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      Cristiano Ronaldo may ditch Georgina just like he did me, says Natacha Rodrigues

      by

      A MODEL who claims she bedded footie superstar Cristiano Ronaldo behind his  stunning girlfriend’s back warned her last night: “Keep a close eye on him in Manchester or he’ll drop you like he did me.”The 36-year-old soccer legend, who makes his Manchester United return against Newcastle on Saturday,  allegedly secretly messaged Natacha Rodrigues for two months before ­bedding her, not long after he met his partner Georgina Rodriguez, 27.
      Natacha has warned Georgina that Ronaldo may ditch herCredit: Peter Powell – The Sun
      Natacha said Ronaldo blocked her after they hooked up at his houseCredit: Peter Powell
      Now reality TV star Natacha, 25, has said it took her four years to get over the Portuguese forward after he blocked her from his life.
      Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, she said: “Cristiano dropped me like a brick and he could do the same to Georgina.
      “They say leopards never change their spots and professional footballers get a lot of attention from beautiful women who throw themselves at them. It will be the same in Manchester as it was in Europe.
      “Cristiano would be a great catch for anyone and Georgina must keep an eye on him if there’s to be trust between them and a future for them.”
      She added: “I was hurt by the way he dumped me by blocking me on Instagram after we slept together, and it still hurts now.
      “There’s always going to be a before and after in my life with Cristiano and the feeling there could have been more for us, even if we didn’t end up becoming boyfriend and girlfriend.”

      Man United’s £12.9million re-signing of Ronaldo — who this week became the greatest ever international goalscorer with 111 — is one of the biggest scoops in Premier League history.
      He is returning to the Reds after leaving in 2009, having made 196 appearances and scoring 84 goals during six years in Manchester.
      Today Natacha alleges that Ronaldo sent her racy texts praising her “beautiful” bottom, asking to “see it in the flesh” and handing her a baseball cap on the night of their tryst before ­messaging her: “Top secret, please.”
      She says she was first contacted by Ronaldo in 2015 when he was single after breaking up with Russian model Irina Shayk.
      Natacha sent him a snap of her bum on Instagram with the words “Enormous kiss”.
      She claims: “It was 1am and I did it as a joke. I never thought he’d reply. But at 6am he messaged me and things went from there. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t.
      ‘ENORMOUS KISS’
      “It was when I sent him a video of me twerking in my underwear that he said he wanted to see me in ­person. Cristiano always made it clear he liked my body.
      “He told me he loved my bum and wanted to see it personally.”
      When he asked the aspiring model her age and she responded that she was 21, he apparently said: “Great — brand-new with a good body.”
      Ronaldo allegedly invited Natacha to his flat in Lisbon on October 5, 2016, and later messaged, “Esse cuzinho”, which translates as: “This a**.”
      She claimed he cancelled at the last minute, saying he only had an hour to spare and wanted to be with her for longer.
      But  Natacha says he asked her to send more racy pictures, ­adding: “Send me a twerk — don’t forget.”
      Two days later he scored four goals for Portugal in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
      Natacha claims they  continued to message each other but it was only when the star was back in  his home town the following March   that they finally met up.
      Natacha sent him another picture of her bottom and says Ronaldo sent back a message saying: “Don’t be embarrassed. I love kissing bottoms.”
      He then “gave her the four-digit security code to his flat”.
