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      I was a pro football star who won major trophy & qualified for Europa League – but I gave it all up to become a LAWYER

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      A PRO football star who won a major trophy and qualified for the Europa League has told how he gave it all up to become a lawyer.Scott Stevenson was a junior player for St Johnstone when the Perth side won the Scottish Cup in 2014.
      Scott Stevenson pictured in Linlithgow kit
      The former St Johnstone star is now a lawyerCredit: SWNS
      The Saints beat Tayside rivals Dundee United 2-0 at Celtic Park to win a place in qualifying for the 2014-2015 Europa League.
      St Johnstone beat Swiss side FC Luzern on penalties before losing out to Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava in the third qualifying round.
      Just months later, Scott gave up full-time professional football for a drastic career change.
      He said: “I played professionally for St Johnstone for two years until they won the Scottish Cup in 2014.
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      “I have since played part-time while pursuing my legal career for clubs such as Albion Rovers, Stirling Albion, East Kilbride, Linlithgow Rose and Gartcairn.”
      Scott is now urging young players to think of plan-B careers if their football dreams do not go to plan.
      He said: “These are tough decisions for a young person with a head full of stardust to make.
      “But they are decisions which could shape their future, for good or ill.
      Most read in Football
      ”Footballing stardom is the ultimate prize. But there are things I wish I’d thought about before I signed my first professional contract.”
      Scott added: “The day a young footballer signs his first professional contract is an unforgettable occasion.
      “It vindicates the long car journeys to games, the cold hours on the touchline for parents and the relentless honing of the young hopeful’s unique skills.
      “But in the euphoria surrounding it, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that it is a binding document.
      “Great care should be taken to ensure that the terms and conditions within it are in the youngster’s best interests.
      “The ideal contract duration at this stage in a career would be two to three years.
      “It is enough time to create some job security and to develop within the team, but also short enough to allow for a different career path if things do not go according to plan.
      “The footballing life is notoriously short-term and young people may come round to the view that university or an apprenticeship might be better for their long-term prospects.”
      It comes after a Newcastle United cult hero who starred at the World Cup revealed why switched careers to become a greengrocer. More

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      Marcus Rashford’s ‘party’ lifestyle ‘worried Man Utd staff as long ago as 2021’ – as Rooney reaches out to ex-team-mate

