Arda Guler, the 21-year-old midfielder for Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid, shared his thoughts on former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Turkish star posted a photo with Khabib and captioned it simply: “Legend.”
The post quickly drew attention from both soccer and MMA fans, underscoring Khabib’s reach well beyond the Octagon. Even years after his retirement, Nurmagomedov remains one of the most recognizable figures in combat sports, particularly among global athletes who admire his unbeaten career and championship run in the UFC.
Guler, one of the brightest young talents in European soccer, is coming off another important stage in his rise with Real Madrid, and his nod to Khabib reflects how deeply the former lightweight champion resonates across different sports. Khabib retired in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record and is still widely regarded by American MMA media and fans as one of the greatest lightweights in UFC history.
The Dagestan star has also stayed highly visible since retiring, largely through coaching, public appearances and his close ties to current stars from the region. His influence has only grown as fighters connected to his camp continue to shape the lightweight and welterweight divisions.
Earlier, Khabib said that several famous soccer players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Rudiger, want to visit him in Dagestan. That kind of crossover appeal says plenty about his standing: Khabib is no longer just a former champion, but a global sports figure whose legacy continues to travel far outside MMA.
For now, the photo with Guler is the latest reminder that Khabib’s name still carries major weight — whether the setting is a UFC arena, a training room in Dagestan or the orbit of one of the world’s biggest soccer clubs.
