Chelsea sign teenager Alber on four-year deal
Chelsea have signed Germany youth international Mara Alber from TSG Hoffenheim on a four-year deal.The versatile forward will join the Women's Super League champions on 1 July.The 19-year-old established herself as a regular for Hoffenheim after making her Bundesliga debut in 2022 - but missed most of last season through injury.She made 32 appearances in the German top flight, scoring seven goals after breaking into the first team at the age of 16. "I feel proud to have signed for Chelsea. It is a special moment for me because it is such a big club," said Alber."I am really happy to have this opportunity."
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Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Meet the Club World Cup WAGs: Maya Jama and Co will be cheering on their partners during FIFA's new tournament - but not all of them are set to travel to the United States
The Club World Cup will get underway when Al Ahly take on hosts Inter Miami in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time. In the first 32-team format of the competition, the winner will walk away with a whopping $125m (£91.89m), with $1bn (£735m) of prize money being distributed to the 32 participating clubs, according to FIFA. Two teams from England - Chelsea and Manchester City - will be competing against the very best from around the globe including Real Madrid and recent Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi 's Inter Miami will be involved from North America, while clubs from the likes of Asia, Africa and South America will also feature. A total of 12 stadiums from across the USA will host the clash of the world's best sides. A number of their players will have their wives and girlfriends in attendance but others are not due to travel to the tournament to support their partners. So who are the WAGs of Club World Cup stars? Maya Jama - girlfriend of Ruben Dias Maya Jama and Ruben Dias have reportedly been dating each other for the last few months. Ruben Dias, who joined Manchester City in 2020 for around £57m, was previously with Portuguese singer April Ivy. Jama shared their recent trip to the Amalfi Coast on her Instagram where the pair enjoyed the luxury of the Italian coastline. The Love Island presenter and TV personality, 30, has been spotted at City's games since starting a relationship with Dias but, despite being being in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, Jama will not be supporting her boyfriend at the Club World Cup. Jama is currently hosting the new series of Love Island in Mallorca, but will be cheering on her beau from afar. Isabel Haugseng Johansen – girlfriend of Erling Haaland Another partner who will not be present at the tournament is Erling Haaland's girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen. The Norwegian has been winning on-and-off the pitch as him and Haugseng Johansen welcomed their first baby in December 2024. She will be at home with the baby, rooting for the striker from across the pond as Manchester City aim to finish an underwhelming campaign with a trophy. Connie Grace – girlfriend of Cole Palmer Former Manchester City player Cole Palmer will be competing in a darker shade of blue in the Club World Cup with Chelsea as his girlfriend Connie Grace supports him from the stands. Manchester through and through, the 23-year-old runs a nail salon in the city as well as being an influencer. A private couple, the pair first met through mutual friends when they were 17, as Connie revealed on the Amazon Prime documentary 'England's Lions: A New Generation'. She said: 'Cole now is still the same Cole that I met when I was 17. Obviously, he's changed, he's grown up, and his life now is completely different, but he's still the same boy, he's still laid-back Cole. Cole will adapt to whatever situation he's in.' Aine May Kennedy – girlfriend of Conor Gallagher Compatriot and former Chelsea team-mate Conor Gallagher will be featuring at the tournament for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. He could be supported by Irish model girlfriend Aine May Kennedy who both saw and met Ed Sheeran at his concert at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano. The duo have been together since they were teenagers with Kennedy making the move with Gallagher to the Spanish capital at the start of the 2024-25 season. Ashlyn Castro – girlfriend of Jude Bellingham Another Englishman living in Madrid, Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is shacked up with American influencer and model Ashlyn Castro. Castro has previously dated US basketball colossus Terance Mann and has also been linked to A-listers such as Michael B. Jordan. The 27-year-old has been seen numerous times cheering her man on at the Bernabeu alongside Bellingham's Mum Denise and was also in the stands for England's drab 1-0 win over Andorra in Barcelona last week. Gabriely Miranda – wife of Endrick Teenage Brazilian star Endrick shares the pitch with Bellingham and will feature under Xabi Alonso for Real Madrid at the Club World Cup. His partner Gabriely Miranda will also likely be there as the she graces the United States. The 23-year-old model is five years Endrick's senior, but the two are very serious about their relationship with a reported husband and wife contract where they must say 'I love you' no matter the situation, according to The Sun. Antonela Roccuzzo – wife of Lionel Messi Once a wonderkid now arguably the greatest player of all-time, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will be hosting the Club World Cup and his childhood sweetheart Antonela Roccuzzo will