Fans were left speechless after a huge Hollywood star went unnoticed at the Wrexham FC game on Saturday night.
Wrexham fans were left in dreamland as the Welsh football club owned by A-list stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were promoted to the Football League for the first time in 15 years.
Watching on, the team were cheered on by 10,000 fans as well as celebrity guest and pal of Reynolds Paul Rudd, who celebrated a dramatic 3-1 win against Boreham Wood.
The American actor, 54, had been spotted drinking beer and joining in on chants at the Turf Hotel pub in north Wales ahead of the crunch match on Saturday night which, despite being in the humble National League, had a global following thanks to its Hollywood owners.
But also there – largely unnoticed – was film director Joe Russo.
Can you spot them? Fans were left speechless after a huge Hollywood star went unnoticed at the Wrexham FC game on Saturday night
Joe, alongside his brother Anthony, are American directors, producers, and screenwriters.
They are best known for directing four films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
The brothers have also worked as directors and producers on the comedy series Arrested Development (2003–2005), Community (2009–2014), and Happy Endings (2011–2012).
While many fans failed to recognise the Hollywood star, taking to Twitter one fan wrote: ‘Put some respect on Joe Russo’s name please.’
A second wrote: ‘It’s mad that Joe Russo was right there…only the director of multiple Marvel films and no one bothered to mention him.’
‘That’s Joe Russo there too! One of the directors of Avengers’, a third added.
The small Welsh town has become a much-sought after location for big stars recently, with Emma Corrin, Will Ferrell and the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia just a few names who have visited the stadium.
On Saturday night, fans stormed the pitch after the final whistle blew, and as cameras turned to the co-owners, Reynolds and McElhenney who appeared to shed a tear as they took in the incredible scene of Wrexham FC celebrating the monumental victory.
Under the radar: Watching on, the team were cheered on by 10,000 fans as well as celebrity guest and pal of Reynolds Paul Rudd, who celebrated a dramatic 3-1 win against Boreham Wood alongside director Joe Russo (left)
Big name: The American actor, 54, had been spotted drinking beer and joining in on chants at the Turf Hotel pub in north Wales. But also there – largely unnoticed – was film director Joe Russo (pictured)
Successful: Joe, alongside his brother Anthony, are American directors, producers, and screenwriters best known for four films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Wrexham needed the win to secure promotion to the Football League with one game to go – and their fans were roaring them all the way from the moment it kicked off at 6.30pm.
But the north Wales team were 1-0 down when a goal from their opponents came silenced the stands 40 seconds in. They were not behind for long thought, with Elliot Lee bringing it back to 1-1 at 14 mins.
In the second half, super scorer Paul Mullin a second AND third goal – a brilliant goal into the top right corner – putting them in the best position possible for a win and a promotion.
Even the Prince of Wales took the opportunity to congratulate the team for the huge win on Saturday night.
Taking to Twitter, Prince William wrote: ‘Congratulations @Wrexham_AFC! A club with such amazing history, looking forward to a very exciting future back in the Football League. Doing Wales proud. W.’
Following the match just as his team was about to lift the Vanarama National League Trophy, Ryan Reynolds told BT Sport: ‘I am not sure I can process what happened tonight. I am still little speechless.
Having a few: While many fans failed to recognise the Hollywood star, taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: ‘Put some respect on Joe Russo’s name please’
Spotlight: A second wrote: ‘It’s mad that Joe Russo was right there…only the director of multiple Marvel films and no one bothered to mention him’
Cheers! Plenty of fans stopped the Hollywood A-lister for a selfie, and his arrival even caused ‘Paul Rudd’ to trend on Twitter
‘[People ask] “Why Wrexham?”. This is why Wrexham. This happening, right now, is why. Boreham Wood showed up today. They are an incredible team. They have one of the best defences in the entire league.
‘This entire story, the reason we are all on edge of our seats is because Notts County (the team in second place in the table) are so damn good. They deserve to go up. We are rooting for Notts County. We want to see them go up.’
Rob McElhenney added: ‘I think we can hear what it feels to the town. It’s a moment of catharsis for them and celebration.
‘For us to be welcomed into their community and be welcomed to this experience, has been the honour of my life.’
Reynolds and McElhenney seemingly have become soccer fanatics since completing their out-of-nowhere purchase of the Welsh club for $2.5 million in 2021.
An offshoot of the takeover was the making of a fly-on-the-wall documentary – entitled ‘Welcome to Wrexham’.
The series charted the journey of a historic but down-on-its-luck football team run by two actors learning the ropes of sports club ownership.
With Saturday night’s win, the second season of the show will have a happy ending, with Wrexham heading back into the EFL League Two – three divisions below the pinnacle of English Football, the Premier League – for the first time in 15 years.
Getting ready: Wrexham co-owner Reynolds (left) and Paul Rudd watch on at the match about to begin on Saturday evening
In good spirits: Paul, dressed in an all-black ensemble including a baseball hat, looked in good spirits as he watched the Wrexham – Boreham Wood match
Moral support: Paul Rudd, who has been in the UK in recent days for a film shoot, came to support his pal Ryan Reynolds for the match in north Wales alongside Joe (left)
Wrexham is now four points clear of second-placed Notts County with one games left to play, and so is guaranteed the sole automatic promotion spot to League Two.
Wrexham boast a proud history as the third-oldest professional football club in the world, with past glories including a FA Cup win over Arsenal and a European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph against Porto.
But they had fallen on hard times as financial problems saw an 87-year stay in the Football League come to an end in 2008.
Now they are back in circumstances a Hollywood script writer would struggle to match.
Before lining up in League Two next season, glamour friendlies against Manchester United and Chelsea await in the United States thanks to the club’s new-found American following.
Supporters closer to home got their moment in the sun as they spilled onto the pitch at full-time to celebrate amid plumes of red smoke billowing from flares.
Since their unlikely takeover, Reynolds (21 million) and McElhenney (1 million) have used their large Twitter followings to promote the club and brought in sponsors such as TikTok, Aviation Gin and Expedia, global brands that typically have no place at this level of the game.
The actors are also living up to the promises they made when taking over, like making improvements to the stadium and investing heavily in the women’s team. They brought in board members and advisers with experience of top-level soccer and who have made good, sensible decisions.
Hollywood ending! Wrexham fans are in dreamland as the Welsh football club owned by A-list stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been promoted to the Football League
Congratulations! Wrexham FC players lift the Vanarama National League Trophy as they celebrate promotion back to the English Football League 15 years after being demoted
The industrial town of about 65,000 people, located near the northwest English border and close to the soccer hotbeds of Liverpool and Manchester, has been abuzz with excitement for the past two years.
Last season, Wrexham lost in the playoffs to miss out on promotion but made no mistake a year later to get out of the non-leagues, where some teams are semi-professional.
Wrexham finished the game to a backdrop of fans joyously singing ‘We are going up’ – with Reynolds and McElhenney joining in.
Ahead of the incredible game on Saturday night, Rudd looked like he fit right in with the Wrexham fans who all looked in good spirits, as he enjoyed a few beers from plastic cups while singing along to the football chants.
Plenty of fans stopped the Hollywood A-lister for a selfie, and his arrival even caused ‘Paul Rudd’ to trend on Twitter.
He has been in London in recent days shooting for Ghostbusters: Afterlife alongside co-cast members William Atherton and Ernie Hudson.
They were seen stepping out on the streets outside St James’ Park Tube Station to film scenes for the follow-up to the 2021 movie, alongside an iconic prop car to go with the shoot.
Backed by Hollywood pair Reynolds and McElhenney, Wrexham have proven an enormous hit – even with fans in the United States, so much so that for many, the fandom has now become a daily way of life.
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