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Baller League - Final FourGetty Images Sport
Tom Bellwood

Identity of Baller League's masked 'Premier League player' revealed as suspended Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk is ruled out

Premier League
M. Mudryk

Social media was alight with chatter over which Premier League player was going to feature in the Baller League after a sensational claim from influencer Niko Omilana, who manages NDL FC, claiming a top-flight professional was joining the six-a-side competition. The reality, in the end, was something quite unexpected.

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Over 28 monthsSave 67%
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

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Over 28 monthsSave 80%
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  • Ballers back with a bang

    The second season of the Baller League UK kicked off this week, with new managers and teams joining the action. The roster of 'big-name' managers expanded with actor Idris Elba taking charge of new team Rukkas FC and England international Chloe Kelly managing Clutch FC. Former striker Daniel Sturridge also entered the fray, co-managing Deportrio FC with Micah Richards. Returning veterans include John Terry (26ers) and the duo of Ian Wright and Alan Shearer (Wembley Rangers). The opening matchday saw some intense results at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford, east London. Clutch FC suffered a 4-2 defeat by M7 FC, while defending champions SDS FC were held to a 4–4 draw by VZN FC. Other results included a 2–1 loss for Elba's Rukkas FC and a 3–2 win for Terry's 26ers.

    It had been suggested that provisionally suspended Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk had featured as a 'masked' player, but not everything was what it seemed.
  • Chelsea FC v Newcastle United FC - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Premier League promise

    NDL FC boss Omilana took to social media and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am about to tell you guys probably the craziest news in the Baller League history. On Monday the 27th of October I, Niko Omilana the manager of the NDL FC, will be drafting an actual Premier League player, active. Can’t tell you who it is, we will get in a lot of trouble, it is going to go crazy." 

    But, according to reports, the 'Premier League' player turned out to be German amateur footballer, Kevin Weggen. The Daily Mail has confirmed that it certainly wasn't Chelsea's Mudryk.

  • Kevin who?!

    Weggen is a German footballer known for his career with lower-league clubs and, more recently, for his participation in the German version of the indoor small-sided tournament, Baller League. The 32-year-old midfielder, born in Portugal, has played for teams including Wuppertaler SV, SV Straelen, and FC Wegberg-Beeck. He currently plays for FC Buderich. Fans speculated whether the mystery player was actually James Ward-Prowse, due to similarities in his set-piece technique. Weggen is considered a legend of the Baller League and is also its record goal-scorer.

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  • Manchester City FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport

    All eyes on Ballers

    We're only days into the second season, but the Baller League is already creating stacks of headlines, some good and some a bit embarrassing. 26ers boss Terry took centre stage this week after taking part in a musical performance, which he’ll probably wish had never happened. The 44-year-old made his entrance alongside rapper ArrDee for what appeared to be a playful diss track aimed at influencer Angry Ginge. 

    And the reasons behind Gary Lineker leaving the league have been revealed, with the ex-England international and Match of the Day host absent in the dugout as the new season got underway on Monday night. Lineker's team, Deportrio, finished first in the league standings in the inaugural campaign before being eliminated in the last-four stage of the final tournament.

    Baller League CEO Felix Starck told talkSPORT: "We sat down and had a conversation with Gary - does it make sense to continue or not? I think you have to fall in love with this project to continue because it consumes your time.

    "It's very time-consuming. It's full of people who spend hours and hours (investing their time in it). John Terry calls me every single week and complains that he's spending so much time, but then he says it's the best thing ever, it’s the best thing ever. I think with Gary, he has a lot going on in his life; he has a very busy schedule, and if you don’t fall in love with it, you can't be with this game. It's really up to you."