English is the language of the internet and sport is an international affair.

On social media, teams have the chance to reach a worldwide audience far beyond the confines of their own local towns and cities and football clubs are taking advantage.

There is a global interest in football and while other comparably large sports – like American football and basketball – may have reach in countries around the world they don’t have big teams in multiple countries who can garner interest from everywhere.

AS Roma is the first major example, but others like Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen have been quick to give their English language social media accounts a colloquial flavour, allowing them to engage with potential fans around the world.

Now everyone’s at it!

Sampdoria are the latest Italian club to reach something of a cult status amongst football fans on Twitter with their English language account. After Leeds United player Ronaldo Vieira joined the Italian club in the summer, Samp announced they’d signed Ronaldo, using the same social media graphic as Juventus had used to make public their signing of the former Real Madrid player – just adding Vieira in with small print at the end.

Last summer also saw the club involved in another big transfer, but one that barely made ripples at the time. When Arsenal signed Lucas Torreira some might have been excited, but a mixture of the arrival of Unai Emery and a World Cup meant that many had their eyes elsewhere. By now though, every English football fans knows about the feisty Uruguayan and many hail him as the summer’s best signing. Samp are keen to get in on the act.

…kidneys or other vital organs, Elneny and/or Iwobi, thoughts you have about him that can't be shared publicly, a Torreira Christmas cake, Ozil, donations to our local children's hospital, Carl Jenkinson and a packet of bourbon biscuits, a 5-page thank you email, £100 million.

— Sampdoria English (@sampdoria_en) December 26, 2018

With Arsenal fans keen to thank the club for giving them such a great player, Samp are playing up to the gallery and ensuring that their hard work in another language isn’t going to waste, potentially bringing in new followers and at least raising awareness of their club.

More and more European clubs will be looking for interest from overseas and English speaking people all over the world. It broadens the appeal and even makes the leagues they play in more accessible. Sampdoria are showing that tactic is not just for the big clubs.