Pelé puts boot into Samsung over newspaper ad image

Brazilian football star Pelé has sued Samsung in a $30 million lawsuit centring on a newspaper advert that used an alleged look-a-like of the former player.

In a lawsuit filed at the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Pelé, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, complained about a Samsung advert that was published in The New York Times.

The complaint alleged that the advert used an image of a man who closely resembles the former footballer and that it would confuse consumers into believing that he endorses Samsung products.

The advert, published in October, also included an image of a player performing a “modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pelé”.

Pelé added that Samsung had previously tried to obtain a right to use his image but broke off negotiations in 2013.

Now 75, Pelé has endorsement deals with companies including Volkswagen and Subway.

The lawsuit was filed on March 16 by Pele IP Ownership, which owns Pelé’s trademark and publicity rights.

Pelé’s lawyer, Frederick Sperling, told Reuters: “The goal is to obtain fair compensation for the unauthorised use of Pelé’s identity, and to prevent future unauthorised uses.”