Adrian Chiles is a man of strong convictions – but not just about football. The veteran broadcaster has revealed an unexpected allegiance for the World Cup: Italian referee Maurizio Mariani. Yes, you read that right – Chiles is cheering on a ref rather than a team! This bizarre obsession stems from the broadcaster's lifelong habit of getting emotionally invested in sporting events, often to his own detriment.
Chiles has a history of picking a side or individual to support, dating back to his childhood when he idolised his grandfather's passion for West Bromwich Albion. As the years went by, this quirk escalated, with Chiles going to great lengths to support underdog players and individual team members – even leaving Wimbledon in tears after backing Maya Joint on a stressful day out.
But it's not just about teams or players; Chiles has taken his emotional investment to new heights. A pal's son, Dan Luger, playing for England transformed a 15-a-side rugby match into a '29 vs 1' contest in Chiles's mind, while another friend's lad, Sam Field, making his West Brom debut turned an 11 vs 11 game into a frenzied '21 vs 1' scenario.
And then came the Italian connection. Chiles met Maurizio Mariani at a charity match in Sarajevo last summer, where the ref officiated a star-studded kids' match. Keeping in touch with Mariani, Chiles was over the moon when he learned of the referee's World Cup selection – 'a dream come true' for the Italian.
Now, instead of focusing on teams and scores, Chiles finds himself anxiously scanning match schedules for Mariani's name. When the ref made his World Cup debut in Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, Chiles was more concerned about Mariani's safety than the final result – particularly given the Uruguayan team's infamous reputation for 'spirited' play.