Dermot Kennedy among Irish stars taking to Old Trafford for Soccer Aid
Actor Emmett J Scanlan, former soccer star Robbie Keane, Westlife star Nicky Byrne, singer Dermot Kennedy and soccer manager John O'Shea are flying the flag for the Irish on Sunday as they join a star-studded list of celebrities and football legends for Soccer Aid.
The charity football match takes place at Old Trafford, Manchester on Sunday evening with kick-off at 7.30pm.
The annual event was established in 2006 and raises much-needed funds for UNICEF UK, with more than £100m (€117m) raised over the last 20 years. Actor Emmett J Scanlan, former soccer star Robbie Keane, Westlife star Nicky Byrne, singer Dermot Kennedy and soccer manager John O'Shea are flying the flag for the Irish on Sunday as they join a star-studded list of celebrities and football legends for Soccer Aid. Pic: Dermot Kennedy/ Instagram
England face the World XI, who were previously known as the Rest of the World and have a record of seven wins over England's six.
Coverage of the event gets underway from 6pm via ITV1 with Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott on hosting duties for the exciting evening.
Tickets are still available to purchase via the Soccer Aid website with a range of different prices starting from £20 (€23) for an adult and £10 for children (€11). Category 4 and Wheelchair Access tickets have sold out for the game.
The World XI is being managed by ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel with fellow United legends Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic on the team.
The Irish stars line out for the World XI team alongside former boxer Tony Bellew, actor Richard Gadd, YouTuber Tobi Brown and more.
England, who are coached by former soccer player Wayne Rooney and boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, include former Manchester United player Gary Neville, singer Tom Grennan, presenter, actor Paddy McGuinness and singer Louis Tomlinson.
Reality star Sam Thompson, who won I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here last year was also set to play for the England side but has since withdrawn.
Sam and Louis' appearance on the same team would have been an interesting watch following reports that the former One Direction singer is romantically involved with Sam's ex-girlfriend, Zara Thompson.
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The Irish Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
I had affair with married man 20 years older & was branded a home wrecker – if Louis Tomlinson was a woman he'd be too
WHEN Soccer Aid kicked off tonight, all eyes should have been on the football pitch. Instead, attention and speculation has been swirling around the love triangle between Zara McDermott, 7 Emma Woolf admits she's had the 'homewrecker' label chucked at her - but her lover faced little criticism Credit: Sarah Brick - Commissioned by The Sun 7 Sam and Zara dated for five years before splitting in December Credit: Instagram 7 Zara moved on with One Direction star Louis Tomlinson Credit: BackGrid In a very awkward line-up, England team during the big charity match for Unicef against a World XI Then, in a last-minute curveball on Friday, Given that he recently completed a 260-mile marathon over five days for Unicef, you could say it's not surprising he had an injury. Sam had been determined to take part in the match even after his gruelling marathon, telling his This Morning colleague Alison Hammond: 'I'm still very sore, still got the torn calf. However, I am here at Soccer Aid HQ and it does not get better than this.' But you can't help feeling he was sore in more ways than one — and it's his feelings that have really been injured. I can't imagine being in such close proximity to a love rival. I'd avoid it at all costs. And we all know there is no such thing as 'letting bygones be bygones'. But when If One Direction singer Romantic getaways This display of male solidarity highlighted the double standards in society. I don't need to look far to imagine how the narrative would have played out if these two were women. Sam would be the victim and Louis would be dragged across hot coals, regardless of whether or not there had been a crossover between the two relationships . Louis Tomlinson squeezes Zara McDermott's bum as they kiss on romantic holiday in Costa Rica No matter how long they left it before starting their romance, fingers would be pointed and the new woman would somehow be to blame for the break-up. I know, as I've had the 'homewrecker' label chucked at me while my lover faced little criticism. Not a word has been said against Louis, as far as I can see. And despite the whole world knowing that Louis got the girl, Sam is determined not to lose face. The I'm A Celebrity winner did his best happy-go-lucky impression, showboating and grinning his way through training for Soccer Aid and pretending he didn't care that his ex's new lover was there. I was 'mistress' of a married man so wife's pals harassed me. Emma Woolf It is the blokey thing to do — they don't want to appear the loser in the game of love. They use every macho weapon in the arsenal to avoid denting their pride . They pretend they don't mind that their best mate copped off with the girl they had fancied for years, or a cousin had a fling with their wife when they were going through a rocky patch. 