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      I’m a career WAG and made loads of money off my marriage, we dropped thousands on champagne alone, says Lizzie Cundy

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      MOST people know I’ve made my career out of being a WAG. While married to former-Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur footballer Jason Cundy, I lived it up at two World Cups – and enjoyed every minute of it.
      ‘I’ve made my career out of being a WAG,’ says Lizzie Cundy, ‘and enjoyed every minute of it’Credit: David Cummings
      The WAGs of England’s Euros 2020 teamCredit: TIM STEWART NEWS
      Pictured from left Paige Millan, Lucia Loi, Sasha Attwood, Fern Maguire, Megan DavidsonCredit: Alamy, Getty Images, Backgrid
      Despite Jason and I splitting in 2010, much of my money has been made on the back of our marriage.
      But the new breed of WAGs (wives and girlfriends) is a very different species.
      They keep such a low profile that I don’t think many people could even name half the England team’s partners.
      Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, is a successful model, but the rest are not exactly household names.
      Read More on WAGS
      Despite most being in their 20s, many of the WAGs of 2022 are married to their other halves, have kids together and their own careers – some as influencers with hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
      They can’t be seen to be getting drunk on Veuve Clicquot and dancing on tables – they have reputations to protect.
      It’s all a million miles away from the tournament where the term “WAGs” was coined.
      During the infamous 2006 World Cup in Germany, the wives and girlfriends went wild in the England team’s base of Baden-Baden, shopping up a storm and dropping tens of thousands of pounds on booze.
      Most read in The Sun
      The women – including Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole – were treated like movie stars.
      While these days, their every move would be charted on social media, back then everything they did made the headlines.
      In the beginning, some of the girls liked it, but others were a bit scared, having never faced such scrutiny before.
      You have to remember that some, like Coleen Rooney, were barely out of school.
      Then they realised they could make a career from all the attention they were getting, and their attitudes changed.
      I remember Nancy Dell’Olio, the girlfriend of then England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, called me and said: “I’m queen of the WAGs, I’m with the boss.” Of course she was.
      Who would have thought she would visit Downing Street for a reception with Prime Minister Tony Blair in a daring red catsuit?
      It was unbelievable and made all the front pages. We’d never seen such sights before – and I don’t think we will see them again.
      The girls had a lot of power, but Sven got right behind it. He liked the attention being on the women, as it meant it wasn’t on the men, and they could just concentrate on the game. 
      I’m queen of the WAGs, I’m with the boss.Nancy Dell’Olio
      Sven loved women and the glamour; it’s what he was all about. He wanted his players on the back pages of the newspapers, but he didn’t mind the girls being on the front, too.
      He wanted them there on the sidelines supporting their partners. It was amazing. It made the atmosphere incredible – there was a real buzz about it.
      But ultimately, the WAGs became the story.
      After England lost to Portugal in the quarter-finals, the WAGs shouldered the blame.
      Two years after that tournament, England defender Rio Ferdinand said: “We became a bit of a circus. Football almost became a secondary element. People were worrying more about what people were wearing or where they were going than the England football team.”
      Things changed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
      Unlike Sven, new manager Fabio Capello hated press attention. He didn’t want the players’ girlfriends or wives there.
      It suited him that it was held in South Africa, as he could say it was too dangerous and that was a reason for the women to keep a low profile. He wanted the attention on the football.
      Victoria Beckham leads the WAGs into action 2006 World Cup in Germany – where they attracted all the attentionCredit: REX FEATURES
      Sasha Attwood, Jack Grealish’s girlfriend, is a successful model, but the rest are not exactly household namesCredit: Instagram
      Katie Goodland, wife of Harry Kane, is a fitness instructor who likes ice-swimming in Finland and rarely drinks
      We became a bit of a circus. Football almost became a secondary element. People were worrying more about what people were wearing or where they were going than the England football team.Rio Ferdinand
      For that reason, the atmosphere at the football matches was totally different. It just wasn’t as fun. It was never the same after that.
      The decline of the WAGs began – they were no longer centre stage.
      Perhaps some of the players got a bit jealous of the attention their partners were getting, too.
      They would say: “Why are they all focused on you? What do you know about football? 
      It should be about me.” So you had that battle of the egos as well.
      Sadly for Rebekah Vardy – who wanted to get in on the WAG act at the 2018 World Cup in Russia – it was just that little bit too late and interest was waning.
      And as the World Cup 2022 kicks off today, it’s unlikely you’ll see much of the WAGs at all.
      If you do, it’s likely to be on their carefully curated Instagram stories than paps snapping them falling out of bars.
      Despite Jason and I splitting in 2010, much of my money has been made on the back of our marriage. Lizzie Cundy
      Back in Baden-Baden, Elen Rivas (then-girlfriend of Frank Lampard), Lisa Roughead (girlfriend of Michael Carrick) and Terri Poole (girlfriend of John Terry) let their hair down.
      They were there to have a wild time and they didn’t have to worry about losing commercial deals or – as is the case this year – going to jail or bringing shame on their country.
      The army of WAGs accompanying the players to Qatar will reportedly be staying on a £1billion cruise liner off the coast of Doha, with their husbands not allowed on board.
      They’ve been warned that if they put a designer-shoe-clad-foot out of place in strict Qatar, they could end up behind bars.
      No booze, no skimpy outfits, no PDAs, no singing in public and no selfies – well, not outside official buildings at least.
      It’s hardly fair on the WAGs going to support the Welsh team in its first World Cup in 64 years, is it?
      However, it’s not likely these girls would get up to anything like that, even if they were allowed. They are a different breed.
      Katie Goodland, wife of Harry Kane, is a fitness instructor who likes ice-swimming in Finland and rarely drinks.
      And back-up goalie Aaron Ramsdale’s other half, Georgina Irwin, part-owns a gym that gives a portion of its profits to the mental health charity Mind.
      To be honest, WAGdom is probably best left in the past anyway, because you can never recreate those golden days.
      And of course, now we have a generation of women wanting to follow in our Euros-winning Lionesses’ footsteps – to be on the pitch and be the stars themselves.
      Read More on The Sun
      Though I doubt we’re gonna see the rise of the HABs (husbands and boyfriends). 
      Sadly, I think the idea of WAGs causing mischief and being centre stage at the World Cup is a thing of the past.  More

