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    Inside Lionel Messi’s luxury £12million private jet with family names on steps, No 10 on tail, kitchen & two bathrooms

    STEP inside Lionel Messi’s private jet.The £12million luxury plane is the perfect means of transport for the Argentine to travel, especially if he wants to haul his many trophies along for the ride.
    Lionel Messi has got a luxury planeCredit: Goal
    There are names on the steps and a No10 on the tailCredit: Goal
    The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Brussels several years after a technical fault was reported
    It was made by a company in Argentina and designed for Paris Saint-Germain star Messi as well as his family.
    It boasts a number of incredible features, including its very own kitchen.
    There are two bathrooms and enough seats for 16 people.
    Incredibly, the chairs can also be folded up and turned into eight beds.
    Unfortunately it had to make an emergency landing in Brussels three years ago due to a technical fault.
    To top things off, the steps feature the names of Messi and his family – wife Antonela, plus children Thiago, Ciro and Mateo.
    However, the plane – which also boasts his No10 on the tail – is not owned by the superstar, instead he leases it.
    But that is sure to not bother Messi in the slightest as he continues his jet-set lifestyle.
    There are 16 chairs which can be folded into eight bedsCredit: Goal
    The private jet boasts a kitchen and two bathroomsCredit: Goal

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    The ace has rediscovered his form at PSG this season, scoring 13 goals and assisting 13 in just 23 Ligue 1 games.
    He has returned to club football after achieving his dream of winning his first-ever World Cup.
    Argentina beat France in a final for the ages last December with the game decided on penalties after a bonkers 3-3 draw after 120 minutes. More

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    Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s the GOAT of the hotel world as PSG ace told to demolish Barcelona site?

