Latest news with #SoccerAidforUNICEF
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sam Thompson breaks down in tears as Pete Wicks surprises him in sweet reunion
Made In Chelsea star, Sam Thompson, took off on a mammoth 260-mile endurance challenge for UNICEF on Monday on foot and by bike from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford Sam Thompson burst into tears when he saw his best pal, Pete Wicks, cheering him on during his epic challenge for UNICEF this week. The Made In Chelsea star, 31, took off on a mammoth 260-mile endurance feat for Soccer Aid on Monday on foot and by bike from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford. Sam is seen covered in sweat, limping, with his knee bandaged up, Sam can't control his emotions as he clocks Pete, 36, who rushes over to give his friend a huge hug. Visibly stunned, the I'm A Celebrity winner begins to cry and splutters: "Thank you so much for coming," Pete says: "Don't be silly. As if I was never not going to come. I'm so proud of you. You're smashing it!" Sam concedes: "I'm not smashing it" to which Pete insists "You are smashing it! Are you still going? Well then you're smashing it." However, heartbreakingly, Sam then says: "I'm not the guy, man." Hugging his friend even tighter, Pete says: "You are the guy. You were the guy before this started and you're the guy now." Sam took the first steps of his gruelling Match Ball Mission for Soccer Aid for UNICEF challenge on Monday as he aimed to run and cycle 49 miles from West London to Milton Keynes on day one. He was joined on the start line by I'm A Celebrity…Unpacked co-host Joel Dommett, as well as his sister Louise Thompson, her partner Ryan Libbey and their son, Leo. Speaking on Monday, Sam, who made his debut playing for England at Soccer Aid for UNICEF last year, told the charity: "I had no sleep last night, I'm absolutely terrified but I know I just need to keep my head in the game and remember why I'm doing this. "It's all for UNICEF and to raise as much money as possible so I'm going to dig deep and get on with it and look forward to a hot shower at the end." Meanwhile, Louise said: "Sam's such a happy, entertaining person, I've never seen him do something that will require so much resilience and endurance. I'm so proud of him, he's put so much work in and it's all for an incredible cause and will help so many children. "I'm waving him off at the beginning and I'll be seeing him at the end, that's all the support he needs from me." Sam's nationwide challenge will see him tackle five back-to-back endurance days – running five marathons and cycling more than 130 miles. He still has three day to go as heads north towards the final whistle in Old Trafford, Manchester on Friday 6 June. His mammoth mission will be captured for a one-off special documentary: Sam Thompson 's Match Ball Mission Friday 13th June 9pm on ITV. The reality star has had a challenging year after splitting up with his girlfriend, Zara McDermott, and navigating life as a singleton. Sam is now rumoured to be dating Love Island's Samie Elishi. Zara, meanwhile is loved up with One Direction's, Louis Tomlinson, after sources said that she and and Sam broke up because they 'wanted different things out of life'.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sam Thompson's sister Louise opens up -'I can tell when my brother's suffering'
Sam Thompson's sister Louise reflects on his Soccer Aid for UNICEF heroics - and the painful challenges that lie ahead as the feat gets underway TV star Sam Thompson 's sister say her brother won't be afraid to show his vulnerable side on his mammoth 260-mile endurance challenge for Soccer Aid. And Louise says that the feat - which kicked off early this morning - will help smash 'toxic masculinity stereotypes'. She said: 'That's so important at the moment, to show vulnerability as a man. And I just think he'll do that in such a brave way. We need more people breaking down that whole, like, toxic masculinity stereotype, don't we? He is super open about who he is and being vulnerable and authentic.' Sam is delivering the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match ball from last year's stadium, Stamford Bridge in London, to the home of this year's match, Old Trafford in Manchester. Louise added that Sam will try to remain upbeat but she knows deep down he will suffer. She says: 'I know my brother so well, so I'll see the twinges in the eyes. I can tell when my brother's suffering. I can tell when he's lying. I can tell, you know, when you see it in his face.' Louise, 35, is the older sister of Sam, 32. The pair was born in south Kensington, London, and both later starred in Made in Chelsea. The challenge is expected to take five days, and will also see him travel sections by bike. Today he is expected to run 26 miles towards Hemel Hempstead, Herts, and then switch to two wheels to cycle a further 23 miles to Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, in Bucks. Louise says Sam will struggle the most from a mental perspective. She added: 'Those in between moments where it gets quiet and you're left alone with your thoughts, that will be hard - because he's not somebody that is ever quiet. He is always just throwing himself from, one busy work thing to the next - he's not really someone that goes on holiday a lot either. 