Nicknamed ‘A-Star’, Ahmed Alsanawi’s journey from a self-taught barber to a stylist for football’s elite is a remarkable story of talent, hard work and relationship-building.
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His journey into the world of barbering began with a passion for hairstyling and an entrepreneurial spirit after emigrating the the UK from Iraq in the 2000s.
Alongside his wife Tanya, he opened A Star Barbers with the goal of creating a welcoming space where clients could receive quality haircuts and grooming services.
Since its establishment in 2013, it has gained a reputation for providing top-notch grooming services.
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The barbershop quickly became known for its skilled stylists and exceptional service, making it a favourite among local residents and professional athletes alike.
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It has attracted high-profile clientele — including some of the biggest names in football.
A Hub for footballers
A Star Barbers has established itself as a go-to destination for footballers, particularly those associated with Chelsea due to its proximity to the club’s Cobham Training Centre.
Alsanawi cut so many Blues players hair that he earned the nickname “Chelsea’s official barber”.
The shop’s reputation has grown significantly over the years, thanks to Alsanawi’s talent and ability to connect with his clients.
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Many players trust him not just for haircuts — but also for styling advice.
This move unsurprisingly caused some controversy due to travel restrictions.
Other notable clients
Other superstars of the footballing world to visit A Star barbers include:
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Expansion of A Star Barbers
As A Star Barbers gained popularity among professional athletes, Alsanawi decided to expand his business.
He opened additional locations while maintaining the same level of quality service that made the original shop successful.
The brand now includes multiple outlets catering to a wider clientele while still being closely connected to the world of professional football.
Innovative product range
In addition to providing exceptional grooming services, Alsanawi launched a line of haircare products called Fini by A-Star”in May 2018.
These products are designed specifically for men and feature unique formulations.
This expansion into product development showcases Alsanawi’s commitment to enhancing men’s grooming experiences beyond just haircuts.
Social media presence
Alsanawi’s work extends beyond the barbershop — he has cultivated a significant social media, where he shares photos of his work and interactions with high-profile clients.
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His Instagram account often features images of footballers sporting fresh cuts, giving fans an inside look at their favourite players’ grooming routines.
As of October 11, 2024, Alsanawi’s account @astarbarbers has over a million followers.
Chelsea ban
In 2017, there were reports that Chelsea had banned Alsanawi from their training ground due to his frequent posting of selfies with players on social media.
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However, this setback didn’t deter Alsanawi, who continued to build his brand and clientele beyond Chelsea.
One of Alsanawi’s proudest achievements was working with the French national team at the 2018 World Cup finals and receiving a shout-out from the players after their victory.
He also served as the England team’s on-hand barber in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.
The future
Alsanawi hopes to expand the brand globally, with a chain of A Star Barbers located all around the world.
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He continues to work on growing his product line and maintaining his status as one of the most sought-after barbers in the world of sport.
Australia all but secured their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup with a ruthless nine-wicket win over Pakistan in Dubai.
The reigning champions are two points clear at the top of Group A with three wins from three and, given their high net run-rate, it would take an unlikely set of results to deny them a last-four spot.
The only disappointment for Australia on an otherwise comfortable night were injuries to Tayla Vlaeminck and captain Alyssa Healy.
After winning the toss, the six-time winners skittled Pakistan for just 82, the lowest total of the World Cup so far.
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Ashleigh Gardner was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-21, with Georgia Wareham and Annabel Sutherland claiming two wickets apiece.
They then needed just 11 overs to chase down their modest target, Healy top-scoring with 37 from 23 balls before retiring hurt.
Australia take on India in their final group game on Sunday.
Pakistan still have a very slim chance of reaching the semi-finals but will need a win in their final game against New Zealand on Monday.
The three fighters competing at UFC Vegas 98 all failed to make weight at Friday morning’s official weigh-ins, with Argueta (138.5) missing by 2.5 pounds, Fremd (186) by 3 pounds, and Gooden (172.5) by 1.5 pounds. Their respective opponents Cody Haddon, Abdul Razak Alhassan, and Chidi Njokuani all successfully made weight.
It is not yet known which of the bouts, if any, will proceed as catchweights and, if so, what percentage of the offending fighters’ purses will be forfeited as penalty.
The misses are a particularly bad look for Fremd and Gooden, both of whom have been tripped up by the scale in the past.
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For the second time in his UFC career, Fremd weighed in three pounds over the limit. He also came in at 189 pounds for a middleweight bout against Jamie Pickett at UFC Vegas 78 in August 2013, later going on to defeat Pickett by unanimous decision.
Gooden has now missed weight three times as a UFC fighter. Most recently, he came in six pounds over the limit for a fight with Carlston Harris in March 2023, though on that occasion he had accepted the bout on less than a week’s notice. He is 0-2 after failing to make weight.
