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    World Cup icon and former Champions League finalist, 38, comes out of retirement to join South American non-league side

    DIEGO GODIN has come out of retirement to join a non-league side.The former Atletico Madrid defender has linked up with Uruguayan outfit Centro Recreativo Porongos FC.
    Diego Godin has come out of retirementCredit: AFP or licensors
    He last played for Velez Sarsfield in ArgentinaCredit: Getty
    Godin, 38, will be a part of the squad for the 2024 season in the Flores Capital Soccer League.
    A club statement on social media read: “Welcome to Porongos, Diego!
    “Diego Godin will be part of the First Division squad in the 2024 season.”
    The club also uploaded a video which showcased some of Godin’s most memorable moments when playing for Uruguay.
    READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
    The Uruguayan initially hung up his boots last July after leaving Argentine outfit Velez Sarsfield.
    He enjoyed a successful career spanning 20 years and eight different clubs before joining Porongos.

    In 2010, he joined Atletico Madrid, where he became one of Europe’s top defenders.
    Godin won the LaLiga title in 2014 and the Copa del Ray in 2013 as well as the Europa League twice.
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    He was a part of the team that reached the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016.
    However, he suffered defeat on both occasions, each time to cross-city rivals Real Madrid.
    Footballers you didn’t know were related from Premier League icons to Lionel Messi
    Godin left the club in 2019 as he moved to Italy and had spells at Inter Milan and Cagliari.
    On an international level, he earned 161 caps for Uruguay, with his first coming back in 2005.
    He featured in four World Cup tournaments for the nation and won the Copa America in 2011. More

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    Eddie Hearn claims Gervonta Davis feels Conor Benn fight offer ‘not good enough’ as talks over huge bout stall

    EDDIE HEARN believes Gervonta Davis’ purse demands may very well have scuppered a fight with Conor Benn.Negotiations over a shock showdown between the pair began just days after Benn’s decision win over Peter Dobson in Las Vegas earlier this month.
    Conor Benn was on course for a shock clash with Gervonta Davis after his win over Peter DobsonCredit: GETTY
    Promoter Eddie Hearn entered talks with Davis’ team after the American’s X spat with BennCredit: AP
    Hearn had a sneaking suspicion Davis’ purse demands could potentially scupper the boutCredit: GETTY
    Two-weight world champion Davis, however, has seemingly pulled the plug on the showdown – with Team Benn now turning their attention to a clash with Danny Garcia.
    And speaking to SunSport earlier this month, Hearn revealed that Davis’ asking price for the fight could very well scupper the out-of-the-blue bout.
    The Matchroom Boxing chief said: “We’ve been speaking and going back and forth with numbers.
    “Gervonta is always gonna feel like the offer is not good enough.
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    “He made a lot of money against Ryan Garcia. But with pay-per-view upside and the gate, I think that fight can be huge.”
    Pitting surging welterweight contender Benn against the controversial Davis wasn’t on Hearn’s radar until the pair started going back and forth on X.
    He admitted: “It’s not one that I ever really anticipated, but actually, when you think about it logically, it makes great sense.
    “Conor is fighting a smaller guy who is very good and definitely the favourite on paper.
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    Conor Benn launched an x-rated attack on Gervonta DavisCredit: INSTAGRAM@CONORBENNOFFICIAL
    “For Gervonta, he’ll think Conor Benn is easy work.”
    Should Davis have a change of heart, Hearn has no doubt in his mind that the dust-up will do well at the box office.
    Watch Conor Benn ring out PINTS of sweat from T-shirt after going for pre-fight run ahead of Rodolfo Orozco bout
    He continued: “I think it does very well at the gate, I think the pay-per-view narrative of the Brit who’s got a huge following over here and a great profile.
    “And Gervonta is massive in America, I think it could do really well.
    “We’re looking to stage that fight in America but there’s a long way to go.”
    Benn’s attention is seemingly no longer focused on Davis, who he issued a blunt message to on social media after learning of his rejection of the fight.
    He said: ” P***y [cat emoij] don’t ever at me again. @Gervontaa.”
    Baltimore bruiser Davis, 29, hasn’t set foot in the ring since stopping Ryan Garcia in the seventh round of their Las Vegas showdown last April.
    Gervonta Davis stopped Ryan Garcia in the seventh round of their Las Vegas showdown last AprilCredit: GETTY More