    BOTH Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo know a shrewd business move when they see one.Off the pitch, the pair have various business interests, including fashion lines, museums and in the case of the PSG star, a purported Chinese theme park.
    Cristiano Ronaldo has various business interests outside of football, including owning hotels
    Rival Lionel Messi is also a hotelier and owns three resortsCredit: Getty – Contributor
    But it’s hotels the two, who have now won the Ballon d’Or 12 times between them, just can’t stop collecting, just like they’re playing a game of Monopoly.
    Messi, 35,  bought the Seasun Fona in S’Illot, Majorca to add to his hotel portfolio that includes spots in Ibiza and Barcelona.
    And this year he added to that with a 141-room ski resort in the Pyrenees.
    While Ronaldo, 38, went down the budget route, establishing the Pestana CR7 hotel chain in his hometown of Madeira and Lisbon, both in Portugal.
    He’s also added venues in Madrid and New York, and has plans for new sites including a 150-room high-end destination in Manchester’s Picadilly Gardens district in 2023.
    There’s never been much between them on the pitch, and it’s just as close when it comes to being a better hotelier.
    Here we take a peek inside some of the jewels in their crowns.
    HOTEL MIM IBIZA ES VIVE
    The jewel of Messi’s business empire, the Argentinian legend bought the 52-room luxury adults-only hotel in early 2018.
    In fact, the stunning Art Deco style building, based just of off the beautiful Figueretas beach on the south eastern coast of the Balearic island, was said to have been eyed up by Ronaldo before Messi swooped.
    The £525-per-night resort was originally opened as a hostel in 2001, before it was renovated by British designer Sean Cochrane in 2014.
    Hotel MiM Ibiza Es Vive boasts a stunning rooftop bar, and a majestic pool surrounded by comfortable sun loungers.
    Back in 2018, the hotel hit the headlines after SunSport EXCLUSIVELY revealed the resort was going to be the base for a four-day lesbian sex party.
    TripAdvisor rating: 4.4 out of 5
    Lionel Messi’s Hotel MiM Ibiza Es Vive is a place of luxuryCredit: Instagram @hotelesvive
    Rooms at Lionel Messi’s Hotel MiM Ibiza Es Vive can cost up to 525-per nightCredit: Instagram @hotelesvive
    The Hotel MiM Ibiza Es Vive hosted a lesbian sex partyCredit: Instagram @hotelesvive
    Messi bought the Art Deco Hotel MiM Ibiza Es Vive in 2018Credit: Instagram @hotelesvive
    PESTANA CR7 FUNCHAL
    Ronaldo’s first hotel was opened to massive fanfare in July 2016.
    At the time he said: “I wanted to be in the hotel industry for quite a while and the opportunity happened quite naturally as a result of the relationship with the owner and chairman of the Pestana Hotel Group, Dionísio Pestana, who built the largest international hotel brand of Portuguese origin starting with one first hotel on my home island, Madeira.”
    And although it’s a budget hotel, with rooms costing as little as £79 per night off season, it does have a luxurious 4-star rating.
    The property can be found on the waterfront opposite Funchal’s cruise ship terminal, is a short ten-minute walk to the city centre and is surrounded by cafes and bars.
    With a nod to its footballing owner, there’s some novel designs with its decor, including astro-turf lined bathrooms.
    And the rooms themselves (all 49 of them) are comfortable, if not a tad small.
    The rooftop deck features a sauna, which offers views of Madeira’s mountainous landscape.
    Food-wise, the more adventurous eater can try the CR7 Kobe beef burger with foie gras, but it’ll cost you around £21.
    TripAdvisor rating: 4.3 out of 5
    Ronaldo opened his first hotel in Funchal, Madeira in 2016Credit: Pestana CR7 Funchal
    Rooms at the Pestana CR7 Funchal can cost as little as £79-per nightCredit: Pestana CR7 Funchal
    The Pestana CR7 Funchal is located on the waterfront and boasts views of Madeira’s mountainous landscapeCredit: Pestana CR7 Funchal
    The bathrooms are football-themed at Pestana CR7 Funchal, with astro-turf lining the wallsCredit: Pestana CR7 Funchal
    HOTEL MIM SITGES
    Knowing his surroundings well, Messi reportedly splashed £26m on his first hotel in Sitges, a coastal town in Catalonia, southwest of Barcelona in 2017.
    The four-star property on the Avenida Sofia boasts 77 rooms, five of those being junior suites, while one is a superior suite.
    The 3,300 square foot space has a swimming pool on the top floor, which has an scenic view of the sea and Sitges beach.
    Other amenities include a spa that covers a variety of of treatments and massages, as well as a VIP DUO cabin for couples treatments and an oxygen cabin.
    Food and drink can be found at the Sky Bar, which serves refreshing cocktails and tapas dishes.
    And an evening meal can be enjoyed at the Hotel MiM Sitges restaurant, which serves Mediterranean and local fayre.
    To stay in a double room, it’ll cost you around £104-per night, which is reasonable for Barcelona.
    However, Messi is faced the bombshell news that he may have to demolish the place.
    The £650,000-a-week PSG ace was hit with a court order as the building doesn’t meet council requirements – although it remains unclear if any further action was taken.
    TripAdvisor rating: 4.3 out of 5
    Messi splashed £26 million on a hotel in the coastal resort of StigesCredit: Hotel MiM Stiges
    A double room at the Hotel MiM Sitges will set you back a reasonable £104Credit: Hotel MiM Stiges
    Messi memorabilia can be found inside the Hotel MiM SitgesCredit: Hotel MiM Stiges
    The swimming pool can be found on the top floor of the Hotel MiM SitgesCredit: Hotel MiM Stiges
    PESTANA CR7 LISBOA
    After the success of his Madeira hotel, Ronaldo soon set his sights on the coastal Portuguese capital, Lisbon.
    It’s situated in a lovely part of the city, close to the downtown waterfront and therefore perfect for sightseeing, shopping and bar-hopping.
    And his second digs pays more of a homage to his footballing career than his first.
    Like Messi’s Ibiza hotel, the design follows an Art Deco theme, and features plenty of Ronaldo memorabilia that adorns the rooms and the reception.
    For those who can’t bear to be cut off from the internet, the hotel provides complimentary mobile phones if you need to get online, and you can even take them outside with you.
    Football fanatics won’t miss a match, with the Corner Bar and Bistro offering big screen TVs playing all the major sporting events.
    They offer a menu of mini-hamburgers, filled potato skins, as well as steaks, fish, and some traditional Portuguese dishes, including seafood stews.
    TripAdvisor rating: 4.4 out of 5
    Ronaldo opened his second hotel in Portugal in the capital LisbonCredit: PestanaCR7
    The small bedrooms at the Pestana CR7 Lisboa have an Art Deco themeCredit: PestanaCR7
    Guests can amuse themselves with a game of table footballCredit: PestanaCR7
    Sports fans won’t miss a kick at the sports bar inside the Pestana CR7 Lisboa
    WHAT’S TO COME
    Both successful hoteliers, Ronaldo and Messi are expanding their hotel businesses.
    Messi bought the 95-room, 198 bed Hotel Seasun Fona in Majorca in 2019.
    Style-wise, it’s got a typically Mediterranean feel and sits beside the sandy beaches of S’Illot.
    It reopened under a different name and is now called the Hotel Mallorca Fona after a big refurb.
    But he made his biggest acquition only in April this year, when he splashed out on the ski hotel next to the lifts at Spain’s largest winter resort in the heart of the Pyrenees in the Aran Valley.
    The four-star destination includes a spa, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centreand mountain guide services.
    Ronaldo, on the other hand, is planning on going international with his expansion.
    Messi’s new 141-room ski resort in the Pyrenees
    The Portuguese wants to take the Pestana CR7 brand to Paris and Marrakech- as well as Manchester.
    Marrakech has been a popular destination for Ronaldo, who toasted New Year’s Eve there in 2017 with kickboxer pal Badr Hari, and former Real Madrid team-mate, Karim Benzema.
    And now, he’ll have somewhere to crash.
    Designs for Ronaldo’s Marrakech hotel show it’ll be a place for the jet set
    The luxurious bar area will cater for its exclusive clientele
    A luxury spa and sauna will be on hand to relax guests
    The site of Ronaldo’s Manchester hotel, due to open in 2023
    While Messi added the Seasun Fona hotel in Majorca to his hotel portfolio tooCredit: Solarpix More

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    Tottenham’s darkest European nights after AC Milan flop, including a Bayern Munich thrashing and Cologne humiliation

