LONDON — Owned by a Russian oligarch who isn't afraid to splash cash, Chelsea Football Club is one of the richest soccer teams in the world.
But when the Blues became part of the ill-fated European Super League last week, their fans — armed only with a few placards, banners and smartphones — believe they played a key role in spurring the club to withdraw, becoming unlikely heroes in a soap opera that riveted world soccer.
“One hundred percent we made a difference,” said Alex Burke, 25, a Chelsea fan who helps run “We Are The Shed,” a social media group for Blues fans that called on supporters to gather outside Stamford Bridge last Tuesday.