Sport Features

WHO knew Jose Mourinho was this funny?
The Tottenham boss, normally known for his serious demeanour, has shown he has a lighter side to his personality.

Jose Mourinho is game for a laugh on his Instagram pageCredit: Rex Features

The self-christened Special One has regained his joy for football with Spurs, guiding the North London club to top spot in the Premier League.
And he has a hilarious Instagram page that just keeps on giving.
Although he joined the social media network back in February, it hasn’t been until this season he’s really kicked on with it.
But now, it’s going from strength to strength – gaining 1.5million followers. Here’s his funniest posts.

MOVIE TIME
One thing that’s prevalent about Mourinho’s Instagram posts is his love of snacking.
European football might bring glory on a bigger stage, but it also brings more travelling.
But that doesn’t bother the Portuguese manager.
No, he’ll settle for a bag of popcorn and a movie. Apparently in this post he was watching ‘Legend’ – the Tom Hardy film about the Krays.

Maybe he thought it was about him?

Mourinho enjoys a movie and some popcorn on his flightCredit: Instagram @josemourinho

Snacking is a running theme of Mourinho’s instagram
SAD FACE
Even when Jose is lamenting his team’s inability to beat Royal Antwerp in a post, he’s funnier than Lee Evans on helium.
“Bad performances deserve bad results. Hope everyone in this bus is as sad as I am,” he writes as a caption alongside an image of him slumped on the team bus.
“Tomorrow 11am training,” he warns.
He seems to be on the bus alone, mind, so it’s a wonder if they ever got to training.

Mourinho was unintentionally funny when expressing his sadness after defeatCredit: Instagram @josemourinho
PHONE A FRIEND
Technology plays a big part in the dressing room at Spurs.
After a game it’s not uncommon for their stars to text family and friends after a big win.
And Mourinho was quick to point it out with this brilliant take on the modern day footballers.
“After a great victory in a really hard match… Sign of the times,” he wrote finishing off the caption with mobile phone emojis.

CROSSBAR CHALLENGE
In one of the most bizarre moments of the season, Spurs had to ask the goal frames to be changed before their Europa League win against Shkendija after discovering they were too small.
Nothing, of course, gets past 5ft 9in Mourinho who pointed out the size difference.
He quipped: “I thought I had grown but then I realised the goal was 5 centimetres lower.”
Amusingly, he got Hugo Lloris to demonstrate that fact too.

Hugo Lloris was brought in for comic effect to demonstrate the small goal frames
A GOOD READ
Perhaps a bit of product placement for a mate, who knows.
But in his downtime, Mourinho showed us he loves reading up about the game’s all-time greats.
Sat cross-legged, he dives into Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov’s book.
“Friends for more than 20 years..In Plovdiv a surprise gift/his autobiography/special8,” he captioned the snap.

BALL BOY
Dropping a 3-0 lead against West Ham with eight minutes to go would normally be inexcusable for Mourinho.
And you can bet he was probably livid. But this is a master of mind games, who knows how to deflect the headlines.
Here, after the West Ham collapse, he simply compared the balls to Europa League titles. Respect, man.
He wrote: “3 balls… The 3 goals we conceded against West Ham? The 3 amazing goals we scored against them? Or the 2 Europa leagues I have in the pocket and the 3rd one I am ready to fight for?”

Mourinho is eyeing up a third Europa League title with SpursCredit: Instagram @josemourinho
SHOE CLEAN
Never before has a man cleaning his shoes looked so riveting.
Jose posted this hilarious video, dusting off his loafers after he was stood on a muddy touchline.
“When you play with a new pair of shoes,” he revealed as he uses a towel for a thoroughly good clean.
However, the clincher is the little dance Mourinho let’s out to the music playing over the Tannoy system.

HAMMING IT UP
Mourinho is a man of his word.
After Sergio Reguilon put in an outstanding display keeping Riyad Mahrez quiet in Spurs’ 2-0 win over Manchester City’, the gaffer gifted him a giant joint of Iberico ham.
“A promise is a promise. It costed me £500 but I keep my promises.”
What will he give his squad if they win the title?

Mourinho has amazing take on Liverpool injury ‘crisis’ as Tottenham boss starts title race mind games with Klopp More

IT’S a life fit for the world’s most expensive footballer.
Neymar, 28, is facing another spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected broken ankle playing for PSG at home to Lyon.

