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      in Soccer

      Inside lavish world of Man U suitor Jim Ratcliffe who made billions from chemicals but was once fired for a crazy reason

      by

      HE may no longer be Britain’s Richest Man but Sir Jim Ratcliffe is still the world’s wealthiest Mancunian.And with a personal fortune of around £11BILLION he can certainly afford to buy Manchester United.
      Mancunian Jim Ratcliffe has a personal fortune of around £11BILLIONCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Jim with wife Alicia at French footie club NiceCredit: Getty
      Ratcliffe was honoured with a knighthood by Prince William in 2018Credit: PA:Press Association
      Jim with sons Sam and GeorgeCredit: Getty
      This week he let it be known he would jump at the chance to buy into the Premier League football colossus, owned by the American Glazer family.
      Eventually Sir Jim hopes to take over the entire club, said by the club’s current owners to be worth £5billion.
      He is so wealthy he would not need to borrow a penny to buy Man United, invest heavily in new players and modernise Old Trafford.
      And the money men certainly think he is serious.
      Read More on Jim Ratcliffe
      United’s shares on New York’s stock exchange had yesterday jumped 15 per cent to more than £11 each.
      Sir Jim offered £4billion to buy Chelsea in May but admitted he only made the — the team he has followed since boyhood — wasn’t available.
      As he approaches his 70th birthday, the joiner’s son who grew up on a Manchester council estate, could land the present he has always dreamed of — owning Old Trafford and the Red Devils.
      Sport-mad Sir Jim has come a long way from Dunkerly Avenue, Failsworth, where he lived until he was ten and went almost every other week to watch Sir Matt Busby’s team in action.
      Most read in Football
      In 1999 he was in Barcelona at the Nou Camp stadium when United came back at the death to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 to win the Champions League.
      Sir Jim described it as “three minutes you never forget in your lifetime”.
      So some things are priceless, even for a man whose mega-fortune comes from a 60 per cent stake in a privately owned chemical giant he always claims is “the world’s biggest company you have never heard of”.
      In total 26,000 people work for Ineos at more than 194 sites in 29 countries.
      The 60million tons of chemicals it makes each year go into almost everything we use, from antibiotics, toothpaste and clean water to insulation and food packaging.
      All this means Sir Jim can afford a luxury home in Monaco, a £6million waterside mansion in Hampshire and a house in Chelsea, West London, near the Grenadier pub, where he came up with the idea for building a 4×4 to replace the Land Rover Defender.
      He also owns a mega-house on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, near F1 star Michael Schumacher’s home, and a 260ft super-yacht, Hampshire II.
      If Sir Jim does eventually buy Man United from the American Glazer family he won’t be step-ping into the unknown because he already owns two football clubs.
      In 2017 he bought Swiss side FC Lausanne-Sport — they were relegated last season into Swizerland’s second tier.
      And in 2019 Sir Jim snapped up Nice, who play in France’s Ligue 1 for just under £100million.
      He also spent £40million buying Sky’s Tour de France-winning cycling team and he regularly goes on training rides with stars of the Ineos Grenadiers.
      He has shares in Mercedes’ Formula 1 operation and backs Sir Ben Ainslie’s bid for sailing’s America’s Cup, which Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is part of.
      I was fired for having mild eczema. I was told ‘You can’t work here, not with eczema. We can’t spend the money on training you for five years and then find you’ve got an allergy, so you’re on your bike.’Jim Ratcliffe
      Amazingly, Sir Jim only made his eye-watering fortune in the past 25 years.
      Until then his life had been unremarkable.
      He struggled at school because of his obsession with football, got into university with some of the worst A-level results of his college peers and got sacked from his first job.
      His success came as a complete surprise to him too.
      Sir Jim says: “You should see a picture of the council house where I started out. I just played football, really. That’s all I was interested in.”
      His dad, who started out as a carpenter, worked his way up to run a factory making furniture for science labs.
      His mum worked as a secretary.
      The family moved to Beverly, East Yorks, when his dad landed a new job and Jim got into the local grammar school. In the sixth form he organised tours of local factories.
      He says: “I suppose I did have this inkling that I wanted to be successful — that I wanted to be a millionaire one day. So those things were in my head at 18. But I was just dreaming, really.”
      He chose to study chemical engineering at the University of Birmingham.
      But he arrived at the chemistry department to find a group of students clustered around a noticeboard, reading a list of the 99 students on his course, ranked according to their A-level results.
      Ratcliffe was embarrassed to find himself near the bottom.
      Northern soul Jim as a youngster in Manchester
      Jim came up with the idea for building a 4×4 to replace the Land Rover DefenderCredit: Jon Bond – The Sun
      Ratcliffe with Chris Froome and Team INEOS Principal Sir Dave BrailsfordCredit: PA:Press Association
      He says: “It lacked a bit of sensitivity. But you could say it was fair. There were a lot of guys who had worked very hard at school while I was out playing football.”
      Working for BP during the summer holiday he was offered a permanent job only to be sacked within three days.
      He says: “I was called in by my boss who had been reading my medical report — they’d not bothered until then. I was fired for having mild eczema. I was told ‘You can’t work here, not with eczema. We can’t spend the money on training you for five years and then find you’ve got an allergy, so you’re on your bike.’”
      Jim failed to persuade BP to take him on as a trainee accountant so he moved to fabric and chemicals firm Courtaulds, where he stayed until he was in his thirties.
      Lured by the perk of a much better car, a white BMW 535i, he switched to becoming a dealmaker with the venture capital company Advent International.
      He says: “They tripled my salary and offered me a fancy car. I did like that car — it was better than the one the chairman of Courtaulds had.
      “The venture capital world is very simple. If you do bad deals, you get fired. If you don’t do any deals, you get fired. I took that job because it would present a lot of opportunities. I always had a feeling that a really good one would come along.”
      In 1992, he bought BP’s specialist chemicals operation for about £40million, floating it on the stock market two years later.
      But Jim quit the company in 1998.
      By then his ten-year marriage to first wife Amanda Townson, with whom he has two sons, George and Samuel, had ended in divorce.
      He has a daughter with second wife, Alicia. He is now believed to be with current partner Catherine Polli.
      His fortunes changed for the better when he bought an Antwerp-based chemicals business which became the start of Ineos.
      I suppose I did have this inkling that I wanted to be successful — that I wanted to be a millionaire one day. So those things were in my head at 18. But I was just dreaming, really.Jim Ratcliffe
      Jim and his new business partners, Andy Currie and John Reece, became masters at spotting untapped potential in flagging plants and factories.
      Sir Jim says: “We’d look at businesses that were unfashionable or unsexy, facilities owned by large corporations. We’d run them a bit better, make them busy and very profitable.”
      The deals got bigger and bigger and by 2018 Jim’s share of the business made him Britain’s richest man with a fortune of £21billion.
      A supporter of Brexit and fracking, he wants Britain to manufacture more.
      He says: “You can’t have an economy of 70million people where you don’t make any products. If you do, every time you want to buy a product you first have to buy some foreign exchange and find a country to sell it to you. That’s dumb — you end up with a fragile economy.”
      While United’s fans are praying Sir Jim will come to the club’s rescue — they are at rock bottom after two games that both ended in defeat — business experts were warning them not to get too hopeful.
      Read More on The Sun
      While the Glazers say United is worth £5billion, the stock market values the club at much less.
      Sky TV Business Presenter Ian King says: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe has never knowingly overpaid for anything in his career.”
      F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas celebrate with JimCredit: AFP
      Ratcliffe with the Mercedes F1 TeamCredit: Getty
      Ratcliffe meets staff at the Grangemouth plant as the first ship carrying shale gas from the US arrives in the Firth of ForthCredit: Getty
      Ratcliffe’s childhood home on Dunkerly Avenue, Failsworth, Lancs
      Aerial view of Lake Geneva where Ratcliffe owns a mega-houseCredit: Getty
      Ratcliffe’s 260ft super-yacht Hampshire IICredit: Alamy
      The Sun reported on Sir Jim’s interest in buying Man Utd More

