Retime

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Worst tattoos on sports stars, from Beckham to Sancho, Bellerin, Dele, Hart and a Tokyo 2020 mistake

      by

      THEY say money can’t buy you taste.And for all the millions today’s top athletes make – whether it be footballers or any other sports star – it appears that mantra has never been more true than when applied to tattoos.
      Goalkeeper Joe Hart shows off his eyesore of a tattooCredit: Refer to Caption
      Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart proved that with the massive block of ink across his right shoulder.
      And not even the unofficial King of Cool David Beckham is immune to an occasional style blunder.
      Here’s a look at some of the worst around.
      Dele Alli
      Dele Alli has a tattoo of Bamm Bamm from the Flinstones on his forearm
      Look past the gold bling and you will see former Spurs star Alli’s permanent tribute to Bamm Bamm from the Flinstones.
      A somewhat unconventional choice, Alli – whose first name is Bamidele – is thought to have got it because his nickname is Bam Bam.David Beckham
      England legend Becks has an intricate grouping of planets inked on his headCredit: Rex Features
      A fashion icon the world over and hugely admired midfielder, we’ll let Becks off for this one given he’s barely put a foot wrong in the past, apart from that sarong, those cornrows and that all-leather get-up…
      Beckham has more than 40 tattoos but this one is probably the strangest, not least because of where it is.
      MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
      Derlis Ayala
      The Olympic runner got Tokyo 2020 tattooed on his calf – before the Games was postponed by a year due to coronavirus.
      Ayala qualified for Tokyo after finishing fifth overall in the Buenos Aires Marathon in September 2019.
      He previously represented Paraguay in the 2016 Olympics in Rio in the marathon where he finished in 136th place – got the Olympics rings plus the date and location inked on.

