Could a 70-year-old Dartford man be the World Cup’s bad luck charm?
The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger can’t get no soccer satisfaction.
The Brazilians are closely following every team the former Dartford Grammar School for Boys student supports with an eye at mocking him for apparently casting bad spells on his picks.
Italy was the latest victim of what local media have taken to calling Jagger's "pe frio" - a term describing the bad luck that he brings teams that translates literally as "cold foot".
At a concert in Rome on June 21, Jagger predicted to 70,000 fans that four-time World Cup champions Italy would pull off a victory over Uruguay to advance to the knockout phase.
The Italians lost 1-0 on June 24 and were headed home after the tournament's first round.
At a show in Lisbon in May, the singer predicted that Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, the game's top player heading into the World Cup, would win it all at the month-long tournament in Brazil.
Portugal is on the brink of elimination after failing to win in its first two group matches.
Earlier in the World Cup, Jagger suffered some good-hearted ridicule after taking to Twitter on June 19 to urge on his native England in a game, also with Uruguay. "Let's go England! This is the one to win!!," he wrote. England lost.
Brazilians' obsession with Jagger's soccer insights, or lack thereof, began four years ago at the World Cup in South Africa.
Searching for an explanation for their country's stunning quarter-final loss to the Netherlands, Brazil's fans settled on Jagger, who showed up at the stadium accompanying his son dressed in a Brazilian jersey.
Earlier in that tournament, he had already earned a reputation for losing picks by showing up in the stands with Bill Clinton to cheer on the United States, who lost to Ghana in the second round, and then a day later watched as England were trounced by Germany 4-1.
Whether Jagger tempts fate and offers up another prediction this World Cup is anyone's guess.
But if he does, Brazilians are begging it's not for them. Within hours of Italy's defeat, social media was buzzing with pleas for the rocker to keep quiet, or better yet, lend his reverse rabbit's foot to the country's biggest rival, Argentina.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel