Archive June 14, 2025

Five Things To Look Out For As Club World Cup Kicks Off

Despite concerns over ticket sales and player fatigue, FIFA’s new expanded Club World Cup will throw up several intriguing storylines this summer in the United States.

AFP Sport picks five things to look out for on the pitch as teams compete to conquer the world and claim their share of $1 billion in prize money.

Messi back in the spotlight

Former Barcelona great Lionel Messi has spent the last two seasons at MLS side Inter Miami, but the Club World Cup pits him against European opposition once again.

The 37-year-old superstar still possesses supreme quality, but there are question marks over whether he and former top-level stars Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets can seriously compete against the cream of the crop.

Inter Miami face Porto in their second group match in Atlanta, a team Messi has faced once before, beating them with Barca in the UEFA Super Cup back in 2011.

Messi also featured against Porto in a friendly with Barca back in 2003, which was his first ever appearance for the club at 16 years old.

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If he nets at the tournament, Messi would become the oldest ever Club World Cup goalscorer, while both he and Suarez trail the competition’s all-time top scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, by two goals.

A new stage for Doue

Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final romp over Inter Milan was inspired by thrilling forward Desire Doue, who turned 20 earlier in June.

His spectacular burst into the limelight over the past few months means he is one of the players to watch this summer at the Club World Cup.

He struck twice in the final against Inter, as well as setting up another goal and drew comparisons to Spanish starlet Lamine Yamal, who will not be playing this summer as Barcelona did not qualify.

PSG’s opening clash against Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles immediately gives Doue another stage to shine on as the world at large continues to discover his immense talent.

Revamped City

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City endured a poor season by their lofty standards and immediately took action in the special transfer window to bolster their squad for the Club World Cup.

The Abu Dhabi-owned club have already splashed more than £100 million ($136 million) on Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki.

With holding midfielder Rodri also returning to fitness after injury, City are hoping they can step up their game significantly.

French 21-year-old attacking midfielder Cherki is an exciting talent looking to show his quality at the top level.

“I really believe he can become a world-class player with our support and direction,” said City’s director of football, Hugo Viana.

South American threat

While Europe’s elite are at the end of a long, hard season, South American clubs are midway through their campaigns and will be energised.

They have long revered the competition to a far greater degree than European sides, as it represents the chance to face the very best teams in the world.

Fans who do not regularly follow South American football can look forward to discovering some of the most exciting emerging talents in the world.

River Plate’s Argentine playmaker Franco Mastantuono will join Real Madrid after the tournament, while Chelsea-bound striker Estevao Willian is hoping to end his time at Brazilian side Palmeiras with a bang.

Atletico hunger

Atletico Madrid ended the season trophyless despite looking like potential contenders in Spain and Europe.

Diego Simeone’s side are proud of having reached the tournament ahead of La Liga rivals Barcelona, and the coach has not hidden his desire to succeed this summer.

“I hope we can advance in the Club World Cup and lead Atletico Madrid to a privileged position,” said Simeone.

Atletico have not won a single trophy since lifting La Liga in 2021, and their last success outside of Spanish football came in 2018 with Europa League and UEFA Super Cup wins.

Their elimination by Real Madrid in the Champions League after Julian Alvarez’s controversial ‘double-touch’ penalty was disallowed sent them into a spiral, which they only managed to shake off in the final weeks of the season, after their chances of success had vanished.

‘I tried a viral tan remover that works in ‘just 1-minute’ and I didn’t expect these results’

This tan remover has been making waves with beauty buffs as it promises easy tan removal in just 60 seconds, but does it really work? Shopping Writer Meghan has put it to the test

‘I tried a TikTok viral 1-minute tan remover and I didn’t expect these results’(Image: Meghan Coon)

If there’s one thing I hate about tanning through the summer, it’s needing to remove it. Whether you’re stripping the fake tan for good or clearing the canvas for a freshened look, taking off fake tan can be a hassle, sometimes taking an age. So, when I saw this tan remover going viral on TikTok for its quick and convenient removal, I was intrigued.