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    Neymar ‘likes’ anti-Kylian Mbappe post blasting Frenchman’s ‘ego’ as ‘rift’ between ex-PSG team-mates appears to worsen

    NEYMAR has liked an anti-Kylian Mbappe post that blasted the Frenchman’s influence at Paris Saint-Germain.The PSG star has confirmed he will not be extending his contract beyond the end of term as he closes in on a move to Real Madrid.
    Neymar has liked a post slamming Kylian Mbappe’s influence at Paris Saint-GermainCredit: Getty
    Mbappe has confirmed he will not be extending his contract at the Ligue 1 sideCredit: Rex
    The 25-year-old will leave Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after seven glorious years at the club.
    He spent the majority of his time in the French capital alongside Neymar who joined for a world record fee in the summer of 2017.
    Despite Mbappe signing for less – but still over £100million – he became the main man at the Parc Des Princes with rumours of the pair not always getting along.
    And now the Brazillian who left for Saudi side Al-Hilal last summer has reignited the feud by liking a post criticising Mbappe’s influence at PSG, according to the Daily Mail.
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    Brazilian social media account Jogada Ensaiada posted a photo of the pair with the caption: “no player should be bigger than the institution.”
    The Instagram carousel then read, “PSG, an example of football management.
    “They knew how to bring together the best players and had the best team on the planet.
    “When the team started to do well, the ego of a ‘certain Frenchman’ began to disturb the atmosphere.
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    “Mbappe started to feel excluded, most of the team members spoke Spanish and he threatened to leave.
    “To not lose his precious, PSG started selling those who did not were not aligned with Mbappe’s thoughts and brought in the French players he wanted.

    “After doing everything to make everything go his way, Mbappe communicated to PSG that he would leave the club for free at the end of the season. And in the end, this is what remains at PSG.”
    According to reports the Frenchman has signed a five-year deal, keeping him at the Santiago Bernabeu until June 2029.
    The La Liga giants will pay Mbappe less than his £42.8m – around £827,000-a-week – wages at PSG.
    However, he is still set to become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing Jude Bellingham by a significant margin.
    The Frenchman is due to earn around £340,000 a week at Madrid
    Mbappe reportedly also wants several bonuses added into his contract.
    The World Cup winner joined PSG in a £154m transfer from Monaco in 2018 and has since scored 243 goals and provided 105 assists in 290 appearances. More

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    Meet the League One football star who gives fans incredible behind-the-scenes insights such as being mic’d during games

