Five Celebrities Watching the World Cup This Year

Figure 1 There will be some famous faces checking out the World Cup this year

Millions of football fans from all across the world will be avidly watching the action from the World Cup in Qatar this year. With the tournament now upon us, there will be plenty of people making excuses to drop their work commitments and tune into the latest games.

All the best sports betting sites will have already chosen their favorites to claim the famous trophy. But there will also be a lot of famous people and celebrities taking a keen interest in the goings-on in Qatar. Soccer is a great leveler, it seems, and these five will be just as excited about the festival of football as the rest of us.

Prince William, England and Wales

The heir to the British throne has long been associated with the beautiful game and is actually the president of the Football Association (F.A.) in England, the organization that runs the sport in the home of soccer. But there has been some controversy over just who he will be supporting in Qatar.

Born in London and the figurehead of the F.A., it might seem obvious that he would be backing England – and actually handed the players their shirts before they set off for the Middle East. But that angered some Wales fans, who thought he should be behind their team’s efforts. He is the Prince of Wales, after all. His answer did little to calm things, when he told reporters he would be backing England and Wales at the World Cup.

Will Ferrell, USA

It is a little difficult to take anything Will Ferrell says completely seriously, but he has proved in the past that he is just as big a soccer fan as he is a top comedian. He even captained his high school soccer team back in the day and is now a part owner of LAFC, who competes in Major League Soccer.

He has just celebrated his team’s championship and will be now hoping for a repeat showing from the USMNT. Ferrell was filmed joining in with supporters’ chants during the 2014 World Cup and will surely be just as invested in this year’s tournament after the US missed out on Russia 2018.

Pope Francis, Argentina

Pope Francis was elected as head of the Catholic Church in 2013 and has been seen largely as a progressive and liberal leader. He has been outspoken on a variety of subjects but we shouldn’t be too surprised if he is a little quieter over the next month or so. That’s because he is also a huge soccer fan.

Born in Buenos Aries, Argentina in 1936 he has been one of the more prominent fans of local side San Lorenzo – and is actually a fully paid up member of the club. No doubt he will be equally as interested in the national team’s performances in Qatar and hoping that Lionel Messi can finally win a World Cup for Argentina.

Figure 2 You can find soccer fans in some strange places

Hugh Jackman, Australia

The X-Men and Greatest Showman star is really more of a rugby league fan, having publically shown his love for his local Sydney team, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He even sang the Australian national anthem before the 1999 NRL Grand Final, the sport’s equivalent of the Super Bowl.

But he has also proved himself as a soccer fan in the past as well and will be more than interested in the exploits of the Australian national team in Qatar. He supports Norwich City in the EFL in England and has also backed the Philadelphia Union in MLS. But it will be international soccer that takes precedence for the next month or so.

Rafael Nadal, Spain

It is not incredibly surprising that huge sports stars also follow teams and players in sports other than their own. Manny soccer players are avid golf fans, for example. But when Rafael Nadal is not winning one of his countless tennis tournaments around the world, he likes nothing more than watching soccer.

Although he has been linked with his hometown team. Mallorca, he is actually a very big Real Madrid fan. But, with domestic soccer taking a break while the World Cup is on, he will be intently watching Spain’s games in Qatar.