The Rose & Caramel Purity Excel 60 Second Fake Tan Remover, which retails for £23.99 on Amazon, as well as at Boots and Debenhams, promises to remove fake tan in a singular minute. And it’s not an empty promise, beauty buffs on social media have been showing off how fast and stress-free this remover is. So I thought I’d take it for a spin.

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Rose & Caramel Purity Excel 60 Second Fake Tan Remover
This tan remover is said to work in just 60-seconds(Image: Meghan Coon)

This rapid fake tan remover is said to remove all your self-tan within just 60 Seconds. The viral remover is perfect for stubborn false tan stuck to dry patches, old self-tan that’s seen better days, or faded fake tan that needs replacing, without any harsh scrubbing needed.

Set to be compatible with any brand of fake tan, tanning mousse, tanning lotion, spray tan, etc., this Rose & Caramel remover is an exfoliating body scrub that promises to not only remove fake tan in seconds but also rejuvenate your skin, deeply exfoliate, remove dead skin cells, reduce ingrowing hairs, and provide the skin with intense moisture for silky, smooth, fake tan-free skin, a perfect fresh canvas for your next sunkissed look.

Apparently, it’s that easy. You simply mask your body with the luxury body scrub over all areas that need self-tan removal and leave to soak into the skin for 60 seconds. Then you can just jump into the bath or shower and use exfoliating mitts to gently buff away your old self-tan, leaving your skin exfoliated, super soft and ready for your next application of tanning mousse.

Available in two scent options, including scent-free, the exfoliating tan remover that I opted for is formulated with a fruity mango and pomegranate scent, leaving the skin smelling and feeling fresh.

First thing to note from my experience with this tan remover, which I’ve used twice now, is that I didn’t notice any overly strong scent during or after use. This probably isn’t a huge downside for everyone, and I will admit I have a terrible sense of smell, so it could just be my nose.

I have tried removing fake tan with soap or other exfoliators, alongside my exfoliating gloves, and it’s been a real chore, which is why I was os keen to test out this 1-minute miracle worker.

Did this body scrub live up to the expectations of 60 seconds, and the tan just washes away? No. I covered all of my body that had fake tan on, prioritising dry areas where tan tends to cling, and waited over a minute before hopping in the shower. As I said, the tan didn’t immediately disappear, though I did see some colour coming off in the water. But the results still surprised me.

It only took gentle scrubbing with my exfoliating gloves while under running water, and it definitely did not take any aggressive scrubbing for the most part. I used more of the tan remover and a bit of a heavier hand on my hands, feet, elbows and knees where old tan likes to stick around, and to my shock, the tan lifted ten times easier than I’ve found with other exfoliating body scrubs.

It isn’t a miracle solution to ridding your body of old tan; you still need to exfoliate with gloves or a brush, but the process is massively reduced and doesn’t take nearly as much effort to shift stubborn old tan. I wouldn’t say it works in 60 seconds, but I had all of my tan removed in around 10 to 15 minutes while in the shower, which is significantly shorter than it’s taken in the past.

Plus, for £23.99, you get a 440ml tub, which is sure to last for months to come. I’ve barely used a third of my tub, and I’ve used this exfoliating body scrub twice. Try it for yourself and shop at Amazon, Boots, or Debenhams.

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If you’re interested in knowing what tan and exfoliating mitts I was using, I’ve been swearing by this Loving Tan 2hr Express Tanning Mousse (£29.56) in the shade Medium. For removal, I used these Amazon exfoliating gloves (£5.99).

David Beckham knighthood LIVE: King names Sir Becks in Honours List amid Brooklyn feud

Sir David Beckham has reached many amazing achievements throughout his longstanding career in sport and showbiz – all of which are now likely to be topped by last night’s announcement that he is to be knighted.

The 50 year old star, who is being recognised in the Kings Birthday Honours List for his services to Sport and Charity, has finally secured his long awaited knighthood. Speaking out about the incredible recognition, Sir David said he was “humbled” in a statement shared with the Mirror.

