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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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      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

    • 175 Shares189 Views

      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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FOOTBALL.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;}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.
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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 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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.
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      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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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;}NO ESCAPE .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 can’t open our windows, sunbathe or have a BBQ on hottest day of the year
      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

    • 288 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      From Love Island’s Gemma Owen to a singer adored by Ant and Dec, can you guess the footballer dads of these glam girls?

      by

      MICHAEL OWEN is full of surprises. First, the former England ace rapped as a giant stack of doughnuts on ITV’s The Masked Singer. 
      Gemma, 18, here modelling her new swimwear range is set to enter the Love Island villaCredit: ogbeachwear
      The stunning brunette is the daughter of ex professional footballer Michael Owen
      Gemma as a toddler with dad Michael Owen in 2005Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Now, the baby-faced pundit’s daughter Gemma is set to sizzle on our TV screens this summer as a contestant on Love Island.
      19-year-old Gemma will look very different on the nation’s TV screens to when we saw her in a mini Newcastle kit as a toddler in her famous daddy’s arms.
      The former international dressage rider and swimwear business owner is in it to win it in the famous villa as she reveals she’s just as competitive as her footy star dad.
      But Gemma admits former England and Liverpool star Michael, 42, isn’t exactly “buzzing” ahead of her stint in the Majorcan love nest, and has banned her from scoring on the ITV2 hit.
      But Gemma isn’t the only footie girl in a league of her own…
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      Country singer
      Hollie Shearer, 26, is an up-and-coming music starCredit: Instagram
      Alan Shearer with his kids, Hollie, Will and Chloe, at Newcastle United in 2006Credit: Reuters
      The musician and model was working her second shoot with Pretty Little Thing and posted two of the snaps on her own personal account.
      Shearer’s daughter Hollie showed off a Pretty Little Thing top on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @hollieshearer
      Hollie Shearer, 26 – daughter of ex-England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer – is an up-and-coming music star with 15,000 monthly Spotify subscribers.
      Famous fans of hers include Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt, Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones and Ant and Dec.
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      The middle Shearer child, Hollie enjoys the finer things in life, like snorkelling in The Maldives and partying in London’s hotspots. 
      And the model recently sent her her 50k Instagram followers wild with her second Pretty Little Thing photoshoot.
      Hollie was spotted at Wembley during Euro 2020, wearing one of her old man’s retro England shirts, along with her brother Will and sister Chloe. 
      Hollie, who went to music school in London, said: “Country music is a massive inspiration to me mostly because of how real and raw it is.”
      Another Special One
      Matilde Mourinho, daughter of Roma boss, Jose, is another Special OneCredit: matildefmf/Instagram
      Jose Mourinho with Matilde, right, and son, Zuca, at Stamford Bridge in 2005Credit: Getty
      Jose Mourinho – former Chelsea and Manchester United boss, currently head coach at Roma – isn’t the only Special One in the Mourinho family. His daughter Matilde has carved out an award-winning ethical jewellery business.
      The Portuguese beauty, 25, fell in love with bling at 18, when her parents gave her a gold bracelet for her landmark birthday. 
      She studied at the London College of Fashion before doing an MA and launched her business – which uses recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds – in 2020. 
      Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra is a fan and Matilde’s dad has been spotted wearing a bracelet from the men’s range. 
      The Wag and new mum
      Estelle Bergkamp has just welcomed her first child with Manchester United’s Donny Van De BeekCredit: Getty
      Dennis Bergkamp waves to fans with his family at a testimonial match in 2006Credit: Getty
      The couple have been dating since 2019 and have now begun their own young family.
      Donny van de Beek and Estelle Bergkamp welcomed their first child in AprilCredit: Instagram / @donnyvandebeek
      Dennis Bergkamp, former Arsenal and Netherlands forward, is a new grandad – and the baby is sure to have some footie skills.
      His girl, Estelle, 26, is welcomed her first child – a daughter called Lomee – with Manchester United’s Donny Van De Beek in April.
      Estelle was born in London but grew up in Amsterdam, where she met midfielder Donny in 2019, and the couple moved to Manchester the following year. 
