John Terry was booed by the majority of a 90,000-strong crowd as he joined Luke Combs onstage at Wembley Stadium on Friday night, in a surprise appearance that fans quickly labelled awkward.
The former Chelsea and England captain, 45, walked out during night one of the American country singer’s three-night Wembley residency to take part in Combs’ trademark beer-shotgun ritual. As Terry hugged the 36-year-old and downed a pint in front of the sold-out crowd, boos rang out across the stadium, with only pockets of Chelsea supporters cheering the cameo.
After finishing the drink, Combs threw his can off the stage while Terry kicked his into the crowd. The singer gave the former defender a quick hug before returning to his single 1, 2 Many, and Terry headed offstage.
Terry had dressed casually for the moment, wearing a white T-shirt, navy trousers and a flat cap.
Fan Reaction
Reactions online were swift and largely critical. Fans described the moment as awkward and suggested Combs may not have been aware of Terry’s standing in the UK. Comments included observations that Terry was booed by the whole stadium and that the appearance did not go down well, with one fan writing that Luke apparently did not realise how popular Terry is in the UK.
Terry has long been a controversial figure in English football, and his high-profile presence at the recent World Cup drew further attention when England fans took note of how friendly he appeared with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
World Cup Family Trip
The Wembley cameo follows a family trip Terry and his wife Toni made to the United States while England competed in the World Cup. The couple took their twins Summer and Georgie, both 20, along with their partners Sonny and Jasmin, visiting New York City, Boston and Miami.
Toni described the holiday as full of fun and wonderful memories, covering everything from sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty to a fishing trip, a boxing match and a New York Mets baseball game.
The trip also marked the couple’s 19th wedding anniversary in June. Terry wrote on social media that Toni is his rock, his best friend, his greatest supporter and the love of his life. Toni responded in kind, calling him her world. The pair married in June 2007 at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, in a ceremony reported to have cost nearly one million pounds.
