MMA may be the world’s fastest-growing sport, but soccer is the most popular. During a recent interview with the Russian language Match TV, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the greatest lightweight in MMA history, said he prefers soccer, referred to internationally as football.

To play football on a professional level is a childhood dream. Of course, I have such a wish. Football is the king of sports after all,” said Nurmagomedov, as translated by Chisanga Malata for The Sun. Who haven’t I discussed this with! I’ve spoken even with the UEFA president Aleskandr Ceferin, with the owner of PSG, yes and even with Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Spartak of course are great, but that’s domestic level. My dream club is Real Madrid. In fact the first match I remember watching the full 90 minutes, was Real vs Juventus in 1998 [Champions League final]. I remember Mijatovic scored from an offside position, but we still won.”

“For me, football is the number one sport. When I was a child, I dreamed of being a football player and I have always watched football. In a way, football is better [than mixed martial arts], you don’t have to fight or smash somebody, you just go onto grass and show everyone what you are capable of doing professionally. Of course, it is hard but I like it more, more than UFC, more than MMA.”

For the average US sports fan, Khabib’s reply is likely baffling. The best American athletes go into the homegrown sports of baseball, basketball, and football. Soccer in the USA is primarily a sport played by kids. But that’s not the case in the rest of the world.

Ask any Brazilian fighter which they would rather achieve, a UFC championship or winning the World Cup, and 100% will choose soccer. Middleweight GOAT Anderson Silva is on record as saying that, and now the lightweight GOAT is too.

UG, do you share Khabib’s opinion, and where are you from?