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Patrick Mahomes and American soccerGOAL
Jacob Schneider

Super Bowl LIX star Patrick Mahomes, soccer influencer: From recruiting Cristiano Ronaldo to a viral meet with Lionel Messi to investment in Sporting KC and NWSL's Current, the Chiefs' QB makes impact

GOAL takes a look at how the KC Chiefs star has been impactful in the American soccer scene

Super Bowl LIX is just days away, as the Kansas City Chiefs look to make it three-straight titles, while the Philadelphia Eagles stand in their way. Led by superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills to advance to the Super Bowl, while the Eagles and young up-and-coming QB Jalen Hurts are looking to upset the trophy holders.

It's a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, in which the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Eagles 38-35 - meaning the stakes are higher than ever. Mahomes, however, is more than just an NFL quarterback. He's a unique story in the sporting world, taking on the role of owner, influencer and advocate for other sporting leagues around the U.S. - including soccer.

He and his wife Brittany Mahomes are co-owners of NWSL side Kansas City Current and minority owners of MLS side Sporting Kansas City. They have proved to be influential figures for both, too.

Brittany is a former pro, playing collegiately with the Texas-Tyler Patriots and briefly in Iceland with UMF Afturelding. She joined the Current's ownership in 2020, followed by the Chiefs QB in 2023.

In addition to his support of the Current, Mahomes has played a big role in his ownership with Sporting KC on the MLS side. In 2023, it was reported by the KC Star that Mahomes was part of the Western Conference clubs' pursuit to land former Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo prior to the Portuguese forward's landing in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. The QB was part of a massive plan to lure him stateside, and ultimately, push for his signature.

One year later, Mahomes was a supporter at a Sporting KC match against Inter Miami, where he went viral on social media after a hilarious interaction with the Herons' Lionel Messi.

Those are just moments, though. For more than a decade now, he's shown his love for the game on social media, and now, he's putting that passion into dedication to grow the game in Kansas City and the U.S. In a sense, the Chiefs QB has come one of the NFL's biggest American soccer supporters.

GOAL digs deeper into the NFL's star's influence on soccer in the U.S.

  • Portland Thorns FC v Kansas City CurrentGetty Images Sport

    Keeping up with the Current

    Since joining the ownership of the Current, Patrick and Brittany have created a powerhouse group in the city, and even helped with the 2024 grand opening of CPKC Park - a state-of-the-art soccer-specific stadium home to the NWSL side.

    The club had an incredible 2024 NWSL season, as star forward Temwa Chawinga claimed the golden boot, setting a league record with 20 goals while scoring against every single team. Mahomes was pictured multiple times alongside his wife at matches, and the duo has even pledged to fans that they will work on getting pop star Taylor Swift and her Chiefs boyfriend Travis Kelce to come to a game soon.

    "We might get her here at some point, she's a busy woman and Travis is a busy guy," Mahomes said to SportsCenter last March. "So, maybe during the season or something like that, we'll get her out to a Kansas City Current game. She loves supporting Kansas City just like we do and I'm sure Brittany can nudge her and get her here pretty easily."

    Brittany added, "That's definitely on me, that's definitely on me. I'll work on it, I will work on it."

    Helping grow the women's professional game in KC, the Mahomes' have been influential in the growth off the field.

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  • Real Sociedad v Manchester United: Group E - UEFA Europa LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Recruiting Ronaldo

    In the winter of 2022, Ronaldo was the talk of the town. One of the greatest players to ever put a ball at his feet, the Portugal international was set to depart Manchester United in search of his next club. Rumors swirled of European suitors, including talks of a return to Portugal, as well as links to Saudi Arabia and even the U.S. He ultimately opted for the Middle Eastern Kingdom and signed for Al Nassr on Dec. 30, 2022.

