As unlikely as it may seem, a girls’ youth team from Wales have become the latest football club to receive the backing of a high-profile U.S. celebrity.
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AFC Rumney, a community side from the Cardiff area, are now following in the footsteps of nearby(ish) Wrexham, who have flourished since Hollywood pair Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over in 2020. In much the same vein, the under-14 girls team at the other end of the country have announced that rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson III is now officially in “da club” after agreeing to become their new sponsor.
As part of the deal, 50 Cent will have both his name and that of his hip-hop collective G-Unit splashed across the front of the AFC Rumney U14s girls away kit for the remainder of the season.
The collaboration came about after one of the Rumney players’ fathers worked with 50 Cent during the rapper’s recent “Final Lap” tour which is due to take in several UK dates in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London later this year.
According to BBC News, other parents encouraged him to ask 50 Cent if the latter would be willing to sponsor the team and to everybody’s surprise, the New York-born hip-hop superstar was happy to do so.
“He [the parent] said he would ask the question — worst case scenario was [50 Cent] would have just said no. Thankfully he didn’t, he agreed to it,” said Rumney manager Richie Brown. “He sponsored our away kit first of all, and then we were a little bit cheeky. We asked for a little bit more, and he sponsored us again for our tracksuits.”
The U14s side are now due to wear their new 50 Cent-sponsored matchday apparel when they play their first away game of the season next week after managing to win promotion from the division below last campaign.
“We’ve had a bit of a slow start and lost a few games but hopefully now this can get our confidence back,” Brown added. “Fingers crossed it brings the results back on the pitch as well. I think Ryan Reynolds has got a bit of competition now!”