    TOTTENHAM fans you might want to look away now.Spurs might have been the first British team to win a European trophy, when Bill Nicholson’s 1963 side thrashed Atletico Madrid 5-1 to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
    It was Champions League disappointment again for Spurs last nightCredit: Rex
    But there’s also been a whole lot of embarrassment along the way.
    The limp goalless draw against AC Milan that saw Tottenham tumble out of the knockout stages was the latest underwhelming result.
    Unfortunately for Spurs, there have been even darker European nights – here are just a few…
    DINAMO ZAGREB 3-0 SPURS
    It looked like job done at the end of this first-leg last 16 Europa League tie in March 2021.
    READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
    Two goals from Harry Kane meant Spurs were taking a comfortable lead to Croatia.
    But then came an embarrassing, unforeseen collapse as Zagreb – without a manager after Zoran Mamic faced charges of fraud – beat Spurs 3-0 after extra-time of the second-leg.
    Jose Mourinho would be sacked weeks later as his largely miserable reign as Tottenham boss came to an abrupt end.
    Dejected Spurs stars couldn’t believe it when they were dumped out by ZagrebCredit: Getty
    SPURS 2-7 BAYERN MUNICH
    On their way to winning the Champions League in 2020, the Bavarians put a Spurs side to the sword in London.
    Things started brightly, with Son Heung-min giving the home side a lead after 12 minutes.
    However, a blink of an eye later the Germans were level with a Joshua Kimmich strike.
    Then, former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry stole the show – netting four times in a remarkable second half that saw Bayern Munich score five times to record a 7-2 win.
    Former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry scored four times in a 7-2 rout of SpursCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
    Tottenham were left shell-shocked by the German championsCredit: EPA
    COLOGNE 8-0 SPURS
    German sides have got previous when it comes to playing Spurs on their own patch and giving them a hiding.
    But in fairness to Tottenham, this was an Intertoto Cup they didn’t really want to be in.
    They played a weakened side full of kids in 1995, while Cologne went full-strength.
    It was 4-0 at half-time, and it didn’t get much better in the second half as the Bundesliga side ran riot.
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    GENT 1-0 SPURS
    It was the precursor of what was to come.
    Gent weren’t exactly Belgium’s most-feared team, but they put the willies up Tottenham back in 2017 in the Europa League.
    In the first leg, they defeated the North London side 1-0, which in truth could’ve been more.
    It set them up nicely for the second leg, where they managed to draw 2-2 and knock Tottenham out at the last-32 stage.
    Gent take the lead in the first leg of their Europa League tieCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    Spurs woes got worst in a second leg as they couldn’t overturn a 1-0 deficitCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    RB LEIPZIG 3-0 SPURS
    In 2020, Mourinho’s side were handed a lesson by RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
    Going into the second leg a goal down, Spurs were more open than usual.
    And the attacking threat the German side, who reached the semi-finals last season, was too much for an injury-hit Tottenham team.
    It was 2-0 after 21 minutes, and from then on in it was damage limitation. Spurs ended up losing 3-0 on the night, 4-0 on aggregate.
    Jose Mourinho comforts Lucas Moura after their 3-0 defeat to RB LeipzigCredit: AP
    REAL MADRID 4-0 SPURS
    In 2011, former Arsenal man Emmanuel Adebayor came back to haunt Spurs scoring a double at the Bernabeu.
    Before the game, manager Harry Redknapp said it was a “dream” to go further – but if it was it must’ve been a nightmare.
    Di Maria and then Ronaldo added gloss to proceedings, as Los Blancos won the game with ease – 4-0 in this first leg of a Champions League quarter-final.
    Spurs’ ambitions for glory were over, pretty much, at the half-time point of this tie.
    Emmanuel Adebayor opens the scoring for Real Madrid against Spurs in 2011Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
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    BORUSSIA DORTMUND 3-0 SPURS
    Before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turned up at Arsenal, he was tormenting Spurs in the Champions League in 2016.
    The Gabon striker registered the opener, before Marco Reus gave the Germans breathing space in the first leg round of 16 with a further two goals.
    Read More on The Sun
    A 3-0 lead was impossible for Spurs to turn around.
    To add insult to injury they Aubameyang scored twice in the second leg, and it finished 5-1 on aggregate.
    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the scourge of Tottenham in a Champions League round of 16 tie in 2016Credit: REUTERS
    Harry Kane and Co had no answer in a 3-0 humblingCredit: Reuters
    Joe Hart forced to apologise for awkward Instagram gaffe as Tottenham star’s team post ‘job done’ after Europa League KO More

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    Coventry and Newcastle legend Brian Kilcline: A colossus on the pitch, ‘Killer’ was a unique personality

