroes and their WAGs will help us win the World Cup

      by

      THE pressure of representing their country at the World Cup can take a huge toll on players. But a sex and relationship expert reckons she knows exactly how Gareth Southgate can revitalise his team after matches.
      Natalia believes players like Eric Dier should be able to let off some steam with fiancee Anna Modler after matches
      Natalia Kobylkina believes the England squad should be able to have sex after matches – but not the day beforeCredit: Supplied
      Sexologist Natalia Kobylkina is urging the England manager to let his players go into sex-tra time with their wives and girlfriends – but ban romps the day before a game.
      She tells The Sun: “If they win and perform well they should be rewarded by being able to perform equally well when they see their loved ones after the game.
      “That will also, hopefully, get them in the right frame of mind for the next fixture.”
      But while she firmly believes sex games are good for the squad, too much nookie could hamper their chances of bringing home the World Cup.
      READ MORE ON WAGS
      She explains: “It is very important for the guys to be ready for action when they get out onto the field.
      “You can’t expect that to happen if they have been putting all their energies into making love with their partner in the run-up to matches.”
      Natalia, 38, believes to get the best out of his team, Southgate must ban any performances in the bedroom 72 hours before each game and save the reward for when the game is over.
      She argues the players need to have heightened levels of testosterone and cortisone in their bodies to maximise their prowess on the pitch.
      Most read in Football
      Annie Kilner will be cheering on her man Kyle WalkerCredit: Instagram
      Sasha Atwood, who has been in an on-off relationship with Jack Grealish for years, will be supporting himCredit: Instagram @sasha__rebecca
      Natalia adds: “If Gareth Southgate follows my advice, England can go all the way to lift the trophy – and the wives and girlfriends will have fulfilled an important role in winning the World Cup.”
      No to ‘sex ban’
      Natalia, 38, says it’s not feasible to ask players not to have sex for more than a month throughout the tournament.
      She says: “They will start to get depressed and frustrated. Their heads will drop and they won’t be at their best. 
      “You wouldn’t impose a month-long sex ban for players during a normal season. It just wouldn’t work.
      “So it’s not going to work in Qatar either. It’s not as if the WAGS aren’t there!”
      Romp o’clock
      Natalia believes a month-long sex ban is impossible for the likes of Raheem Sterling and fiancée Paige Milian
      Harry Maguire and wife Fern will have to say no to sex too close to matches, says NataliaCredit: Instagram
      Natalia, who is based in London and boasts an international client list of athletes, entrepreneurs and politicians, reckons she knows the best time a player should have sex in order to give their best performance – on the pitch, that is.
      “The optimum time for a male footballer, like any elite male athlete, to have sex before a major sporting event is 72 hours,” she says.
      “That way the players can be at their peak mentally and physically for the challenge ahead.
      “Sex can be a reward for winning or a consolation for losing. So a win-win scenario for the players and, of course, their wives and girlfriends!
      ‘Stay strong for England’
      Natalia says WAGS like Anouska Santos, Luke Shaw’s partner must “stay strong” for EnglandCredit: Instagram @anouskasantos
      In order for the Squad to bring the World Cup home, WAGS must only have sex with their men after matches, says NataliaCredit: Instagram
      For the WAGS who have made it to Qatar to cheer on their men, Natalia says: “If you want your man to do well on the pitch you have to say ‘no’ to sex for 72 hours before each game.
      “You need to stay strong for England. Once the games are over, that’s when you can let your defences down – and hopefully the boys can rise to the occasion!
      “The lads need to reach the maximum levels of their animal potential. They need to be hungry for sex and hungry for the ball – obviously not at the same time!
      Read More on The Sun
      “That way their all-round game will be so much better.
      “If they have sex too close to kick-off they won’t have either the energy or the motivation to do their best.”
      Natalia has worked with high profile athletes, entrepreneurs, and politiciansCredit: Supplied More

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      Where the Baden-Baden WAGs are now… including model who’s rebranded as a home organising expert & I’m A Celeb star

