Soccer Aid viewers were left with serious second-hand embarrassment during this year’s game thanks to surprise appearances from two Hollywood legends.
Having been in the UK to promote Toy Story 5, Tom Hanks (the voice of Woody) and Tim Allen (who voices Buzz Lightyear) dropped by the London Stadium to get a slice of the Soccer Aid action.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the annual tournament raises vital funds for Unicef and welcomes some of the biggest names in sport and showbiz to battle it out on the pitch in teams England and the World XI.
Hanks, 69, and Allen, 72, weren’t there for a kickabout, obviously, but ITV still made the most of them, as podcaster and influencer GK Barry nabbed them for a cheeky interview… which quickly descended into chaos.
Chatting from the tunnel, it was clear they didn’t quite grasp what was happening – but tried their best to appear invested.
The segment also saw Paddy McGuinness lean in for a quick selfie with Hanks, while Danny Dyer brazenly rubbed his head.
‘I’ve watched the game that we’re talking about,’ said Allen, referring to how ‘football’ in the UK is ‘soccer’ in the States.
Schooling his fellow actor on the rules, Hanks told him, ‘You cannot use your hands,’ to which GK said, ‘That’s what I need reminding of,’ before she took to the pitch.
As GK concluded by asking the stars which celebs they were excited to see play, Hanks named Soccer Aid founder Robbie Williams (he was coaching, not playing)… and that’s pretty much all he had.
‘The singer?’, asked Allen. ‘Yes,’ Hanks confirmed. ‘OK,’ noted Allen.
Stuttering, Allen then joked: ‘Elton John’s playing, right?’
GK helped them out, listing the likes of Tom Hiddleston and Wayne Rooney (England’s captain), which kept them engaged for what ended up being a very bizarre couple of minutes of television.
‘He’s a legend! Come on!’, Hanks said of Rooney. ‘Wayne, I can’t wait to see him.’
‘Wayne scared me a little,’ Allen admitted, with Hanks recalling how he ‘looked mad’ running around on the pitch.
As the interview came to an end, Allen asked GK what her name was, and upon being reminded, he said: ‘GK! Love to his family!’
‘He’s called me a “he”,’ Grace finished sarcastically, throwing back to the main hosts and leaving those of us at home to process what we just witnessed.
Heaping praise on the I’m A Celebrity star, @Joshmitchison wrote on X: ‘Wow that was awful fair play to GK for keeping that kind of together’.
‘Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have no idea who any of those people are’, mocked @GingerFil7.
‘This feels like some sort of weird fever dream right now’, laughed @chutch92, asking, ‘What is happening?’
@AlexPaterson0 quipped that the actors ‘look like they have been on the alcohol’ and ‘haven’t got a clue what it’s about’, prompting @JohnKeeno to suggest that Hanks did seem to be a ‘fan’, but Allen ‘couldn’t give a c**p’.
‘Why am I watching Woody and Buzz talking with Danny Dyer’, added a bewildered @Si_23Q.
@SocialMediaJon1 joked that GK interviewing Hanks isn’t something they ‘ever’ thought they’d see, with @LadyFerny echoing: ‘Buzz and Woody randomly turn up’.
Thankfully, the duo seemed a bit more put-together when they stepped up for a very important role in the match.
Hanks and Allen brought out the match ball to roaring cheers from the stadium, Allen declaring, ‘Whoa! That is a crowd!’ before Hanks comically slicked back his hair using the trophy as a mirror.
After fist-bumping some of the kids on-pitch, they made their way to presenters Alex Scott and Dermot O’Leary, Hanks saying with a smile: ‘What a lovely, intimate way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
‘All of my best friends are here.’
Allen then read out the fundraising total, which had already exceeded £4million ahead of kick-off, giving the people a real, ahem, buzz by shouting finally: ‘To infinity and beyond!’
Reacting to their feature, @EvertonHel called them ‘legends’, and @Villaboy89 said they are ‘Disney royalty’.
For 2026, Soccer Aid welcomed back some frequent faces, such as Tom Grennan, Sam Thompson, and Alex Brooker, while newbies included Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd and the youngest-ever Soccer Aid player, Adolescence’s Owen Cooper, who is 16.
Other celebs taking part for the good cause were Maisie Adam, Chloe Burrows, Jordan North, Damson Idris, Olly Murs, and Joe Marler, while Harry Redknapp and Bradley Walsh sat on the management team.
Completing the line-up, we had several pro footie players, such as Jermain Defoe, Jen Beattie, and Dimitar Berbatov.
Unicef ambassador and pop icon Williams, 52, also performed during the half-time show to celebrate two decades of the charity event, which has raised more than £121m since 2006.
As explained by Soccer Aid, the money raised from this year’s game could help Unicef’s work with families, communities, and trusted partners to bring ‘life-changing support to children around the world, like clean water, vital vaccinations, or the opportunity to learn, so that every child can get the best start in life’.
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