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      Fans are only just realising Emi Martinez’s real name as World Cup winner prepares to face former team Arsenal

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      FOOTBALL fans are only just realising that Emiliano Martinez is not the goalkeeper’s proper name.The Aston Villa star has been known as Emiliano Martinez since his time at Arsenal.
      Emi Martinez’s first name is actually DamianCredit: Alamy
      However, the World Cup winner’s real name is Damian Martinez. Emiliano is his middle name.
      The 30-year-old is also nicknamed ‘Dibu’ after an animated character in the Argentine TV show Mi familia es un dibujo.
      And fans on social media are shocked, as one tweeted: “I was today years old when I found out Emi Martínez’s real name is Damian Martínez.”
      A second commented: “Is Damian Martinez not Emi?”
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      A third said: “I was so confused when I looked, I thought Emi was his name for yonks.”
      A fourth added: “You and me both.”
      Another believed he made the change after a poor game in goal for Arsenal against Anderlecht in 2014, they wrote: “Emi was so bad against Anderlecht that he stopped going by Damian Martinez and started going by Emi.”
      Whatever his name is, Martinez has become one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League.
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      During his time at Arsenal he helped them to an FA Cup victory before making a transfer to Aston Villa.
      Since moving to Villa Park, he has become the first choice stopper for Argentina and played a key role in their World Cup victory in Qatar. More

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      Qatari Man Utd bidder’s father ‘is ex-Prime Minister with former World Cup organiser set to be named chairman’

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      DEADLINE day is upon those who are interested in taking over Manchester United. Interest from a number of parties has been revealed ahead of Friday’s 10pm cut-off point, most notably from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatar.
      Today is the deadline for prospective buyers of Man Utd to submit bids as the Glazers prepare to sellCredit: Getty
      The Glazers are said to want around £6bn for UnitedCredit: AFP or licensors
      Former Qatar Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Al Thani is he father of bidder Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al ThaniCredit: Getty
      Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is behind the massive bid for United from Qatar
      Qatar’s bid in particular has raised questions, given how Qatar Sports Investment already own Paris Saint-Germain.
      Uefa rules stipulate “no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition”.
      However, one incoming United bid from Qatar is set to come from a different entity, therefore satisfying Uefa chiefs that no rules are broken.
      The entity in question emerged on Friday as Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, son of former Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani.
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      The pair are directly related to the current Emir of Qatar, and owner of PSG, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
      Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani was responsible for the Gulf state’s successful bid for the 2022 World Cup.
      The 63-year-old has also been labelled as “the man who bought the city” following his massive investment into London real estate.
      Son, Sheikh Jassim, is head of Qatar’s biggest bank and a self-proclaimed lifelong United fan.
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      If a bid is successful, two World Cup organisers could be in the reckoning to run the mammoth operation that is Manchester United FC.
      L’Equipe journalist Loïc Tanzi has reported Qatar World Cup CEO Nasser al-Khater and Secretary General Hassan Al-Thawadi would be in the running to take over roles as club CEO or president.
      The bidding for United could see the winner forced to meet the Glazers’ £6bn asking price, with investment into the club’s infrastructure including stadium and training facilities factoring in as additional costs.
      Regardless, Uefa have been called upon to block any proposed Qatar bid for the club by human rights group FairSquare. More

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      World Cup sexiest fan Ivana Knoll reveals she is a pole and belly dancer after delighting fans in plunging top

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      WORLD CUP sexiest fan Ivana Knoll has revealed she is a pole and belly dancer.The Croatian shot to fame in Qatar with her revealing outfits in stadiums at the World Cup.
      Ivana Knoll showed off her belly dancing skills on InstagramCredit: Instagram @knolldoll
      Ivana plans to continue her modelling and social media workCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      She is also an avid pole dancerCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      The Croatian shot to fame at the World CupCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      And she wants to continue working in sportsCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana boasts 3.5million Instagram followersCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      She has since partied with the likes of Drake and Jamie Foxx and plans to continue her social media work.
      Ivana, 30, is a keen dancer and has shared videos online showing off her moves.
      The model appeared on the Toxics Anonymous podcast where she was asked about her dancing ability.
      She replied saying: “I’m a belly dancer and pole dancer.”
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      The former Miss Croatia was also asked about her career goals and she revealed her plan to continue working in sports.
      Ivana added: “My plan, I have learned in my life that usually it is not good to say the plans because people can be very negative and they make it bad.
      “I will keep doing social media, acting and modelling. That’s something but I definitely want to stay in sports because I like sports.”
      Earlier this week Ivana revealed she is a big Arsenal fan and watched the Gunners in action in their defeat to Manchester City.
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      She was treated to a plush box at The Emirates and received her own ‘Ivana #1′ shirt.
      Ivana later hit Cirque Le Soir nightclub in Soho to take her mind off the Gunners’ defeat. More

