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      My dossier of evidence shows Kyle Walker will NEVER escape desperate Lauryn Goodman – her restaurant ambush proves it

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      IT IS a question most, if not all, who have followed this unsavoury saga have repeatedly asked (whilst scrolling through the latest plot twist): When will this end?For over a year now, football’s love cheat extraordinaire Kyle Walker has been unable to escape a scandal of his own making – and God knows he’s tried.Kyle has only ever done one sit-down interview about the scandal: a full mea-culpa with The Sun’s Paul Sims when the scandal erupted in January last yearCredit: BackGridCountless newspaper interviews with Lauryn Goodman followed the bombshell news in 2020 that she was expecting a ‘miracle’ baby with KyleKyle’s wife Annie Kilner has been made countless offers for an interview, but each one has been turned downCredit: GettyA BBC podcast and a football academy for under-privileged kids in his home city followed in a bid to soften his much-maligned public image, but to no avail.He even moved to Italy to join AC Milan on loan until the end of the season in the hope of fleeing the feeding frenzy.But if he thought he could start afresh abroad, his ex-mistress Lauryn Goodman, who he secretly fathered two children with, has news for him.Last week, in a set of carefully choreographed pictures she beamed in front of a removal van and revealed she too was moving to Italy in order to be closer to him.Ironic then, that the first person to pose the question ‘when will this end?’, was Lauryn herself.Man City star Kyle Walker confesses to betraying ‘soulmate & best friend’ Annie Kilner in astonishingly honest interviewAnd yet, if you dig deep enough, you’ll find a paper trail of evidence that suggests she is deliberately willing the saga to carry on.Countless newspaper interviews followed the bombshell news in 2020 that she was expecting a “miracle” baby with Kyle, 34.Even more followed after she detonated his marriage to wife Annie Kilner in December 2023 by revealing he had secretly fathered a second child with her.For the record, Annie has done none (offers have been made, but each one turned down).And Kyle has only ever done one sit-down: a full mea-culpa with me when the scandal erupted in January last year.In her latest interview, published this month, Lauryn invited OK! Magazine into the lavish £2.4million four-bedroom home Kyle bought for her and the kids in East Sussex.Glossy pictures across multiple pages accompanied an interview in which she revealed her plans to move.She teased: “For the last year I wished to have the option to move abroad because, with all of the drama, I’d like a life reset – but I’m not sure how that looks for us at the minute or what that entails.”She had previously contemplated a move to Dubai amid fevered speculation that Kyle was sizing up a move to the Saudi pro league.Last week, in a set of carefully choreographed pictures, Lauryn beamed in front of a removal van and revealed she too was moving to ItalyCredit: BackGridKyle moved to Italy to join AC Milan on loan until the end of the season in the hope of fleeing the feeding frenzyCredit: GettyIn October 2024, Annie filed for divorce from KyleCredit: SplashBut she was adamant – remember, this was only days ago – when she insisted: “It makes no difference to me where Kyle is, he could be on Mars right now for all I care.”And yet, here she is packing up and preparing to move to Italy to be on his very doorstep.There was no furniture on the lorry, no plants, kids toys – just boxes. And in a complete departure from anyone who has ever moved house, Lauryn was positively beaming from ear to ear.Surely, this wasn’t a stunt to obtain media coverage, a constructed plot twist to secure column inches?This, the same woman who insisted in yet another interview in February last year: “I need this to end.”One has to wonder why on earth she would subject herself – and their children – to the ongoing agony and heartache she has long since documented in the column inches of this and other newspapers.In her OK! interview Lauryn, 34, says: “I’ve been through hell and back fighting for my children and then absolutely being crucified for it in the process.Kyle Walker’s ex Lauryn Goodman in bid to QUIT UK with their kids – and makes plea to Man City star for help”There were days where I would just cry my eyes out. I’d think, can I continue with this?”I have to, for my children, because I’m the only one that they can depend on. But how strong does one person have to be?”Her big move to Italy is supposedly scheduled to take place this week – as Kyle settles in with his new teammates in the iconic San Siro stadium.But this is not the first time she has prepared to follow the England full-back.In May 2021, she wanted to move 245 miles from her home in Brighton to the upmarket Cheshire village – and footballers enclave – of Alderley Edge.EXPLOSIVE MOVEShe viewed an £895,000 five bedroom property on a plush new development – just five miles from Kyle and Annie’s home.At the time, a source said: “As if things weren’t difficult already, this is going to take it to another level completely.”The explosive move never materialised after Kyle increased her housing budget from £1.85million to £2.4million in a bid to placate her to maintain her distance.There were repeated hints on social media too of the paternity of her second child to Kyle, a baby girl born in the Summer of 2023.It fed feverish speculation online and drove the number of followers to her Instagram account.In response to claims she had given birth to a baby with “another footballer” she replied: “Just to clarify I have not had a baby with ‘another footballer’ as per news articles.”I know there is speculation around little one’s father and like I’ve stated publicly when the time is right.”Followers were quick to question if she had stressed it wasn’t ‘another’ footballer because Kyle was, in fact, the father of both children.Lauryn dragged Kyle to family court but a judge sensationally ruled against most of her cash pleasCredit: PAIn his withering judgement – published last July – Judge Edward Hess was scathing of her behaviourCredit: SplashThe social media influencer shares two children with the footballer after a flingCredit: social.saviour/InstagramAnd on her Instagram bio she wrote: “Mummy to @kairowalker & KW”. Posts with a “countdown” to a new post followed.In his withering judgement – published last July – Judge Edward Hess was scathing of her behaviour.She laid a trail of breadcrumbs and had “not just cooperated with, but actively instigated” the feeding frenzy, he concluded.He added: “Throughout 2023, he (Kyle) sought to keep secret the fact that he was Kinara’s father.”It is clear from the evidence that he was understandably embarrassed about this fact and anxious about how his wife would react when she found out.”In his attempts to persuade the mother to go along with the retention of secrecy, the father gave way to many of the financial demands of the mother which he might otherwise have resisted.Timeline of Kyle Walker & Annie Kilner’s relationshipEarly years – Kyle and Annie first meet in Sheffield when she was 15 and he was 17Euro 2016 – Walker caught messaging Playboy model Carla HoweApril 2019 – Annie dumps Kyle after his alleged romps with reality TV star Laura BrownApril 2020 – Kyle allegedly hosts sex party with two escorts during covid-19 lockdownFebruary 2020 – Lauryn Goodman gives birth to Kairo, her son with WalkerNovember 2021 – Walker and Kilner marry in secretMarch 2023 – Lauryn announces her second pregnancySpring 2023 – Kyle allegedly flashes and kisses another woman in a Vodka Revolution bar in CheshireAugust 2023 – Lauryn gives birth to a daughterJanuary 2024 – Annie announces split from Kyle after two years of marriage. It emerges Kyle is the dad of Lauryn’s second child. Kyle begs for forgiveness in exclusive Sun interview. Lauryn brands him a ‘pathological narcissist’October 2024 – Annie files for divorceJanuary 2025 – Kyle moves to Italy alone, with Annie refusing to join him. “The evidence before me has amply demonstrated that the mother was able to leverage these substantial increases by hinting that she would go public on the paternity issue.”She also threatened that if she did not get what she wanted she would select a home a stone’s throw away from his in Cheshire…an idea which she knew horrified the father.”If the father thought that these rather generous house budget increases would keep his paternity a secret, he was to be disappointed.”The mother plainly had no intention of keeping the matter secret.”I won’t be scapegoated or bullied and made to feel like a villain.Lauryn GoodmanBut there was more.In the Summer last year, as Kyle and his England teammates plotted a course to the final of the Euros, Lauryn travelled to Germany with son Kairo to watch him “in real life”.But she didn’t go to Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank stadium alone – she was naturally accompanied by a journalist and photographer.In an exclusive interview, featuring a blow-by-blow account of their trip, Lauryn said: “We are not here to please other people. It’s about Kairo and what is best for him and what is going to make him happy.”I won’t be scapegoated or bullied and made to feel like a villain. My children are my number one priority and they always will be.”Luckily I’m a strong woman and mother for them.”Lauryn even befriended Kyle’s neighbour in Cheshire – urging her to spy on him over the garden fence.Jasmine David said Lauryn became so obsessed it ‘was like being in Fatal Attraction’, the 1987 love rat revenge movieCredit: ZenpixThe couple have always put on a united front for the sake of the kidsCredit: InstagramJasmine David, 51, found herself caught in the middle of their bitter feud after befriending the Instagram influencer online.She was already at loggerheads with the England and Manchester City ace, 34, over a boundary dispute and took pity on Lauryn.In one text message Lauryn suggested Jasmine spy on Kyle and Annie – writing: “Needed to record that she was done. FML. Need all that on record. So BADLY.”Jasmine replied: “You can’t record somebody without their permission is (sic) illegal xx.”Lauryn wrote back: “Not to sell that you donut. You can have your phone recording in your garden.”Lauryn was madly in love with Kyle – that much was abundantly clear. I suspect he told her things she wanted to hear.In another message she speculates over the birthday plans for Kyle’s wife, model Annie Kilner.She refers to Instagram posts from Annie’s sister, Sian, who was booked in for a spray tan in Sheffield ahead of the celebrations.Lauryn texts: “Soooo I think they’re going out at the weekend. But probably not in Cheshire and I reckon he’ll join her, don’t you?”SPY CLAIMSIn fact, Annie partied at an Italian restaurant in Alderley Edge to celebrate her 30th.She posted pictures of her and Kyle – alongside the caption: “Wasn’t so bad turning 30 after all.”A day later, Lauryn posted a photograph of her in the same restaurant.Jasmine recalls growing increasingly uneasy as Lauryn obsessed over the Three Lions defender.She likened it to the 1987 thriller “Fatal Attraction”, starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close.She said: “Lauryn was madly in love with Kyle – that much was abundantly clear. I suspect he told her things she wanted to hear.”And she naturally wanted the relationship to develop further and wouldn’t let go when he chose Annie.”It spiralled into an unhealthy obsession.”I was Kyle’s neighbour and have been for years, but the truth is she knew more about what he was up to than I did.”I urged her to move on and live a happy life and to focus on her two beautiful children.”But she got caught up in it all and it got wildly out of hand.”Lauryn previously contemplated a move to Dubai amid fevered speculation that Kyle was sizing up a move to the Saudi pro leagueCredit: PAAnnie missed Kyle’s Serie A debut in the Milan derby, with the pair said to be barely speakingCredit: GettyDespite her many interviews, Lauryn had uncharacteristically appealed through her lawyers for Judge Hess to keep his financial remedies judgement private.It was perhaps understandable, given the likely contents.And so, in his final few paragraphs, Judge Hess lifted the car bonnet to reveal the inner workings of this particular scandal.He wrote: “It would be a nonsense, opening the court to ridicule, to try to redact or anonymise this judgment to prevent identification of the parties.”A perusal of the many hundreds of newspaper articles published about these matters clearly illustrates that the mother has not just cooperated with, but actively instigated, press coverage.”It sits ill for a person to come to court arguing for privacy for her children when, just a very short while earlier, she took a payment from the press to visit the European football championship with her son dressed in an England football shirt with the name ‘Daddy’ on the back.”If the children suffer any harm from the publicity of these matters, it has already happened, and it will largely be the result of the mother’s own decisions and actions.”And so, as Lauryn embarks on yet another chapter in this oh-so-long saga, the question still remains: When will this end? 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      How it all unravelled for ‘new Pele’ Robinho – from joining wrong Manchester club to languishing in Brazil jail