    LEAGUE One footballer Ryan Tafazolli has amassed a staggering following of over 200,000 fans on social media.The Wycombe Wanderers star, 32, appears on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
    Ryan Tafazolli is a hit on social media
    Handsome Wycombe Wanderers star Tafazolli chronicles his life as a pro footballer
    Incredibly, Tafazolli gets mic’d up for games and winds up his opponents
    Whether it’s showing off his lifestyle, epic holidays and fashion sense in glam snaps.
    Or, sharing his opinions on his and team-mate’s latest FIFA ratings – his channels give you a glimpse into the life of a professional.
    And he even gets mic’d up during games to give fans a taste of the on-pitch action.
    Tafazolli’s behind-the-scenes content gives football fans something to savour.
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    Glam lifestyle
    Tafazolli has been posting clips on TikTok since 2022, sharing his lifestyle on Instagram since 2014, and filmed himself on YouTube since 2008.
    But, it’s been a steady rise in his popularity that seen his follower count grow.
    On Instagram, where he has 63,000 followers, he shares the epic lifestyle of a footballer.
    The handsome defender shows off his fashion choices, from smart linen ensembles complete with a fedora hat to holidays in Abu Dhabi.
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    Alongside that is snapshots of his football career thus far.
    Fuming Wycombe striker Akinfenwa confronts MK Dons fans over abusive chant before supporter is ‘kicked out’
    From playing Man City in a FA Cup tie to celebrating a goal, his journey is chronicled in a series of snapshots.
    However, it’s on TikTok where Ryan comes into his own.
    Going viral
    Astonishingly, he has gained an impressive 128,000 followers on his channel.
    Better still, his videos have generated a staggering 4.2 million likes.
    Very impressive numbers for a footballer has never played in the top flight.
    The reason why Ryan appeals is simple. He gives football fans access into matchdays, training, recovery, lifestyle and on-pitch POV’s.
    Often, he gets mic’d up during a game, which shows the grittier side of League One.
    Playing mind games with his opponents, as well as coarse language and wind-ups are par for the course.
    One clip captioned, ‘How to get into an opponent’s head in game’ shows Ryan winding up a penalty taker in a game before he’s about to strike the ball.
    On TikTok, Tafazolli offers hints and tips to footballers
    Tafazolli shows off exercises to prevent hamstring injuries
    Tafazolli’s mic’d up clips show the gritty side of League One
    While sportsmanship may have seemed to have gone out the window, the hilarious nature of the giant centre back, who stands at 6ft5in, shouting at the forward he’s going to miss makes compelling viewing.
    And 2.3 million TikTok users have watched the video.
    But where Ryan’s TikTok becomes a useful tool is the quick montages and fitness tips he provides.
    In one, he shows off the three best exercises to prevent you from suffering recurring hamstring injuries.
    In another, he highlights a cheat to improve your speed.
    Although that could be taken with a pinch of salt, if EA Sports are to be believed.
    Slammed for pace
    Over on his YouTube channel, Ryan posed a video of Wycombe’s stars receiving their FIFA ratings.
    Tafazolli shares his disappointment with his FIFA ratings
    His social media followers get a glimpse into Tafazolli’s daily routines
    Tafazolli also shares opinion pieces on the game on YouTube
    In the football world, this is something you imagine that that goes on all over the country – with players disputing their stats in the game.
    Influencer Ryan was equally bemused by his 39 rating for pace.
    “I am now the slowest in the squad, so I am unhappy” he is seen saying in a brilliant edited video inside the dressing room with his teammates.
    As for his shooting stat of 28, he joked: “They’ve not seen me finish, clearly.”
    Edited pieces include a ‘Day in the life of a footballer’, ‘Training with Lewandowski’s trainer,’ and matchday vlogs are intriguing.
    While elsewhere, his achievements in the game are celebrated, like the ‘Road to Promotion’ to facing up against tough opponents.
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    There’s even a clip with Pep Guardiola, sadly his mic wasn’t working, but Ryan explained that the Spanish tactician explained to him the sacrifices needed to be made to get to the top.
    If you haven’t made it as a professional footballer, this is the closest you will get to understanding what it is like to live like one.
    Pep Guardiola is asked what it takes to make it to the top level by Tafazolli
    Matchday vlogs are filmed for Tafazolli’s YouTube channel
    Tafazolli gives football fans a glimpse into life as a pro More

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    Joseph Parker speaks out on Tyson Fury conspiracy theories around ‘fake cut’ that KOd showdown with Usyk

    JOSEPH PARKER has insisted that Tyson Fury’s cut that caused his fight with Oleksandr Usyk to be delayed was a “freak accident”.Fury has come under criticism for suffering a cut during a sparring session ahead of his fight with the Ukrainian.
    Tyson Fury suffered a cut in a sparring sessionCredit: X @Queensbury
    He was caught by an elbowCredit: X formerly Twitter / @MichaelBensonn
    Joseph Parker has insisted that the injury was an accidentCredit: Getty
    Fury, 35, was caught by an elbow by Croatian sparring partner Agron Smakici and was left needing over ten stitches in his eye.
    As a result of the injury, the heavyweight unification bout with Usyk was delayed from February 17 to May 18.
    There has been no evidence that the injury was faked in any way.
    However, fans have speculated about its legitimacy on social media.
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    Parker, 32, has now weighed in on the debate and has dismissed the conspiracy theories.
    Former WBO heavyweight champion told iFL TV: “I don’t think that you can escape seeing the opinions and the comments.
    “A lot of people are talking real bad about him [Fury] and saying that it is a fake cut and that he made it happen.
    “Everyone has an idea, everyone has an opinion, everyone wants to say this and say that and think that they know what is happening but that is boxing.
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    “These things happen and it is a freak accident.
    “It is good that they have postponed the fight and not given the fight to anyone else because we do want to see that fight happen.
    Watch spine-tingling Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk ‘Ring of Fire’ fight promo video
    “I know that it will happen.
    “There are things in place now where if someone pulls out of the fight there is something that they have to deal with so it will happen, May 18th.”
    Saudi’s boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh was quick to confirm a new date only three months down the line has been set.
    Fury and Usyk must make the fight happen now otherwise will have to have a massive £10MILLION consequence to be paid out of either boxer’s own cash.
    Usyk spoke out for the first time since the fight cancellation during a press conference in Valencia – where it was revealed he pushed for the penalty clause.

    TYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT More

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    Club apologise for ‘jaw-droppingly offensive’ Murder on the Dancefloor stop sign post of player who killed man in crash

    A LEAGUE of Ireland club has deleted and apologised for a controversial social media post of a player holding a stop sign featuring the song Murder On The Dancefloor.It had been pointed out the man had been convicted of killing a dad-of-two in a car crash.
    Galway United’s Instagram post image was accompanied by the Sophie Ellis-Bextor hit Murder On The Dancefloor
    McCarthy was given a two-year suspended sentence and a seven-year driving ban in November 2020 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Andrezej ObalekCredit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
    Tragic Andrezej Obalek died in the crash
    The Instagram post by Galway United to promote a Premier Division clash against St Patrick’s Athletic tomorrow showed Ed McCarthy, 22, holding up the traffic sign.
    The image was accompanied by the Sophie Ellis-Bextor hit Murder On The Dancefloor and a golf club that is used to tee off and hit a ball long distances, which is known as a driver.
    The Moyross, Co Limerick native was 19 when he was given a two-year suspended sentence and a seven-year driving ban in November 2020 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Andrezej Obalek, 55.
    McCarthy was driving home from a training session with Cork City on February 18 that year at Ballybeg, Buttevant, Co Cork on the main Cork-Limerick road at around 10.40pm and was speeding through bends.

    He lost control of his car and crossed over the divide to the wrong side of the road, hitting the Polish national’s car and causing him to hit a ditch and die instantly.
    McCarthy also hit another car that was following behind Mr Obalek’s vehicle and that driver suffered minor injuries.
    He told a court he “never meant harm to anyone” and “never set out to do anything like that to anyone”.
    During the trial, Judge Sean O’Donnabhain at Cork Circuit Criminal Court read a victim impact statement by Obalek’s sister, Urszula Obalek-Owstrowska.
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    It said: “Andrezej’s death caused a great gap in my life that I cannot fill with anything. I am still waiting for his calls, text messages, full of optimism.
    “You robbed me of this forever. I believe that the greatest punishment for you will be living with the knowledge that you have killed a great man.”
    The judge then addressed the court saying: “I hope the victim impact statement by Mr Obalek’s sister is burned into his brain and he never forgets it.
    “It is a belief that she has expressed to bring out the hurt that she has felt over the loss of her brother.”
    After it was posted, social media users were quick to point out the problems surrounding the image.
    In a post about the picture on Reddit, one user said: “Wow, not a good look at all.”
    Another added: “That golf club is a driver as well. Just jaw-droppingly offensive.”
    On X, one user said: “What would possess someone to think that was a good idea?”
    ‘Tasteless’
    Another described it as “horrible” and “tasteless, from both club and player”.
    The post on Instagram has since been deleted.
    Today, Galway United said it had meant no offence and wanted to “unreservedly apologise”.
    A statement on the club’s website read: “Galway United wish to advise that there was no offence intended by a recent social media post issued by the club and would like to unreservedly apologise for any hurt or distress that the post may have caused.”
    New contract
    Right-sided defender or midfielder McCarthy signed for Galway United in February 2022.
    McCarthy, who previously played for Cork City, Treaty United and Regional United, signed a new contract at Galway United last month.
    He had been named in the 2023 Professional Footballers Association Ireland First Division Team of the Year.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 hit Murder on the Dancefloor has returned to popularity after featuring in a memorable final scene in hit flick Saltburn.
    The hit movie, starring Ireland’s Barry Keoghan, tells the shocking story of what unfolds when a quiet young student spends a summer with a rich pal at an English country house. More

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    World’s sexiest racing driver’s Valentine’s Day outfit leaves fans ‘in love’ as they brand her ‘my queen’