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      in Soccer

      Inside the bizarre Qatar World Cup where England fans face £13 pints, swearing ban and nights sleeping in ‘caravan city’

      by

      AFTER savouring every last drop of my £13 lager at Qatar’s Champions Bar, it was game time.With less than 100 days to go until the World Cup kicks off, I was heading for the air-conditioned Khalifa International Stadium, where England will face Iran in their opening match of the competition on November 21.
      Oliver Harvey inside the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar where England will play Iran on November 21Credit: Louis Wood
      Oliver reveals that with less than 100 days before the kick-off, ‘Cultural differences with the West come into sharp focus’, pictured: the World Cup TrophyCredit: Getty

      Taking the plush Doha underground to the 45,416-seat arena, cultural differences with the West come into sharp focus.
      A local ushered me away from a central carriage from which he explained single men are banned.
      The Metro here has three classes — Standard: Family, for women, children and accompanying men; and the lavishly-upholstered Gold.
      Boozing in public is banned — apart from at top-end hotels and restaurants — so supping tinnies on the way to a match is out. This is also a land where vapes are outlawed and swearing and obscene gestures can land you behind bars.
      Fatma Al-Nuaimi, — from the World Cup’s Supreme Committee, told me: “We just ask people to respect the local culture.”
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      So how will this tiny desert kingdom, the size of Yorkshire, cope with as many as 1.3million fervent football fans arriving in three months?
      To find out, I’ve spent this week in Qatar, road-testing facilities and grilling organisers in a nation whose poor human rights record is under the microscope.
      Walking through treacle
      My dummy run to the Khalifa — where local teams Umm Salal and Al Sadd were playing out a 1-1 draw — suggests the transport and stadiums will surpass many previous World Cups.
      Entering the Metro in downtown Doha, security workers in white shirts and dark trousers huddled around giant air-conditioning units to beat the August heat.
      Most read in The Sun
      Outside it was a claustrophobic 42C (temperatures in November should fall to the mid to upper 20s) with cloying humidity making each footstep like walking through treacle.
      Inside the ground it was a pleasant 26C as 500 nozzles pumped out cold air.
      Earlier I had visited a Nasa-like World Cup nerve centre, where banks of cyber workers remotely monitor all eight World Cup stadiums.
      Chief Technology Officer Niyas Abdulrahim explained that the temperature inside the stadiums can be adjusted depending on the size of the crowd.
      And he revealed that supporters will be monitored Big Brother-style, with 15,000 cameras inside the stadiums and more in fan zones. Standing before a bank of computers and monitors, Niyas said anyone misbehaving can be identified.
      We have high-resolution special cameras to zoom in on a particular seat and clearly see the spectator. Chief Technology Officer Niyas Abdulrahim
      He revealed: “We have high-resolution special cameras to zoom in on a particular seat and clearly see the spectator. It’s being recorded, so that will help us in any post-event investigation.”
      Boozing in public is banned, here Oliver is drinking £13 pint of beer at Champions barCredit: Louis Wood
      Oliver, traveling in Gold class on the new Doha metro system, says ‘The Metro here has three classes — Standard and the lavishly-upholstered Gold’Credit: Louis Wood
      As he visits tourist attractions in the Qatar desert, England fans can experience camel rides and holding a falconCredit: Louis Wood
      No decision on Covid rules for the World Cup have been announced. Currently masks are worn in public and UK travellers require a negative pre-flight PCR test.
      And Qatar has yet to confirm its plans for alcohol consumption, with the Supreme Committee’s Fatma Al-Nuaimi saying booze will be available “in designated areas”.
      She added that events such as the Club World Cup in the country in 2019 — won by Liverpool — proved a successful trial run. “We have welcomed Liverpool fans in a fan zone that was serving alcohol before and after the match,” she said.
      The eye-watering alcohol prices in Qatar’s licensed hotel bars and restaurants won’t be replicated in the fan zones. A source at the organising committee assured me supporters will be able to sup pints for around £5.
      Gleaming Doha — a city of steel and glass rising out of the desert — will hold a giant World Cup party at its four-mile waterfront Corniche promenade.
      England’s wags are rumoured to be staying on a luxury cruise liner moored in the warm Gulf waters, where they will be able to enjoy a glass of bubbly.
      Their other halves will check into the dry five-star Souq Al Wakra beach resort, ten miles up the coast. When I visited this week, attentive staff provided a golf buggy ride from reception to the hotel’s decent restaurant to beat the searing heat.
      Lamb couscous cooked in a clay pot is £15 while signature drinks include the tomato juice-based How Bazaar, a steal at £7.
      England boss Gareth Southgate has chosen a location which will immerse his players in local life.
      Two camels
      While downtown Doha resembles London’s Canary Wharf in a sandstorm, the honey-coloured warren of low-rise streets at Al Wakra has a Middle Eastern charm.
      Next door to the hotel a mosque’s minaret rises and there is a children’s park, complete with two camels which may prove irresistible for an England photocall. On the other side of the hotel a beachside pathway leads to a tangle of shops and cafes in the souq, or street market.
      The rear of the hotel opens directly on to golden sands and the lapping waves of the Persian Gulf.
      Wales will stay in Doha’s brand new five-star Delta City Centre hotel, which is due to open in October. Fans can experience their own Arabian nights, sleeping in beachside camps.
      I took a hair-raising 4×4 sand dune-bashing tour south of Doha, where bedouin are waiting to offer camel rides and falconry displays. At the Regency Sealine Camp, luxury glamping tents hug the shoreline. Weekday prices start from around £190.
      Later I met Omar al-Jaber, whose job it is to find accommodation for more than a million visiting World Cup fans. He revealed a “caravan city” — costing from around £120 a night per mobile home — is being constructed in central Doha to help take the strain.
      Omar insists plenty of accommodation is still available to British fans yet to make a booking, the cheapest being flats near Al Janoub Stadium for under £70 a night.
      Other options include £170-a-night Portakabin-style buildings and two luxury cruise ships — the MSC Poesia and the MSC World Europa — which will be moored at Doha’s Grand Terminal.
      The liners boast swimming pools, spas and an array of restaurants, with prices starting at around £150 a night. England superfan Brian Wright and four friends have booked 22 nights on a cruise ship.
      Brian, 51, who has been to more than 370 Three Lions games and is heading for his eighth World Cup, said: “We booked before the draw and are paying just £60 a night.”
      We booked before the draw and are paying just £60 a night.England superfan Brian Wright
      UK fans will need to acquaint themselves with local customs and laws in a conservative Islamic nation.
      Coventry City fan Brian added: “Whatever country I visit, I respect their laws and abide by them. It won’t stop me having a bloody good time.”
      Scanners at Doha Airport detect anyone trying to sneak booze or drugs into the country.
      Qatar really isn’t a place where you want to fall foul of the law. The US State Department said there were 375 cases of court-ordered floggings, for various offences, in 2019.
      The last known Brit to receive the punishment was Gavin Sherrard-Smith, from Cheltenham, Gloucs. He was lashed 50 times with a bamboo cane in 1993 after he was found guilty of selling alcohol to a Muslim.
      Gavin, who denied the charges, said: “The last ten strokes were agony, bloody agony. I thought I was going to pass out.”
      Qatari organisers assured me that everyone is welcome to the tournament — yet the LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index ranks the nation at 190th in the world.
      Homosexuality is illegal here and punishable by up to three years in prison.
      Some of the Wales team’s staff, as well as members of the Rainbow Wall — its official LGBTQ+ supporters’ group — will boycott the tournament over the country’s stance on gay rights.
      Built on sweat and blood
      The organising committee’s Nasser Al-Khori told me: “When it comes to LGBT everyone is welcome as long as there are limitations around PDA (public displays of affection).
      “There are things that are accepted culturally and things that are not. Everybody is welcome to the World Cup.”
      Public intimacy between any couple, regardless of gender, can lead to arrest.
      The gleaming stadiums and other infrastructure that have risen from the sand have been built on the sweat — and sometimes blood — of an army of occasionally mistreated migrant workers.
      The Qataris say they responded by improving health and safety and overhauling migrant employment laws.
      Spokeswoman Fatma Al-Nuaimi said the changes “will be the true social legacy that the World Cup will leave”.
      Read More on The Sun
      As the sun dips below the horizon, Doha twinkles in a kaleidoscope of lights and chrome.
      The World Cup in the desert will certainly be a tournament like no other.
      England fans can stay in portacabins in Doha whilst the World Cup is onCredit: Louis Wood
      Oliver gained access into the changing room England will get ready in before the gameCredit: Louis Wood More