      Sergio Aguero
      Ex Man City star Sergio Aguero isn’t quite sure what his Lord of the Rings tattoo saysCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Those are not hieroglyphics down the prolific striker’s forearm but the Elvish language from Lord of the Rings.
      Aguero must be a pretty big fan of the film, then, huh?
      Er, no. But he must at least know what it means? Nope – he hasn’t even seen the movie.Nicolas Otamendi
      Most people get tattoos of the things that are most important to them – family members, dates and religious symbols.
      Former Man City ace Otamendi, though, clearly loves watching TV so much and has inked stars from hit shows Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders and Vikings on his back.
      At the top of his back, the Benfica defender has Walter White, the main character in Breaking Bad, while lower down there is an image of Peaky Blinders protagonist Thomas Shelby.
      Nicolas Otamendi showed off his impressive tattoo collectionCredit: Rex Features
      The main characters from Breaking Bad – Walter White – and Peaky Blinders – Thomas Shelby – feature on the Argentinian’s back
      To the left appears to be Ragnar Lothbrok from Vikings.
      They make up what is an impressive collection including a pocket watch, a lion, a bear and the more regular tattoos such as names of some of his family members.
      Jadon Sancho
      Man Utd star Jadon Sancho sporting his cartoon tattoos at during a Borussia Dortmund training session
      It’s easy to make the link between rapid England winger Sancho and his tattoo of Sonic the Hedgehog.
      After that, things become a bit of a stretch.
      Having the Simpsons daubed on his arm can perhaps be likened to his former team Dortmund side’s famous Yellow Wall – if you were really trying.
      But Spiderman? There’s only so much Cartoon Network one man can need.Hector Bellerin
      Hector Bellerin has the word ‘two’ tattooed on his leg to match his shirt numberCredit: Getty – Contributor
      When he’s not flaunting questionable clobber at fashion shows, Bellerin likes to pose in retro-style photos, get tattoos and play football.
      Here, he dedicates his commitment to his defensive position by getting his shirt number permanently etched on his thigh.
      Erik Lamela
      Lamela has a tattoo of a dog on his thighCredit: Reuters
      Dodgy tattoos have no allegiance and could not care less about who ruled North London.
      But when Erik Lamela was playing for Spurs, he showed off this corker of a tattoo.
      Yes, it’s a picture of a loveable bulldog.Artur Boruc
      Artur Boruc’s hideous monkey tattoo in all its gloryCredit: Willie Vass
      Word cannot do justice to just how bad the former Bournemouth’s keeper monkey tattoo is around his belly button
      Just awful.
      No. Not even doing a ‘monkeying around’ pun for this.Eljero Elia
      Eljero Elia spelled Feyenoord incorrectly and got the date of his Cup final win as May 24 rather than April 24Credit: Instagram
      Spell the name of your club incorrectly? Check. Get the date wrong of the final you played in and won? Check.
      Feyenoord winger Elia had a stinker with this tattoo back in 2016, but got it corrected to display the correct details.Uros Vitas
      Vitos’ inking was a nice thought… but should have remained just a thought
      Fair play to Serbian defender Vitas for showing off the love of his life, Andrijana, in tattoo form.
      Shame it looked so frightening.
      Marcelo Brozovic
      Brozovic’s weird hand tattoo is one of a kindCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Inter midfielder Brozovic got this ‘epic Brozo’ tattoo to match his equally epic celebration whenever he scores.
      Not only is it in a peculiar position on the top of his hand, he also opened a bar in his native Croatia with the name Epic Brozo and, yep, you guessed it, an image of the winking face.Amato Ciciretti
      How will Amato Ciciretti’s social media tattoo have aged by the time he’s 50?Credit: Twitter
      He is the journeyman Italian who now plays for Ascoli in Serie B, but Ciciretti must be social media famous to go to the lengths of having his Twitter handle tattooed on his calf?
      Surprisingly, no. Instead, the 29-year-old removed his account after amassing just over 2,000 followers, and tweeting just 31 times Any regrets, Amato?Nile Ranger
      Nile Ranger is among the footballers with the world’s worst tattoosCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Nile Ranger got his surname tattooed across his headCredit: Jamie McPhilimey – The Sun
      Perhaps it was just in case he forgot. Nile Ranger – or, as the tattoo would suggest, Nile Ranges – went through the unnecessary pain of having his surname printed above his eye.
      To be fair to the former Newcastle striker who has a smiley face tattooed inside his mouth, there wasn’t much space left on the rest of his body.
      Layvin Kurzawa
      The belly-button should have one job, and one job onlyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Not quite as bad as Boruc, but here’s another footballer who mistook the belly-button’s purpose for postnatal artwork.
      The Paris Saint-Germain left-back, on loan at Fulham, needs to keep his shirt on with the terrifying face on his stomach.Daniele de Rossi
      Retired Italian midfielder sent a message to opponents with his calf tattooCredit: AFP
      At first glance, the retired Italian’s calf looks more like it should be placed outside the gents’ loo.
      Instead, De Rossi’s hazard warning tattoo backs up his hardman image as the tough-tackling midfielder snapping at opponent’s ankles.Marko Arnautovic
      Marko Arnautovic could not quite decide which font to haveCredit: Getty – Contributor
      A message of motivation is blazoned across the former West Ham forward’s stomach.
      The problem is Arnautovic seemed as certain about the font he wanted for the tattoo as he was about which club he’d be playing for the following season.Mauro Junior
      An iconic image with a motivational message?Credit: Getty – Contributor
      There was, perhaps, an oversight when PSV’s young midfielder got a famous image tattooed down his left forearm.
      Some will see King Arthur attempting to pull the legendary sword from a stone. Others? Well, we’ll leave that to you..Ricardo Quaresma
      Chelsea flop Ricardo Quaresma has some questionable facial tattoosCredit: —
      Is there something the former Porto and Chelsea man needs to tell us?
      In most quarters, teardrop tattoos tend to signify the amount of people the wearer had killed in prison.
      Quaresma’s short stay at Stamford Bridge didn’t include much lethal work.Jay Bothroyd
      On first look, the former England striker appears to have a random arsenal pictured down his ribs.
      Tilt you head slightly and the weapons just about spell out the word ‘love’. Awww?
      Do you love it or hate it?Credit: Twitter More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Faiq Bolkiah is the richest footballer in world, whose uncle is Sultan of Brunei, and is heir to £13bn fortune