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      MANCHESTER United staff had worries about Marcus Rashford’s “party lifestyle” as long ago as autumn 2021, insiders claim.Concerns were raised about the star enjoying boozy nights out and holding rowdy house parties with pals.
      Wayne Rooney decided to get in touch with Marcus Rashford amid worries about his ‘party lifestyle’Credit: Getty
      Old Trafford bosses became concerned about worrying allegations regarding Rashford’s behaviourCredit: Getty
      Wayne Rooney, who had himself hit troubled patches in his career, decided to get in touch with his former team-mate.
      The Sun understands that Reds ­legends David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand have also been in contact.
      Their interventions came after Old Trafford bosses became concerned about a series of worrying allegations about England international Rashford’s behaviour.
      And The Sun told how Rashford went on a 12-hour bender in Belfast last week then rang in sick for training on Friday.
      READ MORE ON MARCUS RASHFORD
      He was dropped for Sunday’s 4-2 FA Cup win over Newport and will be fined two weeks of his £325,000 weekly wage.
      He expressed remorse for his actions during a tense meeting with manager Erik ten Hag and United’s director of football John Murtough on Monday.
      The club said the matter was now closed and he would be considered for selection for the game against Wolves tomorrow.
      But earlier alarm bells included Rashford’s relationship with the fans — usually rock solid given his status as an academy graduate.
      Most read in Football
      They suffered when he clashed with a supporter at Old Trafford who criticised his performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
      He was alleged to have confronted the fan saying “Who the f**k do you think you are you silly c**t, come round the back and say it to my face”. He later denied it.
      Rooney, who like Rashford burst into the public eye as a teenager, was only too happy to help.
      A source said: “The club were alerted to some issues which ­concerned them. People around Marcus believed one solution could be to ask Wayne if he would be good enough to contact Marcus directly and offer support.
      “Wayne was only to happy to help. Marcus has always looked up to Wayne — he’s one of his idols — so he was really happy to hear from him.”
      Reds legends David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand have also been in contact with RashfordCredit: Getty
      Marcus Rashford’s turbulent relationship with childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi broke downCredit: Getty
      Rooney, who by that time had retired and was manager of Derby County, contacted Rashford by phone.
      He gave him words of encouragement and made clear he was available if Rashford ever needed to seek his advice.
      Rashford said in a 2023 interview with Gary Neville how grateful he was for Rooney’s support.
      He said: “I always think to myself like how can I help other players like ­certain players have helped me.
      “I feel like I’m in the right position and stuff to genuinely help them in the beginning of their careers. I’m trying to set them off in the right direction the same way that people like Wazza [Rooney], Carrars [Michael Carrick], Juan [Juan Mata] all set me off in the right direction.”
      But despite the support offered to Rashford, some have remained concerned that his love of nightlife has been adversely affecting his performance on the pitch.
      The 26-year-old has been spotted going into casinos, including Manchester’s 235 casino and Genting in the city’s Chinatown district.
      Rashford is understood to have started playing poker at home with some of his United team-mates and is said to have then begun to visit casinos to play in private VIP rooms, knocking back beers.
      Customers at one casino gathered by the door to try to see him. A source said: “Marcus loves playing poker and has been doing it for years. He might have a couple of bottles of beer — nothing crazy, but he didn’t used to so it wasn’t great.
      “When Marcus was challenged about it, he would always push back and say it wasn’t an issue.”
      Another source said: “Marcus loves the nightlife but the concern is that he’s been doing just too much of it. His house has been a party house.”
      More upset came when his turbulent relationship with childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi, 25, broke down.
      The couple met while pupils at Ashton-on-Mersey school while Rashford was a United scholar.
      A source said: “Lucia is great for Marcus because she’s a normal girl and knew him before all the money, the cars and the jewellery.
      “When you strip back his personality he isn’t the most confident around women and has the same insecurities most people have.”
      Marcus, right, with brothers Dane Rashford, left, and Dwaine Maynard, centreCredit: Instagram
      Rashford is so close to brothers Dwaine and Dane that they all live in mansions in the same road along with mum MelanieCredit: PA
      Another issue which has weighed heavily on Rashford recently is supporting his extended family.
      He is so close to brothers Dwaine and Dane that they all live in mansions in the same road along with mum Melanie.
      But those relationships have been put to the test following Dane’s arrest on suspicion of battery in October while on holiday in Miami with his partner.
      The police case was dropped but the fallout has seen Dwaine put his home up for sale and caused friction within the family.
      A source said: “Marcus loves all of his family dearly but it is draining for him.”
      Rashford has also bought properties for extended family members but that has added to his stress levels, as some have expected him to provide further for them.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The source added: “Marcus is really struggling. Anyone who cares for him needs to step up and start helping him, rather than expecting it to be the other way round.
      “He might be a wealthy footballer but he’s a young man who has lost his way. The sooner he finds it, the better.” More

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      Fears for Marcus Rashford after boozing, split from childhood sweetheart and ‘warning’ from Ten Hag

