Latest news with #MicahRichards
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jamie Carragher accuses IShowSpeed of 'using' Cristiano Ronaldo before the former Liverpool star and the YouTuber go comically head to head on the pitch
Sparks flew when YouTube star IShowSpeed spent the day with CBS Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards recently. Speed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, is a 20-year-old American content creator with almost 40 million subscribers on YouTube. Much of his content to date has centred on his obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and the world's most-followed person on Instagram. Richards and Carragher quizzed Speed about his love for Ronaldo while they shared a car ride together, which was streamed live on Twitch. 'What's the obsession with Ronaldo? We never actually address this on CBS,' asked Richards. 'I know you love him, I respect that. But why do you love him so much?' Speed responded by describing Ronaldo as 'The GOAT', meaning greatest of all time. Jamie Carragher tried pressing Speed by saying he is using Ronaldo to get his numbers up 😭 — Speedy Updates (@SpeedUpdates1) May 30, 2025 He is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the UEFA Champions League on five occasions He said: 'He is literally No 1 in the football world. He is literally No 1 in the world. Ronaldo's the GOAT.' But a sceptical Carragher asked Speed: 'Were you just using him to try and get your numbers up?' Speed replied instantly with a defiant 'no', but Carragher hit back: 'I think you were. 'He was massive on social media. You come in when you were 15 to start to get going, you jump on Ronaldo, you do his celebrations...' At this point, Richards was in fits of laughter. However, the car then briefly fell silent after Speed created an awkward moment by asking Carragher: 'Jamie, have you ever lifted a trophy a day in your life?' Speed repeated his question to Carragher, who in turn asked the American: 'Lifted a what?' Seemingly unaware of Carragher's list of honours, Speed added: 'A UCL trophy. Have you ever lifted a UCL trophy?' Carragher, who was part of the Liverpool team that won the UEFA Champions League in 2005 after fighting back from 3-0 down to AC Milan in the final, responded with a question of his own: 'What do you think?' Shaking his head, Speed answered: 'No, you have not.' Jamie's still got it 😉 @ishowspeedsui tries to beat @Carra23 1V1 ⚽️ — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 30, 2025 Somewhat smugly, Carragher then looked down the lens of the camera and said: 'That'll go down well on your stream. I was only part of the greatest final of all time.' Doubting what he had just been told, Speed pulled out his phone and said: 'Let me look this up on Google', as Carragher and Richards giggled beside him. Later in the stream, Speed and Carragher went head to head on an indoor pitch. Their one-on-one battle turned out to be just as amusing as their earlier chat. Speed tried to dribble past ex-defender Carragher but a heavy touch took the ball into the corner, where he was tackled. Now in possession but unable to beat his opponent for pace, Carragher tried to use his strength to get the better of Speed. However, despite plenty of pushing and shoving, Carragher also succeeded only in getting to the corner of the pitch and losing the ball. Speed then had another go at using his pace to skin Carragher, but lost both the ball and one of his shoes. He then accused Carragher of being too rough. 'He hit me in the face', said a flagging Speed. However, this either never happened or was not caught on camera. In addition to winning the Champions League in 2005, Carragher lifted the FA Cup twice during his Liverpool career. He also won two League Cups, two Community Shields, two UEFA Super Cups and one UEFA Cup (now the Europa League).
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Miguel Delaney: How PSG's ‘kingmaker' seized chance to reshape football's future
If you are one of the UK's many new padel enthusiasts, it's ultimately because of one man, who you might not expect. He is going to be prominent at Saturday's Champions League final, and has already appeared in a social media-friendly CBS interview with Micah Richards after the semi-final. That is Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. A former tennis professional, he saw the potential in padel, and put Qatar's immense financial weight behind the new sport. Qatar Sports Investments, who also own PSG, control Premier Padel and the World Padel Tour.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Alan Shearer breaks silence on Match of the Day future after Gary Lineker's emotional BBC exit
ALAN SHEARER has opened up on Gary Lineker's emotional Match of the Day exit - and his own future on the show. Lineker, 64, signed off from his role as MOTD host after 26 years on Sunday night. 2 2 The England legend revealed his intention to quit from the Beeb show back in November. But his exit was overshadowed by an antisemitism storm, which saw Lineker step away from the BBC completely. Shearer, 54, made his BBC punditry debut back in 2006 and has worked alongside Lineker ever since. Shearer told The Daily Mail: "He got a really emotional send off on Sunday, and one he deserved. "He's a brilliant broadcaster, and he's a great friend of mine, and we will all miss him." The Toon icon confirmed he will continue to appear on the iconic BBC show. Shearer and Lineker are also set to carry on with their hit podcast The Rest Is Football. They are joined on the popular pod by Micah Richards, another popular Beeb pundit. Shearer admits Lineker's farewell didn't hit too hard - as they've already recorded two more episodes since. The Newcastle legend continued: "It's different for myself and Micah, because it's not as if we're not ever going to see him again. Gary Lineker reveals Match of the Day blunder he made in last-ever appearance for first time in 26 years "I mean, we've done two recordings of our podcast as well, so we're still going to be sort of working together." Lineker's production company Goalhanger Productions are reportedly in talks with DAZN ahead of the summer. The discussions are based around "launching shows featuring MOTD-style match clips of the Club World Cup." TV insiders also believe Lineker moving to a rival such as ITV or Sky Sports is "highly unlikely." Lineker faced a huge backlash after he re-posted a video earlier this month which criticised Zionism and included an illustration of a rat. The Three Lions legend agreed to leave the BBC for good and apologised unreservedly. Lineker was given a seven-minute tribute during his final Match of the Day broadcast Tearing up, he added: "It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. "I'd like to wish Gabby [Logan], Mark [Chapman], and Kelly [Cates] all the best when they sit in the chair. "The programme is in the best of hands. My final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. "Thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special. "I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Alan Shearer makes decision on his Match of the Day future after 'great friend' Gary Lineker's ugly BBC exit
