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      How Bin Salman’s wealth compares to Man City chief Sheikh Mansour, with Crown Prince on verge of Newcastle takeover

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      BILLIONAIRE Mohammed bin Salman is moving closer to a £300million takeover of Newcastle.The Saudi government has lifted its ban on Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports, after they were locked in a brutal dispute as Doha-based beIN had its feed across the Middle East hijacked, which was believed to have been holding up a deal.
      The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is set to buy Newcastle for £300mCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Sheikh Mansour who has spent over £1billion as owner of Manchester CityCredit: Reuters
      And a deal could be completed as soon as Thursday, with Premier League permission, as Mike Ashley looks to finally conclude a sale of the Toon.
      Ashley, who bought the club for £135m in 2007, came close to selling it to Arab Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan in May 2019.
      But the latest takeover plan is part of the Saudi billionaire’s bid to take his nation into the 21st century.
      He sees the worlds of sports and entertainment as ways to lift his nation to become a global player.
      The crown prince funded the Anthony Joshua rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr which took place in the kingdom.
      Bin Salman, 36, has already set about improving the kingdom’s human rights record and giving women more liberty.
      His Toon takeover would mirror Abu Dhabi’s 2008 acquisition of City.
      Since then Sheikh Mansour, 50, has spent over £1billion on players and improving the club.
      In that time, City have won five Premier League titles, five League Cups and two FA Cups in the most successful period in their history.
      It’s reported that Bin Salman is motivated by a desire to compete with Abu Dhabi royal family member Mansour.
      But how does the Crown Prince compare to the Sheikh?
      We take a look through their lifestyle and wealth… and controversies.

      Wealth
      Neither of the pair are struggling for cash.
      Bin Salman has an estimated personal wealth of around £13billion – although he has almost the full riches of Saudi Arabia at his fingertips.
      Sheikh Mansour’s personal fortune is believed to be somewhere in the region of £17billion.
      Politics and business
      Bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the son of the King and the de facto leader of the Gulf state as King Salman is unable to fully rule because of dementia.
      Bin Salman is also the deputy prime minister and defence minister and has attempted to present himself as a moderate reformer.
      The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin SalmanCredit: AP:Associated Press
      In 2019, for the first time Saudi women were allowed to to travel abroad, register to marry or divorce and apply for official documents without the consent of a male guardian.
      Mansour is the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
      However, while Bin Salman has focused on his political career as leader of Saudi Arabia, Mansour has spent much more time on his personal business portfolio.
      Mansour heads the International Petroleum Investment Company, which has stakes in a number of businesses around the world.
      The Manchester City owner has a 32 per cent stake in Virgin Galactic – investing more than £200m in the company in 2009 – as well as a 9.1 per cent stake in Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz and others.
      Mansour’s Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation also established Sky News Arabia and English-language newspaper The National.
      The Crown Prince meets HRH Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham PalaceCredit: PA:Press Association
      Family
      Bin Salman is part of the House of Saud, the ruling family of Saudi Arabia since 1744.
      The family has some 15,000 people, although the majority of the power and the wealth sits with around 2,000 of them.
      The Al Saud family has a reported combined wealth of £1.3TRILLION – with many political commentators stating that amount is a huge under-estimate.
      Mansour is the half-brother of the current president of the UAE and a member of the ruling Al Nahyan family.
      The oil-rich family have an estimated combined wealth of at least £150billion and have driven the building of holiday hotspot Dubai.
      Mohammed bin Salman could complete a deal for Newcastle United in a £3o0m deal on ThursdayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bin Salman is married to Sarah bint Mashhoor – known as the ‘Barbie Princess’ – in 2008, the couple have four children.
      There are unconfirmed rumours that the Saudi has three other wives.
      Sheikh Mansour has two wives and six children.
      He married Sheikha Alia bint bint Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed in the mid-1990s, with whom he has one son and Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
      Manal, who has two daughters and three sons with Sheikh Mansour, is the president of the Dubai Women Establishment.Homes and holiday
      Both Sheikh Mansour and Mohammed bin Salman have full access to the lavish presidential palaces where their families call home.
      Both are lovers of the Costa del Sol in Spain and Mansour bought the 20,000-acre Los Quintos de San Martin in 2016 for £42million.
      His family also own and regularly stay at the Emirates Palace hotel, described as a ‘seven-star’ hotel in Abu Dhabi.
      Sheikh Mansour reportedly snapped up Los Quintos de San Martin in Spain for £42m in 2016
      The family-owned Emirates Palace has been described as the best hotel in the worldCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Sheikh Mansour owns this mansion in MoroccoCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Bin Salman went one better, however.
      In 2015 he splashed out on the world’s most expensive home – the £230MILLION Chateau Louis XIV, west of Paris.
      From the exterior, the Chateau Louis XIV appears to be a 17th-Century chateau, constructed in a similar style to the nearby palace at Versailles.
      On closer inspection, however, this is not the case: it was built after developer Emad Khashoggi demolished a 19th-Century building that had previously stood on the 57-acre site.
      The new-build 10-bedroom home is designed to look like a 17th-century palace and boasts a cinema, deluxe swimming pool and glass-bottomed moat to watch koi carp.
      Fountains can be controlled by a tablet or mobile phone, while the 57-acre plot has immaculate gardens and a maze.
      A statue of Louis XIV made of Carrara marble stands watch over the grounds.
      Mohammed bin Salman owns the world’s most expensive home – the £230million Chateau Louis XIVCredit: Reuters
      The new-home is based on a 17th-century French mansionCredit: Reuters
      Built across 50,000 sq ft, it has 10 bedrooms, an indoor and outdoor pool and a moat circled by an aquariumCredit: Reuters
      The gardens of the £230m chateau in France owned by Mohammad bin Salman
      Yachts
      Bin Salman may win the battle on land, but Mansour wins the battle on the seven seas.
      That’s because although the Saudi owns the extravagant Serene, Mansour owns the Topaz.
      Not that any of us wouldn’t dream of being aboard the Serene.
      The 439ft 4in super-yacht was the ninth-largest in the world when it was built for vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler for £200million 2011.
      Bin Salman bought the boat, which houses 24 guests and 52 crew, in 2015 for an eye-watering £380million.
      Mohammed bin Salman splashed £380million on his superyacht, the SereneCredit: Alamy
      The Serene was in the top ten of world’s biggest yachts when it was built for vodka tycoon Yuri SheflerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bill Gates once rented it for a week at a cost of $5million and it comes with seven decks, two helipads and a full saltwater swimming pool.
      However, in August 2017 she suffered significant damage to her hull after running aground off the coast of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
      Mansour’s yacht Topaz far outdoes the Serene.
      Built in 2012, the Sheikh coughed up more than £320m to build the 482ft yacht that comes with jacuzzis, two helipads, a swimming platform and eight levels.
      It is now valued at more than £400m.
      The Topaz super yacht is said to be worth £400m and is the fifth-largest yacht in the worldCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The Topaz boasts two helipads, three swimming pools, a cinema and eight levelsCredit: Splash News
      Cars
      Again, Mansour definitely has the more luxurious car collection.
      In fact, it appears that Bin Salman is barely interested in cars at all.
      Some reports claim he has a modest fleet (in comparison to other billionaires at least) with a Ferrari, Lamborghini and Bugatti in his garage.
      On the other hand, Sheikh Mansour can’t get enough.
      Mansour owns a  five per cent stake in Ferrari, as well as this £2.5m EnzoCredit: 4WheelsofLux
      The Sheikh’s Mercedes SLR-McLaren is worth £350,000Credit: 4WheelsofLux
      He also owns this Porsche 911 GT1 worth around £3mCredit: 4WheelsofLux
      His personal collection includes an £840,000 Lamborghini Reventon, FIVE Bugatti Veyrons – costing more than £1million each – as well as a £2.5million Ferrari Enzo and a £3m Porsche 911 GT1.
      Mansour was also instrumental in bringing Formula One to Abu Dhabi and has a stake in both Ferrari and Mercedes parent company Daimler AG.
      Sheikh Mansour is rarely seen at the EtihadCredit: Reuters
      Controversies
      Both men and their families have been linked with several humans rights abuses.
      Bin Salman is considered the architect of the war in Yemen, which included indiscriminate bombing, while he ordered the blockade of the country that sparked a famine and humanitarian crisis which has killed tens of thousands.
      Human Rights Watch director Sarah Leah Whitson described his regime as “despotism”, while there was international outcry when dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated in Turkey in 2018.
      In April this year, Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution of 37 imprisoned civilians who had been convicted – 21 of those on the basis of confessions obtained under coercion and torture – of terrorism.
      They were executed by beheading, with two of the bodies left on public display.
      In 2018 and again in April this year, there were waves of arrests for women’s rights activists involved in the women to drive movement and anti male-guardianship campaign.
      Sheikh Mansour with former Man City star Sergio AgueroCredit: Manchester City FC – Getty
      Six of these arrested were tortured.
      Sheikh Mansour has been accused of using Manchester City and football to ‘launder’ the image of his state, having only been to one game in ten years.
      Homosexuality remains illegal and is a capital offence in the emirate.
      The ruling regime is also accused of a number of human rights abuses, while flogging, stoning and amputation all remain legal punishments.Sport
      Sheikh Mansour is a much more visible lover of sports.
      As well as his love of Formula One and football, Mansour is also the chairman of the Emirates Horse Racing Authority and the patron of a local half-marathon.
      He hasn’t just invested more than £1billion into Manchester City either, the City Football Group owns and part owns a host of clubs around the world.
      They bought New York City FC to Major League Soccer in the US and own Melbourne City in Australia.
      The holding company also has stakes in Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay and Girona in Spain.
      There are plans to expand further into Europe and Africa.
      Apart from his link to Newcastle, Bin Salman’s only other link to the sporting world is the Saudi second division, which is named after him. More

