YouTube sensation IShowSpeed, an avid Cristiano Ronaldo fan, has unveiled his extravagant $10 million residence in a spirited video. The 18-year-old thrilled fans with a guided tour, proudly declaring, “What’s good, YouTube, y’all. I finally bought myself a house up here in my hometown, you know what I am saying.”
Darren Watkins Jr., known as Speed, showcased opulence in his $10 million home, featuring grand dressing rooms, a sizable bed, and a luxurious bath with a hidden walk-in shower, providing a glimpse into the extravagant lifestyle of the Ohio native.
In just over two years, Speed has transitioned from obscurity to international fame, captivating millions with his bombastic streaming style. His rise to social media stardom and financial success is attributed to his obsession with soccer icon Ronaldo. The journey began in 2017 with a humble one-and-a-half-minute video featuring NBA 2K 2018 gameplay, devoid of commentary, signaling a stark contrast to the content that would later define his lucrative online presence, according to the Daily Mail.
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The rising social media star gained popularity through these videos, before transitioning to Fortnite streams. With a growing audience, Speed began idolizing soccer icon Ronaldo and passionately defended his “Greatest of All Time” status. He also did not stop short of criticizing rival Lionel Messi when the opportunity presented itself.
He made it a quest to meet his hero so he took interest in attending global sporting events with the hope of meeting Ronaldo. The influencer even mimicked Ronaldo’s famous ‘siu’ celebration at the Sideman charity game in September 2022, exhibiting his affinity for the football star.
A passionate fan, Speed adopted the Red Devils as his Premier League team and gained attention by joining the Sky Sports touchline crew during Manchester United’s game against Fulham in November 2022.
Expressing disappointment when plans to meet Ronaldo fell through, the American, now recognized as the world’s leading Ronaldo fan, utilized his popularity to host live streams that drew a growing audience.
In one of his popular videos, Speed was seen grappling with conflicting feelings while reacting to highlights of Messi’s peak years at Barcelona. But he quickly reverted to his first love, emphatically asserting Ronaldo’s superiority.
The content he posts about Ronaldo often maintains a similar tone, leaving viewers uncertain about the sincerity of the dedication—whether genuine or a strategy for more views. Despite this ambiguity, the content creator’s social media posts have garnered traction on his Live Speedy channel (7.53m subscribers) and his main channel, IShowSpeed (21.7m subscribers).
Over the past year, the content creator’s focus on Ronaldo has ranged from reacting to a shoutout from the football star to getting a Ronaldo tattoo, streamed live for fans.
His unwavering dedication drew the attention of football stars, particularly through a significant connection with AC Milan forward Rafael Leao. This connection, established during a Facetime call featured in an IShowSpeed video, revealed that Ronaldo was well aware of the content creator.
AC Milan forward Leao shared in a video that during training, he and Ronaldo often exchanged a greeting, saying “Sewey.” The content creator, excited by this revelation, had previously released a song titled “Ronaldo [Sewey].” Despite multiple unsuccessful attempts, including visits to Old Trafford and the World Cup in Qatar, the content creator was yet to meet Ronaldo.
Leao played a pivotal role in facilitating a meeting between the content creator and Ronaldo a few months later. The long-awaited encounter took place in the car park of Estadio da Luz during Portugal’s 3-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June. Seizing the moment, the content creator ensured a synchronized ‘siu’ celebration with the footballing icon.
