Ted Lasso was born when Sudeikis starred as the character in a series of TV commercials advertising NBC's coverage of the Premier League in 2013, ironically depicted as the new Tottenham Hotspur head coach. But it wasn't until 2019 that a full series was commissioned, airing in 2020.
Sudeikis wasn't a soccer fan before taking on the role, but it has introduced him to the world's most popular sport. "I like it, yeah," he remarked in 2024. "I don't understand everything, but after the show, I started to enjoy it even further."