Breaking down the collection further, and teasing what was to follow, we talked through the streetwear line: two-tone hoodies, dresses and breathable shorts that could absorb all the sweat of a nail-biting World Cup game this summer, naturally, all adorned in the colours of the Brazil flag. Curious about what players on the ground would be wearing, I pivoted the chat accordingly. Fans would be able to get their hands on a kit made from 100 per cent textile waste in yellow and blue, plus some tactile, acid-orange Tiempo Maestro football boots inspired by the look of elephant skin, sure to fly off the shelves. “[The Jordan x Brazil kit collaboration] feels very similar to what we’ve seen, even in the basketball communities that were initially so infectious,” she said. “There’s something really special that’s happening here, and it’ll resonate across the globe.”
As our time together wrapped, I threw in a few quick-fire questions. Her first pair of the iconic trainers? “Air Jordan 1s. My parents wouldn’t buy me Jordans, so they became very aspirational for me,” Sarah said, coyly. Asked about her favourite player, she smiled mischievously: “Michael Jordan,” she replied, a cheeky glint in her eye. With that, I headed back to the hotel, pumped for the main event: the global unveiling of the Brasil X Jordan World Cup kit.
Hopping off the bus, the bass-thumping, bone-rattling music seeped out of the red-lit venue, Estádio Sinistro. Inside, a large sculpture of a raven sat at the centre, its blackened eyes emblazoned with Jordan’s Jumpman logo across the pupils. A red screen counted down the final seconds, then a montage of players appeared. After a few words from Mensah, the celebration turned up a notch as dancers moved fluidly to Brazilian trap, and out stepped Ronaldinho (I know him!) in the kit, greeted by a room full of cheers.
After the dancing subsided and the footballers’ kick-ups came to a halt, platforms displaying people in the full Brazil Jordan kits appeared around the room, signalling the start of the customisation station. Down a flight of stairs at the afterparty, more floor-shaking Brazilian tunes filled the space, drawing people to the dance floor, and a mini moshpit ensued after Sheck Wes performed Mo Bamba and a flurry of other hits. A hangover later, three hours of sleep under my belt, some pics I’d rather forget and new friends I surely wouldn’t, it was time to wrap up my time in Brazil.
At breakfast, I caught up with a few people from the trip. Noah, founder of Peche Football, was barely awake but already clad in his freshly delivered Jordan × Brazil T‑shirt, still buzzing as he relived the set-up, custom jerseys and montage of the greatest players to grace the pitch. For Daniel, who had flown in from Australia and worked across campaign and production at Complex, it was all about the storytelling and the slowly unfurling suspense of it all.
My takeaway? I’m no closer to earning a spot on Match of the Day, but I’d never turn down a challenge – and this one was absolutely unforgettable. São Paulo, consider me officially smitten.