Dallas Mavericks veteran Dirk Nowitzki has said he'll support Sweden in their two remaining group games against Italy and Belgium.
The German star is married to Jessica Olsson, the sister of Norwich left-back Martin Olsson. Jessica Olsson's mother is Kenyan and her father is Swedish and both parents live in Sweden. Prior to Euro 2016, the 37-year-old told German wire dpa that because of his family ties he will also get behind Sweden.
Sweden, the only Scandinavian team at Euro 2016, hope to advance to the knockout stages despite a 1-1 draw with Ireland in their opener.
The sixth-leading scorer in NBA history said: "My brother-in-law is part of the Swedish team so I'll try to see as many games as possible."
When asked if Nowitzki's supporting role inside the stadium could boost Sweden's motivation, Olsson told reporters: "We'll see, he might give us an extra push."
In late July, Nowitzki will also lace his football boots and play in the Champions For Charity match alongside Germany international Lukas Podolski and Formula One racers Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and a host of other stars.
Nowitzki has decided to opt out of the final season of his contract with Dallas but confirmed last month that he has no intention of leaving the team. He would have made $8.7 million next season if he opted to complete his three-year deal. He could take a lower salary to give the Mavs more flexibility this summer.