      She alleged: “I couldn’t believe I was walking into Cristiano Ronaldo’s apartment.
      “My heart was racing but he was very nice and sweet and told me to act as if I was in my home.
      “I took my shoes off and poured myself a juice before sitting down next to him. We spoke about his apartment and where I was from.
      “I then took the lead, stood up, took down my trousers and bent over to show him my bottom. He smacked it and said he loved it.”
      Natacha, who has made a name for herself in her Portuguese homeland by appearing on a reality TV show called Love On Top, claimed to The Sun on Sunday in November 2017 how they had sex in March that year “everywhere but Cristiano’s bedroom” in his apartment overlooking Lisbon’s main boulevard Avenida da Liberdade.
      She says he then sent her the ­message: “I enjoyed it. We will see each other again one day. Top secret, please. Kisses.”
      Yet soon after, he blocked her calls and stopped all social media contact.
      It is not the first time he has faced  links to a woman whose bottom he was reportedly attracted to.
      In 2017, Brazilian “Miss BumBum” Erika Canela claimed to The Sun on Sunday how Ronaldo invited her round for dinner after chatting her up on WhatsApp.
      It came after he allegedly bedded another star of the beauty pageant, and Erika said: “Maybe he’s got a Miss BumBum fetish.”
      Natacha added that she hopes Ronaldo has now “settled down”.
      His girlfriend Georgina, who is expected to come to Manchester with him, gave birth to their daughter Alana Martina on November 12, 2017.
      The Spanish brunette is now a star in her own right, with 27million Instagram followers, while being a full-time mum to her first child and Cristiano’s three older children.
      ‘MISS BUMBUM FETISH’
      Natacha said: “I read Cristiano has re-signed for Manchester United and I’m happy for him. I think Georgina will want to and should move to ­Britain with him.
      “Despite what ­happened with us, I hope and pray they stay together and stay in love.
      “They seem to make the perfect couple and, despite everything, I think Cristiano could have changed as a person and a partner. His family has grown and he’s older and wiser.”
      Natacha confirmed she is still blocked on Instagram and has not had further contact with Ronaldo.
      She said: “Sadly, after ­people heard about my affair, I faced a social media backlash from people who didn’t like what happened and felt they could judge me.
      “My life has changed a lot since. I gave birth to a beautiful little girl called Lara Rose in January 2019 and I’m very happy.”
      And she said of Ronaldo and ­Georgina: “If they are happy together, and I’m sure they are, then I’m happy for them.
      “If Cristiano was my boyfriend I don’t think I’d trust him after what happened between us.
      “I’m just happy I’ve been a little part of his life, even though it didn’t end the way I might have wanted.”
      Natacha said her affair with Ronaldo turned her life upside downCredit: Peter Powell – The Sun
      Natacha says Georgina Rodriguez will have to keep her eye on RonaldoCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ronaldo’s life will change with his return to Manchester United
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s fiancée ­Georgina Rodriguez stuns in diamonds worth £78,000 at the Venice Film Festival 2021 More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s former wife Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City ace Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s ex-wife Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City ace Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s ex Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City star Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      After Jack Grealish’s dodgy trousers with Ellie Brown – here’s other footballers’ WORST outfits

