El Way-mania: football's youngest star

Thanks to social media, seeing and getting to know footballers’ children is almost becoming the norm. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., for example, is a mini-celebrity in his own right, despite not having any official social media presence. You also have Nicolò Pirlo, as well as the Beckham brothers, all of whom are now adults with a very high following. And this is where Ronnie Foden comes in. At only 4 years old, Phil Foden’s son is an internet sensation and can boast 2,2 million Instagram followers achieved in less than 48 hours. Nicknamed El Wey (which translates to ‘the dude’ in Spanish), the kid clearly stands out among the other football children, and his ascension to stardom is unlike anything the football community has ever seen.

You hit 1 million followers one day, you are at 2 the very next. Such fame growth is staggering, and has to come from somewhere. In Ronnie’s case, it was his shenanigans during Manchester City’s Champions League celebrations that earned him the spotlight. Appearances in videos and photos with Rico Lewis and Julian Álvarez, dancing on the pitch and in the locker room, and of course, the famous “I thought you were a girl!” moment with Erling Haaland were all big catalysts in El Wey’s rise.

Ronnie seems to be a frequent presence in and around Manchester City’s locker room, being treated almost like a friend by numerous players. His infectious laugh and vibrant energy have allowed him to garner affection from some of the Cityzens, and if you combine this with the heavy presence of the Spanish language at the club, the origins of the El Wey nickname suddenly become a lot clearer.

As things stand right now, Ronnie Foden can boast more Instagram followers than half of the Premier League teams, and with this El Wey-mania taking over social media, it is likely we will see a couple of more teams surpassed in the next few days. For the time being, though, we have to make do with memes about Harry Kane having less trophies than Ronnie, and hilarious edits of the boy and his antics at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium.

In a team so disliked for its spending strategies, such characters are vital for Manchester City to be likable to the public. Just like Jack Grealish’s wild celebrations that enchanted the media, Ronnie helps make this treble feel more genuine, more human, and less ‘bought’ as many critics say. The two of them together are changing the perception fans have of City, simply by being themselves.

We will see what the future has in store for little Ronnie. It seems like he is too young to be involved with social media (his account is managed by his parents), but it could also be smart to capitalize on this hype and pave the way for personal branding or other commercial opportunities in a few years time. Who knew that as Phil Foden was leaving the field in Istanbul, Ronnie, on his father’s shoulders, was instead making his glorious entrance as a global star?