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    I’m A Celebrity star David Ginola dazzled on the football pitch, but died for eight minutes after a severe heart attack

    FRENCH fancy David Ginola will be the football fans’ favourite in I’m A Celebrity this year.The ex-Spurs star, 54, will be braving the elements and creepy-crawlies at Gwrych Castle, North Wales, in the new series that kicks off on November 21.
    Former footballer David Ginola is ready to appear on this year’s I’m A CelebrityCredit: PA
    In the 1990s, Ginola was one of the heartthrobs of the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    But that shouldn’t be too difficult for the former Premier League star, who was used to evading the English game’s hatchet men.
    Ginola starred at Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Everton on our shores, once scooping both the PFA and Football Writers’ awards for player of the season.
    In the 1990s, he was recognised as one of the pin-ups of the game – scoring off the pitch with L’Oreal, for who he proudly became an ambassador after reportedly replacing Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston in the role.
    However, in 2016 Ginola’s life was threatened by a heart attack that left him dead for eight minutes.
    He was revived by a defibrillator and rushed to hospital for a quadruple bypass operation.
    That same year, he would find love with model Maëva Denat – who is 22 years his junior.
    In 2018, at the age of 51, Ginola became a father again to their daughter.
    BLESSED BALLER
    Skilful, but often misunderstood, Ginola was your classic maverick footballer.
    He was called the best in the world by Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, another master on the pitch.
    The elegant winger began a career in England with Newcastle, who paid PSG £2.5million for his services in 1995.
    Ginola first starred at Newcastle UnitedCredit: Action Images
    French winger Ginola’s best years were with SpursCredit: Reuters
    In his later years, Ginola was once called fat by a former managerCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    He was an integral part of Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’ who finished second in the Premier League in the 1995-96 season, their strongest league finish in decades.
    But it was at Tottenham where he showed his real brilliance, winning both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards in 1999.
    It was at Spurs he won his only piece of English silverware – a League Cup medal.
    His time with Aston Villa wasn’t so well regarded, with boss John Gregory calling him too fat to play.
    Famously, he proved his manager wrong – whipping his top off and flashing his abs after scoring his first goal for the club.
    Ginola retired from football in 2002, following a spell at Everton, aged 35.
    HAIR MODEL
    As footballers became celebrities thanks to the growth of the Premier League and its foreign imports, handsome players like Ginola reaped the benefits.
    In the mid 90s, he was often seen at glam parties mingling with supermodels, including Kate Moss at the Cannes Film Festival.
    The poster boy of the beautiful game even appeared on the catwalk as a model for Nino Cerruti’s spring/summer collection in 1996.
    During his heyday, Ginola was invited to the best parties and mixed with models like Kate MossCredit: Reuters
    In 1997, Ginola became the face – and hair – of L’OrealCredit: The Advertising Archives
    But it was his turn as an ambassador for hair giants L’Oreal in a 1997 TV ad that had his female following fawning adoration.
    He was the first man to be hired by the French company in the role.
    And he replaced Friends star Jennifer Aniston as face of the brand – spilling the great line, “L’Oreal, because I’m worth it”.
    CHEATING DEATH
    Ginola’s love of red wine, cheese and red meat has led his partner Maëva to say he eats ‘like a Viking’.
    It was a diet that nearly cost the bon vivant his life in 2016.
    During a charity match in Mandelieu-La Napoule, southern France, Ginola collapsed as he was running, falling face first into the turf.
    Motionless, he was attended to by paramedics who discovered that he had swallowed his tongue and suffered a cardiac arrest.
    “My heart stopped for eight minutes at least”, he told The Sun exclusively back in 2017.
    “There was no pulse. I was dead. Then the air ambulance arrived and they hooked me up to a defibrillator.”
    Ginola has a love of wine and had a poor diet before his heart attackCredit: PA:Press Association
    In 2017, Ginola suffered a serious heart attack and was dead for eight minutes before a defibrillator restarted his pulseCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Ironically, Ginola was a guest for the Newcastle vs Spurs game earlier this season, where a fan suffered a heart attackCredit: AFP
    After four electric shocks, Ginola’s pulse began again.
    He was rushed to hospital, where doctors performed a six-hour quadruple bypass operation that saved his life.
    Most recently, David was a guest in the studio for Sky Sports’ coverage of Newcastle’s game against Spurs at St James’ Park, when the match was stopped after a fan suffered a heart attack.
    Notably moved by the situation, Ginola admitted it brought back “weird memories” for him as the situation unfolded.
    However, he delivered an honest and frank discussion about his own experience, while urging the public to learn CPR.
    IN LOVE AGAIN
    Ginola, who also appears on TalkSPORT, reportedly left his wife Coraline of 25 years for his current partner, the stunning model Maëva.
    Before it was announced they were split, he was seen walking with his arm around the French beauty, who is 22 years his junior, in Paris.
    In 2018, they welcomed a baby into their world, and David has played the role of doting dad, often seen carrying his daughter in his arms around London.
    Ginola also has two children from his previous marriage, son Andrea and daughter Carla, who is a model back in France.
    Although Maëva has concerns about his well-being, with a defibrillator on set should the worst happen, she is convinced Ginola will be fearless when it comes to the horrendous tasks that await.
    “There is almost nothing that scares David, not even death,” she told The Sun.
    Ginola has found love again with French model MaëvaCredit: Alamy
    Stunning Maëva is 22 years younger than Ginola
    When it comes to I’m A Celeb, Ginola will be fearlessCredit: Handout
    “He is a force of nature and will go outside bare-chested when it is snowing.
    “He doesn’t feel the cold and he loves the wind and rain. He is incredibly strong and says I make him feel young again.
    “We love playing backgammon, but David always wins. You can’t play a game with him because he has to win and he always wins. 

