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Ever since actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team in the fifth tier of the English football league system, they've had one goal—take it to the Premier League, the cream of the crop. Now that the season is over, Wrexham AFC has been crowned as the winner, earning a much coveted promotion. From the moment the team mathematically reached the championship, Reynolds has been expressing his excitement and sharing some moving footage of the celebrations on Instagram.
The win marks Wrexham's first league title in 45 years. Considered to be the third oldest soccer team in the world, Wrexham AFC has had a rough time over the last few decades, as management issues and debts further prevented the team from doing well and rising to the top before the arrival of Reynolds and McElhenney.
What does the victory of Wrexham AFC mean? To fully grasp it, you’ll need to understand how English soccer works. Unlike the most popular American leagues, the champion of a league does not emerge from a play-off round; it wins by earning the first spot on the table, where positions are allocated via a point system—three points for a win, one for a draw. That's why Reynolds and McElhenney were able to celebrate before the tournament was over; their win over Boreham Wood on April 24 secured a big enough lead over the second place, Notts County. The club amassed a record-breaking tally of 111 points.
Also unlike major American sports, a tier system gets teams promoted by winning their league tournaments and relegated from a certain league if they end last. Since Wrexham AFC played and won the 2022-23 National League, the fifth tier, they've earned a spot on the fourth tier, the English Football League Two, for the next season. To make Reynolds' vision come true, they must conquer the subsequent leagues on the pyramid to reach the Premier League, the top level.
While this dream seemed far-fetched when Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the team in 2020, Wrexham AFC has taken a huge step with this victory. Being promoted after only three seasons since they took over is no small feat, and both actors have expressed their pride and joy about this throughout the celebrations.
Before continuing to dream big, both club owners are reveling in the win. After sharing a moving hug—captured by no other than Paul Rudd, who happened to be Reynolds' guest—Reynolds then shared a picture of him kissing the trophy. Since the feat deserved a full-blown party, Reynolds, McElhenney, and the players paraded on open-top buses in the streets surrounding Wrexham AFC's stadium, The Racecourse Ground. It has also been announced that Reynolds will take the players to Las Vegas, as he promised them earlier should they win the promotion.
Reynolds and McElhenney previously shared their experiences as soccer club owners on the first season of the documentary series Welcome to Wrexham. If the latest developments are any clue, season 2 will depict their thrilling, movie-like path to victory.
Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer team owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, was crowned as the winner, earning them a coveted promotion.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
From the moment the team mathematically reached the championship, Reynolds has been expressing his excitement and sharing some moving footage of the celebrations on Instagram.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Ryan Reynolds: Instagram | Twitter
Rob McElhenney: Instagram | Twitter
Wrexham AFC: Instagram
h/t: [Mashable]
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