Prince William Wishes Favorite Soccer Team Well in Personal Post Before Champions League Match

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince Williamis sending a message straight to his favorite soccer team, Aston Villa!

On Sept. 17, the Prince of Wales, 42, penned a personal message onXto wish the Premier League team well at their UEFA Champions League match against the Young Boys squad from Switzerland, set to take place the same day. Prince William is president of the Football Association, an avid soccer fan and isknown to rootfor Aston Villa.

“The last time @AVFCOfficial won in the top European competition, it was the month before I was born. Let’s hope tonight is the first step towards another European adventure!” William began the message.

“My thoughts this evening are also with Villa legend Gary Shaw’s friends and family following his passing yesterday,” he continued, referencing the death of the former Aston Villa player. The soccer club announced Shaw’s death on Sept. 16, and remembered the striker in atributeas “one of our European Cup-winning heroes,” which is the match that William referenced.

He signed the message with “W,” using his first initial as shorthand, as he and wifeKate Middletondo to denote when a social media post comes directly from them.

Prince William and Prince George at the UEFA Europa Conference League 2023/2024 quarterfinal between Aston Vill and Lille OSC at Villa Park on April 11, 2024.Marc Atkins/Getty

Marc Atkins/Getty

Like many passionate soccer fans, Prince William is known to post messages on X to comment on big news relating to the game. He seems to have passed down an interest in soccer — particularly the Villa fandom! — to his eldest son,Prince George, 11.

The father and son attended one of the team’s games at home stadium Villa Park in Birmingham, England in April, where George festively wore a scarf in the club’s colors. After the match, where Villa beat French team Lille 2-1, William confirmed his son was following in his footsteps as a fan.

When asked if George was now “part of the pride,” a phrase Villa supporters use to describe their team’s followers, William replied, “Oh yes, he’s loving it,” according to sports journalist Neil Moxley, who recapped the chat onX.

The Wales family in a video issued on Sept. 9, 2024.Will Warr

Will Warr

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Earlier this year, a source told PEOPLE that following Aston Villa gave Prince William a lift as both his wife Princess Kate and fatherKing Charleswere undergoing treatment for cancer. (The Princess of Wales issued  avideo messageon Sept. 9 to share that shecompleted chemotherapy, while Buckingham Palace said in late April that the King’s treatmentwas ongoing.)

source: people.com