    “He is not afraid of insects or bugs. I scream if I see a spider and he will jokingly scream at me and ask, ‘Why are you screaming like that?’ The only thing he is afraid of is sharks but he wants to dive with them to conquer his fear.”
    With the show set in Wales, not Australia, David might not encounter any sharks.
    But you can bet he will make for an entertaining, sophisticated, and debonair I’m A Celeb contender.
    Even if that means taking an age in the shower looking after that barnet.
    I’m A Celebrity 2021 FULL line up confirmed as David Ginola, Emmerdale’s Danny Miller and Frankie Bridge sign up More

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    Brit footballers who tried to crack Serie A include Beckham, Gascoigne, Souness, Smalling, Ramsey and now Abraham

    TAMMY ABRAHAM is the latest British footballer to have a crack at Serie A.The forward completed a £34million switch to Roma from Chelsea in the summer, linking up with former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
    Tammy Abraham has completed a £34m move to Roma from Chelsea
    The England international is believed to be on £80,000 a week for five years – the same as he was on at Chelsea.
    And it is understood Chelsea inserted a £68m buy-back clause into the deal – which can be triggered in two years’ time.
    Here SunSport examines the British players who have have walked the path before Abraham by trying to boss Serie A.
    FIKAYO TOMORI
    Tomori joined AC Milan on loan in January as he looked for more regular football having been frozen out by Chelsea.
    Milan made the deal permanent in June – paying the Blues £24m for the centre-back.
    The 23-year-old impressed in his first five months at the San Siro, where he made 22 appearances and even scored a goal.
    His early-season form in 2021-22 earned him a recall to the England senior squad, too.
    Fikayo Tomori has been with AC Milan since January and made the move permanent in June

    AARON RAMSEY
    Ramsey’s Italian job could be over.
    The former Arsenal midfielder, who joined Juventus in 2019, is being linked with a moved back to the Premier League – with the likes of  Newcastle, Wolves and Tottenham said to be in the hunt for the Wales star’s services.
    He hasn’t quite hit the heights in Serie A as he did with the Gunners on our shores, and he’s certainly not the first British footballer to try and crack Italian football.
    Aaron Ramsey has failed to light up Serie ACredit: Getty Images – Getty
    ASHLEY YOUNG
    In January 2020, Young left Manchester United for Inter Milan, in what seemed quite a strange move.
    In the twilight years of his career (he’s now 36) the winger turned full-back didn’t appear to have much left to offer.
    However, he enjoyed a renaissance in Milan under Antonio Conte – helping end the club’s long wait for the Serie A title.
    He moved back to Aston Villa in the summer of 2021.
    Ashley Young’s Inter Milan won the 20-21 Serie A titleCredit: Getty
    CHRIS SMALLING
    Smalling, 31, enjoyed a successful loan at Roma in the 2019-20 season, so the club decided they had to retain his services.
    They even paid Manchester United a whopping £14m to secure a deal for the centre-back.
    However, last season his fitness was called into question.
    He suffered with knee and thigh injuries and even had food poisoning, which saw him play just 21 games.
    And this season things are not much better, missing much of the season with a hamstring problem.
    Chris Smalling has had mixed fortunes at RomaCredit: EPA
    RAY WILKINS
    To consider Butch’s success, you need only look back to 2018.
    His premature death, at the age of 61, saw former clubs Chelsea and Man Utd go into mourning and pay tribute to their former midfielder – and AC Milan were no different.
    Team-mate Franco Baresi held up a Milan shirt with Wilkins’ name on the back and laid a wreath while the players wore black armbands at the San Siro.
    Wilkins spent three years in Milan and set a British record when he moved from Old Trafford in 1984 for £1.5m.
    Former Chelsea and Man United midfielder Ray Wilkins was a huge success at AC MilanCredit: Getty – Contributor
    “It was an immense time for me,” Wilkins recalled.
    “The game was played more like an international than a league game, like a game of chess where you had to pit your wits against the best.”
    Despite not winning a trophy in his three years at the club, Wilkins was one of the big success stories of British exports to Italy.
    Milan’s website remembers him as ‘a serious and meticulous professional’ known for his ‘exemplary correctness’ and ‘extraordinary tactical intelligence’.
    Franco Baresi paid tribute to Wilkins at the Milan derby after his death in AprilCredit: Getty – Contributor
    PAUL INCE
    The Guv’nor spent two years on the blue and black side of Milan.
    Like Wilkins, Ince is remembered as a success for his time at the San Siro after making a £7.5m move from United in 1995.
    But Ince’s start in Italy wasn’t quite so smooth as there were rumours of a return to the Premier League just five months after arriving.
    Ince, who lived by the picturesque Lake Como, later revealed that he may well have gone back to England had Roy Hodgson not taken charge.
    The England international brought energy to the Inter midfield alongside Nicola Berti as the two men dominated the centre of the park.
    Paul Ince had a difficult start at Inter but is still adored by fansCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Ince is remembered as a hero by the Inter fans, especially after helping the club reach the Uefa Cup final in 1996.
    Sadly for the England man, it ended with the all-too-familiar feeling of defeat in a penalty shoot-out.DAVID PLATT
    If it wasn’t for that stunning volley in extra time of England’s Italia 90 quarter-final, Platt may have never made the move.
    The following year he was signed by Bari from Aston Villa in a deal worth £5.5m and immediately immersed himself in the Italian culture.
    “I wanted to become an Italian, speak like an Italian, to live and eat like an Italian,” Platt once said.
    It took just a few months for him to be fluent in the language.
    Despite Bari being relegated, Platt was a success in the side and earned a move to Juventus.
    His stay in Turin wasn’t so fruitful and he ended up joining Sven Goran Eriksson at Sampdoria where he enjoyed his best period, with 17 goals in 55 appearances.
