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      I was £10,000 in debt before hunting down Ronaldo and Messi to launch collectibles empire… now I’m a millionaire

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      PETER JOHNSON has struck gold with his sports memorabilia empire.The collectables geek was £10,000 in debt when he founded his business, Firma Stella.
      Peter Johnson was £10,000 in debt before starting his collectibles businessCredit: Mike Sewell
      After finding success he is now a millionaireCredit: Mike Sewell
      And after finding great success selling signed gear, pictures and other items, he is now a millionaire.
      Peter “got the buzz” for collecting sports memorabilia after getting former Australia cricket captain Steve Waugh’s signature as a nine-year-old.
      He told the Daily Mail: “Instead of a paper round as a teenager, I would chase autographs and collect stuff to sell it.
      “I loved the buzz of selling them for a lot of money. I started travelling around the world to chase stuff.
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      “I went to the F1 in Asia, the Rugby World Cup in Japan, Manchester City pre-season tours. Then I decided, ‘let’s make this an empire’.
      “I was in £10,000 debt… Now I’m a millionaire. All with four and a half years’ work.”
      Firma Stella, based in Worcestershire where Peter grew up, is going well, and he has 12 full-time employees working for him.
      The business sells a wide variety of items from £10 photos to £5,000 signed shirts.
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      The shop has pictures of Springboks captain Siya Kolisi and Mo Salah signing items to be sold, but Peter is confident that meeting Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is the highlight.
      He added: “Real Madrid were playing Manchester United, and I found out about Ronaldo’s flight.
      “I followed their bus from the airport to a hotel and quickly booked a room. I knew they were staying on the top floor, and their team room was on the second floor.
      “I saw the lift was on the top floor so I waited for it to come down.
      “No joke, the first lift that opened… imagine it, Ronaldo is just standing there! So I jumped in and he was like, ‘what the hell?’.
      “He signed some stuff and we went from there.”
      The shop currently has four Man United shirts with the number seven on the back signed by Ronaldo. However, none are for sale for less than £1,400.
      After Argentina’s success at the World Cup in Qatar, there are no Messi shirts for sale, despite Pete meeting the PSG star.
      He said: “With Messi, I had to take a big risk – this whole game is about risks. I found out Barcelona flew out of a public airport, so I flew over there from Birmingham.
      “Then I booked a “fake flight” from Barcelona just to get into the terminal. All of a sudden, the team just walked through security – Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez… they signed all our stuff.
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      “We took a risk and it paid off. It all comes down to research, knowing where the players and the team will be, then hedge your bets slightly, it usually pays off”
      Peter also revealed that the biggest sale he has made is an England 1966 signed shirt which fetched a fee of £10,000.
      Firma Stella is going well, as Peter has 12 full-time employees working for himCredit: Mike Sewell
      The business sells a wide variety of items from £10 photos to £5,000 signed shirtsCredit: Mike Sewell
      Peter ‘got the buzz’ for collecting memorabilia after getting former Australia cricket captain Steve Waugh’s signature as a nine-year-oldCredit: Mike Sewell More

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      Germany goalkeeper reveals 2014 team won World Cup despite bingeing on ‘six caipirinhas a night’ after matches

