Kingsley Coman has bizarrely picked a League One side when quizzed on which English club he supports.
The Bayern Munich winger has won league titles in his native France, Germany and Italy and has also scored the winning goal in a Champions League final. But when asked to select his favourite side from these shores, rather than say the perhaps expected answer of Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal, he instead opted for a third tier side.
The 26-year-old was asked about a number of topics in an interview with ESPN. One of the questions asked: "If you had to support a team in the UK, who would it be?"
After a short pause, he replied " Bolton " before a cheeky grin emerged across his face.
When asked why, he added: “Because I liked this team when I was young.”
Coman was most likely referring to the golden period of the Trotters during the 2000s when they spent 11 uninterrupted campaigns in the Premier League. Between 2004 and 2007, under iconic boss Sam Allardyce, they posted four successive placings within the top eight. They also won a reputation as being a team greater than the sum of its parts, causing plenty of upsets and reaching Europe.
Allardyce was also able to persuade a clutch of high-profile international stars to the club, including the likes of Ivan Campo, Fernando Hierro and French World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff.
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Sadly for the Trotters their top flight stay ended in 2012. They suffered a further three relegations since then but are now preparing for another stab at League One after winning promotion from the fourth tier in 2021.
Speaking to Mirror Football earlier this year about the glory days under Allardyce, defender Nicky Hunt touched on the pulling power the manager had when it came to attracting big names.
Hunt said: "Jay-Jay Okocha was brilliant, with his passing range and tricks - but as an entire package Fernando Hierro is the best I played with, I'd have to say. He wasn't there long but his whole aura, his professionalism and experience was invaluable. He was really approachable but also really interested in how us lot came through the academy and our individual stories. He showed what a first class guy he was.
"We weren't under any illusions - most of these players were coming towards the end of their careers rather than being in their peek. "But the likes of Ivan (Campo), Youri (Djorkaeff) and Jay-Jay were great and what Sam did was go and fly out personally to meet them.
"I don't think they would have signed without that personal touch. They must have felt really wanted by that."
Bolton begin the new League One season away at Ipswich on Saturday - six days before Coman's Bayern begin their quest for an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title when they open up against Eintracht Frankfurt.