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      ROBINHO was hailed from an early age as the new Pele – even by the man himself.But instead of becoming another Brazilian football legend, Robinho is now one of the game’s most notorious criminals.Robinho once had the world at his feet – now he languishes in a Brazilian jail cellCredit: EPARobinho was once dubbed ‘the new Pele’ but saw his career implodeCredit: AlamyThe Brazilian former player is now in the ‘prison of the famous’Robinho, left, with Ronaldinho after winning the 2005 Confederations Cup in GermanyCredit: GettyAt the age of 12, he joined Pele’s old club Santos. At 24, he became the most expensive player in English football history when he joined Manchester City for £32.5million as the marquee signing of their new Abu Dhabi owners.But at 41, he is serving a nine-year sentence for gang rape.An Italian court heard in 2017 how Robinho and five friends attacked a woman in a Milan nightclub in 2013.After years of legal arguments, he finally entered Dr Jose Augusto Cesar Salgado P2 prison in Tremembe, Sao Paulo state, in March 2024.In the institution nicknamed ‘the prison of the famous’, the winner of league titles in five different countries has high-profile murderers for company.And within football, he is the ultimate pariah, even in Brazil.When Santos tried to bring him back for a fourth spell in 2020, there was public outcry and a major sponsor cut ties with the club.Inside Robinho’s jailDISGRACED footballer Robinho swapped his luxury seafront home for a hellish overcrowded prison housing murderers and follow rapists.The Brazilian, who has an estimated £60million net worth, now spends his days in a tiny 8m squared cell, which he shares with another inmate. Some cells sleep up to six prisoners.His new neighbours include a man who killed his own daughter, a man serving 98 years for kidnapping and murdering a 15-year-old girl and a doctor who abused 39 sedated patients.Robinho’s cell is said to have only one single bed, a small sink and a toilet built into the floor.A small barred up window provides just a glimpse of the outside world.All 430 inmates are forced to wear matching outfits of a white T-shirt and khaki pants.The former Real Madrid star is given four meals each day – the first being at 6am and the last at 5.30pm.He will be expected to work during his time behind bars.Prisoners make items such as school desks and chairs, or even toilet disinfectant tablets – something the P2 jail is known for.Inmates can also take acting lessons and participate in workshops on reading, literacy, and origami.While Robinho’s fellow prisoners gifted him some football boots to play during recreation times.Santos and Robinho cancelled the five-month deal and a career that had promised so much ended in infamy.Pele, who later died in 2022, did not offer his thoughts on this occasion.Court finds Ex-Man City star Robinho ‘brutally humiliated gang rape victim’But he had plenty to say about the young Robinho.When Pele saw Robinho at 15, three years after the young man had joined his former club, the legendary No10 said the winger reminded him of himself.Similar glory soon followed, as Robinho helped Santos win the Brazilian championship in 2002 and 2004.A horrible consequence of his growing celebrity was the kidnap of his mother Marina de Silva Souza in November 2004. She was returned unharmed after six weeks in captivity following the payment of a ransom.And her son regained enough form to seal a move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2005.He went with the blessing of Pele, who said: “He is already the best player in Brazil and he has all the qualities needed to be one of the best in the world.”Robinho, like the rest of the Galacticos, did not quite hit the heights that ambitious president Florentino Perez had hoped.Yet over his three seasons, which brought two LaLiga crowns, he was the third highest scorer behind Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy.But he was unhappy with his treatment by the Bernabeu bosses, who stopped him going to the Olympics and openly courted Cristiano Ronaldo.Robinho wanted out. But he did not end up where he thought he would.Robinho wanted Chelsea and is claimed to have believed he was joining Manchester United when he ended up at CityCredit: GettyHis transfer to Manchester City on deadline day in September 2008, hours after Sheikh Mansour completed his takeover, was not only one of the most expensive deal involving a British club – it also remains one of the most bizarre.Chelsea and their CEO Peter Kenyon were convinced they would reunite Robinho with former Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, their new manager.So convinced that the Blues’ website started offering fans the chance to pre-order shirts with his name on.Instead, Robinho found himself being unveiled at the Etihad – much to his own confusion, it seemed.Robinho said: “On the last day, Chelsea made a great proposal and I accepted.”Decapitated inmates & jailhouse warlords – inside Brazil’s hellish prisons where ex-Man City star Robinho faces 9 yearsA reporter replied: “You mean Manchester, right?”. “Yeah, Manchester, sorry!” answered Robinho.He also responded to criticism of the move by Pele, who said the player had been badly advised.Robinho said: “I accept Pele’s criticism as he is the king of football, but if he had been me, he would have done the same.“Real did not want to retain me. They even used me as a potential exchange to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. But as that negotiation fell through, they wanted to retain me then.”One story – or urban myth – says that Robinho thought he was signing for Manchester United.That has never been proved, but the-then City boss Mark Hughes helped fuel the rumours when interviewed years later about the deal.Timeline of Robinho’s rape caseThe rape case involving Brazilian footballer Robinho spans several years. Here’s a brief timeline:January 22, 2013: Robinho was one of a group of six men convicted of sexually assaulting an Albanian woman in a club during his stint for AC Milan.2014: Brazilian media reported on the allegations against Robinho, but no formal charges were filed at that time.2017: Robinho was found guilty of sexual assault by an Italian court and sentenced to nine years in prison. However, he denied the charges and appealed the verdict.2020: After the appeal process, Robinho’s sentence was upheld by the Italian court. But due to the statute of limitations in Italy, he was not extradited to serve his sentence.2022: Robinho’s prison sentence is ratified.March 2023: Robinho surrendered his passport to authoritiesNovember 2023: Italian prosecutors said they felt Robinho should serve his time in Brazil.March 20, 2024: Brazil’s Superior Court formed a simple majority and voted for Robinho to serve the sentence in his home country.Hughes said: “It was a crazy day, there were bids going out for Lionel Messi and all sorts! “We finally managed to get Robinho over the line which was a hell of a statement, and the rest is history. “There’s probably a grain of truth in the rumour that Robinho thought he was actually signing for Manchester United. “He certainly didn’t recognise me when he turned up, he was probably expecting to see Sir Alex Ferguson at the airport! “He was probably a bit disappointed to say the least.”Robinho’s recollectionRobinho later recalled: “My first goal was to go to Chelsea as it was the only club to have made a formal offer. “But Real did not like Chelsea shirts with my name on being sold before sorting out the negotiations.“Also, they did not reach the value Real demanded so then Manchester City came in at the last minute to sign me.”Whatever the truth, Robinho started his City career well, scoring a fine free kick on his debut against, of all teams, Chelsea.But a 3-1 defeat by the Premier League’s original moneybags club underlined how far City had to go.And Robinho would not be there to see the glory years as he and fellow Brazilian signings Jo and Elano failed to impress.Mark Bowen, Hughes’ assistant, reflected: “What we found was, for all his talent, Robinho – and maybe Elano at the time, and Jo – yes they were sticking together but they weren’t putting the shift in. “When the going got tough in certain games, you could almost see Robinho thinking “What am I doing here? I’ve come from Real Madrid’.”That could cause problems, sometimes on the training ground and matchdays in the dressing rooms. “They wanted to see that commitment of putting the effort in.”Inside Robinho’s cell in the notorious prisonRobinho started his promising career at Brazilian giants SantosCredit: AFPRobinho returned to Santos in 2010, 2014 and 2020 – with the latter causing uproarCredit: Getty Images – GettyRobinho returned to Santos on loan in early 2010 and helped them win another Brazilian title.But he was unable to secure a permanent deal to go home and was instead sold to AC Milan for £15m.With 14 goals in his first season, Robinho was a key figure in Milan’s Scudetto triumph and he scored 11 more as they finished runners-up the following year.Injuries took their toll, however, and in 2013, the year of the rape, he almost returned to Santos twice before agreeing a new San Siro deal on a lower salary.More injury problems hindered Robinho again and in the summer of 2014 he made his second return to Santos.That reunion lasted just a year, only for another to appear, as the winger joined the talent exodus to the mega-rich Chinese Super League to play under Scolari at Guangzhou Evergrande.Robinho scored three times in 10 league games in 2015 as he claimed a title in a fourth different country.Then it was back to Brazil again, this time with Atletico Mineiro. In the second of his two seasons there, he received a one-off recall to the Brazil squad.He made his 100th and final appearance for his country in January 2017 in a friendly against Colombia.Brazil picked a group of entirely home-based players for the match that was staged to raise money for Chapecoense, the Brazilian club that had lost 19 players when their plane crashed on the way to the Copa Sudamericana final in Colombia.Robinho is still married to his childhood sweetheart Vivian GuglielmettiCredit: ReutersThe allegations against Robinho are said to have broken VivianCredit: ReutersRobinho admitted cheating on his wife but denied rape at his trialCredit: Instagram / @robinhoRobinho was still only 33 and seemed to gain a new lease of life when he moved to Turkey.After a promising season and a half at Sivasspor, he joined newly-rich Istanbul Basaksehir and helped give them bragging rights over their three big city rivals as they lifted their first Turkish title in 2019-20.But Robinho could not enjoy that fifth league crown of his career for long.Santos announced his latest return on October 10, 2020. But the backlash was swift.Brazilian media published transcripts of voice and other messages that formed part of the 2017 trial in Milan at which Robinho was found guilty of raping the woman.In one message, Robinho said: “I’m laughing because I couldn’t care less, the woman was completely drunk, she has no idea what happened.”Inside Robinho’s family lifeIN 2009, Robinho married Vivian Guglielminetti. The couple have two sons, Robson Jr, 17, and Gianluca, 14, and a daughter Giulia, 9.Robinho and Vivian’s love story began when they were teenagers.The childhood sweethearts had been together 12 years prior to tying the knot in July 2009 at the Casa Grande hotel in Guaruja, Brazil.At the time Robinho was already playing for City and was still the Premier-League’s highest paid player, earning £165k-a-week.Vivian initially postponed their wedding when Robinho was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in Leeds earlier that year.The wedding was rescheduled after the case was dropped and Robinho and Vivian have remained together since – despite Robinho’s current convictions.But the allegations broke Vivian, who told police she stood there like a “stupid woman who doesn’t know anything”.Son Robson Jr is following in his father’s footballing footsteps, having signed a professional deal with Santos.He’s regarded as one of the gems of their youth academy and already has a release clause of over £40m, with European sides likely to come calling.In another chat Robinho insisted he did not have sex with the victim.His friend replied: “I saw you when you put your penis inside her mouth.”Robinho’s response was: “That doesn’t mean having sex.”Orthopride, a leading dental health firm in Brazil, cancelled its shirt sponsorship in protest at Robinho returning to Santos.Chief operating officer Richard Adam said: “We have enormous respect for Santos’ history. But at this point, we have decided to terminate the sponsorship contract.“Our audience is mostly female and, out of respect for the women who buy our products, we had to make that decision.“We want to make it clear that we were not previously informed about the signing of Robinho, we were taken by surprise by the news over the weekend.”Robinho and Santos finally read the room and cancelled the contract, leaving him to concentrate on his defence.The player always protested his innocence and claimed his sexual contact with the woman in 2013 was consensual.Brazilian jails are overloaded with dozens of convicts in a single cell in some placesRobinho was transferred to Penitentiary 2 of Tremembe, in Sao Paulo, where he will serve his nine-year sentenceCredit: Laurene Santos/TV VanguardaBut later in 2020, the Milan Court of Appeals upheld Robinho’s conviction and sentence, finding that he had “belittled” and “brutally humiliated” the victim and misled investigators with a false account of what happened.In January 2022, Italy’s Supreme Court of Cessation also confirmed the original trial’s findings and a month later an international arrest warrant was issued for Robinho.Brazil does not extradite its citizens to overseas jurisdictions and refused to hand over Robinho and his friend Ricardo Falco, who had also been found guilty of the rape.But in 2023, Italy asked Brazil to make them serve their sentences in Brazil under a law that had been introduced in 2017.On March 20, 2024, the Brazilian authorities agreed to impose the nine-year sentence on Robinho. Two days later, he was arrested and jailed – justice was finally served, 11 years after the crime.Robinho is now a different kind of celebrity.Some reports credit him with helping to set up a controlled version of Tinder that allowed inmates in his jail to make contact with those in a nearby women’s prison. It is a distasteful and disturbing idea.Among Robinho’s fellow inmates are notorious murderers, including Lindemberg Alves, a man who kidnapped and shot dead 15-year-old former girlfriend Eloa Cristina Pimentel in 2008.Despite that appalling crime, Alves was among the prisoners let out for 11 days over Christmas 2024, according to local reports.But Robinho spent the festive season behind bars.Cells at the Dr Jose Augusto Cesar Salgado P2 prison are between eight metres and 12 metres squared. Up to six men cram into each one.Robinho was once spoken of in the same breath as Pele. After one of football’s most shocking falls from grace, he is now forced to share the air with fellow criminals. More