    Platt was so highly regarded, he ended up returning to be the club’s manager in 1998, but that didn’t work out quite so well.
    David Platt immersed himself in Italian culture after joining Bari in 1991Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Platt played for three Italian clubs and his biggest success came at SampdoriaCredit: Getty – Contributor
    PAUL GASCOIGNE
    Mainstream English interest in Serie A began with Gazza.
    His £5.5m move from Spurs to Lazio saw millions of English people follow the Italian game and led to coverage on Channel 4.
    Gazzetta Football Italia was born out of the England man’s move.
    Gascoigne is remembered fondly in Italy and his iconic celebration, with arms outstretched after scoring an 89th-minute equaliser against rivals Roma, will never be forgotten.
    But Gazza’s time in Serie A saw him struggle with injury problems.
    In three seasons at Lazio, he managed to play in only 47 games and score just six goals.
    Failing to learn the language saw Gazza struggle to settle and he ended up moving to Rangers in 1995.
    Recently, however, he kept a host of young Italian fans riveted by his antics in their version of I’m a Celebrity.
    Paul Gascoigne made Italian football popular among the English but his time in Serie A was plighted by injuriesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    DAVID BECKHAM
    Becks loved Milan so much he went there twice.
    Two years after leaving Real Madrid for LA Galaxy, the former England captain headed on loan to the San Siro and was a hit in the red and black of AC Milan.
    Beckham was back on the continent and competing at the top again but his sojourn was seen as a money-maker in Milan.
    Then vice-president Adriano Galliani said: “Football today is about full stadiums and sponsors, and superstars like Beckham fill them up. With him, Kaka and Ronaldinho, it will be a dream team.”
    It was a star-studded squad but they won nothing.
    Beckham scored twice in 18 appearances in his first season but played just 11 games the following campaign.
    David Beckham was on loan at AC Milan twiceCredit: Getty – Contributor
    ASHLEY COLE
    A contender for the Premier League’s greatest left-back, it didn’t quite work out for Cole in Rome.
    The former Arsenal and Chelsea man’s most memorable moment from two years at Roma was actually off the pitch.
    A team photo appeared to show Cole physically separate from his team-mates, with subsequent stories of how he was isolated.
    In an interview with Soccer AM, Cole explained the snap: “I’m on the end [of the line] and my friend next to me Urby Emanuelson was stood next to me – but he leaned forward.
    “I’m so hot and tired and stood there like this [Cole slumps]… I had friends there, I had great friends.”
    Cole’s contract at the Stadio Olimpico was terminated by mutual consent in 2016 after just 16 appearances for the club.
    Ashley Cole’s time at Roma is memorable for this incredible team photo
    Ashley Cole’s contract at Roma was terminated by mutual consent in 2016Credit: Reuters
    JOE HART
    It was meant to be his revival.
    After being dropped by new Man City boss Pep Guardiola, England’s former No1 headed to Torino on loan to revive his career.
    But the move didn’t go so well.
    In Hart’s first game he was blamed for Atalanta’s equaliser when his punch from a corner fell to an opponent who scored.
    And it all ended in acrimony when Torino’s president criticised the keeper for his performances and mentality.
    Urbano Cairo told Tuttosport: “There’s too much being said about Hart.
    “Since this has been happening, his performance levels have dropped. This is already the third time we concede a goal this way and that’s a bit too much.”
    Joe Hart tried to revive his career with a loan move to TorinoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    GRAEME SOUNESS
    Rewind three decades and Graeme Souness’ move to Sampdoria saw the club rise to a greater status in Italy.
    The Scot marshalled the midfield and dominated each game in his two years at Samp in the mid-80s.
    Unlike many of the Brits abroad, Souness lifted the Coppa Italia in his first season at the club with a win over AC Milan after he’d scored in the first leg.
    Souness remembered Samp as a welcoming club.
    He told Football Italia: “We had a great President in Paolo Mantovani and he treated everyone like his own son. It’s a lovely club in beautiful city.
    “I was lucky enough to be there and I can honestly say it was one of the best times in my career.”
    Graeme Souness thrived in Italy and won the Coppa Italia in his first year at SampdoriaCredit: Getty – Contributor
    LEE SHARPE
    After struggling with injuries, Leeds boss David O’Leary loaned Sharpe out to Sampdoria.
    The former Man Utd midfielder was joining David Platt – the club’s boss – and looking to revive his career.
    But an issue with Platt’s coaching badges meant he was replaced by Luciano Spalletti, and Sharpe’s opportunities nose-dived.
    “I’d had a while out with a cruciate knee injury,” Sharpe said.
    “I wasn’t properly match-fit. So they put me on a training programme and in matches I was getting half an hour here and an hour there.
    “But after four or five weeks Platty ran into difficulty because he didn’t have his coaching badges and it all fell away really.”
    Lee Sharpe’s loan move from Leeds didn’t work out after a change of managementCredit: Reuters
    IAN RUSH
    Did he say it or didn’t he?
    The prolific Welsh striker’s two years at Juventus are remembered for a controversial quote that Rush denies ever saying.
    “I couldn’t settle in Italy, it was like living in a foreign country,” he was claimed to have said.
    Speaking to FourFourTwo in 2016, Rush said: “I didn’t actually say Italy was ‘like living in a foreign country’.
    Ian Rush’s time in Italy is remembered for a controversial quote he claims he never saidCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    “No one has ever seen a direct quote from me saying that. I’m blaming Kenny Dalglish.
    “When he re-signed me, a reporter asked me, ‘Why have you come back?’ Kenny quipped: ‘He said it was like playing in a foreign country.’ He’s got a lot to answer for!”
    Rush was welcomed to Turin by 5,000 adoring fans but went on to score just seven goals in 29 appearances.
    He remembered the Old Lady as ‘the right club at the wrong time’.
    Tammy Abraham talks about joining new club Roma in £34m transfer from Chelsea More

