As excitement surrounding Marvel’s upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues to build, a football-themed Marvel discussion featuring actor Tom Hiddleston and Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt has caught the attention of fans online.
The viral segment shows Hiddleston, best known for portraying Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joining Scholes and Butt to assemble a football starting XI using some of Marvel’s most popular characters. The trio combined football tactics with superhero traits to create a side built around leadership, pace, power and creativity.
Although the lineup features nine outfield players instead of a complete XI, every selection was given a specific footballing role, while Nick Fury was chosen to manage the team from the sidelines.
Spider-Man gets the gloves as Goalkeeper
The first name on the team sheet was Spider-Man, who was picked to play in goal because of his lightning-fast reflexes and outstanding agility. His ability to react quickly made him the obvious choice between the posts.
The defensive line consists of Captain America, Hulk and Thor as the centre backs. Their physical strength, durability and ability to dominate space were the key reasons behind their selection. Captain America was also handed the captain’s armband, with his leadership qualities making him the ideal figure to organise the defence.
Iron Man anchors midfield while Loki pulls the Strings
In front of the backline, Iron Man was chosen as the central defensive midfielder. His tactical intelligence, exceptional awareness and advanced armour were seen as qualities that would allow him to shield the defence, break up attacks and smoothly link defence with attack.
Loki, Hiddleston’s iconic Marvel character, was placed in the central attacking midfield role. His aggressive acceleration and unpredictable nature were viewed as perfect traits for creating opportunities and driving the team forward.
Pace on the Wings and Precision Up Front
The left wing belongs to Black Panther, whose speed and agility earned him a place in the side. On the opposite flank, Black Widow was selected thanks to her elite dribbling ability and quick movement.
Leading the attack is Hawkeye. His remarkable precision made him the choice for striker, with his accurate finishing expected to help the team find the back of the net consistently.
Overseeing the squad is Nick Fury, who takes charge as manager. As the leader responsible for assembling and guiding the Avengers across the Marvel films, he was viewed as the natural choice to direct the team.
A fun blend of football and marvel
The discussion took place as part of The Good, The Bad and The Football, where Scholes and Butt regularly explore football from a lighter perspective. Bringing Tom Hiddleston into the conversation added a Marvel touch, with Loki’s inclusion in midfield serving as a fitting reference to the actor’s famous on-screen role.
The segment mixed football thinking with superhero storytelling, showing how easily the worlds of sport and entertainment can come together. Scholes and Butt approached the selections with the same tactical mindset they displayed during their playing careers, while Hiddleston embraced the challenge by helping shape a Marvel-inspired lineup.
Tom Hiddleston breaks silence on returning as Loki in ‘AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY’
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 7, 2025
“It’s been an extraordinary chapter of my life playing Loki… and it’s not over yet”
(Source: Max_Balegde/TikTok) pic.twitter.com/OVRfLW27XR
While the side is not a complete football team, the exercise highlighted the shared appeal of football and superhero culture through teamwork, imagination and character-driven roles. The only remaining question is whether Hulk could avoid causing chaos during set pieces.