be there to watch it all. Mother to Thiago, 12, Mateo, 9 and Ciro, 7, the 37-year-old has been there every step of the way during the Argentine's career. Roccuzzo has embraced the American lifestyle after years in Europe and will be cheering her husband on as he aims to add to his illustrious career. Sofia Balbi – wife of Luis Suarez Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez followed in Messi's footsteps to Miami in January 2024 after a long stint in Spain with this wife Sofia Balbi accompanying him. The 34-year-old has known Suarez since they were teenagers, coming from very different backgrounds due to her affluent upbringing. The pair have gone from strength to strength and have three children: Delfina, Benjamin and Lautaro. Catherine Harding – wife of Jorginho Changing the red and white of Arsenal for the red and black of Flamengo, Jorginho will likely be making his debut for the Brazilian side during the tournament. Jorginho and his wife Catherin Harding got married in Italy just two weeks before the start of the World Cup as they brace for a new life in South America. Singer Harding has a child with actor Jude Law from her previous relationship but rose to prominence in the footballing world following Amazon Prime's 'Married to the Game' series. The couple got married in Italy just two weeks before the start of the World Cup as they brace for a new life in South America Singer Harding has a child with actor Jude Law from her previous relationship but rose to prominence in the footballing world Marc Cucurella has enjoyed his best season in a Chelsea shirt in the 2024-25 campaign and will be looking to claim another trophy in the Club World Cup Claudia Rodriguez – wife of Marc Cucurella Euro 2024 winner Marc Cucurella has enjoyed his best season in a Chelsea shirt in the 2024-25 campaign and will be looking to claim another trophy in the Club World Cup. Wife Claudia Rodriguez could be flying over to the USA to back her husband, the couple parents to three kids. The Spaniard's social media reflects her love for London, often jetting to various countries around the world when she has the time.
Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jude Bellingham's team-mates reveal what it's REALLY like playing with England star after Thomas Tuchel described his behaviour as 'repulsive'
Jude Bellingham has been cast into the fire once again after England boss Thomas Tuchel labelled the midfielder's on-field demeanour as 'repulsive'. Bellingham was unable to contain his emotions after England 's 3-1 defeat by Senegal on Tuesday, chasing down the fourth official before taking a swipe at a water cooler. Less than 24 hours on from England's 3-1 defeat, it was put to Tuchel that England could be better off without Bellingham in the starting line-up. 'I struggle to see that,' the German told talkSPORT. 'I think he brings an edge, which we welcome and which is needed if we want to achieve big things'. After initially defending the Real Madrid 's stars action, Tuchel did go on to suggest that Bellingham's fire needs to 'channeled' and admitted it causes 'mixed emotions'. He explained: '(But) the edge needs to be chanelled toward the opponent, towards our goal and not to intimidate team-mates, or to be over aggressive to team-mates or referees. 'He has the fire. I don't want to dim this down. He should play with this kind of fire, that's his strength. 'But I see that it can create mixed emotions. I see this with my parents, with my mum, that she sometimes cannot see the nice and well-educated and well-behaved guy that I see. If he smiles, he wins everyone. 'But sometimes you see the rage and the fire, and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother, when she sits in front of the TV'. The outburst against Senegal was not the first time that fans have seen the frustrated side to Bellingham - both for Real Madrid and for the Three Lions. In recent years, there have been a number of outbursts from the midfielder but, as revealed by former team-mate Kade Craig, Bellingham has always been passionate on the pitch. The ex-Birmingham City academy player insisted that, while Bellingham might 'get into' it with others and express his frustrations often, it's all part of his 'self-belief'. Speaking to The Athletic, Craig revealed: 'We got on but at the same time, it was a love-hate relationship. Everyone else looked up to him, but because I hadn't been there from an early age, he was someone I didn't really know. 'We would get into each other during games but then we started to go on tours together as we got older, and stayed in the same room. 'Yes, he knew he was good and every top player has to have that self-confidence, but he is a humble lad too. That is probably why he has got so far: that self-belief'. So, that's two for two. Both Craig and Tuchel insist that, while Bellingham's tantrums can be startling to some, it's an energy and attitude that breeds success on the pitch. In July last year, reports emerged claiming that Bellingham had modelled his character on Michael Jordan, one of basketball's greatest-ever players. According to the Independent, through England's Euro 2024 campaign, Bellingham would cut a figure 'more akin to an American sport star'. The report said he was vocal about demanding the best of himself and his teammates – and found it hard to hide his frustrations if either didn't meet the grade. Michael Jordan famously was ruthless on and off the court, and was known for his unbreakable mentality and willingness to share his mind, regardless of who was in the room. Jordan would lead the Chicago Bulls to six championships between 1991 and 1998 – and