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      in Soccer

      The 1972 match that put the Lionesses on the road to Wembley (and ended 50 years of hurt)

      by

      JUST 400 people paid 20p each to file through the turnstiles at a kids’ foot­ball ground near Glasgow to see history being made.Exactly 50 years ago, England’s women footballers played their first ever international with the official backing of the game’s governing body.
      Exactly 50 years ago, England’s women footballers played their first ever international with the official backing of the game’s governing bodyCredit: Mirrorpix
      That match set the Lionesses off on the long road that has led them to Sunday’s Euro 2022 final at WembleyCredit: Getty
      In that debut game against Scotland at the Ravenscraig Stadium in Greenock, England won 3-2 and set off on the long road that has led the Lionesses to Sunday’s Euros final at Wembley.
      Although striker Pat Davies scored twice to wipe out Scotland’s 2-1 lead, the final score was almost irrelevant.
      What DID matter that Saturday afternoon in November 1972 was that this game signalled the end of half a century of hurt for women who had been BANNED from playing football.
      A hundred years ago, most UK towns and cities had women’s football teams and many of those female players were international superstars.
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      On Boxing Day morning of 1920 a capacity crowd of 53,000 crammed into Goodison Park, Liverpool, to watch two of the country’s most exciting women’s teams play a charity match to raise money for wounded war veterans.
      ‘ABSOLUTE OUTCRY’
      That record-breaking crowd was far bigger than Liverpool or Everton men’s teams were getting — and the Football Association was worried.
      Former women’s footballer Gail Newsham, 69, of Preston, Lancs, says: “That match sent shock waves through the football establishment.
      “Despite being factory workers, one of those women’s teams — Dick, Kerr Ladies from Preston — played 67 games of football in a year and almost 900,000 people came to watch them.
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new Brazilian girlfriend, 35, days after divorce
      “Back then women players were the superstars of the day because they played exciting football.
      “Fans wanted to be pictured with them and get their autographs, the selfies of that time.”
      Then, almost a year after that famous Boxing Day match, the game’s ruling body, the FA, banned women from playing on any grounds operated by the Football League.
      Gail says: “Imagine saying to today’s incredible Lionesses after Sunday’s game at Wembley, ‘right that’s it you’re not playing anymore. You’re banned’.
      “Whatever you’d done, it didn’t matter. Nobody was going to care or remember. That’s what happened to those famous female footballers.
      “If the same thing happened today there would be an absolute outcry. But back in 1921 life was very different for women. What drives me mad is the injustice of it.”
      It had all been so different, when four years earlier the matron of a military hospital asked women workers at William Dick and John Kerr’s munitions factory in Preston to raise money for veterans with a Christmas concert.
      The factory girls had a better idea — a charity football match against women from a nearby foundry.
      Incredibly 10,000 fans turned up at Preston North End’s Deepdale ground to see Dick, Kerr Ladies beat Arundel Coulthard Foundry and raise the equivalent of £50,000 for wounded soldiers. It was the start of an amazing run of 200 games without defeat, as the women footballers took not only Britain but the world by storm — they even became the unofficial England team.
      Gail tracked down former players and fans for her book about the Dick, Kerr Ladies Team, In A League Of Their Own.
      Imagine saying to today’s incredible Lionesses after Sunday’s game at Wembley, ‘right that’s it you’re not playing anymore. You’re banned’.Gail Newsham
      She says: “I met two elderly gentlemen who had seen the Dick, Kerr Ladies play — one during the general strike and the other remembers seeing a night match by search light in 1920.
      “They both told me it wasn’t about women running around in shorts or anything like that. They just wanted to see a good game of football.
      “The most outstanding player was the team’s first captain, Alice Kell, who was a defender in the Bobby Moore mould and a great figurehead for the team. The women looked up to her.
      “All those years later, that old man still remembered Alice Kell’s name.
      “Florrie Redford was the centre forward and she was naturally gifted, could kick with either foot. She scored 170 goals in 1921.
      “She was probably the most famous woman footballer of her generation.
      “Everybody talks about Lily Parr but before her came Jenny Harris, a very small girl but a fantastic player. She could dribble from one end of the pitch to the other and score goals.
      “Those women players would be absolute superstars today.”
      But the Boxing Day game at Goodison Park sealed their fate.
      The FA’s council ruled that football was “quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.”
      Despite women playing soccer for years doctors on the FA’s payroll decided: “Football is a rough game and is more harmful for women than men.”
      The most outstanding player was the team’s first captain, Alice Kell, who was a defender in the Bobby Moore mould and a great figurehead for the team. The women looked up to her.Gail Newsham
      Dr Elizabeth Sloan Chesser even said: “Women may receive injuries from which they may never recover.”
      Banned from playing at league stadiums, women’s teams were reduced to doing so in parks and rugby grounds.
      Gail says: “Rugby grounds opened their doors to them and they would play on pitches that the FA had no jurisdiction over. But the FA still kept rearing their ugly heads throughout the history — they would try to prevent games from going ahead.”
      Dick, Kerr Ladies team owned their own ground and managed to continue playing until 1965. They even travelled to America to play and they won tournaments in Europe.
      WASHED IN A POND
      Watching Dick, Kerr Ladies in the early Sixties, legendary manager Sir Matt Busby described Val Walsh as one of the best players he had ever seen. He would have signed Val to play for Manchester United if she had been a man.
      Other clubs like Heys from Bradford, Huddersfield Atlanta and Manchester Corinthians Ladies Foot­ball Club defied the ban on women’s football on FA-affiliated grounds.
      Percy Ashley, a Bolton Wanderers scout, set up the Corinthians in 1949 so his deaf daughter, Doris, a gifted player, could play and socialise with other women.
      Conditions were so primitive at their home ground in Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, that women players washed in a nearby duck pond because there was no running water in the unheated changing rooms.
      But by touring Europe the team won more than 50 trophies by 1970, and raised £275,000 for charity.
      Gail grew up playing football with boys in the street but was not allowed to play in matches until the FA lifted their ban in 1971.
      She says: “When I first started, we used to play at a pitch where the changing room was an old chicken hut and there were panels missing so the wind and rain came in and the toilet was a rusty oil drum.
      “But we didn’t mind. We’d play anywhere. We really did it for the love of the game.”
      The year after Dick, Kerr Ladies team finally quit, England’s men won the World Cup in 1966, inspiring more women than ever to play.
      In 1967, BBC worker Patricia Gregory was watching Spurs parade the FA Cup at Tottenham Town Hall and wondered why she had never seen girls playing football.
      Unaware of the FA ruling on women playing football she founded the Women’s Football Association and five years later the ban was lifted – allowing that first ever official female international to happen.
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      Gail says: “Here we are 50 years on and I believe the Lionesses can do it on Sunday. I can’t put into words how wonderful it will be.
      “It’s like, we are picking up now where the Dick, Kerr Ladies left off in the 1920s.”
      Dick, Kerr Ladies from Preston played 67 games of football in a year and almost 900,000 people came to watch themCredit: Getty
      Jeannie Allott scored the first goal of the 1972 Scotland game at just 16 years of ageCredit: Mirrorpix
      Florrie Redford was the centre forward for Dick, Kerr Ladies and she was naturally gifted, being pictured here on Joan Whalley’s leftCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      How England’s Lionesses are tantalisingly close to ending 56 years of hurt in epic semi-final clash with Sweden

