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      in Soccer

      Mary Earps is England’s TikTok queen with 1m followers thanks to her hilarious and heart-warming videos

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      SOCIAL media can be a powerful tool for a sports, when it is done right.Lionesses hero Mary Earps is ticking all the boxes on that front.
      England shotstopper Mary Earps has become of the game’s iconic figuresCredit: Getty
      Off the pitch, Earps cuts a glam figureCredit: Instagram @1maryearps
      The Sports Personality of the Year award nominee, 30, has had a remarkable year on the pitch.
      Following up her displays at the Euros in 2022, she starred in England’s World Cup campaign – memorably saving a penalty in the final with Spain before firing her teammates up with a series of expletives caught on camera.
      But it’s off the pitch where Man Utd star Mary is at her most endearing.
      She is known as the ‘TikTok Queen’ among her peers, drawing more than 1million followers to her account thanks to her hilarious and heartwarming videos.
      Read more Lionesses news
      Sometimes, the hilarity is at the expense of her teammates…
      The fall girl
      Often, Earps ropes in pal Millie Bright for her TikToks.
      Most recently, the goalie deputised for the Chelsea defender as captain.
      Put a camera in front of them, and they are a comedy duo to be reckoned with.
      Most read in Football
      Several of Mary’s clips include the centre back.
      Some of the most memorable include various dance routines the pair pull off in unison.
      The one that gets us, though, is a game where you have to guess the song and sing along.
      If you don’t, the other player – standing behind you – will clatter you with a pillow.
      Both Mary and Millie take considerable pleasure in whacking each other if they don’t know the song.
      It, strangely, makes for compelling viewing.
      Mary Earps usually ropes in Mille Bright for some TikTok funCredit: TikTok @1maryearps
      A guess the song game always provides hilarity between Earps and BrightCredit: TikTok @1maryearps
      Clowning around
      Mary is a model professional.
      She has to work hard to become a permanent fixture for her country, when she was dropped by former England coach Phil Neville she fought hard to win her place back.
      It was a moment that saw her consider retirement.
      Thankfully, she didn’t. And she is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.
      Clearly, she also provides plenty of light relief in training – and isn’t afraid to clown around.
      Case in point, a recent training session with Utd saw her showing off her skills.
      After pulling off a save, she runs to the camera to show off her face covered in bits of grass.
      She captioned the clip: “When you’re a goalkeeper and the groundsman has just cut the grass.”
      read more sport features
      A training session on a freshly cut pitch saw Earps covered in grassCredit: TikTok @1maryearps
      Beauty regime
      One thing TikTok is famous for is beauty tips.
      You can’t move on the platform for make-up advice, skin care tips and the like.
      Mary is, obviously, well aware of this.
      So, in the only way she knows how, the football star filmed her own beauty regime.
      First, she comically applied a face mask, then scrubbed her teeth with purple whitening toothpaste.
      Earps then applies a cleanser, a booster, and an eye cream to get rid of dark circles, followed by a moisturiser.
      All of this is brilliantly narrated by England star Jess Carter.
      Earps comically applies a face maskCredit: TikTok @1maryearps
      Purple whitening toothpaste is part of Earps’ beauty regime
      Success story
      No doubt her biggest success in the game came in the summer of 2022.
      England lifted the Euros, in front of home support at Wembley, against old rivals Germany.
      It was a nail-biting game, with Mary proving resilient to the end.
      After the game, as you can imagine, celebrations ran wild.
      Leading the chorus of songs was Earps, with a medal around her neck, dancing in the changing room.
      Various teammates join her in harmony during the momentous moment.
      Of course, that clip is pinned and has been played a whopping 4.4million times by TikTok users.
      Earps celebrates England’s famous Euro 2022 winCredit: TikTok @1maryearps
      Alessia’s worst fears
      Coming up an uncompromising centre half doesn’t scare England forward Alessia Russo.
      If anything, the Arsenal star is ready to mix it with the most physical of players.
      However, she does have one fear that was exposed by Mary… turkeys.
      During a recent England camp, the pair were taking a walk around their base when they stumbled upon a turkey in their path.
      Frozen in fear, Alessia wouldn’t go anywhere near it, prompting Mary to film the moment and narrate over the top of the clip: “Alessia is afraid of turkeys, everyone.”
      Read more on The Sun
      Alessia argued the case that it charged at them, but Mary wasn’t having any of it.
      It’s just another reason why Mary is the ‘TikTok Queen’.
      Alessia Russo’s scary moment with a turkey was captured by Earps
      The turkey, itself, was seemingly going about its own business More

