Daily Mail

Ange Postecoglou has broken his silence on his sacking by Tottenham after he was relieved as boss on Friday.

The Australian was relieved of his duties two years to the day since his appointment was announced, despite winning the club's first trophy in 17 years just a matter of days ago.

He sacrificed their league campaign to focus on Europa League success, and delivered just that, with Spurs beating fellow English side Manchester United 1-0 in the final in Bilbao.

Fans were split on if his sacrificing of the Premier League was worth it, with Spurs finishing 17th in the league table - one place above relegation.

Success in Europe was the club's final lifeline for silverware - and a place in next season's Champions League draw was achieved with the victory.

The club have, though, made the decision to move onto their next boss, with Brentford's Thomas Frank the heavy favourite to replace him. And, just minutes after his departure was confirmed, Postecoglou released a statement of his own.

'When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride,' the Australian wrote in a statement shared by his representatives.

'The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

'That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

'We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

'I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on.

'It's important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

'And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special.

'We are forever connected. Audere est Facere.'

A Tottenham statement thanked Postecoglou, but read: 'The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place.'

It added that they had to consider: 'our worst-ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances - injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign.

'Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club's greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.

'We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future - he will always be welcome back at our home.'

The Australian has been forced to make do without many of his first team regulars this season after an unprecedented injury crisis which has particularly hit his defensive line.

BREAKING NEWS Tottenham SACK Ange Postecoglou despite ending their 17-year trophy drought with Europa League win - and fellow Premier League boss leads race to replace him

READ: How a mole in the camp and his squad's fatal flaw helped bring down Ange Postecoglou: Inside why trophy-winner was sacked by Tottenham

LISTEN: Was 'Fergie Time' real? Veteran Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg reveals all on the first episode of the Mail's brand-new football podcast Whistleblowers

Tottenham have sacked Ange Postecoglou despite the head coach ending the club's 17-year trophy drought with Spurs' Europa League win in May.

Thomas Frank is the leading candidate to replace him. Other alternatives have been sounded out by Tottenham, including Fulham boss Marco Silva, but Frank is emerging as perhaps the strongest contender.

Success in Europe was the club's final lifeline for silverware - and a place in next season's Champions League draw - amid a woeful season that saw them finish a dismal 17th in the league.

But despite a scrappy showing against fellow domestic strugglers Manchester United in Bilbao, Tottenham were able to get over the line with a 1-0 win in the Basque region and silence Postecoglou's critics.

Postecoglou was then feted as part of the club's raucous trophy parade, but with a view to improving the side ahead of the next campaign, chairman Daniel Levy and the Tottenham board have opted to move on the manager after just two seasons.

The axe falls exactly two years to the day since his appointment was first announced.

A Tottenham statement thanked Postecoglou, but read: 'The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place.'

It added that they had to consider: 'our worst-ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances - injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign.

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'Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club's greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.

'We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future - he will always be welcome back at our home.'

Postecoglou immediately released his own statement reading: My overriding emotion is one of pride.

'The opportunity to lead one of England's historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

'We are forever connected. Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).'

The Australian has been forced to make do without many of his first team regulars this season after an unprecedented injury crisis which has particularly hit his defensive line.

This includes first choice centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, while stars such as Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison have also missed large chunks of action.

Postecoglou had also struggled to connect with the Spurs faithful before his historic trophy win, with the former manager coming in for abuse after appearing to taunt fans in the stands after Tottenham scored a goal - which was later ruled out - against Chelsea in their March Premier League meeting.

The head coach was booed loudly by travelling supporters in Stamford Bridge, but remained adamant in the aftermath that he had only been trying to gee up the crowd as he cupped his hand to his ear.

The mood in north London had grown increasingly sour, with Postecoglou hitting out at the board in a recent press conference, implying that he was taking the lion's share of the blame for Tottenham's failings.

'The only voice you hear is me,' Postecoglou said. 'When we're talking about the bigger clubs, there seem to be a lot more voices. And not always defending. You need scrutiny and constructive criticism as well. We definitely get enough of that but never get any of the other stuff.'

Postecoglou also raised concerns over a suspected leak within his Spurs set-up as recent injury news appeared to hit social media before his formal announcement.

But on the heels of their triumph in Bilbao, Postecoglou had been more bullish about his suitability for the task at hand in north London.

'In all the best television series, season three is better than season two,' Postecoglou told a whipped-up crowd at the conclusion of Spurs' trophy parade.