      The pair love travelling and have posted pictures from New York, Paris and Greece. 
      Estelle announced she was pregnant in November and later posted a gender reveal video to tell fans they are expecting a girl. 
      Back of the netball
      Alicia has followed her famous dad into sportCredit: alicia.scholesx/instagram
      Alicia with dad Paul Scholes and brothers Arron and Aiden in 2011Credit: Getty
      Alicia Scholes, 20, has inherited dad Paul’s sporting prowess with a career in netball. 
      She jumped from England U17s netball team to the U21 in the space of 12 months, and currently plays for London Pulse.
      Paul, former Manchester United midfielder, came in for some teasing on social media last October after Alicia posted a video to her 120,000 followers which appeared to show him giving his daughter a foot rub before nibbling on her big toe. She captioned it: “True love.”
      Alicia is also an ambassador for Sportingmindsuk, which offers mental health support to young people in sport.
      Style icon
      Maria Guardiola has amassed fans on social media for her sense of styleCredit: FACEBOOK/MARIA GUARDIOLA
      Pep pictured with Maria and son Marius at a basketball game in Barcelona in 2011Credit: AFP
      Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is hailed for his style, and his daughter Maria has such a chic fashion sense, she even has a fan account devoted to her looks on Instagram. 
      Maria, 21, was at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena when it was attacked by a suicide bomber in 2017, killing 22 people. 
      She is the eldest of Pep’s three children with businesswoman Cristina Serra. 
      Last October, she was rumoured to be dating Everton and England ace Dele Alli, 25, after the pair were spotted kissing in May last year.
      The pair were spotted together again in October, at a London restaurant. 
      Reality queen
      Bianca Gascoigne went from glamour modelling to reality TVCredit: INSTAGRAM/BIANCA GASCOIGNE
      Gazza with baby Regan, Bianca and her brother Mason in 1996Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Former glamour model Bianca Gascoigne – who was adopted by Newcastle and England midfielder Gazza after he married her mum, Sheryl, in 1996  – has carved out a reality TV career. 
      The 35-year-old won the original series of Love Island with fellow footballing offspring, Calum Best, in 2006.
      Since then, Bianca has appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, Come Dine with Me and Celebrity Coach Trip as well as shows like Loose Women and This Morning. 
      She won a celeb special of Gladiators in 2008 and, in December, came runner up on the Italian version of Strictly. 
      Bianca split from Katie Price’s ex Kris Boyson last year and is now dating new man, Arron Wright. 
      Argentine actress
      Dalma Maradona has followed her mother into actingCredit: dalmaradona/instagram
      Argentine legend Diego Maradona with Dalma, left, and Giannina, in 1989Credit: Getty
      With her surname of Maradona, Dalma needs little introduction.
      The 34-year-old – daughter of the late Argentine legend, Diego – began acting at just nine years old, on Argentine children’s TV series, Cebollitas, which fittingly told the story of child footballers at a neighbourhood club. 
      As a teen, she worked in theatre and TV and made her film debut in La Rabia in 2008. 
      Dalma went on to earn a degree in acting. 
      Her mother, Claudia Villafañe, who divorced Maradona in 1998 after 13 years of marriage, is also an actress and won the first series of Masterchef Celebrity Argentina. 
      After her dad’s death from a heart attack in 2020, Dalma posted a touching black and white photo of herself as a toddler with the superstar, with the words: “I’m going to remember you every day, every day missing you a little more.”
      Equestrian ace
      Chelsea Pearce has inherited her mother’s love of horse ridingCredit: INSTAGRAM/CHELSEA PEARCE
      She posed with her dad, Stuart, on the pitch as a youngsterCredit: INSTAGRAM/CHELSEA PEARCE
      Chelsea Pearce takes after her mother, Liz, with her talent for horseriding.
      The daughter of England and premier league defender Stuart Pearce – who was nicknamed Psycho for his aggressive style – competes for Great Britain in eventing and is a European silver medallist. 
      She is funded with a SportsAid UK grant and also teaches groups and individuals. 
      The 21-year-old started riding at two years old, taking after her mum, Liz, who split from Stuart in 2014 and kept racehorses at stables near the family’s £1.8m home near Marlborough, Wilts.
      At Stonar School, Wilts., she was on the netball, hockey, cross country running and swimming teams. 
      Street food savvy
      Jade Leboeuf has started her own street food pizza businessCredit: instagram/jade_leboeuf
      Gorgeous Jade is a model and aspiring actressCredit: Instagram @Jade_Leboeuf
      The 31-year-old is now based in Paris and became a mum in 2020Credit: Instagram @Jade_Leboeuf
      Jade and her brother Hugo pictured with dad Frank Leboeuf in 2000Credit: Alamy
      Jade Leboeuf – daughter of French footie star Frank – grew up in London, France and Qatar and is now a model and social media influencer, with 141,000 followers on Instagram. 
      The 31-year-old acted in American film, Everlasting, in 2016, but has since become an entrepreneur, launching a food van, Hyde Pizza, in Luxembourg, where she lives. 
      Jade is married to reality show star Stéphane Rodrigues and the pair welcomed their first child, Elon, in August 2020. 
      She’s clearly a fan of the gym if her abs are anything to go by.