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      in Motorsport

      I lived a double life as a rally driver and drug smuggler – I had champagne and coke-fuelled parties before races

      by

      RANDY LANIER was a motor racing champion who won Rookie of the Year at the 1986 Indy500.But just a year later he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for drug smuggling.
      Randy Lanier lived a double life as a race driver and a drug smugglerCredit: NETFLIX
      He founded Blue Thunder and became IMSA GT champion in 1984Credit: NETFLIX
      Lanier fulfilled his dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986Credit: NETFLIX
      Born in rural Virginia, Lanier dreamed of becoming a race driver from the first time he heard a live broadcast of the Indy500 on the radio.
      The 69-year-old fulfilled his dream in 1986 following a rather unconventional path into the world of motorsport.
      It began when he moved to Florida in the 1960s when his love for cannabis turned into a money-making scheme.
      Lanier and his close associates began to smuggle in the drug from the Bahamas and his operation grew and grew.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      After overcoming a setback in which Lanier was robbed at gunpoint in his home, the soon-to-be-racer was importing cannabis from South America, and with it he built an impressive fortune.
      Going straight to the suppliers meant Lanier began smuggling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cannabis worth millions of dollars.
      His scheme involved hiding the contraband in hollowed-out ballast tanks of barges, and the more he shipped in, the better his race car became.
      Lanier was already an amateur racer by the time he became a drug kingpin but his career never took off.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He blamed that fact on not owning and running his own team, so once he had the money he set up Blue Thunder and worked his way onto the IMSA racing scene.
      As Lanier put it himself: “To really be an up-front runner in racing, it takes not only a team, but a team with quite a bit of funds.”
      His own wife Pam described him as not the most “elegant” driver with Lanier following the Jeremy Clarkson handbook of power first, ask questions later.
      But it was a recipe for success and Lanier became one of the best young drivers on the circuit, thanks in part to the wisdom he no doubt learned from one-time Le Mans star Bill Whittington, his co-driver.
      Together the pair beat Indy500 legend Bobby Rahal to win the IMSA GT Championship in 1984, and with that brought further racing opportunities.
      Lanier then had the chance to walk away from his drugs empire for good when two representatives from Ford, who he had believed to be FBI agents, visited him at a race to offer him the chance to join their factory team.
      But he turned them down for one simple reason – friendship.
      Lanier stated: “My mind was already made up. I wanted to keep Blue Thunder together. That’s what friends do.”
      Lanier threw champagne and coke-fuelled parties before racesCredit: NETFLIX
      His secret life caught up with him and he was sentenced to life in prison in 1987Credit: NETFLIX
      Naturally, a self-funded racing champion with no discernable income raised eyebrows, but that did not prevent Lanier from expanding his operation – on and off the track.
      He began paying off the mob for access to ports with one job costing him £500,000 alone, and another involving one ship being diverted from landing in Louisiana to San Francisco – some 1,500 nautical miles.
      Lanier ploughed most of his money into his race cars but there was plenty of excess which was spent on speedboats as well as champagne and cocaine-fuelled parties before races.
      He then took things up a notch when he set his sights competing at the Indy500 by racing alongside professional daredevils like Rahal, Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.
      Lanier fulfilled his childhood dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986 where he placed ninth – the highest ranking rookie in the race.
      But authorities were closing in and when his bookkeeper Charles Podesta was arrested, the game was up.
      Check out what these sport stars drive…
      Podesta confessed to his part in the smuggling racket and gave details on how the operation was ran by Lanier and his associates.
      In 1987 Lanier was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole but he was released after 27 years thanks to a presidential pardon from Barack Obama.
      He turned to yoga and despite claiming the US prison system was set up for recidivism rather than self-reflection, Lanier became a yoga instructor and a suicide watch volunteer – trained to sit and talk with people who tried to take their life – in prison.
      Following his release in 2014 he established Freedom Grow – a charity designed to help those sent to prison for cannabis-related charges regain their freedom.
      He remains passionate about cannabis, which he views as “just a plant”, and wants people to be given their lives back.
      Read more on The Sun
      Lanier said on the subject: “These people should not be currently incarcerated when there are 38 states, and all these corporations, making millions of dollars selling thousands of pounds of cannabis, legally, every week.
      “These people need to come home.” More

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      in Soccer

      Forgotten one-cap England star who retired aged 28 now runs property company with one-goal Premier League cult icon

