5 WWE Superstars and their football counterparts

WWE Superstars are extremely talented sports entertainers and have captivated fans with their high-flying moves and risky maneuvers while inside the ring. This is why professional wrestling is one of the most widely watched sporting events on live TV.

The athleticism on display in wrestling is comparable to other physical sports like football/soccer, since the superstars of the game have also wowed the crowd with their skill and agility. That said, there are WWE Superstars who are also huge fans of the sport. They were even asked which country would take home this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Superstars in both sports have sometimes been compared, since some of them have certain traits and qualities that they share. Here are five WWE Superstars and their football superstar counterparts.

#5. WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio and football star Lorenzo Insigne

Lorenzo Insigne is an Italian-born footballer who currently plays for Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC and Italy’s national football team. He even popularized the term 'tiraggiro' due to his penchant for executing those so-called curling shots.

WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio, on the other hand, has the 619 finisher that is already synonymous with his in-ring name.

Both athletes may be vertically challenged, but this never hindered them from becoming the superstars they are now. They also have the speed and agility that shot them to fame and kept them relevant in their respective sports.

#4. Randy Orton and Kylian Mbappé

WWE Superstar Randy Orton and footballer Kylian Mbappé are highly decorated athletes and continue to be relevant figures in their respective sports. This is despite the fact that the former has been on WWE’s injured list for quite a while now.

Orton has the distinction of being the youngest world champion in WWE history, having won the World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 24.

Mbappé achieved a similar feat in his football career. He became the most expensive teen player (18 years old) in the sport when he signed a contract for a permanent transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a whopping €180 million.

Mbappé also became the youngest French player to score a goal during the World Cup and the only teenager next to Pelé to score during a World Cup Final.

Both Orton and Mbappé rose to the top at a young age, and this makes them very much alike.

#3. Cody Rhodes and Christian Pulisic

Football superstar Christian Pulisic is a Pennsylvania native playing for Chelsea and the United States National Team. He was hailed as the most expensive North American player when he transferred to Chelsea in 2019 for $73 million.

Pulisic is known for his speed and impressive dribbling. He’s so good at it that his fans call him Captain America.

WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes, albeit having The American Nightmare moniker, is currently billed as a babyface in WWE. His return to the promotion during WrestleMania 38 surprised fans and created a huge pop at the time.

His most unforgettable performance by far after returning was his Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins. Fighting The Visionary during the event was ballsy, to say the least, since he went at it with a torn pectoral muscle. The match gained rave reviews from wrestling pundits and was well-received by WWE fans.

#2. The Rock and Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The Rock was dubbed The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment at the height of his career in WWE. The WWE Superstar’s mic skills whenever he cut a promo were without equal and he never failed to make the crowd react. There were even moments back then when the WWE crowd would be in unison chanting his famous lines.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic also has a similar trait since the famous footballer from Sweden is as charismatic as his WWE counterpart. Outside the field, Ibrahimovic is known for having a brazen persona and often creating quite the buzz within the football community due to his outspoken commentary.

#1. John Cena, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo

There is no doubt that both John Cena and Lionel Messi are among the finest athletes to have ever competed in their respective sports. The two have tirelessly sharpened their skills and risen above the rest to get where they are now.

Messi currently holds numerous records under his belt, which includes being the 14-time Argentine Footballer of the Year. As for the WWE Superstar, he is tied with wrestling legend Ric Flair for having the most championship reigns in pro wrestling history with a total of 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are believed to be having this rivalry as to who among them is the best player in the sport. However, the latter has debunked such a belief.

The two football greats have faced off on numerous occasions. Despite denying the competition between them, there is no denying that CR7 is Messi’s direct rival in every football stat.