Fact Check: Is Zava from Ted Lasso inspired by Aaron Rodgers? Viral fan theory on Packers QB explored
Aaron Rodgers has theories of his own, and fans have their theories of him. Zava from Ted Lasso being inspired by the NFL quarterback is the latest one doing the rounds.
Without revealing any spoilers, the fictional character seems eccentric off the field just as he's talented on it. In the last few seasons, Aaron Rodgers has delved into some stuff that might not be too mainstream. That might explain why NFL fans are making the connection, but how much truth is there to it? Let's explore.
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Aaron Rodgers: an incidental connection to Ted Lasso's Zava or a deliberate one?
To those not familiar with the premise of Ted Lasso, it follows the story of a fictional English soccer club AFC Richmond.
The central character after whom the show is named is an American football coach who takes charge of the team. It's an understandable confusion, given that soccer is more popularly known as football in much of the world. However, the reasons for the hiring are different.
To the pertinent point, it shows that there's an American football flavor to the whole show, but the main sport it features is soccer. Hence, while the makers of the Ted Lasso might be incorporating some of Aaron Rodgers' current eccentricities into the character, it's unlikely to be its driving force. Rather, it makes more sense to look into the world of soccer to find a better match.
Thankfully, we have Maximilian Osinski, who plays Zava, who has quoted the inspiration of his character as some famous soccer players. He namechecked Manchester United Eric Cantona, Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski and the primary inspiration, Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Those unfamiliar with the trio might have trouble following, so let us explain here. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the Chuck Norris of the soccer world. Just google his own quotes about himself. Two such pearls are given below.
“I came like a king. I left like a legend.”
When he arrived as a marquee signing in the new era of Paris Saint Germain, he said:
“It’s true I don’t know much about the players here, but they definitely know who I am.”
That sounds like the kind of guy Zava is, who's arriving at the fictional English club Richmond as a superstar.
Eric Cantona is another player with a storied history. He played for Leeds and Manchester United and was the driving force behind their league wins. He was a great player but was infamous for his volatile personality. It was exhibited nowhere better than when he kicked a Crystal Palace fan and was temporarily suspended from the game.
Eric Cantona's kick on Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons, 1995. https://t.co/XgZ0pJzeKi
It also had an indirect effect on Cantona missing out on the 1998 World Cup victory with France, something he still seems to harbor a resentment for. He has previously supported England at major tournaments instead.
Robert Lewandowski, meanwhile, is perhaps a more staid comparison, as the Polish international, who shone with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and currently Barcelona, has no known off-field shenanigans to report. However, he did move from between the bitter German rivals BvB and Bayern, which might show why he's an inspiration for this character.
So, to put it simply, it's not factually accurate to say that Zava is based on Aaron Rodgers. There are soccer players who have influenced the character. However, as the show has a football connection, it's definitely not beyond the realms of possibility that Aaron Rodgers' latest pronouncements might have influenced the storyline.
Whatever one says about the NFL great, he does give plenty of material to writers of both fact and fiction.