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    Josh Taylor open to exhibition with returning Manny Pacquiao, 46, having named his late DOG after boxing great

    JOSH TAYLOR is open to sharing the ring with Manny Pacquiao – having named his late DOG after the boxing hero. The Filipino great is on the verge of announcing a shock comeback aged 46 to fight WBC welterweight world champion Mario Barrios. Josh Taylor with his his late dog MannyTaylor got his dog tattooed on him following Manny’s passingManny Pacquiao is back in training for a comebackPacquiao was once a dream bout for Taylor – who named his pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier after PacMan. Sadly, Taylor’s Staffie passed away in 2020 but he commemorated his beloved dog with a tattoo on his thigh. And he would also be ready to honour Pacquiao in the form of an exhibition bout. Taylor told The Herald: “Listen, I would absolutely give my left foot to share a ring with my hero. It would be absolutely amazing. READ MORE IN BOXING”But as a competitive fight, I don’t think I would want it. What’s in it really for me is a lose-lose. “If I go in there and I win, I’ve beaten up a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao. Or if I go in there and I lose, I’ve lost to a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao. “So, it’s a lose-lose situation. But in terms of just going in there and doing an exhibition, just sharing the same ring with my hero, would be absolutely fantastic.”Pacquiao retired in 2021 after defeat to Yordenis Ugas but following a failed presidential campaign in the Philippines he is returning to boxing. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd he was controversially slotted fifth in the WBC rankings – despite not winning a fight for six years. Taylor also now moves up to welterweight after dropping his 140lb WBO title to Teofimo Lopez in 2023 before losing his rematch to Jack Catterall last May. Josh Taylor reveals his toughest ever fight that left him peeing BLOOD for five days and unable to walkThe Scot faces former British champion Ekow Essuman, 36, up at 147lb on Saturday in Glasgow with the WBO European belt at stake. Taylor said: “It’s good because it gives me a title, which then gives me a ranking on the world scene. “But at this point in my career I’m just thinking one fight at a time. I made that mistake in the lead-up to the [first] Jack Catterall fight, looking at what was going to be after it. “And I almost paid the price for it. So I’m not making that mistake again. I know there won’t be a shortage of options moving up and moving forward at welterweight.“I’m only 34. I didn’t turn pro until I was 25, you know? So it’s not like I’ve been pro since I was 16 or 17 and been in loads and loads of wars. I’m still fresh.”Taylor steps up to welterweight to fight Ekow EssumanCredit: Queensberry Promotions More

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    Lewis Hamilton’s beloved dog Roscoe suffering from pneumonia as caretaker gives health update

    LEWIS HAMILTON’S beloved dog Roscoe is suffering from pneumonia.And the dog’s caretaker issued a health update on the hound.Lewis Hamilton’s dog has pneumoniaCredit: instagramRoscoe is currently receiving medication for the illnessCredit: Instagram @roscoelovescocoRoscoe has regularly attended F1 races over the yearsCredit: GettyRoscoe the bulldog is looked after by animal lover and trainer Kirstin McMillan while Hamilton travels the world as a Formula One driver.But a social media update revealed he is currently unwell. McMillan revealed vegan Roscoe has been diagnosed with pneumonia. However, the canine is being treated with medication – and even receiving acupuncture treatment, too.READ MORE ON SPORTAnd the expectation is he will recover because the illness is not too serious. In an Instagram story, McMillan showed Roscoe devouring a sweet potato and peanut butter dog treat. She then recorded a video to update fans on the famous dog. McMillan said: “Roscoe, because I know you are going to ask, he is going to his vet today.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”This is a vet that practises veterinary medicine where she combines Eastern and Western, that’s an intergrative pet practice. “So she’s a real vet, she went to Davis and everything, but she went for a few years of additional training in holistic methods, Chinese medicine, accupuncture and things like that. Inside Lewis Hamilton’s birthday celebrations for beloved dog Roscoe with special cake and chilling out with movie”What she is going to do with him today is a high-dose Vitamin C IV drop and this is supportive care. “This is in addition to the strong antibiotics that he is correctly on for his pneumonia.”And she’ll do acupuncture on him. So this supports him.”Roscoe has been a