logo
Inside Rory McIlroy's VIP Europa League final experience as he rubs shoulders with two Man United icons

Inside Rory McIlroy's VIP Europa League final experience as he rubs shoulders with two Man United icons

The Irish Sun22-05-2025
RORY McIlroy did at least get treated to the VIP experience while attending the Europa League final in Bilbao.
Ultimately, no amount of luxury could make it an enjoyable evening for Man United fans as they watched their side
Advertisement
3
The United fan got to rubs shoulders with Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes last night
Credit: @rioferdy5
3
Anyone with an association for the Red Devils wasn't smiling at full-time though
Credit: @rioferdy5
3
United failed to create much over the course of the 90 minutes with Spurs winning a forgettable game 1-0
Credit: Getty
But the five-time major winner did look to have had an enjoyable time pre-match as he
The duo were on punditry duties for TNT Sports with
Ahead of the game, McIlroy and Ferdinand beamed as they caught up in a hotel lobby.
The Northern Irishman and his caddie Harry Diamond then posed for a picture alongside Ferdinand, Scholes and Fletcher.
Advertisement
Read More On Football
Last night's showpiece represented the final chance for Ruben Amorim's men to somewhat salvage what's been arguably
Languishing 16th in the Premier League with one matchday to go, this was their only chance to secure qualification for next term's Champions League.
Their performance in the Europa League final had fans labelling the match the
73 PER CENT
of possession count, conceding to Spurs' only shot on target.
Advertisement
Most read in Football
That means there will be no big midweek nights for the United fans next term, a reality that
A season away from European competition will mean a huge hit to the income streams - missing out on mega TV money.
'That's for you, son' - James Maddison brutally digs out Roy Keane in savage interview after Europa League final, CBSSportsGolazo
Their inability to reach Europe via cup success comes after their worst league campaign since the 1973-1974 campaign - a season that they were relegated from the top flight.
United have lost
18 GAMES
in the Prem this season, winning only ten of their 37 league matches.
Advertisement
Nine of those 18 defeats have come at Old Trafford, making it their joint-most home losses in a single league campaign.
It is also United's worst Premier League points tally, with their maximum return currently standing at just 42 points - some 16 points less than their previous worst from the 2021/22 season.
Ferdinand labelled the season a 'disaster' when he told TNT Sports how his former club didn't even deserve to gloss over their dismal effort with Europa League glory.
He said: "A disaster of a season ending on a bad note, but I don't think Man Utd did enough to deserve it.
Advertisement
"There was no real cutting edge in the Man Utd team.
"All that sustained pressure, the goalkeeper [Guglielmo Vicario] made one save in the whole game - you can't expect to win a trophy when you're a bit reserved."
Boss Amorim has been unable to turn things around since his arrival at Old Trafford in November, replacing
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The stunning £330million transfer merry-go-round that will kick-off when Luis Diaz leaves Liverpool
The stunning £330million transfer merry-go-round that will kick-off when Luis Diaz leaves Liverpool

The Irish Sun

time18 minutes ago

  • The Irish Sun

The stunning £330million transfer merry-go-round that will kick-off when Luis Diaz leaves Liverpool

LUIS DIAZ'S impending move to Bayern Munich is set to spark an incredible transfer merry-go-round with implications for several Premier League clubs. The Colombian star, 28, is Advertisement 9 Luis Diaz is set to quit Liverpool for Bayern Munich Credit: PA With The Swede, 25, last week informed the Toon that he Isak has not gone on his club's pre-season Asia tour amid intense transfer speculation. Reports suggest that the prolific striker has Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL But the Reds will have to cough up a huge fee for the deal to happen. With three years remaining on Isak's contract, Newcastle are demanding £150m for their star man. The two clubs are set to meet in the coming days, with Liverpool reportedly believing that they can whittle the Toon's asking price down to £120m. Should Liverpool land their man, Newcastle's desperate striker search will intensify further. Advertisement Most read in Football Latest BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 9 Alexander Isak wants Credit: Getty Newcastle are now targeting Advertisement Newcastle manager Eddie Howe gives update on Alexander Isak's Liverpool transfer Having also let Isak's deputy While fellow Premier League stars Newcastle's swoops could be scuppered by Advertisement 9 9 9 9 Advertisement The Red Devils have already splurged around £130m on But despite this expensive outlay, SunSport understands that Sesko and Watkins are Advertisement Aston Villa have so far resisted enquiries for Watkins this summer. Should their stance change, SunSport 9 Advertisement 9 9

