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      in Soccer

      Olly Murs hails The Sun’s £150k grants to grassroots football, saying ‘now no kids gets left behind’

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      OLLY MURS has hailed The Sun’s Footie For All campaign – as we help grassroots clubs net a share of a new £150,000 cashpot.In partnership with Tesco’s Stronger Starts initiative, we have a further 150 grants of £1,000 each to hand out to youth clubs across the UK.Olly Murs has hailed The Sun’s Footie For All campaign, which funds grassroots clubs across the countryCredit: Paul EdwardsPopstar Murs, who played semi-professionally before hitting the big time, represented England at Soccer Aid 2012 in aid of Unicef at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – ContributorThe bumper fund matches our first round of grants dished out last year.Visiting the Crown & Manor club in Hackney, East London — one of the recipients of our initial awards — Olly, 39, said: “In 2024 the cost of ­living is so high for so many families.“For the kids to suffer and not be able to come and play football because their ­parents cannot afford it would be such a tragedy.“So the fact The Sun and Tesco are doing this will help families to get their children playing football.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS“That’s the good thing about this campaign. The grants are there to ensure no kid gets left behind.”We launched our Footie For All campaign last year to shine a light on how financial struggles were forcing children to give up football.A safe spaceFigures from charity Sported showed 94 per cent of grassroots clubs were worried about the impact soaring costs were having on membership.Our first batch of grants saw £150,000 given out thanks to support from Tesco Stronger Starts, which funds healthy food and activities for kids across the UK.Most read in FootballWe were inundated with applications for help, along with stories of local teams making a huge difference in their communities.So we wanted to offer clubs more assistance.Erling Haaland reveals secret talent after childhood vid goes viralFrom starting up new teams and providing free places for kids of low-income families, to replacing old and out-of-date equipment, the cash has gone to good use.So today we urge YOU to apply for one of our fantastic new Footie For All grants.They can be used in any way that encourages kids to take up the sport or aids access to the game.Perhaps you are a local team that wants to offer parents help with membership fees.Maybe you need new kits or more pitch space to play on.Grants can also be used to help with transport or general running costs.Before shooting to fame on The X Factor in 2009, Olly played semi-professionally for Witham Town in Essex until 2008, when injury ended his career.It’s great to see the impact this grant is having on the kidsOlly MursThe singer — soon to become a dad for the first time with bodybuilder wife Amelia Tank — was delighted to see kids benefit from our campaign.The chart-topper and Soccer Aid regular said: “It’s an honour to be at Crown & Manor and to see where the money is going that The Sun and Tesco have put together.“I’m sure playing here helps them with communication as they interact across different age groups and it brings them together. There are ­different ages, cultures, ­languages, and they all just love ­playing football.“It doesn’t matter who you are off the pitch. It all comes down to who is going to win that ball first.“It’s great to see the impact this grant is having on the kids at Crown & Manor.”The club’s youngsters come mainly from low income families.Organisers aim to provide a safe space and positive role models for every child.For just £1, kids have access to sport, homework help and a chance to socialise with their peers.Olly started his playing career with Valley Green, near his home in Witton, Essex, where his dad coached.Life changing opportunity He says it gave him confidence and taught him how to chat with anyone.“For me, at 13 years of age, playing grassroots football was where my social network began,” he said.“It’s where I got all my friends. It was my escapism from all my other worries, like school or experiences as a teenager. It gave me the confidence to chat with people and I had team-mates I could lean on if I ever got in any trouble.“When I get back to Essex, I still see the people I used to play with. That friendship has never been forgotten. Grassroots was a big part of my life and I think every kid should get involved in something team related. I know my life would have been different without it.”During his visit to the 100-year-old Crown & Manor club, Olly had a kickaround with the 13, 14 and 15-year-olds, who had no problem trying to steal the ball from him.Olly enjoyed a kickabout with young players from Crown and Manor football club in HackneyCredit: Paul EdwardsReality star and mum-of-two Nicola McLean, 42, visited Flackwell Heath Minors girls’ team to see how the money we awarded is being put to useCredit: Olivia WestAs well as posing for selfies, he even took a turn in goal.But thanks to his squad’s defenders, he didn’t have to make any saves.Former West Ham Academy player and team coach Jason Mason, 39, was impressed with Olly’s skills on the pitch.And he is glad The Sun has been able to provide each of Crown & Manor’s teams with a new strip.“The £1,000 grant means our four teams have a new kit,” he said.“Some of them were getting very old. It’s helped us a lot with making that possible.”Having Olly down to play some games also really boosted the boys.‘Sense of community’Jason said: “It’s great for them to see that Olly is just a normal person like them. They’ve really enjoyed the ­session, and how many people can say they’ve played football with Olly Murs?”Mum Tyler, whose son Artie, 12, plays football at Crown & Manor, said of her lad: “He’s been coming to the club since he was about six.“It’s amazing what they do for the kids. Everyone is so lovely and it’s a really nice place for him to be. It’s built his confidence 100 per cent. He started secondary school and knowing the older kids from football made it so much easier.“I’d never let my son out on the streets, so if he wasn’t here he’d be in his bedroom on a PlayStation or something. Every youth worker, regardless of their age, helps our children in different ways.”Meanwhile, reality star and mum-of-two Nicola McLean, 42, visited Flackwell Heath Minors girls’ team to see how the money we awarded is being put to use.On her trip to the Bucks club, she said: “I’ve loved seeing how this club has embraced the girls and made them feel as welcome as the boys’ teams. They’re all amazing.”Nicola is used to ferrying her boys — Rocky, 18, and 13-year-old Striker — to training sessions as both played football at this level.The star, married to former West Ham player Tom Williams, 43, said: “My eldest son Rocky played for Flackwell Heath. Grassroots football is majorly important. Both my boys have done it. It’s given them a sense of ­community and it’s been a great way to make friends.“Kids also learn how to win and lose. They need to be taught both of those. It’s a great thing and as many people as possible should be involved in grassroots football.All I can say to The Sun is thank you for helping us get girls playing ­footballDeclan Breen “It shouldn’t come down to finances whether a kid can play or not. That is what The Sun’s grant ensures.”Nicola was told by coaches at Flackwell Heath Minors that the girls had improved in confidence and skills since playing with their own gender.Thanks to our Footie For All grant, the club has been able to rent and buy more of the things it needs to open up the game to as many girls as possible.Club chairman Declan Breen said: “The grant means we’re not restricted by money when it comes to provisions.“We’ve been able to rent more pitches and get goals, allowing more girls to play with us.“It’s also helped cover the costs of one of our teams.“It’s been fantastic, so all I can say to The Sun is thank you for helping us get girls playing ­football.”Olly, soon to become a father with wife Amelia Tank, was delighted to see kids benefit from The Sun’s football campaignCredit: GettyCurzon Ashton FC Community FoundationDESPITE there being a high number of low-income families locally, this club is ensuring that money is not a barrier to kids joining its ranks.Ashton-under-Lyme is a deprived part of Greater Manchester, but Curzon Ashton FC charges just £3 a session and has players aged six to 80, some with disabilities.Curzon Ashton FC has many projects including weekly after-school girls’ football sessionsFoundation manager Mike Smith, 54, from Gateshead, says: “Everything we do is virtually free or for a small subscription. Football is a powerful tool for engaging with the community and keeping people socialised, fit and active.” Their many projects include weekly after-school girls’ football sessions, with 21 youngsters participating so far. Mike says: “It gives parents the chance to let the children do something free.”Our £1,000 grant has helped pay for this, plus new equipment.Mike adds: “Thanks to the funding from The Sun and Tesco we’re able to give girls the opportunity to play and learn new skills.”Northwich Victoria Juniors FCTHIS busy club has a mighty 22 teams, with players starting as young as six, and ensures everyone has the opportunity to access football.“That’s our ethos,” says chairman Robert Walsh, 50, who has worked at the Cheshire club for a decade, starting as a coach. Football is an amazing way for young kids to make friends and gives confidence as well as being a great way of keeping fit and active.”Northwich Victoria Juniors FC has 22 teams to joinThe club used its £1,000 Sun grant to buy new equipment, including goals, corner flags and “respect barriers” to ensure players are kept safe.Like other clubs, Northwich has seen a huge rise in the numbers of girls wanting to play, and the grant is helping to launch two new female teams.Robert adds: “We have enough demand to create even more teams than that, but our problem is finding volunteers to coach as we’re not paid.”Cheadle And Gatley JFCFORMER club member Holly Deering, 18, recently broke into the Manchester United ladies’ first team, alongside England stars Ella Toone and Mary Earps.So there is much to be proud of for this Stockport side, marking its 50th birthday, which has 750 members and 15 girls’ teams.Cheadle And Gatley JFC has a whopping 750 membersIt has put a lot of cash, including its £1,000 grant, into a Girls’ Development Centre, and seen huge results.For the past seven years the club has been producing one or two new girls’ teams a year.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut demand has rocketed since the Lionesses’ success and there are plans for four or five new teams for girls aged seven to ten.Club treasurer Richard Hubbard, 52, says almost half a dozen members have turned pro in the last couple of years, adding: “The club is open-access sports for all. If there are parents who are financially challenged, we offer discounted membership.”How to apply
      WE want to hear about YOUR club and the huge difference you make for kids in your community.
      If you are a not-for-profit grassroots football club in England, Wales or Scotland, working with youngsters under the age of 18, you could be eligible for one of our 150 grants.
      Funds can be used for anything that gets kids into the sport.
      Your club might need help with pitch fees or want to sponsor places for kids from low-income families.

