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Beckham Becomes First British Billionaire Sportsman

David Beckham. (Reuters)
David Beckham. (Reuters)
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Beckham Becomes First British Billionaire Sportsman

David Beckham. (Reuters)
David Beckham. (Reuters)

Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham has become Britain's first billionaire sportsman, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List.

Beckham and his wife Victoria's collective wealth reached an estimated £1.185 billion ($1.583 billion) this year, the Rich List compilers said.

That moved them into second place in the list of the UK's wealthiest sportspeople, behind the family of ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, whose wealth was valued at £2 billion.

Beckham, who retired from playing in 2013, is a co-owner of Inter Miami, estimated to be Major League Soccer's most valuable club at £1.07 billion.

The 51-year-old also has lucrative brand ambassador roles for companies including Adidas and Hugo Boss.

Beckham captained England and won the Premier League and Champions League during a glittering career with United, before spells at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Victoria Beckham's wealth has largely been generated from her fashion label after she originally found fame as a member of pop band The Spice Girls.

Joining Beckham on the Rich List, seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is fifth on the list, having built a fortune the Rich List calculated at £435 million.

Reigning Masters golf champion Rory McIlroy is seventh with a £325 million valuation.

Boxer Anthony Joshua is placed at eighth with a fortune of £240 million, one place above his heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, who is ninth on £162 million.

Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane and retired former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray are joint 10th with £110 million each.

Among business people with sporting associations, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has dropped down the overall Rich List.

His fortune shrank by £1.85 billion, according to the list compilers, to £15.194 billion.

The list compilers lowered the value of Ratcliffe's petrochemicals company INEOS to £17 billion owing to "rising debt, falling revenues and a loss of £515.7 million".

Promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn have joined Britain's billionaire club, with their combined wealth estimated at £1.035 billion.

Barry is the founder and president of Matchroom Sport, one of the leading promoters in boxing, darts and snooker, while his son Eddie is chairman of the organization.

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Coleman to Leave Everton at End of Season after 17 Years

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
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Coleman to Leave Everton at End of Season after 17 Years

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Seamus Coleman will bring the curtain down on his 17-year Everton career at the end of the season when his contract expires, the Premier League club said on Friday.

The 37-year-old right back, who joined from Irish side Sligo Rovers in January 2009, holds the club record for most Premier League appearances with 372 from his 433 games across all competitions.

"After more than 17 years ⁠at this great ⁠football club, I've decided this season will be my last as a player here," AFP quoted Coleman as saying in a statement.

"I want to thank the fans for their unbelievable support. You've helped me in more ⁠ways than you could imagine. I've always tried my best to put Everton Football Club first and you all mean the world to me."

He captained the side in 140 games, earning admiration from supporters who valued his commitment.

However, injuries have limited the defender's impact in recent seasons, with just one Premier League start this campaign – ⁠a ⁠brief 10-minute appearance against Manchester United before being substituted.

Coleman said he would take time during the close season to consider his future, with Everton offering him the option of a coaching role.

"To think I've gone on to make the most Premier League appearances for Everton and to become captain of this great football club – it was beyond my wildest dreams," he said.

Sports

Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

With Barcelona crowned champions for a second consecutive season, attention in La Liga turns to other matters in the penultimate round of fixtures, including a gripping relegation battle.

AFP Sport picks out five things to look out for this weekend in the Spanish top flight.

Griezmann's farewell

French forward Antoine Griezmann could not end his time at Atletico brandishing a trophy as he would have loved, but will still receive a warm goodbye from the club's supporters this weekend.

Diego Simeone's side host Girona in their final match at the Metropolitano stadium before Griezmann heads to the United States to play for MLS side Orlando City.

"We have had a genius with us for many years, and hopefully, we can give him a great send-off," said Simeone this week.

Griezmann is Atletico's all-time top goalscorer over two spells at the club totaling a decade in red and white.

Relegation tightrope

La Liga's bottom half is bunched together extremely tightly, meaning several teams are looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

Salvation is not guaranteed for teams between 10th and 19th place, with only Real Oviedo so far guaranteed to go down.

Several sides have been in the bottom three in recent weeks and keep changing places.

Record seven-time Europa League winners Sevilla have recently surged towards safety with three straight wins, but face Real Madrid this weekend.

Espanyol failed to win for 18 straight games before beating Athletic Bilbao this week, while Alaves moved out of the drop zone with a win against champions Barca.

Mallorca and Levante start the weekend placed 18th and 19th respectively, but it's anybody's guess who will be in there by Sunday night.

Barca perfect at home

Hansi Flick's newly crowned champions lost at Alaves in midweek to scupper their target of matching the La Liga record of 100 points, but can still finish at home on a high against Real Betis.

The Catalan giants have won every single home match in the top flight this season and would complete the set by beating Manuel Pellegrini's team, who have already sealed qualification for the Champions League.

