Drake's Complete History as a Soccer Fan

Image via Complex Original

Date: 2007
Support Shown For: Manchester United

In what appears to be the first evidence of Drake's affinity as a soccer fan, the Toronto-based rapper showed his love and knowledge of the game by name-dropping a true legend of the game in Ruud van Nistelrooy back in 2007. The first in an extensive collection of public displays of soccer admiration and love, Drizzy's history with the world's game spans several countries, and showcases his friendships with numerous stars of the game. Check out the namedrop in, 'The Presentation,' above.

Date: 1/25/2011
Support shown for: Manchester United

Four years after name-checking van Nistelrooy on his mixtape, Drake publicly outs himself as a Manchester United fan. After looking like he just robbed the team store, he stopped by United HQ to show love to the Red Devils, get some autographs, and to chop it up with defender Rio Ferdinand. The two spent time comparing their respective professions, with Drake saying, "I feel like I do play a sport" when he's out on the stage, and Ferdinand claiming that if he "wasn't a footballer, I'd be there [in Drake's position as a rapper]." We're not sure about that that one, Ferdy. Spurned by Drake's aura, United would go on to win the Premier League title in 2011.

Date: 6/7/2011
Support shown for: FIFA 12

As the man proclaims, he truly loves the game of soccer, and we have few doubts about it. What, you thought Drake was just featured in the new FIFA 14 commercial? Think again, kids, Drizzy has been repping soccer and the FIFA franchise for years. He was featured here back in 2012 with Weezy in a spot for the FIFA 12 release. The new FIFA 14 ad is probably cooler, but the love remains the same.

Date: 3/28/2012
Support shown for: Didier Drogba

If Didier Drogba were a fan of ours we'd probably feel like we were on cloud nine, too. Obviously Drake took to Twitter to let the world know he is admired by the Ivory Coast international, and the response was par for the course, over 9,000 Retweets and over 1,500 favorites. Damn, what it would be like to walk one day in the shoes of Drake.

Date: 3/31/2012
Support shown for: Manchester City

A little over a year later, Drake was in Manchester again, but this time he was spotted at the Ethiads instead of Old Trafford. Manchester City were down 3-1 by the 55th minute, but a Mario Balotelli brace and an Aleksandar Kolarov goal brought City back to draw 3-3, keeping their undefeated record at home alive. It would prove to be a valuable point, as City needed a last second victory in their final match to win the Premiership that season. Once again, that OVO magic popped up. But on that chilly March afternoon in Manchester, we're unsure as to why Drake had swapped United Red for City Blue, especially after becoming BFFs with Rio Ferdinand only a year prior. That was until...

Date: 3/31/2012
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

Because who doesn't enjoy a good curry in the Manchester city centre on a Saturday afternoon? This just sounds like the ultimate fan experience to us, taking in a game at the Etihad while watching your favorite player, Balotelli, then going for a snack with him after the game. Cool just doesn't do enough to describe this, more like incredibly freakin' awesome.

Date: 4/3/2012
Support shown for: Tom Cleverley

What we are fast learning about all of these photos with Drake and soccer stars is that they admire him just as much as he admires them. We see evidence of this from this picture that Tom Cleverley of Manchester United posted to his website after running into Drake at a Manchester hotel. He calls Drake a, "legend," in his post, and damn if we disagree.

Date: 4/5/2012
Support shown for: Chelsea

While in London, Drake decided to head down to Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea defeat Benfica in the Champions League. After the match, he joined John Terry, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, and other Chelsea players on the pitch for a little post-match victory kick-about. Speaking with Chelsea TV, Drake called Drogba his "favorite player in the world" (no word on if that statement had anything to do with Drogba personally sending him a set of tickets for the game)—hopefully Balotelli didn't get too jealous.

Date: 4/6/2012
Support shown for: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, and now Arsenal can be added to the list of Premier League clubs that Drizzy had been pictured showing support for. This picture of Drake and young English international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made its way onto Facebook last April, and garnished one comment of, "Isn't Drizzy a United Fan?" The answer, as we are quickly learning, is not that simple.

Date: 4/18/2012
Support shown for: Jerome Boateng

Another day, another new team and player for Drake to show support for. We wonder if Drake has a room in one of his mansions dedicated to all the jerseys and memorabilia he is racking up from his international soccer exploits. This time October's very own was pictured holding a Bayern Munich Jerome Boateng jersey, and thus proclaiming his support for the defending German and European champions. Keep going Drizzy, there are so many teams and players to meet and support.

