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      England’s World Cup hopefuls land in Qatar — along with 3,000 travelling fans

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      ENGLAND’S World Cup hopefuls flew into Qatar last night — with 3,000 travelling fans desperate for something to cheer.Three Lions supporters were stunned to find they face paying £11.57 for a 500ml glass of US sponsor Budweiser lager.
      England’s World Cup hopefuls flew into Qatar last nightCredit: Reuters
      The player and manager Gareth Southgate looked happy and relaxed as they touched down at in Doha’s Hamad International AirportCredit: Reuters
      Not only is that just 0.88 of a pint, but Fifa — who set the price — said there would be a “maximum purchase of four Budweiser units per person” to prevent bingeing.
      Nannying posters have gone up in capital Doha urging fans to “Drink Wiser, Cheer Better, Hydrate Between Buds”.
      There will be an alcohol-free version served up in the dry ­Muslim state, but even that will cost £6. Water is £2.30.
      And England’s following will not be the only ones hot under the collar.
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      Gareth Southgate’s 26-man face training this afternoon in desert heat of 32C (89.6F).
      The players, captained by Harry Kane, looked happy and relaxed as they touched down at in Doha’s Hamad International Airport at 7.56pm local time.
      They made the seven-hour flight in Virgin Atlantic’s Gay Pride Airbus, dubbed Rain Bow, to back gay rights.
      But cabin crew bowed to Qatar’s cultural sensitivities by opting not to wear the airline’s gender neutral uniforms.
      Most read in The Sun
      An hour and a half after landing, the squad arrived at their five-star Souq Al Wakra Hotel base, on the coast south of the capital.
      Southgate waved to a crowd of hundreds of England-shirted fans singing: “It’s coming home”.
      They were among tens of thousands of expats believed to be living in the region.
      The players had already been cheered by crowds lining their route from their St George’s Park training base at Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, to Birmingham airport.
      The night before, FA President Prince William had given them a royal send-off with a surprise visit during which he handed them their squad-numbered shirts.
      Despite having split loyalties since becoming Prince of Wales, he told them: “What you and Gareth have built here is something special — that’s clear to see.
      The team faces training this afternoon in desert heat of 32CCredit: Reuters
      The previous night, Prince William had given them a royal send-off with a surprise visitCredit: Getty
      The Prince handed the 26-man squad their numbered shirtsCredit: Getty
      “Play for each other, support each other, enjoy it, and I’m sure you’ll go far.”
      The players, in comfy blue hooded tracksuits, looked relaxed and confident as they climbed the steps of their plane.
      Best pals Mason Mount, of Chelsea, and West Ham’s Declan Rice beamed from ear-to-ear along with Leicester’s James Maddison, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson.
      Read More on The Sun
      Beer fan Gus Hully has a brew from each of the 32 World Cup nations, including dry Qatar and Saudi Arabia, thanks to pals across the world. Cheltenham Town fan Gus, of East Finchley, North London, reckoned toughest to source was La Gazelle lager from Senegal.
      He said: “I managed to get a Russian fella living in Italy to bring me one back from holiday there.”
      The squad made the seven-hour flight in Virgin Atlantic’s Gay Pride Airbus, dubbed Rain Bow, to back gay rightsCredit: PA More

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      Ronaldo relives heartbreaking moment his kids asked ‘where’s the other baby?’ after one of his twins died during birth

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s confused children asked “Where’s the other baby?” when his fiancée returned home with just one twin.The footie legend wept as he told TalkTV’s Piers Morgan how the family had gathered excitedly to welcome the new arrivals after Georgina Rodriguez gave birth on April 18. 
      The Manchester United legend with wife Georgina and Cristiano Jnr, Eva, Mateo, Alana and baby Bella
      Piers with Cristiano and GeorginaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The star wept as he told TalkTV’s Piers Morgan how the family had gathered excitedly to welcome the new arrivals after Georgina Rodriguez gave birth on April 18
      Ronaldo sat down for a sensational 90-minute TV interview with PiersCredit: TalkTV
      But while the couple’s daughter Bella was born healthy, her brother Angel never made it. 
      The Man Utd star, 37, recalled: “Gio arrived home and the kids start to say where’s the other baby, where’s the other baby?”
      And he revealed how he cried with his eldest, Cristiano Jr, 12, as he broke the news in his bedroom.
      But his younger children — Eva and Mateo, five, and Alana Martina, four — took longer to process the news, he said. 
      READ MORE ON RONALDO EXCLUSIVE
      He told Piers: “The other ones in the beginning, around the table, the kids start to say “Mom where is the other baby….’ …and after one week I say let’s be up front and let’s be honest with the kids, let’s say that, Ángel, which is his name, he go to the Heaven.”
      Six months on, Ronaldo also told how Angel remains part of their daily life. 
      He said: “The kids understand, we had shouts around the table and they say “Daddy I did this for Ángel” and they point to the sky. Which I like the most because he’s part of their lives. I am not gonna lie to my kids, I say the truth, which was a difficult process.”
      As the family mourned their loss, Ronaldo said it brought him closer to his children and ex-Gucci store worker Georgina who he met at an event in Madrid in 2016. 
      Most read in The Sun
      He added: “In some way, I became more of a father, more friendly with them; they become more close to their daddy, and me with Georgina as well.” 
      Piers asked: “I was going to ask you that because these things can make or break relationships.
      “Because the grief can be so intense, it can drive couples apart or bring them closer.”
      Ronaldo responded: “In my case it was better. I became more friendly with Gio. I was of course a friend but I feel more love for her and for my kids and I start to see life with a different perspective. 
      “It was the most difficult moments, the last six months, since my dad died.” 