      To apply and for full terms and conditions, see tescostronger starts.org.uk/footiefund

      Entries close at midnight, April 30. More

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      in Motorsport

      Is Max Verstappen’s dad Jos fuelling Christian & Geri Horner’s marriage crisis? Inside toxic feud rocking F1

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      AS Max Verstappen triumph­antly held aloft the Bahrain Grand Prix trophy, his team boss Christian Horner might have sighed with relief.Not only had the Red Bull chief tasted victory but Spice Girl wife Geri had been at his side heaping on public displays of affection like treacle.With Christian Horner engulfed in a sexting row that is said to have ‘really hurt’ Spice Girl wife Geri, it seems that Red Bull’s F1 team has become engulfed in a civil warCredit: PAMax Verstappen’s dad Jos has taken a flamethrower to the carefully PRed plot line amid his rivalry with HornerCredit: Rex FeaturesSurely, the sexting row that has swirled around Horner would now slowly deflate like a punctured tyre?Enter stage left Verstappen’s uncompromising dad — known during his own racing days as “Jos the Boss” — to take a flamethrower to the carefully PRed plot line.Verstappen senior insisted Horner is “playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems”. His barbed comments came after sexually suggestive text messages Horner allegedly sent to a female Red Bull employee were leaked on Thursday.READ MORE ON THE FEUDThe dad of three-times World Champion Max added of Horner: “There is tension here while he remains in position.“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”A simmering months-long feud between two of Formula One’s big beasts had plunged into the open.And Horner — well acquainted with the rough and tumble of F1 — will know that in Verstappen Snr he has a formidable adversary.Most read in MotorsportBritish ex F1 champion Damon Hill once said of Dutchman Jos, who he competed alongside in the 1990s: “He can, and has, very much looked after himself.”Ruthless mentor Verstappen Snr, 52, has coached and managed 26-year-old son Max to become one of F1’s greatest drivers — and the jewel in Red Bull’s crown.Verstappen breaks silence on Christian Horner ‘sexting’ probe as pressure mounts on Red Bull 3 weeks after shock claimsThough not a Red Bull employee, it has naturally given his dad considerable heft in the team run by Horner.The Red Bull chief had last month tried to quash rumours of friction between himself and the Verstappens.With his usual slick performance before the cameras, he said: “There’s always going to be speculation but we’re together as one team, that’s the way we’ve always been and that’s the way we continue to be.”It became clear that Verstappen Snr and Horner were at loggerheads when they clashed in Bahrain last weekCredit: GettyBy Friday evening it was evident that Verstappen Snr and Horner were in fact at loggerheads. The pair locked horns in Horner’s office at the F1 paddock in Bahrain.What exactly was said between them is unclear. But the pair were said to have had a “blazing row” before Verstappen Snr stormed out.He would later return to shake hands but the relationship appears severed beyond repair.The meeting had come two days after an investigation by Red Bull’s parent company had cleared Horner of “coercive behaviour” towards a woman colleague.He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriageJust 24 hours after he was cleared, a cache of 79 WhatsApp screenshots and photographs allegedly sent by Horner to the female employee were leaked anonymously to F1 bosses and media outlets.Horner’s wife Geri was said to be “heartbroken and humiliated”.A source added: “He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriage.”Verstappen Snr has been quick to slam suggestions he was be­hind the WhatsApp trove and that he want­ed Horner ousted from his role.The ex-driver said: “That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”A Red Bull spokesperson said of the rift between Verstappen Snr and Horner: “There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.”Now, as champion of the world, Max has been dragged into his father’s bitter feud with Horner. Asked about the Red Bull civil war four times over the weekend, he failed to back his long-time team manager. The fearless driver said he was “fully focused on the car and the performance”.With the toxic atmosphere damaging the F1 brand, it was claimed that Max was approached by the sport’s president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to publicly back Horner.It’s damaging the sport . . . This is damaging on a human levelMohammed Ben SulayemAfter qualifying drives on Friday the pair had a discussion which they tried to keep secret by covering their mouths with their hands.But a nearby observer heard Ben Sulayem tell the driver: “You must publicly back Christian.”While another source said Max responded by telling Ben Sulayem he should open an investigation into the WhatsApp scandal instead.Ben Sulayem wants to end the Red Bull civil war, admitting it is tarnishing the image of F1.He told the Financial Times: “It’s damaging the sport . . . This is damaging on a human level.”Meanwhile, bullish Verstappen Snr was seen dining with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in ­Bahrain.The Dutchman said it was just a meeting of old friends — but could it be a sign his brilliant son is ready to quit Red Bull if the Horner civil war is not resolved?After Sunday’s race Wolff was dismissive of Verstappen switching to Mercedes, saying: “The driver will always choose the quickest car.“At the moment, the Red Bull is the quickest car so that will always be, in my opinion, the priority.”Horner said of last week’s tumult: “There was a full lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent KC [King’s Counsel] and the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on.“I’ve always been entirely confident that I would be here. My focus is on the season ahead.”Now a slew of fresh allegations against Horner has emerged in a 19-page investigation by a specialist magazine.The article names and pictures the female staff member he is alleged to have texted and documents the power struggle at the top of Red Bull.READ MORE SUN STORIESSources close to Horner dismiss­ed the piece as “full of inaccuracies”.Now the F1 circus moves to Saudi Arabia at the weekend — with the chance it will be more soap opera than motor race.Jos Verstappen has coached son Max to become the jewel in Red Bull’s crownCredit: Getty More