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      SETH JOHNSON’S body broke down so much that it forced him to retire aged just 28.But now he is building himself back up in his new career running a property company with a former cult hero.
      Seth Johnson made one appearance for England and 15 U21 capsCredit: Getty
      Johnson, 44, burst on to the scene as a youngster with Crewe, making his debut aged 17 and racking up more than 100 appearances before a £3million move to Derby in 1999 when he was 20.
      But before moving to Pride Park, he stayed put with Crewe to help them avoid relegation.
      His stellar performances for the Rams earned him his solitary England cap in 2000 under Peter Taylor.
      The midfielder came on for Gareth Barry in a 1-0 friendly defeat away in Italy in what was David Beckham’s first match as captain. 
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      Eleven months later, Johnson left Derby for Leeds in a £7m move that is remembered for an infamous tale about his Elland Road wages.
      The story goes that he went into negotiations with Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale hoping to increase his money from £5,000 per week to £13,000.
      But Ridsdale reportedly made an opening offer of £30,000 – which prompted stunned silence before the chairman immediately bumped it up to £37,000.
      But Johnson, who scored five goals in 121 Premier League games, clarified: “People don’t know the story. When they talk about negotiations for the contract, I wasn’t even there. The contract had nothing to do with me.
      Most read in Football
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      “I remember being at home when it got sorted. I’d agreed to go, but my agent rung me up and told me about the deal.
      “It wasn’t motivated by money for me. I’d had a good couple of years at Derby and just signed a new deal so I was on decent money anyway, but Derby were bottom of the league at the time, Leeds were near the top, I knew a lot of the lads there, and Derby decided to sell me because they wanted the money.”
      The move did not work as planned as Johnson was plagued by a host of injuries that required seven surgeries in his four years at Leeds, limiting him to just 59 appearances.
      A failed medical saw a move to Middlesbrough collapse before he became frozen out – with Leeds knowing one more appearance would trigger another payment to Derby.
      In the end, Johnson – who made the first of his 15 England Under-21 caps as a sub for Frank Lampard – was released in 2005 and returned to Derby for two more years.
      His last game in professional football saw his side win the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
      But another knee injury sustained in that match spelt the end of his career aged just 28, forcing him to hang up his boots. 
      However, determined to keep himself active, he moved into business – linking up with former Hartlepool, Luton, Derby and Leicester striker Steve Howard, who scored one of his 209 club career goals in the Premier League following the Rams’ promotion.
      Both men are listed as active directors at Greygoose Property Investments Ltd on Companies House since September 2010.
      Johnson made a name for himself at CreweCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      The contract negotiations with Peter Ridsdale did not quite go as reportedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Johnson’s injury woes and a contract clause limited him to 59 Leeds appearancesCredit: PA:Press Association
      His solo senior England cap came against Italy in 2000Credit: Getty
      The firm focuses on buying and selling real estate in the north-east, while Howard is also heavily involved with another residential and commercial management agency. 
      Johnson added to Planet Football in 2017: “The surgeon said I should retire and that my knee was in a bad way. In the back of my mind I wanted to give it another go, but I didn’t want to go to another team injured and keep breaking down.
      “Speak to anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you I’ve always been football-mad. 
      “Early on, I really struggled with not being a footballer because to go from something you’d done all your life pretty much every day to suddenly not doing that was difficult.
      “Even now, I want to do something, but I still don’t know what. I’d rather do something that I enjoy doing, and I never really fancied the coaching side of things.
      “I’ve got a property company up in Newcastle with Stevie Howard, who I used to play with at Derby, but apart from that I don’t do much. I play a bit of golf, I play the odd charity game and golf events, but apart from that not much.
      “I played football as a kid in Devon, they don’t produce many footballers down there really. I’m proud of what I achieved and what I did.”
      Johnson, meanwhile, remains a member of Ingenious Film Partners 3 LLP alongside one-time England team-mate Jamie Carragher.
      Read More on The Sun
      The company has a long list of illustrious former members from the football world, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Steven Gerrard, Gary Lineker, Joey Barton, Tim Cahill, Emile Heskey, Robbie Keane and John Arne Riise.
      Ingenious’ capital has helped back a number of huge films including Avatar, Life of Pi and Shaun of the Dead.
      Johnson in action against Manchester United’s Darren FletcherCredit: Reuters
      The final match of his career was the 2007 Championship play-off finalCredit: PA:Empics Sport More

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      in Soccer

      I’m a retro shirt collector – these three common kits from the 80s and 90s could be worth as much as £1,000

