La historia de Tony Adams, excapitán del Arsenal y de la selección de Inglaterra, revela el impacto personal que tuvo la eliminación ante Alemania en la Eurocopa 1996. En una entrevista con FourFourTwo, relató cómo, luego de aquel encuentro, su adicción al alcohol lo llevó a tocar fondo antes de iniciar un extenso proceso de recuperación que ya supera los 30 años de sobriedad.

Tras el certamen, el defensor atravesó uno de los periodos más difíciles de su vida profesional y personal. El jugador describió el efecto devastador que la final tuvo sobre él y detalló una caída en el consumo excesivo de alcohol: “Me fui de juerga durante 44 días y toqué fondo… Desde entonces, he estado sobrio y estoy orgulloso de no haber vuelto a caer durante tres décadas”.

El 26 de junio de 1996 marcó el fin del torneo para Inglaterra y el inicio de un momento crítico para Adams. Explicó que no consumió alcohol durante la competencia, pero la derrota en semifinales —agravada por el penal fallado por Gareth Southgate— precipitó una recaída que duró semanas. “Fue determinante para mí. Si Gareth hubiera anotado, habríamos llegado a la final. No sabía si iba a jugar, tenía una inyección en la rodilla, pero tras el penal no tuve defensa”, rememoró.

Durante esos días, Adams se aisló y cayó en la desesperación, mientras veía cómo sus compañeros volvían a sus casas. “Nunca me sentí tan solo y desesperado como cuando vi a todos los jugadores marchándose. El alcohol estaba por todas partes”, confesó.

A su vez, reconoció que el fondo del problema no era solo la bebida: “No tenía un problema con el alcohol, tenía un problema conmigo. Cuando solucioné eso, dejé de necesitar el alcohol”.

La carrera de Adams se caracterizó por un ascenso rápido. A los 17 años, debutó profesionalmente con el Arsenal y a los 21 ya era el capitán del equipo. Sin embargo, la presión del entorno competitivo y la cultura de excesos del fútbol inglés de la época influyeron en el agravamiento de su dependencia. “Empecé con combinados de cerveza y terminé con vino, nunca disfrutando del sabor, solo buscando el efecto”, explicó a FourFourTwo.

Adams protagonizó incidentes de gran peligro, como cuando estrelló su auto bajo los efectos del alcohol, alcanzando un nivel de alcoholemia que superaba el límite legal por más del cuádruple. Sobrevivió de milagro gracias al cinturón de seguridad. “Fui a prisión y nadie mencionó si tenía un problema con la bebida”, describió.

Incluso llegó a disputar partidos en estado de ebriedad: “Hubo partidos con el Arsenal en los que estaba borracho”.

El trato hacia Adams dentro del vestuario y en los medios reforzaba el silencio: “La prensa era muy poderosa en ese tiempo, y las historias sobre mí eran constantes. Me convertí en el chiste recurrente del vestuario, pero nadie abordó el problema de fondo”. La normalización del consumo y la falta de apoyo atrasaron su acceso a la ayuda necesaria.

El cambio comenzó cuando Adams, tras la ruptura de su primer matrimonio motivada por problemas similares, decidió buscar asistencia profesional. Se integró en Alcohólicos Anónimos y empezó una terapia sostenida con el terapeuta James West.

En tanto, la llegada de Arsène Wenger al Arsenal en 1996 fue un apoyo esencial en ese nuevo proceso: “Él solo quería lo mejor para nosotros. Me ayudó a alcanzar el 100% de mi capacidad, cuando antes jugaba apenas al 70%”.

Impulsado por su propia experiencia, el exjugador fundó la clínica Sporting Chance, destinada a la salud mental de deportistas profesionales. Además, su trilogía de libros —iniciada con Addicted en 1998 y seguida por Sober y 1996: Reflections on the year that changed my life— se consolidó como material de referencia para otros afectados.

Durante la entrevista, el exfutbolista habló también de las raíces familiares de su adicción. “Mi abuelo era alcohólico y mi padre, aunque nunca bebía, canalizaba su frustración de otras formas. Mi madre era una buena mujer, pero no tenía hábitos saludables”, recordó.

Hoy en día, Adams se posiciona como figura central en la lucha contra las adicciones en el deporte británico y advierte sobre cuáles son las amenazas actuales: ”Las apuestas son una epidemia en el fútbol, así como también el aumento del uso de medicamentos en otros deportes“, señaló a FourFourTwo.

Además, Adams afirmó sentirse en paz con el recorrido personal que ha realizado: “Hoy me gusto a mí mismo. No me importa si piensas que soy un idiota. Me voy a ir al atardecer y vivir una vida fantástica”, sintetizó.

President Donald Trump publicly thanked what he called Pakistan’s «great prime minister and field marshal, two fantastic people!!!» in a Truth Social post Friday praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s military chief, Asim Munir.

Sharif quickly responded on X, «On behalf of the people of Pakistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and on my behalf, I express my deep and profound appreciation for your kind and gracious words.»

