Khabib Nurmagomedov Pursues Dream of Playing Professional Football

After being the absolute king of the UFC and retiring last year, Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov revealed to Russian television Match TV that he now wants to fulfill his dream of playing professional football.

"Playing professional football is my childhood dream. Of course, I have it as a desire. After all, football is the king of sports," said Khabib Nurmagomedov.

"I have discussed it with many people. I have even spoken with UEFA president Aleksandr Ceferin, PSG owner, and even Cristiano Ronaldo. The club of my dreams is Real Madrid," he added.

Khabib has already had some experiences in football with Moscow club Spartak and is recognized as a fan of Anzhi Makhachkala, however, his desire is to reach Real Madrid.

"In fact, the first complete match I watched was Real vs. Juventus in the 1998 Champions League final. I remember Mijatovic scoring in an offside position, but still, we won," he revealed.

Khabib Nurmagomedov decided to step away from the UFC octagon last year after the death of his father from COVID-19.