When the name Usain Bolt comes up on somebody’s plate, they mostly think of the track and field legend’s accolades in the sport. However, the Jamaican athlete has a lot of other interests than sprinting, as he is fond of other sports such as cricket, soccer, and many more. And being a sports fan, he has his favorite club, and in soccer, he follows the Premier League’s Manchester United.

The eight-time Olympic champion is also no casual fan, as he is super competitive when it comes to his favorite club. Recently, the Men in Red had a major change as their manager Erik ten Hang was replaced by Ruben Amorim, which surely was a decision that left many fans stunned, including Bolt, who gave some interesting takes on this change, and the rival club’s manager, igniting a certain soccer rivalry among the English league.

Usain Bolt’s hope for the outfit in red

Manchester United’s journey in the Premier League has been under plenty of questions this season. Currently, the team is in 13th place, and the fans have not been very optimistic about the future of the club, owing to their recent form. However, the change in their manager might become the key to getting back their success in the league, which is something that also excites Usain Bolt.

The Jamaican legend also attended an interview with SkySports as seen on their Instagram, and it looks like he’s already a fan of the Portuguese soccer manager. “I’m really excited! The fact that he beat Pep twice is wonderful. I heard his first interview, and it seems like he’s going to bring identity to the club, and that’s what I think we’re missing, identity. So, I’m excited to see if the players can work with him and stand behind him and really do a good job,” said Bolt.

The emotions were overflowing for the Manchester United fan as he saw a glimmer of hope to get back the Premier League crown, which has been missing for more than a decade. The club has also undergone a ton of changes, but only a few seasons have been close to that trophy. Furthermore, Bolt’s statement could easily get on the nerves of a Man City fan as Amorim when he coached Sporting CP and defeated Pep Guardiola’s club twice in UCL. 

The Jamaican Olympic legend is looking forward to the players syncing with their new manager and will be focusing on bringing back the glory days to Manchester United. The soccer fan inside Bolt might be a rare sight to many, as they have seen him mostly on the top step of the podium in sprinting. However, while he did adore the sport he participated in, he also had other ambitions.

The track and field legend’s soccer aspirations

In 2017, Usain Bolt hung up his sprinting shoes after a prolific track and field career that included eight Olympic gold medals, eleven world champion titles, and many more. So as he said his goodbyes to the sport he adores, he got the opportunity to participate in other sports, such as soccer. Initially, he planned to join his favorite teams like Manchester United or Real Madrid, but he didn’t just give up on the opportunity that came first from the German club Borussia Dortmund.

Bolt was offered a two-day match trial in 2018, and eventually, he joined the Central Coast Mariners, all the way in Australia. In the same year, he also trained under Strømsgodset, a club from Norway, and donned a special jersey number, 9.58. It represented the longstanding 100m world record that the Jamaican set back in the 2009 World Championships. In addition to playing for clubs, Bolt also participated in charity matches but ultimately chose not to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional soccer player.