      by

      DOUG Bierton collects vintage football kits that are worth a packet.His company Classic Football Shirts, co-founded with pal Matthew Dale in their student digs at Manchester University in 2006, boasts a warehouse crammed with over 500,000 items, a stones throwaway from the Etihad Stadium.
      Doug Bierton collects vintage shirts and sells them with Classic ShirtsCredit: Matthew Pover
      Classic Football Shirts famously reunited Ian Wright with his old memorabiliaCredit: PA
      The Classic Football Shirts warehouse houses over 500,000 itemsCredit: Matthew Pover
      In recent years, they have grown from strength to strength – launching pop up shops around the globe and selling over 1,000 shirts a day.
      Earlier this month, they visited LA, Miami and New York, where they met David Beckham and Giorgio Chiellini.
      While back in 2021, they successfully reunited Ian Wright with his old memorabilia.
      The shirts, themselves, provide talking points and long-lasting memories that makes them even more valuable.
      Read more football news
      Some ark back to the great players that wore them, while others are groundbreaking designs that have been repeated in kits of today.
      In good nick, they can net you a fortune.
      However, there is one kit that could be worth as much as £1,000.
      What makes a kit valuable?
      The Euros and World Cup are huge triggers for nostalgia.
      Most read in Football
      That’s why the most valuable shirts are linked to those tournaments.
      “The World Cup sends everything crazy because football shirts evoke memories,” Bierton told SunSport.
      “You remember where you were when you watched your first World Cup match. You clips and reruns of old tournaments on the TV in the build-up to the tournament.
      “Then, you see the shirts the players are wearing and you think, ‘I wouldn’t mind being like the Brazilian Ronaldo, scoring loads of goals and having that shirt he wore.”
      He continued: “I was obsessed with the 1990 World Cup.
      “I was five, and I don’t really remember watching the games that much.
      “But I had the highlights on VHS and me and my brother watched it so many times, we burnt the video out in the end.
      “Moments like England taking on Cameroon and Lineker scoring the penalties, (Sergio) Goycochea becoming a hero against Italy with a gold chain hanging out his shirt.
      “(Frank) Rijkaard spitting at (Rudi) Voller, Paul Gascoigne tears… it was the time before football was really commercialised.”
      Retro shirts are popular because of the memories associated with themCredit: PA:Press Association
      Diego Maradona’s Argentina shirt from 1994 is a collector’s itemCredit: PA
      Three Lions on a shirt
      For that reason, his favourite top is England’s Umbro kit of that era, as worn by David Platt, Gary Lineker, Terry Butcher and Paul Gascoigne.
      But it’s the Admiral number from the 1982 World Cup that was the most commerical.
      Today, in mint condition, that sells for £350.
      “The one that’s voted for as the most popular is normally the 1982 shirt, with the design across the shoulders as worn by Kevin Keegan.
      “If you think back to 1966 and before and beyond, it was just a plain white shirt for England.
      “But Admiral were the ones who did something a bit more bold, which makes it cool.”
      How they get their hands on shirts
      Finding the shirts can prove tricky for Doug and Matthew, although somehow they have become well-stocked.
      “I can’t tell you all the trade secrets, but sometimes sourcing shirts comes with great difficulty,” Doug revealed.
      In mint condition England’s 1982 World Cup shirt could cost as much as £350
      Germany’s famous 1990 kit and Holland’s iconic 1988 shirt are collector’s items – but what’s the most expensive?
      “We’ve been going for 15-years now, so we’ve got a lot of contacts in place to be able to find the items.
      “We look in the clearance section, where you can get shirts from £9.99 that you can’t get on the high street, or we get them from clubs and manufacturers around the world.
      “We also work with players to get very rare match-worn shirts and people get in touch with us and offer us their old shirts, which we do trades and valuations for.”
      So, what’s the valuable?
      There are honourable mentions for Germany’s 1990 World Cup kit as one of the most sought after, as well as USA’s 1994 shirt they wore when they hosted the tournament.
      Doug explained: “The flag pattern across the chest of the Germany shirt was so different for the time. It really revolutionised football shirts from that moment on.
      “Graphics and bold designs became much more prominent, which makes it a very important piece.
      The German shirt is worth around £200, depending on the condition. I’d say the USA shirt could go for around £500.”
      But, according to Classic Football Shirts it’s these three that are the most valuable.
      The Netherlands 1988 Euros shirt, as worn by Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit, is the most expensive at £1,000.
      Ruud Gullit models Holland’s shirt which is the most valuableCredit: Getty
      Germany’s green away shirt could fetch up to £600Credit: Getty
      Classic Football Shirts boast a huge warehouse that houses all their kits
      That’s followed by Germany’s 1990 green away shirt that could cost £600.
      Read More on The Sun
      Finally, Argentina’s blue away from the 1994 World Cup, modelled by a demonic Diego Maradona, would fetch you £500.
      Word to the wise, check your wardrobes now. More

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      in Soccer

      What happened to Sir Alex Ferguson’s 7 ‘terrific’ Man Utd prospects including midfielder he swore at down the phone