constant companion for seven-time F1 world champ Hamilton over the years, regularly rocking up at tracks with his owner. He has more than 1.1million Instagram followers and his latest post on Monday night in America showed the pooch – who gets an annual birthday party – lying on a sandy beach in the sunshine.Plenty of fans took to the comments to wish Roscoe well.One said: “Get well soon. We love our favourite beach boy way too much!!”Another wrote: “Feel a whole lot better soon sweet boy.”A third added: “Get well soon Roscoe, we love you.”Read More on The SunAnd a final user replied: “Oo Roscoe my love, you are better sunbathing, vitamin D, fresh air on the beach. Take care of yourself, I hope you get better, I love you.”Hamilton currently sits seventh in the F1 drivers’ standings after four races with Ferrari – but was disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix. Kirstin McMillan gave fans an update on Roscoe’s healthCredit: Instagram @adventuresindogtrainingA video on Instagram showed the dog eating a treatCredit: Instagram @adventuresindogtrainingHe went to the vet for acupunctureCredit: Instagram @adventuresindogtraining More

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    How 3 MILLION dogs are being slaughtered ahead of World Cup with executions & poisoned food… but Fifa is doing nothing

    AGAINST a backdrop of pained barking, an emaciated pooch hobbles over to a dirt-covered animal pile, which it licks, bites and then tugs at — eager to pry off any flesh to stave off starvation.It’s a haunting moment now regularly seen in Morocco, stray dogs are resorting to cannibalism to survive after a terrifying “street cleanse”, while others are killed in ghoulish ways and left to rot. Animal rights campaigners claim stray dogs are being rounded up and then killedCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One dog has resorted to cannibalism, as seen in footage supplied to The SunCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They claim dogs have been shot, beaten with weapons, poisoned and stabbedCredit: ‘International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)A design of Morocco’s upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup venue set to be built in CasablancaCredit: Courtesy Populous/Oualolou + ChoiThe north-west African nation is allegedly in the midst of a mass butchering spree to eradicate three million homeless dogs in time for the 2030 FIFA World Cup – despite vowing they’d ended the killings.Horrifying videos released by animal rights campaigners expose the horrors being unleashed on the streets of Morocco on the canines.Heartbreaking footage shows dogs being stabbed with poisonous sticks, violently impaled with hooks, left to bleed out from gunshot wounds and abandoned in pounds without food or water. It flies in the face of FIFA’s Bid Evaluation Report, which claimed Morocco had “outlined its commitment to the protection of animal rights” and since August had ruled “the culling of animals is prohibited in the country”.READ MORE FROM FEATURESHere The Sun refutes that with a damning dossier of evidence obtained on the ground through the International Animal Welfare Protect Coalition (IAWPC), which was also presented to FIFA.They say Morocco has violated their vow and lied to the footballing body. And that means their implementation as a host nation – alongside Spain and Portugal – is a “sham” and they must be stripped of their duties, campaigners say. The campaign calling for action from FIFA has been backed by celebrities including Downton Abbey star Peter Egan, music legend Gary Numan, conservationist Chris Packham and world-renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall.Most read in FootballChariots of Fire actor Peter tells The Sun: “Football is regarded as the ‘beautiful game’ and for it to be celebrated in such ugly circumstances is a betrayal of all ethics. FIFA must act now.“I’m absolutely appalled by the situation and the football-loving public will be too, the majority of people who love the beautiful game cannot endorse such cruelty by knowing about it, ignoring it and supporting the World Cup. “It’s almost impossible to get one’s head around why any country would choose to brutally slaughter millions of animals just to ‘tidy their streets’ for a football match. It’s inconceivable.