Andy Murray Named ‘Genius’ Footballer as His ‘Favourite Athlete Growing Up’
Scottish tennis icon Andy Murray once named Brazilian icon Ronaldinho as his favourite athlete from when he was growing up.
Murray has worked as a tennis coach since announcing his retirement as a player in August 2024. During his professional career, which began in 2005, Murray won 46 ATP Tour-Level titles, with three of those being majors. Murray won the US Open in 2012 but most famously, lifted two Wimbledon Championships in 2013 and 2016 respectively, becoming the first Brit since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the prestigious competition.
Murray has long held an interest in football, having been a lifelong fan of Hibernian in Scottish football – his grandfather, Roy Erskine, represented them in the 1950s. Murray was in fact scouted by Rangers as a youngster, who asked him to sign for them and join their academy when he was in his teens.
Instead, Murray chose to focus on tennis, declining Rangers’ offer and moving to Barcelona at 15 years old to train for 18 months. It was a decision that, based on his accomplishments and lasting legacy, certainly paid dividends over the years. This choice, however, never meant that Murray stopped enjoying football.
In fact, the Scot once took to social media to reveal just how fond he was of one player in particular.