Prince William Loses His Voice Cheering Favorite Soccer Team to Victory: ‘I Can’t Quite Believe It’

Prince William’s favorite soccer team was in for the win at their Champions League match, where the relatable royal lost his voice cheering them on.

On Oct. 2, the Prince of Wales, 42, made a surprise appearance at Aston Villa’s game against Bayern Munich at Villa Park, its home stadium in Birmingham, England. Prince William was an animated fan in the stands and watched the match alongside pals Thomas van Straubenzee, who is one of Princess Charlotte’s godparents, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, who is one of Prince Louis’ godparents and Edward van Cutsem, another royal family friend. 

The Prince of Wales is a loyal soccer follower, president of the Football Association (the game’s governing body in England) and vocal fan of Aston Villa in the Premier League. William’s office revealed that he met up “legends” from the 1982 European Cup-winning team before the Champions League match on Oct. 2, and the prince’s passion shone when the game began. 

King Charles’ son cheered, pumped his fists and threw a double thumbs up throughout the evening saying after the game, “I’ve lost my voice. I can’t quite believe it. 42 years,” according to the Daily Mail.

While visiting the Birtley Community Pool on Oct. 3, the day after the match, Prince William greeted a crowd of well-wishers. One, knowing that the Prince of Wales was an Aston Villa fan, told him, “Aston Villa won last night!” according to the Mirror. Prince William replied, “They did, I know! I lost my voice because I was shouting a bit too much last night.”

Aston Villa beat Bayern 1-0 in a feat meaningful to fans, as it echoed the same score and same opponent of the team’s appearance in the 1982 European Cup. 

“There might not be a trophy to show for this Champions League win, but Villa’s long-suffering supporters have got something they will cherish just as much — a memory that will live with them forever,” The Telegraph summarized the triumph.

While members of the British royal family are politically neutral, Prince William is outspoken about his enthusiasm for Aston Villa and has brought along his eldest son, Prince George, 11, to several games as well. 

The Prince of Wales previously explained that he came to be a Villa fan because he wanted to root for a team with an underdog feel. 

“A long time ago at school, I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs. All my friends at school were either Man United or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run-of-the-mill teams,” Prince William said, as reported by The Telegraph in 2018.

“I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments,” he added.

Soccer has been a source of joy for Prince William as both his wife, Kate Middleton, and his father the King were undergoing treatment for cancer. (The Princess of Wales announced on Sept. 9 that she completed chemotherapy treatment, while Buckingham Palace described the King’s treatment as ongoing in the spring.)

“He has been hugely buoyed by the results of Aston Villa,” a close source previously told PEOPLE. “You shouldn’t overlook the importance of soccer in these moments.”

Aston Villa was reportedly on William’s mind before the Champions League match during the Oct. 2 investiture ceremony for former Scottish soccer star, manager and broadcaster Ally McCoist, who joked on X that they talked about it.

“Such a proud moment for myself and my family, I am humbled to be receiving my OBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle today,” McCoist wrote online, posting a photo of William presenting him with his medal. “Thank you for all the support and messages it means so much. Did we speak about @AVFCOfficial ?? That’s between the Prince and I.”

The Prince of Wales posted a social media tribute of his own on Oct. 3 to honor the late Alford Gardner of the Windrush generation, and alluded to an appreciation for another quintessentially British sport: cricket.

“I was so sorry to hear of the passing of Alford Gardner, one of the last surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush,” Prince William wrote on X, sharing photos from their previous meeting.

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“I was delighted to spend some time with him last summer and hear his story. As a leading figure in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire, he changed the lives of so many with his courage and positivity,” he said. “He leaves behind a legacy for us all to be proud of and will be remembered for his warmth, his courage and of course his unwavering love of cricket!”

The royal signed the post “W,” shorthand for his first initial to signal that the message came directly from him.