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      SIR ALEX FERGUSON helped to produce some top talents during his 26-year tenure at Manchester United.From David Beckham and Nicky Butt to Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, the legendary manager nurtured several academy hopefuls and turned them into Premier League and European champions.
      Sir Alex Ferguson tipped seven Man Utd youngsters for greatness in 2001Credit: Reuters
      And in 2001, shortly after winning his seventh league title, Ferguson tipped seven stars for greatness.
      He said: “We’ve got some terrific prospects at Old Trafford.
      “Darren Fletcher, who we hope will get over his broken leg, is good. Michael Stewart and Luke Chadwick are doing very well, and John O’Shea’s doing well too.
      “There’s a young left back called Paul Tierney who’s doing well, as is Danny Pugh.
      Read More on Man Utd
      “But there’s a young boy who has started now, he’s 16, called Kieran Richardson. He’s going to be a fantastic player.”
      While some went on to become United icons, others went on to enjoy time elsewhere in England and Scotland.
      But what happened to them all?
      Darren Fletcher
      Every Man Utd fan, no matter how young or old, will likely recognise the name Darren Fletcher.
      Most read in Football
      The midfielder joined United’s academy at the age of 11 and signed his first contract four years later.
      Fletcher made his first team debut in 2003 and went on to spend 12 years at Old Trafford, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups, an FA Cup and a Champions League title.
      After leaving Man Utd he enjoys spells with West Brom and Stoke City before retiring in 2020.
      The former Scotland international is now technical director at Old Trafford.
      Darren Fletcher won several trophies with the Red Devils and is now technical director at Old TraffordCredit: AFP
      Michael Stewart
      The midfielder signed his first professional contract with Man Utd in 1998, but found game time hard to come by.
      He made just 14 senior appearances before leaving in 2005 to join Hibernian.
      Stewart went on to spend time with Hearts, Turkish side Gençlerbirliği SK and Charlton before retiring in 2011.
      The 42-year-old now works as a pundit on BBC and TNT Sports, usually covering the Scottish Premiership.
      Michael Stewart made 14 appearances for the Red DevilsCredit: Getty
      Luke Chadwick
      Chadwick made his professional debut for the Red Devils in 1999 against Aston Villa.
      However, he struggled to establish himself as a regular first team player and was subsequently loaned out five times – twice to Royal Antwerp, twice to Reading and once to Burnley.
      The midfielder eventually left Old Trafford in 2004 after making 38 appearances.
      He went on to play for West Ham, Stoke, Norwich, MK Dons, Cambridge United and non-league side Soham Town Rangers before retiring in 2016.
      Chadwick is now involved with Football Fun, a program that aims to help young children enjoy the sport.
      Luke Chadwick left Man Utd in 2004Credit: PA
      John O’Shea
      O’Shea signed his first professional contract for Man Utd at the age of 17 and made his first team debut in a League Cup defeat to Aston Villa in 1999 – at the same time as Chadwick.
      The defender went on to win five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup with the Red Devils before leaving in 2011.
      He then went on to play for Sunderland and Reading.
      After retiring from football in 2019 O’Shea turned to coaching and has since worked with Reading, Republic of Ireland and Stoke.
      He is now Wayne Rooney’s assistant at Birmingham City.
      John O’Shea enjoyed a successful career with Man UtdCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Paul Tierney
      The full-back signed his first professional contract with Man Utd in 2000, but struggled to break into the first team.
      His first, and only, appearance for the Red Devils came in a League Cup defeat to West Brom in 2003.
      Following several loan spells, he was eventually sold to Livingston in 2005 and also went on to play for Blackpool, Stockport and Altrincham.
      He stepped away from football in 2009 and is now a Council Tax Team Leader for Salford City Council.
      Danny Pugh
      Pugh made his Man Utd debut in a Champions League group stage match against Maccabi Haifa in 2002, just a matter or days before his first Premier League appearance.
      He was limited to just seven senior appearances for United before joining Leeds.
      The midfielder then went on to play for nine different clubs across the English football pyramid.
      He is now a UEFA A Licensed Football Coach.
      Kieran Richardson
      Ferguson predicted that Richardson would become a “fantastic player” back in 2001.
      The winger and midfielder went on to win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup with United, making 81 appearances and scoring 11 goals.
      He left Old Trafford to sign for Sunderland in 2007, five years after making his professional debut.
      Read More on The Sun
      Richardson went on to play for Fulham, Aston Villa and Cardiff before retiring in 2016.
      He is now a luxury watch dealer.
      Ferguson predicted that Richardson would become a ‘fantastic player’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Leah Williamson’s glam lifestyle, from sponsorships with Gucci and Nike to friendship with Alex Scott

      by

      Elegant on the pitch, stylish off it – Leah Williamson is one of football’s leading players and fashionistas.The Arsenal defender became a pop culture icon when she captained the Lionesses to Euros glory in 2022.
      Leah Williamson has become a fashion icon outside of footballCredit: Getty
      England captain Leah famously won the Euros with England in 2022Credit: Rex
      Leah is also a regular in fashion magazines and poses in stylish shootsCredit: PA
      However, a cruel ruptured ACL injury back in April robbed her of the opportunity to lead her country out at the World Cup.
      But now Leah has returned to training and is eyeing a comeback in the new year to spearhead the Gunners’ title challenge in the WSL.
      Since her heroics with the Three Lions, she has become a hot commodity reportedly raking in £4million.
      Her bank balance boosted by deals with Gucci, Nike and Pepsi.
      Read more football news
      While the 26-year-old is also a regular feature on the red carpet, and recently attended the GQ Men of the Year Awards with pals Alex Scott, Chloe Kelly, and Mary Earps.

