Latest news with #TheRestIsFootball
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
John Obi Mikel opens up on his dad being kidnapped TWICE as he reveals he played World Cup clash without telling anyone
JOHN OBI MIKEL has revealed the terrifying moment he found out his dad had been kidnapped — for the second time. He said he received the news moments before his country's most important World Cup match. Advertisement 6 John Obi Mikel has revealed his horror before Nigeria took on Argentina Credit: Getty 6 Mikel in action for Nigeria against Lionel Messi of Argentina Credit: Getty 6 Michael Obi, the kidnapped father of Chelsea footballer John Obi Mikel is pictured after he was freed on August 22 Credit: AFP The ex-Chelsea and Nigeria star admitted he was left "blanking out" on the pitch during the huge clash against Argentina in St Petersburg, Russia in 2018 as he secretly dealt with the horrifying news. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast with Gary Lineker, the former midfielder opened up about the trauma of both kidnappings, revealing he didn't even tell his manager about the second one. Mikel, now retired, explained the first incident happened when he was playing for Chelsea under boss Andre Villas-Boas. He said: 'My dad has his own business now which I helped him set up, and he was driving home from work with his driver. Advertisement 'A car pulled over in front of them with guns and everything — they got out and took him away.' "I remember AVB asked me, 'Do you want to play the game or not?. "I was finally back in the team, I was playing well — so I told him I'd think about it. "In the end I decided to play but the whole family was crying on the phone." Advertisement Mikel said the negotiations felt 'like buying a car,' with back-and-forth demands until they agreed on a fee. He added: 'I got on the phone with the kidnappers after. It was horrible, my dad was screaming, telling me, 'Whatever they want, just give it to them." remier League stars claim they are being 'held hostage' in 'abandoned airport for 12 hours with no food and water' "I wired the money back home, my brother withdrew it and they were told where to drop it off. They said come back in 30 minutes.' The second kidnapping came when dad Michael was snatched before Nigeria's World Cup match against Argentina. Advertisement He said: 'I was in my room getting ready for the game (World Cup). My phone kept ringing and eventually, I picked up. 'My brother said, 'We weren't going to tell you, but we have to, it's happened again. Dad has been kidnapped." Mikel revealed he was torn on whether to tell anyone, adding: 'I sat there for 30 minutes thinking, 'Should I tell the coach? Should I tell the team?' "In the end, I decided not to. I went out and played.' Advertisement 6 Mikel enjoyed a successful career at Chelsea were he won the Champions League 6 Mikel Obi has transitioned into a successful broadcaster 6 He has his own successful podcast Credit: Getty 'I nearly threw up on the pitch. I couldn't focus. Advertisement "All I kept thinking was, 'How am I going to get my dad out of this again?. "At some point, I blanked out I wasn't even seeing what was going on.' Despite everything, Mikel played the full match keeping the situation completely to himself. Nigeria lost narrowly 2-1, with Lionel Messi on the scoresheet for Argentina. Advertisement That result, in Nigeria's final group game, saw the South Americans leapfrog them into second place and into the last-16. Michael was eventually released but the son Mikel admits the trauma of those moments still haunts him today.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
John Obi Mikel opens up on his dad being kidnapped TWICE as he reveals he played World Cup clash without telling anyone
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOHN OBI MIKEL has revealed the terrifying moment he found out his dad had been kidnapped — for the second time. He said he received the news moments before his country's most important World Cup match. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 John Obi Mikel has revealed his horror before Nigeria took on Argentina Credit: Getty 6 Mikel in action for Nigeria against Lionel Messi of Argentina Credit: Getty 6 Michael Obi, the kidnapped father of Chelsea footballer John Obi Mikel is pictured after he was freed on August 22 Credit: AFP The ex-Chelsea and Nigeria star admitted he was left "blanking out" on the pitch during the huge clash against Argentina in St Petersburg, Russia in 2018 as he secretly dealt with the horrifying news. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast with Gary Lineker, the former midfielder opened up about the trauma of both kidnappings, revealing he didn't even tell his manager about the second one. Mikel, now retired, explained the first incident happened when he was playing for Chelsea under boss Andre Villas-Boas. He said: 'My dad has his own business now which I helped him set up, and he was driving home from work with his driver. 'A car pulled over in front of them with guns and everything — they got out and took him away.' "I remember AVB asked me, 'Do you want to play the game or not?. "I was finally back in the team, I was playing well — so I told him I'd think about it. "In the end I decided to play but the whole family was crying on the phone." Mikel said the negotiations felt 'like buying a car,' with back-and-forth demands until they agreed on a fee. He added: 'I got on the phone with the kidnappers after. It was horrible, my dad was screaming, telling me, 'Whatever they want, just give it to them." remier League stars claim they are being 'held hostage' in 'abandoned airport for 12 hours with no food and water' "I wired the money back home, my brother withdrew it and they were told where to drop it off. They said come back in 30 minutes.' The second kidnapping came when dad Michael was snatched before Nigeria's World Cup match against Argentina. He said: 'I was in my room getting ready for the game (World Cup). My phone kept ringing and eventually, I picked up. 