Who doesn’t love supporting their favourite football team? The game being the most popular sport on the planet has the aura to attract some of the most popular names in the world. With millions of football fans around the globe, there are bound to be a couple of famous ones among them as well.There is a whole host of celebrities including some of the biggest names in Hollywood who are just as obsessed with football like any other fan out there.
Here are a few famous Hollywood celebrities who’ve gone out of their way to connect with their teams and support the beautiful game of football.
1) Justin Timberlake & Dominic Monaghan
Team: Manchester United
It might seem stereotypical for an American pop star come actor like Justin Timberlake to be a fan of an English football club. But when Timberlake was invited by Alan Smith to watch a game, the ”Sexy back” star fell in love with the whole experience. Even Justin’s bodyguard Eric is a huge United fan. Hopefully, his second name isn’t Cantona.
You might know Dominic Monaghan from his roles in The Lord of the Rings movies as Merry Brandybuck or Charlie Pace from the television series “Lost”. But what you might not know is the actor's affection for Manchester United. Both his parent's hail from Manchester and football runs in the family. Monaghan’s fondness for the club increased growing up watching his parents and neighbours support only one team. Dominic often visits Old Trafford to see the Red Devil’s play.
2) Hugh Jackman
Team: Norwich City
Yes! You heard it right. The Wolverine is a huge fan of the recently relegated canaries! In fact, the Hollywood superstar almost invested in the club back in 2011 when the club approached the Australian to be part owner of the club. But Jackman turned down the offer and later admitted that he regrets the decision he had made.
Jackman at the age of 16 often visited his mother who lives Norwich and also has a fondness for a local pub in the area called “Nag’s Head” and it’s atmosphere filled with music, beer, and stories.
Recently in an interview with ESPN, Jackman joked about “how things didn’t work out” for David Beckham when he spent several weeks on trial with the Canaries in 1987 when Beckham was just 12-years-old. Jackman also stated about the “Entertaining football” Norwich play and went back to mention the Milk Cup win of 1984. Yikes!
3) Sylvester Stallone
Team: Everton
Sylvester Stallone has been a long term supporter of Everton thanks to his friendship with club director Robert Earl. Stallone made his first appearance at Goodison park in a 1-1 draw against Reading in 2007. Stallone had approached the club last year to film his latest instalment “Creed” in the hugely successful “Rocky” franchise.
Lifelong Everton Tony Bellew was also featured in the film highlighting the club’s crest and merchandise. The filmmakers had recorded booing and cheering sounds of the fans in the stands to be used for crowd scenes in the movie during Everton’s game against West Bromwich Albion in 2014.
Stallone made an appearance on the stadium’s big screen during half-time requesting the fans to be a part of the film. Goodison park can also be spotted in various scenes in the background. 68-year-old Stallone also admitted that he once wished to buy the club and regrets not to have done it.
4) Elijah Wood and Russell Brand
Team: West Ham United
Frodo Baggins has come along from The Shire to Upton Park while shooting his film ‘Green street hooligans’, in which he was seen as an American youngster visiting East London and how he became a part of the notorious West Ham fan base. Elijah was mesmerised by the atmosphere and the time he had to spend in the Bobby Moore stand cheering the team. His short experience living in Green street saw him become a hardcore fan of the club.
Comedian/Actor Russell Brand is another huge fan of the Hammers who found affection for the club through his father who is die hard supporter himself. Brand is known for constantly turning up at the clubs games and displaying dramatic affections for the club.
Russell Brand’s former fiancee Katy Perry was once spotted donning a West Ham outfit at the MTV Awards so much is his love for the club that actor even got himself a West Ham tattoo on his body. Brand also has a knack for kissing West Ham managers in the past.
5) Kevin Costner
Team: Arsenal FC
The 61-year-old Hollywood star admitted his love for Arsenal in an interview a few years back. Costner first came to know about the club when he was in England filming his movie “Robin Hood” two decades ago. Fascinated by the football philosophy in the country, Costner chose to watch an Arsenal game and ever since became a fan of the club.