      Watch ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored:90 Minutes with Ronaldo ’, 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday on TalkTV. Find TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 and Sky Glass 508, live and on demand on the TalkTV app, streaming services and at Talk.TV.

      The Portuguese striker revealed he keeps the ashes of his son close, having created a chapel in the basement, where the remains of his dad Jose Dinis Aveiro — who died in 2005 from liver failure — are also kept. 
      Devout Catholic Cristiano said: “His ashes are with me, like my Daddy, they are here in the house. 
      “It is something that I want to hold for the rest of my life and not throw to the ocean or to the sea. I keep with me. They are next to my dad. I have a small church downstairs, a chapel, and I keep my daddy and my son there.”
      When asked by Piers if he talks to them, the emotional star said: “Yes I do…all the time and they are on my side. You know they help me to be a better man, to be a better person, to be a better father. 
      “And it’s something that I am really proud of… the message that they send me, especially my son.”
      The Portuguese ace, 37, recalled: ‘Gio arrived home and the kids start to say where’s the other baby, where’s the other baby?’Credit: Alamy
      Cristiano tells Piers the tragedy brought him closer to his children and ex-Gucci store worker Georgina who he met at an event in Madrid in 2016Credit: Alamy
      Before Georgina fell pregnant, Ronaldo was already a dad of four, with three of his children born to two surrogate mothers
      Further extracts from Piers’s world exclusive interview will be aired on TalkTV tonight.
      Ronaldo and Georgina, 28, had revealed they were expecting a twin boy and girl in October 2021. 
      Speaking for the first time publicly about April’s tragedy, Ronaldo said: “Piers, probably the worst moment that I passed through in my life, since my father die.. when you have a kid, you expect that everything will be normal, and you have that problem, it’s hard, you know, as human being, that I and Georgina we had quite difficult moments because we don’t understand why it happened to us. 
      “Was very, very difficult to understand what’s going… in that period of our life.”
      He told how despite his grief, his hectic football schedule continued, and it was only the love of his family who got him through. 
      He said of Georgina: “We had the difficult moments but we said ‘Listen, we have more kids, we have one that was born, Bella that we have to be happy too’.
      “It’s crazy. I tried to explain sometimes to my family and even my close friends. 
      “I say, I never felt to be happy and sad in the same moment. I never felt. It is hard to explain.
      “So difficult. It’s, you don’t know if you cry, you don’t know if you smile because it’s something that you don’t know how to react. 
      “You don’t know what to do to be honest. And of course I remember very well that I looked like — I don’t know the word to define what I felt in that moment. 
      Most read in Football
      “But it’s crazy feelings, it’s crazy emotional. But as I told you before, I have to hold that we had at least Bella. One died and one survived, but it was, it’s difficult to explain.”
      Before Georgina fell pregnant, Ronaldo was already a dad of four, with three of his children born to two surrogate mothers. He described Bella, now six months, as a “spectacular, beautiful girl” who the whole family is very proud of, adding: “I am so, so happy”. 
      The Manchester United striker revealed he keeps the ashes of his son close, having created a chapel in the basementCredit: Getty
      The Portuguese legend told how despite his grief, his hectic football schedule continued, and it was only the love of his family who got him throughCredit: AP
      Cristiano with Georgina in 2019Credit: Reuters More

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      James Cleverly says he will attend World Cup in Qatar after telling gay fans to be ‘respectful’