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      IT WAS only last summer that striker Marcus ­Rashford had the world at his feet — but critics say he’s now out of control.The boyhood Manchester United fan had just signed a new five-year, £325,000-a-week contract running until 2028 — giving him a guaranteed £84.5million in salary.
      For the first time, Marcus Rashford’s Old Trafford future is being seriously questioned by fans and critics after he went out clubbing the night before training and rang in sickCredit: Getty
      The news of Rashford’s split with his fiance Lucia Loi, his childhood sweetheart, after he was pictured walking back into a Miami hotel with personal trainer Courtney CaldwellCredit: Getty
      Marcus now faces some time off the pitch as he tries to regain Ten Hag’s trust and simplify his life away from footballCredit: Getty
      All he had to do was keep ­performing on the pitch.
      Smiling for the camera with boss Erik ten Hag, he said at the time: “I will give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of. I couldn’t be more excited for the future under this manager.”
      But for the first time, his Old Trafford future is being seriously questioned by fans and critics after he went out clubbing the night before training and rang in sick.
      Ex-Premier League star and BBC pundit Chris Sutton yesterday told the It’s All Kicking Off podcast: “He thinks he’s untouchable.
      READ MORE ON MARCUS RASHFORD
      “This hasn’t been the first time he’s had a misdemeanour. It’s been continuous. He has no respect for the manager and no respect for his teammates. That’s the bottom line.
      “He’s probably thinking he is going to outlast Ten Hag, but he’s out of control as far as I can see.”
      Fellow BBC pundit and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer added: “Something is wrong — either at home or in his relationship with the club.
      “He can’t keep doing this, he can’t keep wasting his talent. He needs strong management, someone to get hold of him and tell him there’ll be huge regrets come the end of his career if he continues doing this.”
      Most read in Football
       Rashford’s latest actions have presented a huge challenge for disciplinarian Ten Hag, who has already put his foot down with stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho and forced them out of the club.
      The only thing that may save his longer-term future at the club is a heartfelt apology to the Dutchman and the fact United are in dire need of attacking options.
      An Instagram apology to the fans will no doubt follow and a promise to improve on his total of four goals in 26 appearances this season.
      But the signs of a troubled life off the pitch were there before United announced in July last year that the 26-year-old had signed a new deal after a superb season saw him score 30 goals in 56 games.
      A month earlier, The Sun told how Rashford had split with his fiancée Lucia Loi, his sweetheart from school. The news emerged after he was seen walking into a Miami hotel with personal trainer Courtney Caldwell during a holiday.
      Rashford then appeared to be among players warned by Ten Hag ahead of this season that they needed to live their life right, on and off the pitch.
      He said: “When you are not living the right life, you get killed. What is important? Sleep, recovery, nutrition. Three key areas and when you don’t do this right, you can’t perform.
      “So when you ask me about Rashford, the same also counts for Rapha Varane and for every player. You will not reach the levels when you don’t do the things right.”
      When asked directly, “Is there a concern that Marcus or any other player has a problem with their lifestyle?”, Ten Hag refused to take a backwards step.
      He responded: “In general, when I came in at Man United, the standards were not right. That’s true.
      “I demand the highest standards in sleep, recovery and nutrition because that makes the difference if you can perform every third or fourth day. At Man United we are demanding the highest standards.”
      Rashford should not have been surprised by the warning as Ten Hag previously dropped him from the starting line-up against Wolves in December 2022 for being late for a team meeting.
      He responded by coming on as a sub and scoring the winner, and later insisted in an interview he understood the decision.
      He said: “I never made a thing out of it because if I was a coach, I’d have done the same.”
      But in June, 2023, his personal life was being questioned when he was spotted in Malibu, California, with American Caldwell and Love Island’s Natalia Zoppa.
      And three months later, he pranged his £700,000 Rolls-Royce.
      Then, in October 2023, he incurred Ten Hag’s wrath again when he decided to go out to ­Chinawhite nightclub in Manchester to celebrate his birthday after United were beaten 3-0 by rivals Man City.
      Ten Hag later said: “I spoke with him about it. It’s unacceptable. He apologised and that is it. For us it’s an internal matter. He’s very motivated to put things right.” That night out came nine days after his brother Dane was arrested on holiday with his partner in Miami on suspicion of battery.
      The Rashford family closed ranks but Dane’s mugshot emerged online the following month — causing a split between Dane and Marcus’ other brother Dwaine Maynard, who looks after his career.
      A source said: “The arrest was embarrassing and has caused a lot of problems within the family. Marcus is firmly in the middle of it and trying to keep everyone happy, which is making him unhappy.” Dane has since been cleared of any wrongdoing.
      But the Rashford family were dealt a further blow when a cousin passed away, with Marcus paying tribute to him by looking up to the sky after scoring. Marcus now has to regain Ten Hag’s trust and simplify his life away from football.
      Many fans are baffled how it has gone so wrong for the footballer, who could do no wrong in the public’s eyes early on in his career.
      He earned widespread praise for his charity work and campaigning on food poverty. This led to him being awarded an MBE in 2020, when he was 22. He successfully lobbied the Government during the pandemic to U-turn on its policy of stopping free school meals for primary kids at the summer holidays.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      And his motivational children’s book You Are A Champion won Book Of The Year in 2022.
      The star was snapped partying with pals in Malibu, CaliforniaCredit: Apex
      The star was involved in a late night crash in his £700,00 Rolls-RoyceCredit: Ketts News – The Sun More

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      The most bizarre England game ever against eighth-tier minnows… who nearly put Gary Lineker to shame

