The poker craze is a whole lot more than just a craze these days and the game is now here to stay within the mainstream. Whether or not poker is a sport is debatable, and that’s another discussion for another time. What’s undeniable is how the game has been so warmly embraced by a few superstars within the world’s most popular sport.
Whether you call it soccer, football, futbol, footy or something else, you almost certainly know who Neymar is, and we naturally begin the list here.
Neymar is a Brazilian superstar who is world famous first and foremost for the massive contract he signed with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. PSG brought the forward over from Barcelona for a transfer fee that was more than double the world record, set just one summer prior via Manchester United’s acquisition of Paul Pogba from Juventus.
Neymar attended the 2017 World Series of Poker with an enormous entourage, but he did not partake in the actual WSOP.
Instead he played his cards at the cash game section alongside Brazilian poker prosย Andre Akkariย andย Felipe โMojaveโ Ramos.
Gerard Pique
The hero for supporters of both the Spanish national team and FC Barcelona is also known for his stellar poker career. He’s performed well in the World Series of Poker Main Event, and he finished third in a game at a 2011 poker tournament in Barcelona. Like his partner and love interest Shakira, he’s an individual with many varied talents and skills.
Teddy Sheringham
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker is perhaps the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of footballers who are staples at the poker table. Sheringham, who scored 289 goals in 755 club appearances during his senior career with nine different teams, is a regular on the Las Vegas circuit. He made the final table in the โฌ5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event in the EPT Vilamoura, finishing 5th out of a field of 384 players, winning โฌ93,121
Gigi Buffon
In addition to being the winner of 2017 The Best FIFA Goalkeeperย Award and fourth place finisher in 2017 The Best FIFA Men’s Playerย Award, Buffon is the Juventus and Italy National Team #1. Many consider him the greatest keeper in the world, but obviously Manchester United and Spain supporters would most likely disagree, and point out just how elite David de Gea is. Buffon loves to play poker and in recent years has become a very prominent brand ambassador for the sport.
Paul M. Banks runsย The Sports Bank.netย and TheBank.News, which is partnered withย News Now.ย Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times,ย NBC Chicago.comย andย Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly toย WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging communityย Chicago Now.
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