Can you believe it’s well over a decade since former Chelsea ace Eden Hazard kicked Swansea City ball boy Charlie Morgan during his debut season with the west Londoners? Time really does fly, especially when – particularly in Morgan’s case – you are making loads of money.

Hazard – who announced his retirement in October 2023, aged 32, four months after his Real Madrid contract was terminated in June that year – was shown a straight red card by referee Chris Foy following the bizarre incident during a League Cup clash at the Liberty Stadium in January 2013. The Belgian winger caught the young lad while attempting to retrieve the ball.

Only a teenager at the time, Morgan appeared to be in considerable pain as he left the pitch while holding his side. After the incident, Hazard came forward to protest his innocence. The former Lille superstar, whose career in west London was just starting out, insisted that he was trying to kick the ball – and not Charlie. But the cameras in Wales caught it all. Hazard said:

The youngster took to Twitter to confirm that he’d spoken to Hazard and wouldn’t be pressing charges. South Wales Police also stated that no action would be taken against the former Lille star, who was 22 at the time. Charlie, it turned out, was the 17-year-old son of Swansea director Martin Morgan – owner of the Morgans Hotel and worth a reported £65 million, according to The Sun.

In the aftermath of the Hazard incident, Charlie’s social media following went from 600 to a staggering 100,000. Several newspapers, meanwhile, revealed the youngster lived an ‘enviable lifestyle’ involving luxury holidays and flash cars – and that hasn’t changed in the 11 years following the incident. Let’s take a deep dive into the archives to see how his life has panned out after being kicked by Hazard.

Charlie’s Life Post-Hazard

Charlie, thanks to his hard work, initiative and all-round persistence, is now well and truly living – and enjoying – the high life. Three years after his well-documented clash with Hazard, he realised his dream of setting up his own business after spotting a gap in the alcohol market.

Alongside his friend and now Managing Director of the company, Jackson Quinn, the pair created Au Vodka – a vision that stemmed from watching their pals unwrap bottles of their favourite vodka on their 18th, 19th and 20th birthdays. Per the Manchester Evening News, Au Vodka went from a one-time limited run of 2,000 bottles (sold to local bars in Swansea) to manufacturing a remarkable 35,000 bottles daily.

Popular with young adults thanks in part to its eye-catching gold design, Au Vodka comes in ten flavours: Au Original, Black Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Red Cherry, Green Watermelon, Pineapple Crush, Bubblegum, Pink Lemonade and Cosmic Berries. A limited-edition Double Espresso Coffee Liqueur, meanwhile, was released in December 2021. The popular beverage is a mainstay on Tesco shelves UK-wide, while Sainsbury’s and Asda also sell the product, with Charlie noting their brand entering the aforementioned trio of supermarkets as a ‘big milestone’, per WalesOnline.

The brand has also gone international and can be purchased in 40 countries around the world, including Australia, Spain, the United States and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The addition of Charlie Sloth – a British DJ, producer and TV presenter – was a game-changer for the company. Jordan Major, Head of e-Commerce at Au Vodka, was quoted saying in September 2021, per Brightpearl, that Sloth’s involvement in the company took it to a new level, especially thanks to his wide range of contacts in the music industry.

The Stratospheric Rise of Au Vodka

Crowned the winner of Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 – a league table that showcases the UK’s fastest-growing retail brands – in 2021, Au Vodka’s turnover grew from £800,000 to a mind-blowing £38.5 million, according to Retail Sector. Named the most popular vodka brand on the internet by The Spirits Business, Au Vodka’s founders, Charlie and Jackson, entered The Times’ Young Rich List in 2022, with an estimated fortune of £40 million each.

Au Vodka was also named by The Times as the number one company to watch in 2023, per the MEN’s report, and it has become the best-selling premium vodka in the UK. Per BBC, Au Vodka was valued around the £150 million mark in August 2023 after Jake Paul helped to propel the Swansea-based start-up. That’s right – Paul, who is famed for his online personality and involvement in YouTuber boxing, had a tattoo of their bottle temporarily inked onto his body for £250,000.

