Arsenal: Roger Daltrey
Though The Who singer was born in west London, his football allegiances switched from QPR to Arsenal in later life, and he performed a specially-written tribute song, Highbury Highs, when the Gunners left their old home in 2006. The club’s sound system was not the best, and Daltrey said: “It sounded like a squawking parrot, but it was such a great day. The weather was beautiful, and we’d just beaten Tottenham to fourth place too!”
Also: Mick Jagger (Rolling Stone), Sir Mo Farah (athlete)

Atlético: King Felipe VI of Spain
Aged eight, in 1976, Felipe watched on alongside his father, King Juan Carlos I, as Atlético claimed glory at the Santiago Bernabéu in the last-ever Copa Generalísimo final (before it became the Copa del Rey). The hard-fought Rojiblancos’ victory against Zaragoza at the home of their great city rivals was enough to ensure that an affinity was born and the monarch has made no secret of his allegiance over the years.
Also: Javier Bardem (actor), Javier Castillejo (boxer), Carlos Jean (DJ)

Barcelona: José Luis Zapatero
Spain’s prime minister between 2004-2011 broke the mould of Real Madrid-supporting leaders of the country and was present at both of Barça’s Champions League triumphs during his premiership. “As prime minister and ‘cule’ (Barcelona fan) I’m so proud that Barça have won the most important trophy in Europe,” he said after the Wembley win against Manchester United in 2011.
Also: Kobe Bryant, Shakira

2013 final highlights: Bayern 2-1 Dortmund

Watch highlights of the 2013 final

Bayern: Nico Rosberg
The Formula 1 World Champion was in a tricky spot in 2013 during the UEFA Champions League final, as his mother is a long-time Dortmund supporter. Rosberg is friends with several Bayern players and participated in a somewhat odd publicity stunt, singing the Bayern hymn while driving his F1 car around the track, with piano superstar Lang Lang providing the background music. Check it out!
Also: Boris Becker (tennis player), Magdalena Neuner (biathlete)

Benfica: Xanana Gusmão
Once a freedom fighter in the former Portuguese colony, Xanana Gusmão fulfilled a childhood ambition by watching Benfica at home when he became East Timor’s first president. Moved to be invited on to the pitch, he said: “This is the first time I have been here, but I have been a Benfica supporter since I was a kid, when Águas, Coluna, Germano and José Augusto were playing. Over 20 years of war did not break my love for Benfica.”
Also: António Costa (Portuguese Prime Minister), Joaquim de Almeida (actor)

Dortmund: Helene Fischer
Several Dortmund players have come out as massive Fischer fans and the Schlager singer is a passionate supporter of the Yellow-Blacks. Before the 2013 Champions League final, she agreed to perform at the Dortmund party (win or lose) and, as it turned out, helped raise the spirits on a gloomy evening. While her concerts are usually enthusiastic events, she once picked up a Dortmund scarf a fan handed her during a gig in Munich and the rest of the audience did not respond too kindly.

Juventus: Luciano Pavarotti
The opera tenor, who passed away in 2007, was a lifelong Juventus fan. “I fell in love with Juventus when I was a kid and the Bianconeri were coming to play in my Modena during the 50s,” he said. “I have always appreciated the noble, refined style of Juventus; that’s why they call Juve the Old Lady.” Another worldwide famous Italian singer, Eros Ramazzotti, is also a huge Bianconeri supporter; Alessandro Del Piero sang alongside him during a concert in Sydney in 2013.
Also: Emily Ratajkowski (actress/model)

Leicester City: Gary Lineker
Leicester-born Lineker once led a consortium to save his club from bankruptcy. Now honorary vice-president, Lineker – third in the list of England’s all-time top scorers – was rewarded in style last season as the Foxes won the unlikeliest of Premier League titles. Lineker had vowed on Twitter in December 2015 to present Saturday highlights show Match of the Day in his underwear if they finished the job. He’s a man of his word. “It is a one off and a sporting miracle,” he said.
Also: Serge and Tom from Kasabian (rock band)

Leverkusen: Julius Brink
A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, the former beach volleyball star began his career in Leverkusen and developed a passion for the football team. His long-time doubles partner, Jonas Reckermann, is an avid supporter of arch rival Köln – cause for plenty of ongoing banter between the pair.

Manchester City: The Gallagher brothers
English rock band Oasis’ most famous hits are a common sound at City home games, with lifelong fans Liam and Noel – who were born locally – in regular attendance, albeit not together since an acrimonious split in 2009. “The first game my dad ever took me to was City v Newcastle United at Maine Road in 1971,” said Noel. “That was it; City became my team.”
Also: Ricky Hatton (boxer)

Novak Djokovic


Djoković in action at Monaco’s Stade Louis II©Getty Images

Monaco: Novak Djokovic
Many sporting superstars base themselves in Monaco, but few have forged such a tight link with the resident football team as Djoković. The current world tennis No1 is globetrotting most of the year, but never misses the chance to back his adopted team when at home. “I’m very happy with how Monaco fared so far,” the Serbian said at the end of last season. “Now it’s the Champions League!”
Also: Prince Albert

Napoli: Paolo Sorrentino
The Oscar-winning movie director is a huge Napoli supporter; indeed he was in Madrid for the Partenopei’s round of 16 first leg against the holders. His speech after winning the 2014 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film with The Great Beauty included a special nod to his Partenopei hero. “Thank you to my sources of inspiration,” he said. “Federico Fellini, Talking Heads, Martin Scorsese and Diego Armando Maradona.”

Paris: Teddy Riner
One of the most decorated judokas of all time, Riner describes himself as a “child of PSG”. The two-time heavyweight Olympic champion and eight-time world champion is a long-time member of the club’s judo section and has rarely missed a European home game since first being exposed to the Parc des Princes. “It was in Ronaldinho’s era [2001-03],” he said. “He is still my idol and his joy at doing his sport inspired me a lot.”
Also: Nicolas Sarkozy (former president)

Porto: Sara Sampaio
The Portuguese model trumpeted her support for her home-town side in an interview, saying: “I am from Porto, I am from the north, and we have the best soccer team in the world.” She once bemoaned on social media that she did not have a personalised Porto shirt and received a prompt reply from the club: “Your shirt is ready and waiting for you. When are you coming to pick it up?” She duly collected it and visited the club museum to confirm her love for the Dragons.
Also: Tiago Monteiro (racing driver), Belmiro de Azevedo (entrepreneur)

Real Madrid: Rafael Nadal
Despite his uncle, Miguel Ángel, making over 200 appearances for Barcelona in the mid-90s, Nadal followed in his father’s footsteps and grew up a Madrid supporter. The 14-time Grand Slam winner is a regular at the Santiago Bernabéu when not on the global tennis circuit and somewhat cryptically said “you never know what might happen in the future” when asked if he would like to become club president recently – watch this space.
Also: Jennifer Lopez (singer), Sergio García (golfer), Penelope Cruz (actress)

Sevilla: Paz Vega
The actress, who has starred in Hollywood and Spanish films, grew up in Seville and is invited into the presidential box at the Sánchez Pizjuán whenever she is back in her home city on a matchday.


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