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      River Plate beat Boca Juniors with ex-Man Utd defender Marcos Rojo getting a red card, but the fans are the real stars

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      CINEMA goers all over the world are watching the same James Bond film. They have no power to change the ending of ‘No Time To Die,’ even if they want to.Football is different. A football crowd is not made up of passive spectators.  The fans are an active participant in the spectacle.
      River Plate fans cheers on their side against rivals Boca JuniorsCredit: Getty
      They create the atmosphere – which is both an attraction in itself, and a factor able to influence what happens on the field.
      The crowd can lift a team to new heights, or the nervousness in the stands can transmit itself to the players.
      And the crowd can make you glad you went to a game even if the football was disappointing.
      This is especially true in Argentina, where the atmosphere is something special. The rhythm and the fervour of the chants can lodge in the brain.
      In recent times, when the best players are transferred abroad at an early age, the atmosphere created by the crowd can be the best thing about going to a game in Argentina.
      It hurt, then, to have eighteen and a half months without supporters in the stadium.
      But, with the coronavirus pandemic under relative control, fans were back this weekend for the first time since the middle of March 2020 – that is, home fans only – Argentina has a problem with fan violence.
      And, as yet, only half of stadium capacity.
      So there were around 35,000 in the ground for the biggest of them all – River Plate against Boca Juniors.
      It was no coincidence that this weekend was chosen for the return of supporters. The government did badly in recent mid-term elections.
      In a country where football is so important, bringing fans back was an obvious response, an attempt to raise the nation’s morale.
      And River v Boca is a huge event. There was plenty at stake on the field.
      With the championship at the half way stage River took the field in second place, while Boca have thrown off a bad start and put together an eight game unbeaten run to move up to sixth. 
      A win on Sunday would put them well into contention for a title bid.
      River Plate played host to Boca Juniors last weekendCredit: Getty
      Ex-Man Utd defender Marcos Rojo saw red in the fiery clashCredit: AFP
      But first they – and the River players – would have to get used to playing in front of fans again. The entire emotional dynamic of the occasion had altered – which became clear very early.
      Twice in the first few minutes there were mass flare ups, with players from both sides running to get involved in a pushing skirmish.
      After just seven minutes referee Fernando Rapallini brought the two captains together and issued a warning. Marcos Rojo was clearly not paying close attention.
      After shaking off some injury concerns, the former Manchester United player has become an important part of the Boca line up.
      His experience and quality, both defending and setting moves in motion, have been important in Boca’s run of good form. But his lack of cool now decided the game.
      Twice in quick succession he went to ground and committed risky fouls.  The first time Rappallini reached for the yellow card. And the second, too.  On another day Rojo might have got away with the second challenge.
      But the warning had already been given. Rapallini had made it clear that the only way to control the game was to take a hard line. And so, after just fifteen minutes, Rojo had seen red.
      It ended Boca as an attacking force – before they had begun. Their most creative player, Colombian attacking midfielder Edwin Cardona was sacrificed as Boca went to their bench to bring on another centre back.
      And if the River fans were singing then, they were soon screaming in joy. In the next few minutes Julian Alvarez scored two superbly taken goals.
      Alvarez, 21, is the best thing that domestic Argentine football has produced in the last few years.
      A mobile, talented and intelligent support striker, he was linked in the summer with Aston Villa, and, to these eyes at least, he has plenty in common with former Villa park idol Gary Shaw, whose brilliant career was so cruelly cut short by injury.
      The match turned into a celebration, with River fans giving vent to a year and a half of frustration at not being able to go to the stadium, which has been remodelled in their absence.
      River’s Julien Alvarez proved to be the match-winner with two goalsCredit: EPA
      But it was the fans, back in the stadium for the first time since March 2020, that were the stars of the showCredit: Getty

