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      in Soccer

      David Beckham bags £150million to be the face of the Qatar World Cup

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      DAVID Beckham will be unveiled as the face of the Qatar World Cup next month — netting £150million. The former England captain, 46, nicknamed Goldenballs, signed a deal worth £15million a year over the next decade to become the country’s ambassador.
      Former England captain David Captain will be unveiled as the face of the Qatar World Cup next monthCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The football star will net £150million after signing a deal worth £15million a year over the next decade, here with its Qatari chief Nasser al-KhelaifiCredit: AFP
      Earlier this month he flew into the capital Doha for a week touring ­stadiums and meeting dignitaries ahead of next year’s tournament.
      The country has faced huge controversy over its human rights record, particularly its attitude towards women and gay people.
      However David was assured fans would be safe and allowed to display rainbow flags in stadiums – the symbol of the LGBTQ community.
      Homosexuality is illegal but application of the law — identical in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi — has become progressively more liberal. David was also informed about a growing female presence in government.
      He consulted with wife Victoria, 47, whose pop band The Spice Girls famously sung about “girl power”, before signing.
      Yesterday a source said: “David believes in Qatar’s commitment to progress and that the World Cup — the first to be held in the Arab world — can effect significant positive change.

      “He strongly believes in the power of football to bridge differences but, crucially, has seen the progress on issues that matter.”
      David, who has had links with the Qataris since he played for Paris St-Germain, will also promote tourism and culture.
      The source went on: “By signing David, the hope is more westerners will be encouraged to see its beautiful beaches, vast expanses of sand dunes and incredible skyscrapers.”
      A spokeswoman for David said: “David has always talked about the power of football as a force for good on many levels.
      “As we reach the one year to go point he will join the wider football community that is coming together for the World Cup 2022 and he’s looking forward to what he thinks will be a great tournament.”
      Nicknamed Goldenballs, 46-year-old Beckham will become the country’s ambassador, pictured the Doha stadiumCredit: AFP
      It comes as the country faced huge controversy over its human rights record
      A source said ‘David believes in Qatar’s commitment to progress and that the World Cup — the first to be held in the Arab world — can effect significant positive change’Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Watch incredible new FIFA 22 trailer featuring Beckham, Rooney, Mbappe and Ryan Reynolds to celebrate launch day More

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      in Soccer

      Tottenham ace Dele Alli enjoys date with Made In Chelsea star Nicole Berry after kissing Pep Guardiola’s daughter

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      ENGLAND’S Dele Alli has switched to Chelsea in his quest for love.The Spurs ace had been seen smooching Man City boss Pep Guardiola’s 20- year-old daughter Maria.
      Dele Alli and Nicole Berry link fingers while she rests her head on his shoulder
      Canadian Nicole Berry recently joined the cast of Made In Chelsea
      But now Dele, 25, has subbed her for dates with Made In Chelsea newcomer Nicole Berry.
      Pics shared with The Sun show them linking fingers and with her head on his shoulder.
      They were joined by Chelsea FC star Ben Chilwell, 24, and Nicole’s model pal Sofia Cretaro at Sexy Fish restaurant in London’s Mayfair — before heading to Chiltern Firehouse.
      Dele is said to have first contacted Canadian Nicole, 24, via social media.
      A source said: “She made him go the extra mile by ignoring four of his messages. But she finally said ‘yes’ to a date and had fun. But after a photographer spotted them Nicole has taken a step back.
      “She doesn’t want Made In Chelsea fans to think she’s dating a footballer when she’s being paid to raise blood levels of the men on the show.
      “Nicole is hoping her TV exposure will see her model career take off. Seeing the odd Premier League footballer won’t stop that in a hurry.”

      Friends said Chilwell and Sofia “had fun” but did not gel in the same way.
      The Sun told how Dele split from Ruby Mae, 23, in February after she got fed up of him playing video game Fortnite.
      Dele’s spokeswoman last night said he is single and he has never dated Nicole but they were “in a group of people at a dinner in London”
      Dele is said to have first contacted Nicole, 24, via social media
      The Spurs ace had been seen smooching Man City boss Pep Guardiola’s 20-year-old daughter MariaCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Dele Alli’s spokeswoman insists he’s singleCredit: Getty
      Tottenham star Dele Alli shows off impressive physique as he starts training for new Premier League season early More

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      in Soccer

      Premier League star and terrified girlfriend tied up at home by machete wielding thugs

