Bad Bunny’s use of Pelé memorabilia has turned an old item into a new talking point among fans in Brazil. The pop singer wore a jacket Pelé used during the 1966 World Cup during concerts in Sao Paulo, in what the singer has described as his first performances on Brazilian soil, according to Associated Press reporting.
The jacket’s renewed visibility traces to Cássio Brandão, who owns the Alambrado Futebol e Cultura store, where he seeks historical soccer memorabilia and jerseys. Brandão said he was involved in Bad Bunny’s choice for the jacket and that the singer had taken “very good care of the piece” after borrowing it.
Brandão said the jacket returned to his store only with sweat—“wet with sweat, but it was perfect”—and that it came back in the same condition in “the same suitcase.” He said Bad Bunny and the people handling the loan were “very careful” in returning the item.
Brandão also said his store has more than 7,000 soccer memorabilia items and jerseys, and that he owns 115 pieces that belonged to Pelé. He described what the experience meant to him as he watched interest spread beyond longtime soccer fans as more people went looking for Pelé online.
Pelé’s official Instagram later posted a message thanking the singer for the tribute. The account wrote that when someone like Bad Bunny honors “the King on Brazilian soil, it means the crown is still shining.”
Brandão said he warmed to the idea that children in Brazil and around the world might now turn to YouTube to learn more about Pelé. He said the magnitude of Pelé’s achievements—describing him as the “greatest football player in history” and, to him, the greatest Brazilian—can be understood better after watching his goals.
In Bad Bunny’s tribute, the jacket was paired with a musical nod to Pelé’s legacy. Bad Bunny changed the lyrics of his song MONACO during the performances, singing “scoring a goal after Pelé and Maradona,” instead of the original “Messi and Maradona,” AP reported.
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