      by

      JACK Grealish has hit the big time with his £100million transfer to Man City making him the priciest English player ever – but as the 25-year-old showed, he can still look like he’s wearing jumble sale cast-offs.But dodgy fashion is all part of the game.
      Jack Grealish wore some daring trousers on a night out with Ellie BrownCredit: AaronParfitt
      Sun stylist and TalkSport fashion expert Abby McHale calls foul on footie’s outfit outrages, dishing out yellow cards for mild offenders and red for the worst.
      RED CARD
      Tom Davies is known for his OTT looks but this was too muchCredit: Getty
      WHERE to begin . . .  Everton player Tom Davies is known for his OTT looks but I wonder if he might not have realised that he had stepped out in his dressing gown on this particular day.
      Maybe he couldn’t see straight through his sepia-tinted specs.
      Tom may love fashion but he has scored an own goal with this odd outfit from the dressing- up box.

      YELLOW CARD
      Glen Hoddle and Chris Waddle’s style hasn’t stood the test of timeCredit: Jon Bond -The Sun
      GLENN HODDLE and his Spurs and England teammate Chris Waddle wore wet-look jackets with mullet hairstyles in the photoshoot for their Diamond Lights single in 1987.
      Sadly their style has not stood the test of time – and nor has their music.
      YELLOW CARD
      Gareth Bale’s cut-off jeans weren’t even the worst thing about this outfitCredit: Solarpix
      IT seems Gareth Bale got dressed from the wrong ward-robe on this day back in 2013 when he chose a white cardigan, cut-off pedal pusher-style jeans and a man bag.
      Gareth, then 24, may have been preened to perfection – just look at those sideburns – after returning to his hotel following a training session for Real Madrid, but this outfit is in a white state.
      RED CARD
      Graelish and Paul Gascoigne share a flamboyant fashion senseCredit: Rex
      WHILE Jack Grealish has been compared to Paul Gascoigne for his natural flair on the pitch, it seems they share a taste for flamboyant fashion, too.
      Check out this garish suit that Gazza wore in 1996. He may have been playing for Glasgow Rangers at the time – but that doesn’t excuse him dressing up like a bagpipe.
      YELLOW CARD
      Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Jamie Redknapp were dubbed the Liverpool Spice Boys for these jacketsCredit: Getty
      THEY might look like the Men from Del Monte, but Liverpool’s hottest players Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Jamie Redknapp bravely wore these white Armani suits to the 1996 FA Cup final against Manchester United – and were dubbed the Liverpool Spice Boys.
      What a fashion statement. And then they went on to lose the match 1-0 and became a laughing stock.
      RED CARD
      Oli McBurnie’s tracksuit was made worse by being tucked into knee-length socks
      IT’S not just top-tier players who try to push the fashion boundaries, as Sheffield United star Oli McBurnie shows in this brown tracksuit with primary blue and red chevrons across it.
      He ought to pull his socks up when it comes to his outfit choices . . .  but not literally, like he has done here.
      RED CARD
      Wayne Rooney took short shorts to a whole new level in 2003
      WAYNE ROONEY showed the thigh is the limit with these short shorts, sucking on an extremely large lollipop while on holiday with Coleen in 2003.
      OK, he was only 17, but he looked more like a baby than a pro footballer.
      The only player to make two appearances in our fashion faux pas hall of fame, his dress sense has matured slightly, now that he is Derby’s manager.
      RED CARD
      Ashley Cole was no angel in an all-frills white suitCredit: Getty
      APPEARING with his then wife Cheryl at a National Lottery photocall back in 2006, Ashley Cole looked like he’d fallen from heaven in this all-white ensemble, with buttoned-down shirt, frills and a heart necklace.
      But sadly Ashley was no angel in the marriage, and the dynamic dressing duo split soon afterwards.
      RED CARD
      You wouldn’t know Paul Pogba was worth £90m in this outfitCredit: BackGrid
      YOU wouldn’t think Man United’s French midfielder Paul Pogba is worth around £90million when you see him in this outfit. Maybe it was spitting and the 28-year-old was sheltering from the rain – he was up north, after all, watching his teammates play Wigan in the FA Cup.
      My advice, if you’re living north of Watford Gap – invest in a brolly.
      RED CARD
      Hector Bellerin’s fashion experiment didn’t quite pay off two years agoCredit: Getty
      TOO cool for school, Arsenal’s Spanish defender Hector Bellerin often experiments with his clothing.
      However, here he looks like a cross between an extra in The Matrix and Zoolander.
      Maybe he ought to stick to what he knows best – while in a footie strip.
      YELLOW CARD
      The 2005 Man Utd squad didn’t look like a team of millionaire playersCredit: Eamon and James Clarke
      LOOKING like a sad Blazin’ Squad tribute act, the 2005 Manchester United team certainly didn’t seem like millionaire footballers – hands in pockets and wearing their stone-washed denims.
      We all have those fashion crossroads in life and at least Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes have improved their clobber since, regularly suited and booted as TV pundits.
      England star Jack Grealish spotted on celebrity dating app Raya More

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      in Soccer

      Premier League is back… and with it comes new wave of top-tier Wags

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      THE Premier League is back – and with it comes a new wave of Wags.Already, almost HALF A BILLION POUNDS has gone on new players. And as there are still two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, that figure will continue to rise.
      As the Premier League is back, we introduce the new wave of WagsCredit: AP
      Man City’s signing of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100million saw him become the most expensive Premier League player ever.
      And behind many big signings there is a very glamorous woman with the latest Hermes handbag. Today, former Wag Suzi Walker, 50, the ex-wife of England and Tottenham goalkeeper Ian, runs the rule over ladies who are about to take the Premier League by storm.
      She said: “Being a Wag is a big job. Not only are you supporting your player but your fortunes can be interlinked with their career. For example, if they are on the bench for a long stint or out of the team, you might get left out of lunches with other Wags or not invited to parties.
      “When I was in that world, I knew Victoria Beckham, Cheryl, Coleen Rooney and Carly Cole. But there is extra pressure today with social media. There might be a lot of money in football but you are constantly keeping up with the other players and their partners.
      “My advice would be to be yourself and be as nice as you can to others. I hope the new Wags are given help to adjust and get to know people. Having said that, I’m quite happy to be away from it now in all honesty.”
      We introduce the new Wags whose other halves have arrived in the Premier League this season and those who are top targets by our big clubs. Suzi gives her opinion and marks them out of ten.

