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Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hollywood icon Julia Roberts joins crowds at Soccer Aid in surprise cameo
The Pretty Woman icon was spotted in the crowd. Soccer Aid 2025 has brought footballing legends and celebrities gather to play a game of footie to raise vital funds for UNICEF UK, supporting initiatives that provide life-saving assistance to children worldwide. The event, which was founded by former Take That star Robbie Williams in 2006, usually brings in celebrities from all over the globe but fans were surprised when they spotted Pretty Woman and Notting Hill actress Julia Roberts in the crowds. Ahead of the match kicking off hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott were on the football pitch discussing the atmosphere and the amazing fans in the crowd, before Dermott announced that the Hollywood star was actually in the stadium. Dermot said: 'The atmosphere is coming along very nicely and, I'll tell you what, anyone who is anyone is here tonight, including a certain Julia Roberts'. Alex appeared to be surprised at the news as she repeated the actress' name in astonishment before Dermot added: 'Apparently, she is a Manchester United fan'. Julia was then captured by the camera as she was seen walking into the stadium, looking the part in a red blazer with large footballs printed all over it. The actress flashed her signature smile as she prepared to join the crowds in spectating the important game. As well as actors, singers and comedians, football stars will also take to the pitch for another game as England goes head to head with the World XI. Soccer Aid has been running for over 20 years and has raised £100million overall. Other notable celebrities who will still participate in the match include football legends Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes, alongside renowned Lioness players Toni Duggan, Steph Houghton, and Jill Scott. Additionally, Steve Bartlett, Paddy McGuiness, Sam Quek, Dermot Kennedy, Tom Grennan, and Martin Compston will join the fray. International football sensation and Euro 2020 winner Leonardo Bonucci, as well as Nadia Nadim and dancer Gorka Marquez, will also take to the pitch. Sam Thompson was also supposed to be playing in the match but sadly had to withdraw due to injury. Despite not being able to participate in the match due to a calf injury sustained during his charity five-day challenge where he succeeded in raising over £1 million for Unicef, Sam has transitioned into a coaching role. He will continue to play a pivotal part in the Soccer Aid event. Soccer Aid initially took place every two years but is now an annual event. Females were first allowed to play in the game in 2019 and it is the only mixed-sex match officially sanctioned by The Football Association. 2020 saw the event held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Daily Mirror
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Hollywood star makes unlikely cameo at Soccer Aid as hosts speechless
Hosts of Soccer Aid 2025 Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott had their jaws on the floor when Hollywood actress Julia Roberts entered the stadium to support UNICEF UK and the celebrities Soccer Aid 2025 may involve a football pitch and players, but the main goal is to raise funds for UNICEF UK, supporting initiatives that provide life-saving assistance to children worldwide. The event, founded by Robbie Williams in 2006, involves celebrities from near and far, and this year even included a surprise cameo by none other than Julia Roberts. Before the game had even begun, hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott were on the football pitch discussing the atmosphere and turnout, before Dermott announced that Hollywood actress Julia Roberts had been spotted in the stadium. Dermot said: 'The atmosphere is coming along very nicely and, I'll tell you what, anyone who is anyone is here tonight, including a certain Julia Roberts'. Fellow host Alex looked like she was hearing the news for the first time as she repeated the Pretty Woman actress' name in astonishment before Dermot added: 'Apparently, she is a Manchester United fan'. Julia then popped up on the camera as she was seen walking into the stadium, looking the part in a red blazer with large footballs printed all over it. The actress was showing off her signature smile as she prepared for the exciting football match ahead. Since its inception, Soccer Aid has raised over £106 million, with the 2024 match alone contributing £15 million. The match features two teams: England and the Soccer Aid World XI. This year, the England team was co-managed by former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and ex-England striker Wayne Rooney, who also played in the match. The England squad comprised a mix of football legends and celebrities, including Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Joe Hart, Steph Houghton, Toni Duggan, Jill Scott, Jermain Defoe, Louis Tomlinson, Mo Farah, Sam Thompson, Steven Bartlett, Tom Grennan, Sam Quek, and Paddy McGuinness. The Soccer Aid World XI featured international football stars such as Leonardo Bonucci, Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidić, Carlos Tévez, and David Trezeguet. Celebrities like Dermot Kennedy and YouTuber Tobi Brown also participated. Soccer Aid was created by Robbie Williams and Jonathan Wilkes in 2006, with the inaugural match held at Old Trafford. It initially took place every two years but is now an annual event, with matches played at various iconic stadiums, including Wembley Stadium and Stamford Bridge. The 2025 edition marked the 14th instalment of the charity match. Females were first allowed to play in the game in 2019 and it is the only mixed-sex match officially sanctioned by The Football Association. The charity football match follows after Sam Thompson completed the 'Match Ball Mission' and transported the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match ball more than 260 miles from last year's stadium, Stamford Bridge in London, to Old Trafford in Manchester. Sam helped raise over £ 1.5 million and said: 'To everyone who has donated, I've said it before but I'll say it a million times, you are so heroic. This money will help so many children!'