The public exchange capped a remarkable rise for Munir, who has become one of the few foreign officials trusted both by Trump and by Iran’s security establishment.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Munir recently became the first foreign military leader to visit Iran since the latest escalation between the United States and Iran, according to Pakistani and Iranian reports. Arriving in full military uniform, he was warmly greeted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and held meetings with senior Iranian military officials.

Retired Pakistani Gen. Ahmed Saeed told Fox News Digital that Munir has for months served as an informal back channel between Washington and Tehran, Iran, as the Trump administration tries to negotiate an end to the conflict, Iran’s nuclear program and the naval blockade in the Persian Gulf.

Few foreign figures appear to have closer ties both to Trump and to Iran’s military hierarchy.

That has raised a striking question: How did the same man become close both to Trump and to some of Iran’s most powerful commanders?

Saeed, who said he has known Munir personally for years, told Fox News Digital that Munir began building ties with Iran while serving as Pakistan’s director general of military intelligence in 2016 and 2017.

«He has been interacting with the leadership. He has been interacting with the intelligence community. He has been interacting with the IRGC,» or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Saeed said.

According to Saeed, Munir built ties not only with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps but also with Iran’s regular army and intelligence apparatus. Saeed said Munir had longstanding contact with former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike in 2020, commander Hossein Salami, who was killed in an Israeli strike in June 2025, and other Iranian military figures.

JD VANCE SAYS THE BALL IS ‘IN IRAN’S COURT’ AFTER PAKISTAN PEACE TALKS STALL

Few foreign figures appear to have closer ties both to Trump and to Iran’s military hierarchy.  (Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

«He continues to be a figure internationally who has personal interactions, a personal equation in the intelligence community in Iran, in the military hierarchy in Iran, in the diplomatic corps of Iran and also on the side of the political leadership,» Saeed said.

That longstanding relationship appears to explain why Iran welcomed him so warmly, even as he remains in direct contact with Trump and his team.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Bill Roggio told Fox News Digital that, «Trump should not trust the Pakistanis. Pakistan was a perfidious ‘ally’ in Afghanistan, backing the Taliban while pretending to be our friends. Munir’s ties to the IRGC should be a massive red flag for the Trump admin.»

Munir’s relationship with Trump dates back to the India–Pakistan crisis of May 2025. Munir played a key role in helping de-escalate the confrontation, and afterward Pakistan formally nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move widely viewed by Pakistani analysts as encouraged by Munir.

Pakistan’s Asim Munir has become one of the few foreign officials trusted by both President Donald Trump and Iran’s security establishment, according to Pakistani analysts and officials. (Jacquelyn Martin / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Since then, Trump repeatedly has praised him. Trump has called Munir an «exceptional man,» a «great fighter» and «my favorite field marshal.» 

Pakistani officials and media reports say the two men now speak directly.

Pakistani analyst Raza Rumi told Fox News Digital that Munir’s appeal to Trump is not surprising.

«Trump has long shown a preference for strong, decisive leaders,» Rumi said. «Munir fits that mold as a centralized authority figure who can deliver outcomes.»

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEEM LIGHT-YEARS APART ON ANY POSSIBLE DEAL TO END THE WAR

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

Rumi described Munir as «a disciplined, institution-first leader with a strong emphasis on order, hierarchy and strategic clarity.»

«Unlike more publicly charismatic military figures, his style is relatively understated, shaped by intelligence work and operational experience rather than overt political signaling,» Rumi said.

Munir’s background helps explain both his style and his influence.

Munir studied at the Fuji School in Japan, the Command and Staff College in Quetta, the Malaysian Armed Forces College in Kuala Lumpur, and Pakistan’s National Defence University, where he earned an master of philosophy degree n public policy and strategic security management, according to Pakistan’s Geo News. Munir was the first army chief in Pakistan to receive the Sword of Honour, the military’s highest distinction for a cadet. The outlet also described him as an avid reader, traveler and sportsman.

Munir is also a Hafiz-e-Quran, meaning he has memorized the entire Quran by heart.

A former head of both Pakistan’s Military Intelligence and Inter-Services Intelligence agencies, Munir spent years overseeing Pakistan’s most sensitive regional relationships, including with Iran, Afghanistan and India.

TRUMP AGREES TO 2-WEEK CEASEFIRE IF IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Vice President JD Vance shakes hands with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on April 12, 2026, after talks on Iran. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chief of Defence Forces Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, and U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker look on as Vance prepares to board Air Force Two. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

In 2025, after the India-Pakistan crisis, he was elevated to field marshal, the first Pakistani officer to hold the rank since former military ruler Ayub Khan.

Pakistani officials say that later that year, he also was given the newly created title of chief of defense forces, further cementing his authority above the country’s military branches.

Munir rarely gives interviews, but his speeches offer clues to his worldview.

