Thai rock star to present Carabao Cup

On Sunday evening an ageing Thai rock star with hoped earrings, signature bandana and a wispy moustache will be at the home of English football to present the Carabao Cup to either Arsenal or Manchester City

On Sunday evening an ageing Thai rock star with hoped earrings, signature bandana and a wispy moustache will be at the home of English football to present the Carabao Cup to either Arsenal or Manchester City. His prominence will baffle many football fans, not to mention some of the players celebrating the first silverware of the season at London’s Wembley Stadium.

But in Thailand, Yuenyong Opakul, 63, is a legend. He is the lead singer of the band Carabao, and co-founder of the energy drink company now sponsoring the English Football League (EFL) cup. Better known as Aed Carabao [pronounced At], he helped catalyse the band’s massive following into consumers of high-caffeine drinks.

Its giddying ascent since 2002 now sees Carabao outsell Red Bull in Thailand, where hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of the sugary beverages are slurped down each year.

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