'He doesn't like to remove himself from his comfort zone, and his routine. So, I think this will really throw him outside of his routine and, provide, some much needed, thinking time.' Sam was yesterday joined on the first leg by This Morning star Josie Gibson who met him and Joel Dommett, who supported Sam for the first leg of his challenge, at the first pit stop of the route. Sam said: 'We've done a half marathon and do you know what, it's way better with Joel. I've actually just begged him to stay, he's the best energy you could ask for and when you set off, you've just got so much nervous energy and you've got adrenaline going and stuff and it's just really nice to be with someone like [Joel]. Joel is like my big brother so it's just really nice to be with someone that I know so well, who can sort of take you on the journey.' Josie pointed out the plasters on Sam's legs and he replied: 'I've just got shin splints but I think loads of people get shin splints. When you're training for these things, I don't think you're ever going to get to the start line without a few niggles here and there." Follow Sam's challenge here:
South Wales Argus
23-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Harry Kewell an isolated figure with injury in Liverpool's ‘Miracle of Istanbul'
Harry Kewell, who was forced off after just 23 minutes with a groin injury, was not part of the festivities which continued late into the night as he was holed up in his hotel room contemplating imminent surgery. Not only that, he missed the first two goals of the remarkable comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final as he was deep inside the stadium receiving treatment. Harry Kewell won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 but injury ruined his night (Rui Vieira/PA) He managed to hobble to the touchline to see Xabi Alonso convert his penalty rebound to complete the comeback from 3-0 down but his injury meant he could enjoy very little of what followed. 'Our doc came running in saying 'It's 3-2 and Alonso's got a penalty' so me and another player jumped off and hobbled out to watch him knock the rebound in,' Kewell, who is making his debut at this year's SoccerAid event, told the PA news agency. 'Anything could have happened in that game. The moment came when Jerzy Dudek saved from Shevchenko which then made you think 'Maybe it could be our night'.' It was to be their night, winning on penalties with Dudek the hero, but Kewell was not able to join the post-match celebrations. 'I was in my room. I couldn't really move so I was going in for an operation the next day so there wasn't much partying from me,' he added. 'I just had to focus on getting myself right for the next season.' The former Australia international has described the final as the 'worst night of my life' and 'a personal nightmare' but it made him appreciate being part of something bigger. Kewell made 12 European appearances in a season beset by injury problems, which began with a torn abductor muscle early in the campaign, and manager Rafael Benitez trusted him enough to give him his first Champions League start since February. He remains the only Australian to appear in a Champions League final, and in fact has played in two as he was in the Liverpool squad which lost to Milan two years later. 'It's still a very precious memory in my footballing career. The one thing it did teach me was you are part of a team,' he added. 'There are two parts to the story: as an individual my own injury was heart-breaking but that's why you play a team sport and what the team did that night was very special and I'll always be privileged to be part of that team. The 2005 Champions League triumph made Kewell appreciate being part of a team (Phil Noble/PA) 'It doesn't matter how well you do as an individual, you need the team around you. 'It was the biggest game I could play in and you want to be part of that but it's not about me, it was about my team and they did an amazing thing that night.' :: Soccer Aid for UNICEF takes place on Sunday 15th June at Old Trafford. Please buy your tickets at:
South Wales Guardian
23-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Harry Kewell an isolated figure with injury in Liverpool's ‘Miracle of Istanbul'