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      With the World Cup kicking off in Qatar tonight, a new set of glamorous wives and girlfriends have flown out to support their men.But in recent years, the England team has been given much stricter rules for their spouses to abide by, so it’s unlikely we will see the levels of partying witnessed at the infamous 2006 tournament in Baden-Baden, Germany – when the WAGs went wild.
      It’s unlikely we will see the levels of partying witnessed at the infamous 2006 tournament in Baden-Baden, Germany – when the WAGs went wildCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Cheryl Tweedy, Coleen McLoughlin and Victoria Beckham in the stands ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2006Credit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Their outrageous tales of drugs, dancing on tables and sky-high hotel bills rocked the quiet resort town and arguably made more headlines than the Three Lions’ performance on the pitch – they were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
      Victoria Beckham was often pictured sitting next to Girls Aloud’s Cheryl, who married Ashley Cole a few weeks later.
      Coleen Rooney was 20 at the time and yet to tie the knot with Wayne.
      Already famed for her love of fashion, she was rumoured to be among the group who racked up a £57k bill after an hour of retail therapy.
      READ MORE ON WAGS
      It was so eventful, in fact, that the presence of wives and girlfriends was heavily restricted at the 2010 World Cup. 
      But Victoria, Cheryl and Coleen aside, what became of the other women?
      We take a look at the WAG class of 2006…
      Most read in The Sun
      Alex Curran, 40
      Alex Curran and Steven Gerrard started dating in 2002Credit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      The pair married the following summer and are now parents to three daughters and a sonCredit: Getty
      Husband: Steven Gerrard
      Then Alex had been dating Steven for four years prior to the World Cup, and was one of the WAGs to put her credit card to good use.
      She’s said to have run up a £25k hotel bill, which included 60 bottles of £75 pink champers.
      Now She and Steven married the following summer and are now parents to three daughters and a son, Lilly-Ella, 18, Lexie, 16, Lourdes, 11, and Lio, five.
      In 2015, they relocated to the US after Steven signed an 18-month deal with LA Galaxy.
      But after getting homesick, they returned to the UK the following year, and Steven has just been sacked as manager of Aston Villa.
      Carly Zucker, 38
      I’m A Celebrity! star Carly married Joe Cole in 2009 the year after she appeared on the showCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Her outfits were said to have enraged Victoria Beckham, who reportedly felt she was stealing all the attentionCredit: Getty
      Husband: Joe Cole
      Then She became best known for taking early-morning runs past the paparazzi in skimpy cropped tops.
      Her outfits were said to have enraged Posh, who reportedly felt she was stealing all the attention. 
      Now Carly starred on I’m A Celebrity! in 2008, but was the third person to be voted off.
      She married Joe the following year and they had children Ruby, 12, Harry, 10, and Max, seven.
      Following Joe’s retirement from football in 2018, the pair have both stayed out of the limelight.
      Michaela Henderson-Thynne, 36
      After her separation from Stewart Downing, mother-of-two Michaela lives a life out of the public eyeCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Partner: Stewart Downing
      Then She sang karaoke about her man at Garibaldi’s nightclub and loved the designer shopping.
      She admitted to having “a thing for expensive handbags”.
      Now Michaela went on to star in ITV2 show WAGs Boutique in 2007, where she tearfully announced to fellow WAGs: “Unfortunately, after four years together, we have separated. But we are still friends.”
      No longer in the public eye, she is a mum to two children.
      Elen Rivas, 47
      Elen and Frank separated in 2008 but have daughter Isla
      Spanish model Elen started dating Frank Lampard in 2002 before splitting in 2008Credit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Partner: Frank Lampard
      The then Spanish model began dating Frank in 2002 and welcomed their daughter Luna in 2005.
      She made a name for herself in Baden-Baden after belting out Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive while standing on a table.
      Now Elen and Frank went on to have daughter Isla, but the couple split in 2008.
      The footballer is now married to TV presenter Christine Lampard, while Elen has been dating businessman Dino Costas since 2017 and  runs her own home-organisation business, La Organiser.
       Toni Poole, 41
      Toni stood by husband John Terry after rumours of his affair with his teammate’s ex-girlfriendCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Husband: John Terry
      Then Officially the most forgiving woman in Britain, Toni stood by John after rumours of his affair with his teammate’s ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel, emerged in 2010, which cost him the England captaincy.
      Now Toni has twins, Summer and Georgie, 16, with John.
      She enjoys horse riding and has published a fitness and healthy lifestyle book.
      Lisa Roughead, 35
      Childhood sweethearts Michael Carrick and Lisa seek to maintain low profilesCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Nowadays Lisa is a Pilates teacher with a business degreeCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Husband: Michael Carrick
      Then The “quiet one” known to go a bit wild when she’d had a drink, there were rumours she’d snogged Carly Zucker after an alcohol-fuelled night out.
      Now Nowadays she’s a Pilates teacher with a business degree.
      Lisa maintains a low profile, but is still a constant support for Michael after they met in secondary school.
      Abbey Clancy, 36
      Abbey has carved out a successful TV and modelling career, since her and Peter’s marriage in 2011Credit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Husband: Peter Crouch
      Then Just months into their relationship, Abbey flew out to support Peter.
      But she was soon sent home in shame after old photos of her taking cocaine resurfaced.
      Peter tried to distance himself from the drama and dumped her.
      Now Abbey and Peter reconciled and married in 2011, welcoming daughter Sophia that same year.
      They went on to have Liberty, seven, Johnny, four, and Jack, three.
      Abbey has also carved out a successful TV and modelling career. 
      Vanessa Perroncel, 46
      Vanessa split with partner Wayne Bridge after accusations of an affair with John TerryCredit: Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
      Partner: Wayne Bridge
      Then Pregnant with son Jaydon at the time, Vanessa kept a low profile throughout the tournament.
      Now All hell broke loose when Vanessa and Wayne split in 2009, and she was accused of having an affair with John Terry – which she denied.
      Read More on The Sun
      Wayne’s now married to Frankie Bridge and the pair have two sons.
      Vanessa was briefly linked to Cheryl’s second husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini. More