    THEY don’t make them like Brian Kilcline any more.A wonderful and unmistakable one-off, the now 60-year-old former towering centre-half may only have one FA Cup winners’ medal on his CV.
    Brian Kilcline was a one-off as a proCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    But in a career that spanned nearly two decades and took him from Notts County to Coventry, from Oldham to Newcastle and Swindon to Mansfield, he established himself as one of the characters of the modern game.
    He’s always ploughed his own furrow…
    And not just in the hair stakes.
    When he was signed for Swindon in 1994, he rejected the club’s offer to stay in a local hotel with his wife Lynn and instead bought himself a narrow boat in Osney Mill Marina in Oxford, as you do.
    “Lynn must have looked at 50 narrow boats because the criteria was I had to be able to stand up in one,” he explained at the time.
    “The lads knew about it. I remember having a game of chess against Andy Mutch on the boat once.”
    His long locks and moustache stood out in a career that spanned nearly two decadesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    His life off the pitch was just as interestingCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    He was once reprimanded by Joe Royle for driving to training in a Dacia DusterCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    His taste in cars was just as left-field…
    While most footballers are known for their taste in luxury vehicles, the same couldn’t be said of Kilcline.
    During his time at Oldham Athletic, ‘Killer’ was reprimanded by then manager Joe Royle for turning up to training in a Dacia Duster that looked more like a ‘war truck’ than something a professional footballer should be seen in.
    Kilcline once said: “I remember Joe pulling me in the office one day and saying: ‘What the f***’s that outside?’ He said: ‘You can’t be coming in in that.’
    “I said: ‘Joe, I either had central heating or a nice car. And central heating won.'”
    He never really liked the fame that came with football…
    At 6ft 4in tall and with long, lustrous locks and a huge moustache, ‘Killer’ was always going to be recognised whenever he ventured out in public.
    But he did his best to avoid it.
    Once, when he was in a DIY store in Walsgrave buying some paint, he was approached by his two lads. “Oi mate,” said one, “you look just like that footballer, Kilcline.”
    Kilcline was never comfortable with fame outside the gameCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
    At 6ft 4in Kilcline was always instantly recognisableCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    He won the FA Cup with Coventry in 1987Credit: Getty – Contributor
    It was the only trophy he ever won in his careerCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
    “Yeah, a lot of people say that,” replied Killer before heading off in the direction of the emulsions.
    “I just carried on walking,” he added.
    “I couldn’t be bothered.”
    But then he never really thought of himself as a footballer anyway…
    Football, he once reflected, was just something he did, not something that defined him and as a player in age before the big salaries came along, it was a fun way to make a living, nothing more, nothing less.
    “When we were playing it was more about playing the game and having the craic afterwards – and I loved the craic!” he said in 2018.
    And he certainly knew his limitations when it came to playing too.
    “The way I’d describe it is we were shirehorses,” he said.
    “Footballers today are thoroughbreds. But there are still some Brian Kilclines out there.”
    Kilcline once lived on a boat when he was playing for SwindonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Not blessed with skill, Kilcline knew his limitationsCredit: PA:Press Association
    Kilcline was a dab hand at DIY in the houseCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    He could weld, build dry stone walls and was a keen carpenterCredit: Getty – Contributor
    He’s handy about the house…
    How many footballers do you know that can weld? Or build dry stone walls? Or know their way around carpentry?
    Yes, ‘Killer’ is a dab hand when it comes to DIY and has also made a successful business of his rental properties in and around his home on Holmfirth, Yorkshire.
    He really should have been sent off in the 1987 FA Cup Final…
    Towards the end of Coventry’s epic 3-2 FA Cup Final win over Spurs, Kilcline bulldozed into Tottenham’s Gary Mabbutt with such ferocity that he had to be taken off with a minute to go of normal time.
    He was lucky not to get sent off in the FA Cup final in 1987Credit: Hulton Archive – Getty
    Luckily, he was able to limp up Wembley’s 39 steps and lift the trophyCredit: PA:Press Association
    Remarkably, he didn’t even get booked.
    Instead, referee Neil Midgeley just asked him, “What the effing hell was that?”
    A little over half an hour of extra time later and Coventry had won their first and only FA Cup title, leaving Kilcline to limp up Wembley’s 39 steps to lift the famous trophy.
    “I couldn’t move after that,” he recalled. “My leg just locked up. There was an internal bleed inside the muscle. I remember we did the open-top bus and the day after they sliced the leg open and drained it.”
    While at Notts County, Kilcline was once booked for calling a linesman an egg
    Kilcline wasn’t afraid to mix it up on the pitchCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
    But he did once get booked for something, well, strange…
    During his time at Notts County, Kilcline found himself yellow carded during a game even though he had no idea why.
    A few days later the club received the League’s report detailing why ‘Killer’ had been cautioned.
    “I opened it up and it said – ‘The player Brian Kilcline went over to the linesman and called him an egg’,” he says.
    “It could have been so much worse – it was totally out of character for me to call him an egg!”
    Kilcline had a career resurgence at Newcastle UnitedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    He was Kevin Keegan’s first signing in 1992Credit: PA:Empics Sport
    But he was a colossus on the pitch…
    When Kevin Keegan became Newcastle manager in 1992, he made Kilcline his very first signing, and instilled him as club captain.
    And it reaped huge rewards.
    That season, Newcastle won the old First Division championship title, gaining promotion to the Premier League and Keegan is in no doubt about the contribution Kilcline made.
    “Brian was brilliant,” he said.
    “He doesn’t think the world owes him a living. A great pro. He got in among the players and helped turn the club around.”
    Or to sum up: “The best signing I ever made for Newcastle United.”
    The feeling was mutual…
    Although Kilcline made his name at Coventry, he still has a special place in his heart for the Newcastle fans.
    “They just took to me,” he once explained.
    “I have played in front of 100,000 at Wembley, but the Newcastle fans were and are something else.
    “Pardon my French,” he adds, “but there is so f****** many of them.”
    Kilcline helped Newcastle gain promotion to the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    He is loved on Tyneside and in Coventry still to this dayCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    Kilcline was the epitome of maverick, whoever he played forCredit: PA:Empics Sport More

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    Man Utd icon Wayne Rooney’s amazing property portfolio includes £20m ‘Morrisons’ mansion and secret luxury Barbados pad

