Zlatan Ibrahimovic Surprises Rescued Thai Soccer Players ... 'Best Team In The World'

Wanna know what Ellen DeGeneres did when she learned the rescued Thai soccer players were HUGE fans of Zlatan Ibrahimovic???

SHE BROUGHT HIM OUT ON STAGE TO MEET THEM!!!

The famous soccer team -- aka The Wild Boars -- has been in LA for the past week ... taking on all the sights and sounds of Hollywood ... and stopped by 'Ellen' for a sit-down interview (airs Monday).

That's when Ellen decided to give them a surprise ... their favorite soccer player in the flesh -- and dude couldn't have been nicer.

"I thought I was brave, but these kids, this team is more braver than me," Zlatan said.

The praise from the soccer legend didn't stop there ... "They show their collective teamwork and had patience, faith and believe in other hands also, so this is probably the best team in the world."

Zlatan also brought out gifts for the boys ... t-shirts, balls, jerseys AND L.A. Galaxy tickets ... and said, "We can make exchange, you get my shirt I get your shirt."

How cool is that?!?!

Deion Sanders' Son Pumps Brakes on Florida State ... Not a Done Deal

Shilo Sanders
NO PRESSURE
TMZSports.com

Don't start the tomahawk chop just yet ... Deion Sanders' football star son tells TMZ Sports he's flattered by his scholarship offer to Florida State -- but he's not ready to commit.

It's not a diss -- Shilo Sanders says he just doesn't want to rush into a decision since he's still got some time to weigh his options ... and he's got PLENTY of options.

Major programs including Oregon, Nebraska, Georgia and South Carolina have been after Shilo and for good reason ... he's a STUD senior cornerback at Trinity Christian School in Texas.

But, Shilo's dad is arguably the greatest player to ever don a 'Noles uniform -- which can cut both ways when making a college decision.

On one hand, it would be cool to follow in Dad's shoes. On the other hand, it might be better for Shilo to forge his own legacy somewhere else.

Shilo tells us he's been hearing both arguments and simply wants to give it more thought.

"I'm not saying [FSU] won't be the right fit, I'm just saying I'm not making the decision right now."

What's cool ... Shilo says he credits his football skills to his father, who's been teaching him the Jedi ways of the cornerback position.

In fact, Shilo -- one of Deion's three sons -- says it was Prime's idea to move him from quarterback to cornerback a few years ago and it was the best thing he's ever done.

"He was like, 'Just believe me, just trust me, and I'm going to get you some offers,'" Shilo tells us.

"'I'ma teach you how to play corner.' And, when the best corner ever tells you something like that, you can't deny it."

Smart kid.

LeBron James Pissed Rival Spurs Lost Rising Star ... 'F*#% Man!'

LeBron James is straight-up PISSED that one of his NBA rivals lost a great player ... dropping an f-bomb when he learned Spurs baller Dejounte Murray was done for the season.

Murray's right knee buckled as he went up for a layup against the Rockets in San Antonio's preseason game Sunday ... and the team announced Monday he suffered a torn ACL.

Bron wasn't the least bit pleased to know one of his Western Conference rivals took that big of a blow, saying, "Man I feared that would be the case when I saw the play! F*#% man!"

In fact, the Lakers superstar made sure the 22-year-old knew he can lean on him if he needs him through the recovery process.

"You know how to reach me and where to find me if needed. Love lil bro!!"

As for Murray ... he was keeping his head up, writing on social media, "I Will Attack This Process Every Single Day And Use This Time To Become Even Sharper In All Aspects."

BTW ... Murray's still dating Jilly Anais ... which has gotta soften the blow at least A LITTLE bit, right??

Yeah, we'd say so.

USA Cheer Team Meet Our LeBron!!

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SECOND TO NONE
TMZSports.com

If LeBron James ever decided to quit basketball and hit the cheerleading game ... here's what he'd look like ...

