While The18 would never stoop so low as to publish a scurrilious April Fools' article, other media outlets are considerably less discerning. In seasons past, we've had Usain Bolt signing for Manchester United, Portugal selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Spain and Fulham players being ordered to Moonwalk when celebrating a goal.
Here's some of this year's better efforts:
10. Wayne Rooney Gets Liver Bird Tat
British Red Top The Daily Star broke the news that Manchester United captain and former Evertonian Wayne Rooney has had Liverpool's Liver Bird emblem tattooed onto his shoulder.
Is this the shocking picture Wayne Rooney didn't want you to see? http://t.co/QXZTENLlYx #LFC #MUFC pic.twitter.com/hK9XPeKXDk
— Daily Star (@Daily_Star) April 1, 2015
9. Plymouth Argyle Fan’s Suspiciously Named Triplets
There is nothing initially noteworthy about the names of the triplet girls had by Connor and Holly Lee of Plymouth, England. Until, that is, you find out that Lewis Alessandra is the star player for League Two’s Plymouth Argyle, and that the names of the triplets are Louise, Alice, and Sandra. Lewis Alessandra, Louice-Alice-Sandra. Add that to the fact that this news was broke on Plymouth Argyle’s official site, and it becomes pretty obvious what’s going on here.
Oh, and we should mention that each of the babies apparently weighed 7 lbs 7 oz at birth — guess what Alessandra’s kit humber is — and that they were “unsettled” in the cots on the right, but “very contented” once moved to the ones in the middle.
We see what you did there, pafc.com. We see what you did there.
8. Pre-Game Team Talks To Be Broadcast
The Daily Mail ran with a subtle story on how pre-match team talks will be broadcast live, starting with Liverpool's trip to Arsenal this weekend.
Arsenal vs Liverpool match to pioneer LIVE pre-match teamtalks via @periscopeco http://t.co/dVMUnbPfDx pic.twitter.com/LYmGNOHDJQ
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) April 1, 2015
7. r/Soccer On Reddit Goes Full Zlatan
Screenshot of r/soccer during April Fools' Day.r/soccer on Reddit is pretty much the greatest online soccer community in the world. You know, after The18 of course. As with any online community, the humor found there is full of inside jokes, memes, and running gags. Knowing that, you should not be surprised to find out that the subreddit absolutely loves Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and that was never more clear than today.
The top 7 threads on the forum of 300,000+ subscribers all had to do with big Z. The top was was a comparison of Zlatan’s and Messi’s production in the Premier League, which is of course nothing for both of them. Yet comment after comment stated how all those zeroes showed that Zlatan was clearly the better player.
The other 6 threads were devoted entirely to spelling out Z-L-A-T-A-N on the main r/soccer page. In a subreddit where the top posts are constantly up-voted into, and down-voted out of, the top spots, it must have taken some serious teamwork to do that.
Consider us impressed.
6. Qatar To Be Awarded Euro 2020 Place
The Daily Telegraph came up with FIFA's plan to award Qatar a place at Euro 2020 in order to placate all the European countries having to come to terms with a winter World Cup.
While Qatar is obviously not within Europe, given this is FIFA we're talking about, we kind of thought this might be true.
Exclusive: Qatar to be awarded place at Euro 2020 to 'help develop footballing culture' http://t.co/P9p7iNWaNc pic.twitter.com/M5iH8IMmOg
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) April 1, 2015
5. Arsenal To Trial Left-Footed Balls
Arsenal sought to fool Gunners with a tweet showing footage of Santi Cazorla trying out a new left-footed ball from Puma.
Check out @19SCazorla @MesutOzil1088 @_nachomonreal @HectorBellerin trying the new @pumafootball left-footed ball: https://t.co/CmciS9axLw
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) April 1, 2015
They even went so far as to follow up with a prompt to buy the new left-footed balls online. Cheeky.
4. David Alaba’s MCL Injury
Oh, wait, sorry. That actually happened.
Oh, come on! What’s a thread about pranks without a prink for itself?
3. Sepp Blatter To Change His Ways
The Sun ran with the wholly unbelieveable story that Karl-Heinze Rummenigge says Sepp Blatter will change his ways if re-elected FIFA President.
Blatter is ready to change his ways if he's re-elected as Fifa president, claims Rummenigge http://t.co/DCZDeYrM0a pic.twitter.com/CtAKKpiSYt
— The Sun - Football (@TheSunFootball) April 1, 2015
Honestly, do you really think we're that dumb? What's that? This is a genuine quote? Oh...
2. AC Milan Officially Partners With Hello Kitty
Photo: AspirerUK | Twitter
No guys, the prank is not the pitifully outdated look of the official AC Milan website. They don’t have any money, get over it. The real brilliance comes in the form of AC Milan, one of the proudest organizations in the most machismo ridden league in the world, partnering with Hello Kitty. Yes, that impossibly girly brand that puts out impossibly cute stuffed animals and apparel.
The “official” announcement on the team’s site included quotes by leaders of both organizations, citing how the partnership was a great way to “associate a female soul to a top level male sport,” and how Hello Kitty is going to release a line of clothing for female AC Milan fans.
You know, that actually sounds like a really good idea.
1. Orlando City’s Purple Pitch
It's done. Years of hard work complete. The "Purple Pitch" is ready for Friday. Read: http://t.co/2KqPiMRcz4 #GoCity pic.twitter.com/OBz3O61pv6
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 1, 2015
Orlando City’s official twitter account sent out that tweet yesterday, and we are willing to bet that the vast majority of OCFC fans who saw it were ecstatic when they found out that their home field would not, in fact, be purple.
It’s just…too…purple…
