JJ Watt, the NFL legend who is Espanyol's new idol (and shareholder): "There will be more beers in the future."

At 36, JJ (Justin James) Watt discovered Spanish football this weekend. The former NFL defender for a decade is now retired, focused on his work as a commentator for CBS Sports and his business ventures, including Velocity Sports Limited , the investment group that bought Burnley in England and a few weeks ago took control of Espanyol.

But Watt is, or wants to be, much more than a shareholder. Driven by the spirit of American show business, the 1.96m, 130kg Pewaukee (Wisconsin) giant was seen this Saturday and Sunday around Burnley's Turf Moor and the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà-El Prat. He was one of the fans, drinking beer with them and learning their most repeated chants. " Forza Mágico Espanyol !" he posted on his social media.

Already inside the stadium, he watched, this time from the box, the comeback of the pericos against Atlético de Madrid to achieve the first victory of this new stage of Espanyol, which intends to forget the nine years of presidency of Chen Yansheng and is excited by the arrival of the Watt group, led by businessman Alan Pace .

While awaiting permission from the CSD , the North American group is already planning the future of the Barcelona club. They intend to reunite the club with the fans, a relationship that has been strained by the unfulfilled promises of the previous president and which has had a bit of light, and fun, with the appearance of Watt at the gates of Cornellà.

"Tonight we saw the best of the Parakeets. We saw what can be achieved when the team and the fans unite. One heartbeat. One mission. Thank you all for the warm welcome. You made us feel at home from the very first moment. There will be many more beers at the pre-match events in the future ," the former player wrote on social media.

Watt promised to return to the Cornellà stands, but starting in February, because his job as an NFL commentator requires him to be in the United States every Sunday from September until the Super Bowl in February. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to return until February due to my job (the NFL works on Sundays, just like the Pericos), but I will be with you with spirit, energy, and passion. We are in excellent hands with Alan Pace, who only wants the best for the club and its future. Thank you for an incredible opening night. One I will never forget. Força Mágico Espanyol!" he concluded.

Watt is one of the NFL's biggest names for his work on the field and his charisma off it. He was named Defensive Player of the Year three times (2012, 2014, and 2015), five times on the All-Star Team, twice on the Pro Bowl, five times in the Pro Bowl (All-Star Game), was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year in 2017, and was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team.

His best moments came with the Houston Texans , a team he played for from 2011 to 2020 before playing his final two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals .

Watt's arrival at Barcelona is another example of the interest European football has generated among American athletes and celebrities. LeBron James , for example, is part of the investment group that owns Liverpool, Michael Phelps is part of the company that governs Leeds United, Tom Brady is part of the company that leads Birmingham City, and actor Ryan Reynolds has raised the hopes of Wrexham, which even has a documentary on Netflix.