After playing the first months of the season at Montjuic's Olympic stadium and even hosting a couple of games at the tiny Johan Cruyff training ground stadium, Barca finally returned to their partially rebuilt Camp Nou home in November last year.

This might also be striker Robert Lewandowski's final home match for Barcelona, with the Polish veteran out of contract in the summer.

Getafe Euro charge

Jose Bordalas's Getafe are a team often derided for their direct style of play and physical approach, but despite the limitations of their squad they are on the brink of reaching European competition.

They last competed in the Europa League in the 2019-20 season.

"I have no words to describe the outrageous thing this team is doing," said the proud coach after beating Mallorca on Wednesday.

Getafe are seventh, which would take them into next season's Conference League, but trail sixth-placed Celta Vigo, in a Europa League spot, by just two points with two games to go.

Golden boot battle

Because of injury issues in the second half of the season and Real Madrid's inconsistent form, Kylian Mbappe's lead in the top scorer standings has been whittled down.

The French forward has 24 goals, leading Mallorca target man Vedat Muriqi by just two, with two games remaining.

The islanders are still fighting for survival and Kosovan striker Muriqi is their main weapon in a key battle against Levante.

Sports

History Tilts Odds in Favor of Egypt's Zamalek for CAF Cup

USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
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History Tilts Odds in Favor of Egypt's Zamalek for CAF Cup

USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
USM's Brahim Benzaza (L) in action against Zamalek's Adam Kaied (C) during the CAF Confederation Cup final, 1st leg soccer match between USM Alger and Zamalek, in Algiers, Algeria, 09 May 2026. (EPA)

History favors Egyptian club Zamalek when they seek to overcome a 1-0 deficit against Algerian visitors USM Alger on Saturday in the CAF Confederation Cup final second leg.

In 22 previous editions of the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, three teams have built solitary-goal leads at home in the first leg of title deciders.

But Dolphins of Nigeria (2005), Club Africain of Tunisia (2011) and Renaissance Berkane of Morocco (2019) all surrendered their slim advantage after the return match.

Dolphins fell 3-0 at FAR Rabat of Morocco and Club Africain and Berkane lost penalty shootouts against MAS Fes of Morocco and Zamalek respectively following 1-0 losses.

Twice Confederation Cup winners, Zamalek are trailing ahead of the second leg in Cairo after a dramatic climax to the first encounter in Algeria last weekend.

Brazilian substitute Juan Bezerra netted in the first minute of added time, and celebrated what he and his teammates believed was the match winner.

But VAR officials intervened, informing the Mauritanian referee that USM substitute Rayane Mahrouz had been fouled in the Zamalek box prior to the goal.

The Zamalek goal was cancelled and a penalty awarded to USM, which Ahmed Khaldi slammed past Mahdi Soliman to give the hosts a 98th-minute lead.

"Winning is the most important thing in a final, no matter the performance. We need to improve some technical issues," Senegal-born USM coach Lamine N'Diaye told reporters.

"We should not underestimate what we achieved -- Zamalek rank among the most experienced clubs in Africa. They have won 13 CAF titles, we (USM) have won two."

N'Diaye can boast of two African successes, guiding TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo to the 2010 CAF Champions League and 2011 CAF Super Cup titles.

- 'Extremely disappointing' -

He joined 2023 Confederation Cup winners USM three months ago on a contract until the end of this season and has already guided the club to victory in the Algerian Cup final.

In the opposite dugout will be Moatamed Gamal, an Egyptian who hopes to lead Zamalek to the Confederation Cup and Egyptian Premier League titles by May 20.

Zamalek host Ceramica Cleopatra next Wednesday and maximum points will ensure they become Egyptian champions for the first time in four seasons.

"We had hoped to come away from Algeria with at least a draw, so having a goal disallowed and then conceding was extremely disappointing," said Gamal.

"However, it is only half-time in the final and we will have home advantage in the second half. I see no reason why we cannot overcome the deficit.

"Zamalek have many players used to competing in Africa and I believe their experience will play a key role in the second leg."

At home, the Cairo White Knights won four matches and drew two en route to the final, scoring six goals and conceding two.

Bezerra and Tunisian Seifeddine Jaziri have claimed four goals each in 13 matches and Palestine international Oday Dabbagh three.

USM have had mixed results on the road, winning twice, drawing twice and losing twice, scoring five goals and conceding five.

Ahmed Khaldi has bagged four goals, three of them from penalties. But the Algerian club are still waiting for a first goal from Ivorian Dramane Kamagate.

He was signed after netting six times for San Pedro, who lost twice to USM in the group phase and were eliminated.

Away goals count double in the event of an aggregate draw in CAF competitions, and that rule enabled USM to win their quarter-final and semi-final ties.