Lorenzo Insigne ended his 16-year relationship with Napoli when he joined Toronto F.C in the summer of 2022. Having played for the Gli Azzuri for so long, it must have felt weird joining a new team.
However, Insigne seems to familiarise himself with his new surroundings quickly. His social media activity shows him hanging out and clicking pictures with Hollywood celebrities.
Most recently the Italian winger posted a picture of himself with famous actor and comedian Adam Sandler. In the photo Insigne can be seen visibly excited to meet the Hollywood star, posing with a big smile on his face and pointing toward the celebrity.
Sandler has been in Toronto since last month, casting for a Netflix production he is involved in, which is also based in the same city. Earlier last week, he was seen playing basketball with fans during his break.
He is seen smiling too in Insigne’s post, which is slightly surprising considering his comments about football (or “soccer”) in his recent movie ‘Hustle’.
The movie is based around an NBA scout portrayed by Sandler. It has a scene wherein he is attending a football game. He tries to feign admiration for the sport, but it doesn’t last long as he admits “I hate soccer. I can’t say that. I really do hate that sport”.
Thankfully the views are not shared by him in real life. Sandler and fellow actor/comedian Rob Schneider are fans of Mexican football and support Tigres.
If he had truly believed what his character said in ‘Hustle’, Insigne’s smile would have vanished real quick when he heard about these thoughts. Luckily for him and us, Sandler is one of our own.
Sandler and Insigne join other unexpected crossovers between Hollywood and football. Last month Will Ferrell and Steven Gerrard were seen enjoying dinner together with a common acquaintance.
Yet meetups between footballers and Hollywood stars should not be as unexpected in this day and age. Despite their busy schedules, football has increasingly become a sport many actors and celebrities follow.
Some such as Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have taken their support further and invested in football clubs, hoping to take them to the top.
It is good to see the interaction between the two industries. It helps bring more limelight to the wonderful sport we know and the wonderful players that play it. Hopefully, Insigne has a wonderful time in his new home.
