The former Swansea City ballboy famously kicked by Eden Hazard is reportedly closing in on an extraordinary payday after building a vodka empire worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Charlie Morgan became an unlikely figure in English football history in 2013 following his bizarre altercation with the then-Chelsea superstar during a League Cup semi-final.
But 13 years later, Morgan is making headlines for very different reasons.
The 30-year-old and business partner Jackson Quinn are reportedly in advanced talks to sell their premium drinks company Au Vodka to American alcohol giant Sazerac Company in a deal worth around £500million.
Morgan and Quinn could each pocket approximately £100m if an agreement is completed, according to the Daily Mail, although they may retain positions within the company.
It represents a remarkable transformation for Morgan, who was just a teenager when his encounter with Hazard was broadcast around the world.
During Chelsea’s clash with Swansea, Morgan appeared to fall on top of the ball as Hazard attempted to retrieve it quickly.
The frustrated Belgian then kicked underneath the youngster in an attempt to dislodge the ball and was subsequently shown a red card.
The former Swansea City ballboy famously kicked by Eden Hazard is reportedly closing in on an extraordinary payday after building a vodka empire worth hundreds of millions of pounds
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GETTY
Opinion was fiercely divided at the time, but the incident ensured Morgan became one of football’s most recognisable ballboys.
His life since then has taken a rather different trajectory.
Morgan launched Au Vodka with school friend Quinn in 2015 and the pair have overseen rapid growth from their Swansea base.
The company now reportedly sells more than 35,000 bottles every day and has attracted endorsements from some of sport’s biggest names, including Ronaldinho and Floyd Mayweather.
Charlie Morgan went viral in 2013 after the incident in Swansea’s match with Chelsea
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PA
Its success has also been reflected in an extravagant new headquarters in Swansea, complete with a gold exterior, ceiling, café and signage to complement the company’s distinctive bottles.
Morgan previously detailed the extraordinary rise of the business on LinkedIn.
“We spent four years in our first office which was only 250 sq ft and only just fit myself, Jackson Quinn and Jordan Major (who was just 16 and packing orders!),” he wrote.
“We spent 5 years in a industrial unit in Swansea, where we grew the business exponentially and the team to 96 people, which we added a new mezzanine floor to house more people four times.
“Today we’ve moved into our new home – A fully gold HQ which really represents Au and what we stand for.”
Negotiations with Sazerac are said to have been taking place for several months, with the US company looking to increase its presence in the British market.
And Morgan’s remarkable story has even come full circle with Hazard.
Eden Hazard became a legend during his time at Chelsea | GETTY
The pair reunited in 2024 for an Au Vodka promotional campaign, more than a decade after their infamous confrontation.
Hazard posed alongside Morgan while holding a glass of the company’s blue raspberry vodka.
“A nice thing about retirement is catching up with old friends,” Hazard joked on social media.
“You have come a long way in 11 years my friend @charliem0rgan.”
