Louis Tomlinson caught on camera snubbing Sam Thompson at Soccer Aid

Daily Mirror

11 hours ago

Obvious tensions simmered beneath the surface at this year's Soccer Aid when Louis Tomlinson purposely avoided any kind of interaction with Sam Thompson
Louis Tomlinson and Sam Thompson both represented England at Soccer Aid this Sunday, raising millions for charity. All eyes had been on the pair for their antics off the pitch too, with Louis dating Sam's ex Zara McDermott.
A clip of Louis appearing to snub Sam after the game has now gone viral.
‌
As Louis, 33, made his rounds post-match hugging players and staff across both teams but he notably turned away and grimaced when Sam, 32, came into view. Instead of acknowledging him, Louis walked off to greet other stars, seemingly brushing off any potential interaction.
‌
Their awkward dynamic has been simmering ever since Louis began dating Sam's ex, Zara shortly after the Soccer Aid line-ups were revealed. Zara, 28, known from Love Island 2018, went public with Louis in March. The couple have since been jet-setting together, enjoying holidays in Costa Rica and Los Angeles.
Though the pair kept their distance during training at Champneys in Tring and sat on opposite ends of the Old Trafford changing room, fans picked up on the ongoing tension. A source told Mail Online: 'Louis is seen literally embracing every squad member on both sides, except Sam. And the fact he looks away as soon as he comes into eyesight says it all.'
Despite the friction, both stars kept things civil in light of the event's charitable purpose. 'Given the charity context of the occasion... they were there to raise money and succeeded. But there's clearly no love lost between them,' the insider added.
To defuse any unease ahead of the match - which raised over £15 million for UNICEF - Louis and Sam even attended a team bonding event. Sam had contributed significantly to the fundraising, embarking on a grueling 260-mile trek from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford, raising over £2 million, though injuries from the challenge limited his playtime on match day.
‌
They didn't share field time either as Louis exited at halftime and Sam was subbed in near the end. But it seems the behind-the-scenes drama caught more attention than their on-pitch performances.
Speaking on his podcast with Pete Wicks, Sam touched on Zara's swift transition into a new relationship: 'I suppose a lot of people look for validation in other people right? And they look for the next person instantly because it's like 'I need to find someone else to fill that hole and I need to find that excitement.''
He was also asked by Pete what would happen if he were to bump into Louis at Soccer Aid. To which Sam replied: 'At the end of the interview, he goes, 'Look mate, I've got to ask the question that everyone wants to know... What's it going to be like with you and Louis?''
‌
Sam said the room erupted in panic: 'Mate, you should have seen the room - everyone goes, 'Woah, Woah Woah, end the call!' and I just said, 'No, no guys, I've got this.' I held my hands up to say just relax. I think I did alright and I meant everything I said. It's not about me or Louis or who anyone is dating, it's f**king Unicef and charity and everyone is going to be there for the exact same reason.'
Zara and Sam ended their five-year relationship in December. Since then, Zara has reportedly grown close with Louis' family, as her romance with the singer continues to heat up.