Rapper Soprano Refuses to Invest in OM Out of Loyalty to Marseille

Rapper Soprano has ruled out any investment in Olympique de Marseille, despite the club’s American owner Frank McCourt opening its capital to new shareholders. In an interview with Maine Libre, the 47-year-old artist justified his refusal on grounds of belonging: “If I start doing what Kylian Mbappé did at Caen, that’s not possible… With OM, it’s so complicated.”

The question was raised in reference to Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic’s investment in Mans FC, a Ligue 2 club. Soprano admitted he had briefly considered it: “I’ll be honest, it crossed my mind, but it went away quickly. Being part of a club like Le Mans is beautiful. Of course I would have loved it with all my heart, but if you do that, you’re no longer Marseillais.”

This refusal comes as OM is going through a difficult financial period. Under the presidency of Pablo Longoria, the club accumulated spending beyond its means, forcing McCourt to sell major assets this summer and significantly reduce the wage bill. Opening the capital to outside investors is one of the solutions being considered to turn the situation around, without the Boston billionaire giving up control of the club.

Soprano has no intention of turning his back on football, however. He is already involved with a club in Marseille’s northern districts — notably by supporting player equipment — and lends his support to the Comoros national team. “Sport is about learning respect for others in competition,” he concluded. The interview was given as part of promoting his stadium tour scheduled for summer 2027.