Postecoglou was also interviewed by an Australian outlet during his family holiday in Greece, stressing that lifting the Europa League trophy was merely the beginning of his aspirations, rather than the peak.

'I didn't want us to just enjoy the moment,' he said. 'I also wanted us to think about what's next, you know, don't settle for this.

'We've got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club's got a taste for it. Well, let's make sure we're back here again.'

Despite this, Postecoglou had admitted before leaving for his vacation that he was unsure whether he would remain in charge for the 2025-26 campaign.

While no manager has yet been announced as his successor, the start of June saw the club linked with a number of candidates, including Brentford head coach Frank.

Tottenham are also in the throes of undergoing change behind the scenes as well as pitchside, with long-serving executive director Donna-Maria Cullen announcing her departure of the beginning of June.

Seen as Levy's 'right-hand woman', Cullen had served on Tottenham's board of directors for over three decades.

Thomas Frank is shaping up as a leading candidate to replace Ange Postecoglou after Tottenham sacked the head coach who brought home their first trophy for 17 years.

Spurs and Brentford boss Frank have held talks through intermediaries to explore the idea.

Postecoglou, after two years in the job, has now been sacked despite winning the Europa League and clinching a place in next season's Champions League.

The 59-year-old Australian is back from a post-season holiday in Greece to find speculation still swirling.

Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy launched his succession plan before the end of a terrible Premier League campaign, in which his team finished 17th with 38 points.

Many Spurs fans who wanted Postecoglou out as they clocked up a record 22 league defeats have relented since the Europa League glory but there has been no clarity from inside the boardroom.

Levy has visited the Bahamas since the season ended, where he was thought to have met with members of the Lewis family, the club's majority shareholders.

Other alternatives have been sounded out by Tottenham, including Fulham boss Marco Silva, but Frank is emerging as perhaps the strongest contender.

He has worked for nine years at Brentford and been in charge since Dean Smith left for Aston Villa in October 2018 and there are two years remaining on his contract.

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Beyonce battled the rain as she kicked off the UK leg of her Cowboy Carter tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday.

Queen Bey, 43, was joined by her lookalike daughters Blue Ivy, 13, and Rumi, 7, on stage for their iconic moment.

As Beyonce sang Protector Rumi was seen waving to fans as she sang along before the pop star cupped her daughter's face.

Rumi's twin brother Sir, whom Jay-Z and Beyoncé have kept out of the public eye, did not feature in the performance.

Beyonce's eldest daughter Blue Ivy showed she is set to follow in her mother's footsteps as she strutted her stuff on stage.

The 13-year-old gave it her all as she led the dancers for the track Deja-vu.

Fans of the global superstar began queuing outside the stadium at 4am on Wednesday.

The 62,000 capacity venue will host all the singer's shows on the British leg of her tour before she moves to Paris and then returns to the US.

She last performed in the UK in 2023 on the Renaissance World Tour, which saw her play five dates at the same stadium.

While ticket sales for her 2023 Renaissance world tour in the UK sold out within minutes of being released it hasn't been quite the same this time around.

There were still 539 free seats left in the stadium which holds around 62,000 people for concerts.

Earlier today the cheapest seats available for tonight were £71 for obstructed view seats while the most expensive were £278 for seated in better areas.

The majority of the empty seats were in the restricted area with fans preferring not to splash the cash on a compromised view.

While they had access to a screen showing the stage, the show and Beyonce herself were blocked by the sound and light system.

Her UK stint comes after ticket sales for the US part of her tour were also sluggish.

The ticket sales may reflect less interest in her country-tinged Cowboy Carter material compared to her dance-friendly Renaissance material.

The singer–songwriter also may be struggling to get fans who saw her on her whirlwind Renaissance tour to come back just two years later, this time at even higher prices.

Those prices - $200–$300 a ticket for some of the worst seats at her upcoming Chicago shows - may be also turning off fans.

Over the past few months Beyoncé appeared to have drastically slashed prices at some of her shows in order to get fans to buy the unsold tickets.

Some fans who saw her in LA were able to nab tickets as cheap as $35 before Ticketmaster's fees.

LIVE: BEYONCÉ (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)

Verdict: Queen Bey earns her Spurs

Rating:

The stetsons and sequins were out in force last night as Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour rolled into London amid a blizzard of pyrotechnics.

Opening her six-night residency at a damp Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Texan superstar was in her element.

