It is not a secret that, apart from MMA, one thing Khabib Nurmagomedov is most passionate about is football. From time to time, the Dagestani fighter has shown his love for Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo. Recently, Nurmagomedov got the opportunity to meet the legendary Brazilian player Roberto Carlos. With whom Nurmagomedov shared a picture of him hugging the FIFA World Cup winner.
Indeed, it is always a delight for sports fans to see their icons meeting legends from the same or different disciplines. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov shared a picture on his Instagram story. In the picture he was seen hugging a man who was a crucial part of the Brazilian football team in the 2002 FIFA win.
Nurmagomedov is a devoted fan of Anzhi Makhachkala, Galatasaray, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and the Russian national team. And, his admiration extends to the Brazilian 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. He has previously posted comparing himself to the legendary Ronaldo and now meeting another legend.
Meanwhile, it’s not the first time that “The Eagle” has met legendary football players. In the past, he has met Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Paul Pogba, and numerous others. Not only has he met these legends, but he has also played with one player, i.e. Clarence Seedorf. Interestingly, talking about his love for sports and football players, he once said growing up he wanted to be a footballer, not a fighter.
Growing up Khabib Nurmagomedov wanted to become a footballer
It is hard to imagine that Khabib Nurmagomedov, who spent endless hours in MMA and dedicated his life to it, didn’t want to be in this sport. It is a reality that many don’t know; the undefeated fighter, at first, didn’t want to become an MMA fighter. As he has mentioned in the past, he wanted to be a footballer growing up. He loved football and spent endless hours watching, playing, and thinking about it. Talking about it once he stated,
“Football for me is the no.1 sport. I dreamed of becoming a football player when I was little. Watching it all the time. Football is better, you don’t have to kick people to hurt them. You just go out in the field and show what a great player and professional you are. That’s also a hardworking sport.I just like football more. More than UFC or MMA.”
It’s wild to think about what could have been if Nurmagomedov had pursued a different career path and become a football player. We’ll never know if he could have made a name for himself in another field, but it’s a thought worth wondering.
