Touching moment Sam Thompson breaks down in tears and is comforted by best friend Pete Wicks during agonising 260-mile Soccer Aid challenge – as he reveals he is out of charity match

In tears, Sam Thompson found himself struggling during the arduous 260-mile Soccer Aid event, as depicted in his latest documentary.

In a challenging journey, a 32-year-old individual collected over £1.5 million for Unicef while dealing with a calf injury and walking from Manchester to Old Trafford to prepare the Soccer Aid match ball in time for the game on Sunday.

On Friday, a fresh documentary that aired on ITV offered viewers a glimpse behind the scenes of Sam’s mission, revealing both triumphs and challenges, as well as a heartwarming interaction between Sam and Pete Wicks, who is 36 years old.

One video displayed Sam making a face due to his troublesome calf strain, causing him to exit the game, during the third stage of his competition. As he advanced, he spotted his close companion leading the way.

In an intensely emotional scene, Pete and Sam quickly shared a warm embrace, and just moments later, the runner burst into tears, finding solace in the comforting arms of his podcast partner.

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Pete reassured him: ‘You’re smashing it,’ but a struggling Sam replied: ‘I’m not’.

The heart-warming moment then saw the pair hug again, with Pete motivating his pal to keep going. 

Reflecting on his break down, Sam said that he ‘lost himself’ during that moment. 

He expressed all his feelings of embarrassment and disappointment, as well as his concern for letting others down, he explained.

All those who participated in the challenge finished it, confirming my belief that I was not mistaken about myself.”

This version conveys the same meaning as your original sentence but uses simpler and more conversational language.

In the video, I got an exclusive peek at how Pete stood by Sam following the conclusion of our journey together.

Sam confided to the ex-TOWIE star, casting his gaze towards his leg, “I won’t be capable of accomplishing this task.

Pete, yet again, offered encouragement: “You’re more than halfway done, no matter what challenges you’ve faced thus far, you’ve already conquered them.

‘You can do that again, you know you can get through it, so just do the same again.’

Amazingly, Sam persevered to conquer the last two days of his task, fighting back tears as he reached the finish line on Friday.

The ex-star from Made In Chelsea had to withdraw from the Soccer Aid game at Old Trafford on Sunday because of his injuries.

In a recent interview on This Morning on a Friday, Sam shared some disappointing updates about his condition. He told host Alison Hammond, “I’m still in pain, my calf is still torn, but I couldn’t be happier to be at Soccer Aid HQ right now – it doesn’t get any better than this.

We continue with England’s current leadership team, joined by Vicky McClure, Tyson Fury in a fresh role, and Harry Redknapp.

However, since I can’t move around freely, I’ll still be part of the management team. Let’s work together!”

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Dermot said: ‘So you can’t play this year obviously because you’re literally falling apart.

‘So is that right? you’re not going to play but you’re part of the management team?’

Sam mentioned that he had arrived with great expectations, visited Gary the physiotherapist, and now can even kick a ball from a stationary position. However, when it comes to the unpredictable nature of competitive sports, he finds it impossible to adapt.

‘I can’t really run properly so yeah.

They showed great kindness and assured me that I am still invited, which means I’ll join Tyson Fury on his side, the mysterious one.

Instead of playing the game, the reality star will be helping from the sidelines as a coach. 

After encountering Louis Tomlinson during Soccer Aid training on Thursday and another encounter the following morning, Sam decided to step away from the group. These meetings, though not smooth, may have contributed to his decision.

After breaking up with Zara McDermott in December, Sam has maintained that he bears no ill feelings towards her, even though she swiftly started dating singer Louis, who is 33 years old, and the two of them have been virtually inseparable ever since they made their relationship public in March.

However, the training session turned out to be rather uncomfortable for Louis and Sam as they found themselves working side by side on the field. They also seemed uneasy when interacting with their famous teammates, deliberately avoiding each other’s gaze.

The players, all part of England’s Unicef squad, were intentionally low-key, preferring to focus on their individual tasks rather than seeking attention. However, even the most private among them momentarily caught each other’s eye when flamboyant Sam offered a smile in passing.

After the encounter, Judi James, a specialist in body language, explained that the minimal interaction between them during the day was like a strong attraction point. She stated that their attempts to avoid looking at each other actually drew more attention.

In a conversation solely with TopMob, Judi explained that Sam seems determined to project an image of being anything but a failure in romantic relationships. On the other hand, Louis comes across as more reserved or introverted.

She mentioned that there seemed to be an opportunity for these two individuals to acknowledge each other with a hug or a handshake, even if it was brief, but they opted to behave as if they didn’t notice the situation. This is because Sam used to date Zara, while Louis is her current partner.

As a devoted supporter, I’ve learned that overlooking an evident scenario can unfortunately turn into a focal point, making it challenging to avoid drawing attention away from the charity as initially intended.

Judi explained that Sam was displaying signs of boasting or showing off, with his determination to maintain friendly relations and a strong desire to not appear as a lovelorn loser, contrasted by Louis’ reserved demeanor.

She continued, “Both men seem friendly, but there’s something about them that feels a bit dramatic, perhaps because they don’t make eye contact or offer a greeting when they meet.

Each of them seems to have chosen distinct attitudes. Sam exudes a vibrant, attention-grabbing demeanor, flashing a broad grin and energetically moving his hands, whereas Louis comes across as reserved, preferring to observe the events unfolding with a smile rather than initiating the action himself.

Sam seems to want to avoid being perceived as a failure in romance. His demeanor is energetic, self-assured, and brimming with enthusiasm, indicating that he has likely found closure following his breakup with Zara.

Louis seems attentive and engaged, yet neither of the two gentlemen, known for their amiable nature, appear to show any visible signs of rivalry or open bitterness.

Louis seemed noticeably uncomfortable as he positioned himself right behind a lively Sam, suggesting they may or may not have engaged with one another off-camera.

It looks like Sam and Louis will continue to maintain some physical separation, since they each have their own individual areas in the changing rooms.

Upon reaching the training session, Sam hid his nerves behind a cheerful facade for the photographs. Meanwhile, an enthusiastic Louis was snapped as he entered and headed towards the field.

The previous day, Zara demonstrated her backing for her new beau Louis, by preparing them a delicious creamy salmon pasta for supper. As she snapped a picture of their meal, Louis’s guitar was prominently visible in the shot.

The newly formed pair had an enchanting vacation at his Los Angeles residence, followed by a trip to Costa Rica, spending time together since Louis arranged a luxurious flight for his sweetheart from the island initially.

It appears that Zara might not be present to cheer for Louis during Soccer Aid, but she did share an endearing photo of herself with a white cat on Instagram last Friday instead.

She captioned the post: ‘Going back to mum & dads for the day = lots of cuddles.’ 

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2025-06-13 23:20