Emotional moment England captain Leah Williamson chokes back tears on stage at parade after Euro 2025 triumph
Emotional moment England captain Leah Williamson chokes back tears on stage at parade after Euro 2025 triumph

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Emotional moment England captain Leah Williamson chokes back tears on stage at parade after Euro 2025 triumph

ENGLAND captain Leah Williamson choked back tears on stage at the victory parade of Euro 2025. The heroic Lionesses were back in London today after their remarkable achievement in Switzerland on Sunday, where they beat Spain on penalties to be named back-to-back European Champions. 1 Leah Williamson choked back tears as she spoke on stage at England's Euro 2025 victory parade The win also saw them become the first senior Three Lions side to win a major competition on foreign soil. They were roared on by thousands of fans as they arrived in front of Buckingham Palace to speak on stage. But during the speech, star defender Williamson choked back tears as she addressed fans. Williamson, 28, came out to the stage by the Queen Victoria Memorial with the Euro 2025 trophy in hand. The Arsenal star was visibly emotional as she thanked the crowd for their support. Speaking to presenter and former Lioness Alex Scott, she said: "I'm holding back tears. I've been crying all down The Mall. "There are many ways to win a football match. And we always chose the tough one." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. Most read in Football 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

Gary Lineker admits he was SACKED from BBC after sharing pro-Gaza video likening supporters of Israel to rats
Gary Lineker admits he was SACKED from BBC after sharing pro-Gaza video likening supporters of Israel to rats

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Gary Lineker admits he was SACKED from BBC after sharing pro-Gaza video likening supporters of Israel to rats

GARY Lineker has confirmed he was sacked by the BBC after he was accused of sharing an anti-Semitic post. The former Match of the Day presenter, 64, sparked fury after he 4 Lineker has revealed he was axed by the broadcaster Credit: PA The post, shared by Gary in May, included an illustration of a rat — historically used as an antisemitic slur. Just days later, the former , striker announced his departure from He made his final appearance on the Beeb's flagship football show in May to present coverage of the end of the Premier League season. Opening up to The New World on his exit today, he revealed that he was fired by BBC bosses. Read more News When asked during an interview if he had quit or if he was sacked, he admitted: "The latter." Last November, Lineker announced he would be stepping down from presenting . The footballing icon was set to continue hosting certain events, such as the next year's World Cup and FA Cup coverage. But he went on to say that he had "missed" the rat emoji in the post that ultimately spelled the end of his career at the broadcaster. Most read in Football He continued: 'I missed it [the rat emoji]. I genuinely didn't see it. "I'm not an idiot. I may not have known it was an antisemitic trope, but I would have wondered why someone had put a rat there. "I wouldn't do that on purpose - it would be the biggest act of self-harm ever. It was a tough couple of days. 'People talked about me being antisemitic. I'm not anti-any group of people. Any race , any colour. But I am anti the killing of children. Gary Lineker apologises for antisemitic post and confirms he's quitting BBC next week "I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough.' The rat accompanied footage of a Canadian-Palestinian lawyer attacking the war in with the caption "Zionism explained in two minutes ". Speaking on his exit at the time, Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, said Lineker had "acknowledged his mistake". He added: "Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season. "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. "His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. "We want to thank him for the contribution he has made." Last month, The Sun revealed that Beeb chiefs delivered a final snub to Lineker by axing his last interview without warning. He was due to talk to Liverpool goal hero Mo Salah , but there were fears the host would say something controversial about . A source said the plug was pulled by director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, who got the job last summer . And there was 'no love lost' between An insider said: 'The plan was for the interview to be shown across the BBC the weekend of 4 He presented the flagship football programme for 26 years 4 Bosses axed his final interview with Mo Salah for MOTD Credit: Splash 'That would include on Football Focus the day before as well as online and on social media. 'Out of nowhere, it got cancelled. Some people think they didn't want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza. 'Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza and Gary has made his feelings clear too. "It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation. 'It seems they axed it rather than risk possible editorial issues. "They'd only just overcome one storm so to face another would have been a nightmare.' His final years as MOTD host have been marred by his outspoken views and fallouts with bosses. In March 2023, Lineker was He was also among 500 other high-profile figures who signed an open letter in February urging the BBC, to re-broadcast a documentary, He is now likely to focus on his successful Goalhanger Podcasts business. 4 Lineker apologised for the Instagram post Credit: Instagram

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store