The actor also said that whenever he was in London shooting for a movie, he would make time watch the Gunner play. The actor is a huge sports fanatic himself acting in dozens of sports movies like Field of Dreams, McFarland USA, For the love of the game, Draft day, Tin Cup.
The actor also tried to fit Arsenal into a film of his in the past but the idea was later scrapped due the scene being too violent for the image of the club.
6) Gerrard Butler
Team: Celtic
The 46-year-old actor, who is famous for his roles in blockbuster movies like “300”, “London has fallen” and “Machine gun preacher”, is a massive fan of Scottish Premiership club Celtic FC. Butler once played for Celtic in a charity match against Manchester United back in 2011 and described it to be one of the greatest moments in life.
In fact, Butler was in tears when Celtic beat Barcelona in a Champions League match in 2012. The actor was actually at a meeting in Dubai with some important businessmen and had asked them to leave so that he could catch the game.
Butler had also played the lead role in the movie “Playing for keeps” in which he played a retired footballer who played for Celtic FC and the Scottish national team. The actor had also got Singer/Rapper Snoop Dogg to wear a Celtic top on.
7) Antonio Banderas
Team : Real Madrid
The 56-year-old actor is one of the most prominent latin American stars in Hollywood. Banderas is not only a huge fan of Real Madrid but also an honorary member of the club. The actor is known to have a kind heart as he once organised a charity auction selling signed Real Madrid jerseys and was able to raise more than €20,000.
The actor was quite the footballer in his days playing as a striker, in fact, he actually played for a local team in Malaga between 1974-1977 even making an appearance against a Real Madrid youth team.
Antonio’s former coach Antonio Matez believed that if he hadn’t taken up acting he could have become a very good footballer. The actor appeared in many famous Hollywood movies like “The Mask of Zorro”, “Assassins” and “Spy kids”.
8) Tom Hanks
Team: Aston Villa
The Oscar-winning actor has been a long-time Villa fan admitting his love for the football club way back in 2001. When the actor was asked about the reason behind his fascination for the club, Tom said that the club’s name Aston Villa sounded “Pleasant”.
Hanks is famous for his roles in many blockbuster Hollywood movies like Forrest Gump, Captain Phillips, Castaway, The Da Vinci Code and much more. In an interview, the actor joked that, even though he's a fan of an Aston Villa, he had bet £100 on Leicester City to win the Premier League.
Hanks was devastated on finding out that Villa had been relegated but admitted that rooting for a club is a life lesson and that everyone must roll with the ups and downs. Hanks has also pledged to help the club rebuild so that club could return to the Premier League once again.
9) Daniel Craig
Team: Liverpool
Taking time off saving the world from notorious villains and international criminals James Bond often comes down to Anfield to support his favourite football club Liverpool FC. Daniel Craig grew up supporting the Merseyside club as he was born in nearby Chester.
Craig is also a huge admirer and fan of former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard. In fact, the former Liverpool skipper waited for the actor in the foyer wanting to take a picture with the English spy.
The actor also expressed his delight on the Red’s appointment of Jurgen Klopp recently. And admitted that Klopp can take the club in the right direction and that he is hoping to come down to Anfield to watch the team win games under the new manager.
Liverpool has a long list of other famous Hollywood fans including Liam Neeson, Mike Myers, Brad Pitt, Jason Isaacs and Samuel L Jackson.
10) Will Ferrell
Team: Chelsea
The American comedian is a long-time Chelsea fan it and has even acted as an honorary captain for the club in a US pre-season game back in 2009 for their friendly against Inter Milan. Ferrell who has starred in films such as Anchorman, The Other Guys, and Elf was once sported wearing a Chelsea shirt on The Daily Show.
Although it is unclear if the actor follows the club on a regular basis but Will surely seems to have a liking for “Soccer” as they call it in America.
The actor once made a joke about Jose Mourinho’s football tactics at the GQ awards where Mourinho was also present, as the actor was quoted saying, "Keep playing defence man, keep playing seven guys in the box I love it, I love it."
And three months later Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea. Ferrell later felt sorry and apologised for his views.
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