Credit: Twitter
Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who is a huge football fanatic and a diehard Arsenal fan got completely starstruck as he met football legends Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink recently. Ranveer is the brand ambassador of the English Premier League in India and was present at the league clash between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday.
The actor was seen talking about his favourite football club, Arsenal, and he also opened up on how he fell in love with the sport, ahead of Tuesday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Chelsea. In a pre-game interview, the Bollywood star was standing beside the football icons Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
In a video shared by the Arsenal football club on their social media, Ranveer could be seen speaking on the popularity of football in India. Ranveer said, “Honoured to be here, privileged to be on the show in such esteemed company. Mr Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, all my friends in India, you can reach your heart out. Since we are born in India, cricket is like a religion for us, it’s in our blood. But, after cricket, if there is anything else, it is football. Football is huge in India.”
Ranveer also talked about how he fell in love with the Arsenal football club due to Patrick Vieira. He said, “The English Premier League came (in India) at the turn of the century, around the year 2000. A whole generation got hooked on this high-quality football. It was around then when I was watching the Invincibles play football. And that’s what made me fall in love with the sport and Arsenal.”
Watch the video here:
In addition to it, Ranveer also talked about how watching Hasselbaink celebrate his goals would make Ranveer jump and run around his room. “When I first saw Patrick Vieira, it was down this tunnel, right here (at the Emirates Stadium). I was with my best friend, who is also an Arsenal fan for 22 years, and we were like schoolgirls. And six years ago, I met my hero, Thierry Henry, now I feel so honoured to be standing beside these esteemed gentlemen,” said Ranveer who was having his fanboy moment.
Notably, the Arsenal football club won the English Premier League in 2003-2004, and it was given the name ‘The Invincible’. Talking about Tuesday's game, Arsenal defeated Chelsea 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium and claimed the top spot in the league after playing two games more than second-placed Manchester City.