Every now and then, a footballer comes along who clearly sees the world a little differently from most. Sometimes this helps produce a true great, as seen with iconic stars of the past like Diego Maradona or Paul Gascoigne.

Those two mavericks were brilliant on the pitch but also made plenty of headlines away from the sport with their idiosyncratic personalities. Although he has had a respectable career, picking up 13 England caps, Andros Townsend can’t quite claim to be on that level.

However, when it comes to standing out with a unique take on life, he’s beginning to carve out quite the reputation for himself. From staring into the sun to making his own toothpaste, he’s why he has many bizarre habits.

Why Andros Townsend Stares at the Sun

Townsend has gone viral for a number of different social media posts of late, and one of his most eye-catching clips saw him share footage of his two children staring into the sun. In a post called ‘our daily non-negotiables,’ the former Tottenham and Crystal Palace star explained why:

Following the August solar Eclipse, he then posted a follow-up calling out those who had labelled him ‘weird’ for his sun obsession. He said: “We’ll stop what we’re doing, plan our day around it and put special glasses on to watch the sun disappear for a few minutes because it’s rare.

“Yet that same sun rises every single morning and sets every single evening, painting the sky differently every time and, with sensible exposure, can offer real health benefits… and most people barely look up. Why does something have to be rare before we truly appreciate it?”

Andros Townsend’s Homemade Toothpaste Explained

Now 35, Townsend is still playing football but has been on an interesting career path since leaving England in 2024 after Luton Town were relegated from the Premier League. He signed for Turkish club Antalyaspor shortly afterwards but ended up in Thailand one year later, joining newly-promoted club Kanchanaburi Power. Just 12 months on, he moved to Thai League 1 rivals PT Prachuap.

Amid all that, his unique rituals have only flourished further. One recent development has been his refusal to buy store-brand toothpaste, instead opting to make his own. Once again, the former England star came equipped with an explanation on social media:

“Around 18 months ago, I was in constant pain with my wisdom teeth and was told they needed to come out. But wisdom teeth contain dental pulp, which can be a source of stem cells that are being studied for their potential in regenerative medicine, so I wanted to explore every option before having mine removed. That sent me down a rabbit hole of researching oral health and what we’re unknowingly putting in our mouths every single day.”

Townsend Also Has Unique Eating Habits

Townsend has long made headlines over his eating habits as well. Back in 2023, he claimed that eating ‘steamed chicken feet for dinner every night’ has helped him stay in shape. He explained:

He’s also a staunch believer in eating as many eggs as possible, as they ‘provide high-quality protein, all 9 essential amino acids, choline, vitamin B12, selenium, and vitamins A, D and E.’ An example of one past meal included six hard-boiled eggs, six cans of sardines and a steak with a bone broth.

Former Newcastle United winger Townsend has even shared videos of his family eating boiled eggs on public transport, sparking outrage due to the pungent smell the food is known to emit. In response to that criticism, he claimed there are double standards of food etiquette, asking why other foods, like cheese and onion crisps, and heavy perfumes are accepted in public spaces like airports, so why not eggs?

He also turned heads when he shared footage of himself at the 2026 World Cup eating raw beef while covering the tournament for ITV as a commentator. He once again defended his food choice, noting: “Take that same piece of beef, slice it paper-thin, add olive oil, Parmesan and rocket, serve it in an expensive restaurant, and suddenly it’s sophisticated. At least I know exactly where my steak came from. Grass-fed. Grass-finished. No antibiotics. Can you say the same about the steak being served in every restaurant?”

Townsend certainly has strong beliefs when it comes to looking after his body. It’s fair to say, though, his tastes won’t be everybody’s cup of tea (or bone broth).

For the Premier League and English football, tthe Community Shield has long been the traditional curtain raiser for the new season. This year’s edition sees Manchester City and Arsenal go head-to-head, providing a rematch of last season’s FA Cup final, which the former won.

The fixture pits the winners of the league title against the FA Cup winners in a special one-off game ahead of the start of the league campaign, typically held at Wembley Stadium. Other countries follow a similar format, although some have expanded it. Spain and Italy, for example, have four-team competitions featuring the league and cup runners-up as well.

Ahead of the 2026 clash, which will offer a first litmus test for telling who could be in contention for more major honours later in the campaign, GIVEMESPORT has you covered with all the key changes surrounding the location and the reasons behind them.

Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley

The big change is the location for 2026. Wembley has housed the tie since 2007 but, for this year’s game, the move is due to a simple double booking issue.

With the football calendar undergoing alterations, as usual, the beginning of the season is on the weekend of Saturday, August 22, to ensure ample recovery time after the World Cup.