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      A PREMIER League star was attacked by masked thugs with machetes in his own home, then tied up along with his terrified partner.The player — who we are not naming — was dragged around the house by the balaclava-clad raiders who smashed their way into his £1.5million property.
      Raiders ransacked the home while the terrified couple were tied up
      The gang broke into the secluded mansion during the recent international fixture period believing he had travelled abroad. But the player had been released from the squad.
      As he was watching his team-mates on TV, four men smashed their way in through a glass door.
      His partner was taking a bath at the time.
      Both were grabbed and tied up and the home was ransacked.
      A source said: “It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. He was pretty brave and did his best, but he was outnumbered and they were pretty aggressive.”
      The raiders made off with watches, jewellery and electrical items.
      The robbery has sent shock waves through his club and left officials deeply upset.
      The source added: “The player lives a pretty low-profile life off the pitch, so he was shocked to be targeted. He doesn’t flash his wealth and enjoys being as normal as possible.”
      Police said: “Entry was forced to the property and jewellery, along with other household items, were stolen. Inquiries are ongoing.”

      Footballers are being targeted by burglary gangs dubbed “away day robbers”, as they raid their homes when they are playing matches.
      But larger squads and complicated fixture lists have seen some stars’ properties burgled when they are at home.
      In March, The Sun told how then Everton FC goalkeeper Robin Olsen and his terrified family were confronted by a balaclava-clad gang wielding machetes in Hale, Cheshire.
      Man Utd ace Paul Pogba launches world’s first vegan and gender neutral football boot through adidas and Stella McCartney More

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      in Soccer

      Spurs ace Dele Alli enjoys date with Made In Chelsea newcomer Nicole Berry after kissing Pep Guardiola’s daughter

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      ENGLAND’S Dele Alli has switched to Chelsea in his quest for love.The Spurs ace had been seen smooching Man City boss Pep Guardiola’s 20- year-old daughter Maria.
      Dele Alli and Nicole Berry link fingers while she rests her head on his shoulder
      Canadian Nicole Berry recently joined the cast of Made In Chelsea
      But now Dele, 25, has subbed her for dates with Made In Chelsea newcomer Nicole Berry.
      Pics shared with The Sun show them linking fingers and with her head on his shoulder.
      They were joined by Chelsea FC star Ben Chilwell, 24, and Nicole’s model pal Sofia Cretaro at Sexy Fish restaurant in London’s Mayfair — before heading to Chiltern Firehouse.
      Dele is said to have first contacted Canadian Nicole, 24, via social media.
      A source said: “She made him go the extra mile by ignoring four of his messages. But she finally said ‘yes’ to a date and had fun. But after a photographer spotted them Nicole has taken a step back.
      “She doesn’t want Made In Chelsea fans to think she’s dating a footballer when she’s being paid to raise blood levels of the men on the show.
      “Nicole is hoping her TV exposure will see her model career take off. Seeing the odd Premier League footballer won’t stop that in a hurry.”

      Friends said Chilwell and Sofia “had fun” but did not gel in the same way.
      The Sun told how Dele split from Ruby Mae, 23, in February after she got fed up of him playing video game Fortnite.
      Dele’s spokeswoman last night said he is single and he has never dated Nicole but they were “in a group of people at a dinner in London”
      Dele is said to have first contacted Nicole, 24, via social media
      The Spurs ace had been seen smooching Man City boss Pep Guardiola’s 20-year-old daughter MariaCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Dele Alli’s spokeswoman insists he’s singleCredit: Getty
      Tottenham star Dele Alli shows off impressive physique as he starts training for new Premier League season early More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd predecessors Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho show under-fire Solskjaer the dangers of big loss to Liverpool

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      THE heat is on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer again and he could do without a clash with bitter rivals Liverpool.But as his predecessors have shown, after Kopping big defeats, the writing is on the wall.
      Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under huge pressure going into Sunday’s clash against LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Solskjaer is under huge pressure at Old Trafford with the Red Devils failing to win any of their last three Premier League games.
      Last week’s 4-2 defeat against Leicester has left the club in sixth spot after eight games played.
      And should United lose against Jurgen Klopp’s side, they will trail the Merseyside outfit by seven points.
      Here SunSport takes a look at how David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho’s fared against the Reds in their last season in charge of United.

