Alisha Lehmann & Maya Jama to KSI & Angry Ginge: What do celebrity coaches bring to Baller League UK? Former Tottenham and current Yanited star explains

Having started out in Germany, with Switzerland international and WSL star Lehmann involved in the inaugural event there, Baller League arrived in the United Kingdom back in 2025. Two action-packed campaigns have seen SDS FC and Wembley Rangers emerge triumphant.

The battle for ultimate glory is well underway in 2026, with new teams and bosses being welcomed along for the ride. M’Poku - who once worked alongside Harry Kane at Spurs and Leyton Orient - is among those strutting his stuff in six-a-side competition that breaks the mould and puts an entirely new spin on the beautiful game.

Quizzed on what celebrity coaches bring to the table, ex-DR Congo international M’Poku - who is loving every minute of his Baller League adventure - told GOAL: “They bring in entertainment. They bring in good vibes. They bring in something different that I think the young generation are more related to than before. So it’s good for the league. It’s good for the fans and even for the game. It's a totally new era of football. It's another game.”

M’Poku is, as part of the Yanited squad, working under YouTube sensation Angry Ginge. He added on that experience - with the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here winner delivering an X-rated team talk to his players last week when suffering a heavy defeat to KSI and PRIME FC: “Not just him that was not happy. We were all not happy. It's normal when you get beaten 8-1. If somebody is happy, then they should have nothing to do with the Baller League or our team.

“But it's OK. Obviously, I didn't really know him when I joined. I knew more about Sam [Cox], but I started to know a little bit more about him. Sam was telling me how nice he is and how helpful he is for everyone.

“And yeah, last time was not the best result, but we keep on going and we bounce back. We've been playing good football. We've been playing good since the beginning. Last game was a nightmare for us, but we bounce back.”

KSI proved to be a formidable foe for M’Poku last time out, with the Britain’s Got Talent judge and energetic influencer branching out into football ownership after acquiring National League South side Dagenham and Redbridge.

A documentary is being planned there, to rival ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, and asked if the Sidemen and Misfits co-founder can emulate Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac when it comes to blazing a trail through the EFL ranks, M’Poku said: “I don't know all these YouTubers! I started to know them since I've been coming to Baller League and seeing a little bit of them.

“I saw that he bought Dagenham and I don't know how he will be, but I know that buying a club is not something easy. You have to surround yourself with the right people to be able to have a successful period on and off the pitch. So I hope for him he will succeed.”

KSI has grown accustomed to prevailing when heading down several entrepreneurial paths and will be determined to prove himself in football boardrooms - while also chasing down the Baller League UK crown.

M’Poku is among those hoping to block his path there - alongside prominent figures from the worlds of sport, music and film - with a fiercely-competitive tournament seeing several contenders for the final trophy emerge.

Baller League airs live every Monday night from 5pm on www.youtube.com/@BallerLeagueUK.