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      in Motorsport

      Geri Halliwell ‘left humiliated’ as she faces ‘worst PR crisis of her career’ amid Christian Horner sexting scandal

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      ON January 29 this year, Geri Horner, née Halliwell, took to Instagram for the last time.To her 1.4million followers she posted a glamorous, heavily airbrushed magazine cover of herself, headlined “Perfect”.Geri Halliwell’s life now seems far from ‘perfect’ after being publicly humiliated with infidelity claims against her husbandCredit: RexRed Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner has been accused of ‘sexting’ another womanCredit: GettySocial media is, indeed, a cruel beast. Fast-forward five weeks, and the poor, very publicly humiliated star’s life seems anything but.At 3.45pm on an otherwise non- descript Thursday — although, ironically, a leap year when women are encouraged to subvert tradition and propose to their men — Geri discovered husband Christian Horner was caught sexting another woman.Sure, there is no suggestion of a physical affair, but 79 leaked WhatsApp messages show her husband clearly was in the throes of an emotional one.(A nadir, of course, that he nipped to an aeroplane toilet to self-pleasure).READ MORE GERI HORNERIn the words of the Spice Girls themselves, “Stop right now, thank you very much.”Indeed, for a woman who has spent the past 30 years espousing Girl Power, the situation in which she now finds herself is anything but.It is, though, one that millions of women have found themselves in since time immemorial — a libido-led husband.But few have had their relationship meltdowns played out on such a global scale.Most read in MotorsportOne can only imagine the sheer inner turmoil the heartbroken superstar must now be battling.The Spice & Speed Empire: Christian and Geri Horner’s £50M JourneyUtterly devastatingPutting the obvious personal trauma aside, put simply, as PR nightmares go, this doesn’t get much worse.A source close to Geri said yesterday: “This is humiliation on an international scale for Geri, and it’s almost impossible to imagine what she’s going through right now.“Christian has always privately asserted that the claims levelled against him were nonsense.“She’s not the type of woman to go through someone’s phone, so to see these in black and white after all his protestations of innocence is utterly devastating.“Geri has been bombarded with messages of support, and texts checking in on her, but she’s largely shutting everyone out, and simply trying to put one foot in front of the other.“Of course, to leave Christian — and walk away from the blissful life they’ve built for themselves — would be the ultimate act of ‘girl power’.“But as anyone with kids knows — not to mention a hinterland of love and connection — that is easier said than done.”Geri has been bombarded with messages of support amid the claims against her husbandCredit: Doug Seeburg – The SunTo further rub salt into the wound, today alienated Geri has awoken 3,000 miles from home, in the Middle East. For a woman idolised by millions, never will she have felt more alone.Geri was already safely ensconced on a private jet heading to Bahrain, where Christian is attending today’s Grand Prix — having a combined marital fortune of £480million does have its perks — when the tranche of messages were leaked.It was too late to turn the plane around. Her day from hell had begun. Whatever happens now, Geri would do well to “own” the narrative.Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationshipRed Bull insiderTo either come out swinging — issue a statement saying she and Christian have no secrets and made the joint decision to move on and make a go of things.Or hire a pitbull divorcee lawyer, and hit the Red Bull boss where it hurts.Whether she does either remains to be seen. I’m told Geri is now directing media inquiries to her legal team.But not even the best lawyer in the world can undo time, or take back those damning messages.Former Spice Girl Geri is seeing her relationship meltdown played out on a global scaleCredit: RexGeri, famed for that Union Jack dress, has spent the past few years steadfastly rebranding her carefully cultivated image.Out went the provocative ensembles, in came a plethora of all-white outfits, literally a symbol of purity and chastity.Again, how ironic this now looks in the face of her husband’s sexts.(Although, quite how he managed to woo Geri with such chat — at one point he waxes lyrical about Coco Pops, and let’s not go there with the “finger” text — is in itself baffling).In the past few years she’s become a children’s author, has done countless charitable acts and moved to the countryside, where she’s more likely to be seen in Hunter wellies than six-inch Christian Louboutins.In another unfortunate plot twist, I’m told Geri was “personally aware of” the appointment of the female colleague at the centre of this tawdry scandal.A Red Bull insider says: “Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationship.“This was the woman for whom her husband turned. Again, this is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow.” The reaction on social media has been mixed. Naturally “Christian Horny” gags are rife: “Has Christian been showing people his horn?” is another comment doing the rounds.While many sympathise with the Spice Girl, who brought absolutely none of this on herself, others are less forgiving.Underneath her last “Perfect” Instagram post, yesterday scores of so-called fans posted unkindly.“Where’s the girl power now? A woman has spoken, where’s the support,” queried one, a reference to Horner allegedly abusing his position — something his F1 team have cleared him of and he strenuously denies.Others, more alarmingly for Geri’s PR team, have brought up the manner in which she and Christian got together in the first place.They mixed socially before they began dating, first meeting at the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix.Christian left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughterCredit: Desmond O’Neill Features LtdThey officially got together, though, after the Formula One boss left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughter, Olivia. But the pair were spotted cavorting in a North London pub by a friend of mine long before they went public with their romance.“They were very flirty, joking to pub goers they were engaged,” said my friend at the time.When Beverley was approached about it for comment, she denied all knowledge — and the story went away.There is no suggestion of any cheating, but it’s clear they had developed a strong bond long before things got serious.Christian’s parents were reportedly devastated when he left Beverley to be with the chart-topping star — and shunned the couple’s 2015 nuptials at St Mary’s church in Woburn, Bedfordshire.On Instagram yesterday, one anonymous user posted: “Wondering if Geri feels empathy for Beverley now that [a similar] thing has occurred with her.Before it was Geri/Christian when Bev was pregnant/bed-ridden/giving birth and abandoned when most vulnerable.“Now Christian appears to have done the same thing to Geri and their slightly older son. Karma does have a way.”Ouch. Meanwhile, Geri has cut herself off from her one-time Spice Girl “rocks”.The band, minus Victoria Beckham, were due to be getting together soon to discuss tour dates for a comeback.Deeply loyalA source added: “Geri has gone into lockdown which now puts the wider Spice plans on hold.“The quartet always intended to mark their 30-year anniversary with some shows in 2024, as well as other commercial activity, but it seems unlikely this will happen now.”Spiritual Geri is a big fan of self-help books. (During my last interview with her she earnestly recommended one to me, adding: “Rejection is God’s rejection” when I told her I was newly single.There is no amount of self-help books that can get her out of this pickle.It is hard not to have some sympathy with the well-meaning mother of two (she also happily co-parents stepdaughter Olivia with Christian).From personal experience, Geri — a former UN Goodwill Ambassador — is kind, deeply loyal and hugely family-orientated.I last saw her during lockdown. The previous week she had secretly visited the Whittington Hospital in North London, handing out care packages to frontline nurses.She didn’t court the publicity because she didn’t need to.Unwittingly being thrust into the eye of this media s***storm, then, must be all the more galling for a kind, hard-working, incredibly generous woman intent on living a quieter lifeREAD MORE SUN STORIESAnd you wouldn’t wish this scenario on your worst enemy.For a woman of 51, who once said: “I’ve really learned how important it is to empower women”, only time will tell how empowering her next act will be.Christian and Geri Horner have been a happy family with children (left) Bluebell, (centre) Montague and (right) OliviaCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      in Soccer