      Danielle Favatto – daughter of Brazil legend Romario – is a social media starCredit: Instagram
      Jade with her superstar dad, Romario
      Her Brazilian superstar dad, Romario – now a politician – might be hailed as one of the world’s greatest ever players, but Danielle Favatto is making her own mark as a social media star. 
      The stunning brunette has amassed more than a quarter of a million Instagram followers since 2015. 
      One of six kids, Danielle, 24, posts pictures of herself enjoying the sun in Rio de Janeiro, admiring the sights in Paris and posing in bikinis at various exotic locations. 
      The model also appears to have a deal with a Brazilian swimwear company.
      This article originally referred to Georgina Seaman, daughter of ex-England goalkeeper David. Unfortunately we used a picture of, and information about, a different woman of the same name. We apologise for this error, which has been amended. More

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      in Soccer

      From models to a Little Mix star, meet the WAGS in the stands as Liverpool take on Real Madrid in Champions League final

      by

      THEY don’t call it the beautiful game for nothing.Excitement is at fever pitch ahead of tonight’s Champions League Final.
      Excitement is at fever pitch ahead of the Champions League FinalCredit: AFP
      And these stunning Wags will be cheering on their other halves when Liverpool take on Spain’s Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris for the biggest match of the season.
      As the saying goes, behind every man is a great woman, so we kick off the interest early with the lowdown on some of the players’ wives and girlfriends who provide them with much-needed support at home.
      From a doctor and architect to a world-famous singer and a reality TV star, this lot are in a league of their own . . .
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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;}LIVERPOOL VS REAL .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;}All the crucial info you need for MASSIVE Champions League final in Paris
      Mishel Gerzig – goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
      Mishel Gerzig and Thibaut Courtois were first spotted together in 2020
      IT’S not hard to see why Israeli model Mishel, 25, caught the eye of the Belgian goalie, 30, who slid into her DMs on Instagram.
      The pair were first spotted together in Ibiza after Belgium were knocked out of Euro 2020.
      Cora Gauthier – striker Karim Benzema
      Cora Gauthier and Karim Benzema have a son together
      MODEL Cora, 32, has worked for the likes of Dior and has 100,000 Instagram followers.
      Born in Martinique, she met French striker, Karim, 34, in Dubai in 2015 and they tied the knot the following year.
      The pair have son Ibrahim, 5, together.
      .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 Football.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);}
      Karoline Lima – defender Eder Militao
      Karoline Lima and Eder Militao confirmed their relationship last year
      BRAZILIANS Karoline and Eder, 24, confirmed their relationship last year with a loved-up snap on a yacht.
      The 36-year-old influencer is due to give birth to their first child and has been sharing snaps of her growing bump.

      Sandra Garal – forward Marco Asensio
      Sandra Garal met Marco Asensio while working as a nightclub waitress
      SANDRA met Marco, 26, while working as a waitress in a nightclub in 2019.
      The Spanish couple managed to keep their relationship a secret for months.
      The 28-year-old, who studied architecture in Madrid, now models and has 280,000 Instagram followers.
      Maria Julia Mazalli – forward Vinicius Junior
      Maria Julia Mazalli started dating Vinicius Junior in 2019
      AN eagle-eyed fan revealed the 21-year-old winger was dating Maria in 2019 after they each posted selfies in the same bathroom.
      The 26-year-old influencer found fame on Brazilian reality show, Holiday With The Ex in 2017.
      Natalia Becker – goalkeeper Alisson Becker
      Natalia Becker met Alisson Becker in their native Brazil in 2012
      BRAINY Natalia, 31, met Alisson, 29, in their native Brazil in 2012 while she was studying to become a doctor.
      They married in 2015 and moved to Liverpool three years later.
      They have three kids – Helena, five, Matteo, two, and Rafael, one.
      Larissa Pereira – striker Roberto Firmino
      Larissa Pereira and Roberto Firmino were married in 2017
      THE model married Roberto, 30, in their home country of Brazil in 2017 after three years together.
      As well as being a mum to their three daughters, the 29-year-old is an entrepreneur, having founded fashion brand BeValen Store.
      Rike Nooitgedagt – defender Virgil van Dijk
      Rike Nooitgedagt and Virgil van Dijk were childhood sweethearts and wed in 2017
      FIERCELY private Rike, 28, gave up her job as a fashion sales manager to support the 30-year-old Dutch ace when he signed to Celtic in 2013.
      The childhood sweethearts wed in 2017 and have kids Nila, eight, and Jadi, six.
      Rute Cardoso – forward Diogo Jota
      Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota were childhood sweethearts
      CHILDHOOD sweethearts Rute, 26, and Diogo, 25, met at school in their native Portugal.
      Rute seems to have settled well into life in the UK and even admitted to being a fan of Peaky Blinders.
      The couple have a one-year-old son called Dinis.
      Perrie Edwards – midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
      Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Perrie Edwards have become one of the hottest showbiz couples
      THE Little Mix star and Alex, both 28, have become one of the hottest showbiz couples since they started dating in 2016.
      They welcomed son, Axel, in August, and Perrie looked incredible on the girl band’s recent Confetti Tour.
      Saffie Khan – midfielder Curtis Jones
      Saffie Khan and Curtis Jones went Instagram official last year
      THE couple went Instagram official last year, but it is believed they have been dating since 2019.
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      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury will be back. The only fight fans will pay attention to is him vs Anthony Joshua, says George Foreman