“They choose the cheapest way of destroying these poor creatures too, often this is starving them to death or bludgeoning them with a weapon. It’s absolutely shocking.”Dog that mauled man to death ‘attacked schoolboy days earlier’ in East LondonOne stray dog being shot on the streets in MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One stray was dragged along the ground for a lengthy amount of time to cause injuryCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)’Absolute evil’The new footage, shot in the coastal city of Kenitra, shows animals waiting in dark and damp spaces to starve to death and canine cannibalism.Les Ward, President of the IAWPC, tells The Sun “absolute evil is going on in Morocco” and that cruel dog catchers are being dispatched to the streets to round up strays for slaughter. He explains: “The Moroccan Government hasn’t even got a clue what animal rights means. “They are setting up ‘dispensaries’ and ‘clinics’, which are killing stations to eradicate dogs, not help them.“At these killing pounds the dogs are thrown into a mass of frightened animals. They don’t feed them, they don’t give them water. If they do feed them it’s with poisoned bait that kills them.“Cannibalism is occurring. These dogs are being starved to death and as a result, start to eat one another. “Others are being killed, shot and poisoned and then thrown in the bin.”They don’t die immediately, they thrash around, crying as blood pours out of themLes Ward, IAWPC PresidentAnother heartbreaking clip shows several emaciated pooches cower in their alleyway-like prison, some lifelessly looking up at the camera, while others could be seen with wounds. A few had given birth.An IAWPC campaigner, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid persecution, told us: “The dogs are starving and dying. “It is a tiny space with up to 400 dogs cramped into it and they are living in their own waste. “Some of them die from sickness or poisoning, the others eat them because they are starving… the dogs are kept next to a slaughterhouse which uses them as food. “It is inhumane and unbearable.”World Cup ‘horror’Moroccan authorities are estimated to be killing 300,000 homeless dogs each year, despite it being ruled illegal since 2019.Supporters claim it will end rabies, which kills roughly 80 people a year, but campaigners argue culling won’t work.Instead, they insist their Trap Neuter Release (TNR) programme, currently being implemented by volunteers, is the only way to succeed. Previously it helped Goa, in India, become a rabies-free state.A poison-tipped stick that’s used to kill strays in MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)A dead dog moments before it was feasted on by a starving strayCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Animals filled a narrow alleyway in a ‘kill shelter’ in Kenitra, MoroccoCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Les tells us: “Morocco’s approach will exacerbate the problem because rabies-infected dogs will continue to breed and more will move into the area. Killing is not the solution, it’s a horror.”Campaigners claim the culling has been ramping up since the 2023 Club World Cup, which was a ‘trial event’ from FIFA officials after Morocco lost an unprecedented five main tournament bids.Some oppose the slaughter – in 2022, a judge fined the Governor of the Nador Province 6,000MAD (£490) after discovering they had killed strays.The judge labelled it “uncivilised” and stated the brutality “which dates back to ancient times, are no longer acceptable”.In 2023, hundreds of strays and tagged dogs were killed in Tangier, which the founder of SFT Animal Sanctuary insisted was “because of FIFA’s visit” for the Club World Cup.She claimed the orders came “from the governor” and that all tagged dogs had to be “removed… from the posh areas around the stadium where FIFA will be”.’Inhumane killings’Now a World Cup host for 2030, campaigners allege the butchery is increasing and often the barbaric street killings are taking place in front of children. IAWPC footage shows men of the attacks by men in orange suits, including one who stuck his fingers up at the camera.Using “tong-like” implements, which have a painful debilitating effect, they pick up dogs the size of German Shepherds and throw them into vans pile with other dogs. One ‘dog catcher’ flips up his fingers at a cameraCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They then use giant tongs to pick up a German Shephard and chuck it into a vanCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Dead dogs being taken to the tip to be disposed of alongside rubbishCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)They are then taken to ‘holding’ centres where they are starved to death or “inhumanely killed”, we are told.One day is seen with blood trickling down from the midriff due to being cruelly dragged along the streets and beaten.Les says: “Some of the dogs are left to decompose on the street. Young children are seeing this. That’s traumatic for them and there are links between regularly seeing traumatising things and becoming violent in adult life.” Some dogs are killed with a stick that holds a syringe containing poison at the end, others are fed deadly bait by hand – both practices cause “considerable pain, suffering and lingering death”.Les explains: “Any vet will tell you killing a dog by strychnine is a cruel and lengthy process. They lure the dogs close by getting unsuspecting members of the public to tell them the dogs’ names.”Gun squads allegedly “shoot dogs around the clock with rifles and pistols” but cruelly they are “rarely killed outright” and left to bleed to death on the streets.he was banging on the door so hard and she was left standing in the street screaming as he was driven away. Louise Smith, victim of dog catchersLes adds: “These aren’t bullets that pass through they lodge in the body of dogs, meaning they don’t die immediately, they thrash around, crying as blood pours out of them.