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      GERMANY’S 20124 World Cup heroes downed up to six caipirinha cocktails after matches, keeper Roman Weidenfeller has revealed.The Borussia Dortmund legend admitted it was “not easy” drinking so much but says the squad lapped up Brazilian beach life.
      Roman Weidenfeller, left, had one of the best times of his life at the 2014 finals in Brazil, despite only being Germany’s back-up keeperCredit: Reuters
      Germany players let their party side out as they celebrated winning the World Cup for the fourth and last time so far, beating Argentina in the finalCredit: AFP
      Weidenfeller’ girlfriend then and now, Lisa Rossenbach, is seen watching the 2014 final with Julian Draxler’s then-partner, Lena Terlau, rightCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Weidenfeller looks back lovingly on his all-time great experience, despite only being back-up stopper to Manuel Neuer.
      The tournament is best remembered for an especially rummy result for the hosts – beaten 7-1 by Germany in the semi-finals.
      In contrast, the post-match antics of Joachim Löw’s men proved a huge tonic as they relaxed, courtesy of Brazil’s most popular party drink.
      Portuguese outlet OJOGO report Weidenfeller as recalling: “It was one of the best moments of my life, going to Brazil and playing in the World Cup. 
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      “We had a great time, we got to know the Brazilian people. 
      “We left [the hotel] several times, went to the beach. The weather was always sunny. 
      “After the games, we sat together at a bar and drank a few caipirinhas. We spent time at the bar. 
      “Then we woke up in the morning to go to the field and train. It’s not easy when you drink five or six caipirinhas. 
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      “But it was a great time, there was a great connection with the Brazilian people.”
      Germany went on to beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at Rio de Janeiro, Mario Gotze scoring.
      It gave sub Weidenfeller his most special piece of silverware.
      But he’s better known for 16 years at Dortmund, winning the Bundesliga twice under Jurgen Klopp.
      First-choice keeper Manuel Neuer lifts the World Cup in Rio de JaneiroCredit: Getty
      Germany’s 2014 tipple Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail, made with cachaca, sugar, and lime – commonly associated with football, samba and the Rio CarnivalCredit: Alamy

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      Chris Gunter to hold talks with Robert Page over his future Wales coaching role

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      CHRIS GUNTER will hold talks with Wales boss Robert Page over whether he will remain part of his coaching staff.The 109-cap defender, 33, retired from international duty last month but then joined the Dragons’ backroom team for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia.
      Chris Gunter won 109 caps for Wales and was involved in three major tournaments
      Gunter attended a McDonald’s Happy Readers Fun Football Session in CardiffCredit: Mark Robinson
      Gunter is still playing for League Two side AFC Wimbledon and now the pair will have a chat to see if he has a future role for the June internationals with Armenia and Turkey and beyond.
      Gunter told SunSport: “I need to speak to the manager. My main focus after the recent camp was finishing the season.
      “In terms of moving forward, I think the manager was keen to see how I got on and stay a part of it.  We will cross that bridge when we come to it.
      “For myself, if the opportunity is ever there to work for Wales, with the feelings I’ve got for the country and our football, it could not be any higher.
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      “Helping Wales is something I’m passionate about. I tried to be the influence that I was for the latter stages of my Wales playing career and help the group in any way I could.
      “We had a really good ten days, good performances and results and it went perfectly. 
      “There’s a couple of things that need to be decided but, any opportunity I do get, I will feel very lucky to have it.”
      Gunter’s future as a coach is likely to depend on whether the former Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, Cardiff and Reading right-back opts to continue playing next season.
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      Gunter, who will turn 34 in July, added: “That’s something when the time comes to sit down, think about and speak to the people who are close to me.
      “One thing I have learnt in football is to take everything in the short term. I don’t know exactly what is going to happen moving forward. I am back training and trying to finish the season as well as possible.”
      Gunter played for Wales in two Euro finals before he became the first male player to reach a century of appearances.
      He ended his Dragons stint as a player by being part of the World Cup squad in Qatar – the nation’s first global finals since 1958.
      Then Gunter joined Gareth Bale, Joe Allen and Jonny Williams from the golden generation to bow out on the big stage.
      Gunter said: “It was tough because it’s something I have done for so long. But the timing felt right. I thought about it for some time and it felt natural after the World Cup in November for that to happen.
      “I’m really grateful for the opportunities, experiences and the memories I shared with such good people. It has been the best 17 years of highs and lows but doing it with people I value and for our country.
      “The support I have had all the way through has been incredible. On reflection, the very best of times I could have wished for.
      “The nights where we qualified will always stick out. The achievement of getting to a major tournament and then some of the experiences at the tournaments. 
      “But my best memory would be to say I made 109 appearances for Wales – that was something I could ever have dreamt of.”
      Gunter was in Cardiff launching McDonald’s brand-new Fun Football and Happy Readers event this Easter.
      Gunter said: “It has been incredible to come down and have a kick about with the kids and get some reading time in.
      “Every child deserves the chance to learn and play no matter their circumstance.
      “The work McDonald’s is doing with Reading and Football is amazing, giving away 10 million books and 2 million hours of free fun football is just incredible”
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      Chris Gunter was speaking at the Cardiff Happy Readers and Fun Football event celebrating McDonald’s pledge to distribute over 10m books and over 2m hours of free Fun Football coaching to families in the UK this year. Find out more visit mcdonalds.co.uk/family More