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      Aston Villa ace Douglas Luiz splits from footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann after row about her raunchy calendar

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      ASTON Villa ace Douglas Luiz has split from his footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann — after they rowed about her raunchy calendar.Swiss star Alisha, 23, who plays for Villa’s women’s team, had a year-long relationship with the Brazilian after they met at the Birmingham-based club.
      Douglas Luiz has split from his footballer girlfriend Alisha Lehmann — after they rowed about her raunchy calendarCredit: BackGrid
      Alisha was in a year-long relationship with the Brazilian after meeting at the club
      At the beginning of this year, she gave up her rented penthouse apartment to move into his £1.5million five-bed house in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
      But they broke up following heated arguments over her sizzling calendar and she is now staying with a team-mate.
      A source close to the pair said: “Douglas was completely smitten with Alisha. When she first arrived, he was like, ‘Who is this girl?’.
      He quickly asked her out and they became a footballing power couple. They were so loved up.
      READ MORE SUN EXCLUSIVES
      “But, sadly, as Alisha became more in demand off the pitch, the cracks started to appear in their relationship.
      “When asked to do a calendar, she jumped at the chance to show off her sexy side but he was not happy.
      “He didn’t think it was something she should be doing. They rowed a lot and in the end Alisha simply had enough.”
      Bisexual Alisha previously had a relationship with her Switzerland teammate Ramona Bachmann, 25.
      Most read in The Sun
      Douglas is currently back in Brazil.
      A spokeswoman for Alisha declined to comment.
      Douglas is currently back in Brazil after Alisha moved out of their £1.5million house in BirminghamCredit: Getty
      A source suggested that Alisha jumped at the chance to show off her sexy sideCredit: © Alisha Lehmann Official Calendar 2023
      Alisha shows off her amazing curves in an animal-print bikiniCredit: BackGrid More

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      Keir Starmer admits his fave footie memory was watching England lose to Germany on penalties at Euro 96