      How FA chiefs refuse to recognise Lionesses’ 1971 World Cup campaign – and why they punished stars when they returned

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      STEPPING out into the sweltering Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Carol Wilson felt the ground shake as 97,000 fans went wild at the arrival of the two football teams.Aged just 19, she was the youngest player ever to captain an England team — and she was doing so with a broken foot.Manager Harry Batt with the 1971 England squad that played in the Mexico Women’s World Cup – but were shunned and punished by the Football AssociationCredit: © New Black Films ltd / MirrorpixFormer England captain Carol Wilson received a six-month suspension for taking part in the tournamentCredit: SuppliedAt the 1971 tournament Paula Raynor, above, became England’s youngest goal scorer when she netted against Argentina aged 15Credit: AlamyYet until now Carol’s heroics at the 1971 Women’s World Cup have been forgotten and the Football Association still won’t reward any of the side with a cap, the usual recognition for players who represent their country in an international match.At the same tournament Paula Raynor became England’s youngest goal scorer when she netted against Argentina aged 15.But their names are unlikely to appear in any pub quiz, as those records are very much unofficial.In Mexico we weren’t interested in the politics, all we wanted to do was play footballCarol WilsonAnd rather than being feted for representing England, the whole team which went to Mexico were BANNED from playing for between three and six months.Their crime was to have dared to stand up to the sport’s male rulers, who didn’t want women to take part in the beautiful game.But now, thanks to documentary film Copa 71, produced by tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams, their dedication to women’s football is finally being properly celebrated.Carol, 72, from Shipdham, Norfolk, tells The Sun: “I was elated to represent my country.“In Mexico we weren’t interested in the politics, all we wanted to do was play football.Most read in Football“I got injured against Argentina, but there was no way I was going to miss the game against Mexico.‘Pretty girls’“It was painful playing with a broken foot, but at times the adrenalin was so high I didn’t notice it. It was only when I came off when I went ‘Ouch’.”Paula Raynor became England’s youngest goal scorer aged 15 in the 1971 Women’s World CupWomen’s football was popular at the start of the 20th century, with fans filling stadiums. But in 1921 the game’s ruling body banned women from playing in affiliated grounds.That restriction remained in place for another half a century.At home it would only be a few friends and family watching us on the recreational pitches. We weren’t allowed in the stadiums in England Paula RaynorIt meant that neither Carol nor Paula could join a school team and had to pursue their sporting passion on park pitches in front of “one man and his dog”.Then some enterprising Mexican businessmen made plans which would change all that. They realised they could make good use of the stadiums built for the 1970 men’s World Cup in the country by holding a women’s competition the following summer.Here, Luton bus conductor Harry Batt petitioned the Women’s FA, which had only been formed in 1969, to allow him to put together a team to take to the tournament.But rather than helping, the association is said to have told female footballers they faced being black-listed if they did go to Mexico.Paula says: “The WFA restricted Harry on which players he could take. I have heard that some players were warned off going to Mexico.”But with the help of his wife June, Harry managed to convince drinks giant Martini & Rossi to sponsor the trip and found 14 women to go.Both Paula, who ran out for Chiltern Valley Ladies, and Carol, an RAF fitness instructor, had played for England at an unofficial World Cup held in Italy the previous year.Achievement ignoredThat gave them some experience of playing in proper stadiums, and Paula recalls: “We played in Milan and in Juventus (Turin).“At home it would only be a few friends and family watching us on the recreational pitches. We weren’t allowed in the stadiums in England.”The team finished third in Italy but because the tournament had been organised by the breakaway Federation of Independent European Female Football, the men’s ruling body refused to recognise the achievement.Harry’s team entered the 1971 World Cup as the British Independents to get around the FA’s rules, yet the team was listed as England by the tournament organisers and they wore the traditional all-white kit.On their arrival in Mexico the players were greeted by camera flashes as they got off the plane, with crowds outside the airport and locals throwing presents at their bus.Nearly 400 children watched their training session and the local Press wrote about England’s “pretty girls”.But nothing could have prepared them for entering Mexico City’s towering Azteca Stadium for their first match against Argentina.Paula says: “The first thing that hits you is the heat, then the noise, and then the size of the pitch. You think, ‘Oh my God’. It’s a very big pitch. It takes you by surprise, then, once the whistle goes, it blocks out.”Until Paula watched the new documentary, she could not remember scoring her equaliser.She says: “Because of how the WFA treated us, a lot of stuff was blocked because I didn’t talk about it.“I knew I scored a goal but it was not until I watched the premiere of Copa 71 that I knew I headed it in.”Carol broke her foot going for a 50-50 ball and England lost 4-1 to the South Americans.The next match against the hosts Mexico proved to be even bigger. Carol says: “I remember standing in the tunnel for Mexico and it didn’t affect me until then — my legs turned to jelly.”The 97,000-strong crowd is the biggest for an England women’s game, but sadly they lost 4-0. Yet despite the disappointment, Carol says she was not too downhearted.She recalls: “I know all the girls had tried 110 per cent and to think we had come from six people and a dog on a Sunday, I thought at the time women’s football was going to be massive.”Although they had been knocked out, England were invited to stay in Mexico until the tournament ended.They were treated as celebrities, appearing in newspapers and magazines and opening shops.The final, in which Denmark beat Mexico 3-0, had a crowd of 110,000, proving there certainly was an appetite for the women’s game.My achievements were never announced at school and because we arrived back from Mexico a week after the school term had started I got into trouble with the headmistressPaula RaynorThe tournament also showed that women could be just as hot-blooded about this physical sport as the men, because in the semi-final between Mexico and Italy play was stopped ten minutes early due to an on-field brawl. After the tournament was over, the joy for Harry’s team turned out to be short-lived.There was no one to meet them at the airport back in England and only one journalist turned up to ask them about the tournament.The WFA banned Harry from football for life, Carol received a six-month suspension and the rest of the players three months.Carol’s treatment on her return from Mexico took away the joy from playing the game she adored.The Lionesses of 1971 training in the familiar England strip – but the team’s achievements were ignored by the FACredit: MirrorpixEngland players training with coach Pat Dunn in MexicoCredit: MirrorpixWhen she attended an event at Newcastle United, the team she had supported since childhood, a compere ridiculed her on stage in front of her father.And her newlywed husband told her to give up football.Ticking off at schoolCarol recalls: “He didn’t approve. We had just been married and he didn’t think women should play football anyway and he whinged about me having to go away.”Paula, meanwhile, received a ticking off at school.She says: “My achievements were never announced at school and because we arrived back from Mexico a week after the term had started I got into trouble with the headmistress.”After leaving school she joined the RAF and kept playing until her first pregnancy at 25. Without them, and many others, the women’s game would not be where it is todayFA spokesman, 2024Today, the authorities are finally recognising these sporting pioneers.Last year a blue plaque was unveiled in Luton to honour the team and its founders Harry and June Batt.And the FA acknowledges that the players who went to Mexico changed the face of the game.A spokesman told The Sun: “The talented and courageous women who travelled to Mexico in 1971 significantly contributed to the formation of the England women’s team in 1972 and without them, and many others, the women’s game would not be where it is today.”But they still only issue caps to England’s women players who were given permission to play by the FA from November 1972 onwards.Mother-of-three Paula, 67, from Southport, Merseyside, is pleased by how much has changed for women’s football in the past few years.England’s Lionesses winning the Euros in 2022 and reaching the World Cup final last year has made modern players such as captain Leah Williamson household names.READ MORE SUN STORIESPaula says: “The women’s game is so different now, it’s fantastic. The recent growth, since the Euros, it’s phenomenal.”
      Copa 71 is in cinemas from March 8.
      Carol and team mate Yvonne Bradley arrive home from Mexico in plasterDenmark’s Inger Pedersen lifts the trophy in an echo of England’s Bobby Moore in 1966Credit: TopFotoCELEBRATE THESE COPA HEROINESBy Sandra Brobbey, Women’s Football Reporter
      IT’S a travesty that Carol Wilson, Paula Raynor and their team-mates were treated so shabbily for daring to play in a tournament worthy of more recognition than it currently gets.
      And it’s bizarre that those who chose to represent England at this unofficial women’s world cup come home to face bans and suspensions.
      While there is much to do to help the sport continue to grow, the women’s game has thankfully come a long way since England went toe-to-toe with Mexico in the Azteca stadium.
      On these shores a record crowd of more than 87,000 flocked to Wembley to watch the Lionesses win the Euros two years ago.
      The success of the 1971 tournament helped pave the way for such moments and for the women’ game to become what it is today.
      The efforts of Wilson, Raynor and all the women who competed in this contest should be more widely celebrated.
      Hopefully the release of Copa 71 will lead to that. More