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      From football’s poster boy to bench-warmer… Grealish now has more brand deals than goals & even keeper has more assists

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      THE images are iconic – a topless Jack Grealish, drenched by rain, fuelled by an almighty booze bender, riding an open-top bus and the crest of a wave.Manchester City had just won the Treble and the most expensive player ever purchased by English football’s richest club had played a major role in an historic triumph.Images of Jack Grealish celebrating Manchester City’s incredible Treble have become iconicCredit: AFPFans loved images of Grealish’s boozy open-top bus parade anticsCredit: AFPThe £100m star had played a pivotal role in City’s stunning trophy blitzCredit: GettyBut a year and a half later, what the hell has happened to Grealish?City’s Brummie wideman can barely get a game – he has played just 33 minutes of Premier League football since Christmas and has been an unused sub in four of City’s last six matches in the competition. Grealish is a creative player who has provided fewer Premier League assists (one) than goalkeeper Ederson (two) this season.And since that 2023 Treble, Grealish has had more sponsorship deals than his six top-flight goal involvements.He is a face of Gucci, of Pepsi, of Puma, of Bose audio equipment, of Airwayz drones and of Kinetica Sports nutrition.Last summer, cardboard cut-outs of Grealish adorned our supermarkets, urging us to spread Hellman’s mayonnaise on our barbecue burgers, while watching England at the Euros.Except that Grealish wasn’t there in Germany. He had been axed from Gareth Southgate’s squad, a shock late omission which prompted near-mutiny among some of his team-mates.   Grealish is a hugely popular figure with fellow players, one of those infectious personalities who illuminate a dressing-room.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSTo England supporters he has been a cult hero, with his relative lack of game time often used as a stick with which to clobber the supposedly-cautious Southgate.Commercial partners lap up the good looks and ready smile that make him a natural-born poster boy.Grealish, whose sister Hollie has cerebral palsy, frequently engages with disabled fans in person and with video messages, as well as being an ambassador for Special Olympics UK.Moment Jack Grealish needs a helping hand at hotel as he lets his hair down in Dubai after missing out on Euros squadGrealish’s sister Hollie has cerebral palsy and Jack always makes time to engage with disabled fansCredit: @JackGrealishBut Grealish has largely been reduced to a bench role so far this seasonCredit: ReutersAlso, you won’t find too many members of the media delighting in Grealish’s descent – a sitdown interview with ‘Super Jack’ is a rare pleasure. The man is honest and engaging with a wicked sense of humour.The problem is the actual football.Asked about his decision to select Brazilian winger Savinho over Grealish in the 4-1 win over West Ham last month, Pep Guardiola was almost as brutal about his player as Ruben Amorim had been about Marcus Rashford.Although, while Rashford attracted plenty of interest during the January window before joining Aston Villa on loan, the idea of a move for Grealish was never seriously mooted.A sitdown interview with ‘Super Jack’ is a rare pleasure. The man is honest and engaging with a wicked sense of humour. The problem is the actual football.After that West Ham win, Guardiola said: “Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack and that’s why I played Savinho.“Do I want the Jack that won the Treble? Yeah, I want it, but I try to be honest with myself.”They have to fight. You can say it’s unfair. Okay, if you think that, then it’s fine, but you have to prove (to me), ‘Okay, I’m going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position’, every single day, every single week and every single month.”I don’t have any doubt about the quality of Jack… I fought a lot for him to be here. “I know that he can do it because I saw him. I saw his level and I want that, every single training session and every single game.”This strongly hinted that – like Rashford at United – Grealish has not been training or preparing well enough.And since then, Grealish’s only Premier League appearance came as a sub at Ipswich, when City were already 5-0 up.Over the next five days, City will face Leyton Orient and Real Madrid.Fashionable Grealish inked a reported seven-figure deal with GucciCredit: InstagramGrealish penned a deal with Hellmans before the Euros – only to be dropped by EnglandCredit: CollectGrealish has signed more sponsorship deals than his six top-flight goal involvements since winning the TrebleCredit: SuppliedBose are another of Grealish’s sponsorship dealsCredit: BoseGrealish might get a run-out at Brisbane Road in the FA Cup on Saturday but is highly unlikely to start against the 15-time champions of Europe on Tuesday night.So what has gone wrong? Since his £100million arrival from Villa in 2021, there has often been a feeling that Guardiola has clipped Grealish’s wings, stifling his natural tendency to dribble and beat defenders, taking much of the joy out of his game.Southgate’s reluctance to start Grealish – who won 20 of his 36 caps from the bench during the former England manager’s reign – was born of the idea that the player was at his best as the main man in a limited Villa side.That he is a ‘big fish in a small pond’ player and that for England, as well as City, his influence is reduced.His reputation as a pretty-boy poser is lazy and unfair. Grealish is a fighter, who has taken more kickings than most, on and off the field.Interestingly, in three appearances as a No 10 under Lee Carsley, Grealish scored twice – doubling his international goals tally before he thanked the interim boss for “bringing back the enjoyment in an England shirt”. There is a widespread image of Grealish as a show pony, as Scotland’s Stephen O’Donnell admitted when he went public with his wind-up tactics after the goalless draw with the auld enemy at the Euros in 2021.“I was telling him how good looking he was and that I loved his calves,” said O’Donnell. “I was asking him how he got his hair like that.”Grealish engaged in ‘banter’ about his famous calves in a surreal exchange with the Shrek character Donkey on a pre-season trip to Orlando Universal Resort last summer.Grealish has another deal with boot manufacturers PumaCredit: PumaAnd has been promoting Kinetica sports nutritionCredit: SuppliedBut his reputation as a pretty-boy poser is lazy and unfair. Grealish is a fighter, who has taken more kickings than most, on and off the field.He became a father last year, will turn 30 this September and is contracted to City until 2027.With City well stocked for widemen – Savinho, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku, as well as their new versatile £59million forward Omar Marmoush – it is surely time for him to seek a new challenge this summer.Grealish is too talented a footballer to warm the bench for much longer.He must rediscover the sense of adventure that made him a Treble-winner on a double-decker with a singular ability to light up a football ground. More

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      in Soccer

      Wembley glory win will be nice… but Newcastle need Champions League to keep £150m Alexander Isak from Arsenal and Co

