How ‘Ted Lasso’ won over American soccer stars and contributed to UCLA’s Pac-12 title

Written by

Kevin Baxter, LA Times:

As well as “Ted Lasso” has done with the critics, winning SAG and Golden Globe awards for Jason Sudeikis, one of the show’s creators and its star, it has done even better with professional soccer players and coaches. Fans of the show, which returns Friday, include Dave Sarachan and Gregg Berhalter, the last two coaches of the men’s national team, and Jill Ellis and Vlatko Andonovski, the last two coaches of the women’s national team.

And:

Carli Lloyd, a two-time women’s world player of the year, is taking the first season with her to Tokyo to watch during the Olympics. Lloyd’s Olympic teammate Alex Morgan did a Lasso-inspired goal celebration this season after scoring for the Orlando Pride, prompting Emmy nominated co-star Hannah Waddingham to respond to the video on Twitter, “Oh this is very bloody cool!”

Here’s that Alex Morgan Ted Lasso-inspired goal celebration:

Jason Sudeikis:

“There is this absolute love for that sport and it’s history and it’s philosophy and its deep complications, both culturally and also just strategically,” said Sudeikis, who, like Hunt, came to soccer late in life and is now a passionate fan. “This show is as much about soccer as ‘Rocky’ is about boxing. But we wanted soccer fans, athletes, lovers of it, to feel it honors the spirit of that beautiful game.”

Love that quote. Ted Lasso is about way more than soccer.