“I recently saw a harrowing photo of a dog seconds after its face was obliterated with a shotgun. It’s all extremely cruel.” Dog catchers Many of the animals are being rounded up by groups of dog catchers – and some seized them because they “know owners will bribe them to get their pets back”. Among them is Scottish mum Louise Smith, 46, who has paid to retrieve her six-year-old daughter Salma’s dogs “multiple times” but more recently she notes they are “all about killing.”“I tried to bargain with the dog catchers,” she says. “Salma was beside herself, she cut her knuckles. She was banging on the door so hard and she was left standing in the street screaming as he was driven away.”Dog catchers collect the animals and transport them to ‘kill centres’Credit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Six-year-old Salma was devastated when her dog Bingo was taken by dog catchersCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)One man shoots a dog in the streetCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)FIFA ‘betrayal’Pressure is mounting against FIFA to take action – celebrities to join the campaign include Dr Jane Goodall, who’s famed for her work with wild chimpanzees. In a letter, she demanded urgent intervention, writing: “If you fail to act, however, FIFA will be known for its complicity in a horrific act of barbarity – on your watch.”There is simply no excuse for the awful campaign of cruelty that is being executed in football’s name.” Les says the IAWPC has sent letters to FIFA every week, supplied photo and video evidence as well as written testimony, only to receive “no reply, nothing whatsoever”. He says: “Absolute evil is going in Morocco and FIFA and its associations should know better. In the UK, anyone found shooting, poisoning, starving or clubbing a dog would be thrown in jail, because it’s a criminal offence. “This World Cup is being built on three million dead dogs and god knows how many traumatised children, that’s a blood scandal and raises the question of whether we should be sending our football teams there at all.“Allowing Morocco to host the World Cup has greenlit their killing groups to pick up and murder as many dogs as they can, as quickly as they can before 2030. “FIFA is complicit by maintaining the wall of silence. They are not stopping the government from killing their dogs, so they are party to it and complicit.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Sun contacted FIFA, officials in Morocco and the Moroccan embassy but received no response.Find out more about the IAWPC here or sign their petition.Dog catchers using metal tongs, which cause immense pain, to pick up poochesCredit: International Animal Welfare Protection Coalition (IAWPC)Morocco is preparing to host the 2030 World CupCredit: AFPFIFA President Gianni Infantino has been slammed by animal rights campaignersCredit: EPA More

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    ‘I’m not Kurt Zouma’ – Jose Mourinho makes outrageous comment when asked if he prefers dogs or cats

    JOSE MOURINHO took a dig at his former player Kurt Zouma after being asked about his preference of dogs or cats.The ex-Chelsea boss was being interviewed by another old star John Obi Mikel for his Obi One podcast.Jose Mourinho made an outrageous joke referencing Kurt Zouma’s cat-kicking scandalCredit: YouTube/The Obi One PodcastZouma played under Mourinho during his second spell in charge of ChelseaCredit: GettyZouma was fined and banned from owning cats for five years after a video emerged of him kicking and slapping his pet catCredit: PADuring the interview, the Fenerbahce manager was asked whether he prefers cats or dogs.Mourinho replied by saying: “Dogs.”But never one to shy away from controversy, the sharp-tongued 62-year-old then raised his hands in the air and added: “But I don’t have a problem with cats.”I’m not Kurt Zouma.