Watch John Oliver Try to Sell Americans on Favorite Soccer Club
John Oliver might originally be from Birmingham, but since the Last Week Tonight host’s parents both come from Liverpool, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his allegiances lie with Liverpool F.C.
Oliver loves his Reds with such a passion that he says he’s uncomfortable trying to explain it. Instead, he’s using his influence to try and turn U.S. fans onto the team in a video calling for the “Red summer.” Liverpool is currently playing in America next week as part of the International Champions Cup, against Chelsea at the Rose Bowl on July 27th, and then against AC Milan at Levi’s Stadium on July 30th, and the video works as sort of a last-second pitch to try and get a few fans to make the trek out to watch.
While Oliver’s beloved club comes in behind clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea in terms of popularity in America, there’s always the chance that a celebrity spokesperson with an English accent could sway a few Americans to join in on a stirring rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Of course with Premier League gaining popularity in the States, there’s always room for new fans to latch onto different teams, but as Oliver points out, although the club hasn’t been that great in the last few years (“Fuck you. They’re coming back,” Oliver says), there’s plenty to get excited about including the club’s “very funny angry German” manager Jürgen Klopp.
So if you’re looking for a team to get behind, listen to John Oliver‘s pitch. And if you’re reading this with a Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur scarf tied around your neck, the video is still watching because it’s John Oliver. You can’t really go wrong.