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Rob McElhenney trying to recruit ex-Real Madrid soccer star to Wrexham AFC?

April 26, 2023
by Darryn Albert
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Gareth BaleRob McElhenneyWrexham AFC
Gareth Bale smiling

February 4, 2023; Pebble Beach, California, USA; Gareth Bale smiles on the fifth hole during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Wrexham AFC is one of the best stories in sports right now, and one of their co-owners is trying to make things even more Hollywood.

Famous actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds made headlines back in 2020 by successfully purchasing Wrexham, a soccer club in Wales, from its previous ownership group. A member of the National League (the fifth tier of English soccer), Wrexham is the oldest club in the country (and the third-oldest in the world) but has been lousy for much of the last several decades.

The McElhenney-Reynolds takeover led to greater prominence for Wrexham, especially since the saga was chronicled in the ongoing Disney+ series “Welcome to Wrexham.” Stunning success has also since followed for the club over the last several months. Wrexham just took home the 2022-23 National League championship, earning themselves a promotion to the EFL League Two (the fourth tier of English soccer) for next season. It is the first time that Wrexham has been promoted in 15 years.

The championship win had McElhenney feeling so good that he tweeted at soccer star Gareth Bale, who had sent a video message congratulating him on Wrexham’s triumph.

“Hey @GarethBale11 let’s play golf, where I totally won’t spend 4 hours trying to convince you to un-retire for one last magical season,” the tweet from McElhenney said.

Bale seemed open to the offer, tweeting back, “Depends what course.”

Reynolds then got in on the fun as well by joking that he would “shave a professional-grade golf course into Rob’s back” if Bale came to Wrexham.

It is unclear if this all is a serious recruitment offer to Bale, who announced his retirement from professional soccer in January. But he would certainly be a fitting addition for Wrexham. Bale is from Wales and is widely seen as one of the greatest Welsh soccer players ever. He was a three-time La Liga winner and five-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid and also helped lead Los Angeles FC to the MLS Cup trophy last season.

Still only 33, Bale is clearly a ridiculous talent on the pitch. Convincing Bale to come out of retirement and join Wrexham would be an unbelievable heat check from McElhenney and Reynolds (and who knows, maybe it happens).