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      FOREIGN Secretary James Cleverly has confirmed he will attend the World Cup in Qatar – as he defended telling gay fans to be “respectful”.The top Tory said it was his job to keep travelling Brits “safe” after criticism over his advice for homosexuals going to the tournament.
      James Cleverly has confirmed he will attend the World Cup in QatarCredit: PA:Press Association/PA Images
      Same-sex activity is punishable by up to seven years in the Middle East Nation, prompting many supporters to boycott the competition.
      Labour MP Chris Bryant accused Mr Cleverly of giving gay fans a “slap in the face”.
      The Foreign Secretary shot back: “I’ve visited Qatar in the lead-up to the World Cup and when I go to the World Cup I will be speaking to the security authorities to ensure that English and Welsh and whatever other British fans who are going to the World Cup remain safe.”
      But asked if he would encourage gay fans to protest in the country, he said: “No I wouldn’t.
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      “When British nationals travel overseas they should respect the laws of their host country.”
      He doubled down on his comments urging fans to be “respectful of the host nation”, adding: “I want them to be safe.
      “Genuinely my question is, for those gay fans who want to go watch the football, what advice realistically should I give other than the advice I believe will keep them safe.”
      He added: “We’re very proud that we champion gay rights around the world”.
      Most read in The Sun More

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      England to fly to World Cup on Gay Pride jet – to show red card to Qatar’s intolerance

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      ENGLAND’s Three Lions fly to the World Cup on a Gay Pride jet tomorrow — to show a red card to host nation Qatar’s intolerance.Boss Gareth Southgate and skipper Harry Kane will lead the 26-strong squad on board “Rain Bow”, a Virgin Atlantic A350 Airbus.
      Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane will lead the 26-strong squad on board ‘Rain Bow’Credit: Getty
      Beneath the cabin, the plane features a motif of Oscar – the airline’s LGBTQ+ Union Jack-trailing flying iconCredit: Virgin Atlantic
      Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are up for the challenge as they make their way to the World CupCredit: Getty
      It features a motif of Oscar — the airline’s LGBTQ+ Union Jack-trailing flying icon — beneath the cabin.
      The gesture was proposed by FA chiefs keen to register concern about gay rights in the strict Muslim state where homosexuality can still carry the death penalty.
      Southgate has vowed to make a stand.
      He said: “We’re very strong on inclusivity. We understand the challenges that this tournament brings . . . the human rights challenges.”
      It was “highly unlikely”, he said, that he would follow Fifa’s guidance to focus solely on football during the Cup.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP 2022
      He said: “We’ve always spoken about issues we think should be talked about, particularly ones we feel we can affect.”
      Kane has already shown support for the LGBTQ+ community by wearing a rainbow armband while playing for his club, Spurs.
      The players gathered today at St George’s Park, the home of England teams in Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, ahead of the seven-hour flight on Rain Bow to Doha, Qatar’s capital.
      It was chartered for the sole use of the team, backroom staff and FA officials and has 44 upper class, 56 premium and 235 economy seats.
      Most read in The Sun
      The plush jet has a social space called The Loft where players can “meet and mingle”.
      Virgin Atlantic confirmed the England party would be usign the plane — call sign G-VPRD.
      A Three Lions insider said: “It’s no coincidence this particular plane was chosen It perfectly illustrates the concerns of the England party and those of every civilised nation taking part in the tournament.
      Fifa, which awarded the World Cup to Qatar, despite its human rights record, may try to ban future “political” gestures by teams.
      Read More on The Sun
      More are expected, however, and the USA rainbow colours into their team badge at their Qatar training base.
      Tomorrow, meanwhile, the England team will arrive at Doha’s luxury Souq Al Wakra hotel.
      It’s not long now until the big kick-off
      Harry Kane is ready to make a stand at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Hat-ta boys! Star duo Kalvin Phillips and Jude BellinghamCredit: Getty
      The team will arrive at luxury Souq Al Wakra hotel after 7-hour flight on Rain BowCredit: Getty More

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      The Glazers don’t care about Man United, the fans need to know the truth, says Cristiano Ronaldo