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      Psychic camel Camilla picks England for victory in World Cup match with Iran

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      IT’S cam-ing home!The Iranian footie team are bound to have the hump after Camilla the psychic camel predicted a decisive win for the Three Lions.
      Camilla’s owners Jenny and Vernon insist she’s never wrongCredit: Paul Tonge
      The Sun on Sunday tasked ‘Mystic Millie’ with predicting the winner of tomorrow’s England vs Iran match.
      She walked straight over to the St George’s Cross without hesitating – making Gareth Southgate’s team the one to beat.
      Her estate agent owners Jenny and Vernon Moore, both 52, from Melton Mowbray, Leics, insist she’s “never wrong”.
      Vernon said: “It’s the best possible omen for Gareth and the boys. Getting past the group stage is in the bag.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP 2022
      “We asked her to choose between our and our opponents’ flags placed on easels a few yards in front of her and she marched straight up to the St George’s cross every time.”
      Camels hold a special status in the World Cup host city of Qatar, where they are bred for the hugely popular sport of camel racing.
      But unfortunately for the home nation, Camilla believes Ecuador will win the first match of the tournament tomorrow night.
      Jenny said: “Camilla is very strong willed and always seems to know when it’s food time so we have absolute faith in her ability to predict World Cup results.”
      Most read in The Sun More

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      Aston Villa ace Douglas Luiz splits from footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann after row about her raunchy calendar

