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      in Boxing

      I held my baby for first time, then midwife plucked her from me – her fight inspired me to win mine, says Tyson Fury

      by

      TYSON Fury has revealed for the first time how the near-death of his baby daughter sparked his greatest win in the ring.Athena was born prematurely last year — just weeks before the Gypsy King’s epic 11th-round KO of Deontay Wilder.
      Tyson Fury says his daughter Athena’s fight for health inspired his boxing success
      Wilder punches Fury during the WBC Heavyweight Championship in 2018Credit: Getty
      The Gypsy King and wife Paris never gave up on daughter AthenaCredit: Richard Dash for GoPr
      Here, in exclusive extracts from his new book Gloves Off, Tyson reveals the incredible tale…
      I am The Gypsy King — a bona fide legend and a once-in-a-lifetime superhero.
      But boxing isn’t my entire world. The reality is I’m a husband, a dad, a son, a brother, an uncle.
      My family are my armour and Paris and my six beautiful kids are always in my thoughts because they’re so precious to me.
      READ MORE ON TYSON FURY
      On the eve of my 2021 fight with Deontay Wilder I slept on a hospital floor as our youngest child, Athena, fought for her life shortly after being born.
      I had a split draw with Wilder in 2018 and beat him in 2020.
      I hoped that my rematch against him in 2021 would be a Hollywood-style ending to my dark days of depression.
      But then Athena was born prematurely at the beginning of August 2021 in the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, just two months before the fight.
      Most read in The Sun
      At first everything went well with the birth. I held my new daughter for the first time, and everything was perfect.
      There had been no signs of anything being wrong during the pregnancy.
      Then the midwife plucked her out of my arms and within minutes everything was kicking off.
      Apparently her heart was beating too quickly, and at first I didn’t think anything of it.
      Then everybody around us seemed to be panicking.
      My baby’s life was hanging in the balance and my name and what I did for a living wasn’t going to change a thing.Tyson Fury
      Athena was hooked up to a machine, doctors were pushing buttons and taking readings and her heart rate had rocketed to 300 beats per minute, when it should have been closer to 120bpm, and there was nothing the nurses could do to fix the problem.
      They injected her with something that seemed to slow everything down, to around 140bpm, but then she spiked all the way up again.
      The consequences were terrifying.
      If Athena’s heart rate couldn’t be steadied she would probably die from a cardiac arrest.
      Watching the medical staff rushing around her and Paris was horrible, though I knew they were both in safe hands.
      After being born, I’d died and been resuscitated three times – the NHS had kept me going well enough.
      Still, that did little to ease the sense of total helplessness I was experiencing.
      I saw nurses sedating Athena; someone was putting a tube down her throat to assist her breathing; and while everybody seemed to be acting calmly amid the chaos, there is nothing a parent can do in a situation like that, other than to watch and pray.
      I’d been reduced to nothing.
      My baby’s life was hanging in the balance and my name and what I did for a living wasn’t going to change a thing.
      ‘TERRIFYING’
      In the end, it was decided that Athena should be blue- lighted to the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, and once there, her heart rate was stabilised.
      It was so hard to see her on an incubator, with several tubes and wires coming out of her body.
      She looked so tiny and vulnerable, and even though her situation had improved, the doctors were warning us we weren’t yet out of the woods.
      Athena’s heart rate was still all over the place, and at any given moment she might die.
      As Paris recovered and Athena started her battle, I bedded down in the Ronald McDonald House, an accommodation for parents attached to the hospital.
      Nothing could dissuade me: I was crashing there until Athena had stabilised. But every day my head span.
      Though it was the last thing on my mind, at some point, I was going to have to think about the upcoming fight with Deontay Wilder.
      If it was to go ahead, my preparation would have to happen at breakneck speed.
      Athena was in ICU weeks before the showdown with Deontay WilderCredit: Instagram
      Little Athena was fighting for her life while Tyson was trying to prepare for his title bout
      The boxer’s new autobiography Gloves Off, is out on November 10
      Once my schedule was pieced together, I estimated I had around four weeks to get into fighting form. It wasn’t long, but I could still make it.
      At the Alder Hey Hospital the doctors were giving Athena ­life-saving treatment.
      The good news was that she’d been taken off the incubator and there were some signs of improvement, so whenever Paris and Athena were resting, I went to work.
      To tackle Wilder, I needed to make the most of every opportunity, and a day or so after the birth, I started a jog around the hospital with Dad.
      I wasn’t in the best of shape at the time because I’d been struggling to eat well, what with being in and out of Alder Hey.
      I’d also not long recovered from Covid and my lungs felt like two sheets of sandpaper whenever I put in a shift.
      Puffing a little, I’d probably only done around three miles when my phone started ringing. It was Paris. She was hysterical.
      ‘The baby’s died,’ she screamed. ‘The baby’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead . . .’
      I sprinted to the ward as fast as I could, fearing the worst.
      My chest burned, my legs were in agony, and as I ran I tried my best to console Paris.
      ‘It’s going to be alright,’ I panted down the phone. ‘Let the doctors do their job. Don’t worry . . .’
      It hurt me to see her in the cot, attached to a bleeping machine. Tyson Fury
      When I made it to her bedside, there seemed to be a hundred medics crowding around Athena.
      Apparently, she’d become completely unresponsive while Paris was holding her, then her heartbeat had faded away to nothing.
      Athena was resuscitated, but Paris was now losing it.
      A nurse was trying to calm her as the specialist staff went to work. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
      Eventually, to our enormous relief, and with the grace of God the doctors were able to steady Athena.
      We were told she would have to remain in hospital until she’d made a full recovery.
      In the end it would take three weeks before she was allowed home and for much of the time I slept at the Ronald McDonald House, or on the floor of the hospital ward, feeling exhausted, praying for her to pull through safely, knowing that some parents never got to take their babies home.
      It hurt me to see her in the cot, attached to a bleeping machine.
      A lot of the time Paris and me would sit there, staring at our baby.
      Keeping the worrying news from the kids was a tough job too.
      All of them were excited to meet their new sister – Venezuela, Prince John James, Prince Tyson Fury II, Valencia Amber and Prince Adonis Amaziah. We didn’t want to tell them that Athena had nearly died because we didn’t want to worry them.
      After what felt like an age, Athena had recovered enough for us to leave hospital at the end of ­August.
      I immediately went back to work, even though I probably could have postponed the fight.
      It’s not as if I didn’t have a good reason for requesting a delay.
      Sleeping rough on the floor of a hospital wasn’t the best way to prepare for anything, let alone a world heavyweight title bout against a man who was talking up my murder.
      But what was the point in looking for excuses? It was now or never. I’d had a tough time for sure, but not as tough a time as Athena – and she’d shown the strength and willpower to fight her way back to life.
      I would turn her battle into fuel.
      Read More on The Sun
      And I did. I beat Wilder with an eleventh round knockout – in one of the most epic fights of all time.
      It was Athena’s successful battle which inspired me to win mine.”