Two years ago, on her Renaissance tour, she turned stadiums into giant nightclubs. Last night, she converted one into the world’s most high-tech rodeo, complete with a chrome-coated mechanical bucking bronco.

As the singer’s first UK concert since 2024’s country-leaning Cowboy Carter album, this was a case of Queen Bey, 43, giving a predominantly female crowd her soulful take on Nashville while not forgetting to keep fans dancing with her biggest pop hits, most of which were sung straight back at her.

Split into a series of different acts, plus an encore, the night was a masterpiece of tightly-choreographed theatrics and LED effects, with Beyonce’s supple, fiery voice and stagecraft front and centre.

The show centred on last year’s Grammy-winning album, which itself felt like the recorded version of a Western-themed stage musical.

‘We won’t let the rain stop us,’ said Beyonce, who arrived onstage in cowgirl chaps, accompanied by an energetic dance troupe.

She sang a folky version of The Beatles’ Blackbird before turning The Star-Spangled Banner into a power ballad.

Other Cowboy Carter highlights included country-soul number Levii's Jeans (her spelling), the fiddle-led hoedown Texas Hold ‘Em, a cover of Dolly Parton’s Jolene and slinky country-rocker Bodyguard.

She sang power ballad 16 Carriages while suspended in mid-air at the wheel of a moving pink Cadillac.

Reflecting the scope of her ‘musical gumbo’, she also dug into 2022’s Renaissance LP, a more familiar mix of disco, funk and house, and sung the older hits Crazy In Love and Single Ladies as a roof-raising dance-pop medley.

There had been talk beforehand of sluggish ticket sales – and some seats for this 62,000-capacity gig were still available online yesterday afternoon, sparking speculation that high prices were keeping fans away.

I spotted a few empty seats, but reports of the demise of Beyonce’s pulling power seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

With the evening broken up by video interludes to allow for costume changes, momentum was sometimes lost.

Such a tightly-scripted show also left little room for looseness, but there were still plenty of moments when she ad-libbed magnificently and let her vocals soar operatically.

The Cowboy Carter tour has gone down well in the singer’s homeland. But impressing US fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field is one thing.

Could Beyonce cut it on a chilly Thursday night in London? On this exuberant showing in Tottenham, she’s earned her Spurs.

Beyonce’s London residency continues until June 16

Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com

LIVE: BEYONCÉ (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)

Verdict: Queen Bey earns her Spurs

Rating:

The stetsons and sequins were out in force last night as Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter tour rolled into London amid a blizzard of pyrotechnics.

Opening her six-night residency at a damp Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Texan superstar was in her element.

Two years ago, on her Renaissance tour, she turned stadiums into giant nightclubs. Last night, she converted one into the world’s most high-tech rodeo, complete with a chrome-coated mechanical bucking bronco.

As the singer’s first UK concert since 2024’s country-leaning Cowboy Carter album, this was a case of Queen Bey, 43, giving a predominantly female crowd her soulful take on Nashville while not forgetting to keep fans dancing with her biggest pop hits, most of which were sung straight back at her.

Split into a series of different acts, plus an encore, the night was a masterpiece of tightly-choreographed theatrics and LED effects, with Beyonce’s supple, fiery voice and stagecraft front and centre.

The show centred on last year’s Grammy-winning album, which itself felt like the recorded version of a Western-themed stage musical.

‘We won’t let the rain stop us,’ said Beyonce, who arrived onstage in cowgirl chaps, accompanied by an energetic dance troupe.

She sang a folky version of The Beatles’ Blackbird before turning The Star-Spangled Banner into a power ballad.

Other Cowboy Carter highlights included country-soul number Levii's Jeans (her spelling), the fiddle-led hoedown Texas Hold ‘Em, a cover of Dolly Parton’s Jolene and slinky country-rocker Bodyguard.

She sang power ballad 16 Carriages while suspended in mid-air at the wheel of a moving pink Cadillac.

Reflecting the scope of her ‘musical gumbo’, she also dug into 2022’s Renaissance LP, a more familiar mix of disco, funk and house, and sung the older hits Crazy In Love and Single Ladies as a roof-raising dance-pop medley.

There had been talk beforehand of sluggish ticket sales – and some seats for this 62,000-capacity gig were still available online yesterday afternoon, sparking speculation that high prices were keeping fans away.

I spotted a few empty seats, but reports of the demise of Beyonce’s pulling power seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

With the evening broken up by video interludes to allow for costume changes, momentum was sometimes lost.