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      SIR Keir Starmer last night admitted one of his favourite footie moments was watching England LOSE to Germany on penalties.The self-claimed footie mad Labour chief recalled watching the nation’s humiliation at Euro 96 ahead of the World Cup starting next week.
      Sir Keir is a self proclaimed football fanatic but admits shocking fave football memoryCredit: Alan MacGregor Ewing
      Sir Keir laughed as he described the “agonising” experience of sitting “up almost on top of” Gascoigne in the stands when the England legend missed an open goal during extra time.
      Away from footie, Sir Keir also confessed yesterday he HAS kissed a Tory and he’s not ashamed of it.
      The Labour leader’s admission came after lefty loonies sparked outrage this year for parading around in “never kissed a Tory” t-shirts.
      Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell joined in too, even posting a snap in the top on social media.
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      Sir Keir slammed the divisive garment in an interview with The Times, revealing: “I’m afraid I’ve broken that rule”.
      But the Labour chief, who insists he isn’t “tribal”, won’t kiss and tell.
      He said: “I’ve got very good friends who are Tories and they’ve been very, very good friends of mine for a very, very long time, and long may that last.”
      Most read in The Sun More

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      I’ve been moaning about this World Cup for nearly 12 years but here’s why it’s time to stop the whining and back England

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      I HAVE been moaning non-stop for 11 years, 11 months and 17 days.That’s an awful lot of moaning.
      The decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup has never felt rightCredit: Rex
      Now it’s here we should embrace the World Cup, says Adrian ChilesCredit: aecanter
      My moan-a-thon commenced on the afternoon of Thursday, December 2, 2010 — the day Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup.
      To be fair, for the first eight years I also had the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia to moan about.
      But ever since that one was done and dusted, I’ve been able to focus my fury ­exclusively on Qatar. And I’m not the only one.
      Just about everyone else has weighed in, with good reason, on more or less every single aspect of it.
      READ MORE ON QATAR WORLD CUP
      The human rights record of the Qatari regime; the carbon footprint; the ­timing . . . you name it.
      Fifa has been good enough to give us plenty to go on.
      More came thick and fast this week as the hordes of journalists arrived in Doha and started whingeing about the pricey pints and soaring ­temperatures.
      To be fair, if I was lucky enough to be there, I’d ­probably have the nerve to be having a whinge of my own.
      Most read in The Sun
      But really, what else was anybody expecting in a dry state in the Middle East?.
      Even some fans lucky enough to be there were at it.
      Some old boy was on the radio saying how he was being forced to fly in to watch every Wales match from nearby Dubai. Cue an orchestra of tiny violins.
      I think we call these gripes First World problems nowadays.
      Because the truth of the ­matter is — as ever — that the vast majority of fans won’t be at the World Cup.
      DESERVE BETTER
      They’ll be where they ­usually are every four years.
      They’ll be somewhere far more familiar, where it costs much less for a bevvy and you can drink it pretty much whenever you like.
      They call it home . . . or the pub.
      It’s time to blow the whistle on the Qatar complaints. Enough now. It’s happening.
      Let’s hold our noses and enjoy the party.
      This is what I’ve resolved to do, having frightened myself working out that I’ll probably only experience another six World Cups in my lifetime.
