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Football fans are gearing up for the final day of the Premier League season this Sunday, including some of the most well-known WWE Superstars.
With WWE very much a global entity, many WWE Superstars are fans of the beautiful game and supporters of some Europe’s biggest clubs.
GiveMeSport runs down the biggest football fans in WWE….
A true red, Sheamus is a life-long Liverpool fan and has the knowledge to prove it. Speak to the Celtic Warrior about Liverpool for more than five minutes then you’ll see exactly how long he’s been a fan and how much he has to say on the subject. He even had the club badge sewed on his attire when part of tag team The Bar.
The Irishman is regular at US get togethers for American based Liverpool supporters club and was in attendance for the 2019 Champions League Final when Jurgen Klopp’s men beat Tottenham to win their sixth European Cup. The multi-time world champion has also guested on numerous outlets to talk about the Reds, including the popular Anfield Wrap podcast.
His collection of Liverpool shirts is also rather impressive – particularly the interviews he’s done wearing Liverpool’s classic 1995-96 giant-necked home jersey.
This is how long it took for @LFC to win the league again… 30 years of pain and anguish but @LFC is back at the top where they belong. To celebrate I’m bring back my bowl haircut from 1990. #ynwa pic.twitter.com/pLhXO0Fhyh — Sheamus (@WWESheamus) June 25, 2020
This is how long it took for @LFC to win the league again… 30 years of pain and anguish but @LFC is back at the top where they belong. To celebrate I’m bring back my bowl haircut from 1990. #ynwa pic.twitter.com/pLhXO0Fhyh
We won it six times in Madrid.. #6 🏆🙌🏻 #YNWA #allezallezallez #UCLFINAL pic.twitter.com/cyQL1rUIgH — Sheamus (@WWESheamus) June 2, 2019
We won it six times in Madrid.. #6 🏆🙌🏻 #YNWA #allezallezallez #UCLFINAL pic.twitter.com/cyQL1rUIgH
The Scottish Warrior is probably licking his wounds this week after seeing his beloved Rangers heart-breaking defeat in The Europa League Final, a clear sign of McIntyre’s deep love for the blue side of Glasgow.
Whenever WWE are on a UK Tour, Drew is a regular visitor to talkSPORT towers to talk WWE and Rangers and has openly admitted in the past of being starstruck in being able to chat to Gers legend Ally McCoist.
The former WWE Champion – who Rangers 2021’s SPL win with a famous high-five celebration with his cat – was a massive reason behind WWE bringing a stadium show back to the UK for the first in thirty years. Perhaps his next mission will be get WWE to host an event at Ibrox itself.
Yasssss!!!! #Champion55 https://t.co/5gTsRVSgiJ pic.twitter.com/mQbIXzzal2 — Drew McIntyre (@DMcIntyreWWE) March 7, 2021
Yasssss!!!! #Champion55 https://t.co/5gTsRVSgiJ pic.twitter.com/mQbIXzzal2
We share a story of ups and downs, working harder than anyone else to get back on the path to championship glory. Congratulations to @RangersFC, winners of the Scottish Premiership. This custom @WWE Championship is YOURS!!! 💙 #RangersFC pic.twitter.com/jE699QmzoY — Drew McIntyre (@DMcIntyreWWE) March 7, 2021
We share a story of ups and downs, working harder than anyone else to get back on the path to championship glory. Congratulations to @RangersFC, winners of the Scottish Premiership. This custom @WWE Championship is YOURS!!! 💙 #RangersFC pic.twitter.com/jE699QmzoY
Wade Barrett – Preston North End
The man famous for taking a slap from Wayne Rooney during a WWE UK show is a massive football fan and supports his hometown club of Preston North End.
Of all his achievements in WWE, perhaps Wade’s favourite moment was being able to tour Preston’s home ground of Deepdale during a promo visit for WWE, where he got to train with the first team and conduct media interviews sitting in the stadium.
Listen to Wade Barret carefully on NXT and rarely a week goes by without him throwing in a niche football reference – his name drop of former Bolton star Mixu Paatelainen by far our favourite so far.
