Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Pelé, Ronaldo & Meyers Leonard
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – PELÉ AND CRISTIANO RONALDO
After a disappointing midweek UEFA Champions League exit against FC Porto, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus FC back to winning ways with a first-half hat-trick in a 3-1 away win at Cagliari in Serie A.
The Portuguese forward’s treble took him to a career total of 770 goals, three clear of Brazilian legend Pelé’s tally of goals scored in official matches.
Some reports suggest that Ronaldo now holds the world record but that is disputed by the Czech Football Association, which claims former Austria and Czechoslovakia striker Josef Bican is football's true all-time top scorer with 821 goals.
While that debate will undoubtedly rumble on, tributes poured in for Ronaldo after his astonishing achievement and most pleasing of all for the 36-year-old was the message from the great man himself.
"Life is a solo flight. Each makes his own journey. And what a beautiful journey you are having. I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone. Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches," Pelé commented on Instagram.
It was a fitting acknowledgement from the Brazilian great and showed his class at a time when he could easily have kept quiet after losing a record that had been his for so many years.
It was a fitting acknowledgement from the Brazilian great and showed his class at a time when he could easily have kept quiet after losing a record that had been his for so many years.
Ronaldo also took to Instagram to explain why he has waited until now to acknowledge the record, underlining his gratitude and respect for the three-time FIFA World Cup winner.
"The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the world's top scorer in football history, overcoming Pele's 757 official goals," he commented. "Although I'm thankful for that recognition, now it's time for me to explain why I didn't acknowledge that record until this moment.
"My ever-lasting and unconditional admiration for mister Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pele], such as the respect that I have for mid-20th century football, led me to take into account his 767 score, assuming his nine goals for Sao Paulo State Team, as well as his single goal for the Brazilian Military Team, as official goals. The world has changed since then and football has changed as well, but this doesn't mean that we can just erase history according to our interests.
"Today, as I reach the 770th official goal in my professional career, my first words go straight to Pele. There's no player in the world who hasn't been raised listening to stories about his games, his goals and his achievements, and I'm no exception. And for that reason, I'm filled with joy and pride as I acknowledge the goal that puts me on top of the world's goalscoring list, overcoming Pele's record, something that I could never have dreamed of while growing up as a child from Madeira."
Football is a game of opinions and while Ronaldo’s achievements have always been compared against the likes of Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi, he has always been one to let his performances on the pitch do the talking for him.
He could easily have made the message all about his own personal achievements but instead by paying tribute to the man he had overtaken, he made the story about a celebration of two greats of the game.
The Portuguese has sacrificed so much to get to the top of the game, yet he has always remained acutely aware of the fortunate position he’s in and often references his upbringing in Madeira.
At the start of the pandemic, Ronaldo donated five ventilators to the Regional Health Service of Madeira to help his hometown fight coronavirus, but he still receives a great deal of criticism from some sections for perceived petulance on the field.
In reality, it is his unwavering appetite for success that has taken him right to the very top and his comments offered a great example of how to communicate with modesty and humility.
MISS – MEYERS LEONARD
When you are in the public eye, particularly in this digital age, everything you say and do is under the microscope.
Anonymity is no longer an option and maintaining high standards remains fundamental, particularly when interacting with the public.
Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard found himself at the centre of controversy after being recorded using an anti-Semitic slur while playing online video game Call of Duty.
Leonard has more than 58,000 followers on Twitch and clips of his comments quickly circulated on social media, prompting him to make an apology on Instagram:
“I am deeply sorry for using an anti-Semitic slur during a livestream yesterday," Leonard wrote. "While I didn’t know what the word meant at the time, my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.
“I am now more aware of its meaning and I am committed to properly seeking out people who can help educate me about this type of hate and how we can fight it.”
The Heat are owned by Micky Arison who is Jewish, and condemned Leonard’s comment in a forceful statement: “The Miami Heat vehemently condemns the use of any form of hate speech.
“The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong, and we will not tolerate hateful language from anyone associated with our franchise. To hear it from a Miami Heat player is especially disappointing and hurtful to all those who work here, as well as the larger South Florida, Miami Heat and NBA communities.”
The National Basketball Association (NBA) fined Leonard $50,000 and he was also suspended from all Heat facilities and team activities for a week and must participate in a cultural diversity program.
The governing body should be applauded for swift action and reinforcing the importance of cultural diversity and understanding, even though their punishment may have been considered slightly lenient.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated: “Meyers Leonard’s comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society.
“He spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful. We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league – equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect – at all times moving forward.”
Sports stars are role models who are followed and admired by fans young and old.
The example they set is vital for not only their own reputations but also for their team, their championship and even their sport.
While Leonard’s reputation has taken a battering as a result of the slur, it has also affected him commercially.
E-sports organisation FaZe Clan said it was "cutting ties" with him and a number of other gaming companies, including Astro Gaming and Origin PC, have also severed their relationships.