WHO ACTUALLY RUNS IRAN RIGHT NOW? THE KEY POWER PLAYERS AS TRUMP CLAIMS TALKS TO ‘TOP’ OFFICIAL

A former head of both Pakistan’s Military Intelligence and Inter-Services Intelligence agencies, Munir spent years overseeing Pakistan’s most sensitive regional relationships, including with Iran, Afghanistan and India. (Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

At the Margalla Dialogue in Islamabad in November 2024, he warned that «absence of proper regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies worldwide.»

The remark reflected a broader emphasis on order, discipline and centralized authority.

Rumi said Munir operates from «a transactional, state-centric worldview rather than an ideological one.»

Yet critics argue that his rise has come at a cost to Pakistan’s democracy.

After becoming army chief in 2022, Munir focused heavily on domestic politics, including what critics described as a crackdown on political opposition and an unprecedented concentration of military power, according to The Guardian, which reported that key negotiations with the United States and Iran have been coordinated not from Islamabad, Pakistan’s civilian capital, but from Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the military.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A broken frame of Pakistan’s field marshal and army chief, Asim Munir, hangs on the wall after an attack at the Cadet College Wana, a military-linked school, in the South Waziristan district near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Nov. 13, 2025.  (Aamir Qureshi / AFP via Getty Images)

Critics say that reflects a broader reality: Pakistan’s foreign policy is increasingly being run by the army rather than the elected government.

Rumi said Munir’s rise reflects «the military increasingly eclipsing civilian leadership in Pakistan.»

As the current negotiations continue, much appears to rest on Munir. Saeed said that is because Munir has spent years building trust on both sides and is unlikely to stop now.

«Knowing our field marshal, and from my own personal knowledge of him, he is relentless. He would not give up,» Saeed said.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s office is denying reports that city funds were used to support a program offering LGBTQ migrants up to $500 in «wellness» perks, after a local advocacy group advertised the benefits and later scaled back its description amid backlash.

Through its program «Belonging Matters,» the group had planned to provide yoga, arts and other recreational services.

«No funds have been distributed or directed for these purposes. This organization received a $7,500 grant through a City program to support mental health services. Those funds were not designated for and may not be used for the voucher program referenced,» a spokesperson for the city told Fox News Digital.

The dispute highlights conflicting claims about what the «Belonging Matters» program actually offered and whether any city-backed funding was tied to those benefits, drawing scrutiny over how Boston distributes and oversees grants to outside advocacy groups.

BOSTON POLICE IGNORED 100% OF ICE DETAINER REQUESTS IN 2025, CITING SANCTUARY LAW

OUTnewcomers is listed as one of 45 recipients of a larger $200,000 push to support LGBTQ communities in Boston. The $200,000 figure was approved by Wu last year as a part of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement (MOLA).

According to Boston officials, OUTnewcomers was awarded a $7,500 mini-grant allocated from the 2026 budget. The city has not green-lighted grant funding or cash assistance.

«These investments represent our continued dedication to uplifting LGBTQ+ Bostonians by putting resources directly into the hands of trusted community organizations,» Wu said in a press release at the time.

The mayor’s office declined to answer questions about what the $7,500 fund had originally been approved for.

The registration form for Belonging Matters offered applicants yoga, breathwork and meditation, gym memberships, creative arts, peer support, storytelling, nature-based wellness and hair styling. If approved, the program promised applicants $250 to $500 in «wellness allowances» evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

But the organization later described the program as offering vouchers of $50 or less, creating a discrepancy between how the initiative was initially presented and how it was later characterized.

«Our City of Boston-funded program is modest and need-based. It provides small vouchers of $50 or less to eligible LGBTQ+ migrants living in Boston to access limited wellness support such as haircuts, acupuncture, or massage,» the organization said in a press release.

BOSTON’S WU ORDERS RELEASE OF ICE SURVEILLANCE AND BODY CAM FOOTAGE, SAYS FED GOVERNMENT ‘HIDES BEHIND MASKS’

Boston, Mass., skyline. (Getty Images)

The program drew scrutiny online, with critics calling it a waste of taxpayer dollars.

«Handing out perks & benefits like this all the while telling the tax payers of Boston you need to pay more because we have a huge shortfall in our budget,» one observer wrote in a post to X, alluding to property tax hikes approved by the Boston City Council in 2025.

OUTnewcomers did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on how many registrants are expected to join or how many have enrolled so far. The group announced on Thursday that it had temporarily suspended the program due to «security threats.»

Founded by Sal Khan, a queer journalist originally from Pakistan, OUTnewcomers describes itself as a «grassroots and volunteer-run organization based in the Greater Boston Area» focused on «community-led advocacy, resource navigation and collective care.»

Mayor Wu speaks as the Mayor and City leaders hold a press conference on violence and drug use in DTC on February 26. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

OUTnewcomers only recently launched its website in April, according to a post to X put up by the organization.

Their website does not list a 990 form, the required disclosure for nonprofits that normally lays out an organization’s structure, leadership and revenue.