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo has slammed Manchester United’s controversial US owners the Glazer family — saying: “They don’t care about the club”.He revealed he has never exchanged a single word with any of the family since his return to the club, despite being one of the world’s biggest soccer stars.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has slammed Manchester United’s controversial US owners the Glazer familyCredit: PA
      Speaking about the owners to Piers Morgan, Ronaldo said: ‘They don’t care about the club’
      The superstar sat down for a 90-minute TV interview with Piers
      And he accused them of being more interested in United being a “marketing club” rather than a football club so they can pocket more cash.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner told Piers Morgan he believed the Glazers “don’t care” about the club and only see it as a cash cow.
      He confirmed he had “never” spoken to the owners because they put the club in the hands of CEO Richard Arnold.
      In one exchange Ronaldo said: “The owners of the club they, listen they don’t . . .”
      Read More on Cristiano Ronaldo
      Piers: “The Glazers?”
      Ronaldo: “The Glazers, they don’t — they don’t care about, about the club. I mean, professional sport.
      “As you know this, Manchester is a marketing club. They will get its money from the marketing, the sport, it’s . . . they don’t really care, in my opinion.”
      Asked: “Do you ever talk to them, the Glazers?”, Ronaldo replied “Never. No. They give all the power to the president, sport director.”
      Most read in Football
      Ronaldo also urged United fans to continue protesting against the Glazers’ ownership.
      He said: “The fans, they’re always right. I think the fans should know the truth — should now that the players . . . we want the best for the club.
      “I want the best of the club. This is why I am coming to Manchester United. This is why I love this club.”
      He that without a change of ownership, fans would face a wait for success.
      Ronaldo said: “You have some things inside the club which don’t help Manchester reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal, for example.
      “It’s hard in my opinion. It will be hard for Manchester to be in the top of the game, the next two, three years.”
      Sir Alex Ferguson signed Ronaldo after the Red Devils played his boyhood team Sporting Lisbon in a friendly in 2003
      The Glazers, they don’t – they don’t care about, about the club. Ronaldo
      His players urged him to sign the then 18-year-old. United splashed out £12million and gave Ronaldo the iconic No 7 shirt.
      His first appearance came as a sub with a dazzling display which George Best hailed as “the most exciting debut” he had ever seen.
      Ronaldo went on to become a fan favourite during a six-year stint in which he won the Premier League three times, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup twice and the FIFA Club World Cup.
      He scored 118 goals in 292 games before moving to Real Madrid for £80million.
      He then spent nine seasons in Spain before moving to Italian side Juventus in 2018.

      Watch ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored: 90 Minutes with Ronaldo’, Wednesday and Thursday, 8pm on TalkTV. Find TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 and Sky Glass 508, live and on demand on the TalkTV app, streaming services and at Talk.TV.

      When Portugal won the 2016 Euro final, touching images emerged of Sir Alex patiently waiting to congratulate Ronaldo in the stands.
      And when United announced Ronaldo was re-signing last September, the club’s share price rose a staggering eight per cent — increasing the club’s value by around £181million.
      The club website also temporarily crashed as millions of supporters tried to find out more about the comeback.
      Ronaldo signed a two-year deal which expires next summer.During his career, Ronaldo has won more than 30 major trophies.
      Read More on The Sun
      In all, they include five Champions League titles, four FIFA Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal.
      Last season he scored 24 goals but this season he has been sidelined by manager Erik ten Hag and has scored just three times.
      Speaking about fan protests against the Glazers, Ronaldo said: ‘The fans, they’re always right’Credit: Getty
      Ronaldo said: ‘It’s hard in my opinion, it will be hard for Manchester to be in the top of the game. The next two, three years’Credit: AP
      Disgruntled fans drape a banner protesting Glazer family’s ownership at Old TraffordCredit: Reuters
      The footballing superstar has spoken out amid a turbulent season with UnitedCredit: Reuters
      In April, Ronaldo and his partner Georgina suffered the unbearable loss of their baby son More

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      Gary Neville isn’t my friend, he uses me for TV fame, says Ronaldo after blanking ex-Man United team-mate

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo has accused Gary Neville of criticising him to get more fame — and declared the TV pundit is no friend of his.The Portuguese superstar blasted his former Man United team-mate in an explosive Talk TV interview with Piers Morgan, saying: “We’re not ever having dinner together.”
      Cristiano Ronaldo revealed Gary Neville is not his friend in his interview with Piers MorganCredit: Alamy
      The football ace also accused his former teammate of criticising him to attract more fameCredit: Reuters
      The Portuguese superstar also criticised former teammate Wayne Rooney while talking to Piers
      He blanked Neville live on TV at the end of last month — ignoring the ex-Red Devils skipper while warming up ahead of a game against West Ham.
      The fixture came days after Ronaldo was left out of the squad to play Chelsea because he refused to come on as a substitute against Spurs.
      After the Chelsea game, Neville — who shared a dressing room with Ronaldo for seven years — said: “We know him, we love him but he can’t accept not being the star man. He’s going to have to leave, that’s it.” 
      Ronaldo responded: “To listen as ex-colleagues or team-mates criticise you, when they only see one point of view. It’s easy.
      Read More on Ronaldo
      “It’s easy to criticise, I don’t know if you have a job in television that they must criticise to be more famous. I really don’t understand it.
      “It’s hard when you see people who was in the dressing room with you criticising that way.”
      When asked if Neville had used his name to get attention, he responded: “I think they take advantage of that because they are not stupid.
      “I’m the number one followed guy in the world. It’s not by coincidence.”
      Most read in The Sun
      Neville was mocked in a tweet by fellow Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher after Ronaldo ignored him but greeted other pundits Louis Saha and Jamie Redknapp at Old Trafford.
      Ronaldo, 37, has also singled out another ex-United teammate Wayne Rooney for frequent negative comments about him since his return to Old Trafford last September.
      He admitted he was “surprised” by Rooney’s criticism since he rejoined United last September — despite Wayne and his kids enjoying play dates with Ronaldo’s kids at his home.
      Ronaldo said: “It was one year ago, or six months ago. We’re here in my house, he picked up his kids here and he invited (12-year-old son) Cristiano to go to his house to play football.
      “I really don’t understand people like that. Or if they want to be on a cover of the paper in the news or they want new jobs or whatever.”