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      ASTON Villa ace Douglas Luiz has split from his footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann — after they rowed about her raunchy calendar.Swiss star Alisha, 23, who plays for Villa’s women’s team, had a year-long relationship with the Brazilian after they met at the Birmingham-based club.
      Douglas Luiz has split from his footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann — after they rowed about her raunchy calendarCredit: BackGrid
      Alisha was in a year-long relationship with the Brazilian after meeting at the club
      At the beginning of this year, she gave up her rented penthouse apartment to move into his £1.5million five-bed house in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
      But they broke up following heated arguments over her sizzling calendar and she is now staying with a team-mate.
      A source close to the pair said: “Douglas was completely smitten with Alisha. When she first arrived, he was like, ‘Who is this girl?’.
      He quickly asked her out and they became a footballing power couple. They were so loved up.
      READ MORE SUN EXCLUSIVES
      “But, sadly, as Alisha became more in demand off the pitch, the cracks started to appear in their relationship.
      “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.”
      Bisexual Alisha previously had a relationship with her Switzerland teammate Ramona Bachmann, 25.
      Most read in The Sun
      Douglas is currently back in Brazil.
      A spokeswoman for Alisha declined to comment.
      Douglas is currently back in Brazil after Alisha moved out of their £1.5million house in BirminghamCredit: Getty
      A source suggested that Alisha jumped at the chance to show off her sexy sideCredit: © Alisha Lehmann Official Calendar 2023
      Alisha shows off her amazing curves in an animal-print bikiniCredit: BackGrid More

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      I’ve been moaning about this World Cup for nearly 12 years but here’s why it’s time to stop the whining and back England

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      I HAVE been moaning non-stop for 11 years, 11 months and 17 days.That’s an awful lot of moaning.
      The decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup has never felt rightCredit: Rex
      Now it’s here we should embrace the World Cup, says Adrian ChilesCredit: aecanter
      My moan-a-thon commenced on the afternoon of Thursday, December 2, 2010 — the day Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup.
      To be fair, for the first eight years I also had the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia to moan about.
      But ever since that one was done and dusted, I’ve been able to focus my fury ­exclusively on Qatar. And I’m not the only one.
      Just about everyone else has weighed in, with good reason, on more or less every single aspect of it.
      READ MORE ON QATAR WORLD CUP
      The human rights record of the Qatari regime; the carbon footprint; the ­timing . . . you name it.
      Fifa has been good enough to give us plenty to go on.
      More came thick and fast this week as the hordes of journalists arrived in Doha and started whingeing about the pricey pints and soaring ­temperatures.
      To be fair, if I was lucky enough to be there, I’d ­probably have the nerve to be having a whinge of my own.
      Most read in The Sun
      But really, what else was anybody expecting in a dry state in the Middle East?.
      Even some fans lucky enough to be there were at it.
      Some old boy was on the radio saying how he was being forced to fly in to watch every Wales match from nearby Dubai. Cue an orchestra of tiny violins.
      I think we call these gripes First World problems nowadays.
      Because the truth of the ­matter is — as ever — that the vast majority of fans won’t be at the World Cup.
      DESERVE BETTER
      They’ll be where they ­usually are every four years.
      They’ll be somewhere far more familiar, where it costs much less for a bevvy and you can drink it pretty much whenever you like.
      They call it home . . . or the pub.