Alan Shearer has confirmed he'll be staying on Match of the Day after his good friend Gary Lineker prematurely exited the BBC following an anti-Semitism scandal. Lineker, who had hosted the iconic show for 26 years, did so for the last time over the weekend after sharing an Instagram video about Zionism which included an emoji of a rat - a symbol used to denigrate Jewish people throughout history. He later apologised. In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Shearer said he would be continuing his Match of the Day punditry, and called his longtime colleague Lineker a 'brilliant broadcaster.' 'He got a really emotional send off on Sunday, and one he deserved, and he's a brilliant broadcaster, and he's a great friend of mine, and we will all miss him,' Shearer said in an interview promoting the Premier League Summer Series. Lineker announced in November that he'd be leaving Match of the Day at the end of the season, though he was due to stay on with the BBC through the 2026 World Cup as he presented the USA, Canada and Mexico-hosted tournament. However, Lineker, Shearer and fellow pundit on the show Micah Richards will continue to host their 'The Rest is Football' podcast together. 'It's different for myself and Micah, because it's not as if we're not ever going to see him again,' Shearer added. 'I mean, we've done two recordings of our podcast as well, so we're still going to be sort of working together.' Lineker received an emotional send off on Sunday as the BBC put together a seven-minute tribute featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola, Virgil van Dijk, Ian Wright, and even Andrea Bocelli. Shearer and Richards also paid tribute to their friend and co-worker, while Lineker's sons, Paul Gascoigne and Arne Slot were also among those to offer kind words. 'Match of the Day is everything to him,' Shearer said in the tribute. 'He loves it, it means the world to him. Off air he's very calm, very generous. You are an amazing friend.' Lineker, who has previously been outspoken in his support of Palestine, said it 'wasn't meant to end this way' at the start of his farewell show, which came after he shared the aforementioned video from the group Palestine Lobby. After his repost of the video, the former star deleted it from his feed and issued a public apology, insisting he did not see the rat emoji present. He said: 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. Lineker shared reel on Instagram which originated with pro-Palestine group Palestine Lobby and featured an image of a rat 'I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic. It goes against everything I believe in. 'The post was removed as soon as I became aware of the issue.' Lineker's exit from the public broadcaster means he will not be part of the 2026 World Cup coverage as previously planned, or coverage of the FA Cup next season. Additionally, 'This is Football' - which is part of Lineker's Goalhanger company - has been dropped by BBC Sounds. He will leave the company without a pay-off from his £1.4million salary. At the end of Sunday's show, Lineker paid tribute to the wider Match of the Day team, saying: 'Let me take the opportunity to thank all the other pundits I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. You've made my job so much easier. 'Also, thanks to all those you don't see at home. The work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs. 'Thank you all you're the very best. Everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. 'It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. 'I'd like to wish Gabby (Logan), Mark (Chapman), and Kelly (Cates) all the best when they sit in the chair The programme is in the best of hands. 'My final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special. I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How PSG's ‘kingmaker' seized chance to reshape football's future
If you are one of the UK's many new padel enthusiasts, it's ultimately because of one man, who you might not expect. He is going to be prominent at Saturday's Champions League final, and has already appeared in a social media-friendly CBS interview with Micah Richards after the semi-final. That is Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. A former tennis professional, he saw the potential in padel, and put Qatar's immense financial weight behind the new sport. Qatar Sports Investments, who also own PSG, control Premier Padel and the World Padel Tour. Advertisement The world's fastest-growing sport feels like a curious place to start a discussion about the world's most popular sport, and its biggest club game, but there is a point. Those who know Al-Khelaifi say he 'sees around corners, picks opportunities'. That has definitely been the case with padel, but it has arguably been most visible with European football, and what happened after the Super League and sparked a secret 'war' for European football's future. Numerous sources insist PSG were involved right up until 'the last minute'. They counter that they were never members, and Al-Khelaifi had a principled opposition. A huge opportunity was nevertheless seized. While Qatar have managed to get in on the ground floor with padel, they have gradually made it to the top of the European club game. Advertisement The resignations from the European Club Association (ECA) that followed the Super League allowed Al-Khelaifi to rise to the chair of that organisation, even if those close to him insist he rejected requests to fill that role for three days after that April 2021 crisis. Al-Khelaifi has still run with it since. The ECA, which grew from the big clubs' 'G14' and now represents all those in European competition, has drastically expanded in scale and