Date: 4/24/2012
Support shown for: Chelsea

This Twitter response by Drake was undoubtedly a reply to the hate he was getting from people for showing love to multiple soccer teams. Soccer fans really don't like it when you show support and rep the gear of different clubs, especially ones in the same league. However, Drake explains he loves the sport, and supports all his friends on different teams. How many friends do you have on professional soccer teams? We'll wait.

Date: 4/25/2012
Support shown for: Chelsea

A week after watching Drogba give Chelsea a 1-0 lead over Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, Drake was sure to shout-out his mates after they tied Barcelona at the Nou Camp 2-2, but won the tie on aggregate 3-2 to advance to the finals. Chelsea fans will remember it was one of the craziest matches in club history, as Chelsea was down 2-0 at half-time AND without captain John Terry, who was red carded eight minutes before the half-time whistle.

Despite Barcelona holding the title of "best team in the world and possibly of all-time" 72 percent possession for the game, and a man advantage, Chelsea battled back and scored two remarkable second-half goals courtesy of Ramires and Fernando Torres. Surely for Drake, a hardcore and Chelsea fan at the time, it was one of the few nights per year that didn't end in him sobbing.

Date: 4/26/2012
Support shown for: Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea

Eventually when you outwardly rep the gear and show support for multiple clubs that compete against one another, you're going to get called out sooner or later. This meme that surfaced back in April of last year is certainly worth a chuckle or two. The play on Y.O.L.O. is quite clever, if we do say so ourselves.

Date: 5/19/2012
Support shown for: Chelsea

What was more improbable: Chelsea beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich en route to a European Cup after finishing 6th in the Premier League, or Drake becoming a Chelsea fan after already showing allegiance to Manchester United and Manchester City? Regardless, it was Drake's boy Didier Drogba who was the hero again for Chelsea, tying the match with a legendary header in the 88th minute and then converting the winner in a penalty shoot-out. Clearly, that OVO and that XO is everything Chelsea needed to win the Cup.

Date: 6/17/2012
Support shown for: FIFA 12

This is what we truly love about FIFA, the game has the power to bring people together and just kick it, pun intended, while taking a break from the daily grind of life. Or in this case, the daily grind of the tour bus life. As fans of sport and music, we love FIFA, and to see Drake and J. Cole playing it together is, well, pretty damn cool.

Date: 6/26/2012
Support shown for: FIFA 12

Puffing shisha while listening to his own lines about puffing shisha and playing FIFA? Yup, only Drake could pull off such a feat and post a video of it. Let's be honest though, who doesn't/hasn't kicked back with friends and smoked a little hookah while tearing it up as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?

Date: 7/1/2012
Support shown for: Italy

Is there a better spot to watch Italy play in the Euro 2012 Final than your hometown's Little Italy section? We think not. Drake may be a flip-flopper of a soccer fan, but dude knows how to do it right on almost every occasion. We're sure the rest of the Toronto natives who came out to watch the game were glad Drake decided to show support for the Italian national team on this day.

Date: 7/12/2012
Support shown for: Didier Drogba

Just add it to the growing list of teams Drake already has love for. We know he's shown love to Drogba before while on Chelsea, and in this display of soccer affection Drake's love spills onto the international level. Drake is pictured here with one of his many heroes, in Didier Drogba, while holding an Ivory Coast international shirt.

Date: 8/6/2012
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

You know the line by heart: "Went from my nigga serving it by the tele, to venues in Manchester/Just swerving with Balotelli, the fuck are you trying to tell me." On the posthumous Aaliyah track "Enough Said," Drake decided to work Balotelli into his verse. He went five years between name-dropping soccer players in songs, so you already knew that Drake would only name-check a fellow legend in any of his bars.

Date: 8/22/2012
Support Shown For: Toronto FC

If you're showing love to all the major clubs across Europe, it's only right that you show some support to the hometown squad. Drake once again dropped by the training ground to get kitted out and show some skills on the pitch, this time he did it with Toronto FC at BMO Field. He once again paid homage to his main man Balotelli by shouting him out when he posted the Instagram pics of himself in a Toronto uniform.

