Not content to limit himself to soccer on his side of the pond, American soccer’s greatest player, Tom Brady, has also made investments in soccer.
Brady acquired a minor stake in EFL League One (third tier) Birmingham City in August 2023. But he is not the only American who has been making investments in soccer.
In 2021, Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds (Canadian) and Rob McElhenney made a surprise acquisition of a small Welsh club. Wrexham AFC, although playing in the fifth league (National League) at the time, had a storied past. Wrexham AFC is the third oldest soccer club in the world, founded in 1864, a club with a heritage. Since the so-called “Hollywood takeover”, the club has prospered and currently plays in the third highest division: English Football League One.
Brady’s Brummies vs. Reynolds’ Wrexxies: Here’s how the story went down
Brady was on hand for this so-called “Hollywood game,” and he brought along legendary soccer player David Beckham .
And Brady‘s boys crushed Wrexham. We’re sure Reynolds and McElhenney would have been disappointed. The defeat ended Wrexham‘s run of three consecutive wins.
However, Brady is famous for never resting on his laurels, nothing is good enough for the big guy. He was quick to post a story on Instagram: “When is the @intermiamifc friendly?” the caption read, with him tagging David Beckham himself.
Why did Brady tag Beckham?
David Beckham is undoubtedly most associated with Manchester United, with whom he won the Premier League six times and the UEFA Champions League once. But after finally hanging up his boots in 2013, having played for the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and LA Galaxy (not to mention his international career playing for England), he went on to invest in soccer.
He was a founding co-owner of Inter Miami CF, which played its first game in 2020. Since then, the club has become famous for its 2023 acquisition of Lionel Messi , a contender for soccer’s GOAT label.
With Brady there to see Birmingham City’s win over Wrexham, he is eager for his team to take on the big boys. IMCF won the Leagues Cup 2023 and currently tops the MLS 2024 table.
With a team full of legends competing against a third division team, would it be a tight match? Maybe Brady learned the gift of the joke in Britain, and it’s all a joke. Brady, Reynolds and Beckham have in common that they thrive as living brands. This friendly nudge serves to boost everyone’s profile at the same time.
