One of the biggest, best and most wholesome charity events on the UK TV and sporting calendar is coming around once again for 2025 and we can’t wait to have it back home: that’s right, Soccer Aid is back at Old Trafford.
The annual charity match on behalf of UNICEF first kicked off at the Theatre of Dreams almost two full decades ago, with the inaugural fixture set up by Robbie Williams back in 2006.
Fast forward to 19 years later and the fantastic fundraising game has grown massively, attracting huge attendances and practically sold-out crowds whenever it comes to Old Trafford, where this whole wonderful thing first started.
Sharing the first trailer for the game this week, the Soccer Aid 2025 is shaping up to include some serious big personalities from football, sport, entertainment and beyond.
As you can see, not only will the next instalment of Soccer Aid feature familiar faces but there are some new kids on the block ready to mix things up.
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First off, not only will Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney be serving as player/manager for the first time – carrying on the baton from the days Robbie running on and off the pitch – but he will also be joined by none other than Tyson Fury in looking after the Three Lions.
This a first for the event so we hope there are no fisticuffs between the gaffer and his assistant. After all, they both have priors when it comes to getting out the boxing gloves.
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As for the World XI’s technical area, actor Vicky McClure (This Is England, Line of Duty) will also be on the touchline alongside English footballing veteran Harry Redknapp. Meanwhile, ex-national team and Man City goalie, David James, will be serving as the keeper coach.
You can see the full Soccer Aid 2025 player lineup down below:
Better yet, the exhibition’s beloved halftime show also returns this year and while the full list of the performers is yet to be confirmed, we have our money on a few names in particular.
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Who knows, maybe we’ll be ‘loving angles instead’?…
Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2025 gets underway this summer on Sunday, 15 June and besides being for a deeply important cause, one of the best parts about it is that the tickets are always affordable.
With general admission already live, tickets start from £20 for adults and just £10 for kids – plus there are plenty of premium packages and accessible options too.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/The Manc Group
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Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
Manchester City reveal world-first third kit… designed by AI
Daisy Jackson
Manchester City have just revealed the club’s third kit for the season, and it’s a world-first AI-designed kit.
The new Man City and Puma kit was revealed in full this morning after days of teasing on billboards across Manchester.
For the first time in professional football history, the kit is designed by a fan, using AI.
180,000 fans submitted designs through the Puma AI Creator, with the winning design now projected on some of the city’s biggest digital billboards – on Market Street, and at Printworks.
Created by lifelong Cityzen and stills photographer Elliott, the final design is inspired by Manchester City’s iconic 13/14 season away shirt.
Elliott’s creative interpretation was crowned in January 2025 after a global fan vote.
The digital billboards show each different stage of the AI design process, from prompt to finished design, with the tagline ‘designed by one of us, chosen by all of us’.
The AI Man City kit reveal
Eagle-eyed Man City fans may have noticed a cryptic ‘loading’ screen in town on Tuesday, with just a hint of the shirt visible.
Then on Wednesday, the screens displayed: “AI prompt accepted. Fan vote confirmed. Final Manchester City 26/27 Third Kit design processing.”
Then the full reveal has taken place today, Thursday 27 August, finally unveiling the full shirt with the words: “Designed by one of us. Chosen by all of us”.
Reacting to live images of the billboards, Elliott said: “Seeing my complete design revealed on billboards in the city centre this morning was unbelievable.
“City has been part of our family’s life for as long as I can remember, so this is as good as it gets for me.
“Creativity is naturally part of my everyday life as a photographer, but it was good to turn my hand to something else and see what could be created with the use of AI.
“The 13/14 away shirt was always my favourite, so it felt like the natural starting point for my prompt. From there, it was amazing to see the technology take that spark of an idea and turn it into something I could actually shape and refine.
“To know that a shirt I designed on my lunch break will now be worn by the players is something I still can’t quite get my head around!”
The 26/27 Manchester City Third Kit will be available at mancity.com/shop and Manchester City Official Stores, with 10% off for Members and Seasoncard holders (automatically applied when logged in with a Member account online).
Danny Jones -
12th March 2025 
