Indian T20I vice-captain and full-time Test skipper Shubman Gill has revealed the player because of which he developed a passion for the football. He also
admitted to picking two of the strongest Premier League sides while playing the well-known FIFA video game.
Gill disclosed that he started watching football due to Neymar right from the 2014 World Cup. He also admitted to reducing his playtime on FIFA ever since Neymar moved from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.
"I actually started watching football because of Neymar. I used to love watching the 2014 World Cup. I started watching football properly then. And I used to love watching Neymar, so whatever team he was in, I used to pick that. Ever since he's gone to Saudi and now back to Brazil, I've kind of stopped playing FIFA. But whenever I do play, I remember I used to pick Liverpool in between because they had a very strong team. And then Man City," stated Gill via a video posted on Apple Music's YouTube channel.
Gill also reflected on the Indian cricket team's recent interaction with the players of Manchester United before the fourth Test in Manchester in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. The top-order batter said that that he spoke to several players during the team collaboration.
"We went to see all the players when we were in Manchester. Yeah, it was like a team collaboration between the Indian cricket team and the Manchester United team. All the players were really amazing. I met Mason Mount, whom I have known from before when he was playing at Chelsea, and met Bruno Fernandes. Most of the players, they all were so nice and so kind. We spoke about so much," added Gill.
Gill is currently with the Men in Blue in UAE at the ongoing Asia Cup. He is coming off a successful England tour, where he stockpiled a mammoth 754 runs in 10 innings. Indiacame from behind to heroically draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.