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      How Inter Miami could line up with Lionel Messi as World Cup winner plots PSG escape to David Beckham’s MLS side

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      INTER MIAMI may have to start planning to see how Lionel Messi would fit into the team after receiving a major boost in their attempts to sign him.The Argentine World Cup winner is increasingly unsure about extending his time with PSG, according to the French publication L’Equipe.
      Lionel Messi could join Inter Miami in the summerCredit: Getty
      How Inter Miami could line up with Messi in the squad
      This could lead to a shock move to the MLS outfit, who have been heavily linked with the former Barcelona ace over the past year.
      L’Equipe have suggested that Messi’s family would be open to living in the United States, with the 35-year-old owning a home in Miami where he holidays regularly.
      If Messi was to join David Beckham’s American outfit, he would join several famous stars.
      The Barcelona legend could be set for a reunion with Spanish central midfielder Sergio Busquets as he is thought to be interested in a move to the MLS outfit.
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      Former Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs, 33, is already at the club after moving to the US last year.
      Messi could also line up behind MLS star Josef Martinez, who joined the club in January after a successful spell with Atlanta.
      And alongside of him could come Beckham’s son Romeo – who could return to Miami after his loan spell at Brentford B runs out.
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      The Englishman netted his first goal for the Bees this week and could be prepared for a more senior role at Miami.
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      United States international and former Newcastle defender DeAndre Yedlin could take up the starting berth at right back.
      The team is currently coached by former Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville. More

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      World Cup’s hottest fan Ivana Knoll gets pulses racing as she posts clip in just a towel after landing in London

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      THE “World Cup’s hottest fan” Ivana Knoll has set pulses racing again by posting a snap of herself in nothing but a towel.The former Miss Croatia went from 600,000 followers on Instagram before the tournament to now boasting over 3.5million.
      The World Cup’s hottest fan has delighted her Instagram followers againCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll
      The Croatian beauty has touched down and struck her first pose in LondonCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll
      The 30-year-old set pulses racing as she posed in just a towel after a showerCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll
      Ivana has over 3.5million followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll
      Ivana shot to fame during the Qatar World Cup for her daring outfits as Croatia progressed all the way to the semi-final.
      She has continued to attract fans by posting pics while on the beach and the streets of Miami.
      And her followers claimed that she is “getting even hotter” as she recently showed off her bum in a barely-there bikini.
      Now Ivana has provided another smash hit with her fan base by sharing a clip of herself, which was tagged in London, in front of a mirror posing in a towel after seemingly taking a shower.
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      She still managed to raise a smile despite earlier revealing that she had lost her luggage at Heathrow upon arrival in the English capital.
      Ivana, 30, also claimed this week that she snubbed the chance to join adult site OnlyFans after receiving “ten calls” and “20 emails” a day from agencies.
      She said: “I usually don’t take everything that they offer me, because I like to work with brands who I like, and not many of them, because I like to present what I really like, not just what is paid to me.”
      She continued: “About OnlyFans, I remember during the World Cup I got like probably ten calls per day, and maybe 20 emails about opening an OnlyFans.”
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      When quizzed if it was fans or agencies asking her, she said: “From everybody, from the agencies, and I was like ‘I don’t know why they cannot accept that I don’t want to open one’, it’s not everything about money.”
      Ivana added: “I don’t judge, I’m just not that kind of person. It’s not for me.
      “I tried to explain that it’s not about money always, I care about reputation.”
      Ivana is a former Miss Croatia winnerCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll
      She regularly delights her followers with her sexy snapsCredit: Instagram @KnollDoll More

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      Trent Alexander-Arnold set up his own company aged 18 and is reaping rewards with seven-figure assets

