Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham AFC Take On Manchester United In Epic Pre-Season Clash

"People laughed in the beginning, but I don't think they're laughing now."

Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham AFC Take On Manchester United In Epic Pre-Season Clash

When is a small-town Welsh football club not a small-town Welsh football club? When it’s the passion project of two Hollywood heavyweights that is rattling towards football’s most prestigious echelons…


When you think of Hollywood’s resident cheeky-chappy Ryan Reynolds, you might think of his blockbuster movie roles or his razor-sharp style, but in recent years, the English footballing scene has become an increasingly central part of the actor’s life…

Wrexham AFC, the Welsh football club co-owned by Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds – stars of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Deadpool, respectively – is set to play Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in July this year at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Expected to be a huge draw for football fans on both sides of the Atlantic, the match marks a significant moment for the National League club, which has set its sights about as high as they can go: the English Premier League.

In a recent Goal interview, McElhenney spoke about his ambitions for the club, saying “Our ultimate goal is to get to the Premier League, which a lot of people laughed at in the beginning, but I don’t think they’re laughing as much now.”

Reynolds touring with the club with his family. Image: Getty

The Wrexham owners are confident in their club’s ability to reach their ambitious goal and have been working hard to build the infrastructure and systems necessary to compete with the biggest, best-funded teams in the game.

Since taking over Wrexham in February 2021, Reynolds and McElhenney have been dedicated to pushing the club forward. Currently, the team is battling to secure automatic promotion from the National League, where they are level on points with Notts County after two games in hand.

“The truth is that the [league] system is in place for that very thing to happen, so why not us and why not now?” added McElhenney.

The Wrexham owners have been vocal about their intentions to take the club to the highest level and have been making strategic decisions to ensure their players have what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Safe to say the fans are behind them… Image: Insider

As they prepare to take on Manchester United in the pre-season friendly, they remain optimistic about the future of their club. Reynolds said this:

“It’s not about getting to the Premier League, it’s about staying in the Premier League, and we think that we have what it takes to do that.”

Ryan Reynolds

The friendly against Manchester United is a significant moment for Wrexham, and the club’s fans are rallying behind Reynolds and McElhenney in their pursuit of Premier League success.

The owners’ determination and competitive spirit – along with the significant financial and media clout they bring with them – have already made an impact on the club. With their eyes set firmly set on success, Wrexham AFC is a club to watch in the coming years.

And if Deadpool’s upbeat, can-do attitude is anything to go by, I reckon the Welshmen have got a pretty good shot…