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    Weirdest football transfers from Carroll’s two-month Reading deal and Alves’ €1 salary… to Bendtner joining Juventus

    NEVER underestimate the power football has to surprise.Over the years, SunSport has seen it’s fair share of weird transfers. Players swapping their glamour days for a runout at Barnet, for example, which you’ll see as you read on.
    Andy Carroll has signed for Reading in a surprising moveCredit: JASONPIX
    Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano shocked the world when they signed for West Ham in 2006Credit: PA:Press Association
    And then there are some who the so-called big clubs take a punt on – swooping on an unsuspecting ‘smaller club’ to make an odd signing.
    This week, Dani Alves has returned to Barcelona, at the age of 38, and will reportedly be paid just ONE EURO a month.
    While Andy Carroll has come out of the wilderness to sign for Reading on a two-month contract.
    Here are some of the weirdest transfers we’ve ever come across:
    NICKLAS BENDTNER
    On the final day of the transfer window in August 2012, Juventus were short of a centre forward.
    But even Arsenal fans, who had grown tired of Nicklas Bendtner’s off-the-field antics, were shocked the Italian giants went for their Danish striker.
    Especially since the previous season he had failed to pull up any trees at Sunderland.
    That didn’t deter Juve gambling on the forward, but injury problems restricted him to just 11 appearances – and he failed to score.
    Unsurprisingly, the Serie A side didn’t take up an option of buying him permanently.
    Arsenal fans were left stunned when Serie A giants Juventus took troubled striker Nicklas Bendtner off their handsCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Bendtner failed to score in 11 games for the club and a permanent move was quashedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    BOJAN KRKIC
    The former Barcelona man was the epitome of the question; can he do it on a rainy Tuesday night at Stoke?
    The simple answer was no, despite Bojan having the benefit of playing for the home side too.
    Mark Hughes concluded the surprise deal for the man labelled the next Messi in 2014 for just £1.8million.
    “Anyone who knows European football will be aware of him as a player and the fact that he sees his future at Stoke City is really exciting,” Hughes beamed at the time.
    16 goals in 85 games later he was flogged to MLS side Montreal Impact in 2019.
    Bojan Krcic swapped Barcelona for StokeCredit: Action Images – Reuters
    STEVEN CAULKER
    Although it was only a loan move, Jurgen Klopp bringing in Caulker from QPR in a January transfer window in 2016 was one no one saw coming.
    A centre back who came through the ranks at Tottenham, the one-time England cap managed to play four games for the reds.
    What was even more unbelievable was he was asked to play upfront.
    Sadly, his Liverpool was cut short before a deal could be thrashed out, when Caulker was admitted into rehab with addictions to alcohol and gambling threatening his career.
    Steven Caulker was asked to play upfront for LiverpoolCredit: Reuters
    TEVEZ AND MASCHERANO
    Probably one of the most audacious double-signings in Premier League history.
    No wonder then West Ham boss Alan Pardew had a smile like a Cheshire cat at their unveiling back in 2006.
    The Argentinian duo were plucked from Corinthians, and only stayed with the Hammers for a season with Tevez joining Manchester United and Mascherano signing for Liverpool.
    Tevez would write his name in the history books by scoring a goal that secured the club’s Premier League safety.
    Later, Pardew revealed he had only asked his chief executive to buy James Milner and then his Christmas came early.
    Carlos Tevez helped save West Ham from relegationCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    LUTHER BLISSETT
    Cruelly called Luther ‘Miss it’ by away fans, Blissett is a Watford legend and their all-time top goalscorer.
    After winning the First Division Golden Boot in 1983, AC Milan paid £1million to bring him to Italy.
    But Blissett struggled to settle in Italy, scoring just five times in 30 appearances in the club.
    His dietary requirements were also unfulfilled.
    “No matter how much money you have here, you can’t seem to get Rice Krispies,” he said.
    AC Milan gambled on Watford legend Luther Blissett, who failed to settle in ItalyCredit: AP:Associated Press
    EDGAR DAVIDS
    One of the finest midfielders of his generation, it was a shock to see Edgar Davids end up at Barnet.
    After all, this was a former Dutch international who had won the Champions League with Ajax, and played for AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona in a star-studded career.
    Still, in 2012 – still living in North London after a spell at Spurs and then Crystal Palace – he became player manager of League Two Barnet.
    However, he struggled to keep his discipline on the pitch – getting sent off three times in his first eight games of the 2013-14 season and picking up a booking in every one of those matches.
    His bizarre managerial career took a new turn when he decided to wear the No1 jersey normally worn by goalkeepers, insisting he was setting a trend for midfielders to don that number. He resigned in 2014.
    After starring at Ajax, Juventus, AC Milan and Tottenham, Edgar Davids opted to end his career at League Two BarnetCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    FERNANDO HIERRO, YOURI DJORKAEFF AND JAY JAY OKOCHA
    There was no doubt Sam Allardyce had big plans for Bolton Wanderers.
    Although they were in their twilight years, between 2002-2004 Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro, France World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff and the remarkably gifted Jay-Jay Okocha all played for the club at the same time.
    Okocha joined from PSG on a free transfer, and soon became a fans’ favourite.
    Djorkaeff scored an impressive 21 goals from 87 games from midfield, initially snubbing interest from Manchester United and Liverpool for three years with the Trotters.
    While Hierro finished his career playing for Wanderers aged 37.
    Youri Djorkaeff and Jay-Jay Okocha were part of a dream team of foreign signings at BoltonCredit: Reuters
    Real Madrid legend Fernardo Hierro enjoyed his final year as a pro with the TrottersCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    ROBERTO MANCINI
    Mancini enjoyed a stellar career at Sampdoria, where he helped the club win Serie A, four Coppa Italia titles, as well the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
    Three years followed at Lazio, but no one could’ve envisaged what was going to happen next.
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    There are some quality players up for grabs for nothing

    Mancini joined Peter Taylor’s Leicester City on loan – making his debut against Arsenal in 2001 at the grand old age of 36.
    However, he failed to complete 90 minutes in his five games for the club.
    His contract was torn up in February, when Mancini decided he wanted to manage Fiorentina.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    Roberto Mancini joined Leicester City at 36 from Lazio, but failed to reach previous heightsCredit: PA:Press Association

    Top clubs could be BANNED from foreign transfers due to ESL with visas stopped More

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    MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi retires to glam lifestyle with former grid-girl Wag, 14-years his junior, and a £4m yacht

