What team did Giannis Antetokounmpo root for growing up?
Arsenal. Giannis Antetokounmpo has said so himself, and Republic World wrote in January 2020 that "he used to support Premier League club Arsenal as a kid." He was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994, and grew up in the Athens neighborhood of Sepolia, so the childhood team is a London club followed from Athens. No account has been given of how the fandom began, or of who or what pointed him toward Arsenal.
He told Goal in August 2023: "My favourite team used to be Arsenal and my favourite player used to be Thierry Henry. I am an Arsenal fan but I like PSG when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was here on the team. Deep down I am still an Arsenal fan." That is a hedged answer. The first sentence uses "used to be," while the last says the fandom is still there.
What is Giannis Antetokounmpo's favorite soccer team?
The answer changed between those two interviews. The Arsenal quote above is from August 2023. In May 2025, Goal quoted him saying: "Back in the day Arsenal. Now probably Real Madrid." Athlon Sports (syndicated on Yardbarker) carried the same line, and ProtoThema English wrote that he "added that his favorite football team as a kid was Arsenal, but now he supports Real Madrid."
The "probably" matters. Real Madrid is a reported current rooting interest, stated with a hedge, not an announcement. The May 2025 line is also not an end to the Arsenal fandom. It is a later line that names a newer team, and it sits alongside his 2023 statement that he is still an Arsenal fan deep down.
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo like Arsenal?
Yes, by his own account. He called Arsenal his favourite team as a kid and named Thierry Henry as his favourite player. Other players who are Arsenal fans include Joel Embiid (in his words), Dirk Nowitzki (reported) and Jaylen Brown (reported).
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo like Real Madrid?
Reportedly, yes. Goal quoted him in May 2025 saying "Now probably Real Madrid," and Athlon Sports and ProtoThema English reported the same answer that day. Joel Embiid is also reported to be a Real Madrid fan.
What is Giannis Antetokounmpo's favorite NFL team?
He has two, according to the reports. Athlon Sports (syndicated on Yardbarker) wrote on May 18, 2025: "Talking about the NFL, he revealed the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys to be his favourite teams." That summary describes his answers on X, and the words are the reporter's, not his. Bleacher Report ran the same day with the fuller list: "he revealed he cheers for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, Milwaukee Brewers in MLB, and Real Madrid in soccer after previously supporting Arsenal."
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo like the Dallas Cowboys?
Reportedly, yes. The Cowboys are one of his two stated NFL favorites in the May 2025 reports. Other players who are Cowboys fans include Shaquille O'Neal, Luka Doncic, Allen Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Chris Bosh, Dennis Rodman and Julius Randle (all in their words), Russell Westbrook, Cooper Flagg and Paige Bueckers (all reported), and LeBron James, who used to be.
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo like the Green Bay Packers?
Reportedly, yes. The Packers are the other half of the same May 2025 report. Anthony Davis is also a Packers fan, in his own words.
How do his fandoms line up with where he has played?
His NBA career began with the Milwaukee Bucks, who drafted him 15th in 2013, and he moved to the Miami Heat in 2026. Bleacher Report's May 2025 summary also lists the Milwaukee Brewers in MLB among the teams he cheers for, though no further detail is given on that one. Beyond that, nothing links his stated teams to the cities he has played in. Athens, where he was born and grew up, is where the Arsenal interest began as a child, and nothing more is recorded about it.
Questions people ask
What teams does Giannis Antetokounmpo root for?
Four are on record: Arsenal, Real Madrid, the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. Only Arsenal comes in his own words, and Bleacher Report also lists the Milwaukee Brewers in MLB.
What is Giannis Antetokounmpo's favorite soccer team?
As a kid it was Arsenal, and he told Goal in 2023 that deep down he is still an Arsenal fan. In May 2025 he said "Now probably Real Madrid."
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo like Arsenal?
Yes. He called Arsenal his favourite team and said "Deep down I am still an Arsenal fan."
What is Giannis Antetokounmpo's favorite NFL team?
Athlon Sports reported in May 2025 that he named both the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys as his favourites.