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe joke saw Mourinho and Obi Mikel burst into laughter.It came as a reference to Zouma’s cat-kicking scandal in February 2022. In a leaked Snapchat video obtained exclusively by The Sun, the then West Ham defender was seen kicking and slapping his pet cat in his kitchen in a video filmed by brother Yoan.His club condemned the act and fined him £250,000, which they said was the maximum they were able to hand out.Most read in FootballThe Frenchman pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.Zouma avoided a jail sentence for the crime but was fined £8,887 and handed a 12-month community order with 180 hours of unpaid work.Kurt Zouma arrives at Thames Magistrates Court to be sentenced for animal crueltyHe was also banned from keeping cats for five years.Speaking about the sickening incident, Zouma said: “It’s been a difficult spell for me and my family.”Obviously, I have done something very bad and I apologise again for what I’ve done. I know it was very tough for people to watch and to see that and obviously I feel very, very sorry.”I have great remorse about it and now I’m trying to move on with my family and looking ahead. I learned from it, that’s the most important thing, I would say.”Obviously, I had support from many, many people around me who helped me stay focused on football and I try to stay happy.”Zouma, now 30, left the Hammers in August 2024 to join Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Orobah.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe played under Mourinho during the Portuguese manager’s second spell at Chelsea.Mourinho is a known dog lover, and admitted in 2019 he had had a “very sad” Christmas because his beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Leya, had died on Christmas Day. More

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    Lucky mum finds Man Utd ace’s lost dogs and gets tour of club’s training ground in return

    A MUM got a tour of Manchester United’s training ground for finding Alejandro Garnacho’s dogs.United supporter Leah Smith, 26, and her children also got matchday tickets from the grateful Argentina international.Manchester United supporter Leah Smith, 26, and her children got a training ground tour and matchday tickets from grateful Argentina international Alejandro GarnachoMan United ace Garnacho is now happily reunited with his two dogsGarnacho’s two dogsCredit: Instagram @garnacho7Leah was driving with daughter Eliza, ten, when she saw two mutts on the loose near the star’s mansion.She managed to get them in her car and recognised them from pics the winger posted on social media.Leah then drove to United’s Carrington training ground where they let her and her daughter inside to watch the first team going through their paces.An assistant told them the dogs were indeed Freko and Burrows, who live with the star, his partner Eva and their one-year-old son Enzo in Bowdon, Gtr Manchester. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSLeah told The Sun: “Once they confirmed the dogs belonged to Garna, they politely asked if I could take them back to his home, which I did. His partner, Eva, was waiting and was very grateful.”The following day the couple phoned Leah to thank her — and gave her tickets in the players’ family area at Old Trafford for their Premier League game against Southampton.Leah, Eliza and her brother Jenson, seven, saw Prem strugglers United win 3-1 on January 16. Leah said: “My children will never forget this day. Thank you Garna & Eva.” Most read in FootballLeah, who lives five minutes from Garnacho’s home, has since bumped into the footy ace while he was walking his dogs.Fans praised Garnacho, 20, for his generous response but one joked: “Nobody should be made to sit and watch a United game.”’That is so disrespectful’ says fans as Alejandro Garnacho snaps back in altercation with Man Utd fanGarnacho joined United’s academy in 2020 from Spanish club Atletico Madrid and made his first-team debut in 2022.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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    Morocco to execute THREE MILLION dogs in ‘brutal street clean up’ ahead of 2030 World Cup to make cities ‘nice for fans’

    MOROCCO could be set to slaughter three MILLION stray dogs in a brutal clean up bid before hosting the 2030 World Cup.The pooches could be wiped out from the streets to make the country’s cities look nicer to visiting football fans, it’s been claimed.Millions of stray dogs could be killed across Morocco in a brutal bid to ‘clean up the streets’ ahead of the 2030 World CupCredit: GettyThe 115,000-capacity Stade Hassan II in Casablanca, Morocco will be the biggest football stadium in the worldCredit: PopulousAnimal activist organisations claim dogs are poisoned with strychnine, a toxic chemical used as pesticide to kill small animals like birds and rodentsCredit: GettyMorocco will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, marking the tournament’s centennial edition. The event