    THEY might be worth an estimated £115million, but Wayne and Coleen Rooney’s Cheshire mansion has been mocked for ‘looking like a Morrisons’.However, the six-bedroom palatial home – which cost £20m – isn’t the only property in the couple’s lavish portfolio, which also includes pads in Florida and the Caribbean.
    The Rooneys’ Cheshire home has been mocked for “looking like a Morrisons”Credit: The Mega Agency
    Wayne and Coleen splashed out £20million on their latest residenceCredit: Instagram
    Manchester United legend Rooney, 37, left Derby last summer to take over as DC United boss in the MLS and is currently in pre-season ahead of the 2023 campaign.
    However, he has been linked with a sensational return to England with the Premier League’s bottom club Southampton, which could see him move back full-time into the family home.
    Rooney grew up in a council house in Liverpool – but has shown off his real estate skills with his sprawling Barbados villa, which he rents out for £25,000 a week.
    He also snapped up a £320,000 waterfront apartment in the Sunshine State of Florida in 2007 – and even splashed out £450,000 on a detached home in Liverpool for his parents to live in.
    Today, he and Coleen, have properties across the globe.
    Below, SunSport looks at the couple’s impressive property portfolio…
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    Secret £5m Barbados pad
    The Rooneys’ housing portfolio stretches to overseas – where they rent out a spectacular Barbados villa for more than £25,000 a week in the high season.
    The five-bedroom property boasts an infinity pool, a media room and a shared golf course while inside the walls feature pictures of Hollywood icons Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.
    The Rooneys own this spectacular villa in Barbados, which they rent out to wealthy guests
    The magnificent residence boasts an infinity pool, a media room and a shared golf courseCredit: Splash News
    It cost the couple a cool £5 million – but is rented out for as much as £25,000 a week
    The paradise pad sits on the island’s exclusive Jasmine Ridge estate, with celebrity neighbours including Ant and Dec and Roo’s old United team-mate Rio Ferdinand.
    Boxer Joe Calzaghe, and motorcycle racer Carl Fogarty are also said to own homes there.
    Over the years, the swish Bajan resort has become so popular with Manchester’s rich and famous that its residents have dubbed it the Northern Quarter.
    The Rooneys bought the villa for £5million in 2010, but put it on the rental market as a holiday home several years ago, the Manchester Evening News reported.
    The mansion has some famous neighbours – including Ant and Dec and Rio Ferdinand
    Its outdoor dining area is perfect for entertaining family and friends
    United fans who want to live like Wayne himself will need to cough up around £10,000 to stay at the Royal Westmoreland pad during low season.
    And those staying at high season will have to fork out up to £25,410 a week.
    Based on the Rooneys renting out the property from 2015, they could have netted more than £5m from wealthy guests by now.
    It won’t be long until they’ve reached the price they paid for it a decade ago after renting was no doubt affected by the pandemic.
    The villa is a far cry from Rooney’s childhood home, picturedCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
    £300k Florida apartment
    Not all of Wayne and Coleen’s purchases have seemingly done as well as their Barbados one.
    In 2007, the couple splashed out around £320,000 on a luxurious waterfront apartment at Harbor Pointe in Port Charlotte, Florida – but property prices later collapsed.
    They bought the pad via Your Place Abroad – whose former clients also include footie star Michael Owen and former cricketer Andrew Flintoff, the Daily Mail reported.
    Wayne and Coleen bought a Florida apartment for £320,000 12 years agoCredit: Zillow
    The firm has since gone into liquidation.
    Public records list Rooney as being the owner of a three-bedroom condo in the riverside resort, which has a balcony and more than 1,750 sq ft of living space.
    It also boasts a master suite with a study and an ‘oversized walk-in closet’, with a fitness centre and in-ground heated pool available in the resort’s grounds.
    It is thought the ‘spacious’ condo is currently being rented out.
    This swimming pool is believed to be shared among residents at the apartment complexCredit: Zillow
    This image appears on an online rental listing for an apartment in Rooney’s nameCredit: Zillow
    In the years after the Rooneys snapped up their apartment, property prices in the area collapsed, with some homes dropping in price by more than £150,000.
    Waynesor Castle
    The Rooneys lived happily in a £6m home in Prestbury, Cheshire, for more than a decade before they were the victims of an attempted burglary.
    A former serviceman tried to break in while Wayne played in a testimonial match in August 2016,  leaving a worried Coleen fearing for her kids’ safety.
    Dubbed ‘Waynesor Castle’ among other nicknames, the Rooneys’ home reportedly featured six en-suite bedrooms, a cinema, a Jacuzzi and a swimming pool.
    There have also been rumours of under-lawn heating and a hairdressing salon.
    The Rooneys’ Prestbury home, which they lived in for more than a decadeCredit: Cavendish
    ‘Beautiful’ Maryland home
    In 2018, the Rooneys were rumoured to be set to move into a stunning £12m Washington DC mansion, after Wayne joined DC United – where he is now head coach.
    The property, in Wesley Heights, boasted a wine cellar, a home gym, an outdoor swimming pool, a recreation room and even a massive cinema screen.
    But it was since been reported that the family opted to live in Maryland instead. They were thought to be living around a 50-minute drive from the US capital.
    The Rooneys were rumoured to be moving into this DC mansion – but apparently chose Maryland insteadCredit: Fortitude Press
    The mansion in Wesley Heights boasted this home gymCredit: Fortitude Press
    One source close to Coleen told SunSport: “They live in Maryland, which is really quiet, so if they do go out it’s bowling or cinema with the kids.”
    They added: “They have a massive house and it’s beautiful.”
    New £20m Cheshire mansion
    Features: Man-made fishing lakes, an orangery and a football pitch
    The Rooneys’ new pad sits on a 40-acre plot in Cheshire.
    The £20m property, includes a number of buildings, stables, two man-made fishing lakes and an orangery.
    But we reported how the luxurious new home has been compared to a Morrisons supermarket and even a Travelodge because of its exterior.
    The impressive new pad, featuring two man-made fishing lakes and an orangery, is nearing completionCredit: The Mega Agency
    Social media users have compared the Rooneys’ new property to a supermarket
    They have likened the home to this Morrisons store in SunderlandCredit: Wikipedia
    One person wrote online: “Looks like my local Morrisons supermarket. £20million for that?”
    Another said: “Surely that is a new Tesco build…?’  while a third quipped: “More of a Morrisons I’d say”.
    The mansion boasts a TV room, snooker room, bar, wine store, cinema, gym and swimming pool, as well as an underground tunnel to a six-car garage.
    And there are believed to even be separate lifts – one for the family, the other for visitors.
    It is thought that former England striker Wayne has also requested a panic bunker in the home over fears his family will be hit by another attempted burglary.
    What the sprawling site looked like as work beganCredit: Flynet Pictures
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    A mansion for Wayne’s parents.. and one for Coleen
    As well as his own properties, Wayne bought his parents, Wayne Snr and Jeanette Rooney, a £450,000 detached home in West Derby, which reportedly has three reception rooms.
    Several years ago, reports claimed he’d also bought his wife a £5m villa in Portugal.
    And with a net worth of more than £100m (Coleen is worth an estimated £13m), it’s likely Wayne’s portfolio of luxury properties will only continue to expand.
    Wayne Rooney admits he wants to be Manchester United manager one day More

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    Chelsea legend Pat Nevin is now a hipster DJ playing at a club night in trendy East London

