Liverpool attracts fans from all walks of life, including huge celebrities like Nelson Mandela, Angeline Jolie, and Dr Dre. A survey last year found that the Anfield club is the most popular EPL team in the US, so it stands to reason that plenty of sports stars there who support them. The following are some of the American heroes who look to Anfield to see their own heroes play.
LeBron James – NBA
Arguably the highest profile Liverpool fan of all, LeBron James is possibly the best basketball player in the world and has won just about everything there is to win in the sports including four NBA Championships and a couple of Olympic gold medals. He was Rookie of the Year after joining the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first pick in the 2003 draft and currently plays with the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron has been seen wearing Liverpool gear such as polo shirts and tops. If there was any doubt about which English teams he supports, this was dispelled when he became a partner in the Fenway Sports Group that owns the Reds. He now reportedly owns a 2% stake in the club and has celebrated title wins with fans on social media.
You can even find the Liverpool FC x LeBron James collection on the official team site. This selection of clothing and footwear celebrates the link between the two. The LeBron James top is black with red contrasts and features YNWA on the stripes. Described as a pre-match jersey, the NBA superstar has already been spotted wearing it.
Russell Wilson – NFL
American football might not have that much in common with the sport we see played at Anfield, but Russell Wilson found a connection that made him follow the Reds. A star quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Russell is regarded as one of the finest dual-threat QBs to ever play in the NFL, as he’s capable of running powerfully with the ball as well as throwing it accurately.
His pro career began when the Seattle Seahawks picked him in the third round of the draft, so he was seen as being far from guaranteed success. Since then, Russell has led his team to victory in Super Bowl XLVIII and picked up a string of personal awards for his performances in the NFL. He joined the Broncos in 2022 and while last season was disappointing, he’s expected to be back in time for next season after undergoing knee surgery.
In terms of his support for the Reds, Russell was spotted wearing Liverpool trainers when his team warmed up at Wembley for one of the NFL’s regular international games. He got married to singer Ciara close to Liverpool and the club sent shirts to him and his family to celebrate the big day.
Filip Forsberg – NHL
He’s not as big a name in the UK as the previous stars we’ve looked at and he wasn’t born in the US, but Filip Forsberg is a top-class ice hockey player who hasn’t hidden his love for the Reds. Born in Sweden, he now plays for the Nashville Predators after entering the pro league back in 2012 through the NHL Entry Draft. Filip has revealed that he became a fan of Liverpool as a youngster, thanks to his father’s support for the club.
He said in an interview that he has to find creative ways to watch Jurgen Klopp’s team in action now, either getting to the Nashville training facility early or else watching games before heading to training. Filip’s first jersey had Robbie Fowler’s name on it and his first football memory is of watching the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul but he was so young that he had to go to bed at halftime, meaning that he missed the incredible comeback that completed the Miracle of Istanbul.
Unfortunately, his team is out of the running for the biggest prize in ice hockey this season – the Stanley Cup, which has been embodying a symbol of hockey greatness since 1913. The latest NHL Stanley Cup odds show the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights joining the Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers at the final four stage. However, the good news is that Filip signed a deal to stay with the Predators until 2030 and is now the franchise’s leading scorer.
Francisco Lindor – MLB
The other players we’ve looked at are all established stars in their chosen sports and that’s the case with Francisco Lindor too. This baseball star plays as a shortstop for the New York Mets. Known as Mr Smile, he was born in Puerto Rico and joined the MLB in the 2011 draft when the Cleveland Indians chose him as the eighth overall pick.
He visited Liverpool a few years ago to take in the team’s win against Everton. As part of the New Balance group of athletes, there was certainly a commercial aspect to this visit, as he met with other New Balance ambassadors Jurgen Klopp and Sadio Mane and New Balance were the team’s kit suppliers at the time. However, he seemed to enjoy the experience and it’s not the only time he’s visited Anfield.
