When the New York Times soccer blog Goal first suggested that the celebrity footballers who appeared in Nike's now famous "Write the Future" ad might be cursed, there were still plenty of questions left unanswered. It's true that Ronaldinho hadn't even been selected for Brazil by manager Dunga, and Franck Ribery had gone out early along with an ignomonious France.
But a week ago, Rooney, although in poor form, was still in the tournament. Retiring Cannavaro and Italy had yet to crash out 3-2 to underdogs Slovakia; Didier Drogba, while recovering from an elbow injury, was still in the World Cup with the Ivory Coast (barely); and Landon Donovan and Tim Howard were, pre-Ghana at least, real American heroes.
[Photos: See more of Wayne Rooney and Landon Donovan]
Now it looks like the ad is a better predictor of World Cup outcomes than Paul the octopus. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu's four minute spot has ripped through the chances of almost every one of its featured World Cup hopefuls like David Villa running through a Honduran back four. Goal-less Rooney is at the centre of blame for an under-performing England, Cannavaro represents a past-it Italian defense that let in 5 goals on 6 shots on target, and African hope Ivory Coast collapsed in the group stage with Drogba scoring only one goal.
Now the world will nervously watch Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal face off against Spain in the round of 16 match this Tuesday evening to see if the curse will claim its final victims. Ronaldo has not been in great form since the start of the World Cup, and the ad's Spanish contingent has already encountered several problems: Andres Iniesta picked up a slight knock the other day, Gerard Pique's head has become everyone's favourite bloody pin-cushion, and Cesc Fabregas has grown a really ugly beard.
[Photos: See more of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo]
Thankfully, the ad's non-footballing celebrities seem to be holding up well. Roger Federer is still in Wimbledon (although he's lost his number one ranking to Nadal), Kobe Bryant has an NBA championship (even though he went cold in game 7, letting Artest come up big), and Homer Simpson and The Simpsons are still on the air through 2011 (although the show hasn't been good in years).
On second thought...this ad is pure evil.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Nike-World-Cup-ad-curse-claims-almost-all-its-?urn=sow-251879
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE&feature=player_embedded
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