The ball boy, who was then 17, shot to fame after his infamous clash with Eden Hazard during Swansea's League Cup tie against Chelsea in 2013
Chris Morgan
Chris Morgan made the headlines after Eden Hazard lashed out at him
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A Swansea ball boy once kicked by Eden Hazard has gone on to make an astonishing fortune, with reports suggesting he has earned around £300million from selling his vodka empire. Charlie Morgan was just 17 when he became the centre of global attention during Chelsea's 2013 League Cup clash with Swansea City, after Hazard lashed out while trying to retrieve the ball Morgan was shielding.
The Belgian was sent off, the clip went viral, and Morgan's name suddenly travelled far beyond South Wales. Hazard later said he apologised to Morgan, explaining: "The ball boy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat. I apologised and the boy apologised as well, and it is over. Sorry."
Now 31, Morgan has built one of the world's most recognisable premium vodka brands. He co‑founded Au Vodka with business partner Jackson Quinn in Swansea in 2015, and the company has since exploded in popularity - known for its gold bottles, celebrity endorsements from the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Ronaldinho, and rapid expansion following investment from DJ Charlie Sloth.
The brand has now been acquired by US drinks giant Sazerac, with Reuters reporting the deal is worth approximately £300m, though the exact financial terms remain undisclosed. Au Vodka had previously been valued at around £150m, and Morgan and Quinn were estimated to have personal net worths of roughly £75m each.
More than 80 people are now employed in South Wales as Au Vodka continues to scale, and Sazerac chief executive Jake Wenz has been full of praise for the brand, calling it one the company has long admired.
"Au Vodka is a brand we've long admired," he said. "What Charlie, Jackson, and Charlie have achieved in just over a decade is spectacular and rare, and we have big plans for Au as we welcome the brand into the Sazerac family."
Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn founded AU Vodka
Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn founded AU Vodka(Image: Instagram/@charliem0rgan)
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He said the takeover would bolster Sazerac's presence in the UK while giving Au Vodka 'a path for continued global growth.'
Morgan and Quinn have often reflected on their early days, saying they launched the business with 'nothing but an idea and a belief that vodka didn’t have to be boring.'
"We are proud to have built it into one of the most disruptive brands of this generation," he said. "With Sazerac, Au can be offered to more people, in more markets, faster than we ever could alone."
Au Vodka now sits alongside more than 500 drinks in Sazerac's portfolio, which includes brands such as BuzzBallz and Southern Comfort.