Liam Payne went to 'crazy' lengths after being given England football opportunity

Liam Payne went to great lengths to get up to speed for after being named captain of the England side for the 2022 edition of the charity match.

Former star , who , was born in the West Midlands and grew up supporting West Bromwich Albion. , saying they were "shocked and saddened" by the news of his death.

Payne skippered which also included Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah and actors Damian Lewis and David Harewood. The stars were joined by former footballers such as and , with and Emma Hayes teaming up to manage the squad at the London Stadium.

Despite being an avid football fan, Payne admitted he had never kicked a ball in anger before being chosen for the game. His training paid off, though as he got a half-hour run-out in 2022 and again in the 2023 edition.

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"I've been training at the moment in the UK," Payne said in with YouTuber Logan Paul. "We play this game called Soccer Aid and it's a bunch of professional soccer players - like Ronaldinho has played in the past - mixed with celebrities.

"So, I'm the captain of the England team currently at the moment - who's never kicked a football in his life by the way. I've had to learn for three months.

"Jumping into football is like a role for me that I get to play for a certain amount of months. I put my a** into everything that I do... I was training twice a day, six times a week. It's crazy - to learn how to play football. So, hopefully I'm half decent and earn a captaincy."

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Payne's Soccer Aid debut saw him go up against former stars including Patrice Evra and Andriy Shevchenko, who formed part of the Rest of the World XI. World Cup winner Cafu also played in the 2022 game, while Italy legend Francesco Totti took part in 2023.

Soccer Aid took place for the first time in 2006, with Robbie Williams helping set the wheels in motion. The 2024 edition raised more than £15million for UNICEF, with the match raising more than £100m over the years.

"Everyone at Soccer Aid for UNICEF is devastated to learn of the sad passing of Liam Payne," a social media statement from Soccer Aid read following the singer's death. "Liam captained England in 2022 and returned for the 2023 match to play a second time.

"Thank you for everything you did to help support children around the , Liam The thoughts of everyone at Soccer Aid for UNICEF are with Liam’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time."

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