      And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Fifa or anyone else ruin any one of them for me.
      Sepp Blatter announced Qatar would host the World Cup way back in 2010Credit: AFP
      If I make it to 80, my last major tournament will be the 2046 World Cup, held God knows where. Mars, probably.
      I’ll be making the trip, no matter what the political ­situation is there.
      I feel sorry for the players. Extravagantly paid they might be, living lives of great luxury, but time stops for no man and they’ll be lucky to have the chance of playing in any more than three World Cups.
      If we’re not careful we’ll have them feeling like soldiers sent off to fight in an ­unpopular war, unheralded and uncelebrated.
      They deserve better from us. None of this is their fault.
      And yet they are now the only ones who can change everything about our attitude to this World Cup.
      As the old saying goes, when your team’s winning matches, even the pies taste good.
      Yes, they can turn it all round for us, and we’ve got to start getting right behind them to help them do it.
      A good start for our boys, followed by progress in the knockout stages accompanied perhaps by a few late dramas,, and nigh-on 12 solid years of moaning will all be forgotten.
      When it does, you can bet everyone over there will stop their whining.
      They’ll be popping corks on million pound bottles of ­champagne. Maybe.
      My mind goes back to ­something Gordon Strachan said to me at the World Cup of 2014.
      We were broadcasting from Copacabana Beach.
      Luis Suarez biting Giorgio Chiellini was one of the World Cup’s craziest momentsCredit: Pixel8000
      The story of the day had been Luis Suarez trying to make a snack out of Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
      One player actually biting another? ­Disgraceful!
      The Uruguayan was in a world of trouble. A lifetime ban was even mooted.
      I suggested to Gordon that Suarez might never play again.
      “Of course he will,” laughed Gordon. “Because there is no morality in football.”
      He was right. It’s the worst thing about the game, but also the best.
      Yes, terrible transgressions of decent, human behaviour may be forgiven or overlooked, because brilliant football trumps everything.
      The Suarez-Chiellini chompfest is a case in point.
      SOMETHING SPECIAL
      Chiellini himself wrote in his memoir that not only did he forgive Suarez the bite, he actually admired him for it.
      Football will always win out. It’s bigger than all of us, as we’ll see in the coming weeks.
      It’s bigger than Fifa or Qatar or Russia or whichever referee or players offend our sensibilities this time round.
      Once it gets going, I believe we’ll all get going.
      And once England get going, the sky will be the limit.
      Qatar — quite unjustly — will feel like the most normal place on Earth, and back home it’ll be like winter isn’t happening.
      But we, the fans at home, need to do our bit to get England out of the starting blocks.
      Ahead of the women’s Euros this summer I had a hunch our team was going to do something special.
      For once — and I mean once — in my football life, I was right. (I had to be right sooner or later. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.)
      Almost out of superstition, I hereby repeat the words I wrote in The Sun about England’s women before that tournament started.
      I said that it was important to get behind them from the beginning, because it would be no good jumping on the bandwagon when they got to the final and won it.
      Read More on The Sun
      So, in the spirit of that, I pray to you, myself and all other interested parties: Let the moaning stop and the cheering commence as a ­joyous English march to the final begins.
      Bring it on.
      The nation will be backing England to end their long wait for the trophyCredit: AFP More