Such a tightly-scripted show also left little room for looseness, but there were still plenty of moments when she ad-libbed magnificently and let her vocals soar operatically.

The Cowboy Carter tour has gone down well in the singer’s homeland. But impressing US fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field is one thing.

Could Beyonce cut it on a chilly Thursday night in London? On this exuberant showing in Tottenham, she’s earned her Spurs.

Beyonce’s London residency continues until June 16

The cost for Tottenham of sacking Ange Postecoglou has been revealed.

The Australian manager earnt Spurs a £100m windfall by masterminding their Europa League triumph, the club's first trophy for 17 years.

A 1-0 victory over Man United in last month's final in Bilbao won Tottenham a place in next season's Champions League but, after a dire domestic campaign, their manager's position remains in doubt.

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League table and lost 22 matches — the most by any side to avoid relegation.

Mail Sport reported in April that Spurs were set to cut ties with Postecoglou regardless of whether his team won the Europa League or not.

And, should chairman Daniel Levy wish to end Postecoglou's reign, it would cost Tottenham £4million in compensation — according to The Telegraph.

That is on top of the £2m bonus he received for lifting the Europa League.

The 59-year-old has two years remaining on his contract, with the terms of his exit decided when he signed the deal that brought him to London from Celtic.

The report adds that the manager has now returned from holiday and should be receiving clarity over his position in the near future.

While sacking Postecoglou will take around £4m on its own, the total cost of then appointing a replacement could see Spurs splash out roughly £10m.

The club would have to pay compensation to one of their Premier League rivals if they were to secure one of the two favourites to replace Postecoglou — Brentford boss Thomas Frank or Fulham's Marco Silva.

Postecoglou did not sound like a man who was expecting the chop when he spoke to ABC's Australian Story last weekend from southern Greece where he has been spending time with his family.

He insisted that lifting the Europa League must be just the beginning for Spurs not the peak.

'I didn't want us to just enjoy the moment,' he said.

'I also wanted us to think about what's next, you know, don't settle for this. We've got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club's got a taste for it. Well, let's make sure we're back here again.'

And it's not just Tottenham's manager whose future is in doubt but also their captain.

Son Heung-Min is expected to be targeted by the Saudi Pro League later this summer.

The 32-year old has turned down offers previously from Saudi giants but is now in the final year of his contract and the club may listen to suitable bids.

Back in January, the north London club triggered an option in Son's contract to extend his current deal by a year — with it now running until 2026.

Son has been at Tottenham for almost a decade, making 454 appearances and scoring 173 goals.

There is interest in Son from the Saudi Pro League, with the South Korea international seen as the ideal replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

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Beyonce is performing in the UK tonight as her Cowboy Carter tour heads to London for six performances in the capital.

Fans of the global superstar began queuing outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 4am on Wednesday.

The 62,000 capacity venue will host all the singer's shows on the British leg of her tour before she moves to Paris and then returns to the US.

She last performed in the UK in 2023 on the Renaissance World Tour, which saw her play five dates at the same stadium.

Live updates below

Here is Beyonce's set list from her previous performance in Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 29:

ACT I

Ameriican Requiem

Blackbiird

The Star Spangled Banner

Freedom

Ya Ya / Why Don’t You Love Me

ACT II

America Has A Problem

Spaghettii (includes Run the World (Girls), My Power and Flawless)

Formation

My House (includes elements of Bow Down)

Diva

ACT III

Alliigator Tears

Just for Fun

Protector (includes elements of Dangerously in Love)

Flamenco

ACT IV

Desert Eagle

Riiverdance

II Hands II Heaven

Tyrant (includes elements of Haunted)

Thique (includes elements of Bills Bills Bills and Say My Name)

Levii’s Jeans

Sweet Honey Buckiin’ / Pure/Honey / Summer Renaissance

ACT V

Texas Hold ‘Em (includes elements of Texas Hold ‘Em (Pony Up Remix), Church Girl)

Crazy In Love

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) (includes elements of Get Me Bodied)

Love on Top (includes elements of Freakum Dress)

Irreplaceable

If I Were a Boy

Jolene

Daddy Lessons

Bodyguard

II Most Wanted (includes elements of Blow)

Cuff It (includes elements of Cuff It (Wetter Remix), Smoke Hour II and Dance for You)

Heated

Before I Let Go

ACT VI

Daughter

I’m That Girl (includes elements of Apeshit)

Cozy

Alien Superstar

ENCORE

Amen

Three key questions as Beyoncé performs first UK show in two years

For those planning to enjoy a real-life hoedown in North London later or at some point this month, here's some key information you need to know:

What time will we see Beyoncé on stage?