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Strictly Come Dancing's Oti Mabuse re-lives trauma of having to touch her baby through glass
The Dancing On Ice judge visited a neonatal clinic for the first time since her daughter's traumatic birth, while supporting a UNICEF programme in Africa. Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse has relived the traumatic experience of giving birth to her baby early after jetting out 3,000 miles to west Africa to meet with mums nursing their premature little ones. The 34-year-old professional dancer returned to a neonatal unit for the first time since she went through a tough 16-hour labour with her daughter, who arrived two months early, weighing just 3lbs in 2023. Oti's baby girl spent the next six weeks in intensive care at University College London Hospital after she was born with an infection and the Strictly star also developed sepsis. Both baby and mum recovered but the Dancing On Ice judge revealed her intense trauma after visiting a UNICEF-funded specialist clinic in Ivory Coast Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) in Africa. In the city of Abidjan she witnessed how premature babies are receiving critical life-saving treatment and daily care including a UNICEF programme called "Kangaroo Mother Care" which promotes the importance of skin-on-skin contact. Opening up about her own traumatic experience, Oti said: 'I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there's no mother who wants to experience that.' According to UNICEF, an estimated 4.8 million children died globally in 2024 before reaching their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life, the Mirror reports. In Cote D'Ivoire, lack of access to specialised care is one of the reasons that prematurity is the leading cause of death for children under five. In Abidjan, the UNICEF team offers breastfeeding support clinics and regular check-ups until the babies are of age to attend school alongside locally made loin cloth slings, so mothers remain in close contact with their babies. At the hospital, Oti spoke with Ouattara, a mother whose first baby was born prematurely and needed critical care. Sadly, her baby died six days later due to the lack of access to specialised support. Thankfully, her second baby, Abdul, who was also born prematurely, was rushed to the UNICEF centre where they stayed for three weeks to get the care and attention they needed. Two years on, Abdul is a healthy and happy little boy. The Strictly star also visited a UNICEF-supported foster care home, where the organisation supports children providing food and ensuring they stay in education or have vocational training. There, she met Madame Massandje, who has been trained by UNICEF to identify kids living on the streets and offer them safety and shelter in her own home. Madame Massandje currently has 15 children in her care as a result - four girls and eleven boys aged three to fifteen. Speaking about her inspiring trip ahead of Soccer Aid for UNICEF, Oti said: 'Visiting Côte d'Ivoire with UNICEF UK showed me the first-hand impact of the importance of vital care for children and their parents - especially for those that are born prematurely. "My own baby was born prematurely, so seeing the work and meeting mums like Ouattara brought everything home. I know how vital that care and support is in those early days. Worldwide an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024 - deaths that were mostly preventable. "I also met incredible foster carers like Madame Massandje, who are changing children's lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve. These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That's why I'm so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for UNICEF - to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.' Oti's trip will be broadcasted in a UNICEF appeal film which will feature during Soccer Aid for UNICEF on Sunday June 15. It will be broadcasted on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player at 6pm. This year, thanks to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, every donation you make to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million.
Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Strictly star's baby heartache - 'I could only touch her through glass window'
The Dancing On Ice judge, 34, visited a neonatal clinic for the first time since her daughter was born two months premature in 2023 and needed intensive care Former Strictly star Oti Mabuse today re-lived the traumatic early birth of her baby - after jetting 3,000 miles to west Africa to meet stricken mums nursing premature tots. The pro dancer, 34, returned to a neonatal unit for the first time since she endured a 16-hour labour with her daughter, who arrived two months early, weighing 3lbs, in 2023. The baby spent the next six weeks in intensive care at University College London Hospital after she was born with an infection and Oti developed sepsis. Baby and mother recovered, but the Dancing On Ice judge has revealed her trauma after visiting a UNICEF-funded specialist clinic in Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) in Africa. In the city of Abidjan she saw how premature babies are receiving critical life-saving treatment and daily care including a UNICEF programme called "Kangaroo Mother Care" which promotes the importance of skin-on-skin contact. Reflecting on her own experience, Oti said: 'I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there's no mother who wants to experience that.' According to UNICEF, globally in 2024 an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life1. In Cote D'Ivoire, lack of access to specialised care is one of the reasons that prematurity is the leading cause of death for children under five. In Abidjan, the UNICEF team provides breastfeeding support clinics and regular check-ups until the babies are school age alongside locally made loin cloth slings, so mothers remain in close contact with their babies. At the hospital, Oti - married to fellow dance champ Marius Iepure, 42 - met Ouattara, a mother whose first baby was born prematurely and needed critical care. Sadly, without access to specialised support, her baby died six days later. Thankfully, her second baby, Abdul, although born prematurely again, was rushed to the UNICEF centre where they stayed for three weeks to get the care and attention they needed. Two years later, Abdul is a healthy and happy little boy. Oti also visited a UNICEF-supported foster care home, where the organisation supports children providing food and ensuring they stay in education or have vocational training. There, Oti met Madame Massandje, who has been trained by UNICEF to identify children living on the streets and offer them safety in her own home. As a result, she currently has 15 children in her care - four girls and eleven boys aged three to fifteen. Speaking about her inspiring trip ahead of Soccer Aid for UNICEF, Oti said: 'Visiting Côte d'Ivoire with UNICEF UK showed me the first-hand impact of the importance of vital care for children and their parents - especially for those that are born prematurely. "My own baby was born prematurely, so seeing the work and meeting mums like Ouattara brought everything home. I know how vital that care and support is in those early days. Worldwide an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024 - deaths that were mostly preventable. I also met incredible foster carers like Madame Massandje, who are changing children's lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve. These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That's why I'm so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for UNICEF - to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.' A UNICEF appeal film of Oti's trip will feature during Soccer Aid for UNICEF, which will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player at 6pm on Sunday June 15. This year, thanks to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, every donation you make to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million. Donations can be made ahead of the match at
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Soccer Aid 2025 – Line-ups confirmed, tickets, date and celebrity rivalries
Soccer Aid will soon return for 2025, and this time it'll be the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford, that plays host to the fan-favourite charity match that raised over £15m last year Soccer Aid is set to return for 2025 as celebrities and ex-pros are pitted against each other for England and the World XI in the name of charity. Founded in 2006 by popstar Robbie Williams and presenter Jonathan Wilkes, Soccer Aid has quickly become an annual favourite. The event raises money for charity UNICEF UK, with a total of £106million collected so far. As things stand, the World XI, formerly known as the Rest of the World, hold a superior record. They've beaten England seven times to six. Last time out, however, the Three Lions tasted victory for the first time in six years under Frank Lampard at a sold-out Stamford Bridge. Mirror Football brings you all you need to know ahead of 2025's Soccer Aid renewal, including its location, date, ticket