Blake Lively says she bought ESPN+ just to watch husband Ryan Reynolds experience 'crippling anxiety' at Wrexham soccer game: 'Worth it'

• Blake Lively poked fun at Ryan Reynolds as he watched Wrexham AFC's nailbiting game on Sunday.
• "I bought ESPN+ today. Just to watch my husband experience crippling anxiety live," she wrote.

Blake Lively bought ESPN+ over the weekend just to watch her husband Ryan Reynolds experience "crippling anxiety" while watching his soccer club, Wrexham AFC, play against a team three leagues above them.

Reynolds, who co-owns the club with Rob McElhenney, was joined by the couple's eldest daughter James, 8, on the team's home turf, the Racecourse Ground, in Wrexham, North East Wales, on Sunday. Together, they watched as the underdog team came close to beating Sheffield United during the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Lively and the couple's other two daughters, Inez, 6, and Betty, 3, did not attend the nailbiting game which ended 3-3 but tuned in via ESPN+ at home.

The "A Simple Favor" star couldn't help but playfully poke fun at her husband as she watched him go through a rollercoaster of emotions as the game played out.

On Instagram Stories, Lively — who is pregnant with the couple's fourth child — posted a photo of her television screen on which Reynolds could be seen with one hand on his head and an incredulous expression on his face.

"I bought ESPN+ today. Just to watch my husband experience crippling anxiety live. Worth it," she jokingly wrote over the image.

Explaining why her husband of 10 years was experiencing "crippling anxiety," she continued: "They're playing a team 3 leagues higher. And currently winning. Life makes no sense."

"If you're not watching this insane @wrexham_afc game right now you're missing out on these vibes," she also wrote.

The "Free Guy" actor and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star McElhenney completed a surprise $2.5 million takeover of the Welsh soccer club almost two years ago, in February 2021.

Since, the team has managed to qualify for the National League playoffs, putting itself on a brink of a sensational return to the English Football League, which it fell out of in 2008. An FX documentary series about their takeover, "Welcome to Wrexham," was released in August 2022.

Posting to Twitter after the game was over, Reynolds described it as "one of the most exciting things I've EVER seen."

"When @RMcElhenney and I got into this it all felt so impossible. But impossible is @Wrexham_AFC's favourite colour. That was one of the most exciting things I've EVER seen."

"Thank you each and every Wrexham supporter who came out and aimed your heart at that pitch tonight," he added.

As the game ended in a tie, the two sides are set to play again on February 7.