7 In a last-minute curveball on Friday, Sam pulled out from Soccer Aid, citing injury Credit: Getty 7 The I'm A Celebrity winner did his best happy-go-lucky impression, showboating and grinning his way through training for Soccer Aid Credit: Shutterstock Editorial But Deep down, like anyone else whose long-term partner has moved on so quickly and so publicly, it must burn. Zara was pictured with Louis by March and they were official soon after. At first, many dismissed her new relationship with the singer. But there's no doubt it is for real — and things are hotting up. On Thursday night she was sharing pictures of her home-made 'creamy salmon pasta' with Louis' guitar visible in the background. You wouldn't blame The public aspect of this heartbreak adds a whole new level of humiliation. And you can only imagine how Sam felt at the training camp — in the changing room, in team pep-talks and at dinner with Louis, whom Zara is now obviously heads-over-heels for, with all their team-mates well aware of the situation. His injury has come at a convenient time, as it saves him the humiliation of having the world's media pore over their every glance or backslap during the match. Sam and Louis seem to have assumed they could swagger through. Emma Woolf If this were two women, one would be the sinner, her reputation dragged through the mud. The trolls would be out in force, calling her a trashy slut and trawling through her dating history , regardless of whether there was any actual overlap. I remember the reaction to Kristina Rihanoff taking up with her Strictly partner She was called a homewrecker and there were calls for her to be axed from the show, but Kristina called out the double standards. In 2005, when Hollywood's golden couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split, everyone took sides. His new lover Angelina Jolie was crucified in public as the most predatory, husband-stealing female alive — even though at the time, Brad and Jolie had not confirmed whether their relationship had started before or after he broke up with Aniston. Whether you were for Jen or Ange was a defining cultural moment. And yet Brad Pitt, who was the married one (not Angelina) escaped with his reputation intact, if not bolstered. Once again, double standards. 7 Kristina Rihanoff was called a homewrecker after entering a relationship with Strictly partner Ben Cohen Credit: PA:Press Association 7 Angelina Jolie was crucified in public for dating Brad Pitt after he split from Jennifer Aniston Credit: Getty I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end, having had an affair with a married man 20 years my senior. And I can tell you it's always the woman's fault. As the much younger, single 'mistress' I was insulted and harassed by friends of the wife, whereas my married lover just got gentle warnings from his mates. Blokey banter Despite the fact I'd told him I would not get involved with him while he was with his wife, the blame was cast squarely on me, not him. Although there's no evidence of any overlap between Zara's two relationships, and no proof of infidelity, the gap between her two men wasn't exactly respectful. Women are made to feel so much shame that the idea of encountering your love rival face to face is excruciating. Sam and Louis seem to have assumed it would be fine, they could swagger their way through. No woman would have had the gall to be in the same public space as their lover's recent ex. Female love rivals tend to avoid, and spurn, each other, doing anything they can to dodge crossing paths. If I were Zara, I'd be squirming right now. There's nothing more embarrassing than the thought of your exes discussing you. Worse, the idea of them possibly comparing notes in the blokey banter of the football changing room. Timeline of Louis Tomlinson's love life Here we delve into Louis' love life since his rise to fame in One Direction. Hannah Walker - Louis' first girlfriend, who he dated in 2010. They split in 2011 as his band One Direction took off and the long distance romance was too much for them. Eleanor Calder - The pair dated on and off from 2011 to 2022. They were first photographed kissing at the London Olympic Games in 2012. Briana Jungwirth - Louis dated American Briana in 2015 and they have a son named Freddie, who was born in 2016. Sofie Nyvang - Louis was rumoured to be in a relationship with Danish model Sofie in February 2023. They split two months later in April 2023. Two women, trapped in the same awkward love triangle, wouldn't even have attempted to play on the same sports team. So while Zara squirms, we have one victor in this battle. Louis might have done the gentlemanly thing and withdrawn from the team, instead of Sam. He might have shown some humility, or sensitivity, when they met in the public glare. But all's fair in love and war, and for now he's the winner. Not only does he have Zara waiting at home for him, he's even got her creamy salmon pasta.