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      The photo of footballer that launched 50-year career of Sun snapper Arthur Edwards – and got its subject into trouble

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      IT is the picture that launched a legend.Fifty years ago next week, a young Arthur Edwards worked his first shift as a photographer for the “Soaraway Sun”.
      Reunited Arther Edwards and John Richards as they look in 2024 at Wolves’ Molyneux stadiumCredit: Paul Edwards
      Arthur persuaded Wolves’ star striker John Richards to pose with curvy actress Vikki Richards — no relation — from the cast of the farce No Sex Please, We’re BritishCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      How Arthur’s first photo, of John and Vikki, looked in The Sun in 1974
      He was sent to get a picture of Wolverhampton Wanderers footballers as they arrived at a West End show ahead of the League Cup final.
      And he managed to persuade Wolves’ star striker John Richards to pose with curvy actress Vikki Richards — no relation — from the cast of the farce No Sex Please, We’re British.
      Arthur’s photo of the football star and the showgirl appeared on the back page of The Sun on the day Wolves played Manchester City at Wembley, and won a cup final for the first time in 14 years.
      And the shot made history that day — because it began the stellar career of a Fleet Street legend.
      READ MORE ON ARTHUR EDWARDS
      It was a lucky omen for John too, as he scored the winner in Wolves’ shock 2-1 victory.
      As The Sun’s royal photographer, Arthur has since travelled to 100 countries, photographing every member of the Royal Family, plus the King’s Coronation last year, as well as famous faces from popes to presidents.
      Remarkably, at the age of 83, he is still taking photos and getting the same buzz today from seeing them published as he did half a century ago.
      To celebrate this landmark in Arthur’s incredible career, we contacted John, now 73, who still lives in Wolverhampton.
      Most read in Football
      We also tracked down actress Vikki at her home near Port of Spain, in Trinidad, where she became a TV presenter.
      Wembley was amazing
      As a result, Arthur was reunited with John at Wolves’ Molineux stadium, and he photographed Vikki when she recently flew to London.
      Behind the scenes as a Royal photographer covering King Charles for 45 years
      John revealed to Arthur that on the Sunday before that 1974 cup final, Wolves manager Bill McGarry had whisked his team away to the seaside.
      The players checked into a hotel at Worthing on the Sussex coast to escape media attention but also to hide the fact that first-choice goalkeeper Phil Parkes had a broken ankle and would not play at Wembley.
      Dad-of-two John added: “We had a great team, with some really good players, and in those days the League Cup was a big thing.
      “On the Thursday we moved from Worthing to a hotel in St Albans in Hertfordshire and that afternoon we went to Wembley, which was amazing.
      “We walked through the famous tunnel and had a wander round. If it made any difference I don’t know, but psychologically it was something the manager felt was important for us.
      “And then, to keep us distracted, the club had arranged for us to go to see the show in the West End.
      “They didn’t tell us too much in advance. Until we actually got there we didn’t know there was going to be any planned photographs.”
       Vikki, then 24, was waiting in the foyer of the Strand Theatre to welcome the players and pose for photos.
      When my team-mates saw your photo they took the p**s. They kept saying, ‘Ooh, your eyes are looking down, aren’t they?John Richards
      She joked to Arthur: “In those days I used to get quite a lot of publicity. I think Michael Crawford, who was the star of the show, got a bit jealous.” Racing against time before the players were shown to their seats, Arthur asked John to pose for a photo with Vikki.
      On the morning of the match itself, Saturday March 2, 1974, Arthur’s picture of John and Vikki appeared on the back page of The Sun, accompanied by three short paragraphs under the headline No Sex Please — We’re Wolves.
      The story read: “John Richards tried to keep his mind on today’s League Cup final but his namesake Vikki Richards got him interested in other things.
      “The Wolves striker and some of his team-mates met Vikki when they went to the Strand Theatre to see the show No Sex Please, We’re British. Vikki is one of the stars of the show.
      Picture: Arthur Edwards”
      It was a proud moment for Arthur, son of a Cockney lorry driver, and the first time his name — byline — ever appeared in The Sun.
      But 50 years later John recalled: “You got me into a bit of trouble, Arthur.
      When John’s wife Pam picked up that morning’s Sun and saw the photo of her husband apparently peering at Vikki’s boobs, it did not go down wellCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      John with victorious team-mates Andy Gray and Willie Carr
      Arthur in his staff portrait from 1974Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      “When my team-mates saw your photo they took the p**s. They kept saying, ‘Ooh, your eyes are looking down, aren’t they?’”
      And it got worse.
      When John’s wife Pam, who was then seven months pregnant, picked up that morning’s Sun and saw the photo of her husband apparently peering at Vikki’s boobs, it did not go down well.
      I scored the winning goal with about seven or eight minutes to go. We got a £1,000 bonus for winning, which was a lot of money back thenJohn Richards
      John said: “She was not impressed. She wasn’t going to blame the photographer but she did blame me. Thankfully I didn’t see her until after the match, when we went to the Hilton hotel for a banquet.
      “That was when my wife said, ‘Somebody showed me this picture in The Sun’. But the fact we’d won the League Cup saved my bacon.
      Most memorable period in my footballing career
      “I scored the winning goal with about seven or eight minutes to go. We got a £1,000 bonus for winning, which was a lot of money back then.
      “We had just moved into a newly-built house in Wolverhampton, which cost £9,999. And I said, ‘Pam, the money I’m getting out of this will put central heating in the house’.”
      During the match Pam had had more to worry about than a photo in The Sun as she watched John, standing near the Manchester penalty spot, hammer a deflection off City striker Rodney Marsh’s boot past keeper Keith MacRae to score his match-winning goal.
      John said: “That was when all hell was let loose. My wife nearly had a premature birth. Could have been all sorts of problems.
      “My mum and in-laws were there as well. It was a fantastic occasion. To me it is the most memorable period in my footballing career.”
      As Wolves’ top striker, John was earning £100 a week — three times more than his dad, also John, who worked in a cardboard factory — but the First Division club did not splash out on extras for their players.
      Our back page on the day Arthur’s photo was published revealed how Manchester City’s players would each have been paid a £2,500 — more than £32,000 in today’s money — bonus for lifting the trophy, compared with a grand a man for Wolves — the equivalent of £13,000 today.
      And back then, teams did not kit out their players with matching suits for big occasions — which is why, as John explained, the smart suit he wore to the theatre was his own.
      He added: “The only thing that they gave us for the ’74 final were tracksuits. We thought we were the bees’ knees but when we came out of the tunnel we looked like Rod Hull’s Emu, with bright yellow legs.
      “They were supposed to be gold (to match the famous Wolves kit) but they were bright yellow and looked absolutely horrendous, with a black top. I look back at it now and think how awful that was.”
      John was at Wolves for 14 years before ending his playing career with a two-year spell at Maritimo, in Madeira, in the mid-1980s.
      Little did I know that first assignment all those years ago would lead to an amazing careerArthur Edwards
      In 1997 he was back at Wolves as managing director but after three years on the board he quit to run a website for training groundsmen and greenkeepers.
      Now retired, John — who has been married to Pam for more than 50 years — is still involved with his old club as chairman of the former Wolves players’ association.
      Vikki went on to appear in TV dramas including The Gentle Touch, Howards’ Way and Return Of The Saint, before moving to Trinidad, where for five years she presented her own television series, Building Your Dream Home.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      As for our very own Arthur Edwards, he is still living his dream as Britain’s most famous royal photographer.
      He said: “Little did I know that first assignment all those years ago would lead to an amazing career.”
      John and wife Pam today
      How actress Vikki looks today, 50 years on from Arthur’s first photo for The SunCredit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun
      John in action for Wolves in the 1970sCredit: Getty More

