6 most famous fans of Manchester United
Twenty-time English champions and three-time European conquerors Manchester United are one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. Thanks to their decorated history, knack for signing some of the biggest players in the world, and generally attractive style of play, United have millions of fans around the globe.
Over the years, some renowned celebrities have pledged their allegiance to the club, either by sporting the club’s merchandise or by directly professing their love for the Red Devils.
Now without further ado, let’s check out the six most famous Manchester United fans in the world:
#6 Megan Fox - Actress
Renowned for her role as “Mikaela Banes” in the blockbuster Transformers series, Megan Fox is a devoted Manchester United fan.
The stunning 36-year-old actress is seemingly a big fan of former Red Devils striker Javier Hernandez and was seen sporting a United t-shirt featuring the Mexican forward.
The former Mexico international, who was an up-and-coming star at Manchester United at the time, had an immense fan following in Fox’s Los Angeles.
#5 Floyd Mayweather - Former boxer
Floyd Mayweather, one of the most famous boxers of all time, is a Manchester United fan, and he is certainly not afraid to go on record to say it.
In an interview with United legend Rio Ferdinand, Mayweather dissed arch-rivals Manchester City, picking the Red Devils over them (via Express).
When Ferdinand asked him to pick between City and United, the pound-for-pound chief said:
“Who got the better record? Who got the more championships?”
The former United defender happily replied:
“Manchester United.”
The winner of twelve world titles responded, saying:
“Well that's who we rocking with baby.”
Mayweather also famously wore the Man United kit ahead of his 2007 fight against life-long Manchester City fan Ricky Hatton. He also shared the story with Ferdinand, before thanking the fans in the UK.
The legendary boxer added:
“I had the jersey on one time and someone was upset with me, but I didn't even know what I was wearing. It was for the Ricky Hatton fight, I want to say thank you to all the fans, thank you to the UK.
“The fans have been loyal, and I mean loyal.”
#4 Sourav Ganguly - Former cricketer and current BCCI president
Former Team India skipper and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly is an ardent Manchester United fan.
The renowned former left-handed batter regularly follows his beloved team and wishes to see them recapture their glory days.
In a 2020 interview with NDTV, Ganguly expressed his desire to see United back at the top and claimed that coaches like Sir Alex Ferguson don’t come around very often. He said:
“My favourite club is Manchester United. They are not at their best at the moment, but this can happen in sport, I thought they will recover under Solskjaer last year, but this year has been different.
"Hopefully, they will recover and hopefully, under Solskjaer, they will get where they used to be. Everyone thinks about what Alex Ferguson achieved, but people like Alex Ferguson don't come along easily, he is once a generation type of coach.”
Former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could not quite deliver what Ganguly had expected. Hopefully, new boss Erik ten Hag would fulfill Ganguly’s expectations in the 2022-23 season.
#3 Justin Timberlake - Singer and actor
Beloved American actor Justin Timberlake has been a Manchester United fan for quite a while now.
Former United forward Alan Smith introduced him to the glittering world of football in Manchester and Timberlake has been hooked ever since.
In a 2007 interview, Timberlake professed his love for the club, revealing who his favorite player was. He said (via the Times of India):
“I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he's my favourite player. but Ronaldo isn't bad either. I really like Rooney too.”
Timberlake watched Manchester United's last game of the 2007-08 season from the stands. The game ended 1-0 in favor of West Ham United, but the Red Devils were crowned champions nonetheless.
#2 Mahendra Singh Dhoni - Cricketer
Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is also an avid Manchester United fan.
Although the legendary keeper-batter did not profess his love for the Red Devils himself, his former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) teammate Sam Billings revealed where MS’s allegiance lay.
In an interview with Cricbuzz (via News 18), the English cricketer disclosed how the duo’s love for United helped them bond. He said:
“He is a big Man United fan, which really helps, as am I. He always invited me, there's a few Man United fans around. So whenever the game was on, we used to go to his room and watch there.”
#1 Usain Bolt - Former sprinter
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive and a proud Manchester United fan.
In an old interview (via Goal), Bolt admitted that playing for United was “one of his biggest dreams.” The 100-meter world-record holder (9.58 seconds) also trained with Borussia Dortmund in the hope of eventually getting a professional contract from his beloved United.
Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case, but he did manage to play football at his favorite stadium, Old Trafford, in 2018. Bolt captained the Soccer Aid World XI side in a charity clash with the England legends team, confidently putting away his spot kick in a 4-3 defeat on penalties.
He has captained the side thrice more since, winning all three matches.
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