      by

      ENGLAND’S Lionesses aim to get the nation roaring tomorrow.Striker Fran Kirby said: “Hopefully we are giving the country something to smile about and to be proud of.”
      England’s Lionesses are tantalisingly close to ending 56 years of hurt in epic semi-final clash with SwedenCredit: Getty
      Their Euros semi-final against Sweden, being screened on BBC One, is set to be watched by TEN MILLION people as support for the Lionesses reaches fever pitch.
      It shows how momentum is buiding, as 7.6million watched their thrilling eleventh-hour 2-1 victory over Spain last Wednesday.
      With the final tantalisingly in sight, this could be England’s chance to ease the pain of last year’s men’s final defeat to Italy on penalties.
      Fans are getting behind the Lionesses in a major way – 2,000 extra tickets for the clash at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane sold out in just ten minutes last week.
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LIONESSES.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}FRAN MASTERPLAN .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Kirby insists England ready to end their semis hoodoo by beating Sweden
      And we will be sinking 11.2million pints as we cheer them on tomorrow, according to Voucher Codes.co.uk — that’s on top of the 4.7million said to have been guzzled as they powered past Spain.
      For the first time in women’s football history, up to 5,000 fans will flock to London’s Trafalgar Square to watch the semi-final on big screens.
      The event is free, with lucky fans able to bag tickets on a first-come-first-served basis at london.gov.uk/womenseuro2022.
      Announcing the event, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “With Euros fever gripping the country, I am delighted that thousands of Londoners and visitors will be able to come together and cheer the team on to glory.”
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      As the excitement builds to fever pitch the team, managed by the Dutchwoman Sarina Wiegman, are keeping their feet on the ground.
      Some are still smarting after being bumped into fourth place by tomorrow’s opponents in the 2019 World Cup.
      But a fresh start comes with a new captain — Arsenal defender Leah Williamson, 25.
      She said: “I set myself a path to play for Arsenal, then England.
      “Maybe I didn’t know exactly who I was but I knew where I was going.”
      Manchester City’s Ellen White, 33 — known for her “goggles” goal celebration — is just one strike behind Wayne Rooney’s 53-goal record for his country and will be looking to equal or beat it tomorrow.
      For some of the Lionesses the semi-final will be a time of divided loyalties.
      Chelsea’s Millie Bright, 28, will be facing off against her Swedish team-mates, club captain Magdalena Eriksson and potentially keeper Zecira Mušovic.
      Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, 27 — the top scorer in the tournament so far with five goals – are up against their Arsenal team-mate Stina Blackstenius.
      Success against the Swedes will be no mean feat. Unlike England, they can boast at least one Euros win, even if it was in 1984.
      ‘FEVER GRIPPING COUNTRY’
      But there are plenty of people who believe our girls can go all the way..
      Match Of The Day host and ex-Three Lions ace Gary Linker was among a handful of high-profile names who took to social media to praise England’s comeback against Spain, tweeting: “Wonderful victory for @Lionesses. Well played.”
      Prince William also congratulated them, writing: “Great performance and comeback @Lionesses, brilliant team effort! On to the #WEURO2020 semis.”
      And the public are right behind the girls as Lioness fever has taken hold — which has not gone unnoticed by the team.
      Fran Kirby added: “As the tournament has grown people have been going, ‘Well done, girls — we’re supporting you!’
      “If we get the through to the final it will be incredible for people to have something to celebrate and enjoy.”
      Fingers crossed the team make it to Wembley to face either France or Germany — the latter giving us a prospect as exciting as England’s 1966 World Cup final.
      Football’s not coming home quite yet, but it’s tantalisingly close.
      Below, we introduce you to the Lionesses, share pictures of them when they were youngsters dreaming of footie stardom and tell you sun facts about them.
      Plus The Sun’s Head Of Sport gives his view.
      LEAH WILLIAMSON
      Arsenal Centre Back
      Leah 25, is from Milton Keynes, Bucks She is studying part time to become an accountantCredit: Rex
      Leah was scouted for the top Rushden & Diamonds Centre of Excellence aged just sixCredit: Instagram
      GEORGIA STANWAY
      Bayern Munich Midfield
      Now 23, at 16 Georgia moved and from her home town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, to follow her dreams to become a footballerCredit: Getty
      Georgia’s favourite cake is a Cartmel Sticky Toffee puddingCredit: Instagram
      MARY EARPS
      Man Utd Goalkeeper
      Comeback queen Mary returned to the squad last year after being axed by Phil Neville in 2019Credit: Getty
      Mary, from Nottingham, attempted to learn German through podcasts while playing for VfL Wolfsburg
      MILLIE BRIGHT
      Chelsea Defender
      Millie, 28, is one of the toughest players on the pitch but as a kid growing up in Chesterfield, Derbys, she was obsessed with horse ridingCredit: Getty
      Millie dumped horse riding for footie after being scouted by Sheffield United. As a teen, she idolised Olympic hero Jessica Ennis-HillCredit: Instagram
      BETH MEAD
      Arsenal Forward
      The Euros’ top scorer so far with five goals, Beth was a sports all-rounder as a child in Hinderwell, YorksCredit: Getty
      Beth 27, excelled at netball, cricket, hockey and cross-country before bopting to pursue football. So she could afford her pairs of boots, she worked at a local pubCredit: Instagram
      LUCY BRONZE
      Barcelona Fullback
      Lucy, 30, from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, is the team’s most experienced playerCredit: Getty
      Lucy is bilingual thanks to her Portuguese dad. She worked part-time in a pizza shop when she signed for Everton.Credit: Instagram
      RACHEL DALY
      Houston Dash Forward/Fullback
      Rachel, 30, is from Harrogate North Yorks. As a child, some mistook her for a boy due to her short hair when she played for a lads’ teamCredit: Getty
      St John Ambulance dedicated a staff member every year to count how many yellow cards Rachel got as a teen player and warned her when she was getting close to a suspensionCredit: Instagram
      FRAN KIRBY
      Chelsea Forward
      Fran is 29 and from Reading. Her mum once wrote in a birthday card that Fran would play in the World Cup. Tragically she died suddenly when Fran was 14.Credit: Getty
      Tragically Fran’s mum died suddenly when Fran was 14Credit: Instagram / @frankirby
      KEIRA WALSH
      Man City Midfield
      Seen as one of the world’s most talented midfielders, Keira, 25, from Rochdale, was obsessed with Man City from early onCredit: Getty
      As a kid Keira named her goldfish Shaun Goater and Nicolas Anelka after two former club strikersCredit: Instagram
      LAUREN HEMP
      Man City Forward
      Hailing from North Walsham in Norfolk, 21-year-old Lauren’s early passion was dancingCredit: Getty
      Lauren only took up football after watching her older sister play in their garden at homeCredit: Twitter
      ELLEN WHITE
      Man City Forward
      Last year Ellen became the women’s top scorer of all time when she slotted home the 55th career goalCredit: Getty
      Now 33, she was eight and being trained by her dad Jon when she was spotted by an Arsenal scoutCredit: Supplied
      By SHAUN CUSTIS Head of Sun Sport
      THIS Euros has proved that the women’s game can stand on its own two feet.
      Which is why we should stop comparing it with men’s football.
      Last week it was being said that if Ellen White nets another two she will go past Wayne Rooney’s England goal-scoring record of 53.
      No she won’t, she will extend her own incredible record in women’s football.
      After all if Harry Kane, currently on 50 goals, gets to 55 we wouldn’t say he’s beaten Ellen White, so why do it the other way round?
      Of course, should The Lionesses win the tournament at Wembley on Sunday, there will be the inevitable digs at the men about the females triumphing where they failed last year.
      And they will deserve all the plaudits that come their way.
      But for the women’s game to seriously progress in the years to come it needs to develop in its own space.
      Hopefully that means this Euros will encourage girls’ football teams in every primary school, rather than the best players being in the boys’ teams.
      Once that becomes the norm, then women’s football will really be on the march. More