With Wembley booked up, it leaves the FA requiring another top-tier stadium to house the first competitive game of the season. A neutral venue is required and there are plenty of options that could be selected.

Enter the Prinicipality Stadium in Wales. The 74,000 capacity stadium is historically a neutral stage for two English clubs and previously held the final six between 2001 and 2006 whilst Wembley was under construction and will be a perfect venue for City and Arsenal to lock horns.

Why is the Game Not Being Played at Wembley?

Having confirmed that the national stadium is unavailable on Saturday, August 15 and 16 due to pre-planned concerts, the FA’s hands were tied even before the football schedule was finalised.

Due to timing, it made the clash unavoidable and with the game traditionally played a week before the first weekend of the Premier League season, the necessary reservations had to be made. Canadian singer and songwriter ‘The Weeknd’ is playing a run of dates at Wembley from August 14 through August 19.

The last time the Community Shield was held away from Wembley was in 2022, when it took place at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. Prior to that, it was held at Villa Park in 2012. Man City featured in both games, beating Chelsea in 2012 before losing to Liverpool in 2022.

The last time the Shield was played at the Principality Stadium was 2006, when Wembley was still being built as Rafael Benitez‘s Liverpool edged out José Mourinho‘s Chelsea. This year marks a 20-year return to the ground, offering fans a welcome change of scenery.

Arsenal Can Begin Title Defence With Confidence Boost vs Man City

While many football fans will disregard the Community Shield as nothing more than a glorified pre-season friendly, Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca will surely feel that it hold some importance in terms of morale boost and final preparations for the Premier League campaign.

Arteta and co, in particular, will be hoping to gain a psychological edge over their opponents, especially as most pundits – including club legend Alan Smith – believe the Cityzens will be the Gunners’ nearest title challengers yet again.

The Spaniard has been known not to leave any stone unturned in the pursuit of silverware, so will likely still field a strong lineup on Sunday afternoon, with a travelling Emirates Stadium faithful taking up most of the Millennium Stadium’s allocation for the occasion.

Saturday night’s UFC 330 card in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sees the return to action of welterweight champion, Islam Makhachev, as he makes the first defence of his 170lb title against Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry.

It’s only one of the biggest title fights of the year and the exact UK start time has now been confirmed.

Widely considered to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport today, Makhachev is unbeaten in his last 16 fights. If he is successful in defeating Garry tonight, the 34-year-old will make UFC history by surpassing Anderson Silva for the most consecutive wins in promotional history.

Islam Makhachev Could Become the GOAT at UFC 330

Makhachev will also be looking to enhance his claim to be considered the UFC GOAT. Company CEO Dana White admitted earlier this week that Islam has already exceeded the accomplishments of his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, himself considered a UFC icon.

During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White reasoned that it is only the one defeat Makhachev has on his record that prevents him from already being the best to ever set foot in the Octagon.

“Me and my friends were just talking about it,” said White. If he doesn’t have that one loss, you could probably consider him the GOAT right now. He’s obviously accomplished more than Khabib because he’s fought longer.”

A strong showing against Garry could help Islam cement GOAT status, but the Irishman will be determined to spring a major upset at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

While he can’t boast anywhere close to the same winning streak as Makhachev, the number two-ranked welterweight in the world is a creditable 10-1 inside the UFC Octagon. His sole loss came at the hands of Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.

In addition to the welterweight title, Garry is also chasing his own piece of history as he seeks to go level with Conor McGregor for the most wins by an Irish fighter in UFC history.

McGregor weighed-in on the UFC 330 main event earlier this week, sending advice to his fellow Irishman on how to score the victory, although it would be a massive surprise if it were to happen. Here’s how to make sure you can catch all the action live.

Exact UK Start Time For Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry

Screenshot: UFC Instagram

UFC 330 will be shown live on TNT Sports in the UK. Makhachev and Garry are scheduled to begin their respective walks to the Octagon at 5am UK time, meaning that the fight itself is likely to get underway at 5:10am.

The UFC 330 main card begins at 2am and the headline attraction could be moved forward slightly if the undercard fights end early, namely Mackenzie Dern’s women’s strawweight title defense against Gillian Robertson in the co-main event.

Makhachev has already warned his fans that he is entering the final stages of his career. Speaking at a press conference earlier this week he explained:

“I understand I’m not 28 years old; I’m 34 right now. And I don’t have much time. “Sometimes, it’s not going like you want in the UFC. You want to fight after three or four months, but it’s not according to your wish.”

Whether you are setting an early alarm or staying up through the night, don’t miss the chance to watch one of the greatest fighters in UFC history live while he’s still competing.