Harry Kewell, who was forced off after just 23 minutes with a groin injury, was not part of the festivities which continued late into the night as he was holed up in his hotel room contemplating imminent surgery. Not only that, he missed the first two goals of the remarkable comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final as he was deep inside the stadium receiving treatment. He managed to hobble to the touchline to see Xabi Alonso convert his penalty rebound to complete the comeback from 3-0 down but his injury meant he could enjoy very little of what followed. 'Our doc came running in saying 'It's 3-2 and Alonso's got a penalty' so me and another player jumped off and hobbled out to watch him knock the rebound in,' Kewell, who is making his debut at this year's SoccerAid event, told the PA news agency. 'Anything could have happened in that game. The moment came when Jerzy Dudek saved from Shevchenko which then made you think 'Maybe it could be our night'.' It was to be their night, winning on penalties with Dudek the hero, but Kewell was not able to join the post-match celebrations. 'I was in my room. I couldn't really move so I was going in for an operation the next day so there wasn't much partying from me,' he added. 'I just had to focus on getting myself right for the next season.' The former Australia international has described the final as the 'worst night of my life' and 'a personal nightmare' but it made him appreciate being part of something bigger. Kewell made 12 European appearances in a season beset by injury problems, which began with a torn abductor muscle early in the campaign, and manager Rafael Benitez trusted him enough to give him his first Champions League start since February. He remains the only Australian to appear in a Champions League final, and in fact has played in two as he was in the Liverpool squad which lost to Milan two years later. 'It's still a very precious memory in my footballing career. The one thing it did teach me was you are part of a team,' he added. 'There are two parts to the story: as an individual my own injury was heart-breaking but that's why you play a team sport and what the team did that night was very special and I'll always be privileged to be part of that team. 'It doesn't matter how well you do as an individual, you need the team around you. 'It was the biggest game I could play in and you want to be part of that but it's not about me, it was about my team and they did an amazing thing that night.' :: Soccer Aid for UNICEF takes place on Sunday 15th June at Old Trafford. Please buy your tickets at:
The Herald Scotland
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Harry Kewell an isolated figure with injury in Liverpool's ‘Miracle of Istanbul'
Not only that, he missed the first two goals of the remarkable comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final as he was deep inside the stadium receiving treatment. Harry Kewell won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 but injury ruined his night (Rui Vieira/PA) He managed to hobble to the touchline to see Xabi Alonso convert his penalty rebound to complete the comeback from 3-0 down but his injury meant he could enjoy very little of what followed. 'Our doc came running in saying 'It's 3-2 and Alonso's got a penalty' so me and another player jumped off and hobbled out to watch him knock the rebound in,' Kewell, who is making his debut at this year's SoccerAid event, told the PA news agency. 'Anything could have happened in that game. The moment came when Jerzy Dudek saved from Shevchenko which then made you think 'Maybe it could be our night'.' It was to be their night, winning on penalties with Dudek the hero, but Kewell was not able to join the post-match celebrations. 'I was in my room. I couldn't really move so I was going in for an operation the next day so there wasn't much partying from me,' he added. 'I just had to focus on getting myself right for the next season.' The former Australia international has described the final as the 'worst night of my life' and 'a personal nightmare' but it made him appreciate being part of something bigger. Kewell made 12 European appearances in a season beset by injury problems, which began with a torn abductor muscle early in the campaign, and manager Rafael Benitez trusted him enough to give him his first Champions League start since February. He remains the only Australian to appear in a Champions League final, and in fact has played in two as he was in the Liverpool squad which lost to Milan two years later. 'It's still a very precious memory in my footballing career. The one thing it did teach me was you are part of a team,' he added. 'There are two parts to the story: as an individual my own injury was heart-breaking but that's why you play a team sport and what the team did that night was very special and I'll always be privileged to be part of that team. The 2005 Champions League triumph made Kewell appreciate being part of a team (Phil Noble/PA) 'It doesn't matter how well you do as an individual, you need the team around you. 'It was the biggest game I could play in and you want to be part of that but it's not about me, it was about my team and they did an amazing thing that night.' :: Soccer Aid for UNICEF takes place on Sunday 15th June at Old Trafford. Please buy your tickets at:
