Latest news with #DimitarBerbatov
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Berbatov urges more Asian players to get on board to play abroad
the Liga 7X7 Zurich matches. Dimitar Berbatov. 19 JULY 2025 —CHAN TAK KONG/The Star PETALING JAYA: Former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov has encouraged Asian footballers to dream bigger and push themselves to compete in top-tier European leagues - including the Premier League - as he reflected on his admiration for Asian football culture and his own experiences in global football. Berbatov, speaking before the start of the Liga 7x7 All-Stars tournament at the Cheras Football Stadium yesterday, praised the enthusiasm for the game in the region and called on young players to embrace the challenge of playing abroad. "I used to play with Park Ji-sung at Manchester United, and he's like a god in this part of the world," said the Bulgarian legend. "I wish more players from here would go abroad and play in the big European clubs. It's good for them, it's good for their country, and it helps raise the reputation of Asian football globally." Berbatov emphasised that technical ability and mental strength are crucial qualities for young players looking to break through at the highest levels. "To become a good player, you need ambition, focus, and yes - a bit of stubbornness - especially when things get tough. It's not easy, but that's what separates the great from the good.' Berbatov also took time to praise the rising popularity of small-sided football formats, such as five-a-side and seven-a-side tournaments that are growing rapidly around the world, including across Asia. "I always love coming back here. This is already my second time this year. When it's about football - and when you love football - even if we are a bit older now, we still want to play. It's a great idea, and we're here to entertain and have fun." He noted that small-sided football has always been popular in Bulgaria, where he grew up playing in tight spaces that helped him develop the famed technical skill that defined his career. "Formats like this help promote technical ability. The game is quicker, the spaces are tighter - it's great for developing control and vision. Maybe some of the rules today are a bit extreme,' he joked. "But I'll get to experience them myself." When asked about who he believes will win the Premier League title this coming season, Berbatov remained diplomatic but admitted the competition will be intense. "I want to say Manchester United, of course. And Tottenham - I used to play for both. But it will be difficult. "Liverpool are always contenders. Manchester City - for sure. There are a lot of strong teams that will fight for it. But honestly, I don't know who will win. We'll see." As one of the Premier League's most elegant forwards of his generation, Berbatov now uses his platform to promote football globally - and he believes the next big star could easily emerge from Asia, if players here are willing to take the leap. "If you have the talent, go abroad. Test yourself. That's how you grow and that's how the world sees what you can do."
Scottish Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Comedian forced to release statement and video proving he DID nutmeg ex-Man Utd star in charity match
'TRIED TO SILENCE ME' 'TRIED TO SILENCE ME' Comedian forced to release statement and video proving he DID nutmeg ex-Man Utd star in charity match COMEDIAN Vittorio Angelone has released a hilarious statement after nutmegging a Manchester United legend in a charity match. The Italian-Irish comic swapped stand-up for the pitch as a team of Premier League icons faced celebrity side Tea With Me FC in Belfast on Saturday. 3 Vittorio Angelone nutmeged Dimitar Berbatov Credit: Instagram @vittorioangelone 3 The comedian ran off in celebration Credit: Instagram @vittorioangelone Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Karel Poborsky, Jermaine Pennant and Stiliyan Petrov were just some of the legends in action. But Angelone stole the show by incredibly popping the ball through Berbatov's legs. The comedian got the ball deep in midfield and baited the two-time Premier League champion towards him before producing a clever nutmeg. Angelone then quickly passed to a team-mate and did his best Alan Shearer impression, running off in celebration with his arm aloft. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL TRUE BLUE Bonnie Blue 'KICKED OUT of City Ground after flouting ban to get into away end' Berbatov was seen laughing as ex-Liverpool man Jason McAteer gave the comedian a high-five. Angelone released a hilariously statement on social media after the match, saying: "Just want to get ahead of the rumours here. Earlier today I played in a charity football match against a Premier League legends team. "A lot of people are claiming that I did not nutmeg Dimitar Berbatov, these people are nasty characters and should not be trusted. "My team and I are working tirelessly to get the footage from multiple angles. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Please respect mine and my family's privacy at this time." In a later upload before posting the video, Angelone wrote: "We have the footage. They tried to silence me but the truth will come out." Ruben Amorim vows 'good days are coming' after 'disaster season' as Man Utd flops give him daggers during public apology Fans found it hilarious, with one saying: "Celebrated like you won the World Cup brother. Fair play." Another added: "Should've just walked off the pitch after that." A third commented: "I cannot express to you how jealous I am right now." Ahead of his Edinburgh Fringe appearance, more said: "Before you ask, yes, it's too late to change the Fringe show name to I Nutmegged Berbatov."