      Watch ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored: 90 Minutes with Ronaldo’, 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday on TalkTV. Find TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 and Sky Glass 508, live and on demand on the TalkTV app, streaming services and at Talk.TV.

      DC United boss Rooney had also had a dig at him for refusing to go on as a sub for United manager Erik ten Hag during the Premier League clash against Spurs.
      Rooney told TalkSport: “Cristiano should get his head down and work and be ready to play when the manager needs you. I think if he does that, he’ll be an asset. If he doesn’t, I think it’ll become an unwanted distraction.”
      When asked if he counts Rooney and Neville among his friends, the striker responded: “They are not my friends, they are colleagues. We play together, they’re not coming, we’re not ever having dinner together.”
      The wantaway former favourite also blasted United’s controversial US owners the Glazer family, saying “They don’t care about the club.”
      He said they had turned United from a football club into a “marketing club”.
      But Ronaldo insisted he remained on good terms with former teammates Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane.
      He praised Keane as “my best captain ever” and his friendship with Ferdinand existed on and off the pitch as they were neighbours.
      Read More on The Sun
      Calling them “very good guys”, he added: “Not just because they speak good about me, but they was there in the dressing room.
      “They are football players. They know how players think and behave.”
      The Portuguese ace greeted Louis Saha and Jamie Redknapp but ignored NevilleCredit: Sky Sports
      Host David Jones teases Neville on Sky Sports’ Super SundayCredit: Sky Sports
      Ronaldo insisted he remained on good terms with former teammate Rio FerdinandCredit: Getty
      He also praised Roy Keane as ‘my best captain ever’Credit: Getty More

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      Disrespectful Man United have betrayed me & made me a black sheep, says Ronaldo in explosive Piers Morgan interview

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo has had enough.
      He’s had enough of the sniping, the sneering, and the endless blame-game bulls*** that’s been flung at him over the past few months.
      Ronaldo sat down for a sensational 90-minute TV interview with Piers
      The footballing superstar has spoken out amid a turbulent season with UnitedCredit: Reuters
      In April, Ronaldo and his partner Georgina suffered the unbearable loss of their baby son
      It’s come from the media, his bosses, work colleagues and even former team-mates.
      Above all, he’s had enough of the lack of basic respect that he feels he’s due after winning 32 trophies, including five Ballon d’Ors, five Champions Leagues, seven league titles in four different countries, and a Euros with Portugal.

      Ronaldo, 37, is the highest goal scorer in football history and for me, and many more qualified to pass judgment such as Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, the greatest to ever play the game.
      He’s also the most-followed human being on Instagram, the modern-day metric of star power, and is about to pass half a billion followers.
      READ MORE FROM PIERS MORGAN
      But right now he feels angry, and disrespected, and he’s not going to stay silent any longer.
      As he prepares to fly to Qatar for his fifth — and almost certainly last — World Cup, he wants to have HIS say.
      We sat down for a 90-minute TV interview for my show Piers Morgan Uncensored that is by far the most explosive he has ever given.
      Ronaldo finally sets the record straight about what he calls the “most difficult period of my life”, both professionally and personally.
      Most read in The Sun
      He says he feels “betrayed” by the way he has been treated by Manchester United, annoyed that he’s been made a “black sheep” who is blamed for everything that has gone wrong at the club, and believes he is now being actively forced out.
      At work, he has had three bosses in just over a year.
      For the first, his former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who was sacked just weeks after Ronaldo returned, he has nothing but respect.
      For the other two, Ralf Rangnick and current manager Erik ten Hag, he has little good to say.
      Of Rangnick, who had not managed a football team for over a decade, he says: “If you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I’d never even heard of him.”
      I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me.Ronaldo on Erik ten Hag
      Of Ten Hag, who suspended Ronaldo last month for refusing to come on as a last-minute substitute against Tottenham, he says: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. 
      “If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”
      As for some of his most vociferous critics, like another former team-mate Wayne Rooney who has publicly attacked Ronaldo for months and urged United to get rid of him, he is witheringly scornful of their headline-grabbing motives.

      Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored weekdays on Sky 526, Virgin Media 627, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 or on Fox Nation in the US

      He says: “I don’t know why he criticises me so badly . . . probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at high level.”
      Then he chuckles and adds: “I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true . . . ”

      At home, back in April, he and his partner Georgina suffered the unbearable loss of their baby son during childbirth, a heart-breaking tragedy in which the boy’s twin sister survived.
      Somehow, he found the strength to continue playing, fuelled in part by the astonishing support he received from fans of rival clubs such as Liverpool, where the crowd sang You’ll Never Walk Alone on the seventh minute (Ronaldo wears No 7 on his shirt) of their next home game.
      Ronaldo told Piers he does not respect Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag
      Ronaldo, pictured with his family, feels ‘betrayed’ by the way he has been treated by United
      He admits: “I never expected to see that.”
      He and Georgina also received a personal note of condolence from the Royal Family, which amazed and touched him in equal measure.
      Shockingly, he was less well supported by his club who he accuses of a lack of “empathy”, especially when his three-month-old daughter was hospitalised in July, and he could not return on time for pre-season training because he wanted to stay with her.
      Ronaldo says senior executives at Old Trafford even doubted him when he explained why he couldn’t return, which made him feel “hurt” and “bad”.
      This wasn’t how the fairy tale was supposed to end.
      It was just over 14 months ago that Ronaldo sensationally re-signed for Manchester United in a comeback story that stunned and enthralled the world of football.
      He was heading to United’s great rivals Manchester City when a personal appeal from his great mentor and father figure, Sir Alex Ferguson, drove him back to where he started. 
      This wasn’t how the fairy tale was supposed to end.Piers Morgan
      “I followed my heart,” he says simply, tapping his chest. “He (Sir Alex) said to me, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’, and I said, ‘OK, Boss’.”
      In his first game back at Old Trafford, the self-styled “Theatre of Dreams”, he scored twice in a thumping 4-1 victory over Newcastle, cheered on in the stands by Sir Alex and Ronaldo’s ecstatic weeping mother.
      The delirious United fans chanted “Viva Ronaldo” for hours after the game.
      As his team-mate Marcus Rashford tweeted that night: “Like he never left.”
      But very soon, cold, hard reality hit. This was a very different Manchester United to the club he first departed in 2009.
      Or rather, to his dismay, it was just the same, and hadn’t moved on at all, and was now run by what he perceives to be inferior people to those who ran things before.
      He was shocked by the lack of improvements to training facilities, from the pool and the gym to the kitchen (nutrition and diet), and in technology.
      “The progress was zero,” he sighs. “Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed.”
      And he was dismayed by the dismissive attitude of many of the younger players, who seemed to have no interest in learning the lessons he had gleaned in his magnificent career.
      Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club.Ronaldo on Man Utd
      Most pertinently, he was disillusioned to find that, after years of failure and stagnation, United could no longer sign the world’s very best players, making their chance of winning top trophies much harder.
      “I think the fans should know the truth,” he says. “I want the best for the club. This is why I come to Manchester United.
      “But you have some things inside that don’t help (us) reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal . . . a club with this dimension should be top of the tree in my opinion and they are not unfortunately.”
      At the centre of his discontent is that Ronaldo hates losing and wants to operate in a winning environment — of the kind he doesn’t believe exists at United now and may need drastic steps to fix, including him leaving.
      He says: “As Picasso said, you have to destroy it to rebuild it (the artist’s exact quote was: ‘Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.’) and if they start with me, for me, it’s not a problem.
      “I love Manchester United, I love the fans, they’re always on my side. But if they want to do it different… they have to change many, many things.”
      As for what Sir Alex thinks of the current situation, Ronaldo says: “He knows better than anybody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be.
      “He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that… it’s because they don’t want to see; they are blind.”
      I first interviewed Cristiano three years ago in Turin, Italy, when he was still playing for Juventus, and we ended up having a four-hour dinner together.
      Since then, we’ve become very unlikely but very good friends. We text and speak a lot, and he has always been incredibly honest with me.
      He’s a very smart, likeable guy who has given a lot of careful thought to doing this interview.
      I’ve felt the frustration and anger building inside him for many months. 
      Ronaldo takes his football very seriously — and winning even more seriously.
      You don’t get to have all the trophies and records he has without possessing a ferociously strong and resilient mentality, a relentless work ethic, a stupefyingly intense competitive spirit, and an unshakeable self-confidence that you’re No 1.
      For someone like Ronaldo to suddenly find himself at a club that isn’t competing for top silverware, and where he has been dropped, benched, snubbed, scolded and even last month, for the first time in his career, suspended, has hit him hard.
      Not least because last season he was the club’s leading scorer with 24 goals.
      He doesn’t expect any special treatment, but he does expect to be treated with the respect he feels he has earned.
      Ronaldo takes his football very seriously — and winning even more seriously.Piers Morgan
      When our interview finished, Georgina arrived with an excited gaggle of their young children, who instantly all ran to their father and clung on to his legs.
      To see Ronaldo with his kids is a joy; he showers them with the same love and affection that his mother has always showered on him.
      He said: “My family is everything to me. Even more so after what we have been through this year.”
      Earlier, on camera, he made a breathtakingly poignant revelation about his dead son that had me choking up.
      I can’t imagine living my life in the constant frenzied goldfish bowl with which Ronaldo has to lead his, where everything he does or says is so intensely scrutinised, often harshly, around the planet.
      To have to do it after suffering the shocking tragedy of losing a child must be astoundingly hard.
      But he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him.
      He knows that he is a very lucky man with a beautiful family, vast wealth, and a God-given talent that’s made him one of the most celebrated and famous sports stars in history.
      Jaw-dropping
      Instead, he wants people to understand what he has experienced this year, and to hear it directly from him, not through ill-informed rumours.
      The interview, as viewers will see, is jaw-dropping because we so rarely see or hear him like this.
      I’m not sure how this saga ends, other than it’s hard to see how Cristiano Ronaldo can return to Manchester United after this.
      But for now, he wants to focus on the World Cup, and “win it for Portugal”, and then come back and resolve things with United, one way or another.
      Whatever happens, he made it clear to me that his heart will always be with the club and especially its fans.
      He says: “They are the most important things in football. You play for them.
      “They are always on my side. I feel that every time when I go out, when I walk in the streets, the fans come up to me and they appreciate what I do for football.
      “The fans for me are everything. This is why I give this interview, because I think it’s the right time to speak my mind.”
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s some mind, and it’s some interview.