      She’s kind of a big deal
      Although Arsenal and WSL fans would have known her stock, Williamson’s grew during the Lionesses Euro 2022 campaign..
      With the North London giants, she is said to earn around £150,000-per-year.
      But it’s in sponsorships where she has well and truly prospered.
      Most read in Football
      Since her coming of age moment two summers ago, fashion house Gucci have signed her up as an ambassador, Pepsi made her front and centre of their ad campaigns, while Nike utilised her athletic frame to model their fashionable garments and Dyson have utilise her too.
      Alongside the likes of KSI, Anthony Joshua, Jude Bellingham, and Trent Alexander-Arnold she has also appeared in JD Sports photoshoots – showing off their streetwear collections.
      Arsenal also ensure she’s front and centre of any new clothing and kit launches they have.
      Because of this, Leah has well and truly become a figure of fashion.
      Magazines like Vogue, GQ and Elle have featured her in fancy fashion shoots.
      Experts have commented on her outfits as combining femininity with masculinity.
      She told Elle: “In the industry I work in, women have had a lot of oppression. So, I don’t like to stick to the status quo or the norm with my clothes. I like to step out of that, and that’s where embracing that masculine side of dress comes from.
      “I just think it’s a good way to kind of stick your fingers up at everybody else, and say this is what I want to wear and I’m going to wear it.”
      Leah features in an ad campaign for ArsenalCredit: Instagram
      Glam fashion shoots are the norm for LeahCredit: Instagram
      Leah has been credited with mixing masculinity with femininity with her styleCredit: PA
      Stylish Leah always cuts a dazzling figure on the red carpetCredit: Getty
      READ MORE SPORT FEATURES
      Music drives her agenda
      For every game she plays, music fan Leah makes a playlist.
      Whether it’s for Arsenal or England, she makes sure the kit man has it and the music she chooses features in the dressing room.
      It’s the perfect way to connect with her teammates and remember moments in her career.
      “I love how music makes people feel, and how you can connect with people – most conversations I have with the girls come off the back of music,” she told GQ.
      “I like it because when you think back to key moments, you always remember the music that was playing.”
      ABBA’s Does Your Mother Know was a particular favourite during the Euros.
      “It’s become a massive song for us,” she recalled.
      Music is an important aspect of Leah’s life
      Leah regularly draws up playlists for her teammates and has a sponsorship with Dyson – sporting their headphones in this ad

      “We played it before one of the warm-up games and Ella Toone, for whatever reason, went a bit crazy for it. She went out and scored, and then afterwards she was like, ‘Can we have that before every game?’ I went, ‘Yeah! You continue to score, I’ll play what you want.'”
      Comparing them both, she said: “Nothing makes me feel the way football or music do. But you choose which song you want to put on… football is out of your control.”
      On her travels
      When she can, Leah makes the best time of the off season by going on swanky holidays.
      Back in June, she was joined by fellow Lionesses star Keira Walsh for a trip to Ibiza.
      The pair wore matching black bikinis in snaps shared on Instagram, as they showed off their bronzed bodies.
      They also hired a yacht and partied at a luxury beach club.
      The Balearic island seems to be Leah’s favourite place to visit.
      She was also there a year earlier with teammate Beth Mead, where they enjoyed posh dinner at STK – chowing down on steak and truffle fries.
      The next night, Leah was seen at club Ushuaia where she was spotted dancing wearing a bucket hat and jeans.
      Leah shows off her amazing bikini body on board a yacht in IbizaCredit: Instagram
      Keira Walsh and Leah enjoyed the trip to the Balearic island together
      Leah enjoyed a meal at STK Ibiza in 2022Credit: Splash
      Leah speaking at the UN General Assembly
      In August, she visited Za’atari in Jordan, the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp.
      A month later, she addressed the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York and made a plea to challenge gender stereotypes and level the playing field for girls around the world.
      ‘You’re my best friend’
      Although she holds many friends in the game, it’s BBC Sport presenter Alex Scott who seems to be her closest pal.
      The pair are inseparable, whether it’s going on holidays together or attending the same events and posing for the cameras.
      It is believed they have been friends for around three years, after meeting on the women’s football circuit.
      Together they attended the Brit Awards, GQ Men of the Year Awards, and the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, where they were joined by Scott’s girlfriend Jess Glynne.
      And Alex isn’t afraid of making fun of her pal, in a light-hearted moment that showed how close the pair are.
      At half-time during Arsenal’s WSL match against Aston Villa, she interviewed Leah and cheekily encouraged her to share a funny story about a visit to receive her OBE at Windsor Castle.
      Alex began: “Is this where I can tell everyone at home? Actually, you can actually. What went on with the outfit?”
      Mary Earps, Leah Williamson, Alex Scott and Chloe Kelly attend the GQ Men of the Year Awards earlier this monthCredit: Getty
      Leah and Alex Scott are firm friends off the pitchCredit: Rex
      Alex revealed of an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction Leah suffered collecting her OBE at Windsor CastleCredit: Getty
      Initially, Leah admitted to being able to cover up a split in her trousers. However, she soon went further with the truth.
      Read More on The Sun
      “The outfit, yeah, my trousers split,” she said, adding: “I received my OBE not in my best form, but no one knew about it until you just told the whole world, so thanks.”
      A laughing Scott replied: “I had to tell everyone, I had to tell everyone!” More