influence. It is much more than a lobby group. The ECA has established a joint venture with Uefa, called UC3, where they both have 50-50 of the Champions League. This control is what the big clubs always wanted, right through the talks that led to the Super League. Ousmane Dembele has led Paris Saint-Germain's attack this season (Getty) Marquinhos has been a mainstay of PSG over the years (AP) And who is at the top? An official whose ultimate responsibility is to the Emir of Qatar. Rival executives have questioned whether this is appropriate for the European game. LaLiga's Javier Tebas is one of many to criticise Al-Khelaifi's 'conflict of interests', given he also runs a major broadcaster in the form of BeIn Sport. Advertisement It is why this weekend may not just crown PSG's final rise as a club, to get what Qatar always wanted, in the Champions League itself. The trophy arriving in a first full season of the new format may also symbolically complete Al-Khelaifi's own rise, as well as the evolution of the competition into something more. The point has already been stressed about how this might just be the Super League by another name, with Uefa's approval, driven by greater powers. The opening stage is now literally a 'super league', given that it features 36 teams and runs parallel to domestic competitions. The absurd entry of six English clubs next season is almost too brazen, given the original plans. Both Uefa and the ECA have nevertheless been keen to celebrate the new format's success. There is delight at how CBS had a record audience for a non-final game with Inter Milan v Barcelona. That isn't really down to any change, though. It's merely the old-fashioned jeopardy of true knock-out football, that can't be engineered. Either way, the next stage is to really capitalise on this American popularity. Uefa and the ECA have gone into partnership with US agency Relevent, whose speciality is big games in the States. That isn't necessarily about finals in New York, however, but maximising 'fan engagement' with new ideas and increasing revenues by 10-20 per cent. Supporter groups like the FSA would see that as 'entertainment elements' like pre-game shows that they would actively oppose. Who actually wants it? Paris Saint Germain's Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaifi is head of the ECA, which has become the 'Kingmaker' (AFP via Getty Images) His power is growing and could be boosted by Champions League success for PSG this weekend (AFP via Getty Images) Al-Khelaifi is otherwise described, approvingly, as someone who 'drives change'. He is very hard working, with a ferocious temper, but has a charm. That has worked well, given a lot of rival executives say he isn't especially liked. The European football structure has certainly changed. Advertisement Under the Qatari, the ECA has almost become a third major institution alongside Fifa and Uefa. Al-Khelaifi is very close to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, and has a good relationship with Fifa counterpart Gianni Infantino. Insiders even describe this ECA as 'a kingmaker'. If there's a dispute, the side they take usually wins. The body was crucial to the Club World Cup getting off the ground. 'They are pulling levers without people even realising,' one senior source says. Such politics are intriguing in light of the recent row about Infantino's late arrival at the Fifa Congress in Paraguay, and how quickly Uefa anger was quelled with a conciliatory statement. Some insiders insist this is all consistent with what reformers have called for. European courts are now taking a dim view on Fifa and Uefa serving as both regulators and competition organisers with commercial interests. Advertisement This ECA-led system dilutes that – but should it be at the behest of bigger clubs, and bigger powers? The ECA would point to their expanded membership, how everything is democratically run, and that Al-Khelaifi's leadership pushed the Europa Conference League. The Qatari himself is said to want the ECA to be more recognised as a brand, in terms of the good work it does in terms of legal and financial services to clubs, as well as the women's game. Critics would say the Union of European Clubs had to be established to give scores of affected clubs a voice, that numerous domestic leagues are fearing for their financial futures, and that they can't trust the ECA to consider the whole ecosystem. Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi (EPA) QSI's takeover of PSG led to the club taking a financial stranglehold of Ligue 1 in the years that followed (AFP/Getty) That ecosystem is increasingly shaped by the positioning for the next land grab, which is in that burgeoning US soccer market, and what happens next with streaming. Advertisement That's where some attuned figures also see a new era. Much has been made of the Premier League no longer having a real rival, but there is a fear that is exactly what the ECA want the Champions League to be – and eventually to play on weekends. Those on the European side literally laugh about such complaints, given the Premier League's own status as a super league. At the same time, major continental club executives actively want to make English clubs weaker while building something of their own. That might be logical, and necessary, but it also illustrates one of modern football's endless arms races. Premier League clubs talk of consequently having to go bolder and more global. So much of this still comes back to these persistent modern themes, how football is looked at as a commodity to be used, rather than a cultural good. It's why the nature of leadership is so crucial. Advertisement The Champions League has certainly led the way in the 'financialisation' of football, where virtually everything is looked at in monetary terms. You only had to watch the Europa League final or the Premier League's last day. Paris Saint-Germain fans celebrate victory with flares after the final whistle in the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal (PA) PSG fans celebrate in the streets of Paris (The Associated Press) At the centre of that is the ECA, headed by PSG's Qatari president, whose state primarily see political value in the game. 'People do think that is outrageous,' one source says. 'If you're Qatar, you'd say he's a genius. He's a major governance figure, Qatar Airways a main sponsor.' Qatar's club may now win the Champions League. It didn't even take a game of padel for networking.
