Sam Thompson, the 32-year-old former Made in Chelsea star and 2023 winner of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, has been forced to pull out of the highly anticipated Soccer Aid for UNICEF match scheduled for Sunday, June 15, 2025, at Old Trafford. The announcement came just over 48 hours before kickoff, with Thompson confirming during a live appearance on This Morning on June 13 that a painful torn calf injury sustained during his extraordinary Match Ball Mission challenge has left him unable to play.
Thompson’s Match Ball Mission was no ordinary warm-up. Over the course of five grueling days, he biked and jogged 260 miles from Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC, to Old Trafford, the iconic Manchester United stadium. The challenge not only tested his physical limits but also raised an impressive £1.5 million for UNICEF, underscoring his commitment to the charity match’s noble cause. Thompson crossed the finish line on June 6, but the physical toll was evident as he revealed, “I’m still very sore, still got the torn calf,” during his This Morning interview.
Despite his injury, Thompson remains a key figure in the event, transitioning from player to coach. He will join an impressive England management team alongside football legend Wayne Rooney, former manager Harry Redknapp, boxing champion Tyson Fury, actress Vicky McClure, and goalkeeper David James. The reality star joked about his new role, saying, “I get to go on the dark side with Tyson Fury.”
Sam’s withdrawal comes amid a backdrop of personal drama that has captured media attention. Earlier this week, during training sessions at Soccer Aid HQ in Tring, Hertfordshire, Thompson came face-to-face with Louis Tomlinson, 33, the former One Direction singer who is currently dating Thompson’s ex-girlfriend, Zara McDermott. The pair were set to be teammates for the England squad, but now Thompson will be coaching from the sidelines while Tomlinson remains on the pitch.
The dynamic between Thompson and Tomlinson has been a source of public intrigue. Thompson and McDermott, a former Love Island star, ended their five-year relationship in December 2024. By March 2025, McDermott was publicly dating Tomlinson, with the couple making romantic trips to Los Angeles and Costa Rica. Despite the awkwardness, Thompson has maintained that there are “no hard feelings” between him and Tomlinson, emphasizing that the focus should remain on the charity and the match itself.
Speaking candidly about the emotional challenges he faced in 2025, Thompson shared on the Staying Relevant podcast with his best friend Pete Wicks, “They filmed the entire thing, every up down, left and right. They seemed quite excited for the downs though. They were like, ‘If and when you have the downs, we’re going to be there in front of you, if you’re okay with that.’ I go, ‘Yeah, I’m fine with that.’” Wicks added that Thompson’s emotional vulnerability was first widely seen during his time on I’m A Celebrity, marking a turning point in how fans perceived him.
Thompson also recounted the tense moment during an interview when he was asked about sharing the pitch with Tomlinson. He recalled, “Mate, you should have seen the room, everybody, it’s silent, and everyone goes ‘Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.’ It erupts right, everyone’s like, ‘End the call, end the call.’ And I’ve just gone, ‘I’ve got this.’ The room goes so calm and I went, ‘Guys don’t worry about this, I’ve got this.’ And they look at me, they’re all panicking, and all of the PR are like, ‘F*** hell, if he says anything wrong here’ and I go, ‘I’ve got this.’ Silence, and then in my head I panicked, ‘I don’t have this.’ I don’t even know what I’m going to say.”
He concluded by stressing the charity’s importance: “It’s not about me or Louis or who anyone is dating, it’s f** UNICEF, it’s charity and everyone is going to be there for the exact same reason. And if he has anything about him which I’ve heard he does, he’s going to sit there and say the exact same thing.”
Thompson’s journey and emotional experience have been captured in the ITV1 documentary, Sam Thompson’s Match Ball Mission for Soccer Aid, which aired on the evening of June 13, 2025. The hour-long program offers viewers an intimate look at the highs and lows of his endurance challenge and personal reflections.
At Soccer Aid training sessions, Thompson was seen alongside fellow celebrities and former football pros including Tom Grennan, Bear Grylls, Paddy McGuinness, Jill Scott, and Paul Scholes. The England squad boasts a star-studded lineup with ex-pros Gary Neville and Joe Hart, as well as celebrities like Dame Denise Lewis and Sir Mo Farah. The Rest of the World team features notable names such as Nemanja Vidic, Carlos Tevez, and Leonardo Bonucci, alongside stars like Martin Compston and Dermot Kennedy.
Unfortunately, Thompson is not the only high-profile withdrawal. Survival expert Bear Grylls also pulled out due to a hamstring injury, describing it as a “stupid injury” picked up during training. Grylls expressed his disappointment on Lorraine, calling Soccer Aid “one of the most iconic things on TV through the year” and praising its cause.
Meanwhile, Thompson has moved on personally and is now dating Samie Elishi, 25, a fellow Love Island alum who finished third in the 2023 series. This new relationship marks a fresh chapter for Thompson following the end of his long-term relationship with McDermott.
As the Soccer Aid match approaches, all eyes will be on Old Trafford for this annual charity fixture founded by singer Robbie Williams. The event brings together celebrities and former football professionals for a spirited England versus Rest of the World contest, with proceeds benefiting UNICEF’s vital work for children worldwide.
Though Thompson won’t be running on the pitch this Sunday, his impact remains strong off it. With his coaching role and the documentary shedding light on his remarkable journey, Sam Thompson continues to be a central figure in this year’s Soccer Aid narrative, blending sporting passion with heartfelt charity dedication.