      by

      BEFORE Tyson Fury, there was another heavyweight champ who charmed his way into a fortune and kept promising to hang up his gloves for good.Like the Gypsy King, US fighter George Foreman was ridiculed for his ballooning weight, having scrapped his way to the top from the streets.
      Tyson Fury has been ridiculed for his ballooning weightCredit: Rex
      George Foreman went from being a mugger to Olympic gold medallist and world boxing champCredit: Rex Features
      The ring legend fought Muhammad Ali in 1974’s era-defining Rumble In The Jungle.
      He took a ten-year break from boxing before coming back in 1987, aged 38, to complete one of the most remarkable stories in sport.
      Foreman stunned naysayers to become the oldest heavyweight champ the world had seen, just days before his 46th birthday, when he defeated 26-year-old Michael Moorer in the tenth round of their Las Vegas bout.
      It was like something out of a Hollywood movie  — and now it is about to become one.
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Fury.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-h98a3b{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(236,245,247,1);-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-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);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-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);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-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}FAST & FURY-OUS .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;}Tyson Fury’s amazing car collection including £360k Rolls & £250k Ferrari
      A biopic titled Heart Of A Lion is in production and will remind the world that George, 73, should be remembered for far more than selling “lean, mean grilling machines”.
      The Texan, who made a reported £120million from the George Foreman Grill, went from being a mugger to Olympic gold medallist, world boxing champ, ordained minister and five-times-married father of 12.
      While Foreman says a rest would do the current champ good, he reckons it is unlikely Fury — who beat Dillian Whyte last month to retain his title — will follow through on his threat to quit.
      A must-see clash with fellow British fighter Anthony Joshua would be worth as much as £100million.
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#dcdddd;background-color:#ffffff;}.css-14dqn90{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(4px/2);margin-right:calc(4px/2);}.css-12an5ma{font-family:The Sun;font-size:20px;line-height:1.2;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;padding:1px 0px;}.css-12an5ma::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.261875em + -1px);}.css-12an5ma::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:calc(-0.25em + -1.3px);}.css-dzrove{color:rgba(37,129,145,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;margin-right:4px;}.css-dzrove:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}MIKE DROP .css-1efa55o{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1efa55o:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Michael Owen and daughter Gemma, 19, dress up for Ladies Day at Chester races
      In an exclusive interview, George tells The Sun: “To get a new breath of life, he may need to take off a couple of years and enjoy retirement.
      “But the fans are not going to pay any attention to any other fight until Fury and Joshua get into the ring.”
      When Foreman burst on to the fight scene in the early Seventies he was described as mean and moody.
      But he was a jovial figure and consummate performer by the time of his unlikely midlife triumph.
      He says: “Fury has taken a page out of Ali’s book. He is the greatest show on earth.
      “He loves what he’s doing. He has fun when he is training and when he’s in front of the microphone and the audience, a light comes on.”
      Fury would recognise a lot of himself in Big George. The Texan had a tough start in life before finding purpose in the ring.
      His father Leroy Moorehead left his mum Nancy when he was little and he was brought up by his stepfather JD Foreman.
      Houston’s troubled Fifth Ward, where he grew up, was considered a ghetto, littered with boarded-up housing.
      He says: “Everybody was rough in the neighbourhood. There were two roads, literally two sides on the street. One was all about trouble.
      “The other was all about getting a good education and making something out of yourself in life.
      “I was on the other side. It was rough because that’s the way I wanted to live.”
      His was a wild youth, with George and his six siblings forced to fend for themselves.
      He adds: “Mum and Dad broke up early, so there wasn’t a whole lot of supervision for me. I didn’t have a lot of confidence, and it took a lot of years and a lot of trouble to remove myself from that lifestyle.”
      My life was going nowhere. I was a teenage delinquent. I was out on the street robbing and mugging people. George Foreman
      With great honesty, George admits to being a bully and a menace.
      Looking back, he reveals: “I always fought. One of the schools I went to, I became a bully. Because once when someone tried to bully me, I decided I wanted to bully everybody.
      “My life was going nowhere. I was a teenage delinquent. I was out on the street robbing and mugging people.”