The Irish Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Westlife star Nicky Byrne makes incredible Soccer Aid double save… then somehow avoids red card moments later
WESTLIFE star Nicky Byrne made a sensational double save to deny Jermain Defoe and Steven Bartlett at Soccer Aid. But just moments later the Irishman could have been sent off for a clear handball. 2 Any use of this image other than in an editorial context to promote Soccer Aid for UNICEF, for any purpose whatsoever including advertising and commercial usage, will require a separate prior agreement in writing from UNICEF, the copyright holder and, in some cases, the person or persons depicted in the image, and on occasion the […] Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 2 Steven Bartlett shoots at goal Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The Irishman, 46, came on for former Manchester United stopper Edwin van der Sar between the sticks at half-time. And the hitmaker was immediately called into action. England star Aaron Lennon rolled back the years to race down the right flank before squaring for former Tottenham team-mate Jermain Defoe. The legendary striker looked certain to score... only to be denied by Byrne's legs. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Bartlett, 32, pounced on the rebound, but Byrne pounced up to deny the entrepreuneur. Barely a minute later, Defoe had another chance to score - sparking a moment of controversy. With Byrne having raced miles off his line, Defoe looked to flick the ball beyond the stopper. The Westlife star instinctively blocked the ball with his arm - sparking complaints from the England front man. Most read in Football Prem ref Rebecca Welch immediately blew her whistle, but only brandished a yellow card, much to Byrne's relief. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
The Irish Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson put on united front for Soccer Aid after peace dinner to smooth Zara McDermott tensions
LOVE rivals Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson were pictured together tonight ahead of Soccer Aid. It followed a Advertisement Read The Sun's Soccer Aid live blog here 4 Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson in the Soccer Aid hotel ahead of the game Credit: BackGrid 4 Sam and Louis had dinner together during a team bonding session to ease any tension between them Credit: Getty Sam split from Zara, who is now in a relationship with Louis, just before Christmas after five years together. The pair had already Both men looked relaxed this evening as they milled around their hotel with fellow squad members. Advertisement READ MORE ON SOCCER AID Dressed in matching suits, Louis stood beside hockey ace Sam Quek, while Sam was near to England XI manager Wayne Rooney. We exclusively revealed last night how the ex-One Direction star and I'm A Celeb winner are determined to put any awkwardness over Zara behind them. Their dinner included some teammates and took place at Champneys spa in Tring, Herts, where they have been training for the match at Old Trafford. A source said: 'There is no beef between the pair and they're both going to ensure their love lives don't distract from such a big charity spectacle. Advertisement Most read in News TV "They are fully aware that their every move is being scrutinised and they've broken bread with their teammates, so it'll be smooth sailing on the day.' Zara has already ruled herself out of attending the star-studded match. Sam Thompson breaks silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid and says he had to be 'carried' to physio room He said: 'I did a small talk in front of everyone, which was terrifying, and I maintain I think it's the most important thing I've done in my 32 years of life. Advertisement 'I really do believe that. Getting to go to Guatemala to see what UNICEF do on the ground is just life-changing.' Sam suffered injuries during his 260-mile running and cycling trek between London and Manchester, in aid of UNICEF, ahead of the match. He explained: 'I'm now part of the coaching team, so I'm going to be on the sidelines along with Vicky McLure and also Tyson Fury, and I'm going to be putting my two pence in. "But I will still get to be part of it all.' Advertisement 4 Louis greets fans outside the team hotel Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 4 Sam and Zara split before Christmas Credit: Instagram