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      Meet England’s Brainbox WAGs from stunning Lucia Loi to Paige Milian who all have a surprising thing in common

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      THIS year’s World Cup Wags are in a premier league of their own when it comes to brains.Many of the footie wives and girlfriends who have travelled to Qatar to support their partners have earned good degrees and gone on to build top-class careers to rival their famous footballing fellas’ efforts on the pitch.
      England players warm up ahead of the World Cup in QatarCredit: PA
      Many of the England Wags earned good degrees and have gone on to build top-class careersCredit: PA
      Here, Yasmin Harisha reveals the wise Wags who really know the score.
      Katie Kane – Wife of Harry Kane
      Degree in Sports Science
      England Captain Harry Kane’s wife Katie is a fitness instructorCredit: PA:Press Association
      Mum Katie has a sports science degree
      ENGLAND Captain Harry’s wife Katie is a fitness instructor, with a sports science degree.
      The pair, both 29, have gone from childhood sweethearts to happily married and living in Chingford, Essex, where they now even have a team of their own – children Ivy, five, Vivienne Jane, four, and one-year-old Louis.
      Read More on Wags
      They also have two dogs called Brady and Wilson, named after NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Russell Wilson.
      The pair have watched each other grow, and Harry said of Katie: “We went to school together, so she’s seen my whole career.
      “Of course, she’s finding it a little crazy.”
      We’re proud to say she is One Of Our Own.
      Most read in Football
      Milly Adams – Fiancée to Ben White
      2:1 degree in Childhood Studies
      IT’S been quite a year for Arsenal defender Ben – in June he proposed to girlfriend Milly, then this month he got the call-up for England’s World Cup squad.
      Milly, from Herts, is now an Instagram model, boasting 14.9k followers, but before that she proved her brain power by graduating in 2019.
      Ben White’s fiancée Milly Adams is an Insta model with 14.9k followers
      Milly has a 2:1 degree in Childhood StudiesCredit: milly_adams/instagram
      The pair, who are both 25, confirmed their relationship in February this year – and since their engagement, it appears they are a really solid team.
      Charlotte Trippier – Wife of Kieran Trippier
      Degree in Interior Design
      AS defender Kieran prepares to play for England in his second World Cup, his wife Charlotte will be cheering him on all the way.
      She and the 32-year-old Newcastle star have been married since 2016, and are parents to Jacob, five, and Esme Rose, two.
      Charlotte Trippier – wife of Kieran has an Interior Design degreeCredit: Instagram / @ktrippier2
      As well as being known for her fashionable outfits, Charlotte, 33, is also a member of The Style Sisters, a super-successful home interior business, and she has more than 270k followers on Instagram.
      She started the brand with her sister Gemma, 32, after obtaining her interior design degree.
      The pair call themselves the “Trinny and Susannah” of home makeovers and charge up to £995 per room, which covers a full renovation.
      Fern Maguire – Wife of Harry Maguire 
      First class honours degree in      Science and  Physiotherapy
      THE couple have gone from lovestruck Sheffield teenagers to husband and wife, and are each other’s rock.
      Not only has Fern, 28, been watching from the sidelines supporting 29-year-old Harry on his World Cup mission, but she has also been making sure she qualifies in her own league.
      Harry Maguire’s wife Fern became a physiotherapist after graduating in 2017Credit: Tim Stewart
      Fern regularly posts endorsed snaps on Instagram to her 100k followers – netting her up to £5,000 per postCredit: Tim Stewart
      After graduating in 2017 she became a physiotherapist.
      The pair, who have a three-year-old daughter, Lillie Saint, live in Manchester, where Fern regularly posts endorsed snaps on Instagram to her 100k followers – netting her up to £5,000 per post.
      Megan Pickford – Wife of Jordan Pickford
      2:1 degree in Childhood Studies
      CHILDHOOD sweetheart Megan proved to be a keeper for Jordan, and they tied the knot at a register office in Crewe in June 2020, having had to postpone their lavish Maldives ceremony due to the pandemic.
      The 28-year-old England goalie met Megan when she was 14 and they were at St Robert of Newminster RC secondary school in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
      Jordana Pickford met his wife Megan when they were at school in Washington, Tyne and WearCredit: INSTAGRAM/MEGAN DAVISON
      Megan graduated in 2017 and gave birth to the couple’s son Arlo George in 2019Credit: meganpickford_/instagram
      She graduated in 2017, and gave birth to the couple’s son Arlo George in 2019.
      Megan appears to work on her blogging, with 93.3k Instagram followers and lots of endorsements from luxury brands such as Hermes and Alexander Wang.
      Paige Milian – Fiancée to Raheem Sterling
      Degree in Property Development
      IT’S all about playing forward for Raheem, and not just on the pitch.
      The Chelsea star and his fiancée Paige, 25, who has a degree in property development, snapped up an entire road of houses in 2019 for £1million after setting up their own property firm.
      Raheem Sterling’s fiancee Paige Milian has a degree in property development
      Paige, who is mum to Thiago, five, and Thai-Cruz, three, with 27-year-old Raheem, announced on Instagram that the couple had bought the homes.
      She wrote: “After months of studying property development, I achieved my qualification to become a property developer in 2018.
      “We then started a search of properties to add to our portfolio and was then successful in purchasing six brand new houses.”
      She added: “We plan to add more projects to our portfolio in the future.”
      Paige, who has 103k followers, has also endorsed posts from high-end fashion designers including Jacquemus and Fendi, which could also bring in a nice bit of extra income.
      Top marks to her.
      Lucia Loi – Girlfriend of Marcus Rashford
      First class honours degree in Advertising and Brand Management
      AFTER three years of study at Manchester Metropolitan University, Lucia’s qualification and her top grade led to a job as an account executive at Manchester PR firm Sugar.
      She and Manchester United forward Marcus, 25, started dating when they were at school.
      Marcus Rashford’s childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi has a First class honours degreeCredit: Getty
      Lucia and Marcus started dating when they were at school
      Lucia, 22, was spotted cheering him on from the stands when he played for England against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
      And with that degree, she has shown she can be a first-class supporter this year. More

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      Russia’s secret invasion of Qatar’s World Cup with big tech deals and sexy performers