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Comedian forced to release statement and video proving he DID nutmeg ex-Man Utd star in charity match
COMEDIAN Vittorio Angelone has released a hilarious statement after nutmegging a Manchester United legend in a charity match. The Italian-Irish comic swapped stand-up for the pitch as a team of Premier League icons faced celebrity side Tea With Me FC in Belfast on Saturday. Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Karel Poborsky, Jermaine Pennant and Stiliyan Petrov were just some of the legends in action. But Angelone stole the show by incredibly popping the ball through Berbatov 's legs. The comedian got the ball deep in midfield and baited the two-time Premier League champion towards him before producing a clever nutmeg. Angelone then quickly passed to a team-mate and did his best Alan Shearer impression, running off in celebration with his arm aloft. Berbatov was seen laughing as ex- Liverpool man Jason McAteer gave the comedian a high-five. Angelone released a hilariously statement on social media after the match, saying: "Just want to get ahead of the rumours here. Earlier today I played in a charity football match against a Premier League legends team. "A lot of people are claiming that I did not nutmeg Dimitar Berbatov, these people are nasty characters and should not be trusted. "My team and I are working tirelessly to get the footage from multiple angles. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Please respect mine and my family's privacy at this time." In a later upload before posting the video, Angelone wrote: "We have the footage. They tried to silence me but the truth will come out." Ruben Amorim vows 'good days are coming' after 'disaster season' as Man Utd flops give him daggers during public apology Fans found it hilarious, with one saying: "Celebrated like you won the World Cup brother. Fair play." Another added: "Should've just walked off the pitch after that." A third commented: "I cannot express to you how jealous I am right now." Ahead of his Edinburgh Fringe appearance, more said: "Before you ask, yes, it's too late to change the Fringe show name to I Nutmegged Berbatov." 3
The Irish Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Comedian forced to release statement and video proving he DID nutmeg ex-Man Utd star in charity match
COMEDIAN Vittorio Angelone has released a hilarious statement after nutmegging a Manchester United legend in a charity match. The Italian-Irish comic swapped stand-up for the pitch as a team of Premier League icons faced celebrity side Tea With Me FC in Belfast on Saturday. Advertisement 3 Vittorio Angelone nutmeged Dimitar Berbatov Credit: Instagram @vittorioangelone 3 The comedian ran off in celebration Credit: Instagram @vittorioangelone Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Karel Poborsky, Jermaine Pennant and Stiliyan Petrov were just some of the legends in action. But Angelone stole the show by incredibly popping the ball through Berbatov's legs. The comedian got the ball deep in midfield and baited the two-time Premier League champion towards him before producing a clever nutmeg. Angelone then quickly passed to a team-mate and did his best Alan Shearer impression, running off in celebration with his arm aloft. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Berbatov was seen laughing as ex- Angelone released a hilariously statement on social media after the match, saying: "Just want to get ahead of the rumours here. Earlier today I played in a charity football match against a Premier League legends team. "A lot of people are claiming that I did not nutmeg Dimitar Berbatov, these people are nasty characters and should not be trusted. "My team and I are working tirelessly to get the footage from multiple angles. Advertisement Most read in Football JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Please respect mine and my family's privacy at this time." In a later upload before posting the video, Angelone wrote: "We have the footage. They tried to silence me but the truth will come out." Ruben Amorim vows 'good days are coming' after 'disaster season' as Man Utd flops give him daggers during public apology Fans found it hilarious, with one saying: "Celebrated like you won the World Cup brother. Fair play." Advertisement Another added: "Should've just walked off the pitch after that." A third commented: "I cannot express to you how jealous I am right now." Ahead of his Edinburgh Fringe appearance, more said: "Before you ask, yes, it's too late to change the Fringe show name to I Nutmegged Berbatov." 3 Dimitar Berbatov won two Premier League titles with Manchester United Credit: Getty Advertisement