      Boca’s objective after the break appeared to be to keep the score down. River repeatedly came close to adding to their lead. Finally, inside stoppage time, Boca grabbed a consolation with their only serious effort.
      The final score of 2-1 gives them some dignity, but hands the points to River Plate.
      And without fans it could all have turned out very differently.
      Boca spend night at police station after RIOTING, ‘attacking cops and threatening Atletico Mineiro chief with IRON BAR’ More

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      Inside Oldham’s crisis, as fans protest against owner with demos featuring a coffin and Boundary Park pitch invasions

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      FOR Oldham Athletic fans, the atmosphere at Boundary Park is toxic – and likely to only get worse.On and off the pitch, the Latics are a club in crisis with their followers pointing the finger at owner Abdallah Lemsagam.
      It’s the final nail in the coffin for Oldham Athletic fansCredit: Getty
      Fans have spent almost three years campaigning against owner Abdallah LemsagamCredit: Getty
      They have spent almost three years campaigning against the Dubai-based former agent in the fear that the club is heading for extinction under his regime.
      Since he took over in January 2018, Boundary Park has slowly but surely turned into a war zone with repeated protests by fan groups.
      Before a drab 0-0 draw with Hartlepool, police were forced to patrol a demo that featured a coffin inscribed : “RIP OAFC” and was placed outside the main door of the stadium.
      Supporters have taken to donning clown masks on a match day, echoing the belief that Oldham Athletic have become a circus.
      While there have also been pitch invasions, tennis balls and flares thrown onto the playing surface as the tensions rise.
      And although the club moved off the bottom of Football League Two last weekend on goal difference, despite losing at home 2-1 to Harrogate Town, the ill-feeling is still there.
      In 2019, fed up with not being heard, four fans launched Push The Boundary to communicate the concerns and dissatisfaction with the current owner regarding the handling of the football club, whilst raising awareness of its precarious state.
      Founding member Steve Shipman, 40, tells SunSport: “We started seeing the warning signs a few years ago and that things weren’t quite right.
      “We wanted to do something about it because we were just shouting into a big, black hole.
      “But we didn’t want to get to this point, where we’re near the bottom of the league, before people start to act and it’s too late.
      “We’ve been banging on the door for a couple of years. And initially we were trying to engage with the club, not necessarily saying we want the owner out.
      “We made the point of telling them fans weren’t happy, we gave them evidence of that through the form of surveys, but the owner chose to ignore it.
      Push The Boundary’s founding members, including Steve Shipman, far left
      Flares and tennis balls have been thrown onto the pitch as the fans protest against the clubs ownershipCredit: KIPAX
      “I think what we’ve seen recently with the protests is a culmination of that pressure, fans going on the pitch because they’re unhappy, and now he’s got no choice but to address it.
      “But the fact is, he could’ve done this a few years ago. Fans have got to a point now where enough is enough with the new manager appointments and false dawns.
      “And if he wasn’t going to listen to us, then the fans were going to take matters into their own hands.”
      SunSport has repeatedly highlighted the growing crisis at the club that was originally one of the Premier League’s founding members in 1992.
      Before the lockdown in March last year we reported that unless the controversial Moroccan paid debts of £575,000 to the ground’s leasehold owner Simon Blitz then he would put the club into administration.
      That threat, which Blitz would have carried out, followed a bitter war between the pair after Lemsagam sparked a two-month investigation by The Sun over his claims that he had found a £5.2M “hole” in the club’s finances
      Oldham Police were called in over Lemsagam’s allegations, relating to the construction of the ground’s new North Stand with £1.78M of local council money part of the so – called missing money.
      There was no case to answer by former director Blitz as SunSport confirmed.
      But depressed Latics supporters declare that Lemsagam very much does have one to answer following years of turmoil.
      And many believe that they are witnessing the last rites of the club founded 126 years ago.
      Abdallah Lemsagam has refused to cooperate with Oldham fans who don’t understand his intentions for the clubCredit: Rex Features
      An airplane displays a banner over Boundary Park calling for Lemsagam brothers to leave the clubCredit: Rex
      Shipman stresses what he would like to happen next.
      “The ideal situation would be if Lemsagam works with us and the supporters foundation to help facilitate his exit from the football club,” he says.
      “Let’s work towards something that gets him the most money that allows him to walk away.
      “But what we don’t want is if he brings someone in on his own accord, because he’s already proved he can’t be trusted.”
      Back in March, Lemsagam appointed Keith Curle as manager to save the club from relegation.
      Astonishingly, he is the ninth coach to work for the Moroccan, and before his arrival there were on-going accusations of Lemsagam’s interference in team matters, even down to the selection of certain of his favourite players against others.
      Lifelong Latics fan and Manchester United legend Paul Scholes lasted only 31 days in the job, saying he could not work due to Lemsagam’s meddling.
      Wages of players and staff have frequently been delayed, there have been near misses in terms of administration – not just with Blitz but with the tax man too.
      Yet experienced Curle has a managerial career that spans six previous clubs, including 2020 promotion to League One with Northampton Town.
      The 57 year-old is certain he can spark a revival and insists he is doing things his own way – as he has always done –  that he is his own man, not just a company man.
      Paul Scholes lasted only 31 days in the job at Oldham before walking awayCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Many fans are calling for Lemsagam to sell the clubCredit: Getty
      Curle hints that some of his predecessors may have taken the easy way out and allowed Lemsagam to carry the can rather than look at their own efforts.
      The former Manchester City captain declares that won’t be the case with him.
      He stresses that if he fails to keep Oldham up: “I’ll take all the blame. That’s what I do.
      “When we win a game I applaud everybody that’s helped.
      “When things aren’t going well I shoulder the responsibility. The easy thing to do is look at the past circumstances.
      “But I know when I have all of my players fit and available we will be competitive in this division.
      “I know where Oldham can get to but the route there is not a straight line.
      “A straight line is having £3M in the bank as your budget, you get the best players for the division, and you double up on it.
      Oldham manager Keith Curle is tasked with keeping the club up this seasonCredit: Getty
      Last weekend, Oldham lost 2-1 at home to Harrogate TownCredit: Alamy
      “As proven by Salford, it ain’t as straight a line as you think it is.
       “Whatever get thrown at me, I deal with it in eight words : it is what it is, deal with it.
      “It’s not arrogance, it’s not being aggressive or having a confrontational approach.
      “I’m just not one of those people that keep complaining about problems. I find solutions.
      “Being bottom of the league without ten injured players and working within the restrictions of an EFL transfer embargo is a problem.
      “But I know the solution and we continue to put things together to create that solution.”
      Lemsagam’s brother Mohamed is under fire from the fans, who believe the sporting director has only helped deepen the club’s crisis with dressing room interference.
      Curle stresses : “I don’t know what went on before, but it doesn’t happen with me.
      “That’s not the relationship that we’ve got. I make my own mind up, I make my own decisions, I pick the team.
      Curle insists he hasn’t had any issues with team meddling with the Lemsagam brothersCredit: Alamy
      However, should Oldham fall out of the National League they could be headed to extinctionCredit: Getty