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      in Soccer

      How England’s women’s team get match ready, from watching Love Island to eating beans on toast and Abba singalongs

      by

      AS Euros fever grips the nation, England’s women’s team are training for glory ahead of Tuesday’s semi- final against Sweden – at a resort in South West London.On the banks of the Thames, with more than 25 acres of ­landscaped grounds, the exclusive Lensbury Hotel is in Teddington, which in 2021 was named the best place to live in­ the capital.
      The footballers have a diary room in their hotel like Big BrotherCredit: Getty
      The stars are staying at the exclusive Lensbury Hotel is in TeddingtonCredit: Getty
      When training is done, the Lionesses play cards, watch Love Island and share problems in a Big ­Brother-style Diary Room, where staff encourage them to offload what is on their minds.
      And in a more literal reinterpretation of Sir Alex Ferguson’s “hair-dryer” treatment, super sub and Man Utd forward Alessia Russo, 23, is also the team hairstylist.
      Midfielder Jill Scott, 35, said: “Alessia is doing my hair and she is doing a really good job. I keep saying to her, now that we’ve won our matches, I’ve got to keep my hair like this. I keep pestering her.”
      The camp is clearly paying off, with 23-year-old Georgia Stanway’s extra-time winner on Wednesday seeing off pre-tournament favourites Spain in the quarter-finals.
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WOMEN.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}SHORT SHRIFT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}England Women ask Nike to change shorts over period concerns during Euro 2022
      Arsenal forward Nikita Parris, 28, said: “We’ve got unbelievable facilities — pitch, gym, relaxation room and the diary room. It’s class.
      “The relaxation room is the main room for most people. In there we’ve got darts, pool, table tennis and the basketball machine.
      “On days off we get to relax, wake up a bit later, come and go as we please.”
      Alessia, who scored the goal of the tournament so far in the 5-0 drubbing of Northern Ireland, said: “After training we recover, have lunch, then enjoy each other’s company.
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      “We play cards, sit in the sun, get a coffee. There’s a group of us who play cards. It’s a nice way to switch off and play a game called Trump, which gets really competitive.”
      It’s her first major tournament with England, helped by the presence of clubmate Ella Toone, 22 — the duo combining for Ella to score the crucial equaliser against Spain.
      Alessia said: “Being on this journey with my best friend makes it all that little bit more special.
      “Tooney’s an absolute doughnut, she has me in hysterics. I think we balance each other out quite nicely.”
      Winger Lauren Hemp, 21, is the queen of the dartboard, dominating at the squad’s favourite game, Around The World, according to Man City teammate Chloe Kelly.
      Chloe, 24, said: “I’ve been practising because Hempo flies away with the win every time.”
      Chelsea teammates Bethany England and Jess Carter, 24, have been going head-to-head at pool.
      Bethany, 28, said: “My competitive edge is quite extreme. I will get a face on if I lose.”
      Players recover from matches with yoga classes, ice baths and visits to the cryotherapy chamber.
      The team have conceded just once during their march to the semis, but their secret weapon might be a touch simpler — match-winner Georgia’s heroics were fuelled by a classic dinner.
      She said: “My pre-match meal is a bit of a superstition, but it’s got to be beans on toast. But sometimes, when we go abroad, it’s really hard to get the beans and they end up being kidney beans, so sometimes I have to go without.”
      Their success has prompted a rush for tickets to the semi-final, with an extra 2,000 tickets selling out in ten minutes on Thursday morning.
      Re-sale websites are offering £15 tickets for as much as £850.
      Those who do have tickets shouldn’t worry if they hear Swedish songs after the game, as Abba are a fixture in England’s post-match celebrations.
      Captain Leah Williamson, 25, is the squad’s designated DJ, including on the long coach rides back to Teddington after games — with communal singing at the tops of their voices until the early hours.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}NAME GAME .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}We named our son a strong, manly name but family laughed in our face at it
      As well as Abba’s hits, Proud, by Heather Small, and songs from the musical Grease are on the playlist.
      Defender Millie Bright, 28, said: “Some players text r­e­quests from the back of the bus. We like the singalong vibes.”
      A cryotherapy chamber helps the players to recover between gamesCredit: Getty
      England’s women’s team are preparing for the European Championship semi-finalCredit: Getty
      England face Sweden in the semi-final on TuesdayCredit: Getty
      Beans on toast is a staple snack for the footballersCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      I’ve been banging on about women’s football for ages – and this sensational England team are the reason why