      YOU can watch it all on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV in a two-part special on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8pm.

      The legendary goalscorer says he feels the support of United’s fansCredit: Getty
      Sun columnist Piers Morgan says Ronaldo is the greatest to ever play the game
      You can watch it all on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV in a two-part special on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8pm More

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      in Soccer

      I went inside £1bn ‘HMS Wag’ where England’s girlfriends will stay at World Cup – it’s more bonkers than you’d imagine

      by

      WITH £400 bottles of bubbly, Swarovski crystal staircases and sub-zero snow rooms, this is a booze cruise like no other.England’s top Wags will want for nothing on the incredible £1billion MSC World Europa, where a glamorous fleet will stay to cheer on our Three Lions during the Qatar World Cup.
      The £1billion, 1,093 ft floating hotel MSC World Europa — dubbed HMS WagCredit: Getty
      Eric Dier’s fiancee Anna Modler
      Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha AttwoodCredit: Instagram @sasha__rebecca
      I went aboard for an exclusive look and to check out its dazzling array of facilities which include seven pools, luxury watch shops, an exclusive range of £6,000 “royal” suites — and an 11-deck drop slide.
      England wives and girlfriends thought to be spending the tournament on the 22-deck ship include models Sasha Attwood, 26, girlfriend of Manchester City ace Jack Grealish, and Anna Modler, 24, engaged to Spurs man Eric Dier, as well as Harry Maguire’s wife Fern, 27.
      Captain Harry Kane’s wife, Katie, 29, is also tipped to be staying on MSC’s largest ever ship, where the alcohol will flow despite Qatar’s strict rules on land.
      The 1,093 ft floating hotel — dubbed HMS Wag — was christened in a glittering ceremony in Qatar over the weekend as it prepared to welcome its VIP guests at capital city Doha.
      Read More on England WAGS
      As I was led into the ship’s exclusive Yacht Club, it’s clear the Wags won’t have to worry about privacy.
      This intimate zone at the very top of the ship comes with its own exclusive restaurant and lounge bar — linked by a stunning staircase stacked with more than 8,000 octagon and pear-cut Swarovski crystals.
      By day, our Wags will be able to relax on two vast private sun decks with a large pool and two Jacuzzis, surrounded by plush loungers and beach club-style cabanas.
      There’s a bar and grill for cocktails and lazy lunches.
      Most read in Football
      MSC’s Yacht Club director Cristian Comirla said: “The needs of every Yacht Club guest are anticipated 24 hours a day by our elite team of highly-trained butlers. They will greet everyone by name and provide a totally personalised service.”
      All-inclusive suites in the Yacht Club will set the Wags back up to £6,000 each, with the grandest Owners and Royal suites the ones to covet.
      They come with hot tubs, walk-in wardrobes and Italian designer superking beds.
      Duplex suites feature double-height ceilings and two stories of luxury with Nespresso machines and free minibars stashing bottles of premium spirits and mixers.
      Christian added: “Every day the chef will prepare special treats to deliver to each suite, from delicious sweets to savoury specialities based on where the ship is docked.”
      But it would be a mistake for the Wags not to explore the rest of this vast pleasure palace.
      There are 13 restaurants plus 20 bars and lounges waiting for the 6,762 passengers to enjoy, spread out over 22 decks of unrivalled luxury.
      Qatar’s strict laws on booze include a zero-tolerance policy for drinking or appearing drunk in public.
      But with the ship docked off-shore, guests will be free to make the most of its extensive drinks menu.
      The Wags will feel right at home in the Fizz Champagne Bar where the most expensive bottle of bubbly – Armand de Brignac – will set them back a whopping £400.
      I settled down with a slightly more down-to-earth but equally delicious glass of rose champagne that cost just £13.