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      ENGLAND’S football stars once played a bizarre friendly against eighth-tier minnows – who almost put them to shame.Sir Bobby Robson’s squad were preparing for the 1988 European Championships when they came up against a non-league side.
      A packed crowd watches the friendly at the Buckingham Road StadiumCredit: Alamy
      Gary Lineker had just finished his second season at Barcelona, while the likes of Stuart Pearce and John Barnes were also playing in the top-flight every weekend.
      Just a week earlier, Lineker gave England a 1-0 win over Switzerland in Lausanne.
      A walkover was was therefore largely expected when they took to the pitch for a friendly against lowly Aylesbury United.
      Sir Bobby agreed to take part in the friendly after being convinced it would be good preparation for the upcoming tournament in West Germany.
      Read more sport
      Little over 6,000 fans packed out their tiny Buckingham Road ground to get up close to their England heroes.
      But what was meant to be a one-sided encounter nearly saw the non-league outfit take a humiliating lead.
      Cliff Hercules was supposed to be on holiday in Ibiza, but flew back for the game and missed a huge opportunity to score an historic goal.
      He made was left free in the penalty area after England’s defenders failed to track his run, but was mortified as his close-range header sailed over Peter Shilton’s goal.
      Most read in Football
      David Brown, 52, was one of the spectators in attendance on June 4, 1988.
      He told The Sun: “I have been a fan of the club since 1985 and joined the board to help try and bring it back.
      “My grandad used to take me as a kid, then I grew up and moved into a house round the corner from the ground – I was able to cycle there.
      “I was there when we played against England. Six thousand people went to the match and today it is still the only time and England team has played a non-league ground.
      “We even nearly scored a couple of goals.”
      Ultimately England went onto win the friendly 7-0 thanks to four goals from Peter Beardsley and strikes from Lineker and Everton pair Dave Watson and Trevor Steven.
      Hercules himself also recalled what could have been a life-changing moment.
      He told the BBC: “I was in Ibiza and had to interrupt my holiday to fly home. When I told everyone I was going back to play against England, they were like ‘yeah, whatever’.”
      “I had a great chance to score. If it had gone in it would have changed my life.
      “We’d first heard about the prospect of facing England a few months earlier, but we put it to the back of our minds because we were concentrating on promotion,” he adds.
      “Aylesbury paid to fly me back on the Friday, I played on the Saturday, we had a meal with the England players afterwards, before I flew back to Spain.
      He added: “I had a great chance to score. If it had gone in it would have changed my life.”
      The friendly did little to help England’s preparations based on their subsequent performance at Euro ’88.
      The Three Lions failed to win a single point after losing to Ireland, the Netherlands and the Soviet Union.
      Meanwhile, the Buckingham Road site had been left to rot since 2006.
      It was intended to be redeveloped into housing, but 17 years later a rotting stand and overgrown pitch still occupies the site.
      Damaged walls, cracked seating and shattered fence panel also fill the ground – a far cry from the glory of 1988.
      Aylesbury currently have to ply their trade at Chesham FC while attempts are made to bring football back to the town.
      David, a marketing director, added: “The owner wanted to build houses on the ground, but it is on a flood plain and there’s not enough access.
      “The owners have done nothing with it for 17 years. It would cost several million to get the site up and running.
      “We aren’t giving up hope on the ground but there’s enough land around Aylebsury for us to build something new. We want to build a complex with 4G pitches.
      “We are currently having to play in Chesham and get 150 to 200 people. If we were playing in the town again then we’d expect that number to be between 500 and 1,000.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      A new planning application to redevelop the stadium into 42 houses and a new public open space was heard by Buckinghamshire Council last month.
      Planning documents detailed how the stadium is now “dilapidated, overgrown and has been subject to some anti-social behaviour”, before councillors voted to defer the matter to the Director of Planning and Environment for approval. More

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      Fulham 0 Newcastle 2: Alan Shearer breaks 39-year tradition during Toon’s FA Cup win

