Ted Lasso is pretty hot on Easter eggs, especially those related to soccer culture and, for some reason, musicals. So, it wasn’t surprising to see one last soccer-related joke slipped in for those who love both the show and the sport it’s about — in this case, a callback to a Prime Video documentary series entitled All or Nothing, and a reference to Coach Beard actor Brendan Hunt’s favorite team, Arsenal F.C.
All or Nothing is a series that picks one sports team to follow per season, capturing their highs and lows with incredibly privileged access. The documentaries have been filmed about teams in American football, rugby, and even ice hockey, but the most famous iterations globally have been about soccer clubs. And, last season (2021/2022), the tech giant decided to follow London-based club Arsenal as they began their second full season under head coach Mikel Arteta.
Although the series produced plenty of stand-out, emotional moments, it was also noted for its meme potential, especially as Arteta is the kind of coach to try bizarre tactics. In one scene, to prepare his players for a game at Liverpool’s stadium Anfield (a notorious cauldron of atmosphere during big games), he made the Arsenal team practice while Liverpool’s team anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” blared on the speakers.
However, the reference Hunt (we assume, anyway, given his Arsenal affiliation) slipped into the episode was a lot more lighthearted, aping a badly drawn picture of a brain and heart holding hands. As Arteta says in the famous clip in which these two drawings were introduced: “Guys, we have to play with a big heart. At the same time, we have to play with a big brain. And these have to work together.”
The heart represents passion and drive, whereas the brain represents knowing when to go for the kill and harness energy versus when to conserve it and keep your cool. When they connect, Arteta believes it gives his players the energy needed to win the game.
While this all seems a bit hokey, it’s a pretty Lasso-esque move. After all, Ted is known for his strange coaching style that prioritizes man management over all else, as well as his propensity to go off on what seems like strange tangents that eventually relate back to the matter at hand. So, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him draw a cartoon heart and brain, and for that to somehow inspires his team to greatness. And, in real life, Arsenal did go on to win against their local rivals Tottenham after this speech, so as crazy as it seems, the plan worked. It couldn’t be more Ted Lasso.