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      in Soccer

      Our dad won it all for Chelsea and Barcelona – now we’re making our own way in football and starring for our country

      by

      A CHELSEA and Barcelona legend has a lot to be proud of when it comes to his celebrated football career.But now he also gets to brag about his three sons’ success, mainly in the national team where he is arguably remembered as the all-time best.
      Eidur Gudjohnsen enjoyed tremendous success at Barcelona and ChelseaCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Gudjohnsen’s three sons are following in their father’s footstepsCredit: Instagram @andri.gudjohnsen
      The legendary striker joined the Premier League at the age of 20 as he signed for Bolton and a successful two-year stint led to Chelsea.
      The now 45-year-old enjoyed six successful years at Stamford Bridge where he won two back-to-back Premier League titles as well as the League Cup in 2005 and amassed 78 goals in 263 appearances.
      The Iceland legend moved to Barcelona in 2006 where he registered 19 goals and 10 assists in 114 games and spent three years at the Nou Camp where he also won the Treble in 2009.
      The forward then underwent quite a nomadic career that saw him returning to England for Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and former club Bolton.
      Read More on Chelsea
      The Icelandic hero also played for Monaco, AEK Athens, Cercle Brugge, Club Brugge, Cangzhou Mighty Lions, Molde and Pune City before his retirement in 2016.
      Have you figured him out yet? Here’s one last clue: He picked up 26 goals in 88 caps for his country…
      And it’s of course Eidur Gudjohnsen, who now sees his three sons following in his footsteps as they all play as strikers.
      Sveinn Aron Gudjohnsen
      Sveinn Aron Gudjohnsen is Eidur’s oldest as he was born in 1998 when his dad had just moved to the UK.
      Most read in Football
      Sveinn’s started out at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy in 2006 when he moved to Catalonia alongside his father and the rest of the family.
      Five years later the forward joined Spanish side Gava until 2015 when he moved back to Iceland for HK where his senior career kicked off.
      After a short stint at Icelandic outfits Valur and Breidablik the 25-year-old moved to Italy in 2018 for Spezia, who sent him out on loan to Ravenna as well as Odense.
      Sveinn has been plying his trade in Swedish club Elfsborg since 2021 and has amassed two goals in 20 caps for Iceland.
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      Sveinn Aron Gudjohnsen is Eidur’s oldest and plays for IcelandCredit: Getty
      Andri Gudjohnsen
      Andri Gudjohnsen started his youth career at Barcelona as well, but he joined La Masia a year after his dad left the Nou Camp and spent three seasons learning from the best.
      The 21-year-old then joined Sveinn in Gava for two years and his impressive performances led him to Espanyol as well as Real Madrid in 2018.
      The forward managed to turn some heads in Madrid and was promoted to Real’s B team in 2021 where he amassed four goals in 21 matches.
      However, Andri never made it to Los Blancos’ first team and was offloaded in 2022 to Swedish outfit Norrkoping, who sent him out on loan to Danish side Lyngby in August.
      The striker never played for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but has registered five goals in 18 senior appearances for Iceland.
      Andri Gudjohnsen played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid coming upCredit: Getty
      Daniel Gudjohnsen
      The youngest of the bunch, Daniel Gudjohnsen also played for Gava where he started out his youth career in 2011.
      Four years later he also went to Barcelona’s La Masia academy until 2019 when he joined Andri at Real Madrid.
      However, the 17-year-old only lasted three years in Madrid before moving to Sweden for Malmo.
      After a successful year in the Swedish giants’ youth set up, Daniel was called up to the senior squad where he has only played once, making his debut in June.

      The forward is too young to play for Iceland but is currently part of the national team’s Under-19 side.
      Daníel Gudjohnsen is Eidur’s youngest and had a similar career to his brothersCredit: Instagram @daniel.gudjohnsenn More

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      in Soccer

      Ultimate footballers’ Wags rich list as Georgina Rodriguez’s net worth is revealed – but she’s not the wealthiest beauty

