Mind games: How football stars are fuelling chess boom
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (Paul ELLIS) Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah are among the Premier League stars "addicted" to chess, helping to spark a surge in the game's popularity among younger people. Manchester City striker Haaland is so fascinated by the game that he recently invested in a ground-breaking new chess tour to capitalise on the increased profile bestowed by its celebrity players. As well as Haaland, Liverpool forward Salah and England team-mates Harry Kane, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Anthony Gordon are all avid chess players.
Salah is obsessed by playing the faster 'blitz' version of chess using an anonymous online profile. "I'm addicted to chess. Every day, literally every day," the Egyptian said.
Arsenal midfielders Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze are both keen players, with the latter winning an amateur tournament in 2025. Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion, is a huge football fan and the Norwegian's love for both games has played a role in the surprise crossover. Alexander-Arnold often plays chess with his brothers and once levelled-up to face Carlsen, who defeated the Real Madrid defender in a 17-move rout that lasted just five minutes.
AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic has the queen chess piece tattooed on his arm in tribute to his grandfather, who taught him the game as a child. France World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann and Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal are also aficionados. On the surface, the contemplative, cerebral nature of chess is a stark contrast to the physicality and aggression of football.
But dig deeper and there are more similarities than you would expect. "Chess is an incredible game. It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football," Haaland said.