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      RUSSIA has invaded the World Cup by clinching big business mega deals worth millions – and sending sexy performers to star in Qatar’s glitzy fan zone shows.Vladimir Putin’s bloodbath in Ukraine has earned his nation pariah status – including a total ban from football by Fifa.
      Russian singer and actress Maria Rutsoba will be performing in QatarCredit: Dan Charity
      Maria is one of around a thousand Russians believed to be in QatarCredit: Dan Charity
      But hosts Qatar have stuck to deals with Putin’s oligarch cronies cut before the war guaranteeing the Russian economy millions, despite economic sanctions.
      A Sun probe has revealed Russian phone and tech companies, caterers and VIP chauffeur services are all in use in Doha.
      A World Cup insider in Doha said: “There are already hundreds – if not thousands – of Russians working here on the World Cup.”
      It is not just bigwigs who are in Qatar.
      READ MORE WORLD CUP
      Singer and actress Maria Rubtsova, 24, is starring in a show on Doha’s corniche fan zone.
      Maria, from Moscow, is distraught though, thinking of her father Alexandr, 54, who is fighting in the Ukraine.
      She said: “I don’t support Putin and have no idea why he started this war – but my dad said it was his duty to fight and volunteered.”
      She added: “I can’t stop thinking about what my dad is going through and whether I’ll ever see him again.”
      Most read in The Sun
      Qatar’s World Cup Supreme Committee declined to comment on The Sun’s findings last night.
      Maria says she worries she may not see her dad again, who is part of Putin’s armyCredit: Dan Charity
      Vladimir Putin struck deals with Qatar which have been honouredCredit: Reuters More

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      Anthony Joshua can not forgive fake celebrity ‘friends’ who deserted him after surprise loss to Andy Ruiz Jr

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA will never forgive the celeb fake fans who ditched him after his shock KO loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.AJ was the darling of the chat-show circuit with stars from sport, TV, film and music desperate to be ringside and backstage for his run of 22 victories.
      AJ was stunned when he suffered a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019Credit: AFP or licensors
      But he noticed too many A-listers dropped him quicker than Ruiz did in his disastrous US debut in June 2019.
      The Watford fighter regained the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles before Christmas that year — but left the hangers-on in his past.
      Joshua, 31, said afterwards: “I always keep my childhood pals close, I have never been a celebrity brown-noser.
      I always keep my childhood pals close, I have never been a celebrity brown-noser.
      “When you have a No 1 record, a No 1 film or are a boxing champion and it all goes downhill, the celebrities are on to the next thing.
      “But when you are with your people, who know you for you, nothing really changes. It was the people spectating from a distance who had a lot to say.
      “Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I know who I am and as I get older I am getting stronger and more resilient — no one will ever be able to break me.”
      Joshua, 33, is currently taking a break from the sport after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
      He could return to face the winner between Whyte, 34, and unbeaten Jermaine Franklin, 29, who fight next weekend.

      MOST READ IN SPORT
      Anthony Joshua won back his title belts from Andy Ruiz in December 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn says Joshua could fight Deontay Wilder for the WBC title if the belts become vacant.
      Champions Tyson Fury and Usyk are lined up for a historic first ever four-belt heavyweight unification next year.
      But the winner could then be faced with up to FOUR mandatory challengers, making it difficult to hang onto all of the marbles.
      Wilder, 37, has been ordered into a WBC final eliminator with Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, meaning the winner is guaranteed a shot at Fury’s title.
      And Joshua’s promoter Hearn is ready to get his man into position to then face the winner of the all-American showdown.
      And by that time, the title could already be up for grabs if Fury, 34, or Usyk, 35, fail to keep up with their mandatories.
      Hearn told Matchroom Boxing: “I think belts are going to become vacant over the next six-12 months. They always are when there’s an undisputed champion.
      “So now it’s about positioning yourself, Dillian Whyte, AJ of course, into a shot at the world heavyweight title.
      “AJ could be fighting the winner of Wilder – Ruiz for the WBC world heavyweight title, could be fighting Filip Hrgovic.
      “Dillian Whyte could be fighting Joe Joyce for the WBO world title. There’s all kinds of eventualities.
      “But the pressure will come from the mandatories, that’s just natural when there’s a unified and in this case potentially undisputed champion.” More

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      Major change to Baddiel & Skinner’s Three Lions as they give it Christmas revamp for England’s 2022 World Cup bid

