Niall Horan, formerly of One Direction, joined The Rest Is Football to talk about his chart-topping UK album and some football. Host Gary Lineker introduced the pop star as being "formerly of course of One Direction" before diving into Scotland's recent qualifying run.
While Gary Lineker kept things strictly professional, co-host Micah Richards took a completely different approach, confessing his unabashed fandom directly to Niall Horan. "I was a big, a big 1D fan, you know. I, I loved it," Richards admitted, even singing one of their tracks to the guest.
While the episode quickly pivoted back to pitch analysis, the brief crossover highlights how One Direction remains a permanent fixture of pop culture nostalgia, capable of turning former Premier League defenders into starstruck fanboys. Expect more of these pop-meets-sport crossovers as Horan continues his album promo tour.