      Adapted from GLOVES OFF by Tyson Fury, published by Century on 10th November in hardback and audiobook.

      Tyson Fury v Derek Chisora for WBC & lineal Heavyweight Championship of the World will be broadcast exclusively on BT Sport Box Office. Tickets for the event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Dec 3 are available now at ticketmaster.co.uk

      Tyson Fury and his family
      Fury recording his debut single – the Neil Diamond classic Sweet CarolineCredit: PA
      The couple with their six children More

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      in Soccer

      I’m a WAG and World Cup veteran – I know exactly how England’s other halves can deal with Qatar’s ruinous rules

      by

      I’M usually a firm believer that rules are made to be broken.But the strict list of World Cup dos and don’ts issued by England chiefs to this year’s Wags are not to be trifled with.
      Lizzie Cundy at the 2010 World Cup in South AfricaCredit: Paul Edwards – The Sun
      The likes of Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, should be looking forward to the World Cup and all the glitz and glamour that comes with itCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Our girls have been warned that if they put a stiletto-clad foot wrong in strict Qatar, they could end up in prison.
      My heart goes out to them, because they’ve been issued with a manifesto for party poopery.
      No booze, no skimpy outfits, no PDAs, no singing in public and even no selfies, at least not outside official buildings.
      The Wags simply won’t know what to do with themselves.
      READ MORE ON QATAR
      The likes of Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, and her fellow England Wags should be looking forward to the World Cup and all the glitz and glamour that comes with it.
      Instead, they’ll be worrying that they could get in trouble for doing perfectly normal things.
      I’ve been lucky enough to go to two World Cups, Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010, and it might sound silly, but I’m not exaggerating when I say the Wags play a huge part in creating the special atmosphere.
      In South Africa I was treated like a superstar. I can hardly tell you what it was like there.
      Most read in The Sun
      I kept thinking, ‘Have they got me mixed up with someone?’.
      The World Cup is meant to be an international party, and we were there to support our boys in the best way we knew how.
      But with the risk of a crisis in Qatar if anyone has too much fun, I think those golden days have come to an end.
      This year’s Wags have been told that public displays of affection, including kissing, will not be tolerated.
      Double whammy
      That’s going to be tough. I remember watching my ex-husband Jason Cundy play for Chelsea and Tottenham, and when you’re watching a game, especially when they score, you leap up and hug.
      You can’t help it, it’s instinct, you do it — these girls want to support their partner and they want to show affection. They want to show passion.
      And if you’re on holiday with your partner, you are just openly affectionate without even thinking.
      In fact, we’ve seen a few of the players be affectionate with the wrong person, so it’s a double whammy to the loyal partners. Then there’s the rules around wardrobe choices.
      Wags love dressing up and are fully aware that when their partner scores a goal, all the cameras are straight on them.
      We’ve seen a few of the players be affectionate with the wrong person, so it’s a double whammy to the loyal partners.
      They want to look the bee’s knees — clothes are their life and they’ll obviously have got all their outfits ready for the matches. And for the girls to dress modestly? They haven’t got that in their vocab.
      What is modest anyway? I know I’ve been out before and someone has said, ‘Ooh, that’s a bit racy’, and I’m like, ‘Gosh, this is nothing’.
      Will they have to have their skirts below the knee? Will their shoulders be covered? And it’s going to be very hot — are you allowed to go out in a vest top?
      They could get in trouble unless they’ve got a warden or someone there checking them from head to toe with a measuring tape saying, ‘No, that skirt’s too short’.
      For girls used to rightly making their own choices about their own bodies, this will feel so wrong.
      We all know the Wags love a good selfie, as we all do — and Qatar is a beautiful place — so taking a selfie is something these girls will do without even thinking.
      They’ll want to put pictures out there — they’re at the World Cup, it’s the pinnacle of their partners’ careers — but taking a selfie in front of a government building is against the law.
      A World Cup without Wags would be a sad sight
      And we’re not just talking about a slap on the wrist here, this is serious stuff. It can lead to imprisonment, as well as fines.
      Drinking in public, that’s another thing. What if they win and England go through? Are you saying they can’t celebrate with a drink?
      They’re also not allowed to sing — so I can’t imagine how deathly dull the stadiums will sound.
      Like many others, when I watch a football match, I get taken over by someone else and find myself singing my heart out until my throat is hoarse. It’s in you and you can’t stop it.
      All of these rules are going to be broken, probably by accident — and we could see one of our girls actually being put in prison. Footballers’ wives get a really bad rap of being nothing but bimbos who love to shop and get their nails done and are just after the money.
      But they’re not. A lot of them are intelligent women who have careers in their own right. They’re not used to being told what to do. They are strong, independent women who set their own rules.
      f I were them, I’d make a stand against these regressive regulations and say, ‘We’re not going to go’. A World Cup without Wags would be a sad sight.
      But after all the support they’ve given their partners, the Wags should expect to have their support in taking a stand, too.

