It’s not often we pair football stars with metal music – probably because of the lack of aggression involved in football. However, you’d be surprised to learn that there are a considerable number of football heroes that like to step off the pitch and into the pit. Here, we’ll run you through a list of players present and past that find their inner peace listening to the likes of Slayer.
Sergio Ramos
With teammates like Christiano Ronaldo reportedly enjoying Ricky Martin and R Kelly, it’s a breath of fresh air to the collision of football and metal coming out of Real Madrid. Ramos, the ex-Real Madrid cap has made mention of being a huge fan of AC/DC, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and Motorhead – with 2016 photos emerging online showing him hanging with legend Axl Rose after a gig in Seville. Ramos’ wife, Pilar Rubio, also has a clothing line called Metalhead Clothing. If ever there were a power couple with their devil horns raised high, this is where it’s at.
Germán Burgos
This Argentia football star hung up his boots in 2004 and jumped into the world of rock, embracing his rock band The Gard – of which he was a founding member and frontman. Throughout his time as a musician, his band released three studio albums. His love for metal and The Rolling Stones lives on, however, he has not returned to the world of football and co-manages Atlético Madrid. Who knows if we’ll see the man on stage in the future.
Terry Butcher
With a knack for heavy bleeding during games, there’s no surprise that this England star has a passion for the heavier things in life. Butcher is close friends with Iron Maiden’s very own Steve Harris and is a fully-fledged fan of the band, having even played for their football team. As well as Maiden, Butcher has a soft spot for Guns ‘N’ Roses, with his ring tone blasting Sweet Child of Mine during a 2008 press conference.
David de Gea
This master of goalkeeping has a killer taste in music to compliment his skill. During interviews, the player has professed his love for the likes of Metallica and Slipknot – stating that everyone complains when he pumps it through the dressing room. Further, when rock legends Avenged Sevenfold graced Manchester Arena in 2017, Gea presented the group with a Manchester United shirt bearing the number ‘7x’, which refers to their band’s acronym A7X.
Tomas Rosicky
This former Czech captain exclaimed his love for metal during an interview for the Arsenal YouTube show Mixtapes. The man football star states that his all-time favourite song is Metallica’s Master of Puppets – and who can blame him. Further, he has a passion for Foo Fighters, Killswitch Engage, and Rise Against amongst other notorious metal bands.
On the back of England’s placement in the Euro 2020 finals against Italy, there isn’t a better time to celebrate the coming together of football and metal. The next time you’re hitting up the pit, keep your eye out for some unlikely stars.
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