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      SEAN LONGSTAFF and Dan Burn gave their fellow Geordies the last laugh with the goals that lifted the Newcastle gloom.The travelling fans insulted by the ridiculous kick-off time dictated by the demands of television went home happy after cameras of a different kind failed to rule out Longstaff’s controversial first-half opener.
      Alan Shearer watches Newcastle’s win over Fulham in the away end with children Will, centre, and Chloe
      Alan Shearer and Lee Clark watched Newcastle make the fifth round of the FA CupCredit: Rex
      And then another local hero, Burn, scrambled home the second goal just past the hour mark to seal a win that could yet prove highly significant.
      Victory keeps alive Newcastle’s hopes of having a trophy to show for a so-far disappointing season.
      It also eased the pressure, for a few hours at least, on beleaguered Toon boss Eddie Howe.
      The coming days are likely to be difficult, with the threat of a player or players being sold to help balance the books of the richest club in the world.
      Read More on Football
      The sound you can hear is the world’s smallest rabab – the ancient Saudi Arabian ancestor of the violin.
      But if it’s hard to feel sorry for Howe and Newcastle, it is important for them not to feel sorry for themselves as they face up to their current problems.
      They have a lot of work to do to secure a second consecutive season of Champions League football.
      But perhaps an FA Cup run (or even better a win), plus a place in European football of some description, would be sufficient to demonstrate a direction of travel. 
      Most read in FA Cup
      It was clearly a big game for the visitors. Among the black and white hordes in the Putney End were a number of celebrities, including Alan Shearer and fellow former Newcastle team-mate Lee Clark.
      Shearer said: “Ah man. What a f——— night that was. In the away end for the first time since 1985. I bloody loved it. TOON TOON. 🖤🤍”
      On the face of it, Howe’s team selection was that of a man who knew his season and probably his job depended on it.
      Injuries undoubtedly restricted his options but the Newcastle boss picked the strongest starting 11 available to him.
      Not so Marco Silva. The Fulham boss made seven changes to the side that had tried and narrowly failed to overcome Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg three evenings earlier.
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      Sean Longstaff opened the scoring for Newcastle against FulhamCredit: Alamy
      But if those decisions suggested an attitude of “That’s enough cup runs for this year, lads”, the players in white on the pitch did not get the memo, in the first half at least.
      Fulham started brightly and second-string centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz fired a shot high into the Putney End inside three minutes.
      A defensive mix-up at the other end gifted Jacob Murphy a chance but he hit his shot straight at stand-in Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who made a meal of saving it.
      Rodak was in action again to stop Fabian Schar touching in a Kieran Trippier free-kick at the near post and Anthony Gordon fired wide.
      But Fulham were holding their own. Muniz might have done better than force a decent save out of Martin Dubravka in a promising opening to the game which suggested, if nothing else, that neither side wanted a replay.
      The visitors were showing purpose but struggling in the final third to turn it into chances. 
      Dan Burn sealed Newcastle’s victory at Fulham in the second halfCredit: Getty
      Muniz again went close when his shot on the turn was deflected just wide by Sven Botman.
      But six minutes before half-time the home side fell controversially behind.
      Fulham had only themselves to blame, having failed to deal with a Trippier cross after a corner.
      The ball fell into Longstaff’s path after being diverted there by Bruno Guimaraes’ hand but the VAR officials must have deemed it accidental – check the laws, nothing to do with me – and so saw no reason to chalk off the fine finish.
      Dan Burn started at left-back and dominated the wing against Fulham
      Newcastle made it to the next round even though Fulham dominated possession
      Newcastle were noticeably more confident coming out for the second half.
      Fulham chances dried up and Alexander Isak tested Rodak before the Fulham keeper was unable to prevent the visitors doubling their lead.
      The Slovak kept out Botman’s header from Trippier’s corner but the ball fell for Burn to jab in from close range.
      Silva brought on more first-choice players with 20 minutes to go but it was too little, too late.
      The Fulham momentum had been halted by Longstaff’s goal and Burn’s strike seemed to have robbed them of belief.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Substitute Raul Jimenez headed over the bar but there was to be no comeback and no more cup heroics from Fulham, as he and Tom Cairney fired wide in stoppage time.
      Newcastle and Howe live to fight another day. More

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      Inside Xabi Alonso’s glamorous life, from wife who Liverpool team-mate tried to pull to model shoots and love of cars

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      XABI ALONSO is the talk of the town in Germany and Liverpool.The Bayer Leverkusen manager has the club seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
      Xabi Alonso is top of the Bundesliga and is the man linked to replace Jurgen KloppCredit: Getty
      But how about the man away from football?
      This has firmly put them on course to land their first Bundesliga title in their 120-year history.
      Alonso has grown a strong reputation in coaching for his innovative and attractive brand of football.
      Whether he is the man to replace the departing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield remains to be seen, given there are a number of other candidates to consider.
      But what about the man away from the pitch and tactics board?
      READ MORE IN LIVERPOOL
      Star crossed lovers
      Alonso is married to Nagore Aranburu.
      The couple tied the knot all the way back in 2009, a month before Alonso left Liverpool for Real Madrid.
      They met when Alonso was still a teenager and playing for boyhood club Real Sociedad.
      Alonso and Nagore have had three children together, Jontxe born in 2008,  Ane, born in 2010 and Emma, born in 2013.
      Most read in Football
      Xabi Alonso married wife Nagore Aranburu in 2009Credit: AFP
      They first met when Alonso was a kid at Real SociedadCredit: Getty
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      Nagore has worked as a model, actress and fashion designer.
      But one hilarious tale came while she worked as a hotel receptionist in Liverpool.
      Ex-Reds ace and Alonso team-mate Peter Crouch recalled the first time he met Nagore.
      Crouch confessed his love at first-sight reaction to meeting Nagore, before Liverpool team-mates including Jamie Carragher broke the news to him that she was with Alonso.
      He said: “On signing for Liverpool I stayed at the Hope Street Hotel.
      “On reception was a girl so good-looking I couldn’t quite believe she was smiling at me all the time.
      The couple have three children togetherCredit: AFP
      Despite busy work schedules they have always made time to enjoy days out togetherCredit: Splash News
      “I told the lads in training, ‘honestly, she’s beautiful, I think I’ve got a shout here.’ Jamie Carragher called a few other senior players over, ‘tell them again, Crouchie.’
      “So I did, ‘amazing. Dark-haired. Spanish-looking. I’m in there.’ It turned out she was Xabi Alonso’s partner.
      “She was doing a bit of work to practise her language skills. He was nice about it. So was she. Carra less so.”
      Despite their busy lifestyles, Alonso and Nagore have always been sure to make time to spend with one another.
      While at Bayern Munich Alonso and Nagore were a regular sight during Oktoberfest celebrations.
      Following Alonso’s retirement from football in 2017 the pair were spotted enjoying a walk on the beach during a family holiday to California.
      Alonso has also revealed the pair love a trip to the museum and going for a mountain drive with the family.
      Alonso and Nagore were often sighted at Oktoberfest celebrationsCredit: AFP
      Alonso revealed the family used to enjoy mountain car ridesCredit: Getty
      Petrolhead and modelling
      Perhaps it is an echo of his sleek playing style, but whenever Alonso is pictured in a car it is one of elegant design.
      And his fashion sense goes in the same direction.
      Alonso loves getting behind the wheel of classic beamers, with a number of Instagram posts showing him driving a variety of classic cars.
      During his time in Munich, Alonso modelled for Porsche and Adidas as they launched the Porsche Design Sport SS17 and sportswear range.
      Alonso modelled for the launch of the Adidas Porsche Design Sport SS17Credit: Adidas / Porsche