      Lizzie’s 8 best Wag moments
      Like The Beatles
      Victoria , left, and Coleen, centre, are joined by a pal, Michael Owen’s wife Louise, second right, and Frank Lampard’s then fiancée Elen Rivas, right, in Baden-BadenCredit: Associated Newspapers
      I WILL never forget that first moment of seeing the Wags walking together in a line in Baden-Baden during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
      It was like The Beatles had come to town when Victoria Beckham, Coleen Rooney and the gang stepped out.
      Everyone was like, “Wow. Who are they? What are they wearing?”.
      They were everywhere and it was like nothing anyone had seen before. It was a time when the girls were really more popular than the players.
      And England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson loved it, because the attention wasn’t on the boys.
      They sold more magazines than if you had Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the front. I don’t think we’ll ever be seeing anything like that again.
      War of the sunglasses
      You had this hierarchy, with Victoria Beckham, at the top and then Cheryl ColeCredit: Alamy
      IT was great seeing the girls watching the games and looking at how big their sunglasses were in 2006.
      You had this hierarchy, with Victoria Beckham, at the top and then Cheryl Cole, because we knew them from the Spice Girls and Girl Aloud.
      Then we had Coleen Rooney, who was new on the block, but you could see she had real star quality.
      It was so fun to see the top girls angling for the best seat, and getting that money shot when their partner scores. Cameras went straight on to them, with their hair immaculate, huge sunglasses and lots of lip gloss. They looked like stars.
      Meeting Mandela
      That’s when I knew the England Wags had actually gone globalCredit: Reuters
      WHEN I met Nelson Mandela at the 2010 World Cup, the former South Africa leader’s first words to me were: “Where are the Wags?”
      That’s when I knew the England Wags had actually gone global. It was something else.
      The new generation
      Rebekah Vardy led the squad of Wags in Russia in 2018Credit: AP:Associated Press
      At the last World Cup in Russia, in 2018, we saw Rebekah Vardy, leading the squad of Wags, all dressed up to the nines, as they hit the town.
      Unfortunately, Rebekah’s caused quite a stir since then – and I can’t imagine her at the helm of a similar outing now.
      Staying next door to Prince Harry
      Princes William and Harry watch the 2010 World CupCredit: Reuters
      I WAS staying in the Sun City resort in South Africa, but my friend moved me to another hotel, the Saxton, much to my annoyance.
      However, when I got there, I got the only room left, which was next to Prince Harry, on the top floor with a view.
      I was like, “This is my kind of place!”. At the same hotel I gatecrashed the fanciest cocktail party, with David Beckham, Prince Harry and Prince William.
      Prince Harry’s PR took a look at me and went, “What the hell are you doing here?”, and I was like, “There’s no party without the Cundy – I’m here!”.
      Their faces went pale when they saw me walk in.

      Champagne through straws
      ENGLAND may not have won the World Cup in 2006 but we definitely took the prize for partying.
      Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran was said to have led the karaoke while drinking magnums of champagne through straws with other Wags at nightclub Garibaldi’s. There were also reports of dancing on tables and huge bar bills.
      Queen of the Wags
      Nancy Dell’Olio dated Sven-Goran ErikssonCredit: BBC
      WHEN I was working for ITV as the Wags correspondent in 2006, I was asked to interview the “Queen of the Wags”.
      I was like, “Who is that?”. Then I get a call from Nancy Dell’Olio, who dated Sven, joking: “Darling, I’m married to the boss. I’m Queen of the Wags!”
      Party bus
      Jordan Pickford’s wife Megan Davidson headed to Wembley for the Euro semi-finals last year on a party busCredit: Instagram
      Read More on The Sun
      WE know that, given a chance, today’s Wags would be up for a party.Goalie Jordan Pickford’s wife Megan Davidson headed to Wembley for the Euro semi-finals last year on a party bus decked out in England flags and balloons.
      It came after England’s first game of the Euros, when Megan donned personalised football shirts and tiny denim shorts, along with Kieran Trippier’s wife Charlotte, Harry Maguire’s fiancée Fern Hawkins, Luke Shaw’s girlfriend Anouska Santos and Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner. More

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      in Soccer

      Inside football’s most ridiculous divorce as exes war over ‘affairs’, bald cat and ‘secrets that would ruin 50 families’