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      A WEMBLEY CUP triumph will be nice – but it’s Champions League football that Newcastle need to hang on to Alexander Isak long-term.The Swedish superstar showed long-term suitors Arsenal once again exactly what he can do as he helped fire the Magpies to a second Carabao Cup final in three seasons.Eddie Howe is desperate to bring the first trophy to Tyneside in 70 yearsCredit: RexBut the Toon manager will be more eager to hang onto Alexsander IsakCredit: GettyIsak, 25, tormented Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba from the first whistle on what proved to be a famous night at St James’ Park.Although he failed to add to his 19 goal haul this term, the forward was at his majestic best as the Magpies won 2-0 to seal a 4-0 aggregate victory over the Gunners.That booked them another date under the arch and provided Isak with an opportunity to achieve legendary status on Tyneside in the final next month.It’s been 70 years since the club last won a major cup, and if he can score the winner at Wembley, don’t bet against a statue of him being resurrected outside SJP.Medals and glory are what every kid dreamed of growing up – but it is regular Champions League football that elite players now need.Isak, of course, has had a taste of that already on Tyneside but the club know they need to return there to stave off interest from the likes of Arsenal and Europe’s top dogs.It’s where the big boys play and the big bucks are paid out.Understandably, fans are starting to get ultra defensive whenever the prospect of his potential departure is brought up.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSEspecially when Arsenal’s name gets thrown into the conversation.Isak has been continually linked with a move to their Premier League rivals despite being under contract until 2028, a date that leaves Newcastle chiefs quite relaxed about his situation.Arsenal fans will have watched Carabao Cup disaster and wished Alexander Isak was playing for them – he’s unbelievableSun Sport understands that Isak still remains one of Mikel Arteta’s top targets, and that they will try to go all out to try and get him… even if it costs them the reported £150m price tag.He is already one of the top earners at Newcastle on £130,000-a-week as well.Isak, a club-record £63m buy from Real Sociedad in 2022, has earned every penny of those wages with his performances on the pitch.Last season he became the first Toon star since Alan Shearer two decades ago to hit 20 Premier League goals.Even finally ending that long trophy-drought may not quite be enough for Isak.And after a slow start to this season he has rediscovered his top form with his recent eight-game scoring run in the Prem.Although tentative talks over an improved deal may have stalled, they are set to resume in the summer, but it is unlikely to just be the money on offer that proves crucial.And even finally ending that long trophy-drought may not quite be enough for Isak.During a recent interview with Toon’s all-time top marksman Shearer he did little to dampen talk of a potential big-money transfer.When Super Al brought up Erling Haaland’s recent new nine-year deal and asked what was next for Isak, the Magpies ace vaguely replied: “We’ll see. You never know.”Isak has scored 17 goals and counting this seasonCredit: ReutersIsak still remains one of Mikel Arteta’s top targetsCredit: ReutersBut if Newcastle can build on their cup run and secure a top four finish then that could be pivotal… if not then the speculation won’t go away.And it’s fair to say that his manager Eddie Howe would not be the only one devastated to see Isak leave – even if it was for mega money.The Toon Army have always loved No9s, from Jackie Milburn and Malcolm Macdonald to the likes of Andy Cole and Shearer in more recent times.However, Isak is a little different, producing magic with 14 on his back, and he is in no rush to follow in the footsteps of those greats named above.Every top star now wants to play their best on the biggest stage – the Champions League.He said: “Many great players have had the No14. You had [David] Ginola from Newcastle and when I signed, out of the numbers that were available, I think that No14 was the most iconic.“I’m doing well, I’m happy with 14. But, on the other hand, I know the number nine is a special shirt for the fans.”It was not even out-and-out strikers that Isak grew up idolising either.Spain’s LaLiga was the most-covered football during his childhood years, and that meant it was Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that he tried to emulate.And even now, despite his ruthlessness in front of goal, he has a lot more to his game than just sticking the ball in the onion bag.Isak told Alan Shearer that he and his team-mates want to be back in the Champions League next seasonCredit: ReutersHe explained: “I was more into dribbling, skills… I liked the street football style.“That’s the player I want to be and enjoy my football out there. That’s when I think that I play my best.”And every top star now wants to play their best on the biggest stage – the Champions League.Isak even admitted as much himself at the end of 2024, saying: “The whole team are very ambitious. We played Champions League last year and it is in our mind to get back there.“It is a long way to go until the end of the season so I don’t think we should be looking too much at the table.“The ambition of the team is of course to get in Europe again. We just need to take one game at a time.”ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Saliba will be having nightmares about Isak as Lewis-Skelly is only Gunners star to show upARSENAL were humbled by Newcastle at St James’ Park as the Magpies beat them 2-0 to secure a spot in the League Cup final.The North Londoners knew they needed to take an early advantage if they were to overturn the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates.But Jacob Murphy was on hand to put the Magpies a goal ahead after Alexander Isak’s shot rebounded off of the post and out to him.Shortly after the break, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead to all but confirm a second League Cup final in three years for Eddie Howe.Here’s how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the Gunners.David Raya – 5Stitched Declan Rice right up for the second goal.And that absolutely killed this as a contest for his side.Jurrien Timber – 6Tried to get forward and support the attack early but soon found himself dropping deeper to avoid being caught on the counter.Tough night for the Dutchman up against Gordon in front of the red-hot home crowd.William Saliba – 4Let frustration get the better of him when he got himself booked for grabbing Anthony Gordon’s shirt.And the winger almost embarrassed him again at the start of the second period when he caught the defender sleeping, nicked the ball from him, but could only shoot wide.The usually assured star will be having nightmares of Gordon and Isak.Gabriel Magalhaes – 6Another who struggled to contain Toon’s two pacey attacking threats but did fair slightly better than his usually formidable partner.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7Another assured performance from the full-back in a raucous atmosphere.Could not be faulted for any of the goals and showed flashes off his potential despite the humbling.Martin Odegaard – 6Everything Arsenal did try came through the skipper.Although he loses a mark as things could have been a very different story if he had finished his first half effort had hit the inside rather than outside of the post.Thomas Partey – 6Plenty of running about but very little to show or product for his efforts.Declan Rice – 6Looked to take a knock late in the first half and continued to struggle on after the restart.Was hung out to dry by his goalie for the second goal and he did keep pushing until the very end.But it was a disappointing night for the England star and his partner Partey as they came up short against Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.Gabriel Martinelli – 5Struggled to get past big Dan Burn during his brief time on the pitch.And his night was brought to an abrupt end when he limped off before the break.Kai Havertz – 4Outmuscled, outbattled and outthought but Svan Botman and Fabian Schar.Produced zilch on an evening when he and his team-mates lacked creativity and ideas.Leandro Trossard – 5Many will have been fancying him to cause some problems for the 34-year-old Kieran Trippier but the veteran had him in his pocket all night.Arteta had seen enough by the hour mark and opted to let Raheem Sterling have a go instead.Subs usedEthan Nwaneri (37 mins for Martinelli) – 6Desperately tried to inject some pace and threat into the faltering Arsenal attack but the task proved too much for the young Gunn.He should have plenty more big occasions to look forward to though in his career.Mikel Merino (70 mins for Odegaard) – 5The game was already done and dusted when he entered the fray for battle.Some nice touches, but like those before him, he couldn’t produce anything for the visitors.Raheem Sterling (61 mins for Trossard) – 4Got half an hour to try and get at Trippier but, just like Trossard before him, he was not given an ounce of joy.Riccardo Calafiori (78 mins for Timber) – 4Was brought on simply to get some minutes in his legs.Jorginho (78 mins for Partey) – 4See above. Little chance to make an impact with the game well and truly over. More

