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Manchester United pair Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot have become the latest high-profile footballers to invest in the Baller League, a multi-million-pound six-a-side football competition that brings together street players and internet influencers.
Baller League was launched in 2023 in Germany and is set to make its England debut before the end of March.
Social media bigwigs KSI and IShowSpeed have been named as the presidents of the UK and US operations respectively.
According to the Daily Mail, investor company APEX are pumping nearly £20million into Baller League, which is already proving to be a success in Germany.
It currently averages over 3 million spectators per matchday on the Twitch streaming platform.
Mount and Dalot join Liverpool star Diogo Dalot, who is also an investor. Football legends such as Ronaldinho and Luis Figo are also attached to the endeavour.
Gary Lineker and John Terry have been lined up as managers while the likes of Micah Richards, Alan Shearer, Freddie Ljungberg, Jens Lehmann and Robert Pires have also joined as coaches.
Mount said about Baller League, “Ballers League brings football together with social media influencers who have huge followings. It’s a great way to make the game more accessible and reach even more fans.”
“I’m excited to see Baller League has come to the UK and can’t wait to watch the first game.”
Dalot remarked, “As a professional football player, I’m always looking for new ways to connect with the game I love. Baller League offers a fresh perspective, combining football with exciting entertainment.”
“It’s a great opportunity to explore a new side of the sport and contribute to the popularity of football in general.”
Manchester Evening News notes that trials for the competition are set to take place in London and Manchester. Individuals who are eligible to play include recently retired professionals, futsal players, free agents and released academy players.
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