Doors to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium open at 5pm and Beyoncé is expected to make her entrance on stage at around 7:30pm. But ever the performer, spectators maybe shouldn't expect a prompt arrival...as the singer has turned up at previous Cowboy Carter shows at 8:15pm.

What's the setlist?

Fans can expect a near three-hour setlist featuring more than 40 songs in total. Records will be mostly from her Cowboy Carter album but also feature tracks from Renaissance plus popular favourites, like ‘Diva’ and ‘Crazy in Love’.

Who is supporting?

So far, Beyoncé has not had a support act and there's nothing to suggest that will change tonight at the start of her UK shows. Some have speculated Sir Paul McCartney could join the star on stage for her rendition of the Beatles song ‘Blackbird’ after the Beatle praised her cover version last year.

Beyoncé heads to UK after winning elusive Grammy

Beyonce receives album of the yea at the 67th Grammy awards

Beyoncé may well feel a spring in her step as she takes to the stage in London tonight after Cowboy Carter won a Grammy for album of the year at the fifth time of asking.

At the 67th Grammy Awards in February, the 43-year-old extended her lead as the decorated artist in the event’s history with 35 awards after collecting the best country album Grammy as well as the country duo/group performance award for her song featuring Miley Cyrus, titled II Most Wanted.

She previously failed to secure the best album prize with 2008’s I Am … Sasha Fierce, 2013’s Beyonce, 2016’s Lemonade and 2022’s Renaissance.

Her success in the album category came after her husband Jay-Z used a speech at last year's ceremony to condemn the Recording Academy for failing to give her the award

Read more here

Watch: How Beyoncé revived classic look on Cowboy Carter tour

Do ticket sales show Beyoncé is losing her pulling power?

Ticket sales for Beyoncé’s latest Cowboy Carter shows may reflect less interest in her country-tinged material compared to her dance-friendly records.

The megastar also may be struggling to get fans who saw her on her whirlwind Renaissance tour to come back just two years later, this time at even higher prices.

Over the past few months Beyoncé appears to have drastically slashed prices at some of her shows in order to get fans to buy the unsold tickets. Some who saw her in Los Angeles were able to nab tickets as cheap as $35 before Ticketmaster's fees.

In addition it has been a difficult time for Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z in the last year.

The rapper, real name Shawn Carter, was falsely accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at a 2000 MTV Video Music Awards party alongside Sean 'Diddy' Combs in a lawsuit that was filed in December last year.

The unnamed accuser then voluntarily dismissed the case and Carter, 55, has now sued his accuser's attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the allegations.

Carter no longer faces legal action.

Beyoncé struggling to sell hundreds of tickets ahead of her first show

Hundreds of seats remained up for grabs (blue areas have free seats in them)

Beyoncé is struggling to sell hundreds of tickets ahead of her first UK Cowboy Carter in London tonight.

This morning there were still 539 free seats left at show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which holds around 62,000 people for concerts.

Currently the cheapest seats available for tonight are £71 for obstructed view seats while the most expensive are £278 for seated in better areas.

It comes in sharp contrast to ticket sales for her Renaissance world tour in 2023 where UK shows sold out within minutes of being released. Her UK stint comes after ticket sales for the US part of her tour were also sluggish.

Read the full story by our showbiz reporter Amelia Wynne here

Bring your brolly... but only if it's a small one

Fans attending tonight's show are allowed to bring umbrellas inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium...but only if it's no bigger than a metre in length.

Umbrellas greater than a metre are among a list of banned items stated by the football club on its website.

Heavy rain is forecast throughout the afternoon and evening in the capital.

The dates Beyoncé is performing in London

Tonight marks the first UK show for Beyonce's new tour following her for her eighth studio album Cowboy Carter.

All performances will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the venue she last graced when performing in Britain in 2023 on her then Renaissance World Tour.

Here are the dates she will be performing in London:

Thursday, June 5

Saturday, June 7

Tuesday, June 10

Thursday, June 12

Saturday, June 14

Monday, June 16

From there, Beyonce heads to Paris for three nights at the Stade De France, before returning to the US to conclude the tour.

More fans go Crazy in Love for Queen Bey's UK return

The third person in line at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is Gabriele Macca, from Bergamo, Italy.

He is in a different section to Liam and Alex and is officially first in his separate queue.

The 25-year-old said:

I’ve been a fan since I was little. My sisters introduced me to Destiny’s Child when I was younger, and at 5, I was singing and dancing to Beyoncé.

I just remember thinking, ‘I want to be her someday’. Well, I’m not her, but I’m here - I’m her fan. I’ve loved following her evolution.

Meet the Beyonce superfans first in line for tonight's show

Here are the Beyoncé superfans who are first in line for her run of London concerts - a German duo who showed up a day-and-a-half early.

Liam Ghassemi, 21, and Alex Schroer, 24, arrived at 4am on Wednesday (June 4), even though doors don’t open until 5pm the following day - 37 hours later.

The fans, who have travelled more than 550 miles from Germany, said the wait is worth it to get front row in the standing section.

Liam said:

I just think no one puts on a show like Beyoncé. I’ve been to lots of her tours and her performances are always different. Her production and visuals are insane. No one else compares.

Meanwhile, when asked why he is such a Beyoncé fan, Alex simply said:

She’s the queen. She’s Queen Bey.

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour heads to stormy London

Hello and welcome to MailOnline's live coverage as Beyoncé kicks off the European leg of her Cowboy Carter tour in London tonight.

The global superstar is performing six shows at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before she moves to Paris and returns to the US.

Fans of Queen Bey will brave heavy thunderstorms in the capital to catch her first performance in Britain for more than two years with some queuing outside the venue at 4am on Wednesday.

Stick with us as we bring you live updates throughout the afternoon and evening plus fan reaction and the most eye-catching pictures and videos.

The singer, 43, is playing six nights in London this summer on June 5, 7, 10, 12, 14 and 16 - with the first kicking off this evening.

But at the time of writing on Thursday there are still 539 free seats left in the stadium which holds around 62,000 people for concerts.

Currently the cheapest seats available for tonight are £71 for obstructed view seats while the most expensive are £278 for seated in better areas.

It comes in sharp contrast to ticket sales for her Renaissance world tour in 2023 where UK shows sold out within minutes of being released.

Her UK stint comes after ticket sales for the US part of her tour were also sluggish.

From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.

The ticket sales may reflect less interest in her country-tinged Cowboy Carter material compared to her dance-friendly Renaissance material.

The singer–songwriter also may be struggling to get fans who saw her on her whirlwind Renaissance tour to come back just two years later, this time at even higher prices.

Those prices - $200–$300 a ticket for some of the worst seats at her upcoming Chicago shows - may be also turning off fans.

Over the past few months Beyoncé appeared to have drastically slashed prices at some of her shows in order to get fans to buy the unsold tickets.

Some fans who saw her in LA were able to nab tickets as cheap as $35 before Ticketmaster's fees.

In addition it has been a difficult time for Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z in the last year.

The rapper, real name Shawn Carter, was falsely accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at a 2000 MTV Video Music Awards party alongside Sean 'Diddy' Combs in a lawsuit that was filed in December last year.

The unnamed accuser then voluntarily dismissed the case and Carter, 55, has now sued his accuser's attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the allegations.

The 99 Problems hitmaker no longer faces legal action.

It comes after Beyoncé insiders have lifted the lid on how she has become a record-breaking billionaire.

The Houston-born superstar and her husband Jay-Z became music's first billionaire couple and are now worth around $3billion.

And in a new interview those who have worked with her over the years have revealed how her work ethic that is on 'another level' and her attention to detail have been reflected in her impressive bank balance.

Producer Larry Griffin Jr worked with the star on her 2011 album 4, told The Times Culture magazine: 'She knows exactly what she wants. It was one of the most intense weeks of my career.'

She recorded a whopping 75 songs for 4 and had to narrow them down to just 16 for its release.

In an example of her incredible work ethic, she hosted listening parties where family and radio people scored each song from one to five.

Other insiders pointed out how the attention to detail on her current Cowboy Carter tour show 'another level' of planning and precision.

Architect Ray Winkler helped design sets for two of her tours and said in the Times interview: 'The visual landscapes of her shows are just extraordinary.'

Choreographer James Alsop worked with her for her song Run The World and added: 'She was involved in every aspect'.

James explained how she rarely took breaks, eating and drinking as she rehearsed.

