Why does Tommy Fury play for the Rest of the World XI at Soccer Aid 2023 and not England?

TOMMY FURY is representing the Rest of the World XI at Soccer Aid – yet he was born and raised in Manchester.

The boxer is trying his hand at football on a public stage for the first time on Sunday.

He will come face to face with the likes of Liam Payne, Tom Hiddleston and Gary Neville, despite being born in the same country as the trio.

That’s because Fury has chosen to play for the Rest of the World, as he is eligible through his mother Chantal, who is of Mauritian descent.

While his father John is also an Irish traveller.

Fury will be managed by new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino at Soccer Aid 2023, with Usain Bolt the skipper.

The 9-0 boxer is looking forward to playing alongside the Olympic great.

He said: “I used to watch Usain in all the Olympics and to be playing alongside him on a football pitch will be absolutely incredible.

“I think for the first 10 or 15 seconds I’ll be a little bit starstruck until he tells me to get in position. But I’ll try and do him proud.”

England will be captained by former Lionness Jill Scott, and managed by Stormzy.

The grime artist will be joined in the dugout by Harry Redknapp, Emma Hayes, David Seaman and Vicky McClure.

Fury announced he would be taking part in April when he shared a graphic of the event of himself and Payne – in the form of a boxing fight poster.