    VALENTINO ROSSI has hung up his helmet on an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career.The Italian motorcycle rider, 42, said goodbye in an emotional farewell at Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix.
    Valentino Rossi said goodbye to MotoGP in an emotional farewell at the Valencia Grand PrixCredit: Getty
    In an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career Rossi won nine world championshipsCredit: Rex
    His retirement drew well wishes from tennis legend Roger Federer, Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise, as well as F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
    Rossi won nine world championships in the motorsport, amassing a wealth of around £150million.
    Now, he can enjoy a well-earned rest with Wag Francesca Sofia Novello, 14-years his junior.
    The Doctor can also take his luxury yacht, worth £4million, out for a spin whenever he likes.
    GLAM WAG
    Valentino met glam partner Francesca in 2018.
    She is a former lingerie model, who was the face of various fashion campaigns in Milan.
    But, the pair prefer to keep their romance private and rarely share anything about the relationship.
    Even on Francesca’s Instagram, which has almost half a million followers, there’s very few glimpses into their lifestyle.
    However, she was a regular in the paddock – playing the role of supportive Wag during the racing legend’s final seasons on the circuit.
    Gorgeous Italian model Francesca Sofia Novello is Rossi’s girlfriend
    Francesca is 14-years Rossi’s junior
    Francesca shows off her curves in lingerie
    A former MotoGP grid girl, Francesca has half a million followers on Instagram
    The gorgeous brunette once worked as a MotoGP grid girl, but revealed a horror ordeal when she was groped.
    Sofia told Vanity Fair: “In reality it is a job like many others, a stage in my career of which I am proud.
    “At 19 it’s not easy to work with people who look at your butt when you pass by, and touch your butt when you take a picture.
    “Motorsport is a male environment. You have to wake up, you can’t be a smiling goose.
    “I’m for girl power. But it’s part of the game, it does happen.
    “You have to learn to be respected. If you let it go and show yourself to be ‘beautiful and stupid’, you’re done.”
    YACHT
    Rossi is believed to have property in London, Ibiza and his home town of Tavullia.
    But it’s his most recent purchase that is his most impressive.
    He has always been a connoisseur when it comes to yachts, so at the turn of the year it was no surprise to see him splash £4million on a brand new toy.
    The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 has a maximum speed of 23 knots and can make long journey thanks to a 9,300-litre fuel tank.
    Better still, it’s big enough to sleep up to eight people.
    Previously, Rossi has owned a Mochi Craft, which he sold after 15 years.
    He also once bought a Pershing 56 luxury yacht for £1.4million called Titilla.
    Loving a sequel, his latest purchase has been labelled Titilla II.
    Rossi splashed £4million on a yacht earlier this year
    The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 and has a maximum speed of 23 knots
    EXPECTANT FATHER
    Over the years, Rossi has dated a string of beautiful women, including former beauty pageant winner Linda Morselli for nine years.
    But fatherhood seemed far away for the eternal bachelor, who didn’t appear to want any offspring of his own.
    That is until most recently, when he revealed he was about to become a dad for the first time.
    In a hilarious social media post back in August, Rossi dressed up as a doctor while holding a stethoscope pressed up against the stomach of girlfriend Francesca.
    He captioned the snap: “After a careful visit we can tell you that Franci is pregnant! We are expecting for a girl.”
    However, don’t expect wedding bells to ring any time soon.
    Francesca told GPOne.com back in February: “For me it is not essential.
    “If it happens, all well and good, but we love each other all the same.
    “I always say that you don’t need to have a ring on your finger to have faith in your heart.”
    Back in August, Rossi – nicknamed The Doctor – revealed Francesca was expecting his baby
    Francesca and Rossi are expecting a baby girl
    FAMILY AFFAIR
    While Rossi may have retired from motorsport, there’s a family member following in his footsteps.
    Maternal half-brother Luca Marini, 24, was the runner-up in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship.
    This year, he joined the MotoGP class with the Esponsorama Avintia and raced alongside Rossi.
    And in October, he secured his first-ever MotoGP front row in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

    At the time, Valentino revealed: “This is very important for him, for his future, for his career because next year we will do the team together and I think he will have a good bike and a good team behind him.
    “So, the second year he needs all the support to try to arrive at the good results. I think that he has the speed, he has the talent, he can do some good things.”
    However, he will have some way to go to escape the shadow of MotoGP’s greatest.
    Luca Marini is following in the footsteps of his half-brother Valentino Rossi
    MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi will retire at end of the season More

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    My mate Tyson Fury is a real champ for taking up mental health fight, says Frank Bruno

    FRANK Bruno today crowns Tyson Fury as the most inspirational sports star on the planet.He tells how the Gypsy King is now following in his own legendary footsteps — both in and out of the ring.
    My mate Tyson Fury is a real champ for taking up mental health fight, says Frank BrunoCredit: Richard Pelham – The Sun
    In an exclusive interview to mark turning 60, Frank says Tyson has taken on the mantle of being Britain’s best heavyweight boxer, but deserves even more credit for his work championing mental health awareness in troubled youngsters.
    And Frank says his friendship with Tyson is even helping him to win his own battle with mental health problems after years of trying to overcome his demons.
    Frank — who celebrates his landmark birthday today — told The Sun: “I’ve seen a lot over my 60 years but witnessing the way Tyson has turned his life around may well top the lot.
    “Nobody has done more in the past few years to raise awareness of mental health problems than Tyson. He’s the most inspirational sports star on the planet in my book.
    “We’ve both had difficult days but it has made us great friends and I am now seeing first-hand how Tyson is truly on a mission, inside and outside of the ring, to help others.
    “Tyson has told me he even wants to try and find a cure for mental health problems one day so others don’t go through what we have. And I’d back him to do it. I’d trust Tyson more than most of the politicians around these days.”

