A genius on the courts and with thousands of anecdotes to remember, Edson Arantes do Nascimento “Pele” was not perfect and also made mistakes, one that is well remembered and that generated laughter from “O’Rei” himself was when he confused the singer Michael Jackson with the NBA’s top basketball star, Michael Jordan.
Why did Pele confuse Michael Jordan with Michael Jackson?
Brazil legend dies aged 82 after battle with cancer
It was in September 2009 in Copenhagen where Pele was at a conference as Brazil’s ambassador for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, a city that was competing with Chicago as one of the options for the sporting event. With “The Windy City” being in competition, Chicago icon Jordan was expected to be present and so Pele was asked.
“I don’t know if your question is about Michael Jackson (sic) or about another athlete,” Pele responded to the press questioning, but without realizing that he had confused one of the greatest stars in the history of the NBA.
Someone immediately corrected Pele and the former soccer player said Michael Jordan. After realizing his mistake, he himself joined in the laughter of the people who were at the conference and who will never forget this anecdote.
Legendary Brazilian star died on Thursday
Pele died on Thursday at the age of 82, after being hospitalized for a month at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he was accompanied by his family at all times. He made his debut with Santos, where he played most of his career, and came out of retirement to play for the New York Cosmos in the United States.
He is the only player to have won three World Cups, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, in addition to winning the Campeonato Paulista 10 times and the Brazilian A Series six times with Santos, as well as two Copa Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups.