He’s just 17 years old (you may have heard), but Luke Littler isn’t one to shy away from the big stage.

Whether it be storming his way to a World Championship final or wrapping the crowd around his finger, the teenage sensation was made for the big stage and proved that once again in Liverpool on Thursday.

Littler romped to a Premier League night victory for a third time this season, despite being public enemy No 1 as he was booed entering the arena due to his connections to Manchester United. He wasn’t shy to bite back, reminding Liverpool supporters in attendance that they had lost to rivals Everton on Wednesday night.

He has made no secret of his love for United, regularly mentioning his team in interviews, receiving invites to visit the club and even throwing a few arrows against some of his Red Devils heroes.

But who do some of the other top sports stars support? How big a fans are they? And are there any controversial controversial cross-overs? Mail Sport has picked out some of the best. 

Man United fan Luke Littler mocked Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat against Everton after being jeered

The 17-year-old threw a 180 to beat Maguire and Eriksen’s nine-dart scores with ease

Rory McIlroy – Manchester United

Like Littler, golfer Rory McIlroy is an avid United fan. The World No 2 even revealed in 2023 that he rejected the chance to invest in Leeds pledging his loyalty.

In 2014, the Northern Irishman paraded the Claret Jug around Old Trafford after winning The Open, and can regularly be seen following his favourite side around the world.

‘It was great,’ he said of the experience. ‘I couldn’t wait and I was nervous at the same time.’ He was also, like Littler, booed in Liverpool during The Open in 2014, which took place at Royal Liverpool.

McIlroy also recently revealed that he is keen to buy into United, saying: ‘I would have loved to have taken 0.00001 per cent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe bought in. If another opportunity comes my way I will look at it.’ 

The 34-year-old also follows North Ireland internationally and recorded a message of encouragement for the side ahead of their participation in Euro 2016.

‘The Green and White Army are at the European Championship at last,’ he said in the video after his side qualified for the tournament for the first time ever. ‘We are so proud of you boys, good luck and dare to dream. Come on Northern Ireland.’

Like Littler, golf star Rory McIlroy is an avid Manchester United fan and was booed at a competition in Liverpool

Ben Stokes – Tottenham

It may be a bit of a stretch, but Tottenham can officially claim England cricket captain Ben Stokes as one of their own.

Already a cricketing legend, Stokes rose to mainstream fame when he helped his side to a sensational Ashes victory over Australia at Yorkshire’s Headingley in 2019, and was sent a Spurs shirt in return.

Some may have seen it as a punishment rather than a gift, but Stokes welcomed it with open arms and saw it as a deciding moment in who he would be supporting going forward.

‘Never supported a club, always wanted to but never loved football enough,’ Stokes wrote on X, then Twitter, accompanied by a photo of a Tottenham home kit with his name and number 55 on the back.

‘My first ever football top was actually a Tottenham one, it was the blue and yellow kit with Thomson on the front. But after getting sent this I guess I’m now officially a Spurs fan.’

He has since deleted the post, so maybe his allegiance didn’t last too long. 

Ben Stokes announced he was a Tottenham fan after the club sent him a home jersey

He revealed that the first-ever football top he had was a Tottenham one in a now-deleted social media post

Sheamus – Liverpool

Former WWE Champion Sheamus has made absolutely no secret of his love for Liverpool, regularly donning their kit in public and, on occasion, singing their praises on WWE channels.

‘Did you just get off the bus? Have you been living under a rock for the last 10 years?’ he said in a WWE YouTube clip ay ear ago when asked who would win last season’s Champions League.

‘You are the only person who would ask me that question and not know the answer. Everybody on this planet knows there’s only one team that Sheamus supports and is going to walk away with that silverware this year, and that is the mighty Reds.’

Thanks to TNT Sports, he was given a behind-the-scenes tour of Anfield in 2020 and, in 2014, suggested former Liverpool stars Martin Skrtel and Raheem Sterling would make good wrestlers. 

WWE star Sheamus, pictured with Ian Wright (left) and Alan Shearer (right) is a huge Liverpool supporters

He regularly dons the club’s kits and mentions them on WWE programming – here, he is pictured with UFC star and Liverpool native Molly McCann

Andy Murray – Arsenal (and Hibs)

Former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray bangs on about Arsenal so much it is hard to keep track.

‘How good is Kai Havertz? Easily one of the best forwards in the Prem,’ he posted on X after the Gunners beat Brighton earlier this month.

And it stems all the way back to 2013, when he posted: ‘Was at Arsenal vs Napoli tonight, top performance from Arsenal… Flamini has been a great signing love his work.’

The Gunners also congratulated the Brit on winning Wimbledon in 2016, posting: ‘First Lewis Hamilton, now Andy Murray. What a day for Arsenal-supporting sports stars. Big congratulations!.’ Hamilton had won the British Grand Prix on the same day.

The former world No 1 also has a soft sport for Hibs, given his grandfather, Roy Erskine, played for the team in the 1950s. ‘I’d have been six or seven at my first game but I don’t really remember it,’ he once said. ‘My dad told me that I used to cry whenever Hibs scored because the crowd was so loud. I don’t cry at football anymore.’

Murray’s brother, Jamie, supports United, and the pair have one more-than-one occasion posed in their respective teams’ kits. It must have been quite the rivalry growing up.

Former Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray (left) supports Arsenal, while his brother and fellow tennis star Jamie (right) follows United

Max Verstappen – PSV

Three-time (soon to be four) Formula One world champion Max Verstappen may be the most dominant athlete in the world right now, and he has got used to seeing his football team do the same in recent times.

The Netherlands-born star is an avid PSV fan, with the club running away with the Eredivisie title this season. They are nine points clear of Arne Slot’s Feyenoord at the top of the league and looking to win their first title since 2018.

It was his father, Jos, who got him into supporting the side.

That started with my father when he was sponsored by Philips,’ he previously told Formule1.NL. ‘At that time he was regularly invited to PSV matches and sometimes I accompanied him.

‘Gradually a certain bond grows, a click, and you can also associate yourself with that club. PSV emotionally suits me better than, say, Ajax.

‘The Amsterdam mentality is different from the Eindhoven warmth. And Limburg is of course also closer to Brabant, in terms of distance. But also in terms of mentality.’

He doesn’t manage to get to games much due to the nature of his job, but will cheer on from afar, and also has a soft sport for Barcelona. 

Formula One star and world champion Max Verstappen follows Eredivisie champions-in-waiting PSV

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher (right) grew up following Everton before joining Liverpool

Carragher made 737 appearances for the red side of Merseyside and has regularly been mocked for his Everton allegiances

Jamie Carragher – Everton

One of the most famous footballer fans is Jamie Carragher, and not necessarily for the right reasons.

The defender-turned-pundit played 737 times for Liverpool as a one-club man in a career spanning 25 years with the Reds, but he probably would rather have won blue.

Born in Liverpool, Carragher was an Everton fan growing up, and is still mocked for his change in loyalties to this day, continuing his love for the red side of Merseyside since his retirement in 2013.

‘As a kid my life revolved around Everton,’ he said in an interview in 2017.’ In 1985 and throughout my childhood, all I cared about was Everton.

‘I’d watch the 1986 World Cup. Everton lost the double that season to Liverpool… if you’d have asked me would I rather Everton won the double or England win the World Cup, Everton win the double every day of the week.’