Olly Murs showcased his impressive physique as he posed without a shirt to mark raising an incredible £1.3 million for Soccer Aid. The 42-year-old singer took to Instagram to celebrate England's 3-2 victory that reclaimed the title, holding the winning shield aloft.
Beaming with joy, Murs displayed his chiselled abs while posing in the dressing room at London Stadium. He was joined by teammates Tom Grennan and Angry Ginge, all proudly wearing their gold medals for photographs. The Troublemaker hitmaker also received a kiss on the head from Soccer Aid co-founder Robbie Williams.
In his post, Murs wrote: 'Soccer Aid ‘26!! Completed it mate'. The final total of his gruelling 400km endurance challenge was revealed as £1.3 million, which was added to the massive sum of £16,462,353 raised for UNICEF on the day.
Star-Studded Match and Management
England was managed by Robbie Williams and Bradley Walsh, alongside football icons Harry Redknapp and David Seaman. The Soccer Aid World XI FC was led by legendary sprinter Usain Bolt, making his debut as manager. Joining him on the management team were comedian Judi Love, former Juventus player Leonardo Bonucci, and three-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf.
The match featured a thrilling mix of football brilliance and entertainment, with appearances from England stars Wayne Rooney, Jill Scott, Jermain Defoe, and Theo Walcott, alongside celebrity players including Danny Dyer, Joe Marler, Damson Idris, GK Barry, and Owen Cooper. The World XI squad included football legends Edwin van der Sar, Michael Essien, Jen Beattie, and Ali Krieger, with celebrity support from Richard Gadd, Maisie Adam, Nicky Byrne, and Nitro from Gladiators.
Emotional Endurance Challenge
Days earlier, Murs broke down in tears after completing his brutal 400km endurance challenge, which raised £1.3 million for UNICEF and Soccer Aid. The singer was comforted by his wife Amelia as he crossed the finish line at London Stadium, having begun the challenge at Manchester's Old Trafford.
Murs travelled the gruelling route on foot, bike, and even a canoe to mark Soccer Aid for UNICEF's 20th anniversary. His final day saw him cycling from St Albans to London's West End before running into the Olympic Park to a roaring crowd. Upon seeing Amelia, with whom he shares two-year-old daughter Madison and eight-month-old son Albie, Murs burst into tears.
Crossing the finish line, he said: 'Done. Finito, finished. Oh, my God. It's been a painful week, but I've enjoyed pushing my body to the limit each day. I've had highs and lows, I've laughed and cried, a lot, but it's all helped me get through.'
He added: 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone for donating. For every single person that's given a little bit towards Soccer Aid for UNICEF, it's going to make a huge difference. I have seen the benefits of what UNICEF has done over the years, and it really does have a huge impact. I'm a dad myself and all I want to do is keep my kids safe and protected and knowing this money will help give kids that opportunity is amazing.'
Struggles and Support Along the Way
On Thursday, Murs' emotions again got the better of him as he crossed the finish line in Northamptonshire shortly before midnight and the advent of his 41st birthday on May 14. The star, whose efforts resulted in him needing a toenail removed, was overwhelmed after fans gathered in the darkness to sing happy birthday as he completed his third day.
'I put a brave face on it today. I felt like I needed to really,' he said. 'I needed to kind of hit it, I needed to kind of tackle it full on and there were times that I was really struggling but, you know, all the people that have come along today, I really appreciate it. It means a lot.'
With his route for day one revealed live on Heart Radio, Murs needed a toenail removed before he set off on foot from the wild heathland of Cannock Chase. He then tackled the biggest ride of the challenge – over 100km through the centre of Lichfield, along an ancient Roman road and via a tough climb through Nuneaton. Just past Warwickshire town Rugby, Murs ran in the dark to Nether Heyford to a crowd of supporters singing him an early 'happy birthday' in what was his latest finish.
The day was full of torrential rain and even an unexpected reroute to avoid a local fire, but fellow Heart presenter Emma Bunton shared a good luck message to spur him on. Last year’s Soccer Aid for UNICEF Challenger, Sam Thompson, also called to share some moral support.
'I just want you to know how much I flipping respect you,' he said. 'I mean that from the bottom of my soul. I know what it’s like to put yourself – at 41 – in a position where you’ve had knee operations and you’re doing it all, I am in awe.'
Murs tackled some of the UK’s toughest terrain as he ran, rowed, and rode his way from Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium, where Soccer Aid first kicked off 20 years ago, to London Stadium, home of this year’s landmark match. Jake Quickenden, who recently joined Olly for a run live on This Morning, said: 'That was actually very tough. My legs are burning. It was all uphill. The weather was absolutely horrendous.'
'What Olly likes to do, I think, is he puts a smile on and pretends he’s alright but deep down he’s in the trenches. His shins are hurting him. His knees are hurting him. Hats off. The guy’s doing amazing. What he’s doing for children all over the world. It’s going to help so many people. You can see he just wants to get as many donations in for these kids. It means the world to him.'
Balancing Fatherhood and Training
The singer, who first played at Soccer Aid for UNICEF in 2010, recently spoke about how he has been juggling fatherhood with his work commitments and intense training plan. He said: 'I've been doing a lot of training, but I love keeping fit anyway. I've just kind of enjoyed going out and running and cycling and getting out in the open and just keeping myself fit.'
'I've definitely had to change it slightly because this is all about endurance and before I loved doing my weight training. I like doing boxing and a bit of CrossFit training. I'm a morning person, so everything that I do, I try and arrange it around the kids. I try and help Amelia with getting the kids out of bed, getting them downstairs, getting their nappy changed and getting their breakfast ready.'
'And then around probably seven or eight o'clock, I'll make sure that I eat something. I've got a nutritionist in, a guy called Greg Marriott, who's been helping me out. He is someone that I trust and someone who works with sports stars and people in that field. He's been helping me eat well and fuel my body right. Then I'll just go out and run and I don't know how long for, I just kind of go out and see how I feel.'