      by

      I THOUGHT it was all over. England’s Euros dream was dying at around a quarter to ten on Wednesday night. Spain had been all over us and when they went ahead, they looked certainties for the semi-final. Yes, I thought it was all over.
      Ella Toone celebrates scoring a late equaliser against Spain, keeping the Lionesses in the gameCredit: AFP
      Ella scores in the 84th minute to send the game into extra-timeCredit: Getty
      Georgia Stanway’s stunning strike wins the game for England in extra-timeCredit: EPA
       But, what about England’s women? To keep channeling Kenneth Wolstenholme’s famous commentary of 1966, did they think it was all over?
      Did they hell. The Lionesses had other ideas.
      On came Alessia Russo and Ella Toone, and everything changed. With just six minutes left, in came the cross and the magnificent Russo somehow got to it ahead of the three defenders around her.
      Knock down. Toone. Bang. Equaliser.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}ENGLAND 2 SPAIN 1 (AET) .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Stanway SCREAMER sends
      Amex wild as Lionesses roar into Euro semis
       Love it, love it, love it.
      If this match represents a tipping point for women’s football, it was at this moment that it started to tip. 
      Fifteen minutes later the process was complete. When Georgia Stanway advanced with the ball down the middle of Spain’s half, those supporting England would have fallen into two camps. 
      There were those thinking, for God’s sake, don’t waste your time having a pop from there. 
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      In this camp were supporters unfamiliar with the work of Ms Stanway. 
      In the other camp were those who knew exactly what she was capable of. 
      They screamed, SHOOT! And shoot she did. If the net hadn’t caught it that ball would still be travelling. What a strike.
      I don’t think women’s football in this country will ever be the same again.

      I’ve been banging on about the women’s game to my best mate for a while now. He’s not been having it.
       Yesterday, when I opened my mouth to ask him if he’d watched the Spain game, he cut me off mid-sentence. “Ok OK,” he said. “Now I get it.”
      We’ve all been on a journey with women’s football. Mine began on a school football pitch in the late Seventies.
      We were around 12 years old, about to play an away game. 
      The opposing team’s teacher called us over and told us gravely that there was a girl playing for them.
      He actually asked us if we minded! 
      We all looked at each other and shrugged. Er, no. Why would we?
      And as soon as the match started, we never gave it a second thought.
      On Wednesday night, I thought about that girl. I hope she was watching. 
      Talking about the match on Radio 5 Live there was a breed of male I wanted to hear from: those who had been unsure — or even scathing — about women’s football but were now converts. 
      They didn’t disappoint. Ok, hands up, was the general message. It was bloody amazing. 
      A text from a man from Nottingham was a bit off message with that hoary old chestnut about the goalkeepers not being up to much.
      I admit, that’s something I’ve grumbled about in the past. Not any more. 
      Mary Earps and Sandra Paños, at opposite ends, were both just great.
      More than seven and a half million watched the match on the box and even more on iPlayer.
      Nottingham man can’t have been among them.
      Perhaps he was one of the relatively few watching Love Island instead.
      I loved the camera shots of the crowd. They were as special as the occasion demanded. 
      There was joy, passion and sheer wonderment at the magnitude of what they were witnessing. Not just the result; all of it. 
      Rampaging Russo
      There was one guy celebrating with what looked to be a three-year-old daughter. Their smiles will stay with me for a good while. 
      The din the Euros crowds have made has been as loud as you like, but obviously at a higher pitch than we’re used to.
      At first this sounded a bit odd, but now it’s the deeper noise at the blokes’ matches which will sound a bit weird when the Premier League starts up again.
      By then, will the Lionesses be European Champions? I’ve been disappointed too many times by every team I’ve ever supported to be counting any chickens. 
      But at this moment I can’t imagine any team losing if it has the awesome Millie Bright at the back, the rampaging Russo leading the line and nine other legends swarming around them. 
      There’s plainly something special about the coach too, and not just because two of her subs combined to score and change the game.
      Sarina Wiegman radiates calmness as well as competence and confidence as coach.
      Her demeanour reminds me of Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti: they just make you believe that everything is going to be alright in the end.
      Her players are the real deal.
      They have shown us they can both win at a canter and come from behind against amazing opposition.
      They are ferociously talented with iron wills.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}PAY DAY .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}I’m a benefits expert – how to claim £650 cost of living payment with loophole
      Yet there is a delicious hint of innocence about them, too. Of course there is — this is new territory for all of them. And for all of us, too.
      Together, let’s go all the way. 
      Ellen White celebrates her side’s quarter-final victoryCredit: Getty
      WE’RE IN THE SEMIS!
      England v Sweden or Belgium
      Tuesday, July 26, 8pm, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
      (Sweden v Belgium, today, 8pm, Leigh Sports Village)

      ‘CROWD GO SO CRAZY’By Lianne Sanderson – former England player
      PEOPLE have always been sceptical about the women’s game but this year has proved all the doubters wrong.
      I’ve never heard a crowd go so wild when our team gets the ball, it is crazier than the cheers at men’s games. And it’s all been kept positive in the stands, we haven’t seen a single fight or violence so far.
      Getting the girls to this point hasn’t been easy and Sarina Wiegman has been a key part of that. She’s the puzzle piece we’ve been missing.
      We’re not the best team in the world, we’re ranked eight, but you wouldn’t know it from their Euros performances.
      Games like the quarter-final this week showcase women’s football at its absolute best.
      I can’t stand Sweet Caroline as a song, but if I get to hear it every time our Lionesses win, I’ll learn to enjoy it.

      Hear Lianne commentate on all of the Women’s Euros England games on talkSPORT

      ‘EDGE OF OUR SEAT’By Jason Cundy – footballer turned radio host
      ENGLAND’S win against Spain was football at its finest.
      It had all the elements of unscripted drama from elite athletes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
      They have lived in the shadow of the men’s game for such a long time and last night they dominated the back pages of the papers. 
      For the first time ever, we’re doing phone-ins on the women’s game on talkSPORT.
      Thanks to it being broadcast on terrestrial TV, more people than ever can see just how technical women’s football has become. From the way the players move the balls around in triangles to the standard of goalkeeping, it’s no surprise people are being won over.
       There will always be sceptics, but they’re outnumbered now.
      It feels like we can win this tournament. It certainly feels like it is their time.