    LINDSAY BREWER has left fans “in love” after sharing her Valentine’s Day outfit.The IndyNXT driver has built up a massive online following with her racing content.
    Lindsay Brewer celebrated Valentine’s DayCredit: instagram @lindsaymariebrewer
    She stunned fans in a red dress and leather jacketCredit: instagram @lindsaymariebrewer
    She spent an evening with partner Drew SolomannCredit: instagram @lindsaymariebrewer
    Lindsay, 26, did not disappoint her fans on the most romantic day of the year as she took to Instagram.
    She shared three pictures on her account in which she wore a black leather jacket and a stunning red dress.
    She posted the snaps for her 2.7million followers on the social media platform.
    The driver captioned the post: “Happy Valentine’s Day”.
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    And her followers loved the pictures as they flocked to the comment section.
    One fan pined: “You’re absolutely stunning and I’m in love.”
    A second wrote: “You are gorgeous Lindsay.”
    A third commented: “Lindsay you are hot.”
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    She wished him a happy Valentine’s DayCredit: instagram @lindsaymariebrewer
    She shared the pictures on InstagramCredit: Instagram/lindsaymariebrewer
    She has a massive online followingCredit: Instagram/lindsaymariebrewer
    A fourth said: “Beautiful.”
    Another added: “My queen is stunning.”
    ‘World’s sexiest racing driver’ goes braless in revealing cut-out top as fans call her ‘breathtakingly beautiful’
    Lindsay’s love for motorsport racing started at a birthday party when she was just 11.
    She often shares updates of her racing adventures on the track and updates her fans on her races.
    She has previously admitted that one of her role models are F1’s Lewis Hamilton.
    Lindsay is a race car driverCredit: Lindsay Brewer
    She competes in the USF Pro 2000Credit: instagram/lindsaymariebrewer
    She discovered her love of driving at just 11Credit: instagram/lindsaymariebrewer
    She has 2.7million followers on InstagramCredit: Lindsay Brewer
    One of her idols is Lewis HamiltonCredit: Instagram/lindsaymariebrewer More

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    Chinese footie fans brand Messi a ‘thief’ for no-showing a friendly game – and taunt the Argentine over the Falklands

    CHINESE footie fans have slammed Lionel Messi for a no-show — and taunted him over the Falklands.The Argentine legend sparked anger after failing to play for Inter Miami in a Hong Kong exhibition game this month.
    Footie fans were angered when Lionel Messi failed to show up at Inter Miami’s exhibition game in Hong KongCredit: AFP – Getty
    Fans in mainland China took to social media site Weibo to voice their support for Britain’s claim to the Falklands in the wake of Messi’s snubCredit: Getty
    Club officials blamed a hamstring injury but days later Messi played in China’s rival Japan.
    Fans in mainland China saw it as a major snub and started targeting the social media account of the Argentinian embassy in Beijing.
    They blasted Messi, 36, and hailed British rule over the Falkands using the same terms the Communist Party uses for its claim that Taiwan is part of China.
    Landi Xie wrote: “The Falklands are an integral and inseparable part of the United Kingdom.”
    READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI
    One user of Weibo – the Chinese equivalent of X/Twitter – said: “The fact that the islands belong to Britain is beyond doubt.
    “Messi is a thief. All his Ballon d’Or awards were stolen.”
    Another – using the name for the Falklands in Spanish – referred to the 1982 war and said: “The Malvinas Islands are part of the UK.
    “They were before, they are now, and of course, they will always be in the future.
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    “Your country doesn’t have the capability to take them back either.”
    The Falklands defy Argentina with a referendumWhat is the Falkland Islands dispute?

    The Falklands are a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic.
    The UK Government says it has the right to the land based on its long-term administration of the Falklands and on the principle of self-determination for the islanders, who are almost all of British descent.
    In a referendum on the islands in 2013 just three residents out of 1,517 were against remaining British.
    However, Argentina says it has a right to the islands because it inherited them from the Spanish Empire.
    It has also based its claim on the islands’ proximity to the South American mainland.
    In 1982, Argentina’s military junta landed its forces on the Falklands to stake a territorial claim.
    Some 255 British service personnel died in the successful defence of the islands.
    The 72-day war also left 649 Argentine soldiers dead.
    Britain has tried to improve relations with Argentina since the war, although Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands. More