Date: 10/19/2012
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

Because it's not really love unless both parties show devotion towards one another. Drake repping Balotelli in his rap lyrics, Balotelli dedicating goals to Drizzy, and this little gem of Balotelli just kicking it on the 'October's Very Own,' website. Of course Super Mario is rockin' that baby blue so he can rep Man. City as well.

Date: 2/2013
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

You know that annoying guy or girl who always posts pictures of their significant other on social media as if you actually care about their relationship? Sometimes people are just too excited about who they were able to pull in, and feel the need to brag about it. Drake and Balotelli were toeing that line earlier this year with all of their social media posts. We're guessing that Drake has this picture and one of himself photoshopped with Aaliyah on his night stand.

Date: 2/10/2013
Support shown for: Toronto Youth Soccer

If anyone had any lingering doubts about Drake's dedication as a soccer fan, surely he quieted a few of the non-believers with the release of the "Started From The Bottom," music video earlier this year. The video starts off with kids playing soccer, and features the logo for the Toronto parks and recreation department. Whether the kid who scores the goal is supposed to be a young Drake or not is anyone's guess.

Date: 4/19/2013
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

Can't lie, that shirt is pretty fresh. Drake's been known to wear his own merchandise, but we haven't seen this gem made available to the public. The greatest love affair in sports and music, continued.

Date: 5/21/2013
Support shown for: Tim Cahill

We've seen Red Bulls midfielder Tim Cahill mention Drake on Twitter a lot to advertise FIFA 14, but Drake has yet to respond. Here, we have proof that Drake acknowledges Cahill as a person first, and a soccer player second. Great moment for all involved.

Date: 5/24/2013
Support shown for: Barcelona

After spending a week in Spain, Drake landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport in a fresh new Lionel Messi jersey. Can't go wrong with holding down the best player on the planet. The two have been heavily involved with the FIFA 14 promo campaign. Let's see if the two meet-up over the course of this La Liga season.

Date: 5/29/2013
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

What did the shirt say? Did OVOlotelli have a picture of Drake's face underneath his jersey? We never got the chance to find out, but not because Balotelli didn't score for Italy against San Marino—the guy didn't even play. Back pains sidelined him that week, denying us the opportunity to witness what could've been the height of the Balotelli-Drake bromance.

Date: 6/6/2013
Support shown for: Mario Balotelli

Sporting a new AC Milan shirt, Drake also made a point to, um, point out his $2.5 million car. The picture's caption says it all: "It's levels to thi...never mind. #SangNoir #ShouldHaveBeenASoccerPlayer #EuroLifestyle #CreamsicleGuts"

Date: 6/10/2013
Support shown for: FIFA 14

Well, this was certainly a surprise to all of everyone at E3. As part of FIFA 14's showcase, Drake hopped on stage not to perform but to sing his praises for EA Sports. "When I play the game I can only think about what the development team behind the game are doing to make the FIFA I love even better." Err, sure Drake. Sure. Except, whenever we think of the FIFA development team, we think about the asshole A.I. goal keeper that's making 30 saves against us, or because the glitches in the middle of a match.

Date: 6/16/2013
Support shown for: Italy

On that date, Drake made sports and hip-hop history. The two industries are forever interwined, but we'd be willing to bet that Drake is the first rapper to ever have a goal dedicated to them. On the flip side, we're pretty sure that Balotelli is the first footy player to dedicate a goal to a rapper. While playing in the Confederation's Cup for Italy, Balotelli scored the game-winning goal against Mexico, propelling them to a run into the finals. It's very sweet that Mario thought of his BFF Drake right after the match.

Date: 6/20/2013
Support shown for: Didier Drogba

Drogba was in Miami during Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals. After the Heat took the title, he partied it up with them at the club afterwards for some champagne and campaigning. Oh, and look who he ran into! His long lost buddy, Drake!

Date: 9/7/2013
Support shown for: FIFA 14

Along with Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, Javier Hernandez, Tim Cahill, Robert Lewandowski, and Stephan El Shaarawy, Drake starred in this awesome FIFA 14 commercial. A$AP Rocky and Snoop Lion were involved in FIFA's promotions last year, so it's only natural that Drake stepped up to carry the FIFA 14 torch for hip-hop.

Date: 9/18/2013
Support shown for: FIFA 14

Complex had the exclusive on the "We are FIFA" commercial, premiering this video package of some behind-the-scenes footage and an interview with Drake. He talked about his undying love for the game and the aforementioned FIFA rivalry with J. Cole's crew.