details and who'll be playing a starring role for each side this year. What date is Soccer Aid 2025? Soccer Aid 2025 will take place on Sunday June 15 and will be broadcast live on ITV1, but can also be tuned into online via ITVX and STV. The match is pencilled in to kick off at around 7:30pm, with UNICEF UK Ambassador Dermot O'Leary and former England star Alex Scott presenting the live show. Where is Soccer Aid 2025 being played? Stamford Bridge played host in 2024, and another iconic Premier League ground will welcome Soccer Aid this time around as it returns to Old Trafford in Manchester. The home of Manchester United previously played host in 2006, from 2010 until 2018, and then in 2020 and 2023. It has a capacity of just under 75,000. Can you still buy tickets to Soccer Aid 2025? Tickets are still available for Soccer Aid 2025. They can be purchased via the Soccer Aid website and come in an array of categories and prices. Soccer Aid ticketing categories start at Category 1, which will give fans a closer view of the action. Tickets are priced at £60 for adults and £50 for kids. This ranges up to Category 5, which includes seats that are a bit further away from the field, but they come at a cost of just £20 for adults and £10 for kids. Premium tickets are also available. What are the line-ups for Soccer Aid 2025? As Soccer Aid returns to the Red Devils' home, one of the club's most iconic players will take to his old hunting ground. Of the former professionals on offer, Wayne Rooney headlines as a player and manager. He will be joined by former team-mates Gary Neville and Paul Scholes for England. One Direction star Louis Tomlinson returns, as does Player of the Match 12 months ago, Steven Bartlett. Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart makes his Soccer Aid debut. The rest of the Three Lions squad includes Jermain Defoe, Steph Houghton, Toni Duggan, Aaron Lennon, Jill Scott, Sam Thompson, Sam Quek, Sir Mo Farah, Paddy McGuinness, Dame Denise Lewis, Bear Grylls, Tom Grennan, Alex Brooker and Angry Ginge. England's coaching staff is made up of Rooney, heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, Harry Redknapp, actor Vicky McClure and David James. The World XI, meanwhile, will be managed by former United shotstopper Peter Schmeichel and includes a host of prominent ex-players, including fellow Red Devils legends Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic. Boxer Tony Bellew is set to play alongside Leonardo Bonucci, Toby Brown, Martin Compston, Richard Gadd, Bryan Habana, Dermot Kennedy, Kaylyn Kyle, Gorka Marquez, Nadia Nadim and Livi Sheldon. Are there any rivalries to look out for in Soccer Aid 2025? In terms of footballing rivalries, former Italy centre-half Bonucci will have riled a few English feathers after his country's Euro 2020 win. Bonucci's Italy prevailed via penalty shoot-out at Wembley four years ago, breaking English hearts. The notion that football was 'coming home' was squashed, and Bonucci couldn't help a quick jibe after the final whistle, grabbing a television camera and shouting: "It's coming to Rome." Aside from any ex-England internationals perhaps taking this to heart, Made In Chelsea star Thompson and singer Tomlinson may also need to put their differences aside. This is because the One Direction favourite is dating team-mate Thompson's ex, Love Island' s Zara McDermott. The loved-up pair went public with their relationship in March, just three months after it was reported that Thompson and McDermott had parted ways. A joke about a potential Soccer Aid rivalry on Thompson's Staying Relevant podcast was made by co-host Pete Wicks this month, who awkwardly asked his peer: "Any kind of people in there who you're looking forward to playing with [at Soccer Aid]?" The 32-year-old replied: "Loads. Tom Grennan. I'm really looking forward to playing alongside Wayne Rooney, Tyson Fury's the manager. I can't wait." Wicks then cheekily clapped back: "'I mean that's gonna be f*****g amazing. Make sure you get him (Fury) on side though because you may need him in your corner in case you fall out with anyone. Not that you will but just in case there's any rivalries or anything. All sorts gets brought up." Who won Soccer Aid in 2024? England were victorious in 2024 under Lampard. Joe Cole opened the scoring for the Three Lions after just six minutes, though Eden Hazard marked his return to Stamford Bridge, home of former club Chelsea, with an equaliser 10 minutes later. The World XI took the lead thanks to former Italy star Alessandro Del Piero, though Lioness Ellen White would level things up before the half, becoming the event's first-ever female goal scorer. After the half, eventual Player of the Match Bartlett bagged his first, and Defoe scored a fourth. Bartlett then added his second to make it 5-2, before Billy Wingrove converted a World XI penalty. A Theo Walcott finish ended the clash, however, and England will now be looking to tie the overall record this time around. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
