Meet 'Pé Frio,' The Cold Foot
In Brazil, the term 'pé frio,' or 'cold foot,' is reserved for someone who brings bad luck. And in the world of international soccer, that title has been unofficially bestowed upon Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The legend of Jagger's jinx began
in earnest at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He was in the stands to support the USA against Ghana; the U.S. lost. He cheered for his native England against Germany; England was thrashed 4-1. To cap it off, he donned a Brazil jersey for their quarterfinal match against the Netherlands, and watched them get eliminated. A pattern was established, and a superstition was born.
The Curse Comes to Brazil
By the time the World Cup arrived on Brazilian soil in 2014, local fans were already well aware of Jagger's reputation. The anxiety was palpable. Jagger, whose son Lucas is Brazilian through his mother, model Luciana Gimenez, has deep ties to the country. But his love for the nation wasn't enough to stop his streak of bad luck. During a concert in Lisbon, he predicted Portugal would win the tournament; they crashed out. At a show in Rome, he told fans Italy would advance; they were sent home. He even tweeted his support for England, who promptly lost their next two games and were eliminated. Brazilian fans took to social media, begging him to stay silent or, even better, to support their rivals, Argentina.
The Unthinkable Unfolds in Belo Horizonte
Despite the tongue-in-cheek warnings, the nightmare came true. On July 8, 2014, Mick Jagger was in the stadium in Belo Horizonte to watch Brazil face Germany in the semifinal, attending with his son. What followed was not just a loss, but a complete and historic humiliation. Germany scored five goals in a bewildering 19-minute stretch in the first half, silencing a nation. The final score was 7-1. It was Brazil's worst-ever home loss and the most lopsided defeat in World Cup semifinal history. The dream of winning a sixth title on home soil evaporated in the most brutal fashion imaginable, leaving players and fans in tears.
A Nation Needs a Scapegoat
In the face of an inexplicable national disaster, sometimes you just need someone to blame. While the team's on-field performance was the real culprit, it was far more entertaining to point the finger at the aging rock star in the luxury box. Brazilian media and fans immediately latched onto the 'Jagger Jinx' as a comical, if not entirely serious, explanation for the catastrophe. He was dubbed the 'Angel of Doom'. So intense was the social media backlash that his ex-partner Luciana Gimenez took to Instagram to defend him from what she called 'cyber bullying'. For his part, Jagger took the blame with a sense of humor, reportedly joking, "I can take responsibility for the first German goal, but not the other six!".
