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Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s decision to take ownership of Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer club, has made an incredible impact on the fanbase. This fairy tale story of Wrexham has quickly grabbed the attention of people around the world. The club, while playing in the fifth division of the English Soccer League, has seen a massive increase in its popularity. Most surprisingly, even in the United States, Wrexham has seen a surge in popularity. The Red Dragons have become one of the most searched-for teams in the country, more than the nation’s top soccer league, Major League Soccer (MLS).

Wrexham is more searched-for than MLS in America

Google Trends, a service that compares searches across Google, provides metrics that show that from January to April, Wrexham easily passed MLS in popularity. The peak search rate of Wrexham came at the end of January when they faced off against Sheffield United in the FA Cup and in mid-April when the team made history by winning the National League and earning a promotion to the fourth division.

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MLS’s peak search rate occurred in late February when the league began. However, the data reveals more than just spikes in search rates. It reflects the overall trend of both leagues in regard to how much they are being searched for. In comparison, MLS has a much narrower overall search window, with its peak occurring in February and then slowly declining.

On the flip side, Wrexham’s search rate remains steady after its initial spike in January. Even today, its rate is still growing while MLS’s dropped off drastically. With the history the Welsh club has had, it’s no wonder that the club is gaining so much attention. What makes this trend even more remarkable is that just days earlier, Reynolds made a bold statement of Wrexham being more popular than many MLS teams.

Ryan Reynolds’ bold claim on Wrexham’s popularity

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The remarkable story of Wrexham has won over the affection of many fans, particularly in the US. Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s takeover of the struggling club had a fairytale-like effect and led to an immense boost in popularity.

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So, how does Wrexham compare to MLS teams in terms of popularity in the United States now that it is in the spotlight? Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds claimed that Wrexham is more popular than 65% of MLS teams. This was uncovered by Wrexham star Paul Mullin who in an interview expressed, “[McElhenney and Reynolds] express beyond the main 10 groups we are likely the most popular”. It goes without saying that this is a big accomplishment for such a small club with a unique story.

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What are your thoughts on Wrexham’s growing popularity? Let us know in the comments.