      “How else can it work? It’s the only way I work.”
      Oldham fans will be praying his efforts save their side and their efforts in raising awareness of unrest might make the owners appear more transparent.
      Otherwise, if the club falls out of the National League, they could fall into oblivion like neighbours Bury. Imagine the fans protests then? More

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      Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s amazing car collection, from fleet of Ferraris, including a £1.4m Monza to stunning £650k Porsche

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      AT 40, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s football career shows no sign of slowing down.And when it comes to his motors, he still loves them fast and incredibly expensive.
      Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s car collection includes a stunning Ferrari Monza
      Most recently, Ibrahimovic has been driving a £160k Lamborghini UrusCredit: Getty
      The Sweden legend, currently starring in Serie A for AC Milan, boasts an amazing car collection that’ll be the envy of all dressing rooms around Europe.
      From an impressive fleet of Ferraris, including the recent electric Sf90 Stradale worth £400,000 he added to his garage, to an astonishing £650,000 Porsche – Zlatan is a true petrol head.
      But, he remained true to his roots when he became an ambassador for car makers Volvo, even driving their modest £40,000 XC40 to training.
      THE NEW ADDITION
      Over the weekend, Zlatan turned 40 – and he really treated himself.
      Unlike us, where a set of Marks and Spencer socks might’ve done, he bought himself a £400,000 Ferrari Sf90 Stradale.
      He shared an image of his new addition on Instagram, captioning the snap: “Happy Birthday to Zlatan”.
      It’s Ferrari’s first foray into electric cars and can reach a top speed up to 211 mph.
      To treat himself for his 40th birthday, Zlatan splashed £400k on a Ferrari Sf90 Stradale
      THE MOST EXPENSIVE
      Zlatan clearly has a thing for Italian fast cars, and splashing out on a new set of wheels on his special day.
      In 2019, for his 38th, he bought a rare Ferrari Monza SP2 for a staggering £1.4million.
      He is only one of 499 people in the world that own the supercar.
      The superfast car can hit 0-60 mph in around 2.9 seconds.
      The Ferrari Monza is the most expensive in Zlatan’s car collection
      Capable of reaching 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, the Monza is worth around £1.4m
      CURRENT RIDE
      However, standing at 6ft 5in Zlatan needs a car that offers him plenty of leg room.
      That’s why, when it comes to training, he prefers an SUV.
      Since returning to AC Milan, the centre forward has been spied arriving to training in a £160,000 Lamborghini Urus.
      The Urus is a favourite of footballers at the moment, including Cristiano Ronaldo who was recently seen driving to Carrington in one.
      Zlatan drives his Lamborghini Urus to training at AC MilanCredit: Getty
      STATEMENT RED
      Only 400 Ferrari Enzo cars exist in the world, and Zlatan has one of them.
      Seen as a collector’s item, it’s a motor that can be sold for over a million pounds at auction.
      It was developed in 2002 using Formula One technology, including a a carbon-fibre body and F1-style automated-shift manual transmission.
      Although, we’ve rarely seen Zlatan driving it.
      Zlatan is one of 400 lucky owners who have a rare Ferrari Enzo worth around £1m
      SPIDER MAN
      Between 2005-2009, the Ferrari F430 Spider was a footballers’ favourite.
      Chelsea legend John Terry, who himself is a Ferrari obsessive, was seen driving one around the streets of Surrey.
      When it was released, it carried a price tag of around £120,000.
      Nicknamed their ‘Baby Enzo’, it can hit 0-62 mph in four seconds.
      Over the years, Zlatan has got himself a fleet of Ferraris, including a 430 SpiderCredit: AFP
      When the Ferrari F430 was released in 2005, it carried £120,000 price tagCredit: Getty
      TOP OF THE RANGE PORSCHE
      Zlatan loves limited edition.
      Which is why he bought a £700,000 Porsche Spyder in and around 2014.
      Only 918 models were made of the supercar, which sold out completely in 2015.
      It was only the second plug-in hybrid car Porsche ever produced.
      Only 918 models of the Porsche Spyder exist in the world
      ANOTHER ITALIAN MASTERPIECE
      Italian gentleman’s car makers Maserati are renowned for their luxury vehicles.
      So, it goes without saying, Zlatan used his extensive time playing in Italy to research enough about the stylish car manufacturers.
      In about 2011, he bought a GranTurismo MC Stradale worth around £92,000.
      Under the hood, it boasts a 450 hp V8 engine and has a top speed of 187 mph.
      Luxury vehicles, like a £92,000 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, have also been part of Ibrahimovic’s fleet in the past
      The GranTurismo MC Stradale boasts a 450 hp V8 engine and has a top speed of 187 mphCredit: Handout
      COMPANY CAR
      In 2014, Zlatan began as an ambassador for Swedish car manufacturers Volvo, appearing in a series of ads.
      Now, many footballers won’t often be seen driving the cars they’re sponsored for.