Neymar is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines for PSG after his latest injuryCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

But that will give the Brazilian plenty of time to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in Paris.
The forward, who is out of contract in 2021, is believed to have settled in the French capital, after reportedly struggling at first.
And he’s got his favourite haunts, including an exclusive nightclub, Brazilian restaurant, as well as the Parc des Princes – all close to his £6.5million home.
Here’s how Neymar lives his life.

HIS HOME
In 2017, Neymar moved into a stunning five-storey mansion that’s worth £6.5million.
Once an architects home, it was built in the 1950s and lies 10 miles from the centre of Paris.
Built across 10,800 square-feet, it boasts a giant indoor swimming pool in the basement – complete with sun loungers and a view out onto the sprawling 5,000 square-metre garden.
In addition there is a sauna, Turkish bath and massive games room to have fun with his pals.

Legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu was was believed to be a former owner.

Neymar lives in a stunning £6.5m mansion

The home boasts an indoor pool

Gerard Depardieu was a former owner of Neymar’s homeCredit: EPA
But Neymar doesn’t own it himself. Instead, he’s paying a reported £12,800 a month to rent the property.
With his salary around the £550,000-per-week mark, that doesn’t even make a dent in his monthly take home.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
To celebrate turning 28, Neymar rented his favourite nightclub for an exclusive bash.
YOYO, which is barely half a mile from the Eiffel Tower, was the scene for his all-white party in the Parisian hotspot back in February.
Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and ex-Manchester United ace Ander Herrera turned out in force despite the heavy rain.
And it was clearly a night to remember for Neymar, who looked dapper in a white hat.
Over the years, some of the world’s best DJs have appeared at YOYO, including Dimitri From Paris and Trentemöller.

Neymar celebrated his 28th birthday at YOYO nightclubCredit: Refer to Caption

The theme of the party was to dress all-whiteCredit: Refer to Caption

Neymar is a regular at YOYO, which he rented for his birthdayCredit: The Mega Agency
EATING OUT
Like many Brazilians, Neymar loves eating steak.
Whenever he’s in Dubai, he heads straight to Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et Steakhouse for a fillet mignon.
And in Paris, he’s got BOTECO – a restaurant that serves Brazilian cuisine, including fresh meat, and is reasonably priced with mains costing around £12.
“I love Boteco, a fantastic little Brazilian restaurant and cocktail bar,” Neymar told Emirates.com.
“More importantly, it’s very authentic, too.”
Diners have scored the restaurant four and a half stars on TripAdvisor, raving about the drinks and delicious tapas.

BOTECO is Neymar’s favourite restaurant in ParisCredit: Tripadvisor

The Brazilian restaurant is relaxed and serves authentic cuisineCredit: Tripadvisor

Neymar has revealed he is a fan of BOTECO’s cocktails

Tapas is the order of the dad at BOTECO
FAST CARS
Thanks to his huge salary, Neymar can afford the best cars in the world.
And he has a penchant for Ferraris, owning a GTC4 Lusso worth £250,000 as well as a 455 Italia that costs £165,000.
But it’s not just wheels the ex-Barcelona ace loves. He’s also got a fondness for wings.

Neymar is reportedly the proud owner of a £6million Cessna 680 jet.
The private set of wings can transport up to 12 of his mates and has a maximum flying range of 3,190 miles.
He was also said to have owned another private jet and a luxury yacht, but they were reportedly seized in 2015 after an investigation into his tax affairs.

Neymar on the bonnet of his £250,000 FerrariCredit: Instagram

Neymar reportedly owns a jet worth six million poundsCredit: Reuters

Travelling in style is the ultimate indulgence for NeymarCredit: Instagram @PSG

Neymar, with son Davi Lucca, is using the Cessna 680 jetCredit: Instagram, @neymarjr

Neymar sensationally admits he wants to he wants a reunion with Lionel Messi next year More

IT is a life fit for the world’s most expensive footballer.
Neymar, 28, is facing another spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected broken ankle playing for PSG against Lyon.

Neymar is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines for PSG after his latest injuryCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

But that will give the Brazilian plenty of time to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in Paris.
The forward, who is out of contract in 2021, is believed to have settled in the French capital, after reportedly struggling at first.
And he’s got his favourite haunts, including an exclusive nightclub, Brazilian restaurant, as well as the Parc des Princes – all close to his £6.5million home.
Here’s how Neymar lives his life.