    With a steely look, Frank added: “I am determined to carry on fighting to smash down stigma until the day I die. But it’s reassuring to know Tyson will be there carrying the baton for many years after that.”
    It is typical heart-on-his-sleeve, no-nonsense stuff from Frank, who is still adored by the nation, 25 years after he retired from boxing.
    In 1995, the year before he quit the ring, he defeated Oliver McCall at Wembley to win the WBC Heavyweight Championship, which is still ranked among British sport’s greatest moments.
    As well as a glittering career which saw him win 40 out of 45 fights, he has also become a national treasure for his career on stage and screen.
    A poll in 1996, the year he retired, ranked him the second most popular Briton, behind Princess Diana. But five years after retiring, Frank was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his life unravelled.
    The illness has since seen him sectioned — detained as a psychiatric hospital inpatient — four times, most recently last summer.
    LIFE UNRAVELLED
    Now he is planning to open a string of mental health centres to help those who have gone through similar struggles.
    Frank says: “The last 12 months have been probably the hardest in my life. Last summer I couldn’t have put my hand on my heart and said I’d have been out of hospital to celebrate my birthday.
    “I thought I had things under control but Covid and lockdown just pulled the rug from under my feet. I struggled to cope with being locked down and losing friends from Covid.
    “I had to reset and get better. And I did. But if getting my freedom back and turning 60 has shown me anything it is that there is still so much to be fighting for.
    “I’ve got a lot I still want to do. But it is not about belts or titles now. It is about supporting others.”
    It is that determination which has led Tyson, who also suffers from bipolar, to bond with Frank in a unique way. The pair regularly talk privately about their illness and discuss coping strategies.
    Nobody has done more in the past few years to raise awareness of mental health problems than TysonFrank Bruno
    They also both run their own charity foundations. Before Tyson flew out to face Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas last month, Frank spent a day with the 33-year-old at a new centre that Tyson is opening in Morecambe, Lancs.
    And when he got back, Tyson was one of the first people on the phone to wish his buddy well at turning 60. Frank said: “I got a video message from him.
    “I think Tyson’s been relaxing and enjoying himself since he got back from the Wilder fight. But good luck to him, he deserves a break. But Tyson won’t be sitting still for long. He’s not cut that way.”
    Frank feels the same about Britain’s former Olympic and world champ Anthony Joshua, who has barely been seen since his brutal defeat by Ukrainian powerhouse Oleksandr Usyk in September.
    AJ’s defeat means the planned superfight with Tyson that fans were looking forward to now hangs in the balance.
    But Frank, who won his own world title at the fourth attempt, is backing 32-year-old AJ to recover and thinks he will eventually fight pal Tyson.
    KANGAROO BALLS
    He said: “This isn’t the end of the AJ story. Sometimes in life you have to lose to win. I know that better than most.
    “Anthony now needs to keep a level head, work hard and come back. I think he’s still got the fire in his belly and he’ll want to prove a few people wrong by coming back stronger. If I can help in any way I’d love to. He just needs to call me.
    “AJ will also want to fight Tyson and prove he’s the best fighter in the world — but that part won’t be easy!” Despite his age, Frank, who still trains daily, is regularly offered the chance to return to the ring. 
    In the past year alone, he has been offered potentially lucrative deals to take part in exhibition bouts against Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.
    But Frank, who suffered an eye injury in his final fight against Mike Tyson in 1996, is not tempted.
    He said: “One more punch to the eye could blind me, so I won’t be going there. I want to see my grandchildren grow up. I’m still fit and I will always miss the buzz of boxing, but I’ve had my time.”
    I wouldn’t change a single day of the last 60 years. Even the difficult ones happened for a reason.Frank Bruno
    However, the prospect of doing battle on the dance floor is a different matter. Frank said: “I think I’d be OK on Strictly. I’ve loved music from the day I was born and when I’m not in the gym I’ll be on the decks and love a bit of DJing.
    “Apparently I’m not a bad mover so I think I’d enjoy the show — plus, they wouldn’t have to spend much on a spray tan.”
    He added: “I’d opt for that over I’m A Celeb. I hate snakes and don’t fancy eating kangaroo balls. I’d rather have a nice steak and some garlic.”
    Frank’s friendship with legendary boxing commentator Harry Carpenter remains one of the joys of his life. It led to his infamous “Know what I mean, ’Arry?” catchphrase, which people still shout at him every day, Frank says.
    It is 11 years since Harry died, but earlier this year Frank was moved close to tears when he discovered a previously unseen interview that he had given to the BBC icon.
    It forms part of Frank’s new life story, 60 Years A Fighter. He says: “I still think about Harry a lot. He was a gentleman, a diamond who helped me inside and outside the ring more than he could ever know. He played a massive part in my life.”
    Last Friday Frank marked his milestone birthday with a celebratory ball, raising money for his charity, The Frank Bruno Foundation.
    ‘DUST YOURSELF DOWN AND GO AGAIN’
    Among those to send tributes were Piers Morgan, Wayne Rooney and Stephen Fry. And his old fighting foe Mike Tyson even sent a happy birthday message via video.
    Despite being rivals in the ring, Frank says the pair are now more like brothers. He added: “Mike’s misunderstood. We met up last year and it was great to just talk about old times.
    “He’s mellowed a hell of a lot — that might be because he runs a cannabis farm in America! He may have been the baddest man on the planet for a long time but he’s just a grandad like me now.”
    And for Frank, who is reportedly dating Scottish hairdresser Nina Coletta, mental health campaigning, family and staying fit and healthy are the priorities now.
    He said: “I wouldn’t change a single day of the last 60 years. Even the difficult ones happened for a reason. They make you stronger. You have to dust yourself down and go again.
    “I’ve been very lucky. I’ve met kings and queens but I’m just a normal geezer and no better than anyone else — know what I mean?”

    SMASHING STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
    AFTER a glittering ring career Frank is now focused on a new fight — smashing the stigma around mental health.
    His charity The Frank Bruno Foundation has just opened its first centre in Northampton which has already helped more than 1,000 people.
    Pal Tyson Fury has agreed to be an ambassador for the charity and Frank, who wants to open several more centres next year, is even eyeing a meeting at No10.
    He says: “I’d love to sit down with Boris Johnson and tell him where we need to improve things.
    “Lockdown has created a new crisis in mental health and the help isn’t there for many who need it. I want to change all that — and so does Tyson.”

    Frank Bruno has crowned Tyson Fury as the most inspirational sports star on the planetCredit: Rex
    Frank as the WBC champion pictured in 1995Credit: Getty Images – Getty
    Frank meets boxing great Muhammed Ali in 1984Credit: (c) 1984 Rex Features. No use without permission.
    Tyson Fury pictured in his third bout with Deontay WilderCredit: AP
    Bruno cuts a special Frank Bruno Foundation cake to celebrate his 60th birthdayCredit: Andrew Styczynski
    Tyson Fury jogs along drizzly Morecambe beach with Joseph Parker, dad John and bro Tommy ahead of his Jake Paul showdown
    We pay for your stories!Do you have a story for The Sun news desk? More

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    MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi retires to glam lifestyle with former grid-girl Wag, 14-years his junior, and £4m yacht