      However, when Ibrahimovic was playing for Manchester United he was a happy with their XC90 model costing around £52,000.
      Often, he would drive it to training and park it amongst a fleet of Lamborghinis and Range Rovers.
      And you can bet no one would’ve been brave enough to give him any stick for it.
      Volvo made Zlatan an ambassador and he appeared in ads for the Swedish car brand
      Zlatan happily drove a Volvo XC90 costing around £52,000 into CarringtonCredit: iCelebTV
      Watch moment Ibrahimovic ‘does a Usain Bolt’ and scores with laces undone after he stops tying shoes to make a run More

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      Inside Man Utd legend Roy Keane’s life – from 20-year marriage to wife Theresa to his controversial playing career

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      ON the pitch, he was the enforcer at Nottingham Forest, Man Utd and CelticOff it, he’s a milder family man, loyal husband of wife of 20-years Theresa, father of five kids and a generous son.
      Off the pitch, Roy Keane, pictured with wife of 20-years Theresa, is a mild family manCredit: Getty – Contributor
      On the pitch, Keane was the hardman of British football at Manchester UnitedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      In recent years, Roy Keane, 50, has reinvented himself as a TV pundit on Sky Sports – championed for his sharp analysis, rapport with Micah Richards and wicked sense of humour.
      Although, he has made no secret that he would love to return to management, throwing his hat into the ring for the Celtic job back in April.
      But away from football, the Ireland legend lives a very private life.
      THERESA DOYLE
      This year, Keane surprised us all when he set up an Instagram page, where he’s uploaded pictures of his family, including his grandchildren.
      Still missing from it, though, is his wife of 20-years, Theresa Doyle.
      The pair met in 1992, when the midfielder was playing for Forest under Brian Clough.
      “I spotted a beautiful girl in a club in town. Her name was Theresa Doyle but she blanked me,” Keane once revealed of his encounter with the Nottingham-born beauty.
      “She was in a steady relationship and didn’t seem at all impressed by Roy Keane, the great footballer. In fact, I think my reputation was as a downer for all kinds of reasons.
      “From time to time we ran into each other around Nottingham. I knew some of her friends, who told me Theresa was a dentist’s assistant.
      Theresa Doyle, far right, has been married to Keane for 20-years and he describes her as his ‘rock’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Family man Keane joined Instagram and has been sharing pictures of his grandchildrenCredit: Instagram / @officialkeane16
      Since setting up an Instagram account in February, Keane has amassed 1.7m followersCredit: Instagram / @officialkeane16
      “Eventually, after her relationship broke up, she relented and we went out together. I was in love.”
      They got married in a private ceremony at the Church of Our Lady Crowned in Mayfield, Cork, where Keane is from.
      Keane rarely mentions his wife in public, but once opened up about their relationship in a revealing interview with the Sunday Times in the early 2000s.
      “I don’t really mention her in public, but in fairness to her, she has been a rock in my life. Just brilliant. She reads me better than I read myself,” Keane said.
      “I wouldn’t say Theresa likes every part of the package. She knows I haven’t got a halo over my head. Actually, that’s what she likes about me. She also knows I am not the nastiest person in the world.”
      FIVE CHILDREN
      Keane and Theresa have five children together, Shannon, Caragh, Aidan, Leah and Alanna.
      Even though the former footballer has tasted plenty of success on the football pitch, nothing comes close to spending time with his family.
      Even though he enjoyed plenty of success at Manchester United, Keane longed for family time instead of celebrating with team-matesCredit: Reuters
      Keane has five children with wife TheresaCredit: SNS
      In his autobiography, when writing about winning the Champions League in 1999, Keane said he “longed to go home to Theresa and the kids” and wasn’t interested in celebrating with his team-mates.
      However, despite his wish to spend more time with them after hanging up his boots, he previously admitted that they wanted him to get back to work after just two months.
      “My plan when I first stopped was, we’re going to go on some family trips, we’re going to be like the Waltons,” Keane joked.
      “We’re all going to spend time together, go walk in the park and after a month or two they didn’t have the same plan as me so I think they were kind of missing me going to work.
      “I got offered the job at Sunderland and I was away on a family holiday and my family were looking at me… not saying it directly but going we kind of enjoy your company but not too much of it so when the job came back up they were saying you should go for it.”
      MEET THE PARENTS
      Roy’s late father Maurice ‘Mossie’ Keane met his mum Marie at a local dance, and they married in 1963.
      They moved to the Mayfield suburb in Cork, where they raised five children, Denis, Johnson, Hilary, Roy and Pat.
      Keane shared a tight bond with his parents Maurice and MarieCredit: Sky
      Generous Keane bought his parents a home in the countryside in RathpeaconCredit: Instagram / @officialkeane16
      Keane always shared a close bond with his parents and regularly made sure they had tickets to watch his games at Forest and United.
      The generous son also bought them a home in the countryside in nearby Rathpeacon.
      In 2019, Keane was devastated when Maurice passed away after battling illness. He was 79.
      AS A PLAYER
      When Keane was a schoolboy, he began playing football for local side Rockmount AFC.
      From there, he moved to Irish First Division team Cobh Ramblers of County Cork in 1989.
      Keane was spotted by ex-scout Noel McCabe, who immediately recommended the talent to Brian Clough.
      After impressing on trial, he moved to Nottingham in 1990 and blossomed into one of the best young midfielders in the country.
      At Nottingham Forest Keane blossomed into one of the country’s best midfieldersCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      In 1993 Manchester United paid a British transfer record fee of £3.75m to buy KeaneCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      Sir Alex Ferguson brought Keane to Manchester United in 1993 for a British transfer record fee of £3.75million.
      Keane went on to become one of the Premier League giants’ greatest captains – winning seven Premier League titles, a Champions League, as well as four FA Cups.
      He retired in 2006, after one season in Scotland at Celtic where he played 10 times.
      IRISH FALLOUT
      Keane’s career has been rocked by scandal over the years.
      But nothing hurt more than missing the greatest football competition in the world in 2002.
      Keane played 65 times for Ireland between 1991-2005, but his international career is unfortunately remembered for his fallout with Mick McCarthy before the 2002 World Cup.
      Keane wasn’t happy with the Irish team’s set-up ahead of the prestigious football tournament and left the training camp.
      Keane’s international career is best remembered for his epic fallout with Mick McCarthyCredit: Reuters
      After he returned home from the 2002 World Cup, Keane was seen walking his dogs nearby his homeCredit: Reuters
      After a confrontation with McCarthy at the team hotel, he flew home and was famously quizzed by reporters about his acrimonious exit while walking his dog near his home.
      Without him, Ireland managed to reach the last-16 before they were beaten by Spain on penalties.
      AS A MANAGER
      Most recently linked with Celtic, Keane previous experiences have been varied in terms of being a success.
      In his first job as Sunderland boss, you could actually say he did well. He took over the Mackems in 2006 when they were second bottom of the Championship.
      In his first season, they managed to win the league and gain promotion. But he stood down from his post before Christmas – with Sunderland struggling in 18th position in the Premier League.
      Keane has had mixed results as a manager, but could return to management one dayCredit: EPA

