Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah are among the English 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 invested in a ground-breaking new chess tour to capitalize on the increased profile bestowed by its celebrity players.
As well as Haaland, Liverpool forward Salah and England teammates 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 leveled 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. “You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything.”
Chess has its roots in seventh-century India.
But those humble origins are a far cry from the technology fast-tracking the chess boom, with online apps taking over from the traditional board as the game’s most common battleground.
Online play rocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic and, according to the International Chess Federation, at least 1.5 billion people now have a chess app on their phone.
The strategy involved in chess also appeals to football managers looking for a mental edge in their tactical battles on the pitch.
Quoted in the book Pep Confidential, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said: “You have no idea how similar the two things are.”
But will the satisfaction of a successful checkmate ever replace the thrill of scoring a winning goal for chess-fixated footballers?
For Kane, his true love remains football, leaving chess as the perfect way to relax. "I use chess to switch off," he said. "It's such a mental game. You have to focus on every moment."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
