Golfing legend and lifelong Manchester United fan Rory McIlroy has delivered a brutally honest assessment of his team's fortunes, admitting he has stopped watching their matches live.
The Last Live Match: A Dispiriting Trip to Bilbao
Speaking on the popular podcast Stick to Football, hosted by Gary Neville, McIlroy revealed a stark truth about his current engagement with the club. The last live Manchester United game he attended was their Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao. The Northern Irishman, a reigning BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner, did not mince his words about the experience.
"I was sitting there going: 'What did you expect? It's the 16th and 17th team in the Premier League, of course it was going to be like this,'" McIlroy recounted. He even questioned his decision to travel, telling The Sun: "I was like, 'why did I fly all this way to watch this?'"
Cautious Optimism Amid Defensive Frailty
Despite his absence from the stands, McIlroy continues to follow United's progress from afar under manager Ruben Amorim. He acknowledges some improvement, stating he is "much more optimistic than I would have been 12 months ago."
However, he issued a pointed reality check following the team's recent 4-4 draw with Bournemouth at Old Trafford, highlighting a persistent issue. "They look good going forward, but they're still fragile at the back, conceding four goals at home," McIlroy analysed. His message to the club was clear: "I still think there's a lot of work to be done."
An Open Invitation from Old Trafford
The golfer's connection with the club remains strong, historically marked by him parading the Claret Jug around the pitch after his 2014 Open Championship win. More recently, after finally securing his first Masters title in April, there was speculation about a return with the Green Jacket.
Manager Ruben Amorim personally extended an invitation in a video message from Carrington. "Congratulations for The Masters," Amorim said. "I want to invite you to Old Trafford to show your trophy... You achieved something that a lot of people thought would be impossible, and we want that feeling in our stadium."
When asked about bringing his latest Sports Personality of the Year award to the theatre of dreams, McIlroy's response was typically direct, linking it to on-pitch improvements: "Yeah, maybe, as long as they stop conceding four goals at home." For now, Amorim's invitation remains open, with McIlroy preferring to follow his team's fortunes from a distance until performances consistently match expectations.