    HE used to be famed for leaving defenders in a spin, so what Pat Nevin did after football must’ve come natural.The Chelsea and Everton legend, who bamboozled all with his tricky wing play in the 80s and 90s is now a DJ playing for hipster crowds in London.
    Pat Nevin is now a part-time DJ
    Nevin, 59, previously had a regular spot playing at The Victoria in Dalston at a trendy club night called Scared to Dance, which was previously at the Shacklewell Arms.
    He also appeared at the 2015 Shiiine On Weekender festival alongside the likes of Happy Mondays playing tracks by indie artists including The Smiths, Pulp and New Order.
    And he recently revealed to his Twitter followers that he is returning to the decks, writing: Just a quick heads up to say I’m DJing for the first time in ages on the 21st of January at the Shacklewell in Dalston. Pop in if your (sic) around and feel free to have a chat too!”
    Busy Nevin previously managed to juggle his new career alongside his football commitments, working as a pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live.
    He revealed how he first caught the music bug.
    Nevin said: “I’ve been DJing for years and years. Forever really. I come from Glasgow, and before I left it was a hotbed of music,” he told the Noisey.
    “The whole Postcard Records thing was blowing up, and things were really happening. I had been listening to John Peel since I was 14, every night lying on my bed with headphones on.
    “I was just a muso, that’s all I was. Eventually I started DJing. Even when I was playing football for Chelsea I was doing it.
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    The EX Chelsea player plays at a club night in trendy East LondonCredit: Instagram
    Nevin’s name appears on the flyer for Scared to Dance, which was formerly at The Shacklewell Arms in Dalston, East LondonCredit: Instagram
    His setlist features bands including New Order, Pulp and The SmithsCredit: Instagram
    Nevin has played alongside established names like Happy Mondays and Stereo MC’sCredit: Handout
    He manages to juggle a DJ career alongside being a football punditCredit: Reuters
    “I’m asked loads now, and can only accept about 1 in 5 of the offers I get.”
    Having often performed DJ sets over the weekend, it wasn’t uncommon for Nevin to be playing until the early hours and then heading to a football match to work for the BBC.
    “It is totally and utterly mental,” he laughed. “None of it fits together. I’m knackered.”
    When he was a player at Chelsea in the mid 80s, Nevin wrote a music column in the club newspaper. One day he sent a letter to the late DJ John Peel asking him for an interview.
    While at Chelsea, Nevin had his own music columnCredit: Instagram
    He once wrote to BBC DJ John Peel for an interviewCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Nevin later scored himself a secret production job on Peel’s BBC Radio showCredit: Instagram
    “Although, when you are playing football you can’t be spinning tunes until 3am in the morning, because you have to take care of yourself a wee bit.
    Not only did he get an interview, he also scored himself a production job alongside his football career.
    “We became great mates,” he revealed. “I used to sit in on his show quite a bit, making production notes.”
    “But they never really mentioned that I was hanging about. You’d think people would comment on there being a famous footballer there but nobody knew, and that was the way I liked it.”
    And Nevin confessed he once asked to be subbed at half-time during a game so he could catch a gig by his favourite band, Cocteau Twins.
    At Chelsea, Nevin was a fan favouriteCredit: Getty – Contributor
    But when the winger was playing for the Blues, he asked if he could be subbed so he could get to a gig on timeCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
    Nevin admitted he loved travelling around Europe seeing bandsCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Nevin has enjoyed life since hanging up his boots in 2000Credit: Les Gallagher – The Sun Glasgow
    “It was pre-season at Chelsea and I said, ‘I will sign your contract if you take me off at half time next Friday night because they’re playing Festival Hall.’
    “I was quite adamant, and the manager agreed to it. ‘You’re off your head, but fine.’
    “We weren’t flashy back then, but we did train near Heathrow so sometimes I would hit a gig on a weeknight – get a last minute ticket and fly off somewhere.
    “So it might be a gig in France, Berlin, Scotland. I would stay in a crap hotel, fly back the next day for training. Nobody was any the wiser.” More

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    I won the title with Arsenal in 1991… and then went on to become a firefighter and save lives

    DAVID HILLIER was climbing a ladder to success when he won a top-flight league winners medal with Arsenal in 1990-91, and made one appearance for the England Under-21s.A quarter of a century later the former midfielder was climbing different ladders – as one of our brave firefighters based at Avon Fire & Rescue in Bristol.
    Arsenal hero David Hillier became a firefighter after quitting footballCredit: Supplied
    A boyhood Arsenal fan, the aspiring midfielder was fulfilling his dreams by helping his beloved Gunners to glory in the early 90s.
    Sadly, his career was blighted by injury that forced him out of the club’s FA and League Cup successes in 1993 and the Cup Winners’ Cup victory over Parma the following year.
    He later joined Portsmouth (1996-99) and Bristol Rovers (1999-2002) before ending his career at Barnet with just six appearances in 2003.
    Hillier told SunSport in 2019: “I never set targets when I was playing.
    “I now look back at my 15 years in the game and I am very proud that I played for some great clubs at some of the world’s great stadiums alongside some of the great players.
    “What is so wonderful is I still enjoy media work with Arsenal and go back and have a wonderful rapport with the club and the supporters. The football ‘family’ is brilliant for that.”

    A NEW CHAPTER
    He revealed that it was his wife, Zoe, who suggested a new life in the fire brigade a couple of years after he quit playing in 2003.
    He said: “We were out shopping one day and we passed a fire station and she said that it would be the perfect job for me.
    “Ian Holloway – who I played alongside at Bristol Rovers – also has something to do with it. Olly’s brother-in-law was a fireman and we had met and talked about the fire brigade.
    “Now he is one of the bosses in the service.
    “Because of my football career I joined the brigade late and when I started it was a bit like students tutoring the teaching because everyone seemed younger than me.
    “But I have never had a problem with that. I was aware of what I needed to do to progress.
    Hillier achieved his dream, playing for his boyhood clubCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    In 1991 Hillier won the First Division with the GunnersCredit: Rex Features
    “The fire brigade suits me because I’m on a two or more pump station which means 8-12 of us are involved and we spend two days and two nights away – which is like a football team staying in a hotel before a game.”
    AN ‘ADRENALINE-RUSH’
    The down-to-earth London-born ex-midfield ace says the adrenaline-rush of a big job is on a completely different scale to playing football.
    “It can be incredibly difficult at times and it’s a job where you have to deal with tricky and horrific scenarios.
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    “We are confronted with all sorts of scenes and the most frustrating part is not being able to do more.
    “Being forced back by smoke and not knowing where you are going can be very claustrophobic. But, yes, I have also rescued cats out of trees too!”
    Yet even after 15 years in the service, the ex-Gunner says: “It’s strange but when it comes to footballer or fireman I always think of myself as a footballer.”
    Hillier still has ties at Arsenal, doing media work for the clubCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Occasionally, Hillier plays for Arsenal’s legends’ sideCredit: Getty – Contributor More