      A brush with the law after a theft led to Foreman choosing a different path at the age of 16.
      He said: “My mum was really proud of me. She didn’t know what I was up to. Once, I climbed outside of the window of a house hiding from the police — and I said to myself I would never steal again.”
      He signed up for a jobs programme that took him to California and the boxing ring.
      Still imposing in his seventies at 6ft 3in, George added: “I met my first trainer, called Doug, who taught me how to box. That was a life-changing experience.”
      He became a US hero by winning gold at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and turned pro a year later.
      Foreman was expected to retain his title in his fight against Ali in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974.
      He had beaten fellow ring legend Joe Frazier the year before to seize the crown and seen off tough Ken Norton in March 1974.
      He and Ali could not have been more different.
      Ali, the jester, courted the world’s media while Foreman shunned interviews.
      After one fight night I saw blood on my hands and forehead and I had cuts. I started screaming, ‘Jesus Christ, come alive!’ I became an ordained minister in the church of Lord Christ Jesus and for ten years I didn’t do anything else.George Foreman
      Ali’s cruel taunts meant there was real animosity between them when the opening bell rang.
      Foreman tired himself out throwing countless punches while Ali stayed on the defensive, his “rope-a-dope” tactic destined to enter boxing folklore.
      Ali later floored Foreman for the first time in his career, ending the fight in the eighth round.
      There would be no rematch and Foreman became friends with Ali, who died in 2016 after long suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
      Foreman said: “When Muhammad Ali became ill, we already had a close relationship, but we got even closer.”
      George took a year off from boxing after losing to Ali, before a short-lived return in 1976.
      In 1977 he took such a beating at the hands of Jimmy Young, that Foreman feared he might die.
      He asked God for help — and believes that his prayers were answered.
      That year he retired from boxing for good and was then ordained as a Christian minister.
      He says: “After one fight night I saw blood on my hands and forehead and I had cuts. I started screaming, ‘Jesus Christ, come alive!’ I became an ordained minister in the church of Lord Christ Jesus and for ten years I didn’t do anything else.”
      But he admits: “I was broke and I told my family I was going back to boxing to earn money for my youth centre and to take care of my kids. They thought I was crazy. My wife didn’t want me to fight.”
      By the time of his comeback in 1987 he was married to Mary Joan Martelly.
      And they are still together, while none of his previous four marriages lasted longer than four years.
      His five sons are all called George Edward — and one of his seven daughters is named Georgetta.
      When Muhammad Ali became ill, we already had a close relationship, but we got even closer.George Foreman
      Of parenthood, George says: “I’ve raised many children. I don’t think anyone can say that I’ve been a failure with children.
      “It’s a continuous growing thing. There’s no such a thing as a good father and bad father — you’re a father. And I love it.”
      When he announced that unlikely return, Foreman weighed more than 21st, much of it flab.
      He recalls: “Everybody laughed at me because I had ballooned. I had to fight my way to get into condition.”
      Over the course of several fights, he got back into shape.
      George claimed part of his success was down to healthy eating and he agreed to put his name to a “fat-reducing” grill.
      That endorsement made him millions and allowed him to buy a 300-acre estate in Texas, where his collection of 40 luxury cars is parked.
      A 1991 title fight against undisputed champ Evander Holyfield ended in defeat, although Foreman lasted the full 12 rounds.
      He lost another title tilt two years later against Tommy Morrison.
      And when new champ Michael Moorer opted to fight Foreman rather than Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 1994, only one winner seemed possible.
      Moorer had beaten Holyfield, at 26 was 19 years younger than Foreman and proved faster for most of the fight.
      Yet even at 45, George’s devastating punching power proved too much — and he knocked out Moorer.
      It is a tale of a never-say-die underdog that promises to have audiences cheering when Heart Of A Lion hits cinemas next April.
      The biopic stars Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker as George’s former trainer Doc Broadus, with Judas And The Black Messiah actor Khris Davis as George — and it is long overdue.
      The subject of the film says with a smile: “If you live long enough you’ll see everything — even a movie about yourself.”
      Foreman fought Ali in 1974’s era-defining Rumble In The JungleCredit: Getty
      George Foreman said: ‘I became an ordained minister in the church of Lord Christ Jesus and for ten years I didn’t do anything else’Credit: Corbis
      The Texan made a reported £120million from the George Foreman GrillCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      George said: ‘The fans are not going to pay any attention to any other fight until Fury and Joshua get into the ring’Credit: Sportsfile More