Charlie’s Position on The Sunday Times’ Young Rich List

In the year of 2023, both Charlie and Jackson made The Sunday Times’ Rich List – Richest People Under 35 in the UK for the second year running. They sat in joint 27th spot with a personal fortune of £55 million each. To put that into perspective, the Au Vodka duo were even higher on the list than One Direction superstars Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson (£54 million each). They were even above England captain Harry Kane (£51 million).

Morgan and Jackson are now closing in on Harry Potter megastar Emma Watson (£60 million) and Premier League star Raheem Sterling (£61 million). Their worth is growing so exponentially that it might not be too much longer before they’re knocking on the doors of former Welsh footballer Gareth Bale (£70 million) and pop star Dua Lipa (£75 million).

In May 2024, The Sunday Times revealed the richest people under 40 in the UK and Charlie was rubbing shoulders with the likes of Adele, Harry Styles and Sir Lewis Hamilton. Making the list by the skin of his teeth, Charlie – worth an eye-catching £56 million – had fallen below the aforementioned Kane but was still surrounded by a plethora of names, highlighting the inspiration in his story.

Morgan Reveals All About His Story

Reflecting on what has been such a whirlwind journey so far, per Wales Online, Morgan insisted in 2022 that it’s difficult to sit and appreciate his and Jackson’s work when the next big thing for the company is seemingly always on the horizon. That said, he suggested that there was more to come from him and his pal’s start-up, which further highlights the pair’s drive to become the crème de la crème in the vodka sector.

“It’s almost hard to take a moment to reflect when we have the next big project coming up and there is always something new we’re working on. But, looking back on how far we have come, it’s been such an immense journey with plenty of milestones hit and definitely so much more to come.

Going off the increase in Au Vodka’s value over the years and the brand’s global status nowadays, it is safe to say that Charlie is well on his way to dominating the vodka sector. Was being booted by Hazard a sliding door moment for him? Who knows? But it’s certainly been some journey for one of football’s most famous former ball boys.

Charlie and Hazard Met Up on 11-Year Anniversary

A total of 11 years on from the pair clashing on the sidelines, they linked up to endorse his product in 2024. Hazard, widely regarded as one of the greatest left-wingers in Premier League history, took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a picture of the two with grins from ear to ear. He wrote:

Since hanging up his boots following a torrid stint in the Spanish capital, Hazard has spent his new-found downtime as a one-off tour guide for Chelsea, highlighting his tight bond with the capital club, while also featuring in Soccer Aid – a charity football match in aid of UNICEF. Elsewhere, he has been giving Charlie free promotion as part of his decade-long apology.

Arsenal are heading into the upcoming Premier League season as champions for the first time in 22 years, but Mikel Arteta isn’t going to rest now.

Having fallen to PSG on penalties in the Champions League final, the Gunners’ priority this summer is closing the gap on Europe’s elite, and that means reinforcing a squad that has already been crowned as the best in England.

With the left wing and the midfield identified as areas for investment, here’s what Arsenal’s best possible starting XI could look like if their top transfer targets arrive at the Emirates Stadium.

Goalkeeper

David Raya

David Raya remains an easy pick between the sticks. The Spaniard has been one of the signings of the Arteta era, with his sharp reflexes and his composed distribution making him an extra outfielder during build-up.

Although his signing looked strange at the time, considering Aaron Ramsdale’s impressive season, the former Brentford keeper has excelled in his position.

The Gunners may be wanting a new back-up keeper, with Illan Meslier set to complete a move to north London, but Raya has that number one position locked down.

Defence

Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie

The two central defenders pick themselves, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes continuing to form one of the most reliable partnerships in Europe. Both were instrumental in the title charge, and there is no desire at the club to break up a pairing that reads the game so well together.

Jurrien Timber has been immense at right-back, and you would assume he gets the nod for his versatility and progressive passing, especially when he gives Arsenal an extra body in midfield by tucking inside. Piero Hincapie also had a strong first season at the Emirates, and his loan move has now been made permanent after a clause was activated following the Ecuadorian defender making 39 appearances. He looks set to be a mainstay for many years.

It is also worth noting the depth Arsenal have in this department, leaving no real need to use their budget in this area. With players like Ricardo Califiori, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Cristhian Mosquera all sat on the bench, the Gunners have real depth that should be enough for them to continue their progression.

Midfield

Rice, Guimaraes, Odegaard

via Reuters

This is the area where there are rumours of Arsenal wanting to strengthen. If the rumours are true, then they could have a midfield that will dominate for years to come.

Declan Rice remains the engine of the side, a box-to-box presence who still stepped up in some big moments to provide goals and assists. However, he played a lot of minutes last season, and Arteta could do with bringing in a backup to give Rice a rest when possible.

The North London side did have rumoured interest in Italian Sandro Tonali, but he has since made a £100million move to rivals Tottenham, and Arsenal look to have shifted their focus to a different Newcastle midfielder in Bruno Guimaraes. He has been linked with a move to the Emirates, and his blend of ball-carrying, tackling and composure in possession would slot seamlessly into the midfield alongside Rice.

Martin Zubimendi joined last season and had an underrated season and could look to push for a more prominent starting role in the side, but he faces a tough challenge against Rice and potentially Guimaraes.

Martin Odegaard has been linked with a move away from Arsenal, with rumoured interest from Turkish side Galatasaray, but the Norwegian doesn’t look to be in a rush to leave the Emirates.

Attack

Saka, Gyokeres, Rogers

When fit, Bukayo Saka is a guaranteed starter for Mikel Arteta. He had a tough, injury-ridden season last year, but he will be a certain figure if he can stay sharp. Viktor Gyokeres enjoyed an outstanding debut season following his transfer from Sporting Lisbon, offering the kind of physical, direct centre-forward presence Arsenal had lacked for years, and there isn’t any reason to think he won’t be leading the line once again this season.

The most eye-catching addition would come on the left, where Arsenal have made Morgan Rogers their priority target. The Aston Villa forward has been reportedly valued at around £130million and has attracted interest from a host of major clubs, but Arsenal are serious contenders given Villa’s need to balance the books this summer.

Rogers’ ability to drift inside, combine centrally and carry the ball through the thirds would give Arteta an upgrade on the left wing, especially with uncertainty around Gabriel Martinelli’s future as he enters the final year of his contract. Should Rogers arrive, he’d complete a front three with balance and unpredictability to trouble any defence in Europe, whilst there would still be strong depth in Eberechi Eze.

There are moments in football so strange and unresolved that they seem to belong to fiction more than fact. The evening of July 12, 1998, at Stade de France is one of them.

A 21-year-old world star had arrived in Paris that summer not merely as a footballer, but a phenomenon — the most exciting player on the planet; he was inevitable, unstoppable. He had set the world alight with his talent, and it looked like the stage was set for him once again to take all the glory and cement his place on the throne of world football.

Brazil arrived in France ’98 as defending champions and clear favourites. With manager Mario Zagallo at the helm, a man who had been involved as player, coach or assistant in all four of Brazil’s previous World Cup wins, the Selecao carried the full weight of expectation. Yet the tournament wasn’t really about the team. It was about one man.

Ronaldo had spent the past two years laying the foundations of his legacy. After 47 goals in 49 appearances for Barcelona, he made a record-breaking move to Inter Milan and continued his domination. He was unstoppable in the air, devastating with the ball at his feet, terrifying at pace. He had won back-to-back FIFA World Player of the Year awards. French defender Marcel Desailly said: “Ronaldo was fantastic, a magician. We were all speechless when he touched the ball. The entire stadium held its breath. It was the first time I saw that.”