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Fuelling fans' passion for sport worldwide
LiveScore Group is a Business Reporter client LiveScore Group's vision to fuel fans' passion for sport has driven its growth for over 25 years, evolving from one of the world's first real-time sports update providers in 1998 to a pioneering leader in sports media and betting. While its UK audience has been and remains a primary market, LiveScore Group, consisting of market-leading brands LiveScore, LiveScore Bet and Virgin Bet, has global ambition. In 2025, LiveScore Group is committed to growing its global media presence, localising its services and engaging with football fans across Europe, Latin America and Africa. This strategic move paves the way for new collaborations with regional brands, further deepening its presence in the market and beyond. Less than six months into the year, LiveScore Group has already shared two significant market expansion moves to reflect such ambition, encompassing Europe and Latin America. Kicking off in January was LiveScore Bet's launch in Bulgaria, a key market for the business's growth. This coincided with the announcement that Bulgarian and Premier League football icon Dimitar Berbatov has joined as the official European Ambassador for LiveScore Media and LiveScore Bet, demonstrating the group's commitment to bringing fans closer to the sport they love. This was followed by news in April that an expansion in Mexico had been achieved via a strategic partnership with TV Azteca, Mexico's second-largest mass media company, aligning with LiveScore's broader strategy of collaborating with prominent regional broadcasters to deliver world-class sports experiences to new audience. Livescore Group adapts its offering to cater to regional audiences. LiveScore marked the Mexico launch by implementing key product enhancements, such as American Football content and a localised For You section. In South Africa, meanwhile, the Western Cape Board recently granted LiveScore Group licence to operate, triggering plans to launch Virgin Bet in the country in Q4, joining LiveScore Bet's presence in Nigeria to expand the Group's African market operations. A global footprint provides LiveScore Group with an opportunity to address the existential challenges facing the sports media and betting industries – two £100 billion industries that LiveScore Group operates at the intersection of. These challenges are consistent worldwide. The sports media landscape is fractured, with sports fans often needing subscriptions to multiple platforms, while sports broadcasts delivered by tech monoliths leverage fans to sell products and memberships. The sports betting industry, meanwhile, continues to grapple with diminishing returns, tighter regulations, intense competition and higher taxation. Betting operators are all vying for the same pool of consumers, with few offering anything different. These challenges ultimately result in a saturated, inconvenient and expensive experience for sports fans. LiveScore Group addresses these challenges by providing a seamless platform that streamlines the fan experience, eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions or hopping between apps, platforms and devices, enriching sports experiences with best-in-class products. With its global expansion and localised services, LiveScore is building a true one-stop shop for fans globally, offering real-time updates, stats, free highlights, aggregated news and engaging content through its app and social platform. For fans who wish to include betting, a best-in-class sportsbook is integrated into the same ecosystem across several countries, ensuring a seamless experience for the previously app-hopping fan. This convergence is what attracts and retains loyal users worldwide, with the LiveScore app servicing 100 million global consumers during any given football season, as well as one million sports bettors across four territories. This multi-brand strategy has delivered proven results, driving revenue from £5 million in 2019 to over £200 million in 2024. By expanding its presence globally, enriching its content, enhancing user experience, forming strategic partnerships around the work and streamlining every aspect of the sports fan's journey, the organisation is poised to further boost annual revenues to £1 billion within the next five years.