      Jason presents The Sports Bar on talkSPORT 10pm-1am from Monday to Thursday More

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      in Soccer

      From Harry Maguire to Jordan Pickford, these romantic footballers have finally met their matches

      by

      THESE romantic footballers have finally met their matches.Ahead of the Qatar World Cup in November, internationals have been pledging themselves to their other halves.
      Manchester United player Harry and partner Fern flew to Chateau Varennes, Burgundy, on a £50,000k private jet for a £250,000 ceremony
      Everton keeper Jordan Pickford wed Megan Davison in a typically lavish Maldives beach ceremony at the weekend.
      And they aren’t the only ones – these players have been either proposing or getting married ahead of the football season.
      We look at the first XI of football romances and rate each by the WAG factor.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}GEARED UP .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Ronaldo breaks silence after missing training & drops Utd hint with shock outfit
      Harry Maguire and Fern Hawkins
      Manchester United player Harry and partner Fern, both 29, flew to Chateau Varennes, Burgundy, on a £50,000k private jet before saying their “I dos” in a £250,000 ceremony.
      Harry in his day job for Manchester UnitedCredit: EPA
      Remind Me singer Tom Grennan performed as the couple had their first dance before enjoying the £20,000 open bar.
      The happy couple had already legally got wed in a low-key, secret ceremony at Crewe Registry Office after Maguire’s training.
      WAG factor: 3/5
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      Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi
      Childhood sweethearts Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi celebrated his proposal with an elaborate floral and candle-lit arrangement
      Manchester United ace, MarcusCredit: Getty
      UNITED player and food campaigner Rashford, 24, pulled out all the stops for a romantic proposal to girlfriend Lucia, 24.
      After dining at Californian celebrity-favourite restaurant Catch LA, he whisked the PR junior back to their villa.
      There, the childhood sweethearts were met with an elaborate floral and candle-lit arrangement.
      They then toasted the engagement with pals including Rashford’s teammate Jesse Lingard – how romantic.
      WAG factor: 5/5
      Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Perrie Edwards
      Last month Oxlade-Chamberlain, 28 popped the question to Perrie, 28, at an unknown location in front of a sunset with photographer on handCredit: Instagram
      Alex in action for LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      A FOOTBALLER and a girl band member are a classic combo – but Alex wowed with his understated but romantic proposal.
      Last month Oxlade-Chamberlain, 28 popped the question to Perrie, 28, at an unknown location in front of a sunset with photographer on hand.
      Perrie posted a picture of her giant diamond ring on Instagram, writing: “Last night the love of my life got down on one knee and I said… YES!”
      WAG factor: 2/5
      Ilkay Gundogan and Sara Arfaoui
      Manchester City midfielder Ilkay married Italian model Sara, 26, in secret at a registry office in Denmark.Credit: Instagram / @sarabenamira
      Manchester City’s Ilkay GundoganCredit: Getty
      THE MANCHESTER City midfielder, 31, married Italian model Sara, 26, in secret at a registry office in Denmark.
      But the pair lived up to their lavish reputation with a ceremony for friends and family in Lake Como before a luxury honeymoon in Bodrum, Turkey.
      Sara walked down the aisle in a traditional lace wedding dress before changing into a strapless gown for the evening.
      WAG factor: 3.5/5
      Thibaut Courtois and Mishel Gerzig
      Thibaut got down on one knee last month to propose to his leggy Israeli model girlfriend, 25Credit: Instagram / @elenmatanis
      Chelsea star Thibaut CourtoisCredit: AFP
      THE Belgian former Chelsea player, 30, got down on one knee last month to propose to his leggy Israeli model girlfriend, 25.
      Thibaut asked for her hand in marriage on a luxury yacht off the picturesque Amalfi Coast.
      The couple then celebrated their engagement with a visit to Mishel’s home country and a further trip to Ibiza.
      WAG factor: 4
      Andy Carroll and Billi Mucklow
      Andy Carroll tied the knot with girlfriend Billi, 34, in June but the run-up to their nuptials was rockyCredit: instagram
      Andy Carroll in action for West BromCredit: PA
      THE former West Brom striker, 33, tied the knot with girlfriend Billi, 34, in June but the run-up to their nuptials was rocky.
      Carroll’s stag do was rocked by pictures of him in bed with two blondes. He apologised to his new bride by requesting downbeat Coldplay song The Scientist after the ceremony – which starts “I’m sorry.”
      At the luxury Four Seasons in Hampshire, the pair cut a metre-high wedding cake and threw a festival themed party for pals.
      Wag factor: 1/5
      Jordan Pickford and Megan Davison
      Jordan and Megan tie the knotCredit: jpickford1/Instagram
      Everton and England keeper JordanCredit: Rex
      THE CHILDHOOD sweethearts held a wedding ceremony at the weekend – two years after they legally married and four years after getting engaged.
      The couple had to delay their ceremony by two years after legally tying the knot at a registry office in 2020.
      Everton keeper Jordan, 28, Megan, 26, and son Arlo, three, wore white for the intimate Maldives beach ceremony with 13 friends and family.
      The bride had her hen do at a £7,500-per-night resort in Dubai, with fellow WAGs in attendance.
      Wag factor: 4
      Daniel James and Ria Hughes
      Daniel and sports instructor Ria, both 24, got engaged in Mykonos last monthCredit: instagram/Daniel James
      Leeds ace DanielCredit: Getty
      LEEDS player Daniel and sports instructor Ria, both 24, got engaged in Mykonos last month.
      The Welsh winger had arranged a giant light-up sign reading “Marry Me” at a rooftop venue on the Greek island.
      The couple are fond of romantic gestures after Ria surprised James with a cockapoo for his 21st birthday.
      WAG factor: 4/5
      Jordi Alba and Romarey Ventura
      Jordi, 33, had a star studded wedding with his model bride Romarey, also 33Credit: Instagram / @daniellasemaan
      Jordi in action for BargelonaCredit: Getty
      BARCELONA defender Jordi, 33, had a star studded wedding with his model bride, also 33.
      The Spaniard invited Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, David de Gea, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Ramos to the do at a Andalucian hacienda near Seville.
      But one guest missing was Gerard Pique who swerved the bash after splitting from his missus Shakira.
      WAG factor: 4.5/5
      Nathan Ake and Kaylee Ramman
      Nathan Ake and jewellery designer KayleeCredit: Instagram
      Man City ace NathanCredit: Getty
      DUTCH defender Nathan Ake and jewellery designer Kaylee walked down the aisle last month in a clifftop Mallorcan wedding.
      The Man City defender, 27, invited Dutch international Virgil Van Dijk, Donny van de Beek and Georginio Wijnaldum to the bash at royal estate Son Marroig.
      Nathan and Kaylee got engaged in 2020 when Nathan popped the question on a yacht.
      WAG factor: 3/5
      Ben White and Milly Adams
      Ben White on one knee to propose to his girlfriend MillyCredit: Instagram
      Ben in action for ArsenalCredit: Getty
      ARSENAL star Ben White got on one knee to propose to his girlfriend of a few months Milly in May.
      The former Brighton player, 24, popped the question to the 35-year-old Instagram model on a petal and candle covered rooftop.
      .css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-1tapza8{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1bk4jdt{padding:20px 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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}WATER GOOD IDEA .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Dad shares genius hack to fill up giant paddling pool without a hose
      To celebrate, the couple got matching “I love you” tattoos in each other’s handwriting.
      WAG factor: 3.5/5 More