'My brother said, 'We weren't going to tell you, but we have to, it's happened again. Dad has been kidnapped." Mikel revealed he was torn on whether to tell anyone, adding: 'I sat there for 30 minutes thinking, 'Should I tell the coach? Should I tell the team?' "In the end, I decided not to. I went out and played.' 6 Mikel enjoyed a successful career at Chelsea were he won the Champions League 6 Mikel Obi has transitioned into a successful broadcaster 6 He has his own successful podcast Credit: Getty 'I nearly threw up on the pitch. I couldn't focus. "All I kept thinking was, 'How am I going to get my dad out of this again?. "At some point, I blanked out I wasn't even seeing what was going on.' Despite everything, Mikel played the full match keeping the situation completely to himself. Nigeria lost narrowly 2-1, with Lionel Messi on the scoresheet for Argentina. That result, in Nigeria's final group game, saw the South Americans leapfrog them into second place and into the last-16. Michael was eventually released but the son Mikel admits the trauma of those moments still haunts him today.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Gary Lineker 'can't wait' to host new ITV show The Box after BBC exit
Former Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker is to present a new ITV game show after his exit from the BBC. The former footballer, 64, who left the BBC One sports show in May, said he was excited and "can't wait" to host The Box. In the show, 10 yellow boxes house a celebrity contestant who will be transported to unknown locations, before being released to face whatever game awaits on the other side of the door. Each week two players will face The Duel, a finale in which the loser leaves the competition for good. Lineker, who had presented Match Of The Day since 1999, said an emotional goodbye in an early departure from the broadcaster on 26 May. It followed a social media row after he shared a post about Zionism. Lineker, who was the BBC's highest-paid presenter, issued an unreserved apology for the social media video he shared, which led to his early exit from the BBC. Lineker said: "I can't wait to host The Box. I've always felt right at home in the box on a football pitch and whilst this is a different proposition, the fundamentals are similar. "The contestants will have to quickly and masterfully work out how each game works, whilst also trying to get ahead of the competition to take control. "It's going to be unpredictable and thrilling to watch, and I'm excited that I get to have a front row seat to all the action." The Box was first launched on TV2 in Norway in January this year. ITV's version of the show will be filmed in the UK later this year and air in 2026. Lineker also co-hosts The Rest Is Football podcast, which moved to internet sports streaming platform DAZN after he left the BBC.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker's Podcast ‘The Rest Is Football' Scores La Liga Clips Deal As Disney+ Swoops For UK/Ireland Streaming Rights
Gary Lineker's The Rest is Football is claiming the title of first podcast to secure a clip rights deal with a major European soccer league after tying with Spain's La Liga. At the same time, La Liga has confirmed Disney+'s UK and Ireland service has secured rights to the competition for the next three years. The podcast deal, which Lineker's Goalhanger Films struck with La Liga, is also for three years, and will see the launch of a video-first podcast titled The Rest is Football: LaLiga, which former BBC Sports presenter Lineker will host alongside Alex Aljoe. It will be available of YouTube and Spotify in the UK and Ireland, featuring clips from every la Liga game along with expert analysis and discussion. More from Deadline Hulu To Become International Tile On Disney+, Replacing Star, As Speculation Swirls About U.S. App's Stand-Alone Future Disney To Stop Providing Quarterly Streaming Subscriber Data, Following Netflix Disney Sees Q3 Profit, Upside "Where It Matters Most" At Theme Parks & Streaming Amid ESPN Flurry In the UK, interest in La Liga is spiking with the inclusion of players such as Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid and Marcus Rashford at champions Barcelona. Lineker, who is set to front ITV reality show The Box, turned out for Barca during his playing career in the 1980s. 'I've made no secret of my love for Spanish football over the years,' said Lineker, who is Goalhanger's co-founder. 'Ever since I played there in the late '80s, I've followed the story of La Liga closely. Now, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcus Rashford joining Jude Bellingham and Conor Gallagher in Spain, all eyes will be on La Liga's biggest games each week. The Rest Is Football: LaLiga will be the perfect way to catch all the goals and key action.' Goalhanger's other co-founder, Tony Pastor, noted that downloads of The Rest is Football spiked to 19.6 million and streams in June 2024 during the last men's UEFA European Championship, which saw Spain defeat England 2-1 in the final. In particular, YouTube viewing was well up, with 'more than half' of the downloads made thrre. 'Bringing weekly match action to The Rest Is Football feels like the natural next step for the show. Podcasting is no longer just an audio medium – video is transforming how people engage with our content and bringing in entirely new audiences,' said Pastor. The Rest Is Football: LaLiga launches on August 19 and will releases weekly episodes, with the video stream limited to the UK and Ireland. Disney+ deal The news came on the same day Disney+ confirmed it had secured a three-year deal, beginning on August 16, that will give subscribers access to live Saturday night La Liga soccer games. This will kick off with Valencia CF hostingReal Sociedad at the Mestalla Stadium from 8:30pm UK local time. Disney-owned ESPN will provide the production and commentary. Real Madrid and Liverpool legend Steve 'Macca' McManaman will lead the commentary team alongside former Arsenal and West Ham midfielder Stewart Robson. Broadcasters Ian Darke and Rob Palmer will alternate play-by-play duties throughout the season. The deal also sees and ESPN UK's social channels and YouTube offering highlights of every La Liga game and news on developments in Spain. It comes soon after Disney+ secured exclusive rights to the UEFA Women's Champions League across Europe for the next five years. Most La Liga games will still play on Premier Sports in the UK and Ireland. The sports broadcaster and streaming service today secure a new three-year deal for all games outside of the Saturday 8pm slot. This gives it more than 340 games in total. 