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    What happened to the ‘Next Messis’, from youngest LaLiga star Romero to ex-Man City ace Patrick Roberts

    MORE than a dozen players have been dubbed the ‘Next Messi’ over the years.But none have ever reached the heights scaled by PSG and Argentina World Cup winner Lionel Messi… not even close.
    The ‘Next Messis’ from all around the world
    Luka Romero, the ‘Mexican Messi’, made his debut for Mallorca age 15Credit: EPA
    In 2020, the ‘Mexican Messi’ (we’ve had one before in Diego Lainez) Luka Romero made LaLiga history.
    At just 15, the diminutive teen came on as a sub against Real Madrid in June 2020 and became the youngest player to play in the Spanish top-flight, also showing fans what the fuss is all about with some neat touches, before signing for Lazio in 2021.
    While, Arsenal were once linked with what was then the latest ‘Next Messi’ – Iranian Bayer Leverkusen star Sardar Azmoun.
    In the summer of 2019, Manchester United were said to be monitoring Trabzonspor teenager Abdulkadir Omur, the ‘Turkish Messi’.
    The world map has almost been filled in with different ‘Next Messis’ from around the globe.
    From Peru to South Africa and Japan to Iran, two dozen countries have produced their own version of the little genius.
    Even Scotland had one while England have two.
    Here’s how they got on…
    Lionel Messi is still arguably the best player in the worldCredit: Getty – Contributor
    The English Messi – Patrick Roberts
    Burst on to the scene as a teenager at Fulham and after some impressive performances as a teenager, Man City splashed £12million on him.
    He barely got into the City side before a long loan spell at Celtic.
    Although he won seven trophies under Brendan Rodgers, Roberts had a number of injury issues and did not hit the heights expected of him.
    Another loan spell to Girona last season didn’t really work out – while stints at Norwich and Middlesbrough last term have been uninspiring.
    Roberts went on loan at Derby, who narrowly avoided relegation to League One with a thrilling 3-3 draw on the final day of the Championship season.
    Now, he’s at League One side Sunderland.
    Mini Messi – Fran Kirby
    One of the players most deserving of the tag, the England and Chelsea star is one of the biggest stars in the women’s game.
    Kirby, who stands at just 5ft 2in, is a former PFA and FWA player of the year and has been a vital player in all of the Lionesses’ recent success, including winning the Euros.
    In 2021, Kirby was voted the 10th best player in the world in the Ballon d’Or list.
    England star Fran Kirby has been dubbed Mini Messi – and is one of the best players in the women’s gameCredit: PA:Press Association
    Scottish Messi – Ryan Gauld
    Gauld was 17 when he made his debut for Dundee United and began tearing it up in Scotland, helping The Terrors reach the Scottish Cup final in 2014.
    After being shortlisted for Young Player of the Year, Gauld was snapped up by Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.
    But Gauld only made two league appearances for Sporting, all in 2014 and early 2015, and went on four unsuccessful loan spells.
    He’s now at MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC, after a spell at Portuguese second tier side Farense.
    Swiss Messi – Xherdan Shaqiri
    The Messi comparisons are definitely a step too far but Shaqiri – formerly of Liverpool – is quite obviously a talent good enough for most teams in the world.
    He has played at some of the biggest clubs and scored at two World Cups and the European Championship.
    Injuries limited his impact at the Reds, and he moved to Lyon before plying his trade in the MLS with Chicago Fire.
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    Egyptian Messi – Mohamed Salah
    Speaking of whom, there was a time when Salah being compared to Messi would have been impossible to imagine… namely at Chelsea.
    Now thriving at Liverpool, the Egyptian king isn’t quite at Messi’s level – but he’s pretty damn close.
    This was a tag from when the forward was still at Basel and, in all honesty, it’s quite fair.
    Salah is now one of the best players in the world and will soon have players being dubbed the ‘Next Salah’.
    Mohamed Salah is now at the level were other players are dubbed the ‘Next Salah’Credit: AFP or licensors
    Catalan Messi – Gerard Deulofeu
    Certainly has enough natural talent to earn comparisons to one of the best ever.
    But the winger, now at Udinese following stints at Everton and Watford, does not have the consistency or work rate to compare himself to Messi.
    Deulofeu struggled in two spells at Barca but was instrumental to the Hornets getting to the FA Cup final in 2019.
    German Messi – Marko Marin
    Arrived at Chelsea in 2012 with a massive reputation but – like so many other Blues youngsters – never got a fair chance at Stamford Bridge.
    Was sent on four loan spells in three seasons and managed just six Premier League games in West London.
    Marin has since won trophies in Greece, Spain and Serbia before retiring last year while at Hungarian side Ferencvarosi.
    Croatian Messi – Alen Halilovic
    Another Barcelona graduate, the diminutive Croatian international has the technique but has struggled with the physicality of senior football.
    Loan spells at Sporting Gijon have brought little success.
    He is currently at Croatian club HNK Rijeka, after spells at Championship side Reading and AC Milan, where he failed to play a single Serie A game. Dutch side Heerenveen, Standard Liege, and Birmingham also feature on his CV.
    Norwegian Messi – Martin Odegaard
    One of the most hyped teenagers in Europe, the Norwegian jumped from Stromsgodset to Real Madrid in 2015.
    He initially struggled to live up to the hype and a two-year loan spell at Heerenveen brought inconsistent play.
    But last season on loan at Real Sociedad, Odegaard was excellent – putting himself in the frame to break back into the Madrid first-team.
    The Norwegian signed for Arsenal in a permanent deal in 2021, after a loan spell and his form has fired the Gunners to the top of the Premier League.
    Martin Odegaard was one of the most hyped teenage players everCredit: EPA
    Irish Messi – Alan Judge