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      TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD’S limited company has recorded more than £3.5million in assets six years after he launched it aged 18.All Star Sports Ltd was set up in October 2016 to focus on the Liverpool wing-back’s image rights.
      Trent Alexander-Arnold has seen his limited company thriveCredit: Getty
      Now the England defender is being rewarded for his vision.
      The 24-year-old’s latest annual accounts up to the end of March 2022 show assets of £3,658,911 – an increase of more than £1.5m from the previous financial year.
      TAA joined his hometown club aged six and has long been known for his wise head on young shoulders.
      As a kid, he made a small fortune selling clothes worn by Liverpool and Everton players, saying the profits went to buying his parents a house.
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      And in 2019 he signed an extension to his boot deal with Under Armour in 2019, reportedly worth £6.4m over four years.
      On the pitch, Alexander-Arnold has won seven major honours since breaking into the Reds’ first team.
      The first of those was the 2019 Champions League, followed by the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup.
      His first domestic honour was the 2019-20 Premier League title before Liverpool won both the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021-22 then secured the Community Shield.
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      The full-back and Calvin Klein model remains the No1 choice for Jurgen Klopp, who has repeatedly defended some question marks over his ace’s defensive abilities.
      Alexander-Arnold has racked up more than 250 appearances for his boyhood club and represented England at two World Cups – but missed the Euro 2020 tournament through injury.
      He managed just 34 minutes at the 2022 World Cup, though, as he found himself behind Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker in the pecking order with Reece James out injured. More

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      World’s sexiest fan Ivana Knoll snubs OnlyFans as she reveals why she rejected offer to join adults-only website

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      IVANA KNOLL has revealed she snubbed the chance to join adult site OnlyFans.The ‘World Cup’s hottest fan’, who shot to fame in Qatar, said she was bombarded with offers to join the platform during the tournament.
      Ivana Knoll revealed she turned down the chance to join OnlyFansCredit: YouTube / TMZSports
      ‘The World Cup’s hottest fan’ claimed she was bombarded by people asking her to join the siteCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana said she doesn’t ‘judge’, but no amount of money will make her join OnlyFansCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana has over 3.5million followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana, 30, claimed she had “ten calls” and “20 emails” a day from agencies asking her to join OnlyFans.
      But the former Miss Croatia winner declared joining the adult only site to sell steamy content is simply “not for” her.
      Asked about brand deals, she told TMZ Sports: “I usually don’t take everything that they offer me, because I like to work with brands who I like, and not many of them, because I like to present what I really like, not just what is paid to me.”
      She added: “About OnlyFans, I remember during the World Cup I got like probably ten calls per day, and maybe 20 emails about opening an OnlyFans.”
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      When quizzed if it was fans or agencies asking her, she said: “From everybody, from the agencies, and I was like ‘I don’t know why they cannot accept that I don’t want to open one’, it’s not everything about money.”
      Ivana continued: “I don’t judge, I’m just not that kind of person. It’s not for me.
      “I tried to explain that it’s not about money always, I care about reputation.”
      After seeing her popularity skyrocket, Ivana has her eyes on big things for the future.
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      She went from 600,000 followers on Instagram before the World Cup to having over 3.5million now.
      And she is planning on being at the next World Cup in 2026.
      Ivana declared: “I would like to be a Fifa ambassador for the next World Cup, or for a club who I like.”
      Ivana wants to be at the next World Cup in 2026Credit: Instagram / @knolldoll
      Ivana is a former Miss Croatia winnerCredit: Instagram / @knolldoll More

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      Alex Scott breaks silence over decision to wear One Love armband at Qatar World Cup

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      FOOTBALL Focus host Alex Scott has broken her silence over her decision to wear the One Love armband at the World Cup in Qatar.Alex, who dates both men and women, wore it to show support for the LGBT community in the country – where same sex relationships are illegal.
      Alex Scott wore the One Love armband despite players being banned from wearing them at the Qatar World CupCredit: Pixel8000
      She wore the band as she covered England’s first game in Qatar, after the Three Lions were banned from doing so.
      Former Arsenal Women’s player Alex, 38, said: “We all woke up to the news of the armband being banned.
      “I remember being so sad.
      “I was standing with the kit man, Andy, looking out, just full of emotion.
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      “I said: ‘Andy, no one’s told me I can’t wear an armband’.
      He said: ‘Alex, you f***ing genius.’
      “No one knew anything.
      “I remember saying to Kelly who was going to interview me: ‘Kelly don’t say a word. All I’m doing is going to put this armband on and it’s going to speak for itself.’
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      “And that’s exactly what I did. This little thing and what it represents.”
      Alex said her decision saw her being trolled and sent vile messages by strangers online.
      Speaking at the 2023 Attitude 101 lunch at London’s Rosewood Hotel, Alex said: “After that I disappeared. I was in Qatar with all the abuse and I was like, I need to get away because I can’t believe something out of love could create so much hate and such a divide.
      “It was Martin Luther King who said; Injustice anywhere is a threat to just everywhere. And by stopping wearing this arm band is exactly what was happening in Qatar.
      “So I disappeared. I went to Barbados for a little while. And then I came back to the UK and to say I appreciate and love so much people coming up to me and saying what wearing this armband meant to everyone.” More