Rod Stewart and Elton John Get Emotional About Soccer

Dave M. Benett/Getty ImagesRod Stewart is know for being wild about soccer -- that's "football" to everyone except us Americans. The singer loves the sport so much that he put his two favorite teams, Celtic and United, in his song "You're in My Heart." Stewart is such a gigantic Celtic fan, in fact, that he was spotted by British television cameras crying in the stands last week when his team very unexpectedly won a major match over international powerhouse Barcelona. It turns out that Elton John was watching the game and was so moved by seeing his old friend overjoyed reaction that he picked up the phone and called Celtic manager Neil Lennon.

Lennon was shocked, and a little suspicious. He tells European press agency AFP, "I had a lot of texts from people in the game which was fantastic but [then] I got a call from left field from Sir Elton John, believe it or not, congratulating me. I thought my missus was winding me up but it just shows you the interest it has generated among a lot of people."

John, of course, is no casual football spectator; he used to own the Watford Football Club, a British team, and serves as its Honorary Lifetime President. He shared some of his experiences with Lennon during that phone call. Lennon says, "He [told] me when he was chairman of Watford and they got to the 1984 FA Cup final, he was so emotional that he did cry before the game. He was very knowledgeable about the game and knew a lot about myself and it was great that he took time out to call me, as he is going to Australia on tour."

John's Australian tour kicked off this past weekend and goes through November 20, after which he will make brief concert stops in China and the Philippines.