He said: “I’m so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I’m grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I’m immensely proud and it’s such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.”

Sadly for the new Sir and Lady Beckham, the star’s huge achievement has been tainted as the couple are currently embroiled in a sad fallout with their eldest son Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham. And it appears that feud is still ongoing as Brooklyn appears to have snubbed his dad’s huge achievement on his social media pages.

Cruz’s sweet post to dad David

Adding to the string of sweet tributes, David’s son Cruz, 20, also shared his pride over his dad’s big achievement with a gushing Instagram story share.

Musician Cruz posted a picture of his beloved dad smiling while sat in a forest and wrote on top: “I’m so proud dad I love you” before he added: “Sir David Beckham Has a nice ring to it”.

Cruz made a sweet tribute to his dad

Romeo Beckham’s sweet tribute to dad

Romeo Beckham gushed over his pride for his dad in a sweet Instagram post, shared shortly after the news was released last night.

The 22 year old son of David and Victoria posted a photo of himself and his dad at David’s 50th birthday celebration – which son Brooklyn was noticibly absent from – on his Instagram story. The image showed a smiling Romeo looking lovingly at his dad as David pulls a face at the camera.

“So so proud of you,” Romeo gushed as he added four white heart emojis to the post.

Romeo Beckham shared a sweet tribute to his dad David

Sir David Beckham reacts to knighthood

Sir David, who was made an OBE in 2003 and has been in the running for a knighthood for more than a decade, said in a statement to the Mirror: “Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation.

David Beckham named in the King’s Birthday Honours List

Days after speculation of David’s upcoming knighthood, the King’s Birthday Honours List finally confirmed he has received the long-awaited title.

The ex-England and Manchester United player, who was given an OBE in 2003, said he was “immensly proud” for the gong to services to sport and charity. Sir David joins 1,215 recognised in the Honours List, including The Who singer Roger Daltrey, Hollywood icon Gary Oldman, TV legends Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, and teenage darts sensastion Luke Littler.

David Beckham has been awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List (Getty Images)

Jorgie Porter reveals the ‘hardest thing’ about being a mum of two after welcoming daughter

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter, who has son Forest and daughter Peony, has candidly opened up on motherhood and plans to marry Oliver Piotrowski after a four year-long engagement

Jorgie Porter opens up about being a mum of two under three(Image: themissyporter/Instagram)

Soap star Jorgie Porter has revealed how she’s finding being a mum of two children under three in a candid new, exclusive chat.

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie, 37, gave birth to her second child, a baby girl called Peony, in December. She also has her first child, a son called Forest, who she welcomed in November 2022.

Jorgie shares both her children with her real estate developer fiancé Oliver Piotrowski, who also has a son Alfie, ten, from a previous relationship. Just a few months after giving birth, Jorgie has candidly opened up about how she’s finding being a mum of two children under the age of three.

Hollyoaks' Jorgie gave birth to daughter Peony in December
Hollyoaks’ Jorgie gave birth to daughter Peony in December(Image: themissyporter/Instagram)

When asked how she’s finding the new phase of motherhood, Jorgie tells the Mirror at the launch of the Pro Am Padel tour: “It’s hard. Nobody tells you that it’s the hardest thing in the world because you’ve got a toddler that wants all your attention and you’ve, obviously, got a little baby that’s attached to you, literally that is another level of mum-ness. It is hard. We’re in the trenches, this is the trenches we’re deep in there.“

Juggling two children is tricky for a number of reasons, but Jorgie reveals she finds her son Forest’s jealousy particularly difficult – but is making slow progress helping her eldest adjust to the new family dynamic. She explains: “Honestly, it’s great but I think there’s jealousy bits when the toddler is like, ‘you’re my mummy, get off this one, put her in the carseat’, like, ‘No Forest, we’re cuddling her’.

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“It’s tricky because he can’t understand that I’m her Mummy, too. But he does know, it’s weird. It’s very hard to navigate. It’s going there, it’s brilliant. I think there’s everyday you go, ‘Oh that’s a win, that’s brilliant, we’re out together in a pram, we did it’. So it is going well.”

