David Beckham has lavished praise on Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for their transformative efforts as co-chairmen of Wrexham as the team continues its whirlwind rise.
On the pitch, the Red Dragons secured a second successive promotion during the previous campaign, securing their place in League One for the upcoming term. Finishing as runners-up in the fourth tier, their 88-point haul came after the club's owners invested in talents such as Steven Fletcher and James McClean to assist with their charge.
Alongside success on the field, North Wales outfit has also been earned a cult following across the world as a result of the club's Hollywood ties and the popular "Welcome To Wrexham" docuseries. Now former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar Beckham has revealed his admiration for the efforts of Reynolds and McElhenney in their endeavours.
READ MORE: Rob McElhenney doubles down on Wrexham promotion belief with honest prediction
READ MORE: Rob McElhenney renews plea for Gareth Bale to reverse retirement and join Wrexham
The ex-England captain is also a club co-owner himself with MLS side Inter Miami, with the retired football icon having built on his spell stateside during his playing days to establish the club back in 2018. In the last six years the Floridan franchise has also experienced exponential growth as a soccer powerhouse - with world-famous names including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez being lured by Beckham in the past year.
Beckham's Inter Miami plan dealt first blow which could block Messi transferGiving his perspective on life as a team owner, the retired ex-Paris Saint-Germain right midfielder said of the experience of setting up a team in the US: "I do think they play into it. That’s why I moved to America in 2007 with my family to join the MLS and to join the Galaxy — because I knew that there was potential.
"It was always going to be a challenge, and I’m glad that I played a small role in making the league as big as it is now, but it takes moments like what we’ve just done," he said, before praising Wrexham's owners, saying: "It takes things like ‘Ted Lasso,’ and it takes people like Ryan and Rob to give it that bit of air."
Ultimately, Beckham was clear that he feels that the popularity of the game in America is on an upwards trajectory, adding: "I’ve always said it: America wants to be the best at everything. I love that and that’s why I wanted to live in America, because I love that culture, that positivity.”
Famously hands-on at the Racecourse Ground, comedy actor Reynolds joked about the work which will now be undertaken by himself and McElhenney in light of Wrexham's promotion, laughing: "Everyone's celebrating and I have my head in my hands because it just turns into 800 emails about "Here's what we have to do to be in League One. Infrastructure, all these different things."
He also recounted a conversation with his business partner about attending the game which saw Wrexham earn promotion, recalling that he asked the 'It's Always Sunny' writer: "Shall we go?", to which received the reply: "It's almost mathematically impossible."
After watching the club earn its place in League One from the set of Deadpool, he acknowledged: "I can't believe I'm not there! I mean it wasn't like a sure thing you know. I was like 'yeah might happen but might not' but wow."