Meet Chris Ethridge ... a University of Louisville cheerleader -- who USA Cheer Team tells TMZ Sports is undoubtedly the LBJ of their squad.

So ... what makes him the G.O.A.T. on the cheer mat??

"Just work hard," Chris says. "Some natural talent, but be in the gym a lot. Work hard."

Still skeptical he's The Chosen One?? Check him out tossing a chick into the air and catching her with his LEFT HAND ...

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FLYING HIGH

Yeah, king status for sure.

BTW ... in case you were wondering who the Serena Williams of the squad is -- the team pointed her out to us too.

AND -- they also showed us a dude who can bench 405 pounds!!!!

Cheerleading ... IT'S A SPORT!!

Ben Affleck Back in Tip-Top Batman Shape ... During Rehab Stint

Ben Affleck may or may not don the cowl again for another 'Batman' movie -- especially after heading back to rehab -- but based on how he looks right now ... dude totally could.

The actor was seen heading to a meeting Monday in L.A., and he was looking completely yoked in a fitted tee. Don't worry, this ain't just a good angle of Ben from the front ... he had a full-blown gun show on display from the side as well. It was sunny out, so ... ya know.

Looks like all that working out at his home gym a few weeks ago really paid off while he was attending rehab. Also worth noting -- we haven't really seen him without a jacket on for a minute now, including Sunday's outing with Jen Garner and the kids. Who knew?!

It's unclear if Ben has finished his treatment, but we have seen him out in public more regularly in recent weeks.

As for the Bruce Wayne thing -- sign him up.

Britney Spears BF Sam Meek on Possible Proposal

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BRITNEY'S BEAST
TMZ.com

Britney Spears' hunk of man is happy to open up about their gym life, and even her music -- but you gotta see what happens when the big "M" comes up..

We got Sam Asghari leaving Bristol Farms Wednesday in Westwood, where our photog first asked who was in better shape between him and his gal. His answer might surprise you, and so might his favorite Brit workout song.

Then it got really interesting -- as Sam slid into his convertible Mercedes, we asked if he plans on proposing anytime soon, and he answered directly. If nothing else, you can tell he's prepared for the question. He should be ... they've been dating for nearly 2 years.

One other thing ... the topic of Britney reportedly agreeing to pay K-Fed thousands more per month in child support -- after a nasty court battle -- is clearly Sam's kryptonite.

All he offered on that was a rev of his sweet sports car.

Usain Bolt Smokes Astronaut In Zero Gravity Foot Race

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SPACE RACE

He's the fastest man on Earth ... but how would Usain Bolt do in space!??

You're about to find out ...

The Olympic legend boarded a special Airbus Zero G plane, which simulates what it's like to be in zero gravity ... and challenged 2 of his fellow passengers to a foot race.

The challengers? French astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy (in the blue flight suit) and CEO of Novespace and French Interior designer Octave de Gaulle (in the black).

The guys definitely gave Bolt a run for his money in the first leg of the race, but Usain turned up the heat and crushed 'em when it counted.

And, how'd he celebrate? Usain didn't bust out his signature "Bolt" gesture -- instead, he popped some fancy Mumm Grand Cordon Stellar (fun fact: de Gaulle designed the fancy bottle).

The bottle was reportedly designed for use by future space tourists -- apparently, it's easier to chug from this bottle in zero gravity.

So, if you save up ... a lot ... you can (maybe) test it out one day.

Good luck.

Richard Simmons Hiding & Hu$tling!!! With New Merch & Calendar

Richard Simmons has been in hiding for almost 5 years, but that's about to change in a big way ... because he's about to wheel and deal again.

We've learned the famous fitness guru will launch the "Richard Simmons Sweatin' Shop" channel Thursday on TalkShop.live. Think QVC meets Facebook where anyone -- even celebs -- can go live to plug their merch.

Richard's first offering ... a 2019 calendar filled with more than just 365 dates ... also contains Richard-ism inspirations for each day. He'll also sell new and classic exercise merch.