      Agustina Gandolfo
      Girlfriend of Lautaro Martinez
      Partner: Lautaro Martinez (Tottenham target, valued at £60million)
      Age: 25
      Argentinian Agustina Gandolfo, 25, is Lautaro Martinez’s girlfriendCredit: Refer to Caption
      From: Mendoza, Argentina
      Job: Model and Influencer
      Instagram followers: 842k
      Interesting fact: The pair were introduced by Martinez’s Inter Milan teammate Mauro Icardi’s wife Wanda Nara
      Suzi says: “She is stunning. Maybe the reason her hubby’s value is so high.”
      Wag rating: 10
      Tottenham target Lautaro, valued at £60million, met the stunner through Milan teammate Mauro Icardi’s wife Wanda NaraCredit: Rex
      Marrion Areola
      Wife of Alphonse Areola
      Partner: Alphonse Areola (West Ham, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
      Age: 33
      Model Marrion Areola, 33, is Alphonse Areola’s wife
      From: Philippines/Lebanon
      Job: Model
      Instagram followers: 113k
      Interesting fact: Has three daughters with the goalkeeper
      Suzi says: “She reminds me of Susie Amy who played Chardonnay in TV show Footballers’ Wives. She looks very motherly in some pictures I’ve seen but has a look of real class. Clearly a natural beauty.”
      Wag rating: 8
      The West Ham goalkeeper has three daughters with MarrionCredit: Rex
      Karen Cavaller
      Girlfriend of Cristian Romero
      Partner: Cristian Romero (Tottenham, on loan from Atalanta)
      Age: 23
      Argentinian Karen Cavaller, 23, is Cristian Romero’s girlfriend
      From: Argentina
      Job: Model
      Instagram followers: 4.6k
      Interesting fact: The pair married in 2016 in a private ceremony before breaking the news of it on Instagram
      Suzi says: “Karen appears born to be a Wag. She looks great fun to be with. I can imagine her spending time in the players’ lounge talking about where she’s been shopping, rather than the game.”
      Wag rating: 9
      The Tottenham star married the model in 2016 in a private ceremonyCredit: Getty
      Emma Hickman
      Girlfriend of Demarai Gray
      Partner: Demarai Gray (Everton, £1.7million signing from Bayer Leverkusen)
      Age: 24
      English Emma Hickman, 24, is Demarai Gray’s girlfriend
      From: England
      Job: Model
      Instagram followers: n/a
      Interesting fact: Emma is no stranger to life in the Premier League. Before moving to Germany with her man, they lived in Worcestershire, when Demarai played for Leicester
      Suzi says: “She doesn’t look like your standard Wag. She looks very down to earth. She might get asked to show her ID when trying to get into the players’ lounge.”
      Wag rating: 6
      The Everton footie lived in Worcestershire with the model when he played for LeicesterCredit: Colorsport
      Claudia Buendia
      Wife of Emi Buendia
      Partner: Emi Buendia ( Villa, £30million from Norwich City)
      Age: 24
      Stay-at-home mum Claudia Buendia, 24, is Emi Buendia’s wifeCredit: Instagram @greengagew
      From: Argentina
      Job: Stay-at-home mum
      Instagram followers: 10k
      Interesting fact: They love working out together
      Suzi says: “Could’ve walked straight out of Footballers’ Wives. He wears the shorts but I reckon she wears the trousers.”
      Wag rating: 7
      The Aston Villa ace loves working out with his partnerCredit: Getty
      Cecilie Porsdal
      Girlfriend of Joachim Andersen
      Partner: Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace, £15million signing from Lyon)
      Age: 24
      Danish Cecilie Porsdal, 24, is Joachim Andersen’s girlfriend
      From: Denmark
      Job: Influencer
      Instagram followers: 2.5k
      Interesting fact: Enjoyed a party holiday in Greece, before Joachim signed for Palace
      Suzi says: “I could see Cecilie in posh London restaurant Scott’s having lunch most weeks. She’s a natural beauty – no fillers, no work. ”
      Wag rating: 9
      The influencer enjoyed a party holiday in Greece before the player signed for Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty
      Kera Rashica
      Wife of Milot Rashica
      Partner: Milot Rashica (Norwich, £9.4million signing from Werder Bremen)
      Age: 25
      Kera Rashica, 25, is Milot Rashica’s wife
      From: Kosovo
      Job: Model
      Instagram followers: 59k
      Interesting fact: The pair announced they were expecting their second son in May
      Suzi says: “Oozes glamour. Might be the Prem’s answer to Kim Kardashian. She looks high maintenance, not very girl-next-door. Could be a regular in Norwich’s high-end shops.”
      Wag rating: 7
      The Norwich footie announced he was expecting their second son in MayCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Camille Tytgat
      Wife of Rafa Varane
      Partner: Rafa Varane (Man United paid £41million for the Real Madrid star)
      Age: 28
      French Camille Tytgat, 28, is married to Rafa VaraneCredit: AFP
      From: France
      Job: Lawyer
      Instagram followers: 1.2k
      Interesting fact: The childhood sweethearts married in Le Touquet, France, in 2015
      Suzi says: “She looks like she’ll become a regular at the high-end Neville’s hairdressers and will be seen out with the latest Birkin bag. Clearly has the brains and looks, very chic.”
      Wag rating: 9
      The Man United ace met the lawyer when they were just kidsCredit: AFP
      Say ciao to Italy’s wags ahead of huge Euro 2020 final More