will feature matches across all three countries, highlighting Morocco’s first opportunity to co-host a World Cup. The country has already begun preparing its infrastructure, aiming to upgrade stadiums and transportation networks to meet FIFA standards.But it has also reportedly killed thousands of stray dogs, and it’s feared that the numbers could still ramp up as 2030 approaches.Read more on 2030 World CupThe International Animal Coalition is now shining a spotlight on the killings, dubbing it “Morocco’s ugly secret”.According to the coalition, dogs are poisoned with strychnine – a highly toxic, colourless, and bitter chemical used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small animals such as birds and rodents.The pups are also reportedly shot in the streets, the coalition says, or trapped and transported to facilities where they’re brutally slaughtered.Many are also said to die in agony after being wounded by gunmen patrolling around the clock, the Daily Mail reports.Most read in FootballDespite claims from Moroccan authorities that the brutal campaign stopped in August 2024, the coalition says the killings spiked after FIFA announced Morocco as a host nation in 2023.Saudi Arabia release new pictures of 92,000-capacity ‘germinating seed’ King Salman Stadium ahead of 2034 World CupThe Sun has contacted FIFA for more information on the allegations.With outrage mounting, activists are demanding immediate action to end the slaughter and protect Morocco’s stray dogs.Jane Goodall, a top animal rights advocate, has now written to FIFA, urging immediate action and accusing the organisation of ignoring what she describes as “a horrific act of barbarity”.In her letter to FIFA’s Secretary general Mattias Grafström, Goodall said she was appalled at reports of large-scale dog killings by Moroccan authorities, an initiative said to have ended last August.“I am equally appalled to learn from the IAWPC – International Animal Coalition that you have been presented with detailed dossiers documenting these horrific acts, most of which are conducted in the most brutal and cruel fashion imaginable, and yet appear to have ignored them,” she wrote.Morocco will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and PortugalCredit: PopulousIt’s been claimed that the North African country wants to make its cities look nicer to visiting football fansCredit: https://www.cruzyortiz.com/Goodall also raised concerns about how global football fans might respond to such cruelty.She wrote: “You must surely be aware of how football fans around the world – many of whom are also animal lovers – will react when they learn of this?”The activist went on to warn of the potential damage to FIFA’s reputation, saying:  “Moreover, it will place FIFA itself under the spotlight once again.”I know you have been working hard to rehabilitate FIFA’s reputation following recent scandals. “If you fail to act, however, FIFA will be known for its complicity in an horrific act of barbarity – on your watch.”Goodall called for decisive measures, urging FIFA to ensure an end to the killings and consider suspending Morocco’s hosting of the tournament if the practice continues.She explained: “There are many humane alternatives to controlling street dog populations, and a number of reputable international organisations who are happy to assist the Moroccan authorities in implementing such programmes.”READ MORE SUN STORIES“There is simply no excuse for the awful campaign of cruelty that is being executed in football’s name.”I call on you to use your position as FIFA Secretary General to bring it to an immediate end, and to earn the respect and gratitude of the football-loving public everywhere for doing so,” she concluded. Morroco’s World Cup plansby Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News ReporterMOROCCO is gearing up to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, with ambitious plans to leave a lasting mark on the tournament.At the heart of these efforts is the Grand Stade Hassan II, a proposed 115,000-seat stadium near Casablanca, inspired by the traditional Maghrebi communal tent, or moussem.Dubbed “a Noah’s Ark for nature and animals,” the stadium aims to rival global landmarks like Beijing’s Bird’s Nest and Qatar’s cutting-edge arenas.The project, part of a $5 billion World Cup investment, includes upgrades to five existing stadiums and a $490 million allocation for the Grand Stade Hassan II. This monumental effort follows Morocco’s historic run to the semifinals in 2022, reigniting the kingdom’s dream of football glory. Officials hope the tournament will boost the economy, create jobs, and solidify Morocco’s reputation as a modern and influential leader in the region.But the plans are not without controversy. Critics point to potential concerns about labour conditions for migrant workers and Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, which has sparked tensions with neighboring Algeria, The Guardian reports.Despite these issues, the excitement among Morocco’s football-loving public remains high, with hopes of hosting the World Cup final in their iconic new “ark.” More

