Get ready to be wowed as we reveal the surprising anime obsessions of your favourite footballers. Read on to learn which soccer players have had their hearts captured by anime and manga. From iconic series like Dragon Ball Z and One Piece, to the adventures of Captain Tsubasa – let’s find out what some of your favourite footballers love.
Michy Batshuayi
Plays for Fenerbahçe SK / Belgium
Michy Batshuayi is more than just a footballer, he is a dedicated Dragon Ball fan! He has a pretty decent collection of toys and Dragon Ball themed clothing – not to mention, he’s the proud owner of a life-sized Goku statue – which takes his fan-boying to a whole new level!
Bakary Sako
Plays for Pafos FC / Mali
This guy knows how to kick a ball or two for Pafos FC – and his footwear collection is above average! Sako has custom designed boots adorned with anime legends like Luffy, Gohan and Naruto. For Bakary, every step isn’t just a move on the field; it’s a stylish salute to his anime heroes.
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Plays for Olympique de Marseille / Central African Republic
Representing Olympique de Marseille and the Central African Republic, Geoffrey Kondogbia takes his fandom to the next level with his love for One Piece! This footballer doesn’t just watch anime, but has also been known to travel to Japan just to get his hands on an authentic One Piece action figure. Not many people can say they’ve travelled that far for a toy!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Plays for Olympique de Marseille / Gabon
Striker Aubameyang takes anime from on screen to on the pitch in more ways than one. Times ten! Whether it’s through his elaborate celebrations, or the themed tattoo that he flew to Barcelona to get, or his trainers with Goku on them, Aubameyang adores anime.
Faouzi Ghoulam
Plays for Hatayspor
Shorts off – Dragon Ball Z pants revealed! Back in 2015, after Napoli triumphed over Wolfsburg in the Europa League, Faouzi Ghoulam made a unique fashion statement. During the celebrations, he proudly revealed his Dragon Ball Z-themed underwear, leaving nothing left to our imagination when it comes to his fandom for Akira Toriyama’s iconic series.
Ibrahima Konaté
Plays for Liverpool F.C. / France
Shinzou wo Sasageyo! Ibrahima Konaté, one of Liverpool’s defenders, has a real love for anime. Back in April 2022, he left a lasting mark in football history by scoring a goal against Manchester City at Wembley. His post-goal celebration was a powerful homage to Attack on Titan. Fist-over-heart, he showed his deep love of the anime and manga world. His passion for both football and manga shines brightly on the pitch!
Paul Pogba
Plays for Juventus F.C.
In 2018 Paul Pogba revealed his striking Super Saiyan Blue hairstyle, a nod to the iconic anime, Dragon Ball Z. In several posts on social media, he has shown his love for Eiichiro Oda, the creative genius behind the beloved series One Piece. What a fan!
Kylian Mbappe
Plays for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. / France
Considered one of the greatest players of this era, Mbappe has speed and grace on the pitch. But off the pitch, he’s also a long standing fan of anime and manga – in particular Captain Tsubasa. In fact, Yōichi Takahashi, the creator behind Captain Tsubasa, gave Mbappe a special illustration of Tsubasa. How cool is that?!
Neymar
Plays for Al Hilal SFC / Brazil
We sense a little theme here, as Mbappe isn’t the only footballer that loves Captain Tsubasa. Neymar, who hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, also loves this football-playing anime character. Neymar’s love for manga goes even further though, as he’s known to have scenes from Dragon Ball tattooed on his back! Ouch!