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      Inside mad world of Tyson Fury opponent Dillian Whyte who’s been shot and stabbed…and is one of world’s youngest dads

      by

      WHEN Tyson Fury steps into the ring tonight he will take on a boxer who has recovered from far tougher blows than even the Gypsy King could land on him.Dillian Whyte’s formative years would have floored lesser mortals for good.
      Tyson Fury’s opponent Dillian Whyte has survived being shot in a gang war and stabbed three timesCredit: Getty
      Dillian and Tyson Fury back when they were sparring partnersCredit: Instagram
      The British heavyweight saw his dad get his throat cut and was beaten by his father after his mother left him behind, aged two, in his childhood home in Jamaica to escape grinding poverty.
      Even after Dillian joined his beloved mum in London at the age of 12, his turmoil did not end.
      The 6ft 3in, 18st boxer, now 34, became one of the country’s youngest dads at 13, removed a bullet from his leg with pliers after being shot in a gang war and was stabbed three times.
      It is fair to say then that facing Fury’s fists in a record £31million, all-British bout in front of 94,000 people at Wembley Stadium for the WBC crown is not the scariest situation he has been in.
      .css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1h37p88{background-color:rgba(236,245,247,1);margin:16px 0;}.css-1tapza8{padding:20px 15px;}.css-1bk4jdt{padding:20px 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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 ON DILLIAN WHYTE.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-h98a3b{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(236,245,247,1);-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-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);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-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);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-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}AGREED A DILL .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;}Real reason Dillian Whyte broke media boycott for Tyson Fury fight revealed
      The undefeated Fury is the clear favourite, but his opponent, who has only lost twice in his professional career of 30 fights, is not to be underestimated.
      Nicknamed The Body Snatcher, he is a former kickboxing champion and mixed martial arts fighter who put one amateur opponent in a coma.
      Like Fury, 33, he has been suspended on the grounds of doping, having been banned for two years in 2012 for accidentally taking a prohibited stimulant.
      Yet just being alive is a miracle, let alone having a shot at the ultimate boxing glory.
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      Dillian said this week: “I didn’t think I’d be alive after 20 or I’d be in prison doing charges for some murders or something crazy.
      “I didn’t think I’d be alive because that was the lifestyle forced on to me because of the way I was brought up and the things I was exposed to.”
      Born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, and one of 12 children, Dillian discovered early that life was not going to be easy.
      His mum Jerroleen left for England in search of better-paid work as an NHS nurse. He stayed behind, living with another family.
      She sent back money for her son, but the family kept it. He had to sell used bottle tops to buy food and later helped his dad on fishing trips.
      Even though Dillian couldn’t swim, his dad once threw him overboard 200 yards from shore.
      Dillian saw things children should not witness, including his dad having his throat cut during a card game.
      He recalled: “He was winning and doing his thing and this guy came from behind and cut his throat.
      “There was blood squirting everywhere. He still punched the guy and knocked him out. But he was bleeding everywhere and about to pass out.”
      But rather than faint, his gutsy dad placed his winnings in his underwear, then wrapped a towel around his neck to stem the bleeding.
      “My dad really was a crazy guy,” Dillian says.
      After a decade away from his mum, she arranged for Dillian and his “bro” Dean to join her in Brixton, South London, following his brothers and sisters.
      ‘I FELT BAD, ASHAMED’
      But that just led to more problems for the youngster, who had been denied an education in Jamaica and struggled in school here.
      Not one to back down, he got into fights and ended up joining gangs.
      Rivals attempted to stab him when Dillian rode on the bus through their area and he was shot in the leg when he strayed into nearby Clapham.
      Rather than go to hospital, Dillian chose to pull out the bullet with a pair of pliers.
