Usain Bolt Always Wanted to Play for Manchester United—And Now He Will, Against Barcelona

Usain Bolt
Jamaican Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt at Old Trafford, Manchester, August 25, 2012. “If I could get to play for Manchester United, that would be like a dream come true,” Bolt said recently. “That would... ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty

Last year, Usain Bolt had the opportunity to train with German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, but it wasn't where he wanted to be.

Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist, would have rather been in the northwest of England, wearing the red jersey of the Red Devils. "For me," he said in November, "if I could get to play for Manchester United, that would be like a dream come true. That would be epic."

And now, having retired from athletics Saturday at the World Championships in London, he will have his chance. Bolt is due to feature for Manchester United in a "Legends" game against Barcelona on September 2, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

Bolt, who says he is a fan of Jose Mourinho's team, will be joined in the lineup by former United stars including Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Dwight Yorke and Phil Neville.

In the blue and garnet of Barcelona will be Gaizka Mendieta, Eric Abidal, Miguel Ángel Nadal, Gheorghe Popescu, Ion Andoni Goikoetxea and Julio Salinas.

Related: Usain Bolt predicts length of his 100 meters legacy

Bolt hung up his running spikes Saturday after competing in his last race, the 4x100 meter relay for Jamaica, having run the 100 meter final on August 5. The 30-year-old came third in the very last weekend, behind Americans Justin Gatlin, who was first, and Christian Coleman.

Bolt then raced on Saturday in what would be his final competition, in the Jamaican relay team, but it ended in disaster. Running the last leg of the 4x100 meters, he pulled his hamstring and was unable to finish.

He will hope the injury recovers enough to allow him to appear in the red of Manchester United in a fortnight. Dortmund just won't do.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go