Weezer and the beautiful game certainly have a past together, but it still took Drowned in Sound by surprise when we learnt that frontman Rivers Cuomo will take part in a celebrity football match this weekend, alongside some of the USA’s most acclaimed players.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Cuomo admitted to being nervous at the outset of a recent chat with arch DiS scribbler Gareth Dobson, but it was his forthcoming appearance on the pitch that had him softly quaking.

“This weekend I am going to play in a celebrity soccer match alongside some of the best American players,” said Rivers. “Landon Dononvan, Alexei Lalas, Cobi Jones, Mia Hamm.

“Someone at Nike knows I’m really into the game, and this guy is helping Mia Hamm put together a charity event. I had to think about it for a minute, ‘cos I haven’t played in years –[laughs] I’m getting older…”

The frontman went on to reveal that his best position was left-wing, but when asked if he still had the legs to get to the byline and whip in a cross he admitted that he’d been “seriously running on the treadmill for the last few days trying to get the speed back”.

It wasn’t all mindless banter, though, as Cuomo spoke on fan obsession with the records of his band’s past (Pinkerton; Songs for the Blackhole), the future of his solo work, Joaquin Phoenix and Premiership football. Wasn’t all - read the whole thing next week at Drowned in Sound.

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