Reality TV star Sam Thompson managed to play the final few minutes of the Soccer Aid charity match, having previously pulled out due to an injury suffered on his 260-mile fundraising run.
The Made In Chelsea star had said he could not play for the England team after being injured while completing the Match Ball Mission running and cycling challenge, which raised more than £2 million for Unicef.
But Thompson made it on for the last few minutes of the charity match, broadcast live on ITV, which also saw Hollywood’s Julia Roberts chatting to Wayne Rooney and Dermot O’Leary apologising to viewers for a Tyson Fury “f-bomb”.
The match at Old Trafford, which sees an England team of former professionals and celebrities take on Soccer Aid World XI FC, raised more than £15 million for the aid organisation.
The I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! winner injured his calf during his challenge where he transported the Soccer Aid match ball from last year’s stadium, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, to Old Trafford.
On Friday, he announced that he would no longer be able to play and instead join the management team alongside Fury, however minutes before the final whistle, Thompson joined the Old Trafford pitch as a player.
Before Sunday’s match, O’Leary “profusely” apologised to ITV viewers after the heavyweight champion swore live on air while giving the England team a pre-match talk in the locker rooms.
He said: “Let them know how good we are. We are England. We are f****** Spartans. We are Spartans.”
Presenters Alex Scott and O’Leary apologised afterwards, with Scott saying: “What can I say about Tyson Fury? We do apologise for the swearing, but it is Tyson Fury, we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
O’Leary added: “We do profusely apologise.”
The game ended with a 5-4 win for the Soccer Aid World XI team, with the final goal being scored by rapper and TV chef Big Zuu.
Among his teammates who joined him to celebrate was former Argentina and Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez, who scored four goals for the World XI.
Prior to lifting the trophy in the air, singer Robbie Williams – who co-founded the charity game in 2006 – announced this year’s had raised £15,280,163.
Pretty Woman-star Roberts, who has described herself as a “true fan” of Manchester United, was seen taking photographs at Old Trafford, smiling next to the former England striker Rooney, who, minutes into the game, scored the first goal for England.
Among the England team line-up alongside Rooney were former One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson and Olympic gold-medallist Sir Mo Farah.
Last Of Us star Bella Ramsey also joined this year’s England team along with comedian Paddy McGuinness, former Manchester United player Gary Neville and singer Tom Grennan.
Last year, the match ended with a 6-3 win for England, with the Three Lions taking home the win for the first time in six years.
Since the fundraising match was first founded nearly two decades ago, it has raised more than £106 million.