      DAVID MOYES – Man Utd 0 Liverpool 3 – March 16, 2014
      Steven Gerrard hit two penalties, missed a third, and United had Nemanja Vidic sent off as David Moyes’ side fell well short.
      Luis Suarez added another in the 84th minute to hand Liverpool a first win at Old Trafford since 2009.
      Moyes was axed a month later.
      LOUIS VAN GAAL – Liverpool 2 Man Utd 0 – March 10, 2016
      A penalty from Daniel Sturridge and a Roberto Firmino strike put Jurgen Klopp’s side in control of the Europa League last-16 tie.
      Philippe Coutinho’s effort ensured a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture — and saw United crash out 3-1 on aggregate to turn up the heat on chief Louis van Gaal.
      A month later, after winning the FA Cup but finishing fifth in the Premier League, Van Gaal was gone.

      Jose Mourinho was sacked by the Red Devils after losing against the Reds at Anfield in 2018Credit: Reuters
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      JOSE MOURINHO – Liverpool 3 Man Utd 1 – December 16, 2018
      Two goals from sub Xherdan Shaqiri helped usher manager Jose Mourinho closer to the Manchester United exit.
      The Portuguese boss was fired just two days after the Swiss star sent Liverpool top, adding to Sadio Mane’s opener.
      Paul Scholes says that Man Utd ‘were all over the place’ in the first half against Atalanta More

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      in Boxing

      ‘Grab him, rough him up, push and shove him’ – How Anthony Joshua can beat classy Oleksandr Usyk and win titles back

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA, a month after losing his three heavyweight titles, is now in California attempting to find out how he can beat Oleksandr Usyk in their return fight next year.Joshua has been on a tour of selected gyms picking the brains of some of America’s top trainers and fighters in the hope they can advise him on how he can win back his WBA, IBF and WBO belts from the outstandingly brilliant Usyk.
      Anthony Joshua was completely outclassed by Oleksandr Usyk last monthCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      He has already visited Canelo Alvarez and his trainer Eddy Reynoso, as well as Virgil Hunter, who masterminded double world champion Andre Ward’s immaculate unbeaten career.
      And if those exceptionally talented guys cannot work out the best strategy for him on how to get the better of Usyk, nobody can.
      We must give AJ credit for swallowing his pride and publicly accepting he was tactically brain-dead when comprehensively outpointed by Usyk on that disastrous night at Spurs’ ground.
      Boxing trainers are rather like Premier League football managers — they are constantly under pressure and face the sack as soon as things start to go wrong.
      Robert McCracken, who has trained Joshua from day one, has quite rightly been fiercely criticised for not having a Plan B when Usyk took control in the early rounds.
      At the moment there is no suggestion that Joshua is about to part-company from the man who helped him win Olympic gold and turned a novice into a multi-millionaire champion of the world.

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      But there is a distinct possibility of major changes to the personnel who will be working in his corner.
      Eddie Hearn does not try to hide that Joshua’s performance last month was woeful and said: “The tactics weren’t right and he underperformed — but why?
      “AJ will always look at his preparation and see how he can improve. If that means bringing people in he will do it.”
      Joshua is 32 and not even the legendary Eddie Futch, who trained five world heavyweight champions  — Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe and Trevor Berbick — would have been able to significantly change his style before he clashes again with Usyk in March or April.
      Malik Scott tried to turn Deontay Wilder into a smooth fighting machine before his trilogy battle with Tyson Fury.
      Wilder worked beautifully behind his jab for the first two rounds but as soon as Fury floored him in the third he reverted to type — swinging and missing wildly with his dynamite right and leaving himself wide open.
      The legendary Eddie Futch trained five world heavyweight champions during his careerCredit: Getty
      You do not have to be a Futch or a Manny Steward to know exactly what it would take for Joshua to restore his reputation and gain revenge over Usyk.
      He simply has to fight ugly and jump on the Ukrainian from the start — grab him, rough him up, push and shove him around to eliminate his  superior skills and tire him out.
      Ray Arcel, the New Yorker considered the greatest trainer of all time, coached a total of 20 world champions, including Roberto Duran.
      He died at 94, 27 years ago — but his philosophy lives on.
      Arcel once said: “The secret of being a boxing trainer is to know and understand the individual you are working with.
      “I don’t care how much ability  you’ve got as a fighter, if you can’t think you are just another bum in the park.”
      I have no idea what Joshua was thinking on September 25, but his mind seemed to be many miles away from White Hart Lane.
      The late Ray Arcel is considered the greatest trainer of all time and coached 20 world championsCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Newcastle takeover: Finance minister appears to confirm new owners PIF are NOT independent from Saudi government

