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Rhys Bennett: Manchester United defender on father’s suicide
Content warning: This article contains discussion around suicide and mental health.
Rhys Bennett comes bounding into the media room at Manchester United‘s Carrington training ground bristling with energy, as you would expect of a 22-year-old professional footballer.
Tall and confident, lean and physically fit – apart from a knee injury he is trying to recover from so he can complete a loan move to a League One club next month – defender Bennett offers a firm handshake and talks of his developing skill as a DJ.
Captain of United’s last FA Youth Cup-winning team in 2022, Bennett has impressed during a loan stint at Fleetwood.
But he is not talking about that today.
Bennett has serious issues to discuss, which stem from a heartbreaking message he posted on social media on 28 October.
“Broken, devastated, just don’t want to believe it’s real,” he said. “I love you in this life and the next.”
The message was to his father, David, who had taken his own life.
Bennett wants to talk about the pain of those left behind, to encourage conversation and plead with those struggling with their mental health to choose a different path to the one his dad took.
David, along with the rest of his family, gave his time to help Rhys and daughter Megan, who works in mental health care.
“He was very hard working,” says Bennett. “You grow up, especially as a son, and look up to your father. You want to be like him.
“He gave me so much along the years, including my resilience and work ethic. The time him, my mum and family invested in me to fulfil my dream is something I’ll be forever grateful for. They were always there for me, no matter what.
“They don’t realise how much they’re appreciated, and how they affect people. You want to have millions more laughs and cries and whatever it might be. I appreciate everything he’s ever done for me.
“As much as it’s a sad situation and the last chapter of his life wasn’t a good one, you’ve still got to celebrate his life and think about the good times.
“If I could have one more conversation with him it would be to say how grateful I am of him as a person, how much I love him and let him know how much I really appreciate him. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”
Bennett’s reason to talk to BBC Sport is clear. He wants to help. He realises it is quite possible he will never know if an interview has helped a specific individual, but that is not the point.
“I want to talk about the importance of telling people how you feel, how special it is to be living, to be breathing, to be able to eat, to sleep. You’ve got to be grateful for what you’ve got,” he says.
“Someone might be feeling a certain way but hopefully this nudges people and they might just check up on a person and ask are they OK.
“Don’t question yourself – just do it. Let the people you’re close to know that you’re there for them.”
Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64.
Miklosko made almost 400 appearances for the Hammers from 1990 to 1998 and was much loved by supporters, who regularly sang his name long after he left the club.
He later returned as a goalkeeping coach.
Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis.
Days later he returned to West Ham’s London Stadium for a Premier League match against Liverpool to a hero’s reception.
A West Ham statement read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that West Ham United announces the passing of legendary former goalkeeper and coach, Luděk Miklosko.
“Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man.”
More to follow.
Going into the 2026 season, few people would have backed Zverev to win two Grand Slam tournaments, with the German having already lost three major finals in a career which looked in danger of not living up to expectation.
But injuries to his biggest rivals – Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon, with Sinner ruled out of the US Open – opened the door for Zverev.
A below-par Zverev scraped through the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows in a series of early-morning finishes, but he gradually improved over a fortnight where he did not play a top-20 opponent until Shelton.
Zverev had not lost to Shelton in their five previous meetings and immediately capitalised on a nervy start by his opponent.
Shelton double-faulted on break point in the first game of the match, handing over the type of initiative that opponents often struggle to wrestle back from Zverev.
Through the strength of his first serve, and his ability to unpick Shelton’s weaker backhand in the baseline exchanges, Zverev rolled through the opening set and clinched it when Shelton hit another double fault on set point.
Zverev continued to patiently draw mistakes from Shelton in the second set, but without being gifted a break when his only opportunity arrived in the fourth game.
He instead showed why he has a strong tie-break record with another nerveless display and, unlike in the 2020 US Open final when he lost from a two-set lead, kept his composure in the pressure moments to secure a commanding victory.
Addressing his team which is led by his father Alexander senior and brother Mischa, Zverev said: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now won two in the span of three months.
“I think God has seen how hard we have worked, how hard we have suffered and how much pain we went through.
“I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.
“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.
“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.
“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”
United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.
“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.
“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.
“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”
Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”
Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”
Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”
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