      by

      MEET the world’s richest footballer Faiq Bolkiah, the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei.Faiq Bolkiah now plays for Thai League 1 club Chonburi., following unsuccessful spells with Leicester City and Portuguese side Maritimo.
      Faiq Bolkiah is the richest young footballer in the world and was formerly of Leicester CityCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Faiq Bolkiah is the nephew of the Sultan of BruneiCredit: Instagram @fjbolkiah
      The dynamic winger, 24, is one of the heirs to Hassanal Bolkiah’s £13billion fortune.
      That dwarfs the worth of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – making Bolkiah the wealthiest living footballer.
      His dad is Jefri Bolkiah, a brother of the oil tycoon, so that makes Faiq a member of their royal family.
      But that hasn’t stopped Faiq from shunning his family’s billions to pursue a career in football.
      Let SunSport introduce you to the man who really doesn’t need to work for a living.
      Competition was fierce for him in his youth days…
      After playing youth football for AFC Newbury, Faiq signed a one-year deal with Southampton’s famed youth academy in 2009.
      He didn’t quite turn enough heads to secure a full-time contract and went on trial at Arsenal in 2013, playing for the Gunners in the 2013 Lion City Cup.
      Faiq Bolkiah could have lived in a palace like the Sultan of BruneiCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Faiq Bolkiah was once on Chelsea’s booksCredit: Chelsea FC
      Faiq Bolkiah playing for Leicester City’s reservesCredit: Getty – Contributor
      A Rolls Royce like this could have been a chariot for Faiq BolkiahCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Faiq got himself on the scoresheet in that tournament against a Singapore youth selection.
      Alerted to his availability, Chelsea then swooped and offered him a two-year deal in 2014. But he left Stamford Bridge in December, 2015 to sign for Leicester in a three-year deal.
      He captains his international side…
      Despite not playing a professional game in England yet, Faiq has pulled on the international shirt of Brunei six times, finding the net once.
      Faiq Bolkiah has captain the Brunei international football teamCredit: Getty – Contributor
      He even captained the side in the 2017 Aceh World Solidarity Tsunami Cup.
      Incidentally, he was born in Los Angeles, so he could’ve represented the United States. But he was loyal to his family and stayed close to his roots.
      Faiq Bolkiah was loyal to his family and turned down a chance to play for the USCredit: AFP – Getty
      Faiq’s dad is quite the character…
      He may have an innocent demeanour, but his father Jefri Bolkiah was known as the playboy of the Brunei royal family.
      Jefri reportedly lived quite the life of excess, reportedly blowing around £10billion in 15-years as head of the Brunei Investment agency.
      At one point, he was said to be spending £35m a month on cars, watches, erotic white gold pens and up to a £1m a hit on karaoke parties with a swarm of beautiful women.
      Jefri Bolkiah celebrates his birthday with his sonCredit: Instagram @fjbolkiah
      Jefri Bolkiah was the playboy of the Brunei royal familyCredit: Rex Features
      Faiq Bolkiah might have had an easier life and lived like a prince if he wasn’t a footballerCredit: 1998 Julian Parker
      Faiq Bolkiah’s cousins enjoy a lavish lifestyle in their own countryCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Jefri was also believed to have owned 2,300 cars at the height of his wealth, including a fleet of Bentleys, Ferraris and Rolls-Royces.
      However, his pride and joy is a yacht inappropriately called ‘Tits’ which had tenders called ‘Nipple 1’ and ‘Nipple 2’.
      Faiq Bolkiah stands to inherit a boat called TitsCredit: Big Pictures
      The Tits has tenders called Nipple 1 and Nipple 2Credit: Big Pictures
      Jefri wasn’t afraid to embrace erotica either, once commissioning artist J. Seward Johnson to create a £500,000 sexually-explicit statue of himself and his ex-fiancee.
      Amusingly, he once splashed around £5million on a rug that was woven with gold thread and jewels.
      A £5m rug bought by Jefri BolkiahCredit: PA:Press Association
      A set of erotic pens in white gold owned by Jefri BolkiahCredit: PA:Press Association
      An erotic watch owned by Jefri Bolkiah made of white gold and platinumCredit: PA:Press Association
      Michael Jackson was on speed dial when he needed him…
      Being a rich kid has its perks, especially if you’re Faiq.
      When dad Jefri wanted to celebrate his milestone 50th birthday, he also wanted to impress his then 7-year-old son.
      Michael Jackson performed a private concert for Faiq BolkiahCredit: Getty – Contributor
      So what did he do? He only flew in the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson to perform a private concert for him and his family.
      Jefri paid Jacko around £12.5 million for the privilege, which was chump change for the Brunei royal family.
      The privilege of having Michael Jackson perform privately cost Jefri Bolkiah £12.5mCredit: Reuters
      Faiq Bolkiah has shunned a throne like the Sultan of Brunei for a rainy night in LeicesterCredit: AFP – Getty
      Making sure Michael was suitably catered for, Jefri also built an entire stadium for the occasion.But Faiq is determined to shun his riches to make it as a professional footballer…
      “I’ve played football since as early as I can remember and from a young age I’ve always enjoyed going out on the field and having the ball at my feet,” he once said in a rare interview.
      latest football features
      Ex-Wolves boss Nuno Espirito was said to be interested in signing Faiq BolkiahCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “My parents have always been supportive in helping me to achieve my dreams of being a footballer.
      “They trained me hard both psychologically and physically through my childhood years, so I have to say they are my role models.”
      Faiq Bolkiah turned his back on a lavish lifestyle full of goldCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Sultan of Brunei has an estimated worth of £22bnCredit: Reuters
      Faiq Bolkiah insists his family have had a big influence on his careerCredit: AFP or licensors
      With determination like that, he might just succeed in the game.
      However, if it doesn’t work out for him, it’s not as if he’s got nothing to fall back on. More