      He says: “I took the bullet out and hid out. It was out of respect for my mum. I didn’t ever want to bring police to her house.”
      In his late teens, Dillian found himself in prison in Bristol awaiting trial and facing up to 20 years behind bars after one too many fights.
      A visit from his tearful mum made him realise he had to change his ways.
      He said: “My older brother died and she was saying she didn’t want to lose another son.
      “I looked at my mum’s face and the tears rolling down her cheeks and I felt bad, ashamed.”
      There was another reason to quit gangs — parenthood.
      Now with four kids, he said: “I was a dad at 13 years old, so I had to grow up a lot faster. When you become a dad it changes everything.
      Where most kids were running around, I’m working two jobs and doing other things to get money to feed my children.
      “There have been attempts on my life. I never want my family, my brothers, sister, my kids to go through these things.”
      A job as a club bouncer was no safer. Dillian said: “I finished working at a club and came home and a guy jumped out of a bush outside my house and started letting off a submachine gun. I had to just run.”
      He needed a better way to earn a living. Then a friend introduced him to kickboxing and he turned professional in his late teens.
      He became European champion and fought in mixed martial arts, then found a passion for boxing.
      In his first amateur bout, aged 20, he knocked out future heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua.
      He won seven more fights and turned pro in 2011.
      An impressive start was derailed a year later when he tested positive for a banned substance after a win against Hungary’s Sandor Balogh.
      ‘I’M A PRETTY RELAXED GUY’
      He had used Jack3D, an energy supplement sold legally in Britain but banned for athletes due to its performance-enhancing ingredients.Relaxed guy
      An anti-doping panel accepted it was an innocent mistake, yet the boxer was banned for two years.
      Unlike Tyson Fury, who has battled with alcohol use, Dillian is a clean-living athlete.
      He says: “I’m a pretty relaxed guy. When I’m not training I just hang with my family.
      “I’m not a party guy. I don’t smoke or drink. Alcohol just ain’t for me. I haven’t had a drink for 16, 17 years. It’s just discipline.”
      Dillian keeps his love life private, but he has known Italian bodybuilder Carolina Pasquali for around five years, sharing her passion for fitness.
      They are believed to have met at Loughborough University, where Dillian trained and she played rugby.
      His dedication to big-fight preparation means Dillian is away from Carolina for long periods, and he told The Sun: “I’m not a better fighter for going away from my family, I am a better fighter now because I have so much more experience.
      “I train and live properly.” Despite the years they spent apart, he is now extremely close to his mum, and said: “She is my hero. She is probably the strongest woman around.
      “Brought up all 12 of us kids by herself and worked three jobs. She is a nurse but also used to be a dinner lady at school and a cleaner at night.
      “My oldest sister, Debbie, is also a nurse working 12-hour shifts in Covid wards.
      “They have seen so many bad things in this pandemic.
      “So on my hard days I think about my mum and sister. Boxing is difficult, but they do much more exhausting work.”
      His ascent to the top has only suffered two setbacks — the first when he lost to old rival Joshua in 2015 in a seventh-round knockout, then a defeat by Russian Alexander Povetkin two years ago.
      Dillian’s bid for the world heavy-weight belt is long overdue.
      Tyson has sparred with him and knows he deserves respect, admitting this week: “If I’m not on my A-game, that man will knock my head right off my shoulders.”
      As they are on friendly terms, this is no grudge match, but the contender will try to put on a show for fans.
      Dillian said: “Victory by any means necessary, I’ll do that. I’m not scared to take risks.
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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-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);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-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The 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      “It means everything to fight in my home country for the world title. It’s massive.
      “Me and him didn’t expect to be here — especially me.”
      Dillian has been dating Italian bodybuilder Carolina Pasquali for around five yearsCredit: Instagram / @carolinapasquali
      Dillian grew up in Jamaica, as one of 12 children
      Dillian’s mother Jerroleen poses with his WBC belt More