      by

      NORMALLY bags are chucked out the window when a couple break up, but legendary striker Francesco Totti has taken his TV star wife’s designer ones hostage.It is the latest bizarre act in the increasingly acrimonious divorce of Italy’s version of Posh and Becks.
      Roma legend Totti with Ilary in happier timesCredit: Getty
      Glam Ilary is a model turned TV presenter
      They had been a golden couple, with Totti scoring 250 goals for Roma and winning the World Cup for his country, while his wife Ilary Blasi presented hit shows such as Italy’s version of I’m a Celebrity and Big Brother.
      Former model and actress Blasi, 41, and Totti, 46, are so famous that their wedding was broadcast live on television.  
      But cracks in their 17-year marriage started to show during lockdown.
      Totti admitted he nearly left his wife when she bought a hairless cat and when restrictions were lifted rumours of affairs started to circulate.
      READ MORE FEATURES
      He was said to be seeing a much younger florist, while she was reported to have fallen for a tattooed man.
      Having decided to go their separate ways in July, Blasi decided to take Totti’s beloved Rolex watches and he supposedly responded by holding on to her designer shoes and handbags.
      He told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “What could I do? I hid her handbags, hoping we could trade.”
      The glamorous bags in his custody are said to include Gucci, Dior, Chanel and Hermès plus shoes which are worth up to £3,500.
      Most read in Football
      Press reports say Blasi has asked a judge to order Totti to return her collection.
      Naked ambition?
      Blasi caused a stir in 2006 when she flashed a nipple during the Sanremo Song Fest and five years ago by snogging her Big Brother co-presenter Belen Rodriguez.
      She also posed topless in her early career and worked as a catwalk model.
      Totti was dubbed the Roman God due to his good looks and he once boasted: “I was 12 when I made ​​love for the first time. In Tropea, with a Roman girl who was 17 years old.”
      I was 12 when I made ​​love for the first timeFrancesco Totti
      He has been the butt of jokes about his lack of intelligence after a journalist suggested the player “carpe diem?” and Totti replied: “Sorry, my English isn’t very good.”
      Carpe diem is a well known Latin phrase which means seize the day.
      Eventually, he saw the funny side and agreed to publish a book called All the Totti Jokes, Collected by Me, which sold 150,000 copies in just two weeks.
      Two years ago a documentary was made about the striker called My Name Is Francesco Totti, which presented him as a largely untroubled athlete and lauded him for never leaving top Italian side Roma.
      Covid breakdown
      His loyalty to Blasi also appeared to be concrete, having spent 20 years together.
      They tied the knot in June 2005 in an ancient church in Rome with a satellite channel reporting on the event live.
      Blasi was pregnant with their first child, 17-year-old Cristian, at the time and they now also have two daughters Chanel, 15, and Isabel, six.
      However, Covid restrictions undermined the family unit – first due to a feline interloper.
      In 2020 he revealed: “I was furious with my wife, she bought a hairless cat and called it Donna Paola.
      “It’s boiling. At night, it insists on sleeping inside our bed, next to our legs. She’s a very affectionate cat, but almost caused us to break up.
      I was furious with my wife, she bought a hairless cat Francesco Totti
      “Ilary wanted a cat at all costs and I was adamant we shouldn’t. One day, she brought it home, because ultimately she makes all the decisions in this family.
      “We didn’t speak for days, but in the end, I fell in love with the cat too.”
      Then his dad Ezno died from the virus at the age of 76 in October 2020 and Totti spiralled into depression.
      He told a newspaper:  “I have lived through a difficult period, first because I stopped playing and then my father died due to Covid.
      “I also had strong Covid for 15 days. However, my wife, when I needed her most, was not there.”
      Rumours of affairs
      Totti claims that friends informed him that his wife was seeing another man, so he decided to scour her phone for evidence.
      He said: “When I received warnings from different people, whom I trust, I began to suspect.
      “I looked at her cell phone and I saw that there was a third person, who acted as an intermediary between Ilary and another.
      “Here was the evidence. And that led me to depression.”
      He is now dating florist Noemi Bocchi, 34.
      Ilary dated other men before my story with Noemi was bornFrancesco Totti
      But he insists they only began to see each other romantically once his relationship with Blasi was over.
      Totti alleged: “We used to hang out as friends. Ilary dated other men before my story with Noemi was born.” 
      So far Blasi has not spoken publicly about the cheating rumours 
      But she has said: “I’ve discovered things that would ruin 50 families.”
      The couple are expected to agree to share custody of their children.
      Read More on The Sun
      Whether they can come to an agreement about their bling is another matter.
      One insider said:  “All she has to do is return the watches and this is over.”
      Blasi and Totti getting married in 2005Credit: Getty
      Ilary has no shortage of designer gearCredit: instagram
      She loves a glam holiday tooCredit: Instagram
      Noemi Bocchi is Totti’s new girlfriendCredit: Alamy
      Totti didn’t speak to his wife after she got this hairless dogCredit: Instagram/@ilaryblasi
      Ilary took part in the Miss Italia beauty contest in 1998Credit: Getty
      She posted a cheeky snap days after the splitCredit: instagram More

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      in Soccer

      From team that won match without scoring to game’s first black player – Gary Lineker reveals incredible football stories

