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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Graham Ruthven

An A for Villa to an F for Man Utd: how US owners have fared in European football

Fan protests against the Glazer family are a regular sight at Old Trafford
Fan protests against the Glazer family are a regular sight at Old Trafford. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

It might have taken the USA generations to take soccer seriously as a sport, but the country’s reach across the English and European game continues to grow, particularly when it comes to club ownership. Indeed, American entrepreneurs, moguls and general wealth-hoarders are now commonplace in boardrooms across world soccer.

No fewer than nine Premier League clubs are majority owned by Americans – and that’s without even mentioning clubs lower down the pyramid such as Birmingham City and Wrexham (although Canada could claim that one too). Across continental Europe, too, there is a current of American ownership gathering pace – Serie A has proved particularly attractive recently.

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