      Alonso and Nagore living the high life
      The pair, seen posing for Adidas Porsche Design Sport SS17, really are the model couple
      However, when going to training he would drive a rather inconspicuous Audi, rather than his classic Mercedes 190 SL convertible.
      Cost estimates for that car today put it between £70,000 to £166,000.
      In an interview with Mr Porter, Alonso – who has been likened to James Bond – is seen driving a Porsche 356 and not looking one bit out of place.
      One thing Alonso can’t stand is the idea of tattoos on his body.
      In a 2016 interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Alonso said: “They [friends] know that they have zero chance with me.
      “By the way, I am not against tattoos in principle. It may well be that this looks cool on others.
      “But not for me. I just can’t imagine myself with piercings, chains or anything else. Obviously, I’m hopelessly old-fashioned.”
      Alonso has always championed a sleek fashion styleCredit: Adidas / Porsche
      One thing he can’t get behind are tattoos on his bodyCredit: Adidas / Porsche
      Alonso is also pretty fed up of the idea that footballers have bad taste in music and TV shows, saying: “It’s the eternal cliché that footballers don’t have taste.
      “I think that’s pretty unfair. But I already know that, I’ve gotten used to it.”
      He has previously raved about hit shows like True Detective and Fargo, describing them as “masterpieces”, while also revealing bands he has listened to.
      The Shins, The Flaming Lips, The Delgados, The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed to name a few.
      Special moments are like watch links
      Despite his often suave appearance, Alonso is not one who often dresses to impress.
      But when he does, he goes all out, and watches are the crown jewel of his wardrobe.
      Alonso has likened special moments in his life and career to links in a watch.
      He told The Journal: “For me, every special moment is bound to be linked to a particular watch, and whenever I put it on I’m transported back to that moment – such as when we won the Champions League with Liverpool or the World Cup with Spain.”
      Jurgen Klopp’s successor?By Dan King
      XABI ALONSO ticks almost every box to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, and if Bayer Leverkusen don’t let their lead at the top of the Bundesliga slip the case for him to do so will be irresistible.
      The former Kop idol knows the club inside out after five seasons at Anfield and has made no secret of his enduring affection.
      Alonso has already forged a reputation as an innovative coach playing an attractive, pressing style, usually in a fluid 3-4-2-1 formation.
      He has taken Leverkusen from second bottom of the Bundesliga to seven-points clear at the top, putting them on course to be crowned German champions for the first time in their 120-year history.
      It’s worth remembering that both Rafa Benitez and Klopp arrived at Anfield with proof they could dethrone clubs who dominated their leagues
      For Alonso to do the same, in only his second season as a top-flight manager, would mark him out as something special.
      It is that lack of long-term experience that would still make appointing him to replace Klopp a gamble.
      But otherwise, he looks like the perfect candidate as Liverpool are forced to plan a future without the man who made them champions of England, Europe and the world.