    VALENTINO ROSSI has hung up his helmet on an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career.The Italian motorcycle rider, 42, said goodbye in an emotional farewell at Sunday’s Valencia Grand Prix.
    Valentino Rossi said goodbye to MotoGP in an emotional farewell at the Valencia Grand PrixCredit: Getty
    In an illustrious 25-year MotoGP career Rossi won nine world championshipsCredit: Rex
    His retirement drew well wishes from tennis legend Roger Federer, Hollywood movie star Tom Cruise, as well as F1 heroes Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
    Rossi won nine world championships in the motorsport, amassing a wealth of around £150million.
    Now, he can enjoy a well-earned rest with Wag Francesca Sofia Novello, 14-years his junior.
    The Doctor can also take his luxury yacht, worth £4million, out for a spin whenever he likes.
    GLAM WAG
    Valentino met glam partner Francesca in 2018.
    She is a former lingerie model, who was the face of various fashion campaigns in Milan.
    But, the pair prefer to keep their romance private and rarely share anything about the relationship.
    Even on Francesca’s Instagram, which has almost half a million followers, there’s very few glimpses into their lifestyle.
    However, she was a regular in the paddock – playing the role of supportive Wag during the racing legend’s final seasons on the circuit.
    Gorgeous Italian model Francesca Sofia Novello is Rossi’s girlfriend
    Francesca is 14-years Rossi’s junior
    Francesca shows off her curves in lingerie
    A former MotoGP grid girl, Francesca has half a million followers on Instagram
    The gorgeous brunette once worked as a MotoGP grid girl, but revealed a horror ordeal when she was groped.
    Sofia told Vanity Fair: “In reality it is a job like many others, a stage in my career of which I am proud.
    “At 19 it’s not easy to work with people who look at your butt when you pass by, and touch your butt when you take a picture.
    “Motorsport is a male environment. You have to wake up, you can’t be a smiling goose.
    “I’m for girl power. But it’s part of the game, it does happen.
    “You have to learn to be respected. If you let it go and show yourself to be ‘beautiful and stupid’, you’re done.”
    YACHT
    Rossi is believed to have property in London, Ibiza and his home town of Tavullia.
    But it’s his most recent purchase that is his most impressive.
    He has always been a connoisseur when it comes to yachts, so at the turn of the year it was no surprise to see him splash £4million on a brand new toy.
    The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 has a maximum speed of 23 knots and can make long journey thanks to a 9,300-litre fuel tank.
    Better still, it’s big enough to sleep up to eight people.
    Previously, Rossi has owned a Mochi Craft, which he sold after 15 years.
    He also once bought a Pershing 56 luxury yacht for £1.4million called Titilla.
    Loving a sequel, his latest purchase has been labelled Titilla II.
    Rossi splashed £4million on a yacht earlier this year
    The 89-foot long vessel is a Sanlorenzo X88 and has a maximum speed of 23 knots
    EXPECTANT FATHER
    Over the years, Rossi has dated a string of beautiful women, including former beauty pageant winner Linda Morselli for nine years.
    But fatherhood seemed far away for the eternal bachelor, who didn’t appear to want any offspring of his own.
    That is until most recently, when he revealed he was about to become a dad for the first time.
    In a hilarious social media post back in August, Rossi dressed up as a doctor while holding a stethoscope pressed up against the stomach of girlfriend Francesca.
    He captioned the snap: “After a careful visit we can tell you that Franci is pregnant! We are expecting for a girl.”
    However, don’t expect wedding bells to ring any time soon.
    Francesca told GPOne.com back in February: “For me it is not essential.
    “If it happens, all well and good, but we love each other all the same.
    “I always say that you don’t need to have a ring on your finger to have faith in your heart.”
    Back in August, Rossi – nicknamed The Doctor – revealed Francesca was expecting his baby
    Francesca and Rossi are expecting a baby girl
    FAMILY AFFAIR
    While Rossi may have retired from motorsport, there’s a family member following in his footsteps.
    Maternal half-brother Luca Marini, 24, was the runner-up in the 2020 Moto2 World Championship.
    This year, he joined the MotoGP class with the Esponsorama Avintia and raced alongside Rossi.
    And in October, he secured his first-ever MotoGP front row in qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

    At the time, Valentino revealed: “This is very important for him, for his future, for his career because next year we will do the team together and I think he will have a good bike and a good team behind him.
    “So, the second year he needs all the support to try to arrive at the good results. I think that he has the speed, he has the talent, he can do some good things.”
    However, he will have some way to go to escape the shadow of MotoGP’s greatest.
    Luca Marini is following in the footsteps of his half-brother Valentino Rossi
    MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi will retire at end of the season More

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    Brazil out to avenge Copa America defeat to Argentina in World Cup qualifier, as South America’s giants go head-to-head

    ARGENTINA’S World Cup qualifier at home to Brazil on Tuesday night is unlikely to descend into September’s farce in Sao Paulo – when the game was interrupted by Brazilian health officials seeking to expel Argentina’s Premier League players.This one will go the full ninety minutes – and looks like a rare treat.
    Messi and Neymar will lock horns as Argentina and Brazil face each other in a World Cup qualifierCredit: Alamy
    Brazil have already qualified for Qatar, and Argentina have all but mathematically booked their place.
    There is no pressure, then, of a desperate search for points. Instead, there is the opportunity to prepare for the World Cup by taking on a top quality rival – both teams are unbeaten in the marathon campaign.
    And there is also the question of bragging rights between two of the world’s great football nations, the countries that can claim to have produced the best ever players in the history of the global game.
    This is what makes Argentina vs Brazil so special. There is no background of war between them. It is pure footballing rivalry.
    Not including the aborted game in Sao Paulo, this will be the ninth World Cup qualifier between them. It is a tradition that only began in the current century, with the 2002 campaign.
    And while Argentina won the recent Copa America on Brazilian soil, beating the hosts in the final, when it comes to World Cup qualification, there is no doubt that Brazil are on top.

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    They have won four games to Argentina’s two, with two matches drawn, scoring 16 goals and conceding eight.
    Three of the goals they scored came from one of the finest individual displays I have ever seen.
    It was mid 2004, and the teams were meeting in the Germany 2006 qualifiers. The great, original Ronaldo had worked out the importance of the occasion.
    This was to be the biggest match he ever played for his country on home soil – and it took place in what, for him, was a second home. The venue was the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, the venue where a decade earlier he first made his name as a skinny kid with Cruzeiro.
    By 2004, of course, he was no longer a skinny kid. He had blown up into perhaps the best match of pace and power running with the ball that the game has ever seen, and he was inspired by the occasion.
    TIME FOR ARGENTINA?
    Marcelo Bielsa’s Argentina played most of the football, weaving pretty patterns all over the field. But they simply could not cope with Ronaldo. Three times he burst through the defence. Three times he was fouled. Three times he picked himself up to score from the penalty spot.
    A year later Ronaldo was out of action and not part of the squad that travelled down to Buenos Aires for the return match. By this time Bielsa had resigned, and his replacement Jose Pekerman was building a team round the subtle talents of playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.
    Brazil picked an ultra-attacking side, gave Riquelme too much room and found themselves 3-0 down at half time. They roared back after the break.
    Roberto Carlos scored a screamer from a free kick, Adriano hit the post, but 3-1 was the final score at the end of another classic from the great South American rivals.
    It is the last time that Argentina beat Brazil in World Cup qualification. They will hope to put that right on Tuesday. We neutrals should just be hoping for a game worthy of the tradition.
    Brazil legend Ronaldo scored a hat-trick of penalties against Argentina in a 2004 qualifierCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Hernan Crespo was one of the scorers last time Argentina beat Brazil in a World Cup qualifierCredit: AFP More