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      Messi superfan Miss BumBum Suzy Cortez films herself getting Argentina star’s autograph tattooed on her famous bum

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      LIONEL Messi superfan and former Miss BumBum Suzy Cortez has revealed she has got another tattoo to showcase her love for the legendary footballer.Suzy, 32, has long used her public profile to demonstrate her obsession with the diminutive Argentina and PSG forward.
      Lionel Messi superfan Suzy Cortez has flaunted her latest tattoo tribute to the footballerCredit: Splash
      The 32-year-old showed off her inking on her famous bumCredit: Suzy Cortez/Xavier Piercing Tattoo
      The tattoos were in response to Messi and Argentina’s World Cup triumph last yearCredit: EPA
      The curvy Brazilian brunette with the world-famous rear already has several tattoos in tribute to Lionel Messi, including a very cheeky tat of his face just above her hips.
      She also got Messi’s name tattooed on her bum in 2019 as a confident prediction that he would win his sixth Ballon d’Or the following year.
      As it turned out, the 2020 contest didn’t go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although Messi went on to collect his sixth award when it resumed in 2021.
      Now, Suzy has revealed not just one but a further three new tattoos on her bum celebrating the 35-year-old Messi.
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      She told The Sun that the fresh tats were in honour of Messi and Argentina’s stunning World Cup Final triumph over France in Qatar last December.
      The three tattoos, which were pictured on her rear, include one of Messi’s autograph, three stars representing Argentina’s three World Cup Titles, and a number ten reflecting his shirt number.
      Suzy said that the tattoos were fulfilling a promise she had made during the World Cup if Argentina triumphed.
      As it turned out, the South American side successfully defeated the reigning champions France 4-2 in a penalty shootout, after a thrilling contest ended 3-3 following extra time.
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      It was Argentina’s first World Cup win since 1986 when they were captained by Diego Maradona.
      Suzy said that her new tattoos mean she is entering the Guinness Book of Records for having the largest number of tattoos of Messi on various parts of her body.
      She also shared two short clips of her having the tattoos applied at Xavier Piercing Tattoo.
      Suzy was invited to watch the final in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires – despite being from arch-rivals Brazil.
      She announced her plans at the time for future tattoos if Argentina secured their third World Cup, and Messi’s first.
      Suzy said: “I plan to get tattooed like Messi, with the ball and the number 10 on his leg.”
      She celebrated Argentina reaching their sixth World Cup Final by delighting her fans with photos of her getting covered in body paint in the blue and white colours of the flag.
      The latest inkings may not go down well with Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo.
       Messi previously blocked her on social media after being bombarded with saucy pictures.
      Antonela – who has three children with Messi – also blocked Suzy after she tagged her husband in a series of provocative posts.
      Suzy then launched an online campaign to encourage her fans to support her and convince Messi to unblock her.
      Her famously eye-popping assets won her the coveted 2015 Miss BumBum and Miss Butt World titles, beating competition from beauties all over the world.
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      The winner of the title of Miss Bum Bum in both 2015 and 2019, she has declared herself the world’s number one Lionel Messi fan.
      Suzy is the self-proclaimed greatest Messi superfanCredit: Splash
      She promised to get the tattoos if Argentina won the World CupCredit: Suzy Cortez/Xavier Piercing Tattoo
      They include a print of Messi’s autograph, three stars for the World Cup wins, and a number 10Credit: Suzy Cortez/Xavier Piercing Tattoo More

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      Man Utd hold ‘exploratory’ Benjamin Pavard transfer talks with World Cup-winning right-back unsettled at Bayern Munich

