Roger Federer is inarguably the most loved player in the history of tennis.
The Swiss Maestro, a winner of 20 Grand Slam singles titles and two Olympic medals, captured the hearts of tennis fans worldwide with his graceful, jaw-dropping style of play.
Moreover, Federer has a deep love for the sport. In his 2022 retirement announcement, he said: “To the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.”
However, tennis fans may never have witnessed Roger Federer grace the most prestigious events on the tennis calendar, had he chosen to play a different sport in his youth.
In 2017, the Swiss star revealed his second sporting love.
Roger Federer would have played football if he had not play tennis
In 2017, Federer revealed that he made a key decision in his youth: whether to play tennis or football.
As per the Daily Express, Federer said: “I choose between tennis and soccer when I was 12 years old, so I always tell the story that if I wasn’t a tennis player I’d probably be a soccer player.
“Or I would have figured out at school what I would have become but still today I follow soccer very closely.”
Federer is far from the only tennis star who pursued tennis instead of football. Rafael Nadal, a 22-time major winner, was also made to choose between football and tennis at the age of 12, by his uncle Toni.
Andy Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, was close to playing for Rangers Football Club in his youth, before choosing to focus on tennis.
Which football team does Roger Federer support?
Roger Federer’s favourite football team is Swiss club FC Basel.
As reported by The Sun, during the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations in 2018, Federer said: “The FCB was my club as a kid, and it is still today. Around 25 years ago, I was an unusual guest and passionate fan in the FCB old stadium.
“There were grounds made of stones around the stadium, and I was usually sitting on the left side where there were less people.
“Whoever grows up in Basel is an FCB fan. I lived in Munchenstein, it was not that far away from our football pitch. When I was travelling all the time on the tennis circuit, I could not be there so much.
“But my role models of FCB inspired on my way. My first hero was Karli Odermatt, then I got interested in Christian Gimenez and Massimo Ceccaroni.”
He added: “I want to let know people who wear my favourite football shirt that I am always behind them.”
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