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    Panini stickers over 60 years, from humble origins and swaps at school to a Maradona card that sold for £400,000

    PANINI football stickers were so big in the 80s that even the tooth fairy got involved.This reporter can recall vividly the thrill of lifting up the pillow to find that he had been left two yellow Football 81 packets instead of the customary 10p piece.
    Football legends Bobby Moore, George Best, Pele and Diego Maradona as Panini stickers
    Giuseppe Panini (second from the right) founded Panini with his brother Benito in 1961[
    Countless memories like this – remember the smell of them – come flooding back as you look through a new book celebrating 60 years of Panini’s relationship with football.
    What began as two brothers from Modena, Italy, selling cards became a multinational, multi-million-pound phenomenon.
    And it still is, with The Sun offering free World Cup 2022 stickers to all readers this weekend.
    From the launch of the first UK-specific album in 1978 up until 1993, collecting Panini stickers was an essential part of being a football fan.
    Greg Lansdowne, author of Panini Football Stickers: The Official Celebration, said: “There were a few other staples – magazines such as Shoot, Match Weekly and Roy of the Rovers, plus football programmes.
    “But Panini stickers had the most community spirit. Everything else divided but they brought football supporters together.
    Managers who featured include Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Arsene Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti
    TV pundits as they appeared in Panini albums when they were players
    “It didn’t matter which team a player played for, every sticker was worth getting.
    “Everyone was in it together, everyone wanted to finish the album and everyone wanted to help each other.”
    At the heart of the fun was swapping. Playgrounds up and down the country echoed with cries of, “Got, got, need”.
    Every school had its own rules about how many normal stickers were worth a badge, foil or ‘shiny’ (in 1981 at St Mary’s in Royston, Hertfordshire, it was usually two).
    As Lansdowne, 47, writes: “Swapping was a rite of passage that provided a whole range of life lessons far more character-building than endless hours spent trying to decipher algebra or fumbling with a Bunsen burner.
    Some of the crazy moustaches that appeared over the years
    Big hair was a big thing in the 1980s

    “Diplomacy, persistence, perseverance, fortitude – all of these character traits and more were required to survive the law of the Panini jungle.”
    In an era before the internet and wall-to-wall TV coverage of football, Panini albums were the best way to find out what players looked like.
    The World Cup and European Championship editions provided first glimpses of the kind of exotic foreign stars who would later flood into English football as players.
    Or as managers – it is fun to see Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte with their original hair.
    By 1987, Panini was selling 100million packets of football stickers a year in the UK alone.
    Panini stickers show off some weird and wonderful haircuts
    England legends Stuart Pearce, Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer
    Stars of today including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gareth Bale, Mohamed Salah and Neymar
    The company lost the Premier League rights in 1994 but the international tournament albums maintained their presence.
    And the company’s embracing of digital technology means they have become stronger than ever by adding a new generation of collectors.
    The first virtual album was produced for the 2006 World Cup, with online swapping, player rating games and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) – a sort of digital proof of ownership – bringing football stickers into the 21st century.
    Lansdowne, who also wrote Stuck On You, about the rise, fall and rise of Panini, said: “The revival began with Germany 2006. In the UK alone,
    Brazil 2014 was back to the 100million packet mark and around the world it was their biggest seller ever.
    Stuck on you60 YEARS OF PANINI
    1961 Brothers Giuseppe and Benito Panini start selling cards of Italian players under brand name Calciatori -“footballers”.
    1970 First World Cup album, mostly containing cards but some stickers.
    1974 All sticker “Munchen 74” World Cup album.
    1977 Euro Football is free in the UK with Shoot.
    1978 First UK-specific album, Football 78.
    1989 Robert Maxwell buys company for £96million.
    2006 First virtual album for World Cup in Germany.
    2011 First women’s World Cup album.

    “Panini pulled off a masterstroke by giving away albums for the first time. Lots of people, especially lapsed older collectors, saw them and thought, I’ll give it a go.
    “They enjoyed it so much they’ve been doing all the albums since.”
    Now interest in the stickers is set to hit a whole new level, thanks in part to the pandemic.
    Lansdowne explained: “In America, there’s a big culture of collecting cards for investment, particularly sports cards.
    Some of the album covers through the years
    “About 18 months ago, lots of
    Americans in lockdown decided they were going to collect football stickers and cards.
    “As a result, the prices, especially for the really big names, have risen exponentially.
    “A few months ago, a version of Diego Maradona’s first Panini sticker sold for $555,960 (more than £400,000) in America.
    David Beckham’s various hairstyle over the decades
    Diego Maradona through the years
    “We haven’t even seen the tip of the iceberg. When the World Cup is in America in 2026, I think it’s going to explode even more.”
    That means it is going to be difficult ? and expensive ? for Lansdowne to complete all the unfinished albums he found at his parents’ house a decade ago.
    But he and millions of others will continue to collect Panini products.
    Lansdowne said: “You still can’t beat getting a card or a sticker with a player from your favourite club.
    “Whereas in the old days we were reliant on our parents to give us money to get a couple of packets, we can buy whole boxes and almost live out our childhood dreams.”
    And we all “got, got need” to do that once in a while.

    Another Panini brother, Umberto, invented the Fifimatic, a machine that ensured stickers were distributed randomly into packets.
    Juventus defender Carlo Parola, known as ‘Mr Bicycle Kick’, was thought to be the player depicted on the iconic Panini packets. In fact, he was one of a number of inspirations.
    The only player to feature in every UK Panini album from 1978 to 1993 was Bryan Robson (West Brom and Manchester United).
    The Football 83 sticker bearing the name of Manchester United’s Arthur Albiston actually carried an image of team-mate Kevin Moran.
    When Panini asked for images for the first women’s World Cup album in 2011, the Mexican FA initially sent photos of the men’s team.

    Panini Football Stickers: The Official Celebration by Panini and Greg Lansdowne (Bloomsbury Sport, hardback) releases on Thursday, November 25 and is available to pre-order now.
    Cristiano Ronaldo has been one of the most popular stickers More