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Soccer is known around the word as “the beautiful game” and is the world’s most popular sport. It still might surprise some to know a few of the people who enjoy soccer.
Actress and singer Selena Gómez plays Alex Russo, a girl with magical powers on the Disney television show The Wizards of Waverly Place.
Gómez once played soccer, trying to make magic on the field to score goals. She also joined the Wizards of Major League Soccer for a match earlier this year, sporting a team jersey and taking part in the ceremonial first kick.
“This is so cool,” said Gómez at the game. “I used to play soccer. We’re here signing autographs and I’m going to do the opening kick for the Kansas City Wizards.”
Kobe Bryant, a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, grew up playing both soccer and basketball in Italy.
Not only did Bryant attend Los Angeles Galaxy games with his family, but he took time at the Olympics to watch a number of soccer matches, including the gold medal games of both the men’s and women’s competition. Cheering at soccer games didn’t distract Bryant from his own Olympic mission, though. He and his U.S. teammates, the “Redeem Team”, also collected gold medals.
Comedian, actor, writer and game show host Drew Carey is such a big soccer fan that he now invests in the sport. The Price is Right star owns a share of Seattle Sounders F.C., a new MLS team that will begin playing in 2009.
“Soccer is an amazing game,” said Carey. “It’s like my favorite sport now.”
Carey is a big supporter of the U.S. National Team, traveling to matches in other countries and photographing the action. Not only that, but he also wrote a guide for new soccer fans in the firstever issue of READ Fútbol Mundial.


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