      by

      FOOTBALL is the one thing that has always been in my life. I used to be in the box as a player, now I’m on the box as a presenter.
      Gary Lineker has shared with us five of his favourite incredible football storiesCredit: Getty
      Gary’s new book 50 Times Football Changed The World is filled with inspirational tales
      Football has a long and rich history with so many memorable moments, unforgettable tales and incredible stories from across the world which all show the numerous ways the game has been a force for good.
      I’ve put 50 of the most fascinating, educational and inspiring tales in my new book, 50 Times Football Changed The World.
      Here I’m sharing five of my favourites.
      READ MORE ON GARY LINEKER
      The first black professional footballer in the world
      ARTHUR WHARTON was born in 1865 in Jamestown, Gold Coast, West Africa, which is now Accra, in Ghana.
      Not much is known about Arthur’s early life, but when he was 19 he moved to Darlington to train as a missionary.
      Arthur Wharton, who played for Darlington FC., was the first black professional footballer in the worldCredit: NNP
      Arthur was born in 1865 in Jamestown, Gold Coast, West Africa, which is now Accra, in Ghana, moved to Darlington when he was 19Credit: Sharon Doorbar
      Most read in The Sun
      It wasn’t long before he started playing as goal- keeper for Darlington FC.
      He was said to be an entertaining performer with a phenomenal punch, by which they meant punching the ball, not his opponents (hopefully)!
      He also used to catch the ball between his legs and he would sometimes pull the crossbar down (it was only made of tape in those days) so shots would miss.
      That would certainly get a red card today.
      It wasn’t long before he moved to Preston North End, one of the biggest teams in England at that time, then Rotherham Town, Sheffield United, Stalybridge Rovers and Ashton North End, before finishing his career at Stockport County in 1902.
      As a professional, Arthur earned a lot of money, so he would often donate part of his wages to help people in need.
      Unfortunately, after retiring from football, his life was hard.
      He gradually spent all the money he made from his sports career and had to work as a coal miner to support his family.
      He passed away in 1930 and was buried in an unmarked grave.
      For many years afterwards, Arthur and his great achievements as a true sports pioneer went unrecognised.
      He was finally given the footballing recognition he deserved in 2003, when he was welcomed into the English Football Hall of Fame, having paved the way for so many of the talented players we see today.
      Arthur paved the way for so many of the talented players we see today (pictured: Marcus Rashford)Credit: AFP
      The team that played on the sea
      NOTHING makes you want to grab a football and kick it around quite like watching an incredible match.
      And that’s exactly what happened when the children from a fishing village called Koh Panyee, in Thailand, were watching the 1986 World Cup finals.
      Children from a fishing village called Koh Panyee, in Thailand made a football pitch in the seaCredit: EPA
      But there was one not-so-small problem . . . Koh Panyee is in the sea.
      It is a floating village built on stilts. No one had ever been able to play football there because . . . well, there just wasn’t space.
      The children really, really wanted to play, though, so they came up with a brilliant idea — if the village could float, then so could a football pitch.
      So they began gathering bits of wood and old rafts, took a boat just a little way out on to the sea and started building a surface they could play on.
      It was like no other pitch in the world. Sharp nails jutted out from the wood.
      There was no barrier between the edge of the pitch and the sea.
      And splinters were a real hazard for their bare feet.
      But the children loved it — despite having to jump into the water to retrieve the ball an awful lot.
      When they entered their first proper tournament, Panyee realised they were actually really good. All that playing on their floating pitch had paid off.
      They have become one of the best youth teams in southern Thailand, winning seven regional titles on the trot between 2004 and 2010.
      Today they have a smooth new pitch, which even has a fence to stop the ball going into the water.
      The village has also benefited from tourists coming to see the incredible pitch and hear the team’s amazing story.
      It just shows what you can do with determination, courage, teamwork . . . and a few bits of wood.
      When the worst team in Britain didn’t give up
      MADRON is a village in Cornwall. About 1,600 people live there and it also has a football team, Madron FC.
      At the start of the 2010–11 season, they were in the first division of Cornwall’s Mining League.
      Madron FC. were branded the ‘worst team in Britain’ but they eventually won a match after 30 straight defeatsCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
      They began the season full of hope and positivity and were ready to give it their all.
      But in their first game they lost 11-0. Ouch! And things didn’t get better.
      As the season progressed, Madron lost 16–0, 29–0 (yes, twenty-nine) and 9–0.
      Later in the season, when they played against Illogan Reserves, they lost . . . wait for it . . . 55–0.
      That means Illogan scored a goal nearly every two minutes. One of their players scored ten goals — more than three hat-tricks.
      Madron were branded in the newspapers as “the worst team in Britain”.
      Some teams might give up after a defeat like that, but not Madron.
      The following weekend they put on their game faces once again.
      Could they bounce back from that defeat with a victory? Well, no — this time they lost 22–0.
      By the end of the season they were bottom of the table with zero points, having lost every single game.
      Their goal difference was minus 395.
      But throughout the season Madron had continued to try their best, week in, week out.
      As one of the players said: “I’d rather play for a bad team that has fun than a good team that you don’t enjoy playing for.”
      The following season Madron lost their first game 8-2. But their second game ended 4-3 — to Madron.
      After 30 straight defeats and 407 goals conceded across both seasons, they had finally won.
      The Madron players ran around the pitch, did laps of honour, cheered, shouted and high-fived one another. It was as if they’d won the league.
      Their hard work had finally paid off. They showed the true value of believing in yourself and never giving up.
      Referee who took on football authorities and a dictator
      IT’S not easy being a referee. Every match is a battle.
      But in the case of Lea Campos, the battles started long before she even got on to the pitch.
      Lea Campos had to take on football authorities and a dictator to fulfil her dream of becoming a refereeCredit: Museu do futebol
      Lea was born in Brazil in 1945 and loved playing football.
      Unfortunately, women were banned from playing organised sports in those days.
      Instead, she was encouraged to take part in beauty pageants.
      She won quite a few, and one helped her back into football.
      Cruzeiro is one of Brazil’s biggest football teams, and after winning the title Queen of Cruzeiro in 1966, Lea got a job with the club where she helped to promote it by speaking to journalists and organising player interviews.
      She realised the love of football she’d had hadn’t gone away.
      Lea still wasn’t allowed to play, but she discovered there was nothing to stop her becoming a referee.
      In 1967, she did an eight-month course and became one of the first female referees in the world.
      Even though she was qualified, the Brazilian sporting authorities — led by a man, João Havelange — still wouldn’t let her on the pitch.
      She was told women’s bodies weren’t suitable for the sport.
      Lea wasn’t going to stand for that, though. In one of the beauty contests she had met an army commander.
      She asked him if he could arrange for her to have a meeting with the president of Brazil, Emílio Garrastazu Médici.
      But Médici was a brutal leader who ruled the country with violence.
      What was he going to think about a woman requesting to be a referee?
      Over lunch, the president told Lea that one of his sons was a big fan of hers.
      Then he handed her a letter.
      It was a written request for Havelange to let her become a referee.
      And everyone knew you didn’t say no to the president.
      Lea went on to referee 98 matches in Brazil.
      Fans might still disagree with a lot of referees’ decisions, but one thing we can all agree on is that what Lea Campos did was incredibly brave — and has helped to change the world’s opinion on female referees.
      When a team won without scoring a single goal
      THERE were four teams in the play-off tournament to decide Madagascar’s 2002 champions — Adema Analamanga and Stade Olympique de l’Emyrne, who were big rivals, and Domoina Soavina Atsimondrano Antananarivo and Union Sportive Ambohidratrimo.
      In the penultimate game of the tournament, L’Emyrne were leading 2–1 but, with full time approaching, the referee awarded their opponents, Antananarivo, a penalty.
      L’Emyrne scored an own goal approximately every 30 seconds as a protest in their match against Adema
      The players and manager of L’Emyrne were certain the penalty should not have been awarded but, despite their complaints, the referee didn’t change their mind (they rarely do) and Antananarivo scored the spot kick.
      The final result was 2–2.
      This meant L’Emyrne couldn’t win the tournament.
      The manager and players were convinced the referee had been biased — and at their next match, the last game of the tournament against their arch rivals Adema Analamanga, they decided to protest.
      The game kicked off, and as soon as a L’Emyrne player got the ball, he did something very odd.
      Instead of running towards Adema’s goal, he ran towards his own team’s goal and scored an own goal.
      It was 1–0 to Adema. L’Emyrne kicked off again and this time . . . the same thing happened.
      They scored another own goal, making it 2–0 to Adema. And it happened again, and again.
      Adema’s players couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
      The spectators couldn’t believe it either, and many of them started demanding their money back.
      But still the game went on, with L’Emyrne scoring an own goal approximately every 30 seconds.
      By the time the final whistle blew it was 149–0 to Adema — without any of their players touching the ball.
      It was very odd, and in some ways very funny, but the Madagascan football authorities didn’t think so.
      L’Emyrne’s manager, Ratsimandresy Ratsarazaka, who organised the protest, was banned from coaching for three years and four players were also banned for the rest of the season.
      Read More on The Sun
      It truly was an amazing, game-changing moment.
      One team did something extraordinary to stand up for themselves and to let everyone know that they weren’t going to put up with what they believed to be cheating. More

