The Wrexham hype hit another level after this game-winning goal.
When it comes to highlights from the world's game, the best will usually come from the likes of England's Premier League, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga, or even our own MLS, but you don't expect the play of the day to come from a fourth-tier side.
But that's exactly we got yesterday; despite the fact that it was a Champions League matchday, the best strike came from EFL League Two side Wrexham A.F.C., the Welsh side owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny.
A goal to savour ?
??? #WxmAFC pic.twitter.com/lflhKiFbPS
— Wrexham AFC (@Wrexham_AFC) October 24, 2023
Not only was the strike from Elliot Lee an absolutely magnificent rip from outside of the box, it also secured three hugely important points for the Red Dragons, as it gave them a lead in the 89th minute of the 90-minute contest. It was Lee's ninth league goal of the season in 15 matches thus far, so he's off to an excellent start.
The win vaulted Wrexham up to third in the standings, a position that if held all season long, would see Wrexham promoted to League One, the third tier in the English system.
Moving up would be a huge accomplishment for the club; when the famous ownership duo purchased them in 2020, they were a fifth-division side, and in the wake of the tremendous popularity pulled in by the Welcome to Wrexham docuseries, earned promotion last season. A second-consecutive promotion, after just one season in League Two, would be an enormous triumph, and yet another endorsement for the quality of the two actors' investment.
The purchase was met with skepticism from inside and outside of the club's fanbase, but the new owners seem to have silenced the doubters. They've struck the balance between fully embracing and respecting the history and existing tradition of the World's third-oldest club and focusing on the longtime fans, while growing it into a worldwide brand that everyone can root for together.
This is no gimmick; life is better than ever for Wrexham fans, their club is on the map but still surely theirs to hold dear, and if the big plays keep coming, they could be a Premier League side in just a few seasons.