One catch -- fans expecting to see the King of Fitness should manage their expectations ... we're told he will NOT make any appearances on the channel. Richard's friends will pimp his products.

Simmons' channel will go live Thursday night at 8 PM ET.

Richard's been in hiding going on 5 years now. Last time we came close to getting even a glimpse was in April 2017, when a pap got a pic that partially showed his face. There was this Bigfoot-like image in Summer of 2016 but that doesn't really count, right?

As we reported ... Richard's had some health issues in recent years. He was hospitalized last year because of a gastrointestinal problem.

He's done his best to keep a low profile with interesting disguises.

Ben Affleck Takes Workout Break from Rehab ... Still Getting Treatment

Ben Affleck left rehab Wednesday morning ... but we've learned not for long.

Ben showed up at his Pacific Palisades home after driving from his live-in rehab facility in Malibu. Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Ben has permission to leave to work out at his home. One of the conditions ... he travels with his sober coach.

We're told Ben has been allowed to leave before for the same purpose and it's now part of his rehab regime.

TMZ broke the story ... Jennifer Garner staged an intervention last month and drove Ben to rehab. We're told Ben actually wanted the help because he was in a deep tailspin after falling off the wagon.

The tipping point came 2 days before the intervention, when Jen saw a pic of Ben accepting delivery of beer and hard liquor at his home.

As we reported, Ben had been on and off the bottle for 18 month and that's one of the reasons his divorce case had stalled. We're told Jennifer did not want to cement joint custody into their deal until she knew he was stable. We know Ben and Jen have settled their divorce, and the plan is to finalize with the judge when Ben leaves rehab.

Ben has been to rehab before ... most recently in March, 2017. He was also in rehab in 2001.

Shaunie O'Neal Kobe Offered To Train My Kids ... For Basketball Greatness

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COACHED BY THE GOATS
TMZSports.com

File this under:

WHY HASN'T IT HAPPENED?!!

Here's Shaunie O'Neal -- Shaq's ex-wife -- telling the world that Kobe freakin' Bryant has PERSONALLY offered to train her kids in basketball ... but for some reason it hasn't happened yet.

What?

We got Shaunie at LAX, and asked her about her son, Shaqir, being teamed up on the court with LeBron James Jr. at Crossroads school in Santa Monica.

We wanted to know if LeBron would be personally training the two boys, and while Shaunie couldn't answer that, she did tell us about another Laker great who's offered.

"Kobe always offers ... we're just so far from each other, but he always offers."

33,643 career points (3rd of all time), 2 NBA Finals MVPs, 5 championships. That's what Shaunie won't travel down the 5 freeway to have her kid get trained up by.

We at TMZ Sports demand somebody fix this.

BTW -- It's not like Kobe doesn't give out his tutelage, he just recently worked with NBA star Jayson Tatum ... who had to fly cross country to make it happen. Just sayin'.

Orlando Bloom Ab-solutely Ripped

Orlando Bloom is living proof ... you don't have to give up on your body when you turn 40.

Orlando hit the waters of Malibu Saturday with a buddy as they enjoyed the last vestiges of summer.

The 41-year-old strolled the beach as his furry little poodle tagged along for the ride. Orlando also hit up the Malibu Chili Cook-Off, which was being held in a nearby field.

No sign of Katy Perry ... It's unclear if she and Orlando are still together. The last time we saw them together was back in July. The 2 were in London at a club and it seemed like a date, but again, they go for periods of time when they're not together ... or so it seems.

Orlando just wrapped a play, "Killer Joe," in London.

Did we mention he's super ripped?

Joseph Baena Like Father, Like Son ... Pumpin' Hard in the Gym!!!

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IT'S IN HIS GENES

Joseph Baena's channeling his inner Mr. Universe ... with a weightlifting routine that would make his old man proud.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's son was at the gym Wednesday, and flaunted his muscles in a short vid of himself jacking up 120 lb. dumbbells on the incline press ... 4 times.

