Nigerian music megastar Wizkid has often publicly associated with football clubs, stadiums and merchandise but which of them does he actually support?
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (Wizkid) was at the top of trends, and subject to several conversations recently, as he regularly is. This time, his name was consistently mentioned with that of a football club, Tottenham.
The Surulere-bred superstar performed at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in the early hours of July 30, to a packed crowd, an impressive feat for a Nigerian artiste.
This is not the Essence crooner's first instance in football-related stories, as he has had partnerships with sport brands, and has even publicly discussed the sport.
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08:00 - 30.07.2023
Wizkid: Starboy and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka team up at Tottenham Hotspur stadium concert
Wizkid and Arsenal star Bukayo Saka team up at his concert held at Tottenham Hotspur stadium
Wizkid the global Afrobeats superstar
Wizkid is possibly Nigeria's biggest music export. His relevance is such that he has earned himself a cult-like following of loyalists.
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Mr Balogun, according to Africa Facts Zone is the most awarded musical act out of the continent with 146, which includes the Grammy.
He is also the first to one billion streams in the UK, and his Essence, which features Tems, is the first song by an African to crack the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, a regularly refreshed list that ranks the most played songs in the United States. It is easy to see why his fans believe him to be peerless.
Wizkid and football
The 33-year-old grew up in one of the ancestral homes of football in Nigeria, Surulere, the location of the Lagos National, and Teslim Balogun Stadiums.
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However, this did not make him into an avid follower of the sport, as he has confessed on multiple occasions to be clueless about the game.
Wizkid, however, claims to play football, and was filmed comfortably juggling the ball at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium before his show.
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Despite not being a keen watcher, growing up in a football-crazed society like Lagos, and having friends who play and watch the sport, Wizkid has unavoidably caught some games, and he seemingly enjoyed it, as he has put out a number of tweets that suggested a burst of emotions during a football match.
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He has even publicly declared support or admiration for a few football clubs.
So what football club does Wizkid support?
Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, especially the 2011 version that beat Manchester United to the Champions League trophy at Wembley are regularly referenced as beautiful football at its finest.
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They seem to have imprinted on a casual like Wizkid as well, as his tweets from that year had him saying "Officially a Barca fan," and "BARCA toh bad [Yoruba slang for attesting the quality of something or someone]."
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He has also been filmed with a Manchester United jersey, saying "Officially a Manchester United fan." Evidently he does not share the type of loyalty his fans have for him for football clubs.
Despite pledging allegiance to Barcelona at a previous date, the Baba Nla crooner revealed his admiration for Real Madrid, and suggested he was supporting them over Atletico Madrid ahead of the 2014 UCL final.
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When asked who he was rooting for by a fan, he replied "I don't know anything about football bro. Lol but I like Real Madrid sha.
He has also been seen cheering on Chelsea. Despite his fickle approach to the sport, which has seen him support a number of clubs over the years, he consistently berates Arsenal, calling them a "dead team" in one instance.
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