HIS HOME
In 2017, Neymar moved into a stunning five-storey mansion that’s worth £6.5million.
Once an architects home, it was built in the 1950s and lies 10 miles from the centre of Paris.
Built across 10,800 square-feet, it boasts a giant indoor swimming pool in the basement – complete with sun loungers and a view out onto the sprawling 5,000 square-metre garden.
In addition there is a sauna, Turkish bath and massive games room to have fun with his pals.

Legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu was was believed to be a former owner.

Neymar lives in a stunning £6.5m mansion

The home boasts an indoor pool

Gerard Depardieu was a former owner of Neymar’s homeCredit: EPA
But Neymar doesn’t own it himself. Instead, he’s paying a reported £12,800 a month to rent the property.
With his salary around the £550,000-per-week mark, that doesn’t even make a dent in his monthly take home.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
To celebrate turning 28, Neymar rented his favourite nightclub for an exclusive bash.
YOYO, which is barely half a mile from the Eiffel Tower, was the scene for his all-white party in the Parisian hotspot back in February.
Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and ex-Manchester United ace Ander Herrera turned out in force despite the heavy rain.
And it was clearly a night to remember for Neymar, who looked dapper in a white hat.
Over the years, some of the world’s best DJs have appeared at YOYO, including Dimitri From Paris and Trentemöller.

Neymar celebrated his 28th birthday at YOYO nightclubCredit: Refer to Caption

The theme of the party was to dress all-whiteCredit: Refer to Caption

Neymar is a regular at YOYO, which he rented for his birthdayCredit: The Mega Agency
EATING OUT
Like many Brazilians, Neymar loves eating steak.
Whenever he’s in Dubai, he heads straight to Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et Steakhouse for a fillet mignon.
And in Paris, he’s got BOTECO – a restaurant that serves Brazilian cuisine, including fresh meat, and is reasonably priced with mains costing around £12.
“I love Boteco, a fantastic little Brazilian restaurant and cocktail bar,” Neymar told Emirates.com.
“More importantly, it’s very authentic, too.”
Diners have scored the restaurant four and a half stars on TripAdvisor, raving about the drinks and delicious tapas.

BOTECO is Neymar’s favourite restaurant in ParisCredit: Tripadvisor

The Brazilian restaurant is relaxed and serves authentic cuisineCredit: Tripadvisor

Neymar has revealed he is a fan of BOTECO’s cocktails

Tapas is the order of the dad at BOTECO
FAST CARS
Thanks to his huge salary, Neymar can afford the best cars in the world.
And he has a penchant for Ferraris, owning a GTC4 Lusso worth £250,000 as well as a 455 Italia that costs £165,000.
But it’s not just wheels the ex-Barcelona ace loves. He’s also got a fondness for wings.

Neymar is reportedly the proud owner of a £6million Cessna 680 jet.
The private set of wings can transport up to 12 of his mates and has a maximum flying range of 3,190 miles.
He was also said to have owned another private jet and a luxury yacht, but they were reportedly seized in 2015 after an investigation into his tax affairs.

Neymar on the bonnet of his £250,000 FerrariCredit: Instagram

Neymar reportedly owns a jet worth six million poundsCredit: Reuters

Travelling in style is the ultimate indulgence for NeymarCredit: Instagram @PSG

Neymar, with son Davi Lucca, is using the Cessna 680 jetCredit: Instagram, @neymarjr

Neymar sensationally admits he wants to he wants a reunion with Lionel Messi next year More

The death of Paolo Rossi was, of course, big news in his native Italy.  But it was also a huge story in Brazil.
He was, as he named his autobiography, the man ‘who made Brazil cry.’

Paolo Rossi was the man who made Brazil cry at the 1982 World CupCredit: Getty Images – Getty

He was once thrown out of a taxi in Sao Paulo by a driver with graphic memories of the most extraordinary day in his life – the hat trick he scored in 1982 in one of the all time great World Cup games which knocked Brazil out of the competition.
Rossi had been out of the game for two years after being caught in a betting scandal.
He stumbled through three draws in the group phase as Italy flirted with early elimination, and then suddenly got his groove back.
He followed his goals against Brazil with more against Poland and West Germany as Italy charged to the title. They went on to glory.

Brazil went home early. They had not even reached the last four – and this was to have serious consequences.
World Cup winning captain in 1994 and Brazil’s coach in 2010, Dunga described the 1982 side as “specialists in losing.”
Brazil responded by the defeat against Rossi by looking for another way to win. The physical development of the game, they argued, had made it too much of a risk to try the old style possession football of Zico, Socrates and the class of 82.
Instead the future lay in holding the fort in midfield and launching quick counter attacks down the flanks.