Baena doesn't quite have the bodybuilder bod yet ... but he's getting there. He's looking even more shredded than when we saw him with his smokin' hot GF around the Fourth of July.

And, speaking of Mr. Universe ... Arnold -- the winner of the 1969 competition -- JUST got reunited with his 1st place trophy a couple weeks ago after it went missing for decades.

Things are looking up for father and son.

Tennis' Anne White Serena's Catsuit Ban Is Sexist ... I Would Know!

Anne White
IT'S A SEXISM ISSUE
TMZSports.com

Ex-pro tennis player Anne White says she knows how Serena Williams feels about the ban on her catsuit at the French Open .. because she went through the exact same thing back in the '80s.

White famously wore a body suit to play in Wimbledon in 1985 -- but was told during the tournament, the suit violated the dress code and she needed to change it or she couldn't continue.

She changed her outfit -- and lost the following match.

White tells TMZ Sports she felt the whole thing was sexist -- "It's kinda crazy that women aren't allowed to wear what they want to work. It's a shame."

Like Serena, Anne says her catsuit was more about function than fashion -- explaining her outfit was intended to keep her warm in the cold weather.

FYI, Serena's catsuit was custom-designed to increase blood circulation in the wake of health issues caused by blot clots.

White tells us ... she's a HUGE fan of Serena and believes tennis officials should change the rules to allow women like Williams to essentially wear whatever they want, especially if there's a legit reason.

There are other critics who think the ban on Serena's catsuit was racially motivated. It seems Anne believes it's not just about black and white ... it's about women still getting the short end of the stick in a "man's world."

NFL's Antonio Brown Farts A LOT During Body Fat Test

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A HEALTHY DIET

Ever try doing your job while an NFL superstar farts in your face?

That's what happened to the guy testing Antonio Brown's body fat percentage on Monday -- who weathered ass rip after ass rip while trying to administer the test.

Dude must have a nose of steel -- because he was unfazed by the Pittsburgh Steelers' WR's overactive butthole.

In the end, the test showed Brown has 3% body fat -- which the fart-enduring administrator described as "pretty f**king good."

As for Antonio, he chalked up his gas problems to having too much fiber in his diet.

Brown returned to practice with the Steelers on Monday and looked pretty good catching balls from Ben Roethlisberger.

AB had missed some time after suffering an injury to his quad -- but he appears to be doing much better now.

The Steelers have their final preseason game on Thursday -- playing the Panthers in a final dress rehearsal. Don't expect Brown to take any snaps though.

Pittsburgh opens up their season on Sept. 9 against the Cleveland Browns ... a team that's trying very hard not to stink as bad as one of AB's farts.

Aaron Donald Should Rams Pay Me?? ... Abs-olutely!!

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LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD

Aaron Donald sent a message to the Rams on Thursday -- six of them, in fact -- letting his abs say the words his mouth didn't ... PAY ME!!

The not-so-subtle memo to his L.A. bosses went down on Donald's IG ... where the superstar D-lineman -- who's still holding out -- posed shirtless with every one of his six abs flashing.

The caption might as well have had general manager Les Snead's name on it too ... 'cause it read, "Lookin good for 280."

Translation -- he's a 6"1', 280-pound monster in incredible shape ready to get back on the football field.

So, Les ... maybe give that man his money now??

Colton Underwood How's it Hangin'!!!

Famed virgin Colton Underwood failed to get engaged on TV, but he's still holding onto the ring.

The 'Bachelorette' star and ex-NFL stud hit up Venice Beach to sculpt his hot bod, which frankly already looks like a finished work to us.

Colton totally knows how to spend a summer's day at the beach ... 'cause he busted out a six pack. It's a bonus for all the folks walking on the boardwalk for sure.

Seriously, how is this man-dime STILL a virgin? Get on it, ladies.