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      Split from sweetheart and losing love for the game… Marcus Rashford was a football superstar – so what happened?

      by

      MARCUS RASHFORD grew up watching his single mum Melanie work three jobs to support him, his brothers and sisters.Sometimes she would skip meals to ensure they had enough to eat, and the family needed free school dinners to make sure Marcus and his four siblings had at least one plate of hot food a day.
      Marcus Rashford has been beset by personal troubles on and off the pitch leading to him being axed last weekendCredit: Getty
      Rashford split from long-term lover Lucia Loi and fears women he meets are simply after his moneyCredit: Getty
      Rashford was awarded a MBE for his work campaigning for free school meals for childrenCredit: Rex
      Fast forward 20 years and, now earning £325,000 a week at Manchester United, he could be forgiven for thinking money would solve all the family’s problems.
      But instead the 26-year-old England striker has hit rock bottom.
      Earlier this week, Rashford faced a £650,000 club fine after finishing a 12-hour tequila-fuelled bender at 3am, despite being due in training just a few hours later.
      He rang in sick, claiming to be ill, which the club took at face value until social media footage showed he had been in a Belfast nightclub till the early hours.
      READ MORE MARCUS RASHFORD
      At a meeting with manager Erik ten Hag and United director of football John Murtough on Monday, Rashford is understood to have admitted to having lost some of his love for the game.
      In his personal life it seems he’s also struggling, and those problems are transferring onto the pitch.
      ‘Family rifts’
      A source told The Sun: “Marcus has always had a close inner circle.
      “His brothers are his agents and his advisers, but the truth is that there are cracks starting to appear.
      Most read in Football
      “He has massive sponsorship deals and a buy-to-let empire of houses, plus his earnings on the pitch, and that means he’s an extremely wealthy young man.
      “He’s in a unique position to make himself and his family financially secure for generations, but that’s not what’s happening.
      “There have been arguments and tensions over money in his camp for months, and it’s not getting any better.
      “Marcus is in the middle of it all feeling lost.
      “He doesn’t know who to trust and his confidence on and off the pitch has taken a dive.
      “His life’s become a mess and he’s at a loss as to how to make it better.”
      Rashford’s older brothers, Dwaine and Dane, act as his agents, business advisers and gatekeepers.
      They all live in the same leafy street in Wilmslow, Cheshire, along with mum Melanie.
      The opulent lifestyle is a far cry from the modest terraced home in Withington, Manchester, where Marcus spent his early childhood years.
      Marcus has been close to brothers Dwaine Maynard (left) Dane Rashford (right), but relations have strained recentlyCredit: Instagram
      The footie idol’s family relationships have been strained since Dane, 31, was arrested for domestic battery in Miami in October.
      Charges were dropped but the incident has left a lasting impact.
      Dwaine has put his house up for sale, believing his security was compromised after Dane’s address was published online by police in Miami as part of the charge, and Dane has been increasingly sidelined.
      Several sources have told The Sun that Dwaine, 40, and Marcus are barely on speaking terms, despite the siblings attending showdown talks with ten Hag together on Monday.
      Rashford still socialises with childhood friends, and once said of his inner circle: “It has always been small and always will be, because I feel like I work best in that environment. I trust them.”
      But some pals have abused that trust, with one using Marcus’ bank card to buy expensive items without his permission.
      Others have let him down simply by failing to question his decisions to go out partying, drinking and gambling.
      Another of Rashford’s anchors was school sweetheart Lucia Loi, who he split with last summer.
      Their on-off relationship is believed to be over for good after Rashford was snapped walking into a Miami hotel with a leggy model at 5am.
      Rashford was seen walking into a hotel last year in Miami with a model – signalling the end of his relationshipCredit: SPLASH NEWS AND PICTURES
      And last September, he pranged his £700,000 Rolls-Royce outside United’s Carrington training ground.
      It came after his school meals campaign to help feed Britain’s poorest kids during the holidays earned him an MBE.
      A source said of private turmoil: “Marcus has wardrobes full of designer clothes, watches and jewellery, but he met Lucia when he had nothing.
      “He knew she loved him for him, not his money.
      “Now he feels girls he meets are just interested in his bank balance.
      “He’s been earning a lot of money for a good few years now, but only really started flaunting it in recent times.
      “Part of that was because of his involvement in the free school meals campaign.
      “He was conscious people would criticise him for campaigning one day and being seen at the wheel of a Lamborghini the next.
      “But his campaign was never about Marcus using his money to end child food poverty. That’s impossible.
      “As he’s grown up, he has been encouraged by some advisers to enjoy his wealth, because he has worked hard for it.”
      Trying to provide for his extended family has also caused rifts.
      Rashford has a property empire encompassing at least a dozen homes he rents out, controlled by Melanie.
      Our source said: “Some of them are regular houses with regular tenants, but other, larger properties in the posh Cheshire suburbs have been designated for family.
      “Many of his family members grew up in modest homes in working class areas of Manchester, without much money.
      “Even if Marcus lets them live rent-free, they still don’t have the means to pay heating and electricity in a huge mansion.
      “Some kids in the extended Rashford family are still on free school meals, so it’s a massively complicated situation.
      “Marcus is doing his best to help people.”
      It is understood matters came to a head when Rashford did not attend the recent funeral of a relative, fearing that his presence would be too awkward as he would be approached and asked for money.
      Recognising the need for expert help, Rashford and his team have approached numerous PR agencies and financial advisers, but have yet to find the right match.
      These difficulties in his personal life have led to a crisis of confidence on the pitch.
      Rashford was spotted at a nightclub in Belfast last week, hours before he was due in trainingCredit:
      Earlier this season he was involved in a car crash close to United’s training groundCredit:
      Just six months ago — after bagging an incredible 30 goals in one season — United fought off interest from Paris Saint Germain to persuade Rashford to sign a five-year contract worth £84.5million.
      The Premier League star proudly said: “I joined Manchester United as a seven-year-old boy with a dream.
      “That same passion, pride, and determination to succeed still drives me every time I have the honour of wearing the shirt.”
      On his “relentless” determination to win more trophies, he added: “As a United fan all my life, I know the responsibility that comes with representing this badge.
      “I will give everything to help the team.”
      ‘Not pulling his weight’
      But a series of disinterested displays, netting just four goals this season, have seen the Old Trafford crowd start to get on his back for the first time since he burst onto the scene aged 18, scoring two goals in his February 2016 debut.
      A multi-million pound boot deal with Nike had to be delayed due to his poor form and his brother’s arrest, and Rashford has also seen a string of pals — Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Brandon Williams and Anthony Elanga — leave the club.
      He now finds himself regarded as a senior leader in the dressing room, but some reckon he is not pulling his weight and relationships with teammates are strained.
      A source said: “Marcus doesn’t seem happy in training or in games.
      “The team has been struggling and needs everyone pulling together.
      “Some of the players are frustrated because they know just how talented Marcus is.
      “They know they need him if they are going to win things.
      “And some feel like he doesn’t care as much anymore.”
      Can Rashford turn it around?
      Yes, believes one source.
      “Marcus is a really good guy.
      “He’s actually quite shy, not the outgoing extrovert that people believe from all the designer clothes and Rolls-Royces.
      “He’s achieved so much in his career so far and he’s only 26.
      “But he’s the kind of person who has to hit rock bottom before he can start to climb back up.
      “Like many players, he craves routine, people he can trust around him, stability and a cause he can support that connects him back to his roots.
      “He had all that once, and now it’s a case of building it back up.
      “He knows he needs to make changes in his life, but it’s up to him to do that.”
      Insiders last night revealed Marcus had been more focused in training this week and seemed intent on answering his critics on the pitch.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      On Thursday, four days after being dropped, it took him less than five minutes to score United’s opening goal against Wolves, helping his side to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory.
      Hopefully, for Rashford, the comeback starts here.
      Manchester United hope Rashford will rediscover his love for the game More