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    I took non-league side on epic FA Cup run but I’m better known for keeping Classic FM-loving crocodile in my living room

    CHRIS WELLER made a name for himself with a series of upsets during a spectacular FA Cup run.Now he has to make sure he keeps his pet crocodile very happy indeed by keeping the radio tuned in to Classic FM.Chris Weller was part-time manager of Gravesend & Northfleet in the 1990sCredit: PANow he owns a pet crocodile at his Kent home called CaesarCredit: Times Newspapers LtdWeller is unable to go out for long and leave the croc unattendedCredit: Caters News AgencyThe owner plays card games, watches TV and listens to the radio with his unlikely ‘closest companion’Credit: Caters News AgencyWeller, a former prison officer for 40 years at HMP Rochester, was part-time Gravesend & Northfleet manager during the 1990s.And in 1995-96, he took then-Southern League Premier Division outfit all the way to the third round of the FA Cup.Gravesend & Northfleet – who became Ebbsfleet United in 2007 – played a staggering TEN matches in the competition in that memorable season, culminating with a trip to Premier League Aston Villa.The non-league Kent club came through the first, second and third rounds of qualifying before needing not one but two replays to get past Marlow and book their spot in the first round proper.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThere, they beat Colchester United before needing a replay to get past Cinderford Town to then draw Villa.Initially, the Fleet were given a home tie but conceded the advantage to play the match at Villa Park – and reap the financial rewards instead.Gravesend & Northfleet put up a valiant effort but ultimately lost 3-0 to a side that included Gareth Southgate, Dwight Yorke and Andy Townsend as Brian Little’s men reached the semi-finals. But for Little’s opposite number Weller, he took a very different path.Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBecause he decided to spend more than £20,000 converting his Strood bungalow into a home for exotic pets – none more so than his 6ft spectacled caiman croc called Caesar.Weller, now in his late 70s, bought the South American native when he was just 1ft long in 2007 from a specialist shop in Kent after obtaining a council licence to keep dangerous animals.Where are they now: The unusual careers of former footballersGravesend & Northfleet’s 1994-95 FA Cup run1st qualifying round: Gravesend & Northfleet 7-0 Godalming & Guilford2nd qualifying round: Molesey 0-6 Gravesend & Northfleet3rd qualifying round: Gravesend & Northfleet 2-1 Carshalton Athletic4th qualifying round: Gravesend & Northfleet 1-1 Marlow 4th qualifying round replay 1: Marlow 3-3 Gravesend & Northfleet4th qualifying round replay 2: Gravesend & Northfleet 4-0 Marlow1st round proper: Gravesend & Northfleet 2-0 Colchester United2nd round proper: Cinderford Town 1-1 Gravesend & Northfleet2nd round proper replay: Gravesend & Northfleet 3-0 Cinderford Town 3rd round proper: Aston Villa 3-0 Gravesend & NorthfleetHis conservatory is an 8ftx8ft pool while the dining room provides “land area” for Caesar and a stable door allows the reptile to make his way around the house, which has a secure three-lock system to ensure the crocodile won’t escape outside.While retired Weller does not have any human housemates, it is a very full house with three parrots, a cockatiel, a cockatoo, five ponds of fish and several terrapins – plus a monitor lizard who occupies the bedroom.That leaves the former prison worker to sleep in the relative safety of the tiny converted loft – while he cannot leave the house and the animals unattended except for essentials.But Weller would not have it any other way.The ex-football manager told The Times in 2016: “It’s not everyone’s cup of tea… it takes a lot of expertise.”I’ve raised him since he was a baby… as he’s got older he’s become happier to be around me and likes nothing more than watching TV and listening to the radioChris Weller on his pet croc Caesar“Caesar is really clever. If he wants to watch TV, he lays his head on a cushion in one spot. If he wants to listen to the radio [Caesar’s favourite station is Classic FM], he lays his head on another spot.“He’s relaxed. He never gets upset about anything. He’s nice company. He responds to his name and will come up to you with his mouth open like a dog. Sometimes you get a grunt.