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      in Soccer

      Ridiculous scorelines, bizarre gaffes, fanatical fans & celebrations with a GOAT… inside Europe’s most bonkers league

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      IT’S the most bonkers league in Europe… one that makes even our Championship look predictable.A division where the team currently sitting third haven’t won a home game all season.Fans at Schalke vs FC Nurnberg showed it’s a cracker of a divisionCredit: RexMagdeburg fans haven’t seen their high-fliers win at home all seasonCredit: GettyFans let off firebombs when Schalke faced Magdeburg at the Veltins-ArenaCredit: GettyWhere 8-3 scorelines are not considered unusual.And where one club hands out free tickets to its fans.Welcome to the wacky world of the German Second Division.While Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich have made an unsurprising return to the Bundesliga summit, the division below is once again conjuring its unique brand of chaos and craziness.In 20 matchdays this season, the team leading at the top of the table has changed nine times and in mid-December the gap between first and ninth was just three points.Magdeburg, who are now third, have not won a single league game at home this season in nine attempts – yet they topped the division in late January.Cologne currently lead the way. A city famous for its twin-spire cathedral, Lukas Podolski kebab house and bizarre love of Tony Woodcock – they don’t do things by halves when it comes to football.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis month they will bring out another outrageous kit to celebrate carnival time (they once finished a season with seven different shirts) and the fans will embark on a week-long party in fancy dress.But for Cologne, that is pretty much the norm. This is the club that has a live billy goat mascot, who arrives for every match with the Rocky theme tune blaring and a line of cheerleaders… and then spends the game grazing on the touchline.Cologne star Anthony Ujah celebrates goal by grabbing horns of goat mascot Anthony Ujah once ‘celebrated’ a goal by grabbing the horns of Cologne’s famous goat mascot, HennesHamburg supporters see the famous club languishing in the second tierCredit: GettyHe even unwittingly joined in a goal celebration when former striker Anthony Ujah memorably grabbed his horns a decade ago.Anywhere other than Germany, and you would probably raise an eyebrow.But that is the beauty of the 2. Bundesliga, where every week something bizarre seems to happen.This season, in a match between Magdeburg and Greuther Furth, two penalties were awarded for players inexplicably picking up the ball, believing the whistle had blown.A few years back, VAR awarded a spot-kick to Bochum after a Kiel sub warming up behind the goal put out a leg to stop a wayward shot before it had left the field of play.And Brentford keeper Mark Flekken needs no reminding about the time he turned his back on the action to have a drink, thinking his Duisburg team had scored, only for the goal to be ruled out and Ingolstadt to run down the other end and net themselves.But don’t be fooled into thinking there is a lack of quality. Far from it.Rudi Voller, Jurgen Klinsmann, Marco Reus and Joshua Kimmich are among a host of star names who have all cut their teeth in the German second tier.And a certain Jurgen Klopp made his name there both as a player and manager with Mainz.As for the clubs, it is not just Cologne who are a powerhouse.Brentford keeper Mark Flekken was playing for MSV Duisburg when he famously conceded a goal while getting a drink of waterFlekken was left embarrassed when Ingolstadt scoredHamburg, Kevin Keegan’s old outfit, are second in the table and the other week took 20,000 away fans to another giant Hertha Berlin, resulting in a staggering attendance of 71,500 at the Olympiastadion – which hosted England’s Euro 2024 final against Spain.Former Bundesliga winners Kaiserslautern had plummeted into the third division but are now pushing for a return to the top flight, having gone from ninth to third in the space of a week in early December.Hannover are also knocking on the door, just behind Fortuna Dusseldorf, a club that is once again handing out free tickets to its matches as part of its Fortuna For All initiative.Last season, Dusseldorf trialled it for three games and received 350,000 ticket applications. This season, they extended it to four matches, with the Hamburg game in October attracting 135,000 requests for its 52,000-capacity stadium.And then there’s Schalke.Having reached the Champions League in 2019, they were trounced 7-0 at Manchester City and have lurched from one crisis to another ever since.Schalke, who still count former Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny among their ranks, sat top of the table after the first match of this season.But within a month they were flirting with relegation to the third tier of German football.To put that into perspective, they are the third biggest club in the country, akin to an Arsenal or a Tottenham. And when was the last time you saw Spurs mentioned in the same breath as relegation…England legend Kevin Keegan was with Hamburg from 1977-1980Credit: GettyAnother ex-Three Lions striker, Tony Woodcock, has icon status at CologneCredit: GettyDespite Schalke’s woes, their attendances still average just over 60,000.In fact, six clubs average more than 41,000 and as of last weekend, a whopping 5.5million fans had watched a match this season in the division.And where there are German football fans, there is beer and bratwurst – and lots of it.Schalke’s stadium, sponsored by brewers Veltins, has its own three-mile long beer pipeline so their long-suffering supporters are never short of a pint, while the club is still backed by a sausage magnate.The fans aren’t starved of entertainment either.Ridiculous scorelines and incredible comebacks are a regular occurrence, with the second tier averaging 3.19 goals a game. Even our wildly unpredictable Championship has managed only 2.48.On 13 of the 20 matchdays, at least one club scored five goals in a match, and on one of the weeks when it didn’t happen, five teams still netted four each.Nuremberg’s 8-3 win over Regensburg – a match that was 3-3 in the 58th minute – is still the highest scoring this season.But there has also been a 5-3 and a 4-4, while 4-3s are as common as a love of lederhosen.Throw in the fact the average season ticket costs you £170 and you can see the appeal.So if you like your football fast and frenetic, your beer strong and cheap and your sausages a foot long, you know exactly where to go.Magdeburg are dreaming of promotion to the elite domain of Bayern and CoCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Vinnie Jones buried my tortoise alive while landscaping our back garden… he told me ‘play on son, the ref didn’t see it’