'At Disney, we celebrate storytelling that moves and excites,' said Karl Holmes, Disney+ EMEA's General Manager. 'From the cinematic scale of FX's Alien: Earth to the sharp wit of Only Murders in the Building and the action-packed suspense of Lucasfilm's Andor, our customers know they're in for something special. With La Liga joining the line-up, they can experience that same excitement on the pitch with weekly matches featuring legendary clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona and stars like Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold as part of their Disney+ subscription.' Former Sky finance chief Holmes recently took up his post at Disney+. He'll soon be joined by long-serving ITV exec Angela Jain, who was named Head of Content for EMEA in June. Disney+'s move is the latest example of a streaming service acquiring sports rights as a means to attract new subs in the competitive UK market. For example, Prime Video has in recent seasons dipped into the market for Premier League and Champions League games. La Liga President Javier Tebas said: 'Today begins a new era in La Liga's broadcast distribution in the UK and Ireland. Best of Deadline 'Wednesday' Season 2 Soundtrack: All The Songs In Part 1 'The Buccaneers' Season 2 Soundtrack: From Griff To Sabrina Carpenter 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal given immediate Viktor Gyokeres worry after 'informing players of big change'
Stats suggest Viktor Gyokeres' big-money transfer to Arsenal won't solve all of the Gunners' problems this season, with the former Sporting CP star's big-game contribution coming under scrutiny Arsenal have been warned of a worrying Viktor Gyokeres statistic which could cause Mikel Arteta problems this season. After a lengthy summer transfer saga which also involved pursuing Benjamin Sesko, the Gunners finally settled on Gyokeres, completing his £64million transfer from Sporting CP last month. The Swede's arrival finally provides Arsenal with a traditional No. 9 which many pundits and fans have identified as the last piece of the jigsaw required if they are to win the Premier League, having lacked that killer instinct with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Mikel Merino. Gyokeres netted 54 goals in 52 appearances last season, earning him a reputation as one of the most clinical and goal-hungry forwards in European football. But the same skills that make Gyokeres such an important addition also mean Arteta has already made a tactical shift in pre-season, adapting his playing style to suit the striker. ESPN reported the Spaniard has told his players to get the ball forward as quickly as possible to utilise his strengths - something that was on display against Newcastle and Tottenham, even when Gyokeres was not on the pitch. Yet, despite Arteta's best efforts, there is a chance that the 27-year-old may not reach the heights expected of him this season for the Gunners. That may be especially true against some of their direct rivals, who Gyokeres has primarily been signed to score against in big matches. Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Gary Lineker referenced a stat which claimed Gyokeres had only scored three goals against teams in the Portuguese league's top half last season. The former Match of the Day presenter branded Gyokeres' transfer a 'gamble' from Arsenal, though he did wish the former Coventry and Brighton man all the best. Lineker's stats were mistaken, however, as the former England striker likely meant to raise the point of Gyokeres' underwhelming goal-scoring form against Portugal's other top teams - Benfica, Porto, Braga and Santa Clara. In the Primeira Liga, where he won the golden boot with 39 goals while clinching a second successive title, he only scored twice in eight league matches last season. Other similar stats have emerged online, adding to the perception of Gyokeres as a flat-track bully. But Arsenal will expect a better return against the Premier League's top sides this season, having bought the Sweden international for his predatorial instinct in the box. Those stats are especially worrying given that Arteta's men averaged 2.05 goals per game against bottom-half sides in 2024/25 compared to 1.55 against top-half opponents. They also had a 70% win rate against the bottom-half teams and only 33% against the top half, which included the likes of Newcastle, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford. Despite firing blanks in the aforementioned league encounters, Gyokeres netted six in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against Manchester City, and a crucial last gasp goal to beat rivals Benfica in the Portuguese cup final, demonstrating he has what it takes to step up when needed. Lineker's colleague Micah Richards went on to highlight the potential weaknesses in his game, but still acknowledged that Gyokeres can be an important player for the north Londoners this season by offering a threat in-behind - which they have lacked in recent years. Richards said: 'I think it's a very good signing. I still think there are question marks whether he can do it at this level consistently because I've watched a load of videos on him and I think he's really good in terms of his movement. He's a really clever striker and can run in behind. 'I don't think people should be expecting him to hold up the ball really well. There's times in games where I've watched the ball go up to him and it's coming back off him. And then he scores two goals and everyone says he's been absolutely amazing. But he's exactly what Arsenal need.'