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      SAUDI ARABIA’S finance minister has blown a huge hole in the claims that Newcastle’s new owners are independent of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Premier League chiefs authorised the £300million takeover by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund after receiving ‘assurances’ the government would not control the club.
      Amanda Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi are part owners of NewcastleCredit: Getty
      Bin Salman is chairman of the Public Investment Fund and the Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi ArabiaCredit: AFP
      But that argument appeared to be invalidated by Mohammed Al-Jadaan, a close ally of MBS and the kingdom’s chief financial officer.
      In an interview with CNBC, he initially insisted: “This is a PIF investment.”
      But when asked about the decision by Prem clubs to draft new rules to temporarily prevent Toon from agreeing sponsorship deals with Saudi companies for above market value, Al-Jordaan seemed to admit to a closer link.
      Al-Jordaan, a leading voice on the government’s Vision 2030 development strategy, said: “This is one investment among many.
      “But if people are worried about competition among clubs, particularly now we have invested in one of them, I would say that is a good sign there is a potential serious competitor coming their way, which is good for the whole football community.
      “We do sponsorship not only with clubs that we bought — we sponsor different clubs and different events.
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      “There will be plenty of opportunities for sponsors and for clubs.”
      Ex-Roma boss Paulo Fonseca is waiting to hear back from Newcastle after impressing in an interview to replace Steve Bruce.
      But Lucien Favre, Eddie Howe, Steven Gerrard, Roberto Martinez and Frank Lampard all remain in the running. More

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      in Soccer

      Arteta insists he was NEVER going to sell Emile Smith Rowe with kid out to show Aston Villa what they are missing

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      EMILE SMITH ROWE is out to show Aston Villa exactly what they missed out on at the  Emirates tonight.Arsenal’s exciting young playmaker was the subject of two unsuccessful bids from Villa boss Dean Smith in the summer.
      Mikel Arteta admits there was ‘communication’ with Aston Villa over Emile Smith Rowe but never a chance Arsenal would sell the midfielderCredit: Getty
      England U-21 winger Emile Smith Rowe has been in superb form as the Gunners turn around their slow start to the Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
      And Mikel Arteta insists there was never any chance of him selling the jewel in his Gunners’ crown, who has now committed to a five-year contract.
      Arteta admits he was surprised when Villa came in with a £25million offer for 21-year-old Smith Rowe in July.
      And he was positively stunned when they returned with an improved £30m bid in spite of beating the Gunners to £38m Emi Buendia from Norwich.
      The Gunners boss said: “Any club has the right to make an inquiry about a player and if they believe they have the financial power to get him, they are entitled to make a bid.
      “There was communication between clubs regarding Emile and we made it really clear he was not for sale.
      “I was never worried he could leave because he is a big part of our future and what we’re trying to do as a club.
      “He is really happy where he is and I’m delighted to have him in my team.”

      Yet Spaniard Arteta was nevertheless impressed by Villa’s cojones in trying to lure away one of England’s brightest young talents.
       And he admitted: “For sure they are showing the right ambition to take the club to a different level.
      “I really like Dean Smith, first of all as a person and also because everything I have heard from him is so positive.
      “He is building a team and a club with different ambitions and credit to him — and also to the owners for giving him the time and the credit to do that.
      “He’s doing a really good job and this will be a difficult game for sure, because we haven’t got the results we wanted against them recently.
      “We have seen how they have improved their squad and the way they have played in the last few seasons, and we know the type of game we need to beat them.”
      “I was never worried he could leave because he is a big part of our future and what we’re trying to do as a club.”Mikel Arteta on Emile Smith Rowe
      Arteta is unhappy that Arsenal are having to play on Monday and Friday nights this week due to TV schedules.
      He said: “I hope that doesn’t affect our preparation times.
      “It’s very strange to be asked to play on these days when we have no European football and also difficult to understand.
      “We can give our opinions but in the end we have no say on these matters.”
      And he was also displeased at the way his team lost their way against Crystal Palace on Monday night after taking an early lead.
      In the end they needed a 95th- minute equaliser from sub Alexandre Lacazette to rescue a 2-2 draw and he warned they cannot make the same mistakes this evening.
      Arteta added: “After hitting the level of performance that we produced in the first part of the Palace game, we needed to go for the second goal and play with the same fluidity.
      “It’s not about taking more risks, it’s about continuing to do the things that are working and on Monday we stopped doing that.”
      Manager Mikel Arteta is puzzled by Arsenal playing Monday and FridayCredit: Getty
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from The Emirates
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta previews upcoming match against Aston Villa More