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      Inside luxury £1billion cruise liner that England WAGs will live on for World Cup which features a five-a-side pitch

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      THREE Lions’ Wags will enjoy a life of luxury aboard a £1billion cruise liner during the World Cup in Qatar.Several of the Three Lions stars’ partners and families are set to be based on the MSC World Europa, described as a “floating palace”.
      The MSC World Europa will host England stars families during Qatar 2022Credit:
      Eric Dier’s model girlfriend Anna Modler could be among the WAGs stayingCredit: instagram
      She could be joined by Aaron Ramsdale’s fiancee Georgina IrwinCredit: instagram
      It includes six pools, 14 ocean-view jacuzzis, dodgem cars, salons, boutiques, restaurants, bars and the longest dry-slide at sea.
      In Qatar there is normally a booze ban which can land flouters in jail, though some “select areas” will serve it at the World Cup.
      Because the MSC World Europa is “off-shore”, guests can neck champagne stress-free and sunbathe, unlike at some hotels there.
      Among them could be model Anna Modler, 24, who is dating defender Eric Dier, and air hostess Georgina Irwin, 26, engaged to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
      READ MORE WAGS
      Packages will cost players’ families £6,000 each – a snip for England’s mega-rich footballers.
      Phil Foden’s girlfriend Rebecca Cooke, 22, is among those to have expressed an interest in staying on it along with the Manchester City ace’s family.
      Fern Maguire, 27, is also expected in the Middle East to support hubby Harry during the tournament, which starts in November.
      While some partners are likely to stay in Dubai and fly in for matches, The Sun on Sunday can reveal several have opted to make the MSC World Europa their base.
      Phil Foden’s partner Rebecca Cooke is believed to be keen on staying on the cruise shipCredit: instagram
      Harry Maguire’s wife Fern could also choose to stay on the luxury linerCredit: Social Media
      Most read in The Sun
      In an added boost, the FA is stumping up the bill for security, with thousands of fans also expected on board.
      Our source said: “The boat is an amazing place to stay. It is like a floating palace, which is why many of the players’ wives and families quickly snapped up packages that the Football Association arranged.
      Those staying on the boat can have at least five people with them and also pay for extra guests too.
      It means nannies and other family members are likely to be heading out to Qatar as well.
      “Due to the fact the boat is off shore, guests can have a drink and enjoy themselves without having to worry about falling foul of Qatar’s strict rules.
      “In many of the bars and clubs around Qatar you can’t even cheer let alone order a beer.
      “And they certainly don’t like football songs.
      “And many hotels aren’t even allowed sunbathing areas. But by staying on the boat guests just relax and have a great time.
      “If England do go all the way it’s likely to become like a carnival on board.”
      The ship can hold 6,762 guests – and many fans are reported to still be trying to book rooms.
      Prices start at about £300 for a double/twin but go right up to £690 a night.
      Those staying on the 205,700- tonne ship are promised a “globally inspired urban design” and a “world of immersive experiences”.
      ‘The Venom Drop’ slide is a unique and daring feature of the cruise shipCredit:
      The liner even boasts a 5-a-side ship which players’ families may enjoy
      The cruise liner even has a dodgems arena along with a roller disco rinkCredit: supplied
      One of the highlights, especially for children, is an incredible 11-deck high slide called “The Venom Drop”.
      Water slides are also available too. A Sportplex zone will offer basketball, bumper cars and even a roller disco rink.
      Swimming pools, which include one inside with a sliding roof, have themes including “botanic garden”, “zen” or “beach vibes”.
      Gareth Southgate will name 26 players for Qatar.
      Read More on The Sun
      Their first match will be against Iran on November 21 at Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium — the day after the tournament starts.
      The FA declined to comment.
      Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale will find out if he has a place in the squad in late OctoberCredit: Getty
      Tottenham’s Eric Dier started for England in Friday’s match against ItalyCredit: Getty More

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      Biggest release clauses in football as Gavi becomes fifth player protected by one BILLION Euros loophole