Former @WWE superstar Wade Barrett aka @StuBennett recalls 1st game at Deepdale vs Mansfield Town in 1986 #GenerationDeepdale what's yours? pic.twitter.com/o9irpwgmXy — Preston North End FC (@pnefc) May 19, 2017
Former @WWE superstar Wade Barrett aka @StuBennett recalls 1st game at Deepdale vs Mansfield Town in 1986 #GenerationDeepdale what's yours? pic.twitter.com/o9irpwgmXy
For many years Sky Sports’ Soccer AM took great pleasure in inviting WWE Superstars onto the show and getting them to pluck a name out of a hat to adopt as their UK football team – did you know Stone Cold Steve Austin was a Bolton ‘fan’ because of the segment?
Many have got confused in the past and assumed this was how MVP became a fan of the Red Devils. However, his allegiance to United wasn’t just a lucky pick, he was actually introduced to the club through a friend and immediately bonded with the side. Handy, when they are the most successful club in English football.
Prior to his return to WWE in 2020, MVP regularly wrested on the independent scene in ring gear that was decorated with the badge and colours of Man Utd, however we’re yet to see that cross-over to WWE TV.
I own TWELVE Manchester United shirts. 4 of them have "MVP" on the back. I've been to Old Trafford 6 times. Even done the tour. I own a SIGNED Eric Cantona shirt!!! This oversight is disrespectful!!!!! https://t.co/fSbF3K8bS8 — MVP (@The305MVP) February 12, 2021
I own TWELVE Manchester United shirts. 4 of them have "MVP" on the back. I've been to Old Trafford 6 times. Even done the tour. I own a SIGNED Eric Cantona shirt!!! This oversight is disrespectful!!!!! https://t.co/fSbF3K8bS8
Rusev/Miro – Real Madrid
Whilst he’ll happily talk about Bulgarian legends such as Hristo Stoichkov and Dimitar Bertatov, former WWE star Rusev is actually a fan of Spanish giants Real Madrid.
And no, not just a casual fan of one the world’s most famous clubs. The Bulgarian has been quoted as saying in the past that he spends of a lot of his free time watching Real, and keeping up to date with their progress in La Liga and The Champions League.
He also once threatened to crush Gary Lineker, a former player of Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona. Granted it was only in jest as part of BT Sports WWE launch, but it proves how much of a Madrid man Miro is.
#RusevDay is now official at the Bernabeu @realmadrid #Badboy https://t.co/SWPxXCCaNj — Miro (@ToBeMiro) November 5, 2017
#RusevDay is now official at the Bernabeu @realmadrid #Badboy https://t.co/SWPxXCCaNj
Finn Balor – Tottenham Hotspur
Finn followed in his brother Colin’s footsteps by becoming a Spurs fan when he was just eight years old, and the Irishman remains a big fan to this day.
He was present to witness Spurs in the Champions League Final back in 2019, which obviously ended in disappointment, and is a regular visitor to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he’s back in blighty.
Balor’s alter ago, The Demon isn’t unlike his team either. Spurs often seem to have a Jekyll and Hyde gimmick to their performances, resulting in the term ‘Spursy’ becoming the ‘Coupe de Grace’ to most campaigns.
Champions league and pancakes with @verockstar ⚡️🚀🌈🥞👫 #forevergang pic.twitter.com/2gVCoawgvI — Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) June 1, 2019
Champions league and pancakes with @verockstar ⚡️🚀🌈🥞👫 #forevergang pic.twitter.com/2gVCoawgvI
"I was more nervous meeting @LedleyKing than I was meeting my wrestling heroes!" 🗣️ @WWE star @FinnBalor's #THFC story… #SpursInUSA pic.twitter.com/LzLOnQz7Jt — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2017
"I was more nervous meeting @LedleyKing than I was meeting my wrestling heroes!" 🗣️ @WWE star @FinnBalor's #THFC story… #SpursInUSA pic.twitter.com/LzLOnQz7Jt
Triple H – West Ham United
The origins of Triple H’s affinity have never been made clear, although you’d like to think it ran deeper than a simple association between their Hammers nickname and The Game’s favourite tool.