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      VINNIE JONES buried my tortoise alive.It’s not exactly “Freddie Starr ate my hamster” – thankfully dear little Lightning was swiftly dug up, suffering nothing more than a dose of shell shock. But it’s a very true tale.Jones was part of the legendary Wimbledon team who caused one of football’s biggest upsets by beating Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup finalCredit: GettyThe team lived up to their Crazy Gang tag on and off the pitchCredit: GettyVinnie with Wally Downes Snr after joining Wimbledon in 1986 and then burying his team-mate’s tortoiseLightning enjoying happier times above groundIn 1986, Watford hod carrier Vincent Peter Jones was signed by newly-promoted top-flight side Wimbledon as a young but raw prospect with oodles of potential.In one of the many debacles that plagued Harry Bassett’s magnificent and underrated career, he put the shy Hertfordshire bumpkin under the wing of my dad, midfielder Wally Downes Sr, and said: “Look after him.”With Bassett’s Crazy Gang being a successful rabble of local working-class lads, when the Downes family swapped Shepherds Bush for Kingston-Upon-Thames, my old man didn’t check the Yellow Pages for landscape gardeners.Instead, established first-team pros Mark Morris and Brian Gayle were made project managers – with Jones and a couple of young apprentices roped in to do the leg work.Vin, full of the boundless enthusiasm that would later help him complete the most magnificent FA Cup upset, was eager to impress and set about building the patio.Typically keen to graduate from the cement mixer to more architectural duties, the baby-faced and curly-haired midfielder installed the membrane with expert precision.And then he organised the Dons’ apprentices to rapidly lay the paving slabs to help build new mentor Wally a bespoke BBQ and bar under the glorious weeping willow beloved by the previous owner.Unfortunately, the ex-tenant had also left behind Lightning – a beautiful tortoise who was hibernating throughout the course of the property’s sale.It was agreed after the deeds were exchanged that my mum, Mary, would be in touch as soon as the ancient reptile emerged from its slumber.However, in the weeks after we had the new patio laid, the dinky dinosaur never showed up.Vinnie Jones and Gazza reunited 30 years on from THAT grab And, after repeated visits to the mock-Tudor home, the deflated former owner eventually accepted the loss, along with the estate agents’ fees.Then we realised…And, thankfully before the RSPCA cottoned on, animal-loving Vinnie took a sledgehammer to his freshly laid paving and rescued the bemused Lightning – who is somehow still going today – from the most miserable of deaths.Christ knows what the new neighbours thought, having watched the equivalent of a Premier League side strolling through the allotments and alleyways to build a garden.Lightning, with Wally Jr’s son, also Wally, has somehow survived up to this todayVinnie attacked the rescue mission with the same gusto with which he attacked gamesCredit: GettyThe ball-playing hardman was never afraid to get his hands dirty, as this iconic image of him embracing Paul Gascoigne from 1988 provesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdAnd he certainly never shied away from a challengeCredit: AP:Associated PressAnd then watching them rip into the ground like desperate pirates looking for treasure, while screaming: “Where the f*** has he buried it?… Get the f***ing thing up before it suffocates!”The patio was eventually re-laid – but the Downes family never did make it on to the Neighbourhood Watch committee.After nine Wales caps and big-money moves to Leeds and Chelsea, plus the odd scandal here and there, Vinnie remains a great family friend.Books and documentaries about the phenomenal feats the Dons achieved – including that 1988 “Crazy Gang beating the Culture Club” FA Cup final upset against Liverpool – regularly pop up, anniversaries come and go.Legends like London youth-football stalwart Geoff Taylor and the Dons’ unlicensed physio/licenced cab driver Derek French are still alive, kicking and screaming from London to Sheffield.I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record timeTeetotal Vinnie is now, of course, a movie star with over 100 film credits to his name, swapping his bad-boy antics for roles in hit shows such as The Gentlemen and on stage in the West End.The fearsome image of a scrotum-squeezing maniac scything through the divisions – which earned Vinnie a reputation that overshadowed his technical ability and dedication as a player – is a black-and-white one for the ages.He will probably always be the owner of the fastest yellow card in British football history for his caution after just FIVE SECONDS for Sheffield United against Manchester City in 1992.But he is also a brilliantly relatable advocate for men’s mental health, showing a vulnerable side few people would ever have thought possible, following the heartbreaking death of wife Tanya.He may now be starring in Hollywood movies with the likes of Brad Pitt, Sly Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record time.A future football star obliterating bricks and mortar in a frantic search for a tortoise who didn’t have a clue why her charmed little life on a Surrey lawn had suddenly descended into a living hell.Even when I pinged him a WhatsApp message to ask for his memories of the foul-up, he told me, in typical style: “Play on, son. The ref didn’t see it.”Vinnie, seen here in his breakthrough Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels film from 1998, is now a bonafide Hollywood starCredit: AlamyVinnie in his dressing room with Wally Snr during his recent stint in Only Fools and Horses The Musical in London’s West EndHis football talents should not be forgotten though, with the midfielder earning big money moves to Chelsea and Leeds, among othersCredit: GettyHe also represented Wales nine timesCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      in Boxing

      Confessions of a ring girl: You get covered in blood, sweat & tears – and the way my boxer lover two-timed me was brutal

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      GEMMA Jones has wowed fight fans as a ring girl for seven years and worked at around 700 events – but she has revealed it is far from the glamorous life people might think it is.From cheating boxers to wardrobe malfunctions and insane pre-fight diets, Gemma tells The Sun the truth about life in the ring. Gemma has worked as a ring girl for seven yearsShe has performed at over 700 fights and still loves it at the age of 37The stunning 37-year-old can perform at up to two events every weekend, sometimes working from 1pm until midnight.She earns up to £500 every time, covering mainly MMA, cage fighting and bare knuckle bouts – and juggles her work with being a mum-of-three and another job as a skin treatment expert.Here she lifts the lid on why the life of a ring girl is definitely not all superstars and stilettos….Why I’ll never date another boxerI’ve got a lovely boyfriend, he works in fashion and we were friends for five years before we started going out last year.But four years ago I did date a boxer for a few months until I found out in the worst way possible that he was a cheat.I love boxing and was in the audience for a fight when my friendtold me not to look behind me.I did and right behind me was my boyfriend and anotherwoman who it transpired was actually his girlfriend of years.It all kicked off and he even blamed me and tried to accuse me of causing problems – and it turned out I wasn’t the only woman he’d cheated with.While some of the boxers are lovely, others think they’re God’s gift to women and are very arrogant. I’m never going to risk getting one of the bad ones again.We’re a knockoutPart of the job description is looking great. I’m not one for make-up most of the time, but I’ll spend a good hour or more doing my hair and make-up before I go into the ring. I get my nails done regularly too and go on sunbeds.I carry a huge bag full of everything I need with me – including spare tights as they often get laddered getting into the ring.But it’s not glamorous, the big changing rooms are rightly reserved for the fighters, so sometimes we have a small dressing room, but others we’re doing it in the loos.Conor McGregor parties with his army of ring girls in club just weeks before comeback at UFC 303 vs Michael ChandleThere have been times when other girls have been sent away as they don’t look as good as their photographs.I have to look smiley even when I’ve got a huge wedgie up my bottomIt might sound awful, but I think it’s fine – the bottom line is it is about looking gorgeous in the ring. It would be like someone wanting to be an accountant who can’t do maths.I used to be a model before my best friend asked me to join her doing this. I love my job and don’t think it’s exploitative at all.There are boxers who for religious reasons don’t want us in the ring with them and that’s fine.And if there are going to be children at the show we cover up more and wear leggings rather than skimpy shorts and long sleeves.Gemma admits it’s ‘all about looking gorgeous in the ring’Suffer to be beautifulThere are days when I don’t feel my best. When I first started I used to only drink water for two days before a fight.I can’t do that any more but I’m fairly careful with what I eat. I start my day with a cup of tea, but then I drink lemon water for the rest of the day.I have a meal replacement shake and then a healthy supper. And I work out in the gym too.If I do have a day when I feel bloated, I’ll wear not one but two pairs of shapewear pants.I have to be up there looking smiley, while it feels like I’ve got a huge wedgie up my bottom.I’m just grateful we aren’t allowed to wear stilettos – there’s a worry they’d pierce the floor of the ring so we either wear block heels or trainers.Crowd pleasing… or notWe aren’t only there to announce the round they’re on. We lead in the boxers and get into the ring with them.And we get the crowd enthused, so we might blow kisses back to men who blow them at us, or go in and mingle with people who want to take selfies with us.We are often in front of an audience of over a thousand – the smallest venue I do is around 700.I’ve held the wrong number up or held it upside down, even though I never drink on the jobGenerally, they are pretty good. If women are there they are much more likely to shout abuse like calling us s**gs. I can only remember one occasion when a man shouted abuse at me, and then his girlfriend came and sat down next to him and I realised why.If that happens though, I can talk to one of the promoters and people will get removed – there’s no reason why we should put up with abuse for doing our job.Gemma has worked in most types of combat sports including MMAShe has also worked at bareknuckle bouts and cagefighting eventsBut it’s often far from glamorous, with the girls having to get ready in the toilets sometimesDanger zoneYou have to be prepared to be covered in blood, particularly at a bare knuckle fight – and then at the end you often get hugged by the fighters, and covered in sweat, and the loser sometimes ends up crying so you get soggy from their tears.I always feel sorry for the loser, they’ll have trained for months and it’s such a blow to their pride.The crowd can kick off in a fight and I’ve nearly been hit by a beer bottle.But my worst injury was during a cage fight. I was in there while they warmed up and one of the fighters accidentally pushed me and I ended up with my face pressed against the bar.The outfits are extremely revealing and risk wardrobe malfunctionsMishaps and mayhemI’ve made so many mistakes in my years. I’ve fallen down the stairs leading boxers in and got stuck getting into the ring.The first time I did it, I was so nervous. The other girl waslovely and very experienced and told me just to copy her walk. I looked like Bambi on ice skates, but I soon got used to it and now sashay like a pro.I’ve also held up the wrong number for the round, or held it upside down or even the wrong way round – despite the fact that I never drink on the job, though some girls can, it’s notgenerally forbidden.I live in fear of my boobs popping out when I bend over to get in the ring, so though I wear push up bras, I make sure they’re sturdy ones that will hold me in whatever.My other nightmare is when I’m on my period – our bottoms are so skimpy we cut the strings off our Tampax so they can’t accidentally be seen.For the love of itUnless you’re an absolute top ring girl, there isn’t a lot of money in it.I top up my income by being an aesthetics practitioner, though I don’t do my own Botox and lip fillers.Some ring girls are with agents, but my best friend and I have got great contacts so we sort our own bookings and I could work every weekend if I wanted to.If you use an agency, you might get to the bigger fights, but there’s loads of competition.And of course your agent takes a big slice of your money and you don’t get much unless it’s a massive fight.I usually get paid between £120 and £500. And the vast majority of ring girls are on the same as me.But I love doing the job, so don’t have any plans to give up.And though I’m 37, I’m by no means the oldest ring girl – some do it well into their 40s.It’s a huge buzz standing in the ring with everyone cheering and clapping and the atmosphere is great.And I’ve been doing it for so long that I’m friends with some of thepromoters and even the boxers. One of them I know really well and he finds it funny to lick my face after he’s won. And I love boxing too.Gemma juggles her ring girl work with another job and raising three girls, including Kacy, who is disabledFriends of daughter Caitlan, left, tease her about her ‘foxy’ mumGemma, with youngest daughter Olivia, says her kids are her ‘everything’Kid glovesLike any working single mum it’s a constant juggling act. But I’m incredibly lucky with their fathers.Caitlan, 18, and Kacy, 16, have the same father and Olivia, 10, has another one, but both dads are brilliant.And their mums have always been happy to help too – they have “nan fun” weekends. I’ve been estranged from my own mum though since I was 11 so she’s not part of their lives.I find it funny that my daughter’s friends found my Instagram and always go on about me being foxySome promoters are happy for your kids to come along, but I’ve never done that.The crowds can get unruly and I don’t want to risk their safety, however unlikely it is that they’d be hurt.But I have always made quality time for them, they are my everything and when I’m there, I’m 100 per cent present for them.I have them all through the week and try to have one weekend amonth with them. And if they are ever ill or need me, I’ll cancel my work to be with them.Kacy is disabled. She was 10 weeks premature and at six weeks old she got septicaemia and meningitis.So we have carers that help with her as she needs someone with her 24 hours a day.I don’t know whether Caitlan or Olivia will follow in my footsteps and be ring girls – at the moment neither of them are keen, but they think it’s a “cool” job.I find it funny that Caitlan’s friends found my Instagram and always go on about me being foxy.She isn’t embarrassed though, she’s good at banter and gives as good as she gets.Party timeI’m friendly with some of the boxers and know their ways.For example some of them hate being spoken to before a fight – they’re getting in the zone and focusing only on the fight. Others are nervous and want to chat.I’m actually really boring – I barely drink and have got three daughters, so I’m not up for partying after a fight. I’m usually knackered from all the adrenaline and often have a three-hour drive home to Wrexham from the fight.You do hear about wild parties and girls targeting boxers. But I don’t really experience that scene, the most I’ve done is go for a couple of drinks afterwards.And generally speaking, these men are athletes who don’t want to undo all their hard training by getting legless.At the end of the day we’ve all worked hard and want to get home to our beds… alone!Gemma doesn’t use an agent but still earns up to £500 a showGemma, on the right, said she is friends with some of the fighters but would never date one again More