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      in Soccer

      Jordan Henderson quitting Saudi soccer doesn’t surprise me — I sat in empty stadiums in 40C heat and was bored to tears

      by

      DRENCHED with sweat, Jordan Henderson looked utterly exhausted as he trudged to the touchline to grab yet another swig from a water bottle.The England international and former Liverpool captain seemed out on his feet after giving his all as he has done countless times for club and country.
      Jordan Henderson seemed out of his feet playing for Saudi minnows Al-EttifaqCredit: Getty
      The Sun’s Chief Foreign Correspondent Nick Parker shares his thoughts on why Saudi football is so off-puttingCredit: Ian Whittaker – Commissioned by The Sun
      But this was not a World Cup epic watched by millions — rather the harsh reality of Henderson’s debut, in 35C heat, for Saudi Arabian Pro League minnows Al-Ettifaq.
      It was not yet half time when Henderson — who with Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019, the Premier League the next year and the FA Cup in 2022 — took his fourth water break in a ramshackle, half-full stadium unfit for even an English League One tie.
      The midfielder was playing in front of just 13,000 fans, under new club coach and fellow former Liverpool and England star Steven Gerrard last August — and even then the writing was on the wall for all to see.
      Now, with Henderson tonight signing off a move to Dutch giants Ajax, after just six months in Saudi, he is the first of a host of crazy-money signings from the Premier League and other European top-flights who are expected to quit the desert kingdom.
      READ MORE BEAUTIFUL GAME
      A source told me: “Jordan knows he has made a terrible mistake and stands to lose a lot of money.
      “But he can’t face another day in Saudi. He has found the heat intolerable and the quality of the football is, frankly, beneath his talents and won’t keep him in the England reckoning.”
      I feel his pain. Watching his debut in Saudi was one of the weirdest experiences of my 35 years covering football games for The Sun.
      Ahead of the 9pm kick-off, daytime temperatures had topped 40C but the real killer was stifling 60 per cent humidity.
      Most read in Football
      I was soaked in sweat two minutes after stepping out of my taxi — and I was just a spectator.
      Even locals accustomed to the heat were tearing up cardboard boxes to create makeshift fans as play began.
      Having experienced the World Cup glitz in neighbouring Qatar just months earlier, my arrival at the new Saudi home of two Liverpool legends was a shock.
      The Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Stadium was built in 1973 and needs more than a lick of paint — it needs air-con.
      It seats 26,000 but was only half full, despite the pre-match promise of Cristiano Ronaldo and former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane lining up for the opponents Al-Nassr.
      The drabness of Al-Ettifaq’s laboured 2-1 victory, and former Manchester United favourite Ronaldo failing to show for the game, was only made worse by the multi-use stadium’s running track keeping fans remote from the action.
      The star signings on show must have been baffled by the tiny Saudi fan base.
      Women in burkas, men in Arab robes and others in jeans and T-shirts watched from the sweltering stands, where swathes of faded blue plastic seats lay empty.
      A repeat of this when Saudi Arabia hosts the 2034 World Cup would be a disaster — fear of which could lead to a temporary lifting of the Gulf state’s booze ban, to woo more fans.
      But it is not just the heat, and tiny crowds, triggering the footballers’ exodus from Saudi.
      The Islamic kingdom’s strict cultural code is also to blame for this.
      Boozing is banned and punishable by flogging, while players’ Wags are not legally allowed out in public alone — and women in Saudi have only been allowed to drive since 2018.
      Henderson, 33, more than tripled his Liverpool salary, to a reported £700,000 a week, when he moved to Saudi last summer in the twilight of his career.
      Gerrard, 43, landed a £15.2million-a-year deal — after he was axed as Aston Villa boss then ignored by even Championship clubs.
      But the fanfare around the pair’s unveiling at the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Stadium looked staged, fake and doomed.
      The sweltering heat, as well as extremely strict cultural codes, have left Saudi stadiums full of empty seats during gamesCredit: Ian Whittaker – Commissioned by The Sun
      The fanfare around Steven Gerrard’s £15.2m deal with Al-Ettifaq looked staged, fake and doomedCredit: Reuters
      Within weeks, Henderson — used to playing before 50,000-strong crowds at Anfield and on glittering World Cup stages — turned out in front of just 610 fans for one Al-Ettifaq game.
      The unhappy playmaker is now bailing out to Ajax.
      He was so desperate quit joyless Saudi that he has reportedly agreed to a 75 per cent pay cut to move to Amsterdam.
      He played just 19 times for former Reds team-mate Gerrard and has now torn up his three-year contract with the club and walked out of an Al-Ettifaq training camp in Dubai.
      His Saudi wages would have been tax-free had he stayed for two years.
      But he faces a £7million tax bill if he returns to the UK, thanks to HMRC rules and having spent less than a year working abroad.
      He is far from alone in wanting out, though.
      My source added: “A lot of top players brought in at huge expense from the Premier League and Europe feel the same — and Jordan won’t be the first to leave.”
      Al-Nassr signing Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, was the first megastar to move to Saudi two years ago on a ridiculous £3.4million a week.
      He was followed by Brazil showman Neymar, 31, who joined Al-Hilal on £2.5million a week, from French club PSG.
      Cristiano Ronaldo was the first megastar to move to Saudi, on a ridiculous £3.4m a weekCredit: Instagram @cristiano
      Ronaldo was soon followed by Brazilian showman NeymarCredit: Getty
      The preening ex-Barcelona striker also demanded three supercars for himself, four Mercedes G Wagons for his entourage, a Mercedes van with a driver on 24-hour standby, and an army of staff.
      Other imports have included Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitro-vic, Wolves’ Ruben Neves and former Celtic winger Jota.
      But with the January transfer window now open, many are fed up and desperate to turn tail.
      Firmino is being linked to Fulham, Jota to Tottenham and Benzema to Chelsea.
      Meanwhile legendary Liverpool goal machine Robbie Fowler’s spell as boss of a Saudi second-tier club has ended after four months, following an apparent spat with management.
      Ex-England ace Fowler, 48, was inexplicably axed despite the club being on a winning run.
      He is believed to have received a large severance payout and has not spoken about his exit, which came weeks before Henderson blew the whistle on Al-Ettifaq.
      Henderson’s game in front of 610 fans was the fifth-lowest attendance of the flop Pro League this season, the tiniest being 257, and comes despite the billions invested by the Saudi government in a brazen bid to “sportswash” its appalling human rights record.
      But the sheikhs lavishing oil wealth on the lacklustre league are unlikely to be put off after greedy Fifa chiefs gifted them the 2034 World Cup.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      A Saudi soccer source said: “Players will come and go but Saudi Arabians love football and we are in for the long haul.
      “We have the resources and will do what it takes to make our league and World Cup a great success.” More