In more positive news, flyweight headliners Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira successfully weighed in for Saturday’s main event, with both registering at 125.5 pounds. Royval is currently tied for the No. 2 spot in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, with the undefeated Taira at No. 8. Whoever leaves UFC Vegas 98 with a win might also put themselves in pole position for a shot at flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
The panel, however, agreed with VAR’s decision to upgrade Ianis Hagi’s yellow card to a red for the Rangers midfielder’s challenge on opposition forward Adama Sidibeh in the same match – and suggested that the onfield officials ought to have identified the seriousness of the challenge.
Meanwhile, the panel decided that two decisions during Celtic’s 2-1 win over Ross County had been overturned correctly following VAR intervention.
No penalty kick was initially awarded when the ball struck Liam Scales, but the panel agreed that the Celtic centre-half’s arm was high and outstretched, making his body unnaturally bigger.
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When Ronan Hale’s spot-kick was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, there was no signal from the assistant referee for the Celtic goalkeeper being off his line.
However, the panel supported the VAR’s decision to intervene and award a retake, from which the striker scored.
NOT only is Conor Benn the son of legendary fighter Nigel Benn, he’s also an undefeated former WBA Continental welterweight champion.
Although currently serving a doping ban, Conor hit the headlines in October 2024 for squaring up with the son of another pugilistic great — his fierce rival Chris Eubank Jr.
Who is Conor Benn?
Born on September 28, 1996, in Greenwich, London, Conor Benn — nicknamed “The Destroyer” — is the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn.
Despite growing up in a life of privilege, Conor chose to pursue boxing the hard way.
Instead of relying on his family’s wealth and connections, he built his career from the ground up.
Early life and career
He was raised in a luxury mansion in Majorca, Spain — but later moved to Australia with his family.
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It was in Australia that Benn first picked up boxing gloves, initially just for fun.
His amateur career in Sydney saw him win 20 out of 22 bouts.
When Benn decided to pursue boxing professionally, he moved back to England at the age of 19, leaving behind the comfortable life he knew in Australia.
Since making his debut on April 9, 2016, he has refined his skills and steadily climbed the ranks in the welterweight division.
Benn has consistently denied any intentional wrongdoing regarding the doping allegations.
He released a statement saying: “I am still completely shocked and in disbelief by this and will be working with my team and my lawyers to understand what has happened and I will be commenting further when I can.”
Boxing record and opponents
Conor Benn has an impressive professional record of 23 wins and 0 losses, with 14 of those victories coming by way of knockout — meaning he’s won 61% of his fights by KO.
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Benn’s professional fights:
Peter Dobson (February 3, 2024, Las Vegas) – UD, 12 rounds
The rivalry between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr has continued to simmer despite their cancelled fight.
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Benn had to be separated from Brit rival Chris Eubank Jr after him during an impromptu face-off.
Eubank Jr was in the final stages of cutting weight for his Saudi showdown with Kamil Szeremeta on Saturday, October 12, 2024, night when he was accosted by Benn in the fighter hotel.
Ben started the trouble by shouting: “Oi, Chris. Don’t f**k up the bag, son. Don’t f**k up the bag.”
After Eubank Jr said he “liked” the energy he was showing, Benn said: “You like what? You’re lucky you’re fighting tomorrow [or] I’d f**k you up right now.”
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A visibly drained Eubank Jr smiled before saying: “You see this guy comes in when I’m cutting weight.”
“Cutting weight?” Benn fiercly replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow after the fight, I’m going to get into that ring and f***ing give it to you.
LAS VEGAS – The main event for the UFC’s latest home show is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
Ahead of UFC Fight Night 244 (ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex, recent flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) and unbeaten contender Tatsuro Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) stepped on the scale at the official weigh-ins.
Check out the video from their trips to the scale below.
The #UFCVegas98 main event is on weight and official.
Serbia’s Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles – a men’s record – and claimed a long-awaited Olympic gold earlier this year.
The 37-year-old will face American world number seven Taylor Fritz in Saturday’s semi-final as he bids for a landmark 100th title.
Fritz, 26, comfortably beat Belgium’s David Goffin 6-3 6-4 on Friday to book his place in the last four. It extended a run that has seen Fritz progress past the third round for the first time in Shanghai.
Djokovic, who will now compete in a 78th Masters 1,000 semi-final, said he was motivated by matches against the upcoming generation.
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“It keeps me going, and pushes me to really dig deep, and to show to the world that I’ve still got it in my legs, that I can still go the distance with the young guys,” he said.
“I’m super glad that I managed to win this very challenging match.”
Mensik, 19, held his nerve in the opening set against Djokovic.
Yet Djokovic, a record four-time winner of the tournament, was able to regroup after a scrappy performance in the tie-break and breezed through the second set, before putting the match to bed after two hours and 21 minutes.
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Although US Open runner-up Fritz might provide a tough test for Djokovic, the decorated veteran holds a 9-0 career record from their past meetings.
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