    • 238 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Most costly Man Utd failures and what happened after their Old Trafford nightmares including Di Maria, Lukaku and Sancho

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are still the most-successful in the Premier League era – but they have made several expensive mistakes along the way.With 13 Prem titles in the bank, the Red Devils have had countless superstars pull on their famous jersey over recent years.
      Massimo Taibi was a complete disaster for Sir Alex FergusonCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      United have a history of making some incredible signings.
      Even as recently as last summer, they also have a knack for spending big on flops with £86million Antony still struggling to make an impact.
      From Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria to Juan Sebastian Veron and Romelu Lukaku, check out our best XI of United mega-money failures.
      And we start in goal:
      GOALKEEPER – Massimo Taibi
      Cost: £4.5m from Venezia (1999)
      Sir Alex Ferguson was struggling to replace Peter Schmeichel and forked out £4.5m to Venezia for the Italian back in 1999.
      After flapping at a free-kick on his debut against Liverpool that allowed Sami Hyypia to score things failed to get better.
      In September he famously allowed a weak shot from Southampton’s Matthew Le Tissier slip through his legs and into the net, leading to him being dubbed ‘The Blind Venetian’ by a newspaper.
      Taibi only played once more for United, which was a crushing 5–0 defeat at Chelsea that October, before he headed back to his homeland.
      MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
      Matteo Darmian cost United nearly £13m from TorinoCredit: AP:Associated Press
      DEFENDER – Matteo Darmian
      Cost: £12.9m from Torino (2015)
      Darmian has played 60 times in the Premier League in four years at United, but never made the right-back slot his own.
      Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s arrival saw his surplus to requirements, and he joined Parma on a four-year deal in 2019.
      Most recently, he became a Serie A winner with Inter Milan on loan.
      Daley Blind did not have much to smile about during his stint at UnitedCredit: Getty – Contributor
      DEFENDER – Daley Blind
      Cost: £14m from Ajax (2014)
      Always a tough one to judge, Blind both proved he was a good footballer and failed to shine while at Man Utd.
      After four years at the club, Blind opted to head back to Ajax where he has gone on to become a key player once more – and helped his side reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
      Marcos Rojo was plagued by injuries while at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – Contributor
      DEFENDER – Marcos Rojo
      Cost: £16m from Sporting Lisbon (2014)
      Rojo was plagued by injuries and lack of form in his five years at the club.
      Back in February 2021, the Argentinian finally ended his Old Trafford nightmare by signing for Boca Juniors.
      Morgan Schneiderlin failed to hit the heights at Old TraffordCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      MIDFIELDER – Morgan Schneiderlin
      Cost: £24m from Southampton (2015)
      After seven years at Saints, Schneiderlin was supposed to be United’s midfield maestro for years to come.
      But after just two years, the France star was shipped off to Everton with 32 very underwhelming appearances under his belt.
      He’s now at Nice after his three-year stint on Merseyside.
      Sir Alex Ferguson splashed out £28m to sign Juan Sebastian VeronCredit: Getty
      MIDFIELDER – Juan Sebastian Veron
      Cost: £28m from Lazio (2001)
      Arguably one of the best midfielders of his generation, the only positive about Veron’s time at United was that at least it was better than his time at Chelsea.
      Both transfers frequently pop up in ‘worst Premier League transfers of all-time’ lists – and with good reason.
      The ex-Lazio man could have helped United be as unstoppable in Europe as they were domestically, but alas, it wasn’t to be.
      Antony has not lived up to the hype of an £86m signingCredit: Alamy
      WINGER – Antony
      Cost: £86m from Ajax (2022)
      Antony was signed with much fanfare by his former coach Erik ten Hag for a staggering £86m fee.
      And he got off to the best possible start by scoring on his debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford in a 3-1 win earlier in the campaign.
      However, since then he’s been labelled one dimensional.
      Eight goals in 39 games is a huge disappointment in his first campaign.
      Still time to turn it around, though.
      Angel Di Maria started well but soon dipped at the Red DevilsCredit: Getty
      WINGER – Angel Di Maria
      Cost: £59.7m from Real Madrid (2014)
      Superb at Real, brilliant at Paris Saint-German… bang average at United.
      Yes, we all remember his blistering first few weeks and that goal against Leicester, but what else did Di Maria do at Old Trafford? Very, very little.
      His single season at United, in which he and his family suffered a traumatic burglary while at their home, was worth nowhere near the £59.7m spent, before he went on to thrive in Ligue 1.
      Alexis Sanchez had an absolute stinker at UnitedCredit: Reuters
      FORWARD – Alexis Sanchez
      Cost: Free from Arsenal (2018)
      A free signing. What could possibly go wrong?
      Well, throwing £505,000-a-week down the drain and struggling to sell him due to his wages, that’s what.
      Former Barcelona and Arsenal star Sanchez scored three – just THREE – goals during his 18 months at Old Trafford… that’s roughly £40m in wages.
      After a loan spell, he left United for Inter Milan permanently in 2020.
      Romelu Lukaku failed to sparkle after his big move from EvertonCredit: Getty
      FORWARD – Romelu Lukaku
      Cost: £75m from Everton (2017)
      Both Chelsea and United were chasing Lukaku and Alvaro Morata in the summer of 2017.
      Maybe things would have been different for the two flop strikers had they switched destinations.
      But Lukaku – save for a few brief matches where he showed his unstoppable potential – was dreadful at United… at least, by the standard we now hold him to.
      Shipped off to Inter, Lukaku became one of Europe’s most-feared strikers thanks to his knack for scoring goals and that form secured him a £97.5m return to Chelsea.
      Although he has since struggled there and was loaned back to Inter.
      Henrikh Mkhitaryan only played 39 times for the Red Devils in the Premier LeagueCredit: PA:Press Association
      FORWARD – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
      Cost: £30m from Borussia Dortmund (2016)
      Sought-after by a host of Europe’s giants during his days in Ukraine and Germany, Man Utd won the race for Mkhitaryan’s signature.
      But after 39 disappointing Premier League appearances he was part of the ill-fated swap deal with Arsenal for Sanchez.
      He’s now performing admirably at Serie A side Roma. More