Rossi’s famous hat trick knocked Brazil out of the 1982 World Cup Credit: AP:Associated Press
Brazil have won subsequent World Cups – in 1994 and 2002 – but never won as many friends as they did in their heyday, either in that 1958-70 period, or indeed, in 1982.
A few years ago I was involved in a TV documentary about that Brazil team, and I had the chance to interview many of the players.
They were still regularly receiving fan mail from all over the world – proof that football is not about what you do. It is also about the way that you do it.
It is not hard to pick flaws in that Brazil side. Big centre forward Serginho was a blunt instrument – a real threat at club level where wingers fired in crosses for him to attack, but lost when asked to combine with a wonderfully skilful midfield.
Valdir Peres was a long way from being Brazil’s best ever keeper. Both full backs were magnificent players. But Leandro on the right and Junior on the left wanted to be midfielders, and left space behind them – which Italy exploited.
There were two extra problems with Leandro. He was not in great physical shape – he was already suffering with his knees – and he was also poorly protected.
Eder played wide on the left, but there was no one doing a similar job on the right. The idea was that other players would rotate to fill this space.
It was not a great success. In the group phase against Scotland Zico even offered to come off at half time to make way for a genuine right winger.
Brazil, then, had chinks at the back and up front, and even their midfield had a balance which was not ideal.

Brazil boasted skill players like Zico who loved playing a possession gameCredit: Bongarts – Getty

Brazil won World Cup tournaments in both 1994 (pictured) and 2002 playing a more pragmatic styleCredit: AFP – Getty

But they could really make that ball sing. They were not a dribbling team.  Coach Tele Santana frowned on dribbling unless it was in the last third of the field.
Falcao, Toninho Cerezo, Zico, Socrates, Eder and Junior passed and moved with rare joy and creativity.
They were a great side – and it is a massive tribute to Paolo Rossi that on that day in Spain he was good enough to beat them.

Italy legend Paolo Rossi is taken from the morgue in Policlinico to Vicenza in Siena More

CRISTIANO Ronaldo lives a jet-set lifestyle, regularly travelling between his Turin base and his homeland, Portugal.
So it makes sense the Juventus star bought a Gulfstream G200 twin-engine jet in 2015 for £20million.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s £20m private jet has a bedCredit: Instagram

Ronaldo owns a Gulfstream G200Credit: Rex Features

He and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez have been seen making the most of the luxury transport.
And it’s worth every penny, as you’ll see here…
IT’S FAST!
Originally named the ‘Astra Galaxy’, the G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mph.
That means it takes Ronaldo roughly six hours and 25 minutes to fly from Funchal Airport on the island of Madeira to Turin in Italy.

Its range is up to 3,910 miles with four passengers in tow, so it’s ideal for quick flights from Italy to hubs around Europe.
But the G200 offers a generous seating configuration, and can fit as many as eight to 10 passengers for one flight.

Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez often use their private jet to zoom around EuropeCredit: Instagram @georginagio

Family games are easy for the Ronaldos onboard the spacious aircraftCredit: Instagram

The Gulfstream G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mphCredit: Alamy

It takes two crew members to man the G200Credit: Avbuyer
IT’S A RARITY
After its first flight in 1997 was followed by certification from the US and Israeli aviation agencies in 1998, the G200 was made available in 1999.
It was something of a rarity though, with only 250 ever made – making Ronaldo’s purchase that even more exclusive.

The final production G200 rolled off the production line in 2011, when the G250 started to gain popularity.
So, it’s vintage!
WHAT’S IT GOT?
As you can imagine, and what £20m buys you, the G200 is filled with features that’ll make flying in it a luxury.

Between eight to 10 passengers can travel at once on the private jetCredit: Instagram

Ronaldo bought the G200 in 2015Credit: Instagram

The G200 is vintage with only 250 ever madeCredit: Alamy

Ronaldo’s luxury G200 is the height of luxuryCredit: Privatefly

As well as being roomy, Ronaldo has a wardrobe where he store his designer clothes.
There’s Wi-Fi, a telephone, fax machine, electric oven, microwave, refrigerator, and an entertainment system.
Perhaps those who fly with CR7 are treated with an elaborate in-flight movie of his greatest goals collection. More