Soccer legend Ronaldinho was a guest on Complex’s Sneaker Shopping. Speaking, with Joe La Puma, Ronaldinho talked about his first time meeting Michael Jordan for the first time. Ronaldinho shared that he met MJ in Barcelona, and Jordan gave him a special one-of-one version of Jordan PE. Ronaldinho called Jordan one of the greatest people he ever met and noted he still has the shoes.
Joe La Puma: “Another meeting, 2006. Very jealous. Barcelona, you meet Michael Jordan. He laces you with these Jordan 21 PEs with the R10 on them. What was that meeting like and where are those shoes now?”
Ronaldinho: “That was special. Being with Jordan is always a special time. That was an unforgettable day. I still have those sneakers. He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever met. It was undoubtedly an unforgettable day… Yes, of course! I still have them. They’re safely kept in my house.”
Both Ronaldinho and Michael Jordan are two massive icons, not just in their respective sports, but in global pop culture. Ronaldinho is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time and has won all the major tournaments possible in his career, including the World Cup, the Copa America, and the UEFA Champions League.
As for Michael Jordan, many in the world consider him the greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan dominated during his time in the NBA, winning 6 NBA championships and Finals MVP, 5 regular season MVPs, 1 Defensive Player of the Year award, along with 14 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA selections, and 9 All-Defensive selections.
Michael Jordan Is An Enigma To The Public
Another soccer icon, Lionel Messi, called Michael Jordan the greatest athlete in history. Messi is perhaps one of the few other figures in the sports world that can claim that title for himself, but he showed the incredible amount of reverence and respect he has for Jordan by giving him that title.
So many stories fans get to hear about Michael Jordan only add to the myth and the legend surrounding His Airness. Jordan leads an incredibly private lifestyle and doesn’t do many public appearances or interviews, so these stories are a good glimpse into the kind of person MJ is, and the kind of lifestyle he leads.
Recently, an influencer shed some light on what it is like to attend a Michael Jordan party. She noted that he spares no expense, but is also incredibly selective and secretive about who gets invited and what people are able to attend.
Former Hornets star Kemba Walker told a story of why he would never gamble with Michael Jordan. Jordan is known to enjoy games of chance regularly, and Walker noted that he couldn’t keep up with the amount of money Jordan was gambling, and didn’t want to risk his finances just to match Jordan.
Michael Jordan is unlikely to ever change his lifestyle to accommodate the media or the public. And considering the scrutiny he dealt with during his playing days, it makes sense why he shies away from the media. Till the day comes when MJ decides to address it all publically, we have to rely on these stories to know more about Michael Jordan.