      And all the Brits will feel right at home in the Masters of the Sea pub, where a microbrewery will serve up Oceanic beers created using sea water.
      The Sun’s Lisa Minot sampling the good life on MSC World EuropaCredit: MSC Cruises
      Lisa braves the ship’s snow roomCredit: MSC Cruises
      All matches will be screened live here throughout the tournament, which kicks off on November 20.
      The pub is linked by spiral stair-case to the Gin Project, with expert bartenders serving up classic cock-tails from more than 70 craft gins.
      Cooling down in the fierce Qatari sunshine will be a breeze in one of the seven swimming pools – including the infinity-edge Zen – while 13 bubbling hot tubs will soothe away the stress of England’s World Cup journey.
      Wags wanting to indulge in a bit of retail therapy are in luck.
      Shops and restaurants line the World Galleria, where thousands of LED lights in the domed ceiling create stunning cinematic displays, switching from shifting desert sands to whales swimming in deep oceans.
      The heart of the ship features bars, lounges, restaurants and shops including Fine Jewellery where I got to try on the most expensive gem — a £22,000 1.02- carat yellow diamond ring. Unlike the Wags, though, I had to give it back.
      The Galleria leads to the stunning out-door Prom-enade with yet more shops, bars and restaurants.
      Wags wanting to reward their men for a job well done could splash out on a £53,000 solid gold Hublot timepiece in one of the two watch emporiums.
      The promenade is THE place to be at sunset where you can sip a cocktail or two while looking out over the Doha skyline and admire views of the 974 World Cup stadium, named after the exact number of shipping containers used to create the unique venue.
      I joined the adrenaline-addicts to tackle the ‘Venom Drop’ – the longest dry slide­ at sea that corkscrews down 11 decks to the promenade and pops out by the Malt bar where we indulged in a restorative tot of whisky.
      To calm my nerves, it was a far more Wag-tastic activity next – the peaceful Balinese-style Aurea Spa.
      Donning a huge fluffy bathrobe I soothed away aches and pains with a journey through the thermal area, dipping into the bubbling pools and experiencing the steam rooms, saunas overlooking the sea and even the sub-zero snow room with frozen ice floors and walls.
      Lisa relaxes at the spa on HMS WagCredit: MSC Cruises
      The Wags will feel right at home in the Fizz Champagne BarCredit: SUPPLIED
      The ladies can pamper themselves with £150 massages, facials and body wraps or indulge in a manicure, blow dry and even lash extensions.
      It’s not the only thing on board to amuse the Wags – by night there are West End-style shows and nightclubs featuring Ibiza-style raves as well as DJ parties on deck by the pool.
      But the most exclusive venue on the ship is an invite-only intimate speakeasy, hidden in plain sight and reserved for only the most VIP of guests.
      I got special access to this top-secret joint and can guarantee it will give the girls the chance to let their hair down and relax away from prying eyes.
      More than 14,000 England and Welsh fans have also booked rooms on the luxury liner.
      But England’s football stars may unfortunately not be able to join their other halves onboard.
      Last week, Qatar reported 307 new Covid cases and Gareth Southgate could be forced to keep his team in a strict bubble.
      The Three Lions boss and his squad will stay at the Souq Al Wakra hotel near Doha ahead of their first match against Iran on November 21.
      Read More on The Sun
      Other partners are expected to stay in five-star hotels in Dubai and commute in for matches.
      It remains to be seen if football’s coming home, but after a couple of weeks on HMS Wag its lucky guests definitely won’t want to.
      The Wags will be able to relax on two vast private sun decks with a large pool and two Jacuzzis, surrounded by plush loungers and beach club-style cabanasCredit: SUPPLIED
      Adrenaline-addicts can tackle the ‘Venom Drop’ – the longest dry slide­ at sea that corkscrews down 11 decksCredit: SUPPLIED
      The stunning staircase is stacked with more than 8,000 octagon and pear-cut Swarovski crystalsCredit: SUPPLIED More