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      From begging for McDonald’s burgers to global superstar… How Cristiano Ronaldo is STILL chasing World Cup glory at 41

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      HE is the highest-paid football player in the world, with a net worth of over £229million and a portfolio of luxury properties across six countries.It’s a level of wealth that Cristiano Ronaldo could never have imagined when, aged 12, he relocated to mainland Portugal from Madeira to join the Sporting Lisbon academy.Portuguese goal machine Ronaldo is still banging them in for Al-Nassr in Saudi ArabiaCredit: AFPHis incredible rise comes after begging for burgers as a kid with Sporting Lisbon’s youth teamsCredit: Manuel RochaRonaldo now raises five children with stunning partner Georgina Rodriguez but still finds time to play footballCredit: InstagramRonaldo turns 40 tomorrow but shows no signs of slowing downCredit: GettyThe father-of-five’s humble upbringing was a million miles away from the Hollywood lifestyle he now enjoys, with the star admitting that food and money was scarce when he was a child and that he had to beg for burgers after training.Ronaldo – who turns 40 tomorrow – recalled how free fast food kept him and his friends going, revealing: “Late at night, 10.30 or 11, we are a little bit hungry.“So we have a McDonald’s next to the stadium where we lived.“And we always go to the back door and knocked on the door: ‘Hey, any burgers left?’”Fabio Paim, who was one of Ronaldo’s pals at the Sporting academy, confirmed: “At night we used to go to McDonald’s to pick up the burgers that no one wanted anymore so they weren’t good to sell.“We were there every night.”Ronaldo made an appeal in an emotional interview with Piers Morgan to find the McDonald’s staff who had taken pity on him.He said: “Edna and two more girls, they were unbelievable.“I never found the girls again. They closed that McDonald’s.”But as a result of the publicity, Edna Caldas came forward to say she was one of the workers.Edna said: “This was something that all happened such a long time ago.“I’m really happy at what he’s gone on to become. I never thought he would remember me so many years on.“It shows how wonderful he is that he hasn’t forgotten small things like this from his past.”Cristiano Ronaldo adds stunning £164,000 luxury BMW to £17MILLION car collection as he’s gifted motor by Al-Nassr From such humble beginnings and poor nutrition emerged one of the greatest athletes in sporting history.Pretty much from the day Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United as a skinny 17-year-old to his latest star turn as the £173m-a-year poster boy of the Saudi Pro League, he has devoted himself to self-improvement.Former United team-mate Nicky Butt revealed he and other players would “abuse” Ronaldo at first if he dived in training.But they never questioned his phenomenal work ethic.Butt said: “He was the last to leave the building.“In fact, you couldn’t get him off the training pitch as he worked relentlessly on his technique, as we were all walking off he was carrying a bag of balls to work on those techniques.“We would be having lunch in the canteen or getting ready to go home and you could hear the voice of Sir Alex bellowing across the training fields at two or three o’clock in the afternoon, shouting at Cristiano that it was time to get off the pitch as ‘We have a game in two days – enough now’.”Ronaldo had to leave his own family behind in Madeira when he moved to Sporting’s academy as a kidCredit: CollectRonaldo in 2002 after breaking into the Sporting side as a skinny wingerCredit: GettyHis form saw Sir Alex Ferguson sign him for Man Utd, where he stunned the Scottish manager with his dedicationCredit: AFPHis performances at United helped them win the Champions League in 2008 – and Ronaldo collected his first Ballon d’Or in that yearCredit: AFPA year later, after much speculation, he finally signed for Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £80mCredit: Action Images – ReutersBut at times even Ferguson had to admit he was fighting a losing battle against a player so devoted to getting better.Fergie said: “He sacrificed himself to be the best.“I remember we were playing Arsenal on the Saturday and it was pouring with rain at Carrington.“You know he would always practise after training and I said to him ‘We’ve got a game tomorrow and it’s too wet. The ground is too soft.’“So I went into my office, looked out of the window and what did he do? He went on the Astroturf.“I had no argument. I couldn’t say anything to him. He’s beat me.”To have that mentality he had at 18, he deserves everything he’s gotNemanja VidicWhen Ronaldo arrived at United in 2003, Wayne Rooney was the Premier League’s young superstar and would join him at Old Trafford a year later.But by the time Ronaldo left Old Trafford for Real Madrid in a world-record transfer in 2009, he was the better player, with his first Ballon d’Or already under his belt.Former United defender Nemanja Vidic was in no doubt why the Portugal star went on to become one of the game’s all-time greats – and why Rooney fell short.Vidic said: “You see Cristiano on Instagram, it’s all flashy stuff but he deserves it.”At that age – 18, 19, to 21 – to have that mentality to work hard, not go out, fight for your dream, the way he did it, he deserves everything he got.“For me, Wayne Rooney, he failed in terms of that.”In one moment they are similar, the same. What brought Cristiano Ronaldo much higher was his mentality to change, to work hard, to improve, to have goals.”I’m not saying Wayne didn’t have a mentality, but he played pure on his talent.“He didn’t invest in his body, invest in extra training, the physical side.”Ronaldo with former Man Utd team-mate Wayne RooneyCredit: GettyRonaldo won a host of trophies at Real under Zidane, who called him the best player he ever managedCredit: AFPRonaldo’s incredible stats may never be beatenAt Real, Ronaldo found new levels of achievement and recognition, breaking the club’s all-time goalscoring record, lifting the Champions League four times and winning four more Ballon d’Or crowns as the world’s best player.The Portugal winger claimed the first of his two LaLiga titles under countryman Jose Mourinho.Although the two Portuguese would sometimes clash over Mourinho’s tactical demands, the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss could only marvel at the player’s dedication under him and throughout his career.Mourinho said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is the epitome of dedication.“His commitment to training is extraordinary. He’s the first to arrive and the last to leave.“He has a professional approach to every aspect of the game, from his physical fitness to his diet.“This relentless pursuit of perfection is what makes him exceptional. I’ve seen very few players with his level of determination and focus.”For him, there is no match more important than the one he’s playingCarlo AncelottiCarlo Ancelotti must have thought he had seen it all in his glittering career as a player and manager.But even he was taken aback by Ronaldo’s commitment to excellence and self-improvement.Ancelotti said: “Although I heard many compliments about Cristiano, I was still surprised.“For him, there is no training more important than the one he’s doing and no match more important than the one he’s playing.“He plays every match as if it was his last. It surprised me a lot.“One late night, we returned from an away game and we all wanted to go back home to sleep except for Cristiano who went to Valdebebas to take an ice bath as a recovery.“I was in total shock as I had never seen this much dedication from a player and couldn’t speak a word.”Ronaldo’s work ethic and dedication even impressed Jose MourinhoCredit: AFP – GettyHis strict diet helps explain why he is in such phenomenal shape as he heads into his 40sCredit: Refer to CaptionRonaldo’s workouts mean he could still be playing at next year’s World Cup – and have helped him become the most followed star on InstagramCredit: Instagram/cristianoRonaldo is a strict teetotaller, having seen the effects alcohol had on his father Dinis, aboveCredit: CollectAncelotti managed Ronaldo in two of the greatest seasons of his career.In 2013/14, he fired Real to LaLiga glory and La Decima, their tenth European title, and in 2014/15 hit 61 goals in 54 club appearances – the highest tally of his career.But perhaps the most telling verdict came from Zinedine Zidane.As one of Real Madrid and football’s all-time greats, and the manager who led Los Blancos and Ronaldo to three Champions League titles in a row, the Frenchman knows a player and competitor when he sees one.Zidane said of Ronaldo: “I think Cristiano is much better, although I had a good career.