    • 200 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Where are Gareth Bale’s ex-Tottenham team-mates from 2007 debut against Man Utd, including Malbranque and Chimbonda?

      by

      GARETH BALE called time on his stellar career in 2022.The Welsh winger, still only 33, hung up his boots following a final swansong at the World Cup in Qatar.
      Where are Gareth Bale’s team-mates from his Spurs debut now?
      But it was at Spurs where he would make his name, before earning a blockbuster move to Real Madrid
      Bale starred at Southampton in the 2006-07 season before securing a move to North London the following summer.
      The golf-mad Welshman has gone from left-back, to left-midfield to world-class right-winger during his career.
      But it was his pacey, attacking displays at Spurs between 2007 and 2013 which caught the eye of Real Madrid.
      read more on tottenham
      In that run, Bale scored 55 times in 203 games after an appalling start to life at the club.
      The Wales winger was infamously considered to be Tottenham’s “jinx”, after failing to win in any of his first 25 games.
      Of course, things turned around quickly for Bale, who – by 2013 – was a bonafide world-beater.
      Bale became a bonafide Spurs legendCredit: PA
      Real Madrid paid a then-world-record £86million to bring Bale to the Bernabeu at the end of the 2012-13 season.
      Most read in Football
      But six years earlier, Bale was still a relatively unknown making his debut for Tottenham in a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United in which Nani scored his first goal for the club.
      SunSport takes a look at Bale’s team-mates from that day and where they are now…
      GOALKEEPER – Paul Robinson
      Robinson started Bale’s debut in goal for SpursCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      AFTER six years at Leeds, Robinson enjoyed arguably his best years at Tottenham between 2004 and 2008.
      The 41-cap England star later enjoyed spells at Blackburn and Burnley before retiring in 2017.
      Robinson is now a football speaker for events.
      RIGHT-BACK – Pascal Chimbonda
      Pascal Chimbonda enjoyed arguably his best season for Spurs in 2007-08Credit: Reuters
      CHIMBONDA is the ultimate footballing journeyman – having already played for Le Havre, Bastia and Wigan before moving to Spurs in 2006.
      Since quitting North London in 2008, the six-cap Guadeloupe and one-cap France international has moved TEN times, including for a second stint at Tottenham in 2009.
      Most-recently, Chimbonda, now 43, has bounced around non-league clubs including Washington, Market Drayton and Ashton Town.
      He is now working towards becoming a coach after earning his UEFA A licence.
      CENTRE-BACK – Ricardo Rocha
      Rocha played just 14 times for Spurs in the Premier League, including Bale’s debutCredit: AP:Associated Press
      THE former centre-back played just 14 times in the league for Spurs following stints at Famalicao, Braga and Benfica.
      Rocha spent a season at Standard Liege before finishing his career with three seasons at Portsmouth.
      The six-cap Portugal ace left the club after attempting to take on a role of dual role of player AND director of football, which was shot down by Pompey chiefs.
      CENTRE-BACK – Anthony Gardner
      Gardner started Bale’s debut but left the club at the end of the seasonCredit: EPA
      THE one-cap England star spent nearly a decade at Spurs, racking up over 100 Premier League appearances after his 2000 move from Port Vale.
      Bale’s first season would turn out to be Gardner’s last as he joined Everton and Hull on loan later that season, before joining the Tigers permanently the following summer.
      Gardner went on to play for Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday before retiring in 2014.
      The former Spurs defender told Crystal Palace’s website he’s got into poker since hanging up his boots.