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      New Netflix doc follows Messi, Ronaldo and Bale during Qatar World Cup – with bitter toxic feud laid bare

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      THEY are the men who held the hopes of nations in their hands.From Thiago Silva to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to England’s Harry Kane and Wales hero Gareth Bale, it is the dream of every country’s captain to win football’s World Cup.
      Netflix docuseries Captains Of The World takes a look at the pressure put on the men tasked with leading their teams to victory – like Argentina’s Lionel MessiCredit: Getty
      Most have their hopes crushed – but the winners take their place in history.
      Now new Netflix docuseries, Captains Of The World, takes a closer look at the pressure put on the handful of men tasked with leading their teams to victory.
      The six-part show follows captains and coaches during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
      We look at how some of football’s most famous names fought for their country’s pride in a bid to lift the famous gold trophy.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP
      LIONEL MESSI
      Argentina
      RANKED one of the world’s greatest players, Lionel Messi dreamed of emulating his hero Diego Maradona.
      He missed his idol, after Maradona died in November 2020 of a heart attack.
      He said: “It’s really weird not having him here, not seeing him in the stands, not seeing people going crazy when he shows up.
      Most read in Football
      “He made everyone feel something ­special. This is my last chance to achieve my greatest dream, but this is a World Cup and it’s really tough.”
      Argentina went through to the semis after an explosive win in a penalty shootout against the Netherlands.
      The match was marked by tempers boiling over in an ongoing feud between Messi and Dutch head coach Louis van Gaal.
      The pair shared bad blood over van Gaal’s treatment of Messi’s mentor and Argentine footballing icon Juan Roman Riquelme when the Dutchman managed Barcelona.
      Messi was left fuming after van Gaal “disrespected” his team by claiming the play-maker didn’t contribute to the game when the other side had the ball.
      After scoring Argentina’s second goal, Messi channelled Riquelme’s mocking victory celebration before calling Netherlands goal scorer Wout Weghorst an idiot in a bad-tempered post-match outburst in the tunnel.
      Messi said: “It was a really tough game. We were facing a great team. We have a very good group of players. They know how to fight when the going gets tough.
      “They (the Netherlands) talked a lot before the game and I didn’t like it.
      “The player in the number 19 shirt (Weghorst) kept provoking us. Bumping into us, and saying things from the start.
      “I don’t think that behaviour belongs in football.
      “I was really angry before the match because a coach like van Gaal . . .  I felt he had disrespected the Argentinian team.”
      Messi fulfilled his World Cup mission after leading Argentina to victory over France in a spectacular final.
      He scored twice in the 3-3 match before scoring again from the spot as Argentina won on penalties.
      He said: “It’s very hard to explain how you feel at that moment. All that energy.”
      Asked if he had any advice for his young­er self, he said: “Enjoy football, keep doing what you do, because that’s what matters the most and the rest will come.”
      GARETH BALE
      Wales
      BALE led Wales to their first World Cup since 1958 and told how much-loved former manager Gary Speed, who took his own life in 2011, aged 42, still inspires the nation.
      On reaching Qatar he said: “The proudest thing you can do as an athlete is to represent your country.
      Gareth Bale led Wales to their first World Cup since 1958Credit: Netflix
      “To be playing for Wales and taking them to the World Cup, for it to become a reality is surreal.
      “Whenever I meet up with Wales it feels like home.
      “I know everyone sees that I’m quiet, but I like to joke around and get people going. It’s about us as a team, trying to do as best we can.”
      He said the team still talk about Gary Speed, adding: “We still speak about him. Everyone involved will tell you how grateful the whole nation is.
      “If he hadn’t come in at that moment, we might not be where we are now, we might not have had that foundation built for us to really kick on and achieve what we’ve achieved.”
      HARRY KANE
      England
      TOP scorer Kane went up against his Spurs team-mate Hugo Lloris in the quarter-final.
      Kane missed a penalty which saw England crash out when they lost 2-1 to France.
      Harry Kane explains that it’s always important to control your emotions during a tournamentCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      But the England talisman never lost hope until the last moment.
      He said: “We’re level-headed, we know what we need to do to go far in this tournament. It’s important you control your emotions.
      “We’re not just here to reach the quarter-final and we have to believe if we want to go all the way.”
      On penalties he said: “I like to have the ball in my hands, stay calm.
      “I always kind of know where I’m going to put the penalty, focus on that.”
      Lloris says of Kane’s miss: “That’s football.”
      England boss Gareth Southgate said: “England always think they should be winning. History would tell us that’s not really the case.”
      CRISTIANO RONALDO
      Portugal
      RONALDO hoped his fifth World Cup finals would see him get his hands on the trophy at last.
      He got off to a rocky start after it was rumoured he threatened to quit after being benched for two games.
      Ronaldo says that he’s felt the same pressure as everCredit: Netflix
      Although he made appearances as a substitute, it didn’t prevent Portugal from being beaten by Morocco in one of the big shocks.
      He said: “Everyone wants to win but there can only be one winner.
      “If you asked me if I finished my career today, would I be happy? Yes of course! But a World Cup win could be fun.”
      Of his shredded dreams after a quarter-final exit, he said: “Some people like me, some people don’t, but I’m proud of everything I’ve done. It wouldn’t be fair for me to ask for more.
      “I don’t chase records, records chase me. Pressure? Every player feels pressure. There’s been pressure ever since I left Madeira aged 11.”
      THIAGO SILVA
      Brazil
      AN emotional Silva told how he was left “hurt” after pre-tournament favourites Brazil were knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals.
      But he said he had already won the biggest battle of his life after winning a fight for survival against tuberculosis aged 21 in 2005.
      Silva tells of being ‘hurt’ after Brazil’s loss to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
      The Chelsea defender said: “People say Thiago is weak for having emotions. I wouldn’t have got where I am today by being mentally weak.
      “I had to be strong in one of the biggest battles of my life. I left Brazil when I was young . . . I trained and trained with a painful chest.
      “The doctor held the X-ray up and you could see there was a huge hole in my lung.
      “If we had waited any longer for diagnosis there would be no cure.
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      “Going through tuberculosis left me with scars that will never heal.
      “When people say I’ve won a lot of ­trophies, the biggest achievement of my life was overcoming that.” More