France ’98 was supposed to be his coronation, not that he needed one. He lit up the tournament with a brace against Chile and a goal in the semi-final against the Netherlands. Brazil booked their place in the final, and they were without doubt the favourites.

What Happened to Ronaldo In the 1998 World Cup Final?

Stuart Franklin / Action Images via REUTERS

The squad had lunch in their team hotel on the day of the final. Players returned to their rooms; everything seemed normal, like the big game later on in the evening would be a routine win. But, what happened next would send shock waves not just through the camp, but eventually through the entire footballing world.

Ronaldo collapsed in his room. Roberto Carlos had witnessed what followed: convulsions, foam at his mouth, the terrifying spectacle of his body in seizure. Team doctor Lidio Toledo was called immediately, and the room quickly filled with teammates and medical staff. Some players later recalled that Toledo wept when he arrived, although he later disputed this.

Toledo did, however, confirm the scene was severe; Ronaldo was breathing heavily, saliva collected around his mouth and he was momentarily unresponsive. Per a report in the Guardian, Roberto Carlos said:

He was rushed to the hospital for tests, and at 5pm, Zagallo had made the tough call: Edmundo would start the final. Ronaldo was out.

At 7:48pm, around one hour before kick-off, the official team sheet was submitted to FIFA. It all looked normal until the FIFA delegates read to the bottom of the list and realised there was no Ronaldo. When the news broke, confusion swept the stadium. Where was Ronaldo? John Motson had been commentating on the game for the BBC, and he was bewildered. He told CNN Sport:

Action Images / Stuart Franklin via REUTERS

But then came the twist. Ronaldo himself, having recovered from hospital tests and been told he wouldn’t play, refused to accept it. He went to Zagallo and the medical team, insisting he was fit. He begged to play. And who could say no to the best player in the world? He was back on the team sheet within an hour.

Ronaldo has since given his own account of waking up surrounded by teammates, not knowing where he was. He told FourFourTwo: “I decided to get some rest after lunch, and the last thing I remember was going to bed. After that, I had a convulsion. I was surrounded by players and the Dr Toledo was there. They didn’t want to tell me what was going on.

“I asked if they could leave and go talk somewhere else because I wanted to sleep. Then Leonardo asked me to go for a walk in the hotel and explained the whole situation. I was told that I wouldn’t play in the final.”

The Aftermath

Brazil lost 3-0. It was their heaviest World Cup defeat in 68 years. Zinedine Zidane scored twice in the first half with headers from corners. Emmanuel Petit added a third in injury time. The contest was never close. Ronaldo lasted the full 90 minutes but was a shade of himself, sluggish, disconnected from the player who had tormented defences all summer. He had one meaningful shot, straight at Barthez.

The fallout was enormous. Zagallo lost his job, and team doctors followed him out the door. And the mystery didn’t die quietly. A Brazilian parliamentary inquiry was launched. An investigation attempted to establish what had actually happened. Various theories surfaced: that Ronaldo had been given an injection of lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, for a recurring knee injury, and that it may have been administered incorrectly, causing the striker to have a reaction.

Others pointed to Ronaldo’s state of mind, suggesting a nervous breakdown brought on by the suffocating pressure of carrying an entire nation. It was also suggested that it was in the commercial interest of Nike, who had signed a huge deal with the Brazilian federation, for Ronaldo to start. Edmundo, who had been replaced when Ronaldo returned, said: “Nike’s people were there 24 hours a day, as if they were part of the technical staff. It’s a huge power.” Ronaldo himself has deflected the theories, maintaining that he was fit to play.

Action Images / Darren Walsh Digital via REUTERS

It wouldn’t put a dampener on his career for too long, as the striker returned to glory in 2002. Fighting knee injuries, missing the entire qualifying campaign. Ronaldo turned up to the 2002 World Cup with a unique haircut and a point to prove. He finished the tournament as top scorer, taking the golden boot and the World Cup trophy home, winning everything that fate had conspired to take from him in Paris four years earlier.

O Fenomeno had his redemption – and so did Brazil.