Hollyoaks' Jorgie gave birth to daughter Peony in December
Hollyoaks’ Jorgie gave birth to daughter Peony in December(Image: themissyporter/Instagram)

Jorgie has had a busy few years growing her wonderful family and juggling her career, as she plays Theresa McQueen on Hollyoaks. One thing she hasn’t got around to doing just yet is planning her wedding to Oliver.

The couple announced their engagement in December 2021 but are yet to walk down the aisle.

When asked if there are any wedding plans, Jorgie jokes about her lengthy engagement. “How long? Four years I think! I didn’t plan this,” she quips.

The soap star mum then reveals why there is yet to be wedding bells for her a Oliver. “No I’m stupid at planning, I’m a bad planner,” she confesses. “Because whenever I’ve had Hollyoaks work we never are scheduled so I never know what day it is. We even work on Saturdays. You can ask me now what day it is, I don’t know. I don’t know the day, the month, because you have to always be ready to work because they can call you up because…

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“So planning for me is just… I’m waiting for the wedding to come to me I think. It’ll just come when it’s ready. Maybe a padel wedding, I’m joking!”

Kerry Katona’s heartbreaking advice to Freddy Brazier amid family feud

Kerry Katona is 16 years clean after being introduced to drugs by her mum as a teen – and has some well-meaning advice for Freddy Brazier after his rehab admission

Kerry has offered some advice to young Freddy Brazier following recent headlines(Image: Shutterstock)

Speaking exclusively to OK!, former Atomic Kitten Kerry Katona – who has been drug-free for 16 years – says her own experiences and relationship with her mum have been on her mind a lot lately, because of Freddy Brazier – and she has issued the model, 20, with some stark but well-meaning warnings, given her own past experiences with drugs.

When she read about Freddy allegedly taking drugs with his gran, all these feelings and memories, she admits, came flooding back. “I know he’s admitted he has a problem with smoking. He’s an adult and can make his own choices, but with drugs, it is a very, very slippery slope. I’ve seen it happen”, she said.

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Jeff Brazier storms off Race Across The World after incredibly tense chat with son Freddie
Freddy and his dad appeared on Celebrity Race Across the World(Image: BBC)

The son of Jeff Brazier and the late Jade Goody, Freddy hit the headlines when he revealed that he wanted to check into rehab in Spain, after reportedly falling out with his dad and big brother. Freddy, whose Big Brother star mum Jade died of cervical cancer when he was just four, was recently photographed smoking what appeared to be a cannabis joint with his maternal grandmother, Jackiey Budden – a former drug addict.

This came amid rumours he had moved in with his nan in Bermondsey, defying his dad’s legal efforts to keep them apart. But after claiming he wanted to go to rehab, he made a U-turn days later, saying he just needed a “holiday”. Freddy also said, “I want to be happy, be in a healthy relationship and have a healthy relationship with my nana and my father.

Frmer Atomic Kitten Kerry, however, thinks rehab is the right choice: “I commend him for wanting to go to rehab. You can explore your emotions and work out what’s really going on. It’ll open your eyes and be one of the best things you ever do. You’ll meet inspiring, supportive people. I understand that he just wants to be his own person, but relationships are easily broken and hard to repair – and we never know what tomorrow might bring.

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Kerry Katona and mum Sue
Kerry loves her mum but admits, it’s ‘complicated’(Image: Kerry Katona)

“Freddy’s lovely mum Jade was taken way before her time and I’m sure that hurts. My advice would be to treasure his relationship with his dad, who adores him. Life can be tough, but drugs are never the way to deal with difficult emotions. In a split second, you’re given a choice – and that choice can f**k everything up.“

Opening up on her own complicated relationship with her mother, Sue, Kerry confessed: “I love my mum to bits – but it’s complicated. She gave me drugs when I was 14. She was my mum, so I thought it was normal. But that’s a very unhealthy co-dependency.”