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      in Boxing

      Floyd Mayweather was ‘TARGETED’ in drive-by shooting that left his bodyguard with horrific gunshot wound

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      FLOYD Mayweather’s bodyguard was shot protecting the retired boxing star from a “targeted” drive-by shooting that left him with a horrific wound.Greg La Rosa, 39, exclusively recounted to The Sun how he took a bullet to the leg while traveling in a convoy to a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia with Mayweather on April 9, 2018.
      Greg La Rosa, 39, has worked for Floyd Mayweather for the last eight yearsCredit: Greg LaRosa
      In 2018 he was shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting he called an ‘ambush’Credit: Greg La Rosa
      The Money Team (TMT) security member said he was driving one of three vehicles in a convoy carrying the boxer and his entourage back to their hotel after an appearance at the Medusa nightclub.
      “I guess Floyd had put the event on his Instagram page,” La Rosa said. “It was a pre-planned party appearance.”
      La Rosa said there were “no issues” inside the club and described the evening as a “great night”. Mayweather stayed inside the club for a little over an hour before leaving to head back to the InterContinental Hotel.
      ‘ABSOLUTE AMBUSH’
      The “ambush” happened as the convoy made a left turn towards the hotel’s valet, La Rosa said.
      “All I heard was a big bang on the side of the car,” he recounted. “It almost sounded like a car accident, or as if someone had grabbed a baseball bat and hit the side of the car as hard as they could.”
      La Rosa said he didn’t realize that shots were being fired initially. After a few seconds, however, he dropped down in his seat and clamored for cover.
      “It was an absolute ambush,” he said. “You don’t know where it’s coming from. And as I was going down between the seats, I felt one go into my leg on the inside of my left leg.
      “Honestly it didn’t hurt, but in my head, I knew I was shot. I said, ‘Guys, I’m hit.'”
      In total, police say 12 shots were fired at Mayweather’s convoy. In a press release at the time, Atlanta PD said the shooting was “not random” and appeared to be targeted.
      La Rosa was the only one injured. He was rushed to the hospital by other members of the TMT security team.
      La Rosa was the only person injured in the shooting
      The suspect’s car is seen aboveCredit: Atlanta PD
      The bodyguard said he was in shock when he arrived in hospital, taking the situation “lightly” as they rushed him into a room on a gurney and placed a heart monitor on him.
      As time went on, La Rosa said the wound started to hurt.
      “I felt as if my leg was in a meat grinder,” he said.
      “The bullet was deep in my leg but had come out.  I think the way it came out is that the bullet mushroomed as it hit the metal to go through the door and it hit my leg and went into my leg with my pant leg and my sock there.
      “So as I pulled it up to look, I think I pulled it out,” he continued. “I had a big hole there.”
      ‘IT WAS TARGETED’
      La Rosa, who describes his relationship with Mayweather as “brotherly” and “close”, said the 15 world title winner called him immediately when he heard that he’d been shot.
      “He told me, ‘Greg, they told me you got hit. Are you OK?’ He was obviously scared and nervous. I said, ‘I’m good. Just get your stuff and get out of here.'”
      La Rosa said Mayweather was insistent that he wanted to come to the hospital and see him.
      “I said, ‘Do this for me and don’t come right now,'” La Rosa said. “I didn’t want him there because that would mean that he was exposed, and I didn’t know who else was there.”
      La Rosa said he’s “put money” on the shooting being targeted.
      “We’re a peaceful bunch. With the exception of when Floyd does his fights, it’s promotional,” he said. “That’s not street stuff, that’s promotional business.
      “It’s just sad to see that people are willing to take people’s lives over stuff like that.”
      La Rosa recovered from his injuries without any lasting effects but still has a large scar.
