WILLSON Contreras wants London fans to bring the 'Route 66 rivalry' passion after crossing the bitter baseball divide.
The Chicago Cubs take on the St Louis Cardinals in a two-game MLB series at the London Stadium this weekend.
Contreras, 31, was with the Cubs ever since joining them as an international free agent from Venezuela in 2009.
He was a three-time All-Star and part of the Chicago side that famously won the World Series in 2016 – the team's first in 108 years.
But Contreras rocked baseball when he signed a five-year deal with the St Louis Cardinals last December paying him $87.5million (£68.5m).
The Cubs and Cardinals rivalry dates back to 1892 and they still face off against each other in the National League Central division.
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Contreras said: “For me it’s hard to explain because I was on the one side for 14 years and now I’m in my first year on the other side.
“It’s been fun. I think there’s a lot of love and hate from the fans which happens all around sports, we just have to have fun with it.”
Contreras returned to his old stomping ground Wrigley Field last month for the first time since his move.
He was booed by large sections of the crowd, and played the pantomime villain by goading Cubs fans with his celebrations.
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The 31-year-old said: “Coming back to Wrigley Field was always going to be special. This place is going to hold a really special place in my heart because it was the team that watched me grow and I’m thankful for that.
“I didn’t know what to expect from the fans – there is a lot of love and hate but I enjoyed every second.
“I was just trying to have fun and help my team win. The celebration came out with the atmosphere.
“The best part was my team responded to it and I kept doing it, it was fun.”
Major League Baseball is back in London for the first time since the pandemic when the New York Yankees faced the Boston Red Sox in 2019.
MLB bosses have already committed to London games in 2024 and 2026 with Paris lined up for 2025.
Two-time All-Star Cody Bellinger joined the Cubs this year after leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to World Series glory in 2020.
And he said: “We’ve been in the same division for however many years and always fighting for first place.
“This is my first year in Chicago so I’m experiencing it for the first time. – its a classic in-division rivalry.
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“I’m excited – I really am. I’ve never been to London – I’m extremely uncultured and super American.
“I watched the Red Sox-Yankees a few years ago and it seemed like a great atmosphere. Hopefully we can bring that as well.”
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