“There are no more words to define him. What he does every day, every game, is phenomenal.“There have been many players who have made history at this club. But nobody has done what he has – the statistics speak for that.“He is the best player I have had as a coach.”Yet Real allowed Ronaldo to leave in 2018, not long after he had become the first player to win the Champions League five times.The £105m Juventus paid for him was the biggest fee ever for a player over the age of 30.Yet boss Max Allegri detected a deterioration in Ronaldo’s form, urging the club to move him on at the end of his first season despite a Serie A title.One of his plates was quinoa, avocado and a couple of boiled eggs. This guy is in incredible shapeLee GrantIt was Allegri who left, however, and Ronaldo added another Italian championship to his tally of trophies.But after Allegri returned in 2021, the writing seemed to be on the wall. So Ronaldo rejoined Manchester United in the most sensational transfer of the summer.And his ongoing dedication to staying fit and healthy, especially through his diet, made a big impression on the United dressing room.Back-up goalkeeper Lee Grant said: “To give you one instance of the impact he is having on the group, this was Friday night in the hotel.”So, as you guys will be aware, you finish your dinner and usually on a Friday night you’ve got some cheat stuff out. You’ve got some apple crumble and custard or you’ve got a bit of brownie and cream.”I tell you now, not one player touched the apple crumble and custard, not one player went up for that brownie because everybody was sat down.”One of the lads said to me, ‘What has Cristiano got on his plate?’ Obviously it is the cleanest, most healthy plate you can imagine.”Grant added: “I’ll tell you one of his plates – he had several. One of them was quinoa, avocado and a couple of boiled eggs.“This guy is in incredible shape.”Inside Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible lifeAS arguably the greatest player of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo lives a life befitting such a superstar.Nothing is too much effort for Ronaldo – who had a £40,000 cryotherapy chamber installed at his homeCredit: InstagramHe even paints his toenails to keep them in top shapeHis regime means he also shares plenty of pics of workouts with GeorginaCredit: InstagramRonaldo has sometimes shared details of the regime that has built and maintained his incredible physique and kept him going into a third decade as a professional footballer.To match a demanding, carefully-tailored set of cardiovascular and strength-building exercises, he has up to six meals per day, with an emphasis on protein, wholegrains and fresh fruit and vegetables, and tries to drink six litres of water while avoiding all alcohol.Ronaldo has a £40,000 cryotherapy chamber at home and has been known to follow a pattern of taking five naps of 90-minutes each, rather than one long sleep.It is literally a head-to-toe approach to health and wellbeing – like other athletes, especially MMA fighters, he paints his toenails to keep out fungal and other infections.Unlike many footballers of his generation, Ronaldo does not have tattoos, a stance that forms part of his efforts to help others’ well-being.He is a regular blood donor and knows that having ink applied under his skin would lead to a delay in him being able to donate.Ronaldo has also given blood and bone marrow since he was 24 after learning that the son of former international team-mate Carlos Martins required regular transfusions.Over the years, the superstar has stepped in to help fund treatment for a number of individuals, including terminally-ill children.He has also handed over cash or donated items for auction to raise money for good causes such as Save the Children and Unicef. In 2017, his 2013 Ballon d’Or trophy raised £530,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation.But perhaps Ronaldo’s biggest contribution to other people’s health came during the Covid-19 pandemic.Ronaldo, seen here on a summer yachting holdiay with Georgina, has an incredible life away from the pitchCredit: InstagramThe couple travel in style, with private jet their favoured choice of planeCredit: instagramAll those hours in the gym paid off for their trip to St Tropez in the summerCredit: The Mega AgencyRonaldo and Georgina with their five kidsCredit: instagramOne of the hospitals in Lisbon which Ronaldo donated huge sums toCredit: Darren Fletcher – The SunHe and agent Jorge Mendes provided £1million to fund life-saving equipment at hospitals in Lisbon and Porto.Daniel Ferro, president of Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital, said: “We were contacted by Jorge Mendes, who volunteered with Cristiano Ronaldo to finance two intensive care units for critical patients suffering from Covid-19.“There are fans, monitors, infusion pumps, beds … all the equipment that constitutes an intensive care unit equipped to provide care to a Covid-19 patient.”Ronaldo also persuaded his Portugal team-mates to donate 50 per cent of their bonus for qualifying for Euro 2020, which was postponed until 2021 because of the pandemic, to Covid-19 relief.Ronaldo’s commitment to his and others’ physical well-being is linked to harrowing experiences with his close family.Father Dinis was an alcoholic who died from liver failure in 2005 at the age of just 52.Older brother Hugo, 10 years his senior, suffered from addiction to drink and drugs but got sober with the help and support of Ronaldo.Their mum Dolores, who has twice overcome breast cancer, said: “Cristiano has seen what drink and drugs can do to people close to him.”And it’s part of the reason why he’s become who he is today.”Ronaldo now has a family of his own. Cristiano Jr was born in 2010, with his mother’s name kept secret at her request.The 14-year-old is attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps, scoring goals for fun in Al Nassr’s youth academy.And it is often speculated that Ronaldo may hold off retirement until he can share a pitch with his eldest child.In 2017, twins Eva and Mateo came into the world through a surrogacy arrangement. Later the same year, Ronaldo and glamorous partner Georgina Rodriguez welcomed their first child together into the world, Alana.Tragedy struck in 2022 when Georgina gave birth to more twins and the boy sadly did not survive.Ronaldo was back at United at the time and received a touching tribute from Liverpool fans during a match between the bitter rivals days later – a mark of his status and impact on the game.Surviving Bella, Ronaldo’s youngest, will celebrate her third birthday in April.Ronaldo and Georgina, 31, are among the most photographed and best known people on the planet, thanks to huge social media followings and high-profile roles and endorsements.Ronaldo himself is by far and away the world’s most popular figure on Instagram, with an incredible 647million followers and counting – over 140million clear of old rival Lionel Messi in 2nd.But even at 40, dad-of-five Ronaldo still sees his future on the pitch.He continues to play football and score goals for Al Nassr and Portugal, long after team-mates like Rooney, who is nearly 10 months younger, hung up their boots.And Ronaldo is still eyeing up one last go at winning the World Cup in 2026, when he would be 41.Although CR7 is mocked for a perceived obsession with his image, there is no doubt that his devotion to his body has given him a career unprecedented in football.Not bad for a kid who once relied on hamburger hand-outs.Ronaldo could go out with the ultimate bang – by helping Portugal win the World Cup next yearCredit: Kenny RamsayBLINDING DATERONALDO shares his birth date, February 5, with a host of footballing namesNeymar – (born 1992)Carlos Tevez – (born 1986)Gheorghe Hagi – (born 1965)Adnan Januzaj – (born 1995)Patrick Roberts – (born 1997)Jordan Rhodes – (born 1990)Vedran Corluka – (born 1986)Rodrigo Palacio – (born 1982)Giovanni van Bronckhorst – (born 1975)Billy Sharp – (born 1986) More