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      COMEDIANS David Baddiel and Frank Skinner today unveil their new Christmas version of Three Lions ahead of the World Cup.The duo have reworked their 1996 anthem, with new lyrics exclusively revealed in The Sun. Sir Geoff Hurst and Lionesses Jess Carter and Beth England also star in a festive video.
      World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst appears in the video for the new track
      David Baddiel and Frank Skinner unveil their new Christmas version of Three Lions ahead of the World Cup
      The team behind the song hope it can go to No1 next Friday and help give the England team a boost — just like it did in Euro 96
      As England prepare for Monday’s opener versus Iran, Frank said: “We just had to do it.”
      The comedians have also reunited with singer Ian Broudie to record the new version.
      The original famously referred to “30 years of hurt” for England’s footballers but that has now been raised to “56” — though it is a mere “20 weeks” for the women.
      The Sun first revealed in September that Baddiel, 58, Skinner, 65, and Lightning Seeds singer Broudie, 64, were updating their hugely popular song.
      READ MORE ON 2022 WORLD CUP
       They officially released the track today — three days before England kick off against Iran in Qatar on Monday — and shared their new lyrics exclusively with Sun readers.
      Skinner said: “We just had to do it. Christmas World Cup songs are not like buses.
      “If we’d let this opportunity pull away, it would have been a very long wait for the next one.”
       Baddiel quipped: “It’s between me and Mariah Carey for who really is the voice of Christmas.”
      Most read in Football
      The trio have included some of the highlights of the past 26 years – notably the Lionesses’ Euros win at Wembley in July.
      It kicks off with them in England’s victorious press conference – with Skinner singing: “Loving that Lionesses win.”
      The first chorus then gets in the festive spirit, with: “Three Lions on a sleigh, with She-Lions inspiration. Santa says let’s play, the Christmas tree formation.”

      The comedians also poke fun at themselves, with Skinner referring to his past booze addiction.
      Baddiel sings: “When they decided on Qatar, should have checked VAR. It’s too hot, and too far – so we’ll be snowflakes watching it here. This is our time of year, we’ll be having a beer . . . ” 
      The exclusive look at the song’s revamped lyrics
      The Lionesses get honoured in the new version – but it’s just ’20 weeks of hurt’ for the womenCredit: Rex
      To which Skinner chips in: “Actually I won’t because I’ve got alcohol issues.”
      Christmas gets more mentions as a commentator says during a match: “What a cracker of a game . . . England are giving them a real good stuffing . . . Ding Dong Merrily on Sky . . . oh no it’s not on Sky . . . it has to be on terrestrial doesn’t it? . . . for legal reasons.”
      Baddiel and Skinner also had to lengthen England’s trophy drought — but only for the fellas. In one of the final choruses they change “30 years of hurt” to “56 years of hurt – for the men’s game”. The comedians, along with a child choir, then sing: “20 weeks of hurt, for the women’s game obviously.”
      In the video, Baddiel and Skinner come face to face with their 1990s selves, as they sit on their tatty old telly furniture.
      The pair also decorate a Christmas tree — topped with the Jules Rimet Trophy from 1966 — while wearing festive jumpers.
      England’s 1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst turns up on a doorstep with kids singing carols before tearing open his coat to reveal a festive sweater. Also singing in the video are Lionesses Jess Carter and Beth England, while moments from their Euros success play throughout.
      The team behind the song hope it can go to No1 next Friday and help give the England team a boost — just like it did in Euro 96. 
      Released in May that year, it hit No1 where it stayed for three weeks. The first reworking, Three Lions ’98, also topped the charts during the World Cup two years later.
      In total it has sold almost two million copies – and been streamed tens of millions of times. In 2018 it was played 450,000 times in a day when England beat Colombia at the Russia World Cup.
      Earlier this year Baddiel revealed that fans wrongly believe he rakes it in from royalties. 
      He said: “I want to say to them, ‘Do you know how much you get from Spotify?’” He claimed it had been calculated that 16 million plays earns the three writers about £900 between them, adding: “I can’t retire on that.” 
      Read More on The Sun
      Last month Broudie spoke of his pride at the Lionesses belting it out at manager Sarina Wiegman’s winning press conference. He said: “They all ran in and danced on the tables, singing Three Lions. That was a great thing for me.”
      It comes as a new set of photos of England players with boss Gareth Southgate are released, below. 

      THE new version of Three Lions is out now to buy and stream.

      The video sees England’s 1966 hero Sir Geoff Hurst turns up on a doorstep with kids singing carols before tearing open his coat to reveal a festive sweater
      Harry Kane will be leading the England men’s team out on Monday as they attempt to follow the Lionesses and bring football homeCredit: Getty
      Arsenak and England ace Bukayo Saka will also be hoping England can go all the way in QatarCredit: Getty More