Nevertheless, Trips has never been shy about mentioning his support for the East London club, repeatedly posting pictures of him doing the ‘hammer’ post and even comparing the club to WWE thanks to its passionate fan base. Much more than other so called WWE hammers fans Seth Rollins or Batista have ever done.
However, perhaps the biggest claret and blue feather in his cap came when he sent a video message to Declan Rice urging him to stay at the club. I’d listen to him young Declan, after all Hunter has some pretty devasting previous crimes in his locker.
"There's an opportunity for you to be a hero. An opportunity to build your franchise."@TripleH URGES Declan Rice to stay with West Ham. Irons ⚒️ 📽 @NXTUK pic.twitter.com/4bgLVlzwuC — WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) September 2, 2020
"There's an opportunity for you to be a hero. An opportunity to build your franchise."@TripleH URGES Declan Rice to stay with West Ham. Irons ⚒️ 📽 @NXTUK pic.twitter.com/4bgLVlzwuC
⚒⚒ https://t.co/LGAth6p13Z — Triple H (@TripleH) January 23, 2021
⚒⚒ https://t.co/LGAth6p13Z
The former WWE star has a small spilt loyalty in heart, because not only does he throw his support behind his hometown team FC Luzern in Switzerland, but he’s also a self-confessed fan of Italian giants Juventus.
Luckily for him, it doesn’t look likely that the two would ever face each other, leaving him free to focus on each team’s fortunes how he sees fit. And although we’ve seen the Swiss Cyborg donning Man City and Aston Villa shirts in the past during WWE tours, he’s most happiest when he’s wearing the famous black and white stripes of Serie A’s old lady.
Hanging out with Jay at the @IntChampionsCup. 🙏 @juventusFCEN @juventus #ICC2018 pic.twitter.com/JSgIbzv3Gm — Swiss (@ClaudioCSRO) July 26, 2018
Hanging out with Jay at the @IntChampionsCup. 🙏 @juventusFCEN @juventus #ICC2018 pic.twitter.com/JSgIbzv3Gm
There probably isn’t anyone who links WWE and football any closer than NXT star Zack Gibson, Liverpool’s number one.
Gibson’s whole gimmick uses elements of football culture, from the bomber jackets he and football scarfs he wears to the ring, to his ‘scouse’ persona that embodies him being a Liverpool fan.
He’s not alone coming through NXT UK either. Rampage Brown is a big Leeds supporter, while the former Killian Dane follows Manchester United.
Allez Allez Allez 🧣🔜🔥https://t.co/0F5JT85PJD pic.twitter.com/0Bb8QWEh7r — Zack Gibson (@ZackGibson01) July 31, 2021
Allez Allez Allez 🧣🔜🔥https://t.co/0F5JT85PJD pic.twitter.com/0Bb8QWEh7r
We may have seen John Cena lauding it up in the directors box at Stamford Bridge this week, but the WWE icon was probably cheering on the opposition because he’s a Spurs fan…right?
Cena visited in White Hart Lane in 2011 on a promotional tour of the UK ahead of the Royal Rumble and somehow found himself touring Tottenham’s stadium alongside former Spurs manager Gerry Francis – who’s famous hairstyle wouldn’t look out of place in a WWE world even now.
The sixteen-time champion was apparently taken back by the club, praising it as a ‘working man’s team’ and at the time pledged his allegiance to the club. However, we’re not sure if he’ll be a contender for supporter of the year anytime soon.
A relatively new revelation this one, and it’s a link that’s yet to be confirmed by SmackDown’s newest recruit from NXT.
However, after Frankfurt’s win over Rangers in the 2022 Europa League Final, the Austrian simply tweeted at the Eintracht account with a muscle emoji. Was this a signal of his support for the German club or just a show of solidarity to his European neighbour?
Or could it be a sly goad at one Drew McIntyre, who was on the receiving end of the defeat as a fan of losing side. We’re all for throwing niche football references into a TV feud to begin a rivalry.
. @Eintracht 💪🏻 — GUNTHER (@Gunther_AUT) May 18, 2022
Senior WWE writer for Give Me Sport and editor of WWE Kids Magazine.
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