Hazard‑hit Gandula turns entrepreneur with R$ 3 billion sale
At 17, ball boy Charlie Morgan became infamous when Belgian winger Eden Hazard kicked him during the January 2013 English League Cup semifinal between Swansea City and Chelsea, a clash that later earned Morgan a place in football folklore and now underpins a pending R$ 3.5 billion sale of his drinks brand.
Coaches' shared childhood roots
Treinadores of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal played together at the same youth club in their childhood. That shared background links the three English giants long before their senior careers.
2013 League Cup clash
In January 2013, during the Copa da Liga Inglesa semifinal between Swansea City and Chelsea, the Welsh side were leading when Gandula Charlie Morgan tried to delay the ball’s return and lay on it near the goal line. Eden Hazard, defending for Chelsea, struck at the ball, kicked Morgan and was shown a red card.
Swansea confirmed their place in the final of the competition after the incident, and the episode attracted massive media attention, turning the teenager into a recognizable figure beyond football. The red card on Hazard added to the drama and was widely reported.
In 2015, Charlie Morgan co‑founded the premium British spirits brand Au Vodka with a friend. The company quickly grew in the high‑end drinks market and caught the eye of major investors.
Sazerac, the U.S. owner of Southern Comfort and Fireball, is now negotiating the acquisition of Au Vodka for roughly £500 million, about R$ 3.5 billion. British press reports suggest each founder could receive more than £100 million, roughly R$ 700 million, if the deal closes.
In 2024, Morgan and Hazard appeared together in a promotional Action Images shoot, using their historic encounter to market the brand. The reunion turned a quirky football memory into a high‑profile advertising campaign.
The pending R$ 3.5 billion transaction highlights how a single on‑field incident can launch a lucrative business pathway, especially when a U.S. spirits giant backs the venture. It also illustrates the growing commercial links between British entrepreneurship and American beverage conglomerates.