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      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo is f***ing annoying, Rio Ferdinand is arrogant and Tevez was biggest disappointment, Wayne Rooney says

      by

      AS Man Utd and England’s leading goal scorer, Wayne Rooney is used to being one of football’s most popular stars – with fans and teammates alike.But while they rave about the retired pro’s skills, it seems the Derby County boss has more of a comedy take on some of his most esteemed peers.
      Wayne Rooney is Manchester United and England’s leading goal scorerCredit: Getty
      Rooney says Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘so good and so f***ing annoying at the same time’Credit: Getty
      And nobody, no matter how impressive they are on the pitch, escaped the 36-year-old’s jibes when he appeared on stage at an exclusive black-tie dinner event in Manchester on ­Saturday night.
      Recalling playing alongside ­Cristiano Ronaldo, he joked: “Cristiano was so good and so f***ing annoying at the same time. He is probably not as good now but he is probably just as annoying.”
      Mocking Ronaldo’s tactics during the 2006 World Cup, when he famously got Wayne sent off — with England later crashing out of the competition — Wayne ­jokingly added: “He likes diving.”
      He continued: “I had no issue with Cristiano whatsoever. I spoke to him in the tunnel. I said, ‘I have no issue with you getting me sent off’, because I’d spent the first half trying to get him booked for diving.
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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 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      “I am English, he is Portuguese. When we are playing I do not give a f*** about him. He is not my mate. But when we have finished, we are mates again.”
      Rio Ferdinand, who played alongside Wayne at Old Trafford, also copped some of Wayne’s lip.
      He told fans, who had paid up to £300 a ticket to hear him speak at the Mercure Hotel: “Rio is a top player, but he is just arrogant.
      “You get paid a lot of money at Man United to kick the ball into the net, so just do it. I said: ‘Do your job, and give me the ball, give Ronaldo the ball. Stop standing there messing about.’ Rio is a top lad but he sometimes did forget he was a defender.”
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      And Carlos Tevez, who alongside Cristiano was part of United’s famed attacking force between 2007 and 2009, was also sent up by wise-cracking Wayne.
      Recalling his time playing with the Argentine striker, Wayne said: “For two years I loved playing with him.
      “I used to pick him up from his house for Champions League games and drive him to the airport. We’d play the game and come back. And, honestly, I spoke to him for 30 minutes, and I had no idea what is coming out of his mouth.
      “He is just mumbling. I am not a great speaker and I am thinking, ‘F***ing hell. He is mumbling and nothing, nothing’. “I was devastated, it was the biggest disappointment of my life.”
      But while mocking his former teammates and foes, Wayne was also quick to call out his own faults. At his self-deprecating best, the star grinned as he admitted he was “an arrogant p***k” when he first started out in football.
      And he said a run-in with his Everton youth team boss at the age of 14 while walking home with two bottles of booze and a cigarette had put an end to his early partying ways.
      He added: “Sir Alex ­Ferguson tried to sign me when I was 14. He was on the phone to my mum and dad. They said, ‘Alex is on the phone, Manchester United want to sign you’. I said, ‘Tell him to f**** off. I want to play for Everton’.
      “Then, as time went on, I knew I had to play for Alex Ferguson. The reason I signed for United was Alex Ferguson.”
      I loved playing with him but chatting to Tevez was biggest disappointment of my life, revealed RooneyCredit: Getty
      Rio is a top player but he is just arrogant, revealed WayneCredit: Getty
      After making his debut for Everton aged 16 in 2002, Wayne later went on to become Man United’s leading goal scorer, with 253 during his 13-year career at Old Trafford from 2004 to 2017.
      For England he overtook Charlton to nab the national record, nailing 53 goals on ­international duty. Wayne also still holds the record for being England’s youngest ever goal scorer aged just 17 — setting the bar high for future footballers.
      And he made it clear on Saturday night that he is keeping an eye on Marcus Rashford, one of United’s brightest young players. The 24-year-old has scored 93 goals for the club to date, but has suffered a dip in form this season.
      Calling Marcus out, Wayne told the room: “To get the record and be Manchester United’s highest goal scorer, it is f***ing massive. But I hope the record is broken.
      ‘Give me my f***ing pants’
      “What I hope is that Marcus Rashford f***ing gets his head out of his a**e and goes and breaks that record. He’s a Manchester lad.”
      As well as his love for being on the pitch, Wayne enjoyed the camaraderie and changing room banter just as much.
      And as his teammates quickly learnt, the striker, who has four sons with wife Coleen, was incredibly easy to wind up.
      He told the sold-out dinner event: “I was just always angry. I was so f***ing angry. I was always arguing. They knew how to push my buttons and I would explode.
      “One time we’d been away for three weeks pre-season. I got on the plane, took my suit off, put my pyjamas on and took Night Nurse.
      “We’re about an hour from landing and I am getting changed. I put my shirt and tie on and I think, ‘Where the f*** are my pants?’
      “I knew straight away. I went to Rio and I said, ‘Lads, I am not ­playing, give me my f***ing pants’.
      “As soon as the plane landed I marched to the front of the plane. “You had people like Sir Bobby ­Charlton and Alan Shearer there. “People were looking at me like, ‘What the f is going on?’
      “I said to everyone, ‘No one, not even you Sir Bobby, is leaving this plane until I get my pants. I am not walking through the airport in a shirt, tie and pyjama bottoms’. These s**thouses, my pants made it to the front of the plane.”
      But Wayne, or Wazza as he was known to his teammates, could give back as good as he got.
      Recalling a prank he played on his good friend and fellow United player Wes Brown, Wayne recalled: “Wes came in with new trainers thinking he was cool.
      “Me and Darren Fletcher got a kitchen knife and cut his trainer clean down the middle. He goes to pick his trainer up and he just picked the heel up.”
      After leaving United, Wayne briefly returned to Everton before playing in the US for D.C. United.
      He later signed a major player-manager deal with Championship side Derby in 2020, and in January last year retired from life on the pitch after being appointed as Derby’s boss full time.
      Just eight months after he took the reins, Derby went into administration — leaving Wayne navigating the club through difficult waters.
      Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Wayne Rooney when he was 14Credit: PA
      Wayne and Coleen with their four sonsCredit: Instagram
      As The Sun revealed last week, movie star George Clooney is considering helping Wayne by leading a consortium to buy the struggling club.
      The Hollywood legend said: “Derby has a fantastic history and I am sure there is a great future too.”
      Wayne said on Saturday: “It is such a shame what the club is going through because they deserve more and they deserve better.
      “I am doing everything I can to bring the players and the fans together. That is all I can do.”
      The hardship is all good training for Wayne’s next big ambition — a move back to Old Trafford.
      Much to the delight of the audience, he revealed he would like to one day return as United manager.
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      He added: “I will be honest, the whole reason for me going into management is Manchester United.
      “I am not ready now. But I have to plan everything I do to make sure that one day it will ­happen.”

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