      by

      LONG gone was the time when footballers’ Wags were happy to let their partners bask in all the glory.These 10 stunners are making it all on their own.
      Wags that feature on the ultimate rich list include Antonella Roccuzzo, the partner of Lionel MessiCredit: instagram/antonelaroccuzzo
      Model Ann Kathrin Gotze also makes the top 10Credit: Instagram @annkathrinvida
      Propping up the top 10 is Rebekah VardyCredit: Instagram
      Rebekah appears on red carpet at the National Television AwardsCredit: Getty
      They feature on the ultimate footballers’ Wags rich list with staggering personal fortunes.
      But, according to research by Gambling Zone, who is the richest?
      Let SunSport reveal all…
      10. Rebekah Vardy, £3million
      The Wagatha Christie court case may have harmed her street cred, but it didn’t damage her net worth too much.
      read more football
      Leicester City’s striker Jamie Vardy’s wife Rebekah, 41, branched out to appear on reality TV shows including I’m A Celebrity in 2017 and Dancing on Ice in 2021.
      She went into hiding when the Disney documentary Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story was released.
      However, she soon showed she was living a lavish lifestyle, on holidays in UAE and Las Vegas.
      9. Perrie Edwards, £7million
      Perrie, 30, is a super-successful pop star and member of Little Mix.
      Most read in Football
      She famously came through X Factor before the group was formed by Simon Cowell on the show.
      They have amassed over 15 billion streams across all streaming platforms and rank as one of the world’s best-selling girl groups.
      The blonde stunner is engaged to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
      Perrie Edwards has made a £7m fortune from her pop careerCredit: Instagram @perrieedwards
      Blonde Perrie is in the group Little MixCredit: Getty
      8. Georgina Rodriguez, £9million
      Gorgeous Georgina, 29, is the most followed Wag on social media – boasting 53 million fans.
      However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s other half is way down the list in the rich stakes.
      Her wealth is bumped up by Netflix documentary I Am Georgina, as well as ad campaigns for Prada, Gucci, and Chanel.
      Admirably, Georgina is also an ambassador for the Save the Children organisation.
      Georgina Rodriguez boast 53 million followers on InstagramCredit: Getty
      Travelling on private jets, Georgina is the most glam Wag aroundCredit: Instagram @georginagio
      7. Ana Ivanovic, £13million
      36-year-old Ana is one half of a famous sporting couple – she is married to German legend Bastian Schweinsteiger who had a stint at Manchester United.
      The Serbian beauty famously played tennis, and was world No1 in 2008.
      She won the French Open that year, and held on to the top spot for 12 weeks.
      Ana retired in 2016 after revealing she wasn’t performing to the standard she held herself in.
      Ana Ivanovic cuts an elegant figure in a designer dressCredit: Getty
      Ana with husband Bastian SchweinsteigerCredit: Instagram @anaivanovic
      6. Coleen Rooney, £15million
      Coleen, 37, capitalised brilliantly on her husband Wayne Rooney’s success.
      Most recently, she told her side of the story in Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story on Disney.
      But well before that, savvy Coleen wrote magazine columns, inked deals with Asda and Littlewoods, and sold an exercise DVD.
      The mum of four also published several books, including an autobiography.
      Coleen Rooney has capitalised brilliantly on her husband Wayne’s successCredit: The Mega Agency
      Coleen was recently the star of Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha StoryCredit: Getty
      5. Antonella Roccuzzo, £16million
      Being the wife of the best footballer in the world brings home the readies for Antonella.
      The Argentine beauty, 35, is the longterm Wag of Lionel Messi.
      However, in her own right she has scored modelling contracts with the likes of Adidas, Alo Yoga and Ricky Sarkany.
      Better still, she worked with fashion designer Stella McCartney and is another who has given her time for charity as an ambassador for UNICEF.
      Argie beauty Antonella Roccuzzo has scored modelling contractsCredit: Getty
      Antonella helps Lionel Messi celebrate winning the World CupCredit: Getty
      4. Ann-Kathrin Gotze, £28million
      Ann-Kathrin, 33, was a contestant on Germany’s Next Top Model, where she made it into the top 50.
      From there she appeared in covershoots for the likes of GQ and FHM in her homeland, before she modelled for swimwear brand Lascana.
      She appeared on another reality TV show called Let’s Dance, while her Instagram blew up.
      Now with two million followers, Ann-Kathrin is an influencer and advertises beauty products.
      German stunner Ann-Kathrin Gotze appeared on Germany’s Next Top ModelCredit: Instagram @annkathrinvida
      Ann-Kathrin is now an influencer in her homelandCredit: Getty
      3. Anna Lewandowska, £36million
      Stunning Anna, 35, is making a packet thanks to her entrepreneurial skills and penchant for all things diet and fitness.
      Before all of that the other half of Robert Lewandowski was a karate expert and multi-medalist at world and national level.
      She became a nutritionist in 2013, and has provided dietary advice and exercise plans through a blog and book
      Forward-thinking Anna also has a healthy snack and dietary needs brand, Foods by Ann.
      Nutritionist and fitness expert Anna Lewandowska has made a fortune
      Anna boast her own healthy snack company and a popular blogCredit: Getty – Contributor
      2. Pilar Rubio, £47million
      Pilar, 45, is a Spanish TV presenter and wife of Sergio Ramos.
      Before she got her big break on TV, the brunette beauty was a model in Spain for lingerie and bikini brands.
      Pilar tried her hand at acting in Piratas Telecinco, but that was cancelled after just eight episodes.
      She has four sons with the Real Madrid legend.
      Pilar Rubio poses for lingerie brand SelmarkCredit: Selmark
      Pilar Rubio shows off her amazing bikini bodyCredit: Selmark
      1. Victoria Beckham, £55million
      Possibly the most famous of all Wags, and the reason we call them Wags today, Victoria made most of her money as a Spice Girl.
      The all-girl group slayed the 90s, thanks to hits Wannabe and Spice Up Your Life.
      Read More on The Sun
      But, she has refused advances to rejoin the girls on recent tours.
      Instead, Victoria is a reputable fashion designer – styling the Hollywood glitterati.
      Victoria Beckham, seen in 2008 here, was one of the original WagsCredit: Getty
      Victoria has snubbed calls for a Spice Girls reunion to concentrate on her fashion lineCredit: Alamy More