Others who have worked with her also tell how she will watch tapes back of her shows to see how she can improve next time.

Tottenham's Son Heung-Min is expected to be targeted by the Saudi Pro League later this summer.

The 32-year old has turned down offers previously from Saudi giants but is now in the final year of his contract and the club may listen to suitable bids.

Back in January, the north London club triggered an option in Son's contract to extend his current deal by a year - with it now running until 2026.

Prior to the extension, question marks over Son's future at the club had already begun circulating, with some fans now expecting a summer exit.

The South Korean star played a crucial role in ending Tottenham's 17-year wait for a major trophy and lifted the Europa League title after beating Man United last month.

The captain of the club, Son has been at Tottenham for almost a decade and has made 454 appearances, while he has scored 173 goals.

There is interest in Son from the Saudi Pro League, with the South Korea international seen as the ideal replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

With Mohamed Salah committing his future to Liverpool by signing a new contract, the Saudi Pro League have now turned their attention to Son.

It could be a summer of significant change for Tottenham as chairman Daniel Levy plans an overhaul of the squad.

Son still contributed with seven Premier League goals this season but his lengthy spell at the club could now be coming to an end.

Meanwhile, during Tottenham's Europa League trophy parade last month, Postecoglou hinted that he will remain in charge - as doubts over his future persist.

Postecoglou said: 'I told them and they laughed. I told them and they didn't believe.

'But here we are and we're here because of the unbelievable group of people, staff, heroes, led by the legend Son Heung-Min, Romero, Maddison and Vicario. All of them [are] heroes. They did it all for you. You deserve it. This club deserves it.

'I'll tell you something. All the best TV series, season three is better than season two.'

Meanwhile, Daniel Levy's 'right-hand woman' Donna-Maria Cullen recently announced her departure from Spurs after holding a seat on the board for 20 years.

The executive director has worked closely with the Spurs chairman, and leaves ahead of a proposed summer shake-up at the club in the wake of their historic Europa League win.

In a statement shared with the club, Cullen said that the decision to depart had been a 'hard one', with Spurs having been her 'life' over the past three decades.

'This has been such a hard decision to make,' Cullen's statement read. 'The Club has been my life for the past three decades.

'I have had the privilege of working with Daniel, whose vision and energy has driven the Club forward, and so many talented and wonderful colleagues.

Tottenham have included a reference to the infamous 'lasagna-gate' saga that ended their hopes of Champions League qualification in an overserious unveiling of their 2025-26 home jersey.

The north Londoners missed the chance to qualify for the Europe's premier competition after suffering defeat to West Ham on the final day of the 2005-06 campaign, with their misery further compounded by arch rivals Arsenal taking their spot.

In the lead up to the match, the Spurs camp had been plagued by sickness, with as many as ten stars falling ill with suspected food poisoning, which was blamed on a dodgy hotel lasagna.

Spurs legend Ledley King took centre stage in the unveiling film that took a solemn tone, yet still had room for the rather bizarre nod amid calls from the former defender for fans to make a vow of allegiance to the club.

As audio of the pledge played over footage of stars including Micky van de Ven, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, King could be heard saying: 'In sickness'. At this point the camera panned to a portion of lasagna on a table.

It quickly contrasted the subsequent 'and in health' line, that was illustrated by Van de Ven flexing his muscles to the camera in the slightly altered strip.

The short reference was undoubtedly the highlight of an otherwise tedious 80 second clip.

Spurs themselves labelled their 2025-26 jersey as a 'subtle tweak'. Precious few football fans are likely to notice the amendments when the new seasons gets underway in August.

The unveiling comes amid the ongoing uncertainty over the future of manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian has two years left on his contract with Tottenham but it is no secret that club chiefs are looking at possible replacements this summer.

Postecoglou led Spurs to glory in the UEFA Europa League last month, ending the club's 17-year trophy drought and delivering on his promise of 'always' winning silverware during his second year in a job.

However, Tottenham's success in Europe was in stark contrast to their Premier League form, which resulted in an embarrassing finish of 17th place. It has been reported that Spurs made direct contact with Thomas Frank earlier this week, with the Brentford boss widely touted as a strong candidate to take over from Postecoglou.

That is according to Foot Mercato, who claim that Frank discussed his vision for Spurs during the talks, as well as identifying some possible transfer targets.

However, it is also noted that, although Frank ranks high on Tottenham's shortlist of managers, chairman Daniel Levy is considering several candidates.