JJ Watt will captain Burnley’s men’s team at The Soccer Tournament this summer, with the winner of the 7 vs. 7 competition set to pocket a seven-figure sum
NFL icon and Burnley FC minority stakeholder J.J. Watt has been flaunting his footballing prowess as he gears up to compete in a star-studded $1 million summer footie tournament.
J.J. and his wife Kealia Watt, are set to lead both men’s and women’s squads filled with celebs and ex-players, all vying for the hefty cash prize. Plus, there’s a buzz about a potential on-pitch clash with Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC, who’ll be playing just one level below Watt’s Burnley in the upcoming season.
In preparation for the 7-a-side soccer showdown, Watt took to the pitch to polish his football skills, nailing an impressive header and flaunting his slick passing in a one-touch drill with teammates. “Whoever got that on camera that was the most impressive thing I’ve done yet,” Watt boasted in a video clip.
Slated for June 5-10, the tournament will unfold in Cary, North Carolina, featuring not only Wrexham but also big-name football clubs like Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. “It’s really exciting for both Kealia and I to headline Burnley FC’s men’s and women’s teams at TST,” Watt expressed enthusiastically about the upcoming event.
READ MORE: David Beckham suffered major wardrobe blunder in front of 73,000 fans
READ MORE: Man Utd fans have Erik ten Hag sack theory after now-deleted social media post
“We’ve called some friends and are planning on bringing the best teams we can to compete. We are both highly competitive individuals, so we’ll be giving it our all in claret and blue! It’s going to be a proud moment for me, captaining the Burnley men’s team. The club and town have an important place in my heart, so I want to represent Burnley well. Now it’s all about preparing so we’re ready to go.”
Kealia added: “Having the opportunity to represent Burnley on the pitch and compete against clubs from around the globe will be incredibly special. I’m also looking forward to making history with the inaugural women’s Tournament.
“This is an important addition and I’m pleased to see TST’s commitment to an equal prize for the winning men’s and women’s teams. I’m looking forward to playing in the Burnley shirt and reuniting with some of my former teammates.”
J.J. and Kealia will be hoping their respective Burnley teams can turn in better performances than that of the club’s recent Premier League campaign. The Clarets were relegated back to the Championship in their first season back in the top flight under Vincent Kompany, who despite the relegation, has ended up as head coach at German giants Bayern Munich.
NFL star and club owner has made a promise to fans that the search for their next permanent manager is already underway. “It doesn’t necessarily mean the biggest name,” Watt cautioned Burnley supporters.
“That doesn’t mean anything other than the fact that we want to make sure we find the exact right fit for what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to build at Burnley. And we’re going to make sure that we ask all the right questions and do all the due diligence necessary to get that right person.”