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have held “exploratory” talks on Benjamin Pavard as they discuss options at right-back, according to reports. The Red Devils are looking to invest in the team during the summer to build on an a positive first season under Erik ten Hag.
      Pavard has appeared in 23 of Bayern’s 26 league games this season, including Saturday’s crucial win over DortmundCredit: Getty
      While the hunt for a new striker remains the priority, the club are also believed to be looking at other positions.
      A central ‘No8’ style midfielder is high on the agenda, while a new right-back is also something the club want to get sorted.
      While Aaron Wan-Bissaka has impressed since getting more football this calendar year, United are still willing to listen to offers.
      And a replacement in the form of World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard could be lined-up.
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      The Athletic report that initial talks over the full-back have taken place at Old Trafford.
      The Frenchman’s contract expires in 2024 meaning the Bayern Munich star could be available on the cheap this summer if he does not extend his deal.
      The 27-year-old has excelled at both club and international level in recent years and was a key part of the French squad who won the 2018 World Cup.
      But he was limited to just one appearance in Qatar amid reports of a dressing room rift.
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      United have also been linked to another international star in the form of the Dutch flying full-back Denzel Dumfries.
      The 26-year-old, currently at Inter Milan, has recently changed agents and ten Hag is known to be an admirer of the star.
      Meanwhile, talks are ongoing at the club over a new deal for Diogo Dalot who has emerged as a starting right-back this season after a few inconsistent years at the club. More

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      Russia must be stopped from forcing their way back into football and all sport until Putin ends massacre in Ukraine

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      RUSSIA must be stopped from forcing their way back into football — simple as that.Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine invalidates a return to humanity and should do so until he removes the troops he unleashed a year ago, who are still causing massive loss of life.
      Putin’s invasion of Ukraine means Russia must stay in the sporting wildernessCredit: AFP
      Gianni Infantino has displayed worrying signs he might let Russia back inCredit: Reuters
      For football fields, read killing fields. Any government with even a glimmer of morality must support Ukraine and their courageous people.
      That goes for all sport. Yet Fifa president Gianni Infantino is showing signs of relenting, while rogue states such as Syria and Iran are cuddling up to the Kremlin.
      Even more embarrassingly, Uefa are also said to be considering lifting the suspension, although Russia were not included in the current Euro qualifiers.
      Maybe both bodies are looking forward to the conclusion of the war, an eventuality that doesn’t seem to have affected Russian considerations so far, and certainly hasn’t Ukraine’s.
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      Why should it? The massacres in Ukraine make nonsense of the late Liverpool manager Bill Shankly’s dry half-joke that people think football much more serious than life and death.
      Five of the Stans of central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — once possessions of the Russian empire — have already agreed to play their former landlords.
      The whole quintet are in arid, just-about-inhabitable lands so no wonder the Russians weren’t too bothered about handing them independence.
      Like them, Syria and Iran are in Fifa.
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      Indeed, Iran beat Syria in the qualifying rounds for the Qatar World Cup, in which Iran played.
      Fifa have to juggle their politics but it would be a breach of responsibility were they to stand at the touchline of the current war and open competition for the evil Putin’s teams.
      Putin is the rotten core at the heart of Russia.
      But now, incredibly, the IOC are considering whether the country’s athletes should be allowed to compete under the national flag at the Paris Games in 2024.
      Lord Sebastian Coe, president of World  Athletics, is having none of this. He didn’t win two Olympic golds to watch his sport descend into hypocrisy.
      Gianni ‘I feel like a woman’ Infantino has not committed to official Russian entry into the bloated World Cup 2026 in North America.
      Football must have nothing to do with the Kremlin until the bombs stop dropping, the kidnapped children are sent home and the tanks trundle back.
      Awarded the Russian Order of Friendship, it seems that the friendship might have become less friendly, although not enough for Gianni to return the medal pinned on him by Putin himself in 2019.
      Infantino has practically been voted president unanimously (how does he do that?) and continues to see himself as a well-dressed world leader in white shoes with an even whiter reputation.
      He failed though when he tried to silence the bloody sounds of war for the month of the Qatar competition.
      Gross naivety, gross vanity.
      Neither Putin nor Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s leader, appear to have given a moment of thought to a truce.
      Putin has all the principles of a starving rat and would have used the month to rebuild his stock of weaponry.
      Poor repressed Belarus would have helped and Iran-made drones flown in by the thousand.
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      Ukraine, the excellent Shakhtar Donetsk and others, continue to play to a background of war.
      Football must have nothing to do with the Kremlin until the bombs stop dropping on factories, schools, hospitals and homes, until all the kidnapped children are sent home and until the tanks trundle back over the border. More