      It’s time to blow the whistle on the Qatar complaints. Enough now. It’s happening.
      Let’s hold our noses and enjoy the party.
      This is what I’ve resolved to do, having frightened myself working out that I’ll probably only experience another six World Cups in my lifetime.
      And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Fifa or anyone else ruin any one of them for me.
      Sepp Blatter announced Qatar would host the World Cup way back in 2010Credit: AFP
      If I make it to 80, my last major tournament will be the 2046 World Cup, held God knows where. Mars, probably.
      I’ll be making the trip, no matter what the political ­situation is there.
      I feel sorry for the players. Extravagantly paid they might be, living lives of great luxury, but time stops for no man and they’ll be lucky to have the chance of playing in any more than three World Cups.
      If we’re not careful we’ll have them feeling like soldiers sent off to fight in an ­unpopular war, unheralded and uncelebrated.
      They deserve better from us. None of this is their fault.
      And yet they are now the only ones who can change everything about our attitude to this World Cup.
      As the old saying goes, when your team’s winning matches, even the pies taste good.
      Yes, they can turn it all round for us, and we’ve got to start getting right behind them to help them do it.
      A good start for our boys, followed by progress in the knockout stages accompanied perhaps by a few late dramas,, and nigh-on 12 solid years of moaning will all be forgotten.
      When it does, you can bet everyone over there will stop their whining.
      They’ll be popping corks on million pound bottles of ­champagne. Maybe.
      My mind goes back to ­something Gordon Strachan said to me at the World Cup of 2014.
      We were broadcasting from Copacabana Beach.
      Luis Suarez biting Giorgio Chiellini was one of the World Cup’s craziest momentsCredit: Pixel8000
      The story of the day had been Luis Suarez trying to make a snack out of Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
      One player actually biting another? ­Disgraceful!
      The Uruguayan was in a world of trouble. A lifetime ban was even mooted.
      I suggested to Gordon that Suarez might never play again.
      “Of course he will,” laughed Gordon. “Because there is no morality in football.”
      He was right. It’s the worst thing about the game, but also the best.
      Yes, terrible transgressions of decent, human behaviour may be forgiven or overlooked, because brilliant football trumps everything.
      The Suarez-Chiellini chompfest is a case in point.
      SOMETHING SPECIAL
      Chiellini himself wrote in his memoir that not only did he forgive Suarez the bite, he actually admired him for it.
      Football will always win out. It’s bigger than all of us, as we’ll see in the coming weeks.
      It’s bigger than Fifa or Qatar or Russia or whichever referee or players offend our sensibilities this time round.
      Once it gets going, I believe we’ll all get going.
      And once England get going, the sky will be the limit.
      Qatar — quite unjustly — will feel like the most normal place on Earth, and back home it’ll be like winter isn’t happening.
      But we, the fans at home, need to do our bit to get England out of the starting blocks.
      Ahead of the women’s Euros this summer I had a hunch our team was going to do something special.
      For once — and I mean once — in my football life, I was right. (I had to be right sooner or later. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.)
      Almost out of superstition, I hereby repeat the words I wrote in The Sun about England’s women before that tournament started.
      I said that it was important to get behind them from the beginning, because it would be no good jumping on the bandwagon when they got to the final and won it.
      Read More on The Sun
      So, in the spirit of that, I pray to you, myself and all other interested parties: Let the moaning stop and the cheering commence as a ­joyous English march to the final begins.
      Bring it on.
      The nation will be backing England to end their long wait for the trophyCredit: AFP More