    Definitely a tongue-in-cheek nickname, the winger earned the title while starring for Brentford for five years between 2014 and 2019.
    Judge helped the Bees reach the Championship and stay in the second tier, and was named in the PFA teams of the year in 2013 and 2016.
    He was at Ipswich, helping the Tractor Boys to ninth in League One in 2020-21, before signing for Colchester.
    Peruvian Messi – Raul Ruidiaz
    Actually nicknamed ‘Little Messi’, the Peruvian scored a mountain of goals in Peru and Mexico before moving to MLS in 2018.
    The striker has been sensational for the Seattle Sounders, winning the MLS Cup and CONCACAF Champions League.
    Kosovan Messi – Edon Zhergrova
    Edon Zhegrova became a YouTube sensation back in 2014 after compilations of the then 15-year old’s dazzling goals gained thousands of views.
    The Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona moves did not materialise, but a move to Belgium’s Standard Liege and then Genk did, where he is coming through the ranks.
    Basel then decided to take a longer look at him with an 18-month loan deal.
    The No10 played a handful of games for the club before moving to Lille.
    Indian Messi – Lallianzuala Chhangte
    The Chennaiyin winger became the youngest Indian international when he made his debut in 2015.
    But, now aged 24, the hype has died down a bit with Chhangte unable to build on that early promise.
    And he now playing for Indian side Mumbai City.
    Japanese Messi – Takefusa Kubo
    Still just 22, Kubo has the best chance of any player to live up to the moniker.
    The former FC Tokyo forward even came through the ranks at Barcelona, where he was a youth star, before returning to Japan.
    He would have stayed at La Masia but after Barca’s transfer ban he was no longer eligible to play in competitive matches, so decided to return to his homeland.
    He is the youngest player to play and score in the J.League and has been a regular in the FC Tokyo side.
    Kubo was snapped up by Real Madrid, a major coup for Los Blancos – but was quickly loaned to Mallorca before joining Getafe on a short-term deal earlier in 2021.
    Barcelona had wanted the playmaker – but were fooled into thinking he was not available until next January after an error on the Transkfermarkt website.
    Real Madrid knew the correct date his contract was up and swooped.
    Kubo, who has been brilliant in Japan’s successful World Cup campaign in Qatar, is currently at Real Sociedad after joining last summer.
    Takefusa Kubo (left) came through the ranks at Barcelona before joining Real MadridCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Greek Messi – Giannis Fetfatzidis
    The little winger never lived up to the moniker after coming through at Olympiacos.
    Has since played in Italy and Saudi Arabia, but is now at Qatari side Al-Sailiya.
    Iranian Messi – Sardar Azmoun
    A number of European clubs were interested in Azmoun a few years ago, including Arsenal, who offered £2m for the rapid forward.
    Azmoun starred in Russia for Zenit St Petersburg, where he has scored 62 times in just 104 games while winning three Russian Premier League titles.
    However, he’s now at Bayer Leverkusen – where he has scored just once across two seasons.
    Iranian Messi Azmoun has been linked to ArsenalCredit: AFP or licensors
    Indonesian Messi – Egy Maulana Vikri
    Aged just 21, Egy is already a full international having been a prodigy at youth level.
    He had scored 15 goals in 16 matches for Indonesia Under-19s, attracting attention from big clubs in Europe.
    Eventually, Maulana chose Lechia Gdansk where he also impressed for the reserves, scoring 12 goals in 14 matches in the Polish fourth tier.
    He made his full debut in 2020 and is now a 17-cap senior international for Indonesia.
    He moved to Slovenian side FK Senica, and now plays for ViOn Zlaté Moravce in the same league.
    Another Mexican Messi – Diego Lainez
    The 22-year-old has the potential to be a big star and has consistently been named as one of the players to keep an eye on in the coming years.
    The teenager is already a full international for El Tri and was signed by Real Betis for £9m in January 2019.
    This season, he was sent on loan to Primeira Liga club Braga for much-needed first team experience.
    Diego Lainez is already a full Mexican international and moved to Real Betis for £9mCredit: Getty – Contributor
    South Korean Messi – Lee Seung-woo
    Lee was once hailed as South Korea’s great hope of the future and was another graduate of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.
    He moved to Catalonia in 2011, but managed just one appearance for Barcelona B, before moving to Hellas Verona in 2017.
    Now 25, the winger plays for South Korean side Suwon FC but became a national hero for his exploits in the Asian Games.
    Lee provided the assist for Tottenham’s Son Heung-min to score a winner – the goal also meant the Spurs man would avoid national service.
    Malaysian Messi – Faiz Nasir
    One of the smallest players in world football, Nasir stands at just 5ft.
    But there is plenty of talent in those little legs, with the Terengganu FC star scoring on his international debut.
    Nigerian Messi – Stanley Okoro
    Nicknamed ‘Little Messi’, Okoro spent time in Spain with Almeria but struggled to make a breakthrough.
    He certainly likes the nickname, however, stating: “I don’t mind when people call me Little Messi.
    “It’s a pleasant thing to be compared with the best footballer in the world – I don’t have a problem with that.”
    But having played back in his homeland of Nigeria, Okoro is now without a club.
    Thai Messi – Chanathip Songkrasin
    Songkrasin is known as ‘Messi Jay'”or just ‘Jay’ but actually took inspiration from another Argentine legend.
    His father apparently trained him with the intention of copying Diego Maradona.
    He became a fans’ favourite across Thailand for his dribbling skills, with 58 international caps so far, and now plays in Japan for Kawasake Frontale.
    South African Messi – Tebogo Tlolane
    The winger was nicknamed Messi from a young age because of his dribbling skills.
    He even managed a two week trial at Barcelona but failed to make the grade – Tlolane is now back in South Africa with Orlando Pirates. More