Baller League: The stories behind the players in ‘a new era of football’

Marvin Sordell is a name most football fans will recognise,

He starred as a youngster for Watford, appeared for Bolton and Burnley in the Premier League, and featured in Stuart Pearce’s Team GB squad at the London 2012 Olympics.

But, after a 10-year career, Sordell retired from the professional game aged 28 back in 2019, citing the impact on his mental health. The pressure of the professional football industry was not worth the toll it was having on him.

Instead of stepping away from football completely, Sordell runs a video production company focused on combining entertainment, art and sport, and a marketing agency which helps brands connect with the worlds of sport, music and entertainment.

Already working in the intersection between sport and entertainment, the 34-year-old didn’t hesitate to join Baller League when the opportunity arose – and now plays for Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards’ Deportrio FC side.

“Football has been something I’ve loved since I was a kid,” says Sordell. “I was willing to hold on to that love that I have for the game and I knew that wasn’t going to stay from being a professional. It just wasn’t working, it just wasn’t right.

“I was potentially doing some work with them (Baller League) through my marketing agency. We had quite a few conversations before it was even announced and then in one of the meetings they asked if I’d be interested in playing.”

Without any trepidation, he jumped at the chance to have fun on a football pitch again.

Sordell had already been playing at different levels and in different formats of the game since he retired from professional football in 2019. From five-a-side games with mates to semi-pro matches with Kettering Town, he was more than ready to roll back the years in Baller League.

Despite the cameras broadcasting the action for Sky Sports, Sordell feels none of the pressure he did as a pro.

The big talking points after matches usually surround the antics of the celebrities rather than the actual gameplay, allowing many of the players to enjoy their football under the radar.

Timelines are filled with videos of ex-England defender Richards dancing, John Terry clashing with former referee Mark Clattenburg on the touchline or Troy Deeney receiving a red card for an unnecessary foul.

“From my perspective, I get to go on Monday, play football and catch up with loads of people I know from the world of football,” adds Sordell. “I don’t feel like there’s the same level of pressure or scrutiny as players in the professional level get because people are there to be entertained.

” A lot of people have reached out to me who are interested in getting involved. I’m interested to see how the affiliation between people watching and clubs develop in terms of growing fanbases. It has the potential to be something quite big.”