The 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony brought together luminaries from the world of soccer, but an unexpected twist took place when tennis icon Novak Djokovic encountered the exuberant YouTube personality, IShowSpeed. The owner of 24 Grand Slam titles, was amongst the famous celebrities and found himself engaging with Cristiano Ronaldo super fan.
However, their impromptu encounter took a comical turn as Djokovic, perhaps sensing an opportunity for fun, humorously assumed the role of an AC Milan player.
speed really believed Djokovic plays for AC Milan 😭
pic.twitter.com/OtqGB1D4LR— Speedy Updates (@SpeedUpdates1) October 30, 2023
Upon recognizing Djokovic’s face but unable to place the sport, Speed inquired about his identity. Seizing the moment, Djokovic replied, “I’m a new AC Milan star.” Undeterred by Speed’s probable lack of knowledge about professional tennis players, Djokovic elaborated on his fabricated story, further stating, “I haven’t played yet but I’m getting on in the next game, I’m going for a hat-trick.”
I love how they are trolling speed 😭
— Batiz (@BatizOwen) October 30, 2023
The delightful banter between Djokovic and IShowSpeed quickly caught the attention of fans across social media platforms. some fans said “Someone has to tell him that Djokovic is a professional tennis player.”, “I love how they are trolling speed.”, “He plays with Maignan as a striker.”, and “Speed almost Trolled all the players but when he met Djokovic he got Trolled LEGEND.”
Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or win breaks IShowSpeed’s heart
The 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris delivered another historic win for Lionel Messi, marking his eighth award. However, beyond the jubilation surrounding Messi’s accolade, an unexpected moment unfolded when YouTube sensation IShowSpeed, known for his genuine admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, visibly grappled with disappointment over his idol’s snub.
As Messi secured his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or after an exceptional year, including leading Argentina to a World Cup victory in Qatar and scoring six goals in the process, the unexpected appearance of IShowSpeed added a different dimension to the event.
Speed after Lionel Messi was awarded the Ballon d’Or 😭
Bro might never get invited again 🤣pic.twitter.com/3oV3mEkNJ7
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) October 30, 2023
The 18-year-old social media star’s unwavering support for Ronaldo, who was absent from