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      FOOTBALL clubs today will do anything to keep hold of their prized possessions.So they hand their stars huge contracts with hefty release clauses inserted in them to put off any potential buyers and/or get a massive transfer fee.
      Former Chelsea star Andreas Christensen has an instant £430MILLION release clause in his contract at new club BarcelonaCredit: PA
      But who would be the most costliest?
      It certainly isn’t Andreas Christensen the Barcelona new boy who has had a whopping £430million release clause slapped onto that deal. He doesn’t even feature in the top ten!
      10. Brahim Diaz, Real Madrid, £641m
      The Spanish midfielder, 22, spent his youth career at Malaga and then Manchester City, who he made his debut for in 2016.
      But, with competition for places fierce, Diaz was bought by Real Madrid for £16m.
      Read more in sport
      However, he’s flattered to deceive and his £641m release clause certainly doesn’t appear to be justified.
      The last two seasons have been spent on loan at AC Milan, where he just won Serie A.
      Real Madrid flop Brahim Diaz has been with AC Milan on loan, but they won’t pay his release clauseCredit: Getty
      9. Luka Modric, Real Madrid, £641m
      The former Ballon d’Or winner is getting on a bit at 36, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to pay £641m for his services – despite his quality.
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
      Modric has committed his future to the club, recently signing a one-year extension.
      The Croatian legend is a proven winner – having lifted the Champions League trophy five times.
      Serial winner Luka Modric recently extended his stay at the Bernabeu until next yearCredit: Getty
      8. Federico Valverde, Real Madrid, £641m
      A key man in the middle of the park for the LaLiga giants, the Uruguayan’s worth is obvious to Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
      Mind you, £641m for a tough-tackling defensive midfielder would be an extortionate amount to pay.
      An extension he signed in 2021 will keep him at the club until 2027, when the 23-year-old’s release clause might just rise.
      Federico Valverde has become one of the first names on the team sheet at Real MadridCredit: Reuters
      7. Antoine Griezmann, Barcelona, £685m
      The French forward’s future is up in the air, as is the fee that could be paid for him.
      Barcelona loaned Griezmann out on a two-year deal to former club Atletico Madrid, who have a £34m option to make the move permanent for the 31-year-old next summer.
      That’s far less than the £685m release clause Barca insisted upon in his contract, when they signed him from Atletico for £108m in 2019.
      Antoine Griezmann has been on loan at Atletico Madrid, who have an agreement to buy with Barcelona for far less than his release clauseCredit: Getty
      6. David Alaba, Real Madrid, £726m
      The Spanish champions snapped up Alaba in 2021 on a free transfer – giving the 30-year-old a five-year contract worth around £17m a season.
      They then protected their investment by slapping a £726m clause in the deal, that doesn’t expire until 2026.
      Previously with Bayern Munich, Alaba enjoyed a successful first season with the club – winning LaLiga and the Champions League.
      David Alaba could cost as much as £726m, according to his release clauseCredit: Getty
      5. Ronald Araujo, Barcelona, £846m
      The future of Uruguayan defender Araujo, 23, was anyone’s guess until this summer, when he finally penned a new deal with the Catalans.
      Astonishingly, they insisted on a £846m release clause that deterred interested parties, including Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd.
      “FC Barcelona and the player Ronald Araujo have reached an agreement to renew his contract until 30 June 2026. The buyout clause stipulated is set at €1bn,” the club revealed.
      Ronald Araujo was a Premier League target until penning a new deal at the Camp NouCredit: Getty
      4. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, £846m
      Arguably the best player in the world right now, Benzema signed a new deal with Real Madrid in 2021 that will see him stay at the Bernabeu until 2023, when he will be 35.
      But, if he’s still scoring like he is at the moment – at the rate of 44 goals a season in a Double-winning campaign – that will surely be extended again.
      Will it dwarf the £846m current release fee? Don’t bet against it.
      Karim Benzema has a whopping £846m release clause in his deal that expires next yearCredit: Getty
      3. Pedri, Barcelona, £846m
      The future is bright for Barcelona, who recently tied up teen superstar Gavi with a £86m release clause in his deal.
      Before that, it was Pedri who inked an astonishing contract last year at just 18 – that will keep him at the club until 2026.
      That is, unless, someone wants to pay £846million to buy him.
      Seeing he’s on a reported £38,000-per-week, you could say Barcelona are winning the club versus player battle.
      Barcelona wonderkid Pedri is one of the most talented youngsters in the gameCredit: Getty
      Read More on The Sun
      2. Ansu Fati, Barcelona, £846m
      In 2021, the jewel of Barcelona’s La Masia academy – Fati – agreed a mega six-year contract.
      Like Pedri, he became the second player at the club to have a ridiculously inflated price tag put on his head.
      However, he’s struggled for injuries ever since – after inheriting Lionel Messi’s No10 shirt.
      Considered one of the best young players in the world, at 19 he has the world at his feet.
      Ansu Fati has struggled for form since signing his mega six-year contract with a staggering £846m release clauseCredit: Getty
      1. Gavi, Barcelona, £846m
      The 18-year-old wonderkid joined Barcelona team-mates Pedri, Fati and Araujo to become the lastest star with a €1billion buyout clause after signing a new four-year deal.
      Barca were keen to insert a massive release clause in his contract after the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool showed interest.
      All three clubs wanted to take advantage of Gavi’s previous buyout clause which was just £42m.
      Gavi joins Fati, Aruajo and Pedri in boasting a €1billion release clauseCredit: Getty More

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      Tyson Fury’s amazing £1.7million Morecambe mansion – with gold curtains and radiators and a red marble kitchen

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      IT is a home fit for the Gypsy King.Back in 2020, Tyson Fury upgraded from his £550,000 abode to a stunning £1.7million home in Morecambe.
      Tyson and Paris Fury live in a £1.7m home in Morecambe
      The elaborate property cost the boxer a reported £1.7m
      And the heavyweight champ, 33, known for his love of flashy cars, has given glam wife Paris free rein to decorate.
      Clearly crafted with an open cheque book, the mansion has gold curtains and radiators throughout.
      There are huge chandeliers dangling from the ceilings, and the kitchen is decked out in red marble.
      It’s no wonder Fury, who has amassed a net worth believed to be over £100million, says he’s retiring and wants to put his feet up in his huge house.

