As with every World Cup or big soccer tournament, Nike come out with a huge, flashy, full of stars commercial to get you ready for the biggest tournament in the world and to make extra cash to get through the day. This time, Pretty much everyone starring in the 2010 Write your future Commercial didn’t really live up to the hype, with some failing, along with their nation’s side, quite miserably.
Lets review this quickly –
Image: Source
Didier Drogba – Broke his arm 11 days before the Ivorians played Portugal, but was brought back into playing fitness quite quickly, coming on as a sub against Ronaldo’s side, with the match ending in a poor 0-0 draw. I didn’t expect much from the Ivory Coast, especially with Brazil and Portugal in their group, but Drogba was arguably the best player in Europe this season, but the injury set him and his team back. He finished with only one goal, a garbage time opportunity against Brazil (3-1 win for Dunga’s team) and didn’t manage to score against the weak North Koreans in the Ivory Coast’s 3-0 win before packing up and leaving South Africa.
Image: Source
Wayne Rooney – While the English press is ripping Capello’s squad to pieces, we know it was Nike to blame, no one else. Rooney, after a fantastic season with Manchester United, carrying them on his back pretty much alone, seemed burnt out and lost in all of England’s matches. No goals, no assists, no flair, pretty much nothing. The failure is not all on him, but Rooney was the one supposed to give England the edge, making them a potentially brilliant side. He wasn’t even close to delivering.
Image: Source
Franck Ribery – Terrible, both him and the entire French team who disgraced their illustrious heritage with the squad revolt and by their awful form. Ribery has been touted as France’s gem, but he didn’t shine even for a moment in France’s South African campaign – France got only one point, scoring only one goal in their three matches, with Ribery counted for one assists in the losing effort against South Africa. Has really been on a downward spiral for the past two seasons.
Image: Source
Cristiano Ronaldo – Four matches, one decent performance, the 7-0 drubbing of North Korea. He was the big star of Nike’s commercial, but he failed leading and captaining his side past the last 16 round, losing to Spain with a very disappointing performance in three of the four matches. He spat on a TV cameraman following the Iberian derby defeat, and got blasted by Figo and Carlos Quieroz. At least Mourinho, with a typical cheeky comment, has his back.
Image: Source
Fabio Cannavaro – Got serenaded to in the commercial, but his 2010 World Cup ended in tears. Enjoying the reputation of a brick wall, Italy conceded in each of their group stage matches, including three against Slovakia, bowing out of the tournament after the group stage in a terrible title defense effort from the Italians, captained by Cannavaro.
Image: Source
Ronaldinho – Dunga, never a big fan, didn’t even call him up. So far, it’s been working just fine from Brazil without the AC Milan star.
5 responses to “The Nike Commercial Jinx”
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ehud Riven and Coach Potato, Sundar: Social Media. Sundar: Social Media said: The Nike Commercial Jinx | Sportige http://bit.ly/964FIh […]
You know what I think the problem is? I have a theory. Player salaries have skyrocketed in the last decade in the world of professional football (or Soccer), particularly in the last 5 years. These players were probably paid large sums of money to appear in the Nike commercials to. When players come to the World Cup they are basically playing for the spirit of their country, rather than money. Some teams like England will get about $500,000 each if they win but most teams get nothing and either way, what is $500,000 to Wayne Rooney? The guy is earning $100,000+ per week at Manchester United anyway. Therefore they’re spoiled and when it comes to actually playing the game for what it is, they can’t because there’s no big fat pay check after every game.
Sorry, make that $200,000 a week for Wayne Rooney at Man-U. It really does speak for itself though, doesn’t it? Cristiano Ronaldo is paid more than any other player in the world and so is Lionel Messi and whether or not they try, in the back of their minds they know they are playing for free and therefore struggle to give the performances they should be, even if they want to. Whereas Higuain and Villa who are not in the 20 highest earning players are finding the net. On top of that, England’s team was hyped up when in reality a decent Manchester United or Chelsea side could probably beat them and Portugal’s defense is terrible all they did against Spain was smack the ball up the pitch to clear it. Also Ronaldo seems to think that arguing for free kicks is more important than goals.
You have a point with the money – I also think the lack of rest, especially for the players in the English premiership, is hurting the players and the national sides come a summer tournament – The x-mas games marathon has its allure and all, but I think it’s they time there’s a christmas break, even in the fast and furious Premiership
[…] live up to the hype, with some failing, along with their nations side, quite miserably.Source:http://sportige.com/nike-world-cup-2010-write-the-future/ Posted by ltrawler at 8:30 AM Labels: hype, jinx, […]