      La Rosa said he and Floyd share a brotherly bondCredit: Greg LaRosa
      Police released a video of the shooting back in 2018, showing a red Dodge Durango pulling up alongside Mayweather’s convoy at an intersection and opening fire.
      The vehicle sped away from the scene after firing 12 rounds. No arrests were made.
      RELENTLESS WORK
      La Rosa said he’s been working as part of Mayweather’s security detail for the last eight years.
      Describing the role as a “365 day a year, seven days a week, 24 hours a day type job”, his work as part of the TMT entourage has taken him all across the US and beyond, including the Maldives and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
      He first encountered Floyd after being employed to work for him for a BET event in Miami in 2013.
      La Rosa said he was one of seven or eight other bodyguards drafted in for the gig. But after his work was done, La Rosa said Floyd approached him with a stack of cash and said, “I need you to stay with me.”
      “The other guys, none of them stayed. So I guess I did something impressive,” he mused.
      In the near-decade since, La Rosa said he and Floyd have forged a “super close” relationship.
      “We’re like brothers,” he said. “More like a family relationship than a boss and employee.”
      La Rosa said he’s been working as part of Mayweather’s security detail for the last eight years
      La Rosa is pictured arguing with Conor McGregor ahead of his bout with Floyd in 2017Credit: Greg LaRosa
      FLOYD IS A ‘REGULAR GUY’
      Working for Floyd varies on a day-to-day basis, La Rosa says, but he described the decorated and undefeated boxer as a kind and humble person, in contrast to the flashy and larger-than-life persona he often projects in the media.
      “Floyd likes to experience regular stuff,” he said. “He doesn’t like high-class restaurants. We go to – he calls them hole in the walls. He loves that kind of stuff.
      “We just go to normal restaurants and sit at normal tables. They’re like, ‘do you want the back room?’ He says ‘No. We’ll sit right there.'”
      La Rosa continued: “He likes to feel as normal as possible. Now that I’ve known him for so long, he’s nothing else but a regular guy. …He’s not high maintenance at all.
      “Floyd’s is very different than other celebrities. I’m not saying all other celebrities are, but there are many that are.
      He also lets us – we went to Bora Bora, Maldives, stuff like that, he doesn’t get us rooms off to the side. We have the rooms that are on the water which cost six or seven thousand dollars a night sometimes those rooms.
      “So we’re experiencing what like an NBA star or something would experience.”
      ‘I’M MORE AWARE NOW’
      La Rosa said he wishes others could experience what it’s like to be a bodyguard for a major star, but insisted it’s not all fun, games, and expensive dinners – as the shooting in April 2018 demonstrated.
      While the incident was frightening, La Rosa said it hasn’t changed much about how he operates, only making him “a little more aware now” when he’s on the job.
      “You’re aware that things can happen. Mostly I was just aware of how easy it is for somebody to just take somebody’s life like it’s nothing. Like you’re just a piece of garbage or something.
      “When you sign up for this job you know these things are possible and that they can happen.
      La Rosa said he wishes others could experience what it’s like to be a bodyguard for a major star, but insisted it’s not all fun and games
      “So when people on the internet say, ‘you’re lucky, you have the best job in the world’, I do feel lucky, but at the same time, you don’t see the crap that goes with it.
      “I have experiences that only the rich and famous have, and that’s kind of the stuff that people see. They see the lights and glamour but they don’t see what’s behind the scenes.
      “It’s a lot of work 24/7. You’re sacrificing. You give up your family life. You can’t make plans to do things. It’s not easy.”
      When he does find spare time for himself, La Rosa said he works in real estate.

