Tom Brady may be regarded as one of the greatest athletes in American sports history, but a recent appearance on Gary Neville’s Stick to Football podcast showed that the NFL legend is equally aware of the global sporting landscape.
During a quiz segment of the podcast, Brady, along with the panel of Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane were challenged to name the most-followed athletes on Instagram. After Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were identified at the top, the panel struggled to name the next athlete on the list. It was Brady who then correctly suggested, “Virat Kohli, the cricketer from India,” prompting surprise from those around the table.
The clip quickly gained traction on social media, particularly among cricket fans, who were surprised to see Brady’s familiarity with Kohli’s global standing.
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Watch the moment Brady correctly identifies Kohli as one of the world’s most-followed athletes:
They don’t call him the GOAT for nothing… 🐐
Tom Brady absolutely smashed @itv7football‘s quiz! 💪 pic.twitter.com/0njV3t1q7P
— The Overlap (@WeAreTheOverlap) June 22, 2026
The moment caught the attention of fans because cricket and football are both sports that sit outside Brady’s professional sphere. Brady’s elite awareness of athlete branding and social media influence beyond the United States, surprised those on the panel
The segment which aired on June 22 saw Brady join Neville, Keane and Wright for a wide-ranging discussion on football, the FIFA World Cup and elite sport.
Brady, who is widely considered the greatest quarterback in National Football League history, spent 23 seasons in the NFL and won a record seven Super Bowl titles, the most by an individual player and more than any single NFL franchise. His longevity, success and influence helped turn him into one of the most recognisable sporting figures in the world.
That is also what made his instant recognition of Kohli notable. The former India captain’s reach has long extended beyond cricket’s traditional audiences, but Brady’s answer served as another reminder of the scale of Kohli’s global profile.
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