      Then came a spell at Ipswich, where he failed in a promotion bid and was sacked in 2011.
      Keane returned to the international fold as assistant manager to Martin O’Neill, and was a key member of the coaching set-up that saw Ireland qualify Euro 2016.
      O’Neill and Keane left their jobs after a series of inconsistent results left their jobs hanging by a thread – and reunited briefly at Forest in 2019.
      Niall Quinn says refs were ‘scared stiff’ of Roy Keane as he remembers Man Utd getting an undeserved penalty More

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      in Soccer

      Hardcore Fulham fans told me they’ve got my back – now I am fourth reserve goalie, says brave Rhys Porter

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      IT is not only Fulham players rallying behind trolled disabled footballer Rhys Porter. The 13-year-old became an internet sensation when stars from the Championship side ran to celebrate with him after going 1-0 up against Bristol City last Saturday. 
      Rhys was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects muscle control and movement, but his dream has always been to play football just like his friendsCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Rhys Porter, 13, became an internet sensation when stars from the Championship side ran to celebrate with him after going 1-0 up against Bristol City last SaturdayCredit: Reuters
      But what happened after the game was perhaps even more exciting for the youngster, who hit headlines after a TikTok video on him playing for his football team drew thousands of vile messages online.
      His mum Kelly has told how a gang of “serious-looking” Fulham fans raced down the train to find him on the way home after the match.
      She says: “They were the real hardcore fans that don’t wear any Fulham stuff. 
      “They were carrying their plastic pints, banter in full flow. Suddenly, one of the guys tells everyone in the carriage that Rhys, ‘Is a legend’.
      “He said the whole of Fulham’s Hammersmith End has got his back. Anyone picking on Rhys in the street is going to need to watch out. He’s one of the lads, wheelchair or not. 
      “Then this bloke said, ‘If your mum can’t take you to football, I’m going to come and get you’.”
       At the family’s home in Hillingdon, Middlesex, Rhys breaks into a wide smile and says: “It was brilliant!” 

      Kelly, 41, an aviation company HR worker, adds: “That probably meant as much to him as any of the many messages of support he’s had because that’s what he strives to be.
      “He wants to be walking, he wants to go in the pub, he wants to go to the football and do things which he considers normal.
      Loved the freedom
      “That moment on the train shows his message is getting across — ‘I’m in a wheelchair but there is nothing different about me. I’m still a lad. I still like football, it’s just my legs aren’t working’. 
      “And that is what he tried to say all along — ‘Why can’t I be included?’.”
       Rhys, an only child, was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects muscle control and movement. 
      He was unable to walk and, aged seven, developed epilepsy, but the seizures appear to have stopped.
      Rhys has always been football crazy, at first supporting dad Adam’s team Arsenal, before switching allegiance to Fulham six years ago.
      But his dream has always been to play football just like his friends.
      Kelly says: “I remember when he was about three or four, he asked, ‘Can you buy me these boots because all the football players play really good in them? If you buy me these boots maybe my legs will work’. Those things were heartbreaking.” 
      Rhys says: “I always wondered why I couldn’t play for a normal team. I always wanted to play for the school and win a cup. When I was little the coach kept saying I couldn’t play.”
      His dream of being a player came true in 2013 when he and pal Tom Manning, 16, joined Feltham Bees, a football team for disabled youngsters. 
      Sometimes Rhys would play outfield in his electric wheelchair but he loved the freedom of going in goal on his hands and knees.
      But a six-second video of him making a save during a Surrey pan-disability tournament he posted on TikTok in June sparked a torrent of cruel comments.
      Rhys named as reserve keeper for the Fulham squadCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun

       Adam, 43, who reduced his hours as a builder to be Rhys’s carer, says: “Some of the hurtful comments were from kids, but much of it was adults and that boiled my blood even more.”
      Kelly adds: “We knew it was adults by the names he was called, like ‘vegetable van der Sar’. Van der Sar is a player from our era, a child wouldn’t use that name. 
      “Another said, ‘Read these comments before you come to the pub tonight, they’re really funny’. 
      “Somebody else wrote, ‘Oh look at him, he is doing an Eriksen’, on the day Christian Eriksen had a cardiac arrest on the pitch playing for Denmark in the Euros.”
      Adam says: “When he saw all this hate, Rhys got in a right state, screaming the place down, saying, ‘I don’t want to play football any more. Why are people so cruel?’.
      “One thing we’ve never done is shield Rhys from the fact that life is harsh. If you tell him the truth he takes it on the chin, listens and then deals with it the way he wants to deal with it.”
      So the family sat down together and read every vile comment. They even found photos online of some of the people behind the slurs.
      Kelly says: “In the beginning we set out to drown the negative comments with positive ones. I dropped emails to Fulham and other clubs.
      “Arsenal commented, ‘Really great save, Rhys’. But off the back of the positivity, there were comments like, ‘Why the hell is a club commenting on a kid that has just jumped a centimetre?’. 
      “I don’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing because it was just making it more and more negative.”
      ‘I’m me, just me’
      Then, instead of censoring the offenders, TikTok removed Rhys’s video for “attracting too much hate”. It later backed down.
       Rhys decided to fight back against the haters with positivity. He raised nearly £20,000 for disability charity Scope by doing 20 saves a day and encouraged friends to take part in Scope’s Make It Count challenge with their own fundraising activities.
      Rhys also created his own campaign #BU, which stands for Be You, to encourage everyone to include those who are disabled or different in their lives and activities.
      Kelly says: “Being a teenager in a wheelchair he has noticed that you don’t often get invited with the rest of the class to hang around in the park and do all the things boys of his age do.” 
      In his bedroom, surrounded by football memorabilia, Rhys designed a logo to go on hoodies, which he sells to raise more money for Scope.
      His #BU logo shows stick people who are disabled, black, gay and white all high-fiving each other. 
      Rhys would love England and Arsenal star Bukayo Saka — who was a victim of trolls during the Euros — to wear one. He says: “I want to try to make a difference for disabled people. You should have the same opportunities and chances as anyone else would. 
      “You shouldn’t have to be anyone different, be compared or face bullying or torment for who you are. I may not be perfect but I’m good enough. I’m me, just me.”
      GIVE IT BACKHelp is needed now more than ever.
      We are asking YOU to sign an open letter written by parent Maureen Muteesa to urge the Government to fund Covid recovery policies for disabled children. Add your support here.

      PM Boris Johnson sent a handwritten letter telling Rhys how sorry he was to hear about the nasty comments.
      The PM added: “Please don’t let it bother you and carry on doing everything you enjoy.”
      Last week Rhys went to Wembley to play wheelchair football with the stars of the England Cerebral Palsy team, who have now invited him to St George’s Park, the national training ground. 
      And Fulham’s players were so impressed with how Rhys has beaten the bullies that they invited him to train with them last week. 
      ‘Every boy’s dream’
      Centre back Tim Ream says: “People think players are role models and inspirations. What Rhys is doing is more of an inspiration than anything any of us can do.”
      At Fulham’s Motspur Park training ground, Rhys gave a #BU hoodie to striker Bobby Reid.
      The youngster says: “I told Bobby ‘if you don’t score on Saturday against Bristol then I’ll take the hoodie back’. When Mitrovic scored, I saw Bobby wave at me and the players all came over, jumped the barrier and give me a big hug. It was amazing.”
      The game ended 1-1 but by then video of the goal celebration had gone viral. Through the early hours of the following morning, Rhys’s phone pinged non-stop.
      Kelly says: “I woke up in the night thinking, ‘What the bloody hell is that?’. 
      “His phone was lighting up with thousands of messages of support from all over the world — even someone from Peru. He has had the week of his life, every boy’s dream.”
      And the dream has carried on. 
      At their Craven Cottage ground on Wednesday — where Fulham beat Swansea 3-1 — Rhys was listed in the match programme as Goalkeeper Number 4. 
      Breaking into that massive grin, he said: “Three injuries and I’m on!”
      Rhys makes the save in the TikTok video that led to trolling
      In his beloved Fulham shirt with Adam and KellyCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Rhys looking right at home with his Fulham teammatesCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      Ex-Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli shows his skills on the training pitch More

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      in Soccer

      How ‘Triple M’ Michael Muller-Mohring decides the controversial FIFA 22 player ratings that leaves stars fuming