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      in Soccer

      Premier League rivals, Man City ace Erling Haaland, and Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, have some surprising things in common

      by

      THE race for next season’s Premier League is hotting up – in more ways than one.Manchester City and Liverpool have splashed out record sums to snap up two of the most exciting strikers in the game.
      Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has a spectacularly ripped physiqueCredit: INSTAGRAM/ERLING HAALAND
      But it’s not just the fees for 21-year-old Norwegian hotshot Erling Haaland and Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez, 22, that are turning heads.
      Female fans have been paying special attention to the stars’ ripped torsos – which neither are shy of showing off.
      Grant Rollings takes a look at the men whose goals could bring the big trophies.
      Erling Haaland: Manchester City

      AGE: 21
      FEE: £51million
      PAY: £375,000 a week
      DAD: Ex-pro footballer
      MUM: Heptathlon champ
      LIKES: Giving £12,000 watches to 33 team-mates

      Erling Haaland plans to shake up the Premier LeagueCredit: INSTAGRAM/ERLING HAALAND
      Haaland is hoping to fire Manchester City to another Premier League titleCredit: Getty
      EVEN before Erling arrived at mega-rich Man City, he was a young man accustomed to the finest things in life.
      The 6ft 5in, blond-haired colossus, nicknamed The Terminator, flies on private jets, has a personal fitness guru and chef, and reportedly gave a £25,000 tip after splashing out £400,000 at a restaurant during a holiday in Greece.
      On leaving German side Borussia Dortmund to head to the Premier League this week, the generous star gave each of his 33 team-mates Rolex watches worth £12,000 each.
      .css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-1tapza8{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1bk4jdt{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-16djrfc{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:1;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;padding-top:2px;}.css-1skzs3j{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:1;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;padding-top:2px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}READ MORE ERLING HAALAND.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}HOT SHOTS .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}How Haaland compares to Ronaldo, Messi and other iconic strikers at 21
      But as City’s now highest-paid player — on a reported £375,000 a week — he can afford it.
      Having knocked in 62 goals in 67 games for Borussia Dortmund, the striker was wanted by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and both Manchester sides.
      Erling’s ex-footballer dad Alf-Inge and his agent met Europe’s wealthiest chairmen to see who could offer the Norwegian hotshot the most enticing deal.
      Erling, though, insists he joined the Premier League champions to work with manager Pep Guardiola and because he had been a fan of the club since childhood.
      The striker was born in Leeds when his dad played for the club there, then watched his dad run out for Man City.
      .css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in The Sun.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
      Haaland has been a Manchester City supporter since he was a boy
      Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and brother Astor take a dip in a ice poolCredit: INSTAGRAM/Astor Haaland
      Erling grew up in the Norwegian town of Bryne
      He said: “I was born in England. I have been a City fan my whole life. I know a lot about the club. I feel at home here.”
      But he was also once snapped in an Arsenal kit and The Sun can reveal he told a Norwegian newspaper five years ago: “My dream is to win the Premier League with Leeds.”
      Sport is in Erling’s genes. As well as having a footballer dad, his mum, Gry Marita Braut, was a Norwegian heptathlon champion.
      Growing up in the small town of Bryne, he was also impressive at the long jump, handball and golf.
      The lanky athlete, who has an older brother Astor and sister Gabrielle, has gone to great lengths to build up his physique, eating 4,000 calories a day.
      Erling is single at the moment and is said to prefer to focus on football.
      In fact, so obsessed is the Norwegian that he wakes up every morning to the sound of the Champions League anthem.
      Darwin Nunez: Liverpool

      AGE: 22
      FEE: £85million
      PAY: £140,000 a week
      DAD: Bricklayer
      MUM: Former bottle seller
      LOVES: Girlfriend Lorena and son Darwin

      Liverpool’s new hotshot striker Darwin Nunez hails from UruguayCredit: INSTAGRAM/DARWIN NUNEZ
      Liverpool splashed out on Nunez after a prolific season for BenficaCredit: AFP
      ON the dusty city streets of Artigas, Nunez dreamed of making it as a footballer.
      It was his best shot at giving his parents a better life.
      His bricklayer dad Bibiano and mum Silvia, who had to sell old bottles to make ends meet, lived with their two sons in a cramped home in the flood zone of the Cuareim river.
      When it burst its banks, the waters overwhelmed their house.
      Family friend Monty Suarez, whose son played with Nunez in primary school, told The Sun: “They had financial shortcomings.
      “They lived in a place where people have to leave their houses to escape from the water.”
      Rural Artigas is the furthest city from capital Montevideo, so when, aged 14, Nunez’s talents were spotted by scouts from top league side Penarol, he had to move 370 miles from home.
      His older brother Junior was already at Penarol and their mother did not want her youngest son to also live so far away.
      Scout Jose Batlle Perdomo told The Sun: “It wasn’t easy to get him out of Artigas. His mother didn’t want us to take Darwin away from her as well.”
      At first the schoolboy, who Liverpool snapped up for what could become a club record £85million, was so homesick he had to return to his parents. But a few months later he rejoined Penarol’s youth team.
      Club director Rodolfo Catino says: “He was always a very shy person, but an excellent sportsman — very committed.”
      After breaking into the first team, Nunez suffered a serious knee injury and slipped back into the youth squad.
      Perdomo says: “I tried to help him, more than anything with his state of mind.
      “He was always a very committed player and we managed to get him to recover.
      “His path to where he is now has not been an easy one.”
      After Nunez left his homeland in 2019 to join Spanish side Almeria, he started to earn enough money to look after his parents.
      He bought them a car and farmhouse close to Artigas, plus a home for his brother Junior.
      Friend Monty revealed: “Darwin is always ready to take on humanitarian tasks.
      “Every time the river Cuareim rises, he sends money to help with food and clothes for residents of his old district.”
      In 2020 Nunez joined Portuguese side Benfica and began dating Lorena Manas. They had their first child, a son also called Darwin, in January.
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      Now he has made his biggest footballing move — but it won’t go to his head.
      As he once said: “I don’t forget where I come from — a humble, hard-working family.
      Darwin Nunez’s partner is Lorena ManasCredit: Instagram / @lorenaamanas
      Darwin Nune grew up in Uruguayan town Artigas
      Lorena gave birth to their son, who they have also called DarwinCredit: INSTAGRAM/DARWIN NUNEZ
      Darwin and mum Silvia, who used to work as a bottle sellerCredit: instagram More