a legacy that would recognise him as one of the greatest sport stars of all time. Bellingham has, similarly, attempted to elevate his team-mates with his passionate outbursts but, at times, it has not paid off. At the Euros last summer, Bellingham's attitude was on full show during England's stalemate with Slovenia, when an attack fizzled out and he failed to receive the ball. Expert lip reader Jeremy Freeman told Mail Sport that Bellingham yelled: 'Hey, genuinely put in a f***ing pass' and then: 'It's a bit late to control, f***ing pass.' It appeared to be in the wake of a corner following a Harry Kane shot from range when Bellingham was in the box, though it was unclear whether his ire was targeted at the striker or Kieran Trippier for his delivery from the set-piece. Then, after the ill-fated final against Spain, footage emerged of him appearing to shout at then-manager Gareth Southgate. ESPN's Mark Ogden claimed that Bellingham 'lost it' and got 'frustrated' at the gaffer before lacking kicking a drinks cooler to vent his frustration. Meanwhile, he was handed a red card after Real Madrid's Copa del Rey final defeat by Barcelona in April, where he 'approached the referee aggressively' and needed 'to be restrained by team-mates'. In February he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against a linesman during a tense 1-1 draw with capital city rivals Atletico. The midfielder was dumbfounded by an early decision from the assistant referee and vented his frustration next to one of the pitchside microphones at the Bernabeu. 'F*** you, man!' he was heard shouting. 'F*** off!' In September, he was heard calling a referee a 'piece of s***' after he was booked during a 4-1 victory over Espanyol. Meanwhile, back in 2022, reports in Germany claimed that Bellingham was at the centre of a dressing room rift at Borussia Dortmund. According to Bild, the midfielder's 'derogatory body language' on the pitch had been annoying his team-mates. But for now, Tuchel has opened a wound in a very public manner. It remains to be seen what impact this has on Bellingham, and a struggling England team, as the World Cup draws closer.
Daily Mail
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
England Under 21s make perfect start to Euros title defence, with Harvey Elliott on target in 3-1 victory over Czech Republic
If Lee Carsley cares to indulge in omens then here under the lights in Slovakia, England produced a good one with a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic on Thursday night. Two years ago England started the Under 21 Euros with a 2-0 win as the designated 'away' team against the Czechs. Five games later they were lifting the trophy for the first time in almost 40 years, Here there was to be no perfect shutout, that was ruined by Czech striker Daniel Fila heading in early in the second half, but for all of Carsley's angst at a 'clunky' and 'unorganised' start to this Euros title defence, what was served up was thrills and spills from a new group ready to go back-to-back. The absence of Liam Delap from this tournament after the striker joined Chelsea in time to play at the Club World Cup always felt a bigger deal to everyone other than Carsley since England arrived here in Slovakia. Carsley again leaned on his innovation and his penchant for false nines in deploying a 4-2-2-2 system. It was Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke two years ago in Georgia and this time the responsibility had been passed on to Jonathan Rowe and James McAtee, wearing the captain's armband after turning his back on the Club World Cup with Manchester City. With Omari Hutchinson operating as an inverted No 10 off the left and Harvey Elliott off the right, fluidity was king for Carsley and England. And while Elliot Anderson found himself booked after just 16 seconds for a rash challenge, this was a cool and composed start to England's title defence. With only two survivors from the 2023 winners, no sign of being weighed down by the pressure here. Hutchinson forced the first big save from Czech Republic goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek nine minutes in with a fizzing strike before Elliott was left to rue a fluffed three-on-two after an error from Stepan Chaloupek. But Elliott, who was cut adrift in the first half before a positional tweak from Carsley 20 minutes in, made up for his earlier indecision by drilling England into the lead just before the break. Brilliant work again by Tino Livramento, who was a real standout, saw his cross deflected to the back post and a cushioned pass back into Elliott's path was drilled home with confidence by the Liverpool man. The Czech Republic, again facing England to start successive tournaments and arriving without an opening win since beating Ukraine in 2011, did cause some moments of panic, though. A VAR check for a penalty in the closing moments of the half gave this partisan crowd a brief glimmer of hope before that was waved away, while James Beadle had earlier made a decent save to deny Chaloupek. The Czechs gave England pause for thought when they answered Rowe making it 2-0 from close range soon after the restart with Fila's clinical header. Ethan Nwaneri and Jay Stansfield sparked life back into England when changes were made and from there they regained their stranglehold on a game that only went awry through their own self-inflicted mistakes. And any lingering nerves, for there some on the England bench, were eased when Charlie Cresswell nodded in with 15 minutes to go from Alex Scott's corner. So, as it was, another win over the Czechs as the 'away team' by a two-goal margin. We've seen that before…