“Sometimes we pass each other in the hallway, he’s walking in one direction, I’m walking in the other. As long as you respect him, he respects you. We’re used to each other’s ways.“Sometimes he bellows, it’s like a roar underwater. I think he’s trying to attract a lady, but I have to tell him there are no ladies around here for him. We have quite a good laugh.”The pair hang out together, Caesar letting his owner stroke his head while they watch TV or play card games. But it took some time for the trusting bond to develop. Weller worked as a prison officer for 40 yearsCredit: Times Newspapers LtdCaesar has access to various parts of the house including the pool in the conservatoryCredit: Times Newspapers LtdWeller needed a special licence to buy the 6ft spectacled caiman crocCredit: Times Newspapers LtdWeller added to the Daily Mail: “When I first got him he was very difficult to look after and care for as he would often bite me – and it’s as painful as it sounds.“But now he’s very relaxed and placid. I don’t think there’s any chance of him escaping – he’s not even allowed outside.“He’s my closest companion and most of my day revolves around feeding, cleaning and entertaining him. Most people are terrified when they find out I live with a crocodile.“But I’ve raised him since he was a baby. Now he’s completely docile. As he’s got older he’s become happier to be around me and likes nothing more than watching TV and listening to the radio.”Weller openly admitted he “never wanted a cat or a dog” but instead wanted something far more exciting.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut he was confident he had what it took to look after Caesar thanks to his long career in prisons. Weller concluded: “I spent four decades keeping dangerous animals behind locks and gates so it’s no different here.”A triple-lock system means Caesar is unable to escapeCredit: BBCWeller has a monitor lizard at his bungalowCredit: Times Newspapers LtdThe former manager admitted he didn’t want a cat or a dogCredit: BBCThe dining room is Caesar’s ‘land area’Credit: BBCGravesend & Northfleet played ten matches in their 1994-95 FA Cup runCredit: PAAston Villa ran out 3-0 winners at Villa ParkCredit: PA More

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    World Cup winner’s £20,000 ‘gorilla’ guard dog saves Wag from burglars while she was ‘screaming for her life’

    A ‘GORILLA’ guard dog came to the rescue after robbers targeted the home of a World Cup winner and left his fiancee “screaming for her life”.Lucas Hernandez’s luxury pad was targeted by thieves while he was away on duty with Paris Saint-Germain.Lucas Hernandez’ home was targeted by robbers while he was away on Champions League duty with Paris Saint-GermainCredit: AFPHernandez’s fiancee – Victoria Triay – was in the house during the horrid ordealCredit: INSTAGRAM@VICTORIATRIAYThe couple’s eight-stone guard dog foiled the would-be robbers’ plansCredit: INSTAGRAM@VICTORIATRIAYBut thankfully for the France international, who lifted the 2018 World Cup, his £20,000 dog thwarted their grand plans for a lucrative heist.Crooks targeted the World Cup winner’s plush Yvelines home during PSG’s midweek Champions League trip to Salzburg.The robbers, somehow, managed to evade local security and break into the house.Hernandez’s fiancee, Victoria Triay, was in the house at the time and panicked after realising their home had been breached.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSBut the couple’s terrifying guard dog managed to scare off the reported five intruders before they could ransack the place.A terrified Triay hid in a secluded area of the house while the harrowing ordeal took place and was said to have been “screaming for her life.”And she revealed on Instagram how the couple’s eight-stone black Presa Canario dog, which is worth £20,000, scared off the would-be robbers.Triay shouted out her pooch for its bravery on her Instagram story a few hours after the ordeal, posting a photo of it with a series of gorilla emojis.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSVictoria Triay took to Instagram to thank French police for their help with the incidentCredit: INSTAGRAM@VICTORIATRIAYSecurity eventually arrived at the scene after being alerted of the robbery but the crooks managed to escape.French police are conducting a thorough investigation into the attempted robbery.Arsenal player ratings vs PSGAnd Brazilian model Triary has been amazed by their response to the incident.She wrote on Instagram: “Extremely impressed with the French police system.”How fast and professional this issue has been handled. Thank you so much. You guys are heroes.”Hernandez has yet to comment on the attempted break-in at his plush home.The defender and his PSG team-mates will be back in action on Sunday night, welcoming Lyon to the Parc des Prince in a massive Ligue 1 clash. More