“Neymar, Jimmy Butler…Not Messi”: Wimbledon Champion Carlos Alcaraz Names List, Forgets Lionel

Carlos Alcaraz is currently the toast of the sporting world, following his Wimbledon 2023 win. The Spaniard has already 10 brand endorsements to his name and as he becomes more valuable a public figure, chances are that he would get to meet sportspersons outside of tennis as well.

In a recent interview with BBC, Alcaraz found it extremely difficult to name all famous sporting personalities he has ever met till date besides Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. And here is where he made a momentary goof up of sorts, which has made the video go viral.

Did Carlos Alcaraz forget Lionel Messi?

 

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Carlos Alcaraz took the names of Brazilian football superstar Neymar and NBA champion Jimmy Butler amongst the sportspersons he has met. However, when the interviewer asked him about Lionel Messi, Alcaraz initially replied in the negative, only to remember a few seconds later that he indeed got an opportunity to shake hands and have a few words with him.

Alcaraz and Messi met at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2023 earlier this year where the former received the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after an exceptional 2022 season on the ATP Tour. After that meeting, Alcaraz called Messi a ‘legend whom he was honored to meet’.

Alcaraz and Butler friendship

Recently, Carlos Alcaraz received a congratulatory message from Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler for his Wimbledon win. Butler also fulfilled a promise he made to the Spaniard by travelling 4426 miles from Miami to London all the way just to cheer for him in his Round of 16 match against Holger Rune. And it seems Butler is Alcaraz’s lucky charm as he also supported him from the stands in the Argentina Open earlier this year.

Little did one know that Alcaraz is equally interested in basketball, as he watched a Miami Heat home game from the stands back in March to cheer for Butler. All these events have made the duo strike a friendship of a lifetime. And with the North American swing coming up in tennis, the World No.1 could get more opportunities to spend time with the NBA champion. It would be interesting to see whether American as well as global businesses or brands see this as an opportunity for bringing them together for marketing collaborations.