      A IWC Steel Ingenieur Automatic 40, £10,500, similar to the one Alonso was givenCredit: IWC
      Alonso shows off one of his many watches on a trip to London with Nagora
      Watches in his collection include Rolex, Patek Philippe, Franck Muller, Audemars Piguet and Panerai – not that he has a particular desire to show off such accessories for fear of coming across as vulgar.
      However, his favourite and most special member of his watch collection was a gift from Nagora on their wedding day – an IWC Ingenieur – worth £10,500 according to Watches of Switzerland.
      For Alonso, the stunning watch “represents the fact that I had found a woman who thought about me, about what I like, and my personality.
      “I don’t wear it much, just on really special occasions.”
      Alonso says he likes IWC watches in general because “they’re not overly showy, attention-grabbing watches” and “have a certain sophistication without being flashy”.
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      The old saying goes: “You can tell a lot about a man from the shoes he’s wearing and the watch he has on.”
      And it seems for Alonso, simple but beautiful efficiency is runs through everything he does. More

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      in Motorsport

      My dad is an F1 legend – now I’m the sport’s most famous Wag, modelling for Vogue and selling my own make-up range

      by

      KELLY PIQUET has been surrounded by Formula One royalty all her life, but now she firmly has her own crown as the sport’s most famous Wag.The Brazilian beauty, 35, has been dating three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen since the end of 2020.
      Kelly Piquet is F1’s most famous WagCredit: Rex
      Kelly often stuns in front of the cameraCredit: Getty
      She is dating Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
      However, thanks to a career in modelling and PR she has risen to have star power in both a financial and influence sense.
      Kelly’s professional career has helped her cultivate a huge following on social media.
      While she is not a driver, motorsport flows through her veins.
      Kelly is the daughter of a disgraced F1 legend and has had previous relationships with former drivers.
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      Start your engines
      Kelly was born in Germany on December 7, 1988 as the second child of Nelson Piquet and Sylvia Tasmsa.
      Brazilian hero Piquet won three F1 titles in the 1980s and continued to be a presence in and around the paddock for years after.
      However, in 2022 Piquet was banned from the F1 paddock and ordered to pay £780,000 in damages after using a derogatory term referring to Lewis Hamilton when speaking about the 2021 Silverstone Grand Prix.
      Kelly has six siblings including ex-F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. who was a key player in the infamous “Crashgate” scandal of 2008.
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      Although Kelly was born in Germany, she spent much of her childhood in France.
      Her studies saw her spend 12 monthsat St Clare’s Oxford in England before heading back to Brazil.
      She eventually found her way to New York, where she graduated in International Relations from the Marymount Manhattan College with a major in Political Science and Economics.
      Kelly is the daughter of disgraced F1 champion Nelson Piquet
      Kelly has six siblingsCredit: Splash
      Previous relationship
      Kelly was previously in a relationship with Russian Daniil Kvyat.
      The pair began dating in January 2017 and had a daughter together, Penelope, months before they split up in December 2019.
      And around a year later, Verstappen entered into a relationship with Kelly, going Instagram official in January 2021.
      Ironically, Verstappen replaced Kvyat at Red Bull in the second half of the 2016 F1 season.
      Verstappen says he gets on well with the three-year old, regularly sharing images with her online.
      But has also firmly stated he has no intention of becoming her father figure.
      Kelly had a three-year relationship and daughter with Daniil KvyatCredit: Getty
      She began dating Verstappen at the end of 2020Credit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Speaking to TIME magazine, he said: “I’m not the father, that’s not the aim.
      “It’s always very important that she has a good relationship with her own father, which she has.
      “But I see her every day when I’m at home. We get on very well. She’s very cute.”
      Kelly and Verstappen live together in Monaco, a stone’s throw from a host of other drivers who have made the glamorous country their home.
      Taking a Piq
      When she is not looking after Penelope or seen track-side, Kelly tries her hand at a number of different jobs.
      As well as being a model and PR specialist she is also an F1 columnist.
      Her work in front of a camera has helped her attract a following of more than 1.4 million fans on Instagram.
      Kelly has modelled for the likes of Vogue and has her own make-up range.
      Her exploits have seen her top the rich list of F1 Wags when it comes to Instagram earnings.
      She often stuns both at trackside and while at red carpet events.
      Kelly has revealed that sometimes she has to remind petrol-head Verstappen to get take his mind off the F1 circuit.
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      She said: “There have been times where I’ve been like, ‘OK, time to switch off’.
      “You have to give a gentle reminder that the sun is shining outside and, you know, there are other things to do.”
      Kelly tops the rich list of F1 Wags
      Kelly has more than 1.4 million followers on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/kellypiquet/
      Kelly revealed she sometimes has to remind Verstappen to ‘switch off’Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/ More