    Before he signed that contract, though, there was a play from MLS in an attempt to lure him to the United States. It wasn't a blockbuster franchise like the LA Galaxy or Inter Miami, rather, it was Sporting Kansas City - and they had it all planned out, with Mahomes part of it. And understandaby, as Mahomes has been a co-owner of Sporting KC since 2021.

    Per the KC Star, the MLS club titled the pursuit Triple Bank Shot, and the Chiefs quarterback was reportedly going to play a big role in it all. Sporting held a call with the striker's representatives, where they pitched the league, club, city - and themselves - in detail. What followed was a second requested meeting from his reps, and then a third - followed by messages back and forth for over a month during the fall and winter of 2022.

    However, after a poor World Cup showing that saw him axed from his country's starting XI, his agency reached out and informed the MLS side that he was bound for Saudi Arabia.

    What was Mahomes' role? He was the superstar example they pitched to the striker's party, explaining how the Chiefs QB could live his life like a normal individual in the city, without the flashing lights and constant limelight surrounding him - that reportedly was something Ronaldo was looking for.

    When asked if he would be part of the process to lure the ex-Real Madrid man to MLS, Mahomes replied: "Let's do it, what do you need from me?"

    Of course, nothing came from the approach, but Sporting's plan the entire time was to use Mahomes to close the sale and help put pen to paper. However, the Chiefs' star was ready to drop whatever he needed to help - and it will forever be a moment in the club's history in which his influence was ready, and he showed what it meant to be a co-owner with his stature.

  • Inter Miami CF v Sporting Kansas CityGetty Images Sport

    THAT moment with Messi

    "Hey good luck man, have fun out there."

    That's what Mahomes said. It was the viral interaction that had social media in a frenzy, from laughter to explosive conversations as Mahomes - the NFL's biggest star - met the world's biggest footballing star Lionel Messi in 2024.

    On April 13, Sporting KC hosted Messi's Inter Miami at Arrowhead Stadium. The game sold out the NFL venue, with more than 70,000 people present as the Argentine recorded two goal contributions to lift the Herons over SKC, 3-2. Ahead of the match, prior to teams taking the pitch for warmups, the Chiefs QB met the Argentine in the underground tunnels, and in a nervous moment, he hilariously told him to have fun on the field - leading to viral social media clips from the interaction.

    "I was so nervous," Mahomes told the ImPaulsive show after the fact. "I was hoping it would happen naturally, and I'm just walking down the hall and they're walking in - it's a tight hallway - I'm just like... he's going to warm up, what are you supposed to say? Have fun out there! And like, there's a language barrier. He had a goal and an assist, I felt like he had a great time," he added, laughingly. "He had fun."

    It was a crossover between two superstars, but more than anything, a moment that symbolized that Mahomes is passionate about his role in growing the world's game in Kansas City. Throughout the 2023 and 2024 MLS seasons, he was pictured attending Sporting matches - not every celebrity owner across American sports can say that.

  • Just another supporter

    In recent years, we've seen a lot more star athletes across top U.S. leagues share their fandom for the world's game - but it's still growing, and people are still learning more and more each week. The New York Knicks Josh Hart is a massive Chelsea FC fan, while MLB star Dansby Swanson (married to USWNT star Mallory) has become an NWSL and USWNT superfan. Others, such as Chad Johnson and Steve Nash are known fans, while celebrities galore follow the game, too.

    With Mahomes, though, it's a fun to watch. He's long supported his wife Brittany with her footballing ventures, with posts on X dating back to 2012 sharing his excitement for her performances. In 2014, he posted on the social media platform that he was watching the FIFA World Cup and became an instant fan of Netherlands goalkeeper Tim Krul after his penalty shootout heroics against Costa Rica in the tournament.

    A long-time sponsor of Adidas, he was also pictured next to former Liverpool manager and Jurgen Klopp, with the duo smiling in early 2024 as well. He's one of the most influential athletes in the world, and he's just another soccer fan at the same time, too. That's pretty damn cool.