Featured Image Credit: X/@AdinReports
Topics: IShowSpeed, Gerard Pique, Barcelona, La Liga, Champions League
Jack Kenmare
Topics: IShowSpeed, Gerard Pique, Barcelona, La Liga, Champions League
American streamer Adin Ross credited IShowSpeed for "making soccer popular in America" as he spoke to former Barcelona and Manchester United defender Gerard Pique.
IShowSpeed, real name Darren Watkins, has become an internet sensation in recent years, with his IRL live-streams, gaming content and general day-to-day-life going viral on a daily basis.
The 20-year-old, who has over 36 million subscribers on his ever-growing YouTube channel, began live-streaming and uploading videos of games such as NBA 2K and Fortnite in late 2017.
But ultimately, it was his decision to become a football fan that made him into one of the world's most viewed streamers as his fascination with Cristiano Ronaldo and FIFA began to grow.
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Such is his popularity, fellow streamer Adin Ross believes Speed has contributed massively to "soccer" becoming a force in America.
Ross was streaming live with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique when he made the statement.
As you can see from the clip below, Pique mentioned that football was getting "very popular" in America because of Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, to which Ross responded with a comment of his own.
"You've got to give credit to Speed though," he said. "I feel like Speed made things really, really popular."
This isn't the first time Ross has praised the American streamer. "Speed is a f**king pioneer," he said last year. "There are no words. Speed is a pioneer. He made soccer popular in America, he knows how to influence kids very f**king well.
"Biggest streamer, technically if we're speaking, of all time, as far as numbers go."
Ross added: "He came with the (NBA) 2K community and he was super young and hopping in this game quickly and blew up the quickest way. He got a million f**king subs everyday. That was crazy. His TikTok f**king run was nuts. He ate that YouTube algorithm. Speed's a pioneer."
Here's how fans on social media reacted to Ross' comments.
One said: "Huh? I love Speed but come on. Speed is popular and big cause of his love for football, it won’t ever be the other way around."
A second wrote: "Adin Ross told Gerard Piqué that Speed made soccer popular in the U.S," and a third commented: "Ngl football made Speed as popular as he is now."
A fourth added: "Football been the most popular sport in the world before Speed ever touched FIFA."
Thoughts on the comments? Let us know in the comments.