The successes of Hashtag United, Rebel FC and other influencer football teams has seen plenty of similar sides spring up over the last few months.

The initial idea made a lot of sense. The reason so many YouTubers and other famous social media influencers are so popular is that fans feel closer to them than they do to most celebrities. Unlike most footballers, who are known to fans for their on-pitch personas, the likes of Spencer FC and Calfreezy are known to their audiences in a much more intimate way – or at least it feels like it.

Over the years, with increased professionalism and increased pressure, football teams have become more removed from their fans – especially at the top level – and that might explain the popularity of teams made up of players who fans perhaps feel closer to.

The trend has spread, too, and in Spain these things are seemingly being taken a little more seriously.

Back in October, Xabi Alonso was announced as the manager of an Adidas project which created its own influencer team, Tango Squad FC. And now it’s the turn of his World Cup-winning Spain teammate Alvaro Arbeloa to try his hand at management as he takes on a team of YouTube football freestylers, Mambo FC, whose progress will be showcased in a 12-part series on the team’s YouTube page.

The projects hint that there could be some serious scope for this to be extended in future, with the backing of an Adidas, or recognisable names such as Arbeloa and Alonso, that can only lend more weight to teams of players who have already shown that they have a committed social media following. This might be a space to watch over the next few months.