      Sneak peek
      It’s missus Paris, 32, who often gives us a glimpse into her fab property.
      On Instagram, she regularly shares snaps in different rooms – dressed head-to-toe in designer clobber.
      One photo showed the blonde clutching a Chanel handbag while stood in front of a set of ornate gold curtains.
      Most read in Boxing
      In another, the beauty is surrounded by family in her kitchen – sipping a coffee and laughing.
      Behind her, red-topped marble decorates the surfaces. And there’s also a silver chandelier, fit for a queen, hanging from the ceiling.
      In the hallway, Paris – wearing a patterned blouse – leans on a gold radiator that’s clearly a statement piece. Next to her is an outstanding floor to ceiling mirror.
      For the musical, underneath the wood staircase is a grand black piano that sits on marble flooring.
      Height of luxury
      The Furys don’t skimp when it comes to high-end luxury.
      Tyson practically lives in a set of £390 Versace gowns, while Paris is a huge fan of the Italian fashion brand.
      Paris told us her favourite part of the house was her walk-in wardrobe.
      Paris Fury regularly shares images of the home on social media
      Sweeping gold curtains adorn the property
      A lavish gold radiator and and grand piano can be seen in the hallway
      “Having this walk-in wardrobe was a big dream of mine. I got it and I do appreciate it,” she said.
      Incredibly, it houses her mega shoe collection that’s worth an estimated £50,000.
      And they are certainly proud of their digs – keeping on top of housekeeping in-between looking after their six children.
      Paris once described Tyson as ‘a bit of a clean freak’, so you can bet you won’t find a spec of dust anywhere.
      Plot twist
      According to land registry records, Fury bought the property for £1.695million in December 2020.
      It was paid for by their firm Tyson Fury Ltd, and is mortage-free.
      The kitchen boasts hanging chandeliers and red-topped marble kitchen counters
      One of the kids’ rooms has a pink and blue themeCredit: instagram
      The Furys have six children
      They used to live in a £550,000 house that overlooked Morecambe Bay, before moving to a new plot that was once home to a static caravan-style.
      However, the previous owner had it demolished and replaced it with a stone-clad palace – complete with a water fountain on the driveway.
      In terms of security, the property has a castellated front wall, and a wrought-iron black and gold fence. Of course, that boasts its own lavish decor – with lion motifs and four eagle sculptures on the gate posts.
      Unwanted burglars are warned off by signs that reveal the home is guarded by CCTV.
      Tyson Fury has previously boasted about having an expensive property portfolio.
      He once revealed he had bought a mansion in Marbella for £6million, although that was never confirmed.
      While last year, he claimed to have splashed the cash on a home in Las Vegas, which again was never substantiated.
      But Fury’s love affair with Morecambe knows no bounds.
      He recently agreed to sponsor League One side Morecambe FC. And he appeared at the nearby Sultan of Lancaster Experience restaurant where he cut the red ribbon to open the establishment.
      Glam Paris is the height of fashion and the decor in her home reflects that
      For Fury there’s no place like home More

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      Meet Man Utd transfer signing Antony’s Wag Rosilene Silva, 22, who is the forward’s childhood sweetheart baby mama

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have completed the £85.5million signing of Antony from Ajax.The Brazil forward’s deal was finally rubber-stamped from Ajax, and he could be set for his debut against Arsenal on Sunday.
      Brazilian beauty Rosilene Silva is the stunning Wag of Ajax ace AntonyCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Antony has joined Premier League giants Man UtdCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Likely to watch his baptism of fire is his stunning Wag, Rosilene Silva.
      The 22-year-old beauty, also from Brazil, has been by Antony’s side since they were teenagers.
      But, unlike plenty of other Wags, mother-of-one Rosilene is fiercely protective of her family’s privacy.
      Timeline of their romance
      Read more on footballers WAGs
      Antony came through the ranks of hometown club Sao Paulo from 2010-18.
      As he began to rise through the youth teams, he struck up a romance with Rosilene.
      Childhood sweethearts, it is believed they met at school and became firm allies.
      She cheered him on as he made his debut for Sao Paulo in 2018 against Gremio.
      Most read in Football
      She then followed him to Amsterdam, when he made a £13million move to Ajax and helped him settle in the Netherlands.
      And when he returned home from the 2020 Olympics with a gold medal, she welcomed him back as a hero.
      However, before that came their greatest prize as a couple.
      Rosilene is Antony’s childhood sweetheartCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Brunette stunner Rosilene was a regular at Ajax gamesCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Back in November, the pair took a trip to LondonCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Fine dining at Amsterdam hotspot Mr Porter suits Wag Rosilene
      Baby mama
      In 2019, just a few months before the couple would move to Amsterdam, Rosilene welcomed a baby boy called Lorenzo.
      She regularly shares photos on social media of their son, with both parents besotted with the youngster.
      But there was a time when she was even more private.
      Initially, Rosilene boasted an Instagram account with over 80,000 followers – until she unexplainably closed it.
      With a penchant for designer handbags, Rosilene loves living like a Wag
      Son Lorenzo figures prominently on Rosilene’s Instagram pageCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      Rosilene Silva would be a welcome addition to our shoresCredit: Instagram @rosiilenny_
      However, she’s back on social media again – and happy to share her life as a Wag.
      From glitzy dinners at Mr Porter – Amsterdam’s premier steak restaurant – to showing off her designer Louis Vuitton and Dolce and Gabbana handbags, Rosilene lives the life of a high-flying footballers’ missus.
      She’s clearly ready for the Premier League, and an assault on Manchester’s famous hotspots. More