      LEFT-BACK – Lee Young-pyo
      Lee Young-pyo started just behind Bale on the left flank for the Welshman’s debutCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      THE former full-back played 127 times for South Korea in his superb career, including a spell at Tottenham following his move from PSV Eindhoven.
      After three years at White Hart Lane between 2005 and 2008, Lee played for Borussia Dortmund, Al-Hilal and Vancounver Whitecaps before calling it quits in 2013.
      Lee has since appeared to have quit football altogether.
      RIGHT-MID – Steed Malbranque
      Steed Malbranque started on the opposite flank to Bale against Man UtdCredit: AFP
      HAVING starred at Fulham for five years, Malbranque moved to Spurs in 2008, where he would spend just two seasons.
      The Belgium-born ex-France Under-21s star moved on to Sunderland, Saint-Etienne, Lyon – also his first pro club – Caen and French fourth-tier side MDA Chasselay, before seemingly disappearing from the scene.
      CENTRE-MID – Tom Huddlestone
      Huddlestone started in the heart of midfield for Bale’s debutCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      THE four-cap England star spent nearly a decade in the heart of Spurs midfield between 2005 and 2013.
      Huddlestone later joined Hull – where he would spend four years – before enjoying three seasons at first club Derby, before he was released last summer.
      In 2021, the defensive midfielder returned to Hull City, only to be released a season later.
      Astonishingly, he was signed by Manchester United last summer as a player-coach for their U21 team.
      CENTRE-MID – Jermaine Jenas
      Jenas joined Huddlestone in the middle of the park for Bale’s bowCredit: AFP
      JENAS spent exactly the same amount of time at Spurs as Huddlestone – enjoying eight years in the team between 2005 and 2013.
      The 21-cap Three Lions ace finished his career a year later following a sole season at QPR.
      Jenas has since covered football for ITV, BT Sport and BBC Sport, where he became Match of the Day’s youngest-ever pundit.
      He is also a presenter on The One Show.
      LEFT-MID – Gareth Bale
      Bale made his Spurs debut 14 years ago in the 1-0 loss to Man UtdCredit: PA:Press Association
      BALE’S retirement in 2022 came as no surprise – with the star frozen out by Real Madrid
      Newly promoted Wrexham and their owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney recently tried to get him to reconsider, although he didn’t take the bait.
      STRIKER – Dimitar Berbatov
      Berbatov started up front against Man Utd – whom he would later joinCredit: PA:Press Association
      AFTER kicking off his career at CSKA Sofia and Bayer Leverkusen, Berbatov enjoyed two years at Spurs.
      Often criticised for being “lazy” by armchair fans, the Bulgarian’s eye for goal, intelligence and outrageous first touch attracted the attention of Man Utd.
      Four years at Old Trafford were followed by stints at Fulham, Monaco, PAOK and Kerala Blasters.
      He now works as a football pundit and speaker.
      STRIKER – Robbie Keane
      Keane joined Berbatov up top for Bale’s debut defeat at Old TraffordCredit: PA:Press Association
      THE Ireland legend spent nine years at the club – with a forgettable season at Liverpool shoehorned in the middle – between 2002 and 2011.
      Keane scored 80 times in just under 200 Premier League games, before joining Celtic and Aston Villa on loan.

      The ex-Wolves ace spent five years at LA Galaxy before hanging up his boots after a season at ATK.
      Part-time Sky pundit Keane has recently served as assistant manager to both the Republic of Ireland and Middlesbrough teams and is set to join Leeds as an assistant to Sam Allardyce. More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Jurgen Klopp told Egypt prospect Mohamed Zidan he was ‘100 times’ a better player than Liverpool star Mo Salah