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      Argentina World Cup winner Gonzalo Montiel accused of ‘sexually assaulting model at his birthday party’

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      WORLD Cup winner Gonzalo Montiel has been accused of sexually assaulting a model at his birthday party in his native Argentina.Sevilla right-back Montiel is facing a complaint which has reportedly been filed with the courts in Buenos Aires.
      Gonzalo Montiel scored the World Cup winning penalty in QatarCredit: Getty
      Montiel was the player who scored the final penalty in the shootout against France – winning Argentina their first World Cup since 1986.
      The 26-year-old has not yet commented on the accusations – but The Sun Online has contacted his club for a statement.
      Argentine press reports Montiel has filed a document with the court appointing two lawyers as he plans to fight the allegations – publishing a scan of the file dated March 31, 2023.
      Argentine, Spanish and French media report Montiel is alleged to have assaulted the woman on January 1, 2019, during a birthday party at his house.
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      The victim’s lawyer, Raquel Hermida, told Radio 10 that the allegations are “sexual abuse with penetration aggravated by a group of people”.
      She explained the victim – who is understood to be a model – had been in a “small, short relationship” with Montiel, reports Mundo Deportivo.
      Montiel was playing for River Plate at the time.
      Montiel started his career at the club in 2016 – making 139 appearances and scooping the Copa Libertadores in 2018 and the Primera Division title in 2021.
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      He then signed for Sevilla on a fee of around £10million for the 21/22 season.
      The right back has made 35 appearances for the club and scored one goal in La Liga.
      His international career has seen him win both the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
      During the final in Qatar, he conceded a penalty late in extra time after a handball – which Kylian Mbappe converted, pulling France back to 3-3.
      The game then went to a penalty shootout- with Montiel driving a low ball to the left to give Argentina their third World Cup.
      Montiel had given away a penalty earlier during the finalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      He then converted the low drive in shootout – sending Hugo Lloris the wrong wayCredit: Reuters More

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      Man Utd legend Patrice Evra broke down in tears and ‘was in pain for three days’ after World Cup final

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      PATRICE EVRA has revealed his surprising reaction to France losing the World Cup final to Argentina.The former Manchester United defender has given an insight into how he felt after the gripping finale in Qatar as Argentina beat France on penalties.
      Patrice Evra has spoken about how he felt after watching France lose the World Cup in 2022Credit: Getty
      France lost to Lionel Messi-led Argentina back in DecemberCredit: AP
      The team managed by Didier Deschamps overcame a lacklustre first half to draw level with Argentina and force the match to extra time.
      Both Argentina captain Lionel Messi and his French counterpart, Kylian Mbappe, scored during the additional time, before Argentina ended up winning on penalties.
      Four months on, Evra revealed the effect the result had on him.
      Speaking to RMC, the former French international said: “I watched the match live, and I cried. I did not expect it.
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      “I tell you the truth, I went to my car and I cried.”
      He added: “For three days, I was in pain, and I said to myself ‘Patrice, I know you love the France team’… but it hurt me so much.
      “And then, frankly, hats off to the France team.”
      The defender went on to praise the French team’s star player, Mbappe, who ended up pipping Messi to the Golden Boot award for the most goals scored at the World Cup.
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      Evra said: “You score a hat-trick, three goals in the final, and you don’t win the final.
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      “You see, it was incredible!”
      He also shared his thoughts on France’s poor first half, saying he thought it was “c***”.
      “What was going on… It was catastrophic.
      “And then you come back, two by two- and then after you lose. There was too much emotion, too much emotion.”
      The former Man Utd star, who served seven years under Premier League manager legend Sir Alex Ferguson, has a reputation for having strong feelings for the clubs he supports.
      When his former club beat Manchester City in the derby in January, the pundit posted a video of himself singing a revised version of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, wearing a wig and a United jersey.
      France captain Kylian Mbappe managed to secure the Golden Boot award during the Final of the World Cup in QatarCredit: Getty More