      He also spends time with his aunt Paula, whom he says he gets his “toughness from.”
      “My Aunt Paula, she’s my godmother, she’s always been a big part of my life, growing up. It’s an Italian tradition. Godmother is a very big thing. She’s always been there for me.”
      “She’s so tough. She’s a really tough, tough, tough woman. I can attribute some of my toughness to her.”
      Floyd Mayweather is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. He retired with a perfect professional record of 50-0Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Floyd Mayweather cried on camera after 1996 Olympic final defeat More

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      in Soccer

      Gareth Southgate’s England can’t end the agony of failure after 55 years

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      WHEN England lifted the gleaming Jules Rimet trophy in 1966, manager Sir Alf Ramsey, in typical dour style, insisted the celebrations were muted. Hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst woke up the next day and mowed the lawn.
      Gareth Southgate after missing his penalty at Euro 1996Credit: Getty
      The England manager celebrates the Three Lions making it to Euro 2020 finalCredit: Getty
      In their moment of triumph, they were not to know that we would all endure another astonishing 55 years of seemingly never-ending hurt.
      And when Gareth Southgate’s men took to the famous Wembley turf last night after 29 days of a glorious Euros campaign, it seemed as though the curse would finally be lifted. It was not to be. 
      Once again, penalties were missed and tears flowed. The search for glory and redemption goes on.
      But having got as close as this, it feels worse than ever. 
      Long-suffering fans who have endured flops, failure, hard-luck stories and error-strewn performances since 1966, were denied the sight of captain Harry Kane lifting the Euro 2020 trophy. 
      Our unwanted history of disappointment, blunders, self-inflicted footballing wounds — and being robbed by the blatant cheating of others — began within just two years of that glorious triumph. 
      Through to the semi-finals of Euro 68, England only had to negotiate a path past Yugoslavia. But in an incident that was to repeat itself on three other occasions in a major tournament, key player Alan Mullery was sent off for violent conduct. 
      He later said: “They were doing all the dirty stuff, going over the top into tackles and the referee was diabolical.
      “With one minute to go, Dobrivoje Trivic did me. 
      “I’d had enough of them injuring people so I kicked him in the b*******. I regret it now and it’s something I had to live with for the rest of my life.” 
      That feeling of being kicked in the naughty bits was to be a near-biannual event for 50 years.

      ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
      I can’t change 1996… but today we gave fans a day to remember
      1970 World Cup: A dejected Bobby Moore sits on the grass as England are knocked outCredit: Offside
      1982 World Cup: England’s Kevin Keegan looks downcast during the match against SpainCredit: Getty – Contributor
      1986 World Cup: Ray Wilkins trudges back to the dressing room after being sent offCredit: Empics
      1998 World Cup: David Beckham is sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone
      In the quarter-finals of the Mexico World Cup of 1970, England were 2-0 up and cruising but Bobby Charlton was controversially subbed to save his energy.
      England lost 3-2 and Charlton said ruefully: “I felt I could run all day.” 
      Gary Lineker’s first memories of watching England came in that match.
      He said: “Around that time, my dad had a card school with his mates once or twice a week at our house. Engelbert Humperdinck, a Leicester lad, was among the many who used to come round and play all night. 
      “The only thing that could ever stop that endless card game in its tracks was England.
      “It has stayed with me how when England played West Germany in the quarter-finals of that tournament, everyone put their hands down — no matter what they were holding — turned around and focused on the telly. And then it was over, England had lost, and the men turned back around and my dad started dealing out cards again. Just like that.
      “I was left heartbroken. But that moment started my journey as an England supporter.”
      The defeat set the tone.
      Over the next 20 years, England failed to qualify for the 1974 and 1978 World Cups and were bundled out of the 1982 tournament after successive goalless draws. 
      Defender Terry Butcher said: “We flew back with the wives and girlfriends, I got into my car and drove back to Ipswich. It’s when you get back home that it hits you.
      “You feel like there’s something missing because you’ve been living this dream for five weeks. And it had come to nothing.”
      2006 World Cup: Wayne Bridge consoles England teammate John Terry following defeatCredit: Getty
      2014 World Cup: Roy Hodgson buries his head in his hands during the match against UruguayCredit: Darren Fletcher – The Sun
      1990 World Cup: Paul Gascoigne celebrates after the quarter final match between England and CameroonCredit: Getty – Contributor
      1986 World Cup: Diego Maradona scores for Argentina with his Hand of GodCredit: Bob Thomas Sports Photography – Getty
      Diego Maradona’s infamous Hand of God denied England in 1986, the tournament when Ray Wilkins became the first to be sent off in a World Cup during an embarrassing 0-0 group draw against Morocco.
      While redemption looked possible at Italia 90 as Bobby Robson’s side reached the semis, a match famous for Paul Gascoigne being reduced to tears, they lost on penalties to the Germans.
      Lineker observed: “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.”
      Never has a Sun newspaper headline captured the mood better than when England lost to Sweden as they were knocked out of Euro 92. 
      It read: “Swedes 2 Turnips 1”.
      Manager Graham Taylor never quite recovered from the humiliation.
      Current boss Southgate had tasted more semi-final torment when he missed the spot kick against Germany at Euro 96 that denied us another final place.
      We crashed out of the 1998 World Cup on penalties two years later to Argentina after David Beckham was sent off. Effigies of him were hung from lampposts in the street. Sven Goran Eriksson’s England were beaten by a fluke Ronaldinho goal to crash out 2-1 to Brazil at a World Cup quarter-final in 2002.
      We lost on penalties again to Portugal in a quarter-final at Euro 2004.

      And the same country did us on penalties yet again in 2006 in Germany despite England holding on to a 0-0 draw in the quarter-final after Wayne Rooney was sent off — like Mullery, Beckham and Wilkins before him, another self-inflicted wound, and the fourth time in a major tournament England have had a red card.
      Germany humiliated Fabio Copello’s Three Lions side with a 4-1 thrashing that knocked us out of the South Africa World Cup in 2010.
      Italy knocked Roy Hodgson’s England out of Euro 2012 at the quarter-final stage — again on penalties.
      Flop Hodgson’s side failed to qualify from the group at the 2014 World Cup before crashing out of Euro 2016 to soccer minnows Iceland.
      It was truly England’s nadir. 
      As the Icelanders celebrated with their famous thunderclap, England fans in the stadium chanted in derision: “You’re not fit to wear the shirt.”
      Gareth Southgate took over amid a muted fanfare — but within two years had built a confident, young team that got to within 22 minutes of a World Cup final in Moscow.
      His lions lacked the steel to hold on to a lead against Croatia and lost 2-1. But this month saw belief growing not just among his team but the whole country. 
      Beating the Germans at Wembley saw the first part of the hoodoo laid to rest. 

      David Baddiel and Frank Skinner’s anthem Three Lions has been sung by glory-starved fans harder this summer than at any time since its released for Euro 96.
      Songwriter Ian Broudie said: “It’s a plea. If your team loses, the tears are dripping into your pint as you cry, ‘It’s coming home’. If they win, you’re shouting, ‘It’s coming home’ from the back of a bus.” 
      Beating Italy would have had us cheering from the top deck. Instead, the Magical Misery Tour goes on. Next stop, Qatar 2022.
      Fans react to England’s amazing start in the Euro 2020 final against Italy More