Wrexham were a non-league club when they were taken over by mega-rich owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in 2021.
The Deadpool actor and fellow Hollywood star Rob McElhenney quickly became consumed by English football and helped the Dragons secure promotion to England's fourth tier — becoming a league club again — in 2023.
It's been a rags-to-riches story for Wrexham, and Reynolds' soaring wealth over the past few years gives him the power to provide a level of financial firepower that has been unprecedented in the club's 159-year history.
How much are Reynolds and McElhenney worth? The Sporting News takes a look at the pair who were awarded Freedom of the Borough honours in the Welsh city.
MORE: Explaining Wrexham's potential path to the Premier League
Ryan Reynolds worth
As of July 2024, Reynolds' current net worth was projected to be around $350 million (£280.8m), according to Celebrity Net Worth.
His value jumped up considerably after Mint Mobile — which he owned a reported 25 percent stake in — was sold to telecom giant T-Mobile for $1.35 billion (£1.1bn) in March 2023.
The deal likely pocketed Reynolds around $300m (£240.7m) and followed on from the successful sale of Aviation Gin in 2020, which was reportedly worth more than $600m (£481.4m). Reynolds owned 10 per cent.
Reynolds has also made plenty of money from acting, with his iconic role as Deadpool reportedly earning him $40m (£32.1m) across the franchise prior to the latest instalment in 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine.
Rob McElhenney worth
Philadelphia-born McElhenney, who played Mac in the hit series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and was a key figure in creating the show, is said to be worth around $50m (£40.1m).
In June 2023, McElhenney and Reynolds entered another business in the world of sports — this time Formula 1, buying a 24 per cent equity stake in Alpine Racing.
BREAKING: Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds is part of an investor group taking a 24% equity stake in Alpine #F1 pic.twitter.com/0K2867UBOg
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 26, 2023
The €200m ($214.3m / £171m) deal valued Alpine Racing, which is based in Britain, at about $879.9m (£706m).
Alpine finished fourth in the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Constructors’ Championship behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
How much did Ryan Reynolds pay for Wrexham?
With plenty of money in the bank, Reynolds' purchase of Wrexham seems like a steal.
Reynolds and McElhenney paid £2m ($2.5m) for Wrexham in 2021.
While that got them the club, the duo have since had to dish out plenty more money to keep the club running and make the team competitive again as they won promotion to League Two.
Star striker Paul Mullin, for example, is on a reported annual salary of £234,000 ($291,600), while pitch issues in 2021/22 cost them £300,000 ($373,900) alone.
MORE: How much Ryan Reynolds spent to get Wrexham promoted
Why did Ryan Reynolds buy Wrexham?
Before sealing the deal, Reynolds wasn't much of a football fan and it was his friendship with McElhenney that saw the duo decide to purchase Wrexham.
"One day Rob sends me an email that outlines his plan to buy a lower-league club and grow it into something more resembling a global force," Reynolds told The Athletic in 2022.
"I just saw the path that he laid out – the phosphorescence in the water, so to speak – and I was in. I just thought it was so unexpected and so interesting. I love building businesses and this is a business."
They chose Wrexham because of the club's rich history, the town's relationship with the team and their potential to rebuild an institution that had fallen on tough times.
MORE: Where are the stars of Welcome to Wrexham 1 now?
Can Wrexham get promoted to Premier League?
Their current status as a League One club may be seen by some at Wrexham as the first step to one day playing in the Premier League.
The nature of the English football pyramid means teams like Wrexham can work their way up to the very top, which they have begun to do by reaching the third division of English football.
Wrexham have gone up and down divisions since their inception but have never played in the top tier, which became known as the Premier League in 1992.
MORE: Ryan Reynolds buys a house in Wrexham
"Anything can happen in football," Reynolds told Sky Sports. "You could put together the greatest team on earth and some giant-killer comes along and takes out Man United.
"Anything can happen in this sport, so why couldn’t Wrexham theoretically make it all the way to the Premier League one day?
"This is the place where hopes and dreams are born every day, so why not?"
