French sports minister Valerie Fourneyron embarrassed herself at a reception at the Brazilian Embassy in Paris when she confused former Real Madrid striker Ronaldo Nazario with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I would like to wish you, for this World Cup 2016 with this formidable ambassador Cristiano Ronaldo,” she said before noticing her mistake.
“That is the Portuguese,” Ronaldo replied with a forced smile while everybody around was laughing.
Fourneyron soon apologised and added: “Yes, that’s the Portuguese, sorry.”
That was not her only mistake, as she referred to the 2014 World Cup to be held in Brazil next year as the “2016 World Cup”.
The French minister later posted her twitter feed: “Not very good with first names! I was a little bit tired at the Brazilian embassy tonight. Ronaldo was the first to laugh.”
Ronaldo Nazario played for Real Madrid from 2002 to 2007, scoring 83 goals in 127 appearances. He was a world champion with Brazil in 1994 and 2002. He is now a member of the Local Organising Committee of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