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Later progressing to cocaine, she recalled sadly: “It was the only friend I had, the only thing that was always there for me,” she admits. “I’ve overdosed twice on cocaine. Once at my mum’s house, then at home in Wilmslow with Mark. I fitted and was frothing at the mouth. When I came to, Mark was screaming, but I felt on another plane. I felt so loved in that experience that I tried immediately to go to that place again, and took a line of cocaine straight away.”

And she has strong advice to Freddy: “I know you love both your nan and your dad to bits. Focus on that love, and get to rehab. It’s not a magic wand, but you can start learning new ways to cope with what life throws at you. Above all, I’d like him to know that there is life beyond drugs.”

Fern Britton shares secret to weight loss after showing off incredible body transformation

Former This Morning star Fern Britton has spoken out about her recent weight loss, after wowing fans with her incredible transformation as she shared a snap of herself working out

Fern Britton has opened up about her weight loss(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

TV star Fern Britton has opened up about weight loss after she wowed fans earlier this year with her own transformation.

The TV presenter turned author, 67, left fans speechless last month as she posted a photo of herself in front of a mirror with exercise weights placed in front of her. As she posted the photo on the platform, Fern told her fans she was “repowering after a sloth like winter”.

Former This Morning star Fern was soon flooded with compliments as one wrote: “Wow Fern you look fabulous, let us know your routine please. x” As another added: “You look incredible fern! All the hardwork has paid off! Fitness never felt so good! Xxx”. While a third penned: “Wow you look amazing Fern, I need to know your secrets desperately”.

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Fern was flooded with compliments as she posted the selfie on her social media
Fern was flooded with compliments as she posted the selfie on her social media

Since then, Fern has been sharing more jaw-dropping snaps of herself on social media, but is yet to share her secret. But now, in a new interview, Fern has discussed weight loss. When the topic of jabs being used to aid weight loss comes up, Fern insists: “I don’t do any of that.”

“But I think that there are many tools in the box for people to get fit and lose weight and whatever they choose, I applaud them, because they are doing it for themselves. They’re doing it, probably for their children…” she told The i Paper before adding: “That stuff was all a long time ago, and it’s all irrelevant to me.”

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The CBB star wowed fans with a recent snap
The CBB star wowed fans with a recent snap(Image: James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock)

Fern has previously come under unfair scrutiny over her choice of weight loss tactics in the past. In 2008, Fern revealed she had a gastric band fitted two years earlier. Gastric surgery reduces the capacity of a person’s stomach and slows down the passage of food, helping people lose weight by making them feel fuller after eating fewer calories.

Speaking out after the cruel backlash, Fern appeared on This Morning and addressed her weight loss. She said she had the operation “for me, because I wanted to. I didn’t feel that I had the need to ring around and let everyone know – in fact, only five people knew, including my husband”, The Guardian reports. She added: “I didn’t expect that there would be such enormous interest in body image and perception.”

At the time, Fern was married to her second husband; TV chef Phil Vickery, who supported her weight loss. He said at the time: “Fern has cut right back on carbohydrates and eats a really healthy diet now with loads of vegetables and fruit.”

Fern and Phil were together for 20 years before announcing their split in 2020. It was claimed the pair maintained a ‘basic’ level of communication after their break-up, but Fern has since revealed she didn’t hear another word from him since her mum Ruth died in 2018.

In an interview with Yours magazine, Fern admitted: “He hasn’t spoken to me for six years now. As soon as my mum died, he stopped talking to me.” The Celebrity Big Brother 2024 contestant insists she tries “very hard” to not “bad-mouth” Phil for the sake of their 23-year-old daughter Winnie.

Fern has been open about her weight over the years
Fern has been open about her weight over the years(Image: Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Good Housekeeping Live)

She said: “Winnie adores him. I’m not going to bad-mouth him in front of her; at least, I try very hard not to. I was the child of divorced parents and my mum never bad-mouthed my father.”

The presenter – who has now quit the world of TV to write her own novels, says she’s channelled her heartbreak into her new career. Her latest book, A Cornish Legacy, is about grief, friendship, marital abuse and divorce.

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