World Cup Curses: If Nike Asks You To Write The Future, Just Don’t Do It

Ollie Irish

30th, June 2010

13 Comments

By Ollie Irish

Much fanfare was made of Nike’s big-budget ‘Write The Future’ ad campaign…

… And whilst it’s clearly a superb piece of work, it appears to have done no favours for the majority of its stars:

Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast – Broke arm in pre-tournament friendly against Japan. His team didn’t qualify for the knockout stages.

Fabio Cannavaro, Italy – ‘Led’ his team, the reigning world champs, to the bottom of arguably the weakest group (Paraguay, Slovakia and New Zealand) in the tournament. No dancing girls for Fabio.

Wayne Rooney, England – As I said in England’s World Cup reports, Rooney has been the undoubted flop of the tournament, scoring no goals and looking way below his best form. Perhaps he may yet end up living in a caravan park…

Franck Ribery, France – Part of a French team that hated its head coach and hardly broke a sweat in finishing bottom of Group A.

Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, USA – Out in the Round of 16, short of their expectations.

Ronaldinho, Brazil – Not even picked for the World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal – Out in the Round of 16. C-Ron was another Nike star way below his best in South Africa. Hit the headlines for the wrong reasons for spitting in the direction of a cameraman after his side’s defeat by Spain.

So, ironically, not one Nike star in the campaign has even made it to the last eight in South Africa. Cursed? Well, no, but it’s an interesting set of coincidences.

And don’t forget the cameo by tennis legend Roger Federer, who today lost at Wimbledon for the first time in ages.

Nike. Just Don’t Do It. It Will Hurt Your Career.

UPDATE: Just to add, yes, lots of other websites have also noticed the ‘curse’. Of course they have – it is fairly obvious, after all.

Posted in Funnies, World Cup

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13 Comments

  1. HNas says:

    Kobe Bryant won the NBA title…

  2. Ollie says:

    @HNas – Shhhh

  3. Lynsey says:

    Iniesta, Fabregas and Piqué are in it briefly, and Spain’s made the last 8, but even so, the three of them aren’t immune. Iniesta was injured, Piqué kept getting injuries to his face and Cesc can’t even get into the starting line-up. So spain is through, but they’re still jinxed!

  4. Fer Martins says:

    Federer is out of Wmbledon for the first time in 8 years. So, the curse is also working ohter sports.

    Kobe, pay attention! Homer, you too!

  5. Harry180 says:

    1st their write the future ad was highlights of achievements adidas wearing football players.

    Cristiano Ronaldo is immortalized on a statue in front of the nations fans in the nike ad. But alas this first happened to Zinedine Zidane in 1998 when France won the world cup. Zidane’s image was projected onto the Arc de Triomphe and the French public called for him to be made president.

    Do’h!!! or rather adidas star Zidane was also referenced in a real episode of The Simpson too and come to think of he also was in a Family Guy episode too. All down to the Zidane head butt going viral on the Internet after the 2006 world cup. Going viral that’s in the nike ad too, but its already happened to an adidas star.

    What else?? Oh there Cristiano Ronaldo life story becoming a Hollywood movie. D’oh again! This was an adidas star first too. Any one seen the movie Zidane a 21st century portrait? No? or how about The Clint Eastwood moive Invictus? Where Matt Damon plays South African rugby star François Pienaar. Yep Francois rocked adidas and won the world cup in rugby at the sametime… You must of seen this film of an adidas wearing player Bend it like Beckham!!!

    Oh and everything that happens to Wayne Rooney in the nike ad all happened to David Beckham. The good and the bad in the tabloid press and the honor by the queen.

    Not to mention the curse of nike has hit many of the nike players that featured in the ad. What class!!

  6. Maestro says:

    Theo Walcott and Patrice Evra have been missed out here

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  10. Paul says:

    Donovan did pretty well… 3 goals, 3 different tv shows in 24 hours, people still talking about the US team. The future he wrote wasn’t to shabby at all.

  11. me says:

    Adidas has added something in the Jabulani ball that only works with Adidas-shoes. Think about it. The top scorers Villa, Higuain and Vittek all use Adidas shoes.

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