      by

      MOHAMED SALAH has excelled since joining Liverpool from Roma back in the summer of 2017.He has bagged a quite brilliant 185 goals in 301 appearances for the Reds and been an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s transformation at the club.
      Mohamed Zidan was told by Jurgen Klopp he was ‘100 times’ better than Mo Salah while at Borussia Dortmund
      But fellow Egyptian Mohamed Zidan once revealed the former Borussia Dortmund boss told him he thought he was ‘100 times’ better than Salah while at the German side.
      Speaking to ON Sport in January 2020, Zidan said: “Klopp told me that I was better than Salah 100 hundred times but I needed to be more professional.
      “Klopp said to me that I have a great talent and skills but I need to concentrate more. If I did this I could be one of the best players in the world.”
      However, while Zidan enjoyed a solid career with teams such as Dortmund, Mainz, Hamburg and Werder Bremen, he admits he lacked a good work ethic, which meant he never hit the heights Salah has.
      “I had to be more dedicated to training and be more professional to reach Salah’s level in the past,” he added.
      “Salah is more professional than me and more dedicated to football like Ronaldo and Messi.”
      Zidan netted 102 club goals in 294 games throughout his 16-year career, but never managed to bag 20 in one season.
      One of his career highlights was scoring the only goal for Egypt in a 3–1 defeat to England in March 2010.
      Salah, on the other hand, scored 44 times in his first season for Liverpool and has 14 already this season in all competitions.
      And upon arriving at Anfield, Zidan said back in November 2018 that Salah was carrying on a long legacy of Egyptians playing in the Premier League.
      Mohamed Zidan scores for Egypt against England in 2010Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Mohamed Zidan celebrates his goal against EnglandCredit: Bradley Ormesher – The Times

      LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS
      Speaking to Goal, he said: “He’s a good example, as we were before – me and other Egyptian colleagues who played in Europe, like Mido, Ahmed Hassan and many other players who played in top leagues.
      “Now Mo Salah is continuing the legacy of Egyptian players in Europe to make the Egyptian kids keep dreaming, because he’s one of us.
      “Today is Mo Salah time, it is going very well, he is giving hope to all Egyptians and then in the future it will be other kids from Egypt that will play in Europe.” More

    • 250 Shares149 Views

      in Boxing

      A punch from Canelo Alvarez is like ‘being hit with a baseball bat’ because of special gloves, Amir Khan claims

      by

      AMIR KHAN revealed Canelo Alvarez’s punches are like ‘being hit with a baseball bat’ due to the Mexican wearing thin but legally padded gloves.Khan, 36, jumped from welterweight to challenge for Canelo’s WBC middleweight title in 2016 – despite the fight taking place at a catchweight 155lb, below the usual 160lb limit.
      Amir Khan revealed Canelo Alvarez’s punches are like ‘being hit with a baseball bat’
      Khan was brutally knocked out in round six by Canelo during their bout in 2016Credit: Reuters
      The Bolton star raced to an early lead against the significantly bigger Alvarez, before being brutally knocked out in round six with a devastating right hand.
      But he since claimed Canelo’s choice of gloves, the Everlast MX, contributed to the knockout.
      The 2004 Olympic silver medallist admitted he would not be able to wear the gloves because his hands are too brittle, though he would have had the choice to as the Nevada State Athletic Commission deemed them perfectly fine to wear.
      Khan, who opted to wear a different type of Everlast glove, told FightHype: “Every glove is different. When I fought Canelo, he had the Everlast horsehair gloves on.

      “When I put my hand in, it was like pushing to the wall, but you’re going to damage your hand as well.
      “They were solid. It was like being hit with a baseball bat.
      “The foam padding ones, the shape always stays the same. With the horsehair, it fades more towards the back of the hand.
      “So that way, your knuckles are more visible. Without padding in the way, that’s going to put more pressure on your knuckle.
      “So you’re going to be hit with a bare hand. I could never do that because my hands aren’t strong enough to do that.
      “I’d break my hand if I fought like that. Some fighters have the hands where they could punch through a wall and wouldn’t break their hands.”

      Floyd Mayweather famously refused to fight Argentinian puncher Marcos Maidana due to the custom Everlast MX gloves he picked to wear in their first bout in 2014. Mayweather got his way and former Khan opponent Maidaa was forced to pick a different pair.
      Khan admitted a boxer’s choice of tools can be a telltale for what their gameplan could be in the fight, indicating a pair of Cleto Reyes, for example, could suggest the boxer is aiming for a knockout.
      He explained: “When you’re fighting someone, and you know they’re wearing a certain glove, you know what their game plan is.
      “You’ve got guys that aren’t really punchers, and they’re going to wear the smaller Reyes gloves. You think this guy is going to try and knock you out.
      “I’m going to have to be smart in this fight and be prepared.
      “Then you’ve got Canelo, who is wearing the MX gloves, and they’ve got nothing in them. I knew that he was just looking for that one big shot. You know the mentality from the type of gloves they’re wearing.”
      Khan announced his retirement in 2022, after a brutal defeat to long-time rival Kell Brook.
      It was later revealed that he had failed a drug test after the fight, and is currently serving a two-year ban from the sport. More

    • 225 Shares129 Views

      in Boxing

      Floyd Mayweather’s £19m Los Angeles mega mansion boasts incredible wine cellar and shows off his amazing belt collection

      by

      BOXING legend Floyd Mayweather gave fans a glimpse inside his lavish mansion.The boxing icon, who hung up his gloves in 2017 with an unbeaten 50-0 record, is believed to be worth around £1BILLION.
      Floyd Mayweather captioned this image: ‘My wine cellar in my Beverly Hills castle’Credit: Instagram @floydmayweather
      The undefeated champ showed off his amazing belt collectionCredit: Instagram @floydmayweather
      Nicknamed “Money”, he has never been shy in flaunting his wealth, giving an insight into his life of luxury.
      And he’s still making money – fighting exhibition fights with a scheduled fight against John Gotti III coming up in June.
      Mayweather, now 46, splashed out £19m in cash on a stunning Beverly Hills pad, previously taking to social media to show what it’s like on the inside.
      He even shelled out a further £370,000 on top of the sale price, having made an astonishing £74million from his final professional bout against Conor McGregor in 2017.
      Hundreds of expensive bottles of wines line the wall in his cellar, presumably for when he hosts parties with star-studded guest-lists.
      Mayweather has regularly been snapped on nights out drinking with huge wads of cash in his own strip club.
      In another picture, he is laying down on his couch in his spotless lounge area with the caption “relaxing in 90210.”
      Most read in sport

      The 46-year-old is believed to be worth around £1billionCredit: Instagram @floydmayweather
      The outside of Floyd Mayweather’s house shows the life of luxury he is livingCredit: Jim Bartsch
      There are ten bathrooms throughout the luxury padCredit: Jim Bartsch
      A large chandelier hangs from the ceiling in his self proclaimed “castle” and a huge marble fireplace is lit on the opposite side of the room.
      But what is more extraordinary is his stunning belt collection.
      With 15 world titles in five weight classes it is no surprise that Mayweather has an extensive array of belts.
      He has also previously shown off his incredible diamond-encrusted timepieces.
      It is a far cry from his earlier life when he grew up amid poverty and drugs in Grand Rapids before his rise to the top.
      And now he boasts mansions across America including in Las Vegas.
      His crib has a private cinema on site to house 20 peopleCredit: Jim Bartsch
      The lounge is open plan with a wine room leading off itCredit: Jim Bartsch
      The master bedroom has walk-in wardrobes and private balcony overlooking the gardenCredit: Jim Bartsch More

    • 225 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      I partied until 6am the night before my Arsenal debut, then scored a hat-trick after three hours sleep

      by

      JERMAINE PENNANT has lifted the lid on his full Arsenal debut by revealing he was out partying until 6am on the day of the clash.The ex-Liverpool star featured as a late substitute during a 3-2 defeat to Leeds in the 2002/03 season and believed he would not play again for the rest of the campaign.
      Former Arsenal ace Jermaine Pennant has revealed he was hungover on the day he faced Southampton
      Pennant has claimed he could feel the vodka bouncing in his stomach during the Highbury clashCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      However, to his surprise, Arsene Wenger chucked the then 19-year-old into the starting XI, where he rewarded the Frenchman’s faith by banging in a hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Southampton.
      But Pennant revealed he could still feel the vodka in his stomach during the clash which was the penultimate game of that season.
      Speaking to Four Four Two, Pennant said: “I’d been out the night before and had a big night, because I really didn’t think I would be playing, never mind starting the game.
      “I’d never started a game for Arsenal and I didn’t think that’d change, especially as Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Ray Parlour were all in the squad. I was guaranteed to be on the bench.

      Pennant netted a hat-trick against the Saints on his full league debut for the GunnersCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Arsenal eased to a 6-1 win against Southampton in the 2002/03 season
      “I thought, ‘Sod it’, went to an FHM party and got home at around 6am. I couldn’t believe it when I saw my name in the starting line-up!
      “I was still so hungover when I was playing; I just did everything in my power not to embarrass myself.
      “I can’t believe I scored. It was just a huge relief – I thought, ‘OK, you can take me off now. Please, Arsene!’
      “I felt so sick and I could feel the vodka still bouncing around in my stomach. You could smell it on my breath, too.
      Most Read in Football
      “I did OK to score a hat-trick: it shows I had talent, though it helps when you’re playing with Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira. That was the first game of Arsenal’s 49-game unbeaten run.”
      Despite his starring display against the Saints, Pennant failed to make the grade at Arsenal.
      He was shipped off on a season-long loan to Leeds for the entirety of the 2003/04 campaign that the Gunners went unbeaten, before joining Birmingham in 2005 following a loan spell. More