What's the story?
Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh ticked off Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard from his list of famous sportspersons to meet as his European sojourn reaches a climax today with the Champions League final.
The popular Indian celebrity took to Twitter to express his delight at meeting Gerrard with these words: "Talismanic figure with the Heart of a Lion! The sheer greatness that is #StevenGerrard #legend”
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The context
Ranveer is expected to attend the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus later today at the National Stadium in Cardiff and his interaction with Gerrard comes on the back of his bumps into former footballing greats in Luis Figo and Robert Pires.
The heart of the matter
Ranveer was in the Wembley Stadium stands for the FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea last weekend. The actor of "Befikre" fame cheered eventual champions Arsenal on during the game and had a fun Twitter exchange with Gunners star midfielder Mesut Ozil following Arsenal's win.
Also read: Mesut Ozil interacts with Bollywood star Ranveer Singh after Arsenal's historic FA Cup win
Gerrard, who is currently an Academy coach at Liverpool, will take over as the manager of the club's Under-18s for the 2017-18 season. The quirky Ranveer certainly cheered him up ahead of the Champions League final, where the ex-England captain is expected to be alongside Jake Humphrey for BT Sport's coverage.
What's next?
While Real Madrid, who have won the European Cup a record 11 times, are the favourites for the final, Ranveer has made clear where his allegiance lies. He has predicted a 3-2 win for Juventus in the final, which kicks off in the wee hours of tomorrow morning at 12.15 AM Indian Standard Time.
Author's take
It has been a wonderful footballing journey for Ranveer across Europe, as meeting Gerrard, Figo and Pires ranks as a top achievement for any football fanatic. While many Bollywood actors have previously been mocked for showing their support for European clubs, Ranveer's meet-ups with the superstars of yesterday have been warmly received by his numerous fans and followers.
With Ranveer predicting a Juventus win, it will be difficult for him to get into the good books of the most popular footballer on the planet, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo will aim to win his fourth Champions League today to go level with Lionel Messi.
