Soccer Aid's most memorable moments from Jose Mourinho's dark arts on Olly Murs, Sam Allardyce wrestling a One Direction star and THAT Tommy Fury throw in
On Sunday June 15, the annual Soccer Aid for UNICEF graces our screens as celebrities and ex-footballers go head-to-head to raise money for charity.
Old Trafford will host familiar faces who will be playing for England and the Soccer Aid World XI as England need to win to level the head-to-head in the 14th edition of the event.
England will be managed by boxing heavyweight Tyson Fury alongside Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney and Harry Redknapp as Peter Schmeichel and Robbie Keane lead the World XI.
United legends fill the ranks including Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic and Gary Neville.
Even former Juventus and Euro 2020 champion Leonardo Bonucci, one of the best Italian centre backs to grace the sport, will be featuring for the World XI.
As kick-off edges closer, Mail Sport looks back at some of the best moments Soccer Aid has produced over the years.
Niall Horan and Sam Allardyce wrestling
During the 2016 edition of the charity match, One Direction star Niall Horan and former England and Premier League manager Sam Allardyce were engrossed in a playful touchline scrap.
Posed on opposite teams, the two came face-to-face as Big Sam lifted the Irishman off the ground at the beginning of the second half.
Despite the weight difference, Horan couldn't topple the ex-Baggies boss who wrestled the singer into the air, all in good jest.
Name a better duo than Big Sam and @NiallOfficial 😂 #SoccerAid @ITV @WeAreSTV @itvfootball
👀 We'll wait… pic.twitter.com/5JpjjHO1OH
— Soccer Aid (@socceraid) April 5, 2019
Joel Dommett's Keeping Howler
Soccer Aid has seen some shocking goalkeeping performances with the usual trend of having a professional goalkeeper in one half and a celebrity in the other.
Defensive solidity is often a rarity due to this rule and Joel Dommett's blunder was yet another celebrity keeper who was left with egg on his face.
After Paddy McGuinness pulled out of the 2021 match, comedian Dommett stepped up in his place to do his best for the Three Lions.
A long-range dribbler from Love Island's Kem Cetinay ghosted past Dommett as the I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here star was left feeling embarrassed, completely missing the ball.
Jose Mourinho's Dark Arts
Arguably the most iconic moment of Soccer Aid history came in the 2014 clash when the Special One managed the World XI.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager ran onto the pitch to tackle X Factor star Olly Murs, tripping him up.
Murs saw the funny side of it as he was left completely baffled by Mourinho's sneaky move, although the Portuguese managed to evade a booking for his challenge.
The X Factor star offered a shocked reaction to Mourinho's challenge in an iconic moment
🎥 The Special One joins us on a special day... throwback to Jose leaving his mark on @ollyofficial at #SoccerAid! pic.twitter.com/nghlkMWpEr
— Soccer Aid (@socceraid) May 27, 2016
Zinedine Zidane's Embarrasses Damien Lewis
The nutmeg, perhaps the worst humiliation one could face when on a football pitch.
How can it get worse? Being nutmegged by one of the best midfielders the game has ever seen in front of tens of thousands of onlookers.
Damien Lewis suffered this fate at the mercy of former Real Madrid manager and player Zinedine Zidane, who gracefully sent the ball through the actor's legs at the 2010 Soccer Aid match.
Lewis probably has nightmares about the Frenchman's trickery that keep him up at night as he effortlessly darted past the Homeland star.
pic.twitter.com/zvQWlG1qfR
— Soccer Aid (@socceraid) November 2, 2023
Homeland star Damien Lewis was nutmegged by football legend Zinedine Zidane back in 2010
Ben Shephard's unwanted record
Celebrities and ex-footballers alike would be eager to get into the Soccer Aid record books to be immortalised in the charity match's history.
TV presenter Ben Shephard managed to etch his name into Soccer Aid lore but for the wrong reasons.
In 2016, Shephard brought down his man as England led the World XI 1-0 in the 52nd minute, leading to a second yellow card and a sending off.
The This Morning host became the first player to pick up a red card in Soccer Aid as Allardyce and Robbie Williams were left bemused by his rash actions.
Tommy Fury should stick to boxing
Whilst Tyson Fury has been invited to take part in Soccer Aid this year, his younger half-brother Tommy has not been asked to return to the field.
Last year the Love Island boxer made his debut at the annual event but disappointed in his performance.
It looked like Fury had never played football in his life as he picked up the ball to take a throw-in, only to roll it onto the pitch like he was at a five-a-side game.
World XI coach Mauricio Pochettino was seen laughing as the cameras cut to the bench's reaction, the Argentine clinging to former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane as he giggled.
World XI manager Mauricio Pochettino was seen in hysterics on the touchline after Fury's throw
The Inbetweeners never change 10 years later
Blake Harrison is best known for his role as Neil in the hit coming-of-age sitcom The Inbetweeners.
His humour from his time on the show never left him when he appeared for England in the 2018 match at Old Trafford.
As the players lined up before kick-off, Harrison was captured on screen as the camera panned with a hilarious unmoving gleeful face.
Whilst his appearance was comical, his performance was deadly serious as the actor scored the decisive penalty in a shoot-out to seal victory for England.
Edgar Davids and Jonathan Wilkes bust-up
The 2014 edition of Soccer Aid served up some sensational moments, but Edgar Davids and Jonathan Wilkes dished up the best part of the match.
Known for his terrier-like playing style, Davids put in a strong challenge on Robbie Williams' friend and co-founder.
Wilkes confronted the Dutchman, culminating in a brief altercation on the pitch which saw the ex-Juventus midfielder brandished with a yellow card.
Despite this, the two were seen arm-in-arm in the post-match celebrations in Wilkes' X post saying: 'Don't worry we Kissed & made up after the game.'
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