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      in Soccer

      Meet England’s Brainbox WAGs from stunning Lucia Loi to Paige Milian who all have a surprising thing in common

      by

      THIS year’s World Cup Wags are in a premier league of their own when it comes to brains.Many of the footie wives and girlfriends who have travelled to Qatar to support their partners have earned good degrees and gone on to build top-class careers to rival their famous footballing fellas’ efforts on the pitch.
      England players warm up ahead of the World Cup in QatarCredit: PA
      Many of the England Wags earned good degrees and have gone on to build top-class careersCredit: PA
      Here, Yasmin Harisha reveals the wise Wags who really know the score.
      Katie Kane – Wife of Harry Kane
      Degree in Sports Science
      England Captain Harry Kane’s wife Katie is a fitness instructorCredit: PA:Press Association
      Mum Katie has a sports science degree
      ENGLAND Captain Harry’s wife Katie is a fitness instructor, with a sports science degree.
      The pair, both 29, have gone from childhood sweethearts to happily married and living in Chingford, Essex, where they now even have a team of their own – children Ivy, five, Vivienne Jane, four, and one-year-old Louis.
      Read More on Wags
      They also have two dogs called Brady and Wilson, named after NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Russell Wilson.
      The pair have watched each other grow, and Harry said of Katie: “We went to school together, so she’s seen my whole career.
      “Of course, she’s finding it a little crazy.”
      We’re proud to say she is One Of Our Own.
      Most read in Football
      Milly Adams – Fiancée to Ben White
      2:1 degree in Childhood Studies
      IT’S been quite a year for Arsenal defender Ben – in June he proposed to girlfriend Milly, then this month he got the call-up for England’s World Cup squad.
      Milly, from Herts, is now an Instagram model, boasting 14.9k followers, but before that she proved her brain power by graduating in 2019.
      Ben White’s fiancée Milly Adams is an Insta model with 14.9k followers
      Milly has a 2:1 degree in Childhood StudiesCredit: milly_adams/instagram
      The pair, who are both 25, confirmed their relationship in February this year – and since their engagement, it appears they are a really solid team.
      Charlotte Trippier – Wife of Kieran Trippier
      Degree in Interior Design
      AS defender Kieran prepares to play for England in his second World Cup, his wife Charlotte will be cheering him on all the way.
      She and the 32-year-old Newcastle star have been married since 2016, and are parents to Jacob, five, and Esme Rose, two.
      Charlotte Trippier – wife of Kieran has an Interior Design degreeCredit: Instagram / @ktrippier2
      As well as being known for her fashionable outfits, Charlotte, 33, is also a member of The Style Sisters, a super-successful home interior business, and she has more than 270k followers on Instagram.
      She started the brand with her sister Gemma, 32, after obtaining her interior design degree.
      The pair call themselves the “Trinny and Susannah” of home makeovers and charge up to £995 per room, which covers a full renovation.
      Fern Maguire – Wife of Harry Maguire 
      First class honours degree in      Science and  Physiotherapy
      THE couple have gone from lovestruck Sheffield teenagers to husband and wife, and are each other’s rock.
      Not only has Fern, 28, been watching from the sidelines supporting 29-year-old Harry on his World Cup mission, but she has also been making sure she qualifies in her own league.
      Harry Maguire’s wife Fern became a physiotherapist after graduating in 2017Credit: Tim Stewart
      Fern regularly posts endorsed snaps on Instagram to her 100k followers – netting her up to £5,000 per postCredit: Tim Stewart
      After graduating in 2017 she became a physiotherapist.
      The pair, who have a three-year-old daughter, Lillie Saint, live in Manchester, where Fern regularly posts endorsed snaps on Instagram to her 100k followers – netting her up to £5,000 per post.
      Megan Pickford – Wife of Jordan Pickford
      2:1 degree in Childhood Studies
      CHILDHOOD sweetheart Megan proved to be a keeper for Jordan, and they tied the knot at a register office in Crewe in June 2020, having had to postpone their lavish Maldives ceremony due to the pandemic.
      The 28-year-old England goalie met Megan when she was 14 and they were at St Robert of Newminster RC secondary school in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
      Jordana Pickford met his wife Megan when they were at school in Washington, Tyne and WearCredit: INSTAGRAM/MEGAN DAVISON
      Megan graduated in 2017 and gave birth to the couple’s son Arlo George in 2019Credit: meganpickford_/instagram
      She graduated in 2017, and gave birth to the couple’s son Arlo George in 2019.
      Megan appears to work on her blogging, with 93.3k Instagram followers and lots of endorsements from luxury brands such as Hermes and Alexander Wang.
      Paige Milian – Fiancée to Raheem Sterling
      Degree in Property Development
      IT’S all about playing forward for Raheem, and not just on the pitch.
      The Chelsea star and his fiancée Paige, 25, who has a degree in property development, snapped up an entire road of houses in 2019 for £1million after setting up their own property firm.
      Raheem Sterling’s fiancee Paige Milian has a degree in property development
      Paige, who is mum to Thiago, five, and Thai-Cruz, three, with 27-year-old Raheem, announced on Instagram that the couple had bought the homes.
      She wrote: “After months of studying property development, I achieved my qualification to become a property developer in 2018.
      “We then started a search of properties to add to our portfolio and was then successful in purchasing six brand new houses.”
      She added: “We plan to add more projects to our portfolio in the future.”
      Paige, who has 103k followers, has also endorsed posts from high-end fashion designers including Jacquemus and Fendi, which could also bring in a nice bit of extra income.
      Top marks to her.
      Lucia Loi – Girlfriend of Marcus Rashford
      First class honours degree in Advertising and Brand Management
      AFTER three years of study at Manchester Metropolitan University, Lucia’s qualification and her top grade led to a job as an account executive at Manchester PR firm Sugar.
      She and Manchester United forward Marcus, 25, started dating when they were at school.
      Marcus Rashford’s childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi has a First class honours degreeCredit: Getty
      Lucia and Marcus started dating when they were at school
      Lucia, 22, was spotted cheering him on from the stands when he played for England against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
      And with that degree, she has shown she can be a first-class supporter this year. More