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      COULD Michael Müller-Möhring have the hardest job in football?’Triple M’, as he is affectionally nicknamed by the FIFA video game community, is responsible for playing ratings for the series, including FIFA 22 which is released today.
      ‘Triple M’ MIchael Müller-Mohring is responsible for the FIFA 22 player ratingsCredit: EA Sports
      FIFA 22 is released todayCredit: EA SPORTS
      The 54-year-old holds the prestige position of Head of Data Collection and Licensing at EA Sports, working from their stunning Cologne office.
      It’s his task, that can come with incredible difficulty, in ensuring players are given their attributes in the game and appear as lifelike as possible.
      Armed with a team of producers/scouts across Europe who monitor players’ performance from the Premier League to the Ukraine’s top flight, the self-confessed football geek claims to study the game fairly.
      “Each footballer is made up of 35 attributes. This then becomes the skill level that we rate on a 1-99 scale,” he told Stadtgefluester.
      “Closing strength, long shots, defending, heading, free kicks, etc.”
      Helping Müller-Möhring with his role are 15-plus producers across Europe.
      Explaining why he has a team all over the world, he said: “This is because professionals in each country need to know the history of football, understand philosophy, and anticipate developments.
      “But above all, they know all the players from the bottom up.
      “We are talking about 18,000 footballers who are being watched – they have to meet the requirements of the database fairly.”
      Armed with a team of producers/scouts around the world, Müller-Möhring works in Cologne at EA Sports
      Müller-Möhring says that over 18,000 players are scouted for the game
      Müller-Möhring promises that every player in the game should feel and behave exactly like the real player.
      “Even to as far to how their hair is styled and how they celebrate scoring a goal.
      He continued: “All optical features have to be right, which concerns the player.
      “But that only represents one aspect of our work. The other, larger factor, is the player himself.
      “For example, that the football star behaves and moves as much as possible in real life.
      ‘It’s about characteristics. How does a player cheer for a goal? What hairstyle does he have?
      “Is he wearing his jersey in his shorts or not? These are just a few details about the player to watch out for.”
      Before working on FIFA, Müller-Möhring wrote football books, primarily about his beloved team SC Fortuna Köln.
      His most famous book was called Tausend Tipps fuer Auswaertsspiele, which translates to Thousand Tips for Away Matches.
      Players like Kylian Mbappe appear more lifelike thanks to Müller-Möhring’s FIFA team
      EA Sports plush German base in CologneCredit: Alamy
      Thousand Tips for Away Matches was the book that helped Müller-Möhring score his job with EA Sports
      And he confessed that’s how he scored his dream job working on the cult video game.
      “As a supporter of Fortuna Köln, I always came to away games too late because there were no navigation devices at the time,” he said.
      “Four times I missed the kick-off in Solingen, where it is actually not that difficult to find the stadium.
      “That’s when I came up with the idea that there should be a guide for football fans.
      “There were four issues for a small publisher. By writing and researching the books, I finally slipped into this job.”
      Müller-Möhring and his team have been in for criticism of some of the ratings featured in the game.
      Jesse Lingard hilariously tweeted EA Sports to up his pace in the game.
      And stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne featured in an official advert for the title asking for higher skill ratings.
      Even Liverpool fans took particular were left miffed when ratings of new signings Virgil Van Dijk and goalie Alisson were lower than the stats of Man City’s Nicolas Otamendi and Ederson in a previous incarnation of the game.
      And in this year’s version of the game, Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has got the needle with his pace stats.
      He wrote in a recent tweet: “Come on, EA Sports FIFA… 35.8 km/h top speed on the field and only 75 speed in FIFA 22?! What do I need to get speed rating of 90? 50 km/h?”
      EA Sports saw the funny side and responded to the German international: “Beat Christian Pulisic in a race and we talk”.
      As ‘Triple M’ explains, he knows there will always be complaints from the pros.
      Mbappe is the cover star for the latest incarnation of the gameCredit: EA SPORTS

      No way Otamendi & Ederson are better than Van Dijk & Alisson.Just because they won the league now their players are getting massively overrated— Buddo (@Bududup876) September 7, 2018

      “We try to make it as objective as possible. But of course we know very well that players will complain,” he told Bild last year.
      “Only once have I met someone who said, ‘I am satisfied with my values.’ The important thing is: we don’t want to hurt anyone. But if players come and want specific things changed, then we don’t react – unless it’s really grossly wrong.”
      Fifa 22 Ultimate Team ‘ones to watch’ revealed including Lionel Messi More

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      in Soccer

      Meet Man Utd, Juventus and Man City target Mizak Asante, scorer of a Puskas Award contender, who idolises Kylian Mbappe

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      GHANA wonderkid Mizak Asante, 15, became a viral sensation when his stunning solo goal for Golden Kick, a definite Puskas Award contender, caused a stir on social media.But, in truth, the teenage talent is already on the radar of the world’s top clubs.
      15-year-old Mizak Asante has become a viral sensation after scoring a wonder strike for Ghana side Golden Kick
      Brilliant Asante waltzed through the Mobile Phone People defence to score a Puskas Award contender
      Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus are just three of a number of sides keeping tabs on the brilliant forward.
      Before Mizak scored this goal we had already showed his highlights – and those of other players – to clubs abroad,” Golden Kick chairman Joseph Epton told an Accra radio station after his wonder strike.
      “But he was the only player we had feedback about.”
      OVERNIGHT STAR
      While many fans hadn’t seen Asante’s talents first hand, he certainly announced himself around the world with his goal.
      Dancing through the Mobile Phone People defence in the Division Two playoff clash, he waltzed past four defenders before rounding the keeper and scoring.
      The last-gasp goal meant the game went to a penalty shootout, which Golden Kick won securing promotion to the Ghanaian top flight.
      After the match, Asante’s exploits made him a hero. But the confident lad couldn’t see what the fuss was all about.
      “I’ve been scoring these kinds of goals all the time,” he declared.
      HE WASN’T EVEN FIT
      Asante started on the bench and was throw on with minutes remaining to salvage something from the game.
      Instantly, he knew what he had to do.
      Before his exploits made him an overnight star, Asante was already a target for Europe’s leading clubs
      Man Utd, Man City and Juventus are all said to be aware of Asante’s talents
      “I was not all that fit that is why I started from the bench,” he told Asempa FM at full-time.
      “While on the bench, I decided to prove my worth even if I get one minute in the game. I knew I was not fit but I needed one minute to perform miracles.”
      The fleet-footed youngster then revealed his happiness, but insisted it’s something he has done before.
      “I was happy when I scored that goal but it is not the first time scoring such a goal,” Asante added.
      “It has come to the public space because of the tension that was surrounding the game.”
      GHANA U17 RECOGNITION
      Now, there’s a clamour surrounding Asante it won’t be long before he gets an international call-up.
      Ghana U17 coach Karim Zito is already well aware of the prodigies skill set.
      “The player is a good technician and he is able to hold the ball,” Zito told Wamputu Sports.
      “He needs guidance and must be taught how to develop his talent. He is a very good dribbler but he must be guided on when to dribble and when not to dribble
      “When they start training I will recommend him to the Black Starlets coach.”
      POP IDOL
      But for the moment, Asante will keep on watching his idol, French superstar Kylian Mbappe to pick up tips.
      “I watch a lot of players but the one I like very much is Kylian Mbappe,” Asante told JoyNews.
      Asante’s favourite player to learn from is Kylian Mbappe

      Goals like Asante scored in the Ghana Division Two playoff come like second nature to the forward, he claimed

      “I like how direct he is with the ball and his pace as well.
      “It’s Mbappe I really want to play like.”
      If he plays his cards right, he might just end up playing with the PSG hero one day.
      Kylian Mbappe ‘filmed moaning about Neymar for not passing him ball’ after Brazilian’s assist for Draxler vs Montpellier More