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      in Boxing

      I’m a 6ft 9in former basketball star but I quit the sport… now I’m a boxer who could secretly help dethrone Tyson Fury

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      SIX years ago Darren Sealy walked away from professional basketball to pursue boxing – now he is involved in the world’s biggest fights. The 6ft 9in heavyweight shot hoops in Spain and Lithuania before returning to the UK to play for London-based sides.
      Sealy is now a professional heavyweight boxerCredit: Instagram @darrensealy
      But after picking up personal training as a side hustle due to a lack of funding on the court, Sealy soon began coaching full time.
      That is when he was introduced to boxing, and given the chance to put his towering frame to use in a whole different way.
      Sealy told SunSport: “I was always in a team sport, but I knew I’d love to give it a go one day. 
      “I would always train, I always knew what I had to do, just with the basics, but I never took it seriously until I was in my mid to late 20s.” 
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      Sealy had 14 fights before turning pro, five in the white collar circuit and eight as an amateur.
      He was then granted a professional licence from the British Boxing Board of Control in August of 2022.
      But Sealy’s life would change forever when a year later heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury signed to fight MMA star Francis Ngannou.
      Realising a gap in the market for 6ft 9in sparring partners to replicate Fury’s size, Sealy reached out to Ngannou’s camp.
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      And following talks in London after a press conference, Sealy was invited to spar the ex-UFC champ.
      After a successful rehearsal, he would later travel with Ngannou for two weeks of sparring in Saudi Arabia.
      He revealed: “I was in contact with Dewey Cooper, his head coach and obviously he had his fight with Fury. I’m relatively the same height, same build. It just made sense really. 
      “The sparring partners they were looking for needed to be the same height and same build and, speaking to Dewey, I went out to Saudi and finished up camp with them.” 
      Ngannou, 37, almost caused the mother of all upsets when he floored Fury, 35, only to lose a controversial decision.
      But the performance did not surprise anyone in the Cameroonian’s camp, including Sealy.
      He said: “I wasn’t shocked by the performance whatsoever because I saw the work rate that they were putting in. 
      “I saw his performances in the sparring and saw how much he was putting in, which was great.
      Francis Ngannou brought Sealy into his campCredit: instagram @darrensealy
      Ngannou finished up his sparring with Sealy in SaudiCredit: Instagram @darrensealy
      “I wasn’t shocked on the night as well because the man’s power cannot be uncredited. 
      “You don’t want to be hit clean by him, and when Fury was we saw what happened.”
      Fury’s split-decision meant his undisputed title decider with Oleksandr Usyk remained intact, although postponed from December to February 17.
      One of Ngannou’s sparring partners was also recruited by Usyk, 36, who then recommended Sealy to the Ukrainian.
      Before long, Sealy was back in camp tasked with the job of mimicking the Gypsy King.
      He said: “It’s all about connections, building connections and relationships and being confident to put yourself out there and put a good performance on. 
      “Putting your best foot forward and putting the best Darren on like I did in Saudi it enabled me to come into camp with Usyk because he’s fighting the same opponent.” 
      Usyk’s southpaw skills and eccentric personality remains somewhat of an enigma in boxing – but Sealy revealed he is as down to earth as they come.
      Sealy is now in camp with Oleksandr UsykCredit: instagram
      He said: “If someone walked in the room that didn’t know boxing you’d almost have to tell them, ‘That’s the heavyweight champ.’ 
      “Because he doesn’t carry himself with any type of, ‘Hey, look at me.’ Or, ‘You can’t come near me.’ He’s a very, very relaxed person, has time for everybody. 
      “You can always ask for a little bit of advice from him, English might be a different language to him but he still respects you and wants to listen to you. 
      “For someone of his credibility, his accolades and achievements, I think he’s one of the nicest people in boxing that I’ve ever met.” 
      Fury and Usyk will meet in what is the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification bout.
      So the historic occasion is not lost on Sealy, who said: “I reflect on it when I’m not sparring, when I’m having my own personal time.
      “I think it’s important to reflect and live in the moment because if I’m thinking too far ahead or thinking what’s next then I’m not soaking up the atmosphere, not relishing the opportunity. 
      “I know there’s not too many people that are my height and have the privilege to be a part of these camps. 
      “So by all means I am living up to the opportunity but I am living up to the expectation. It’s been two amazing experiences, two amazing camps.” 
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      Sealy, 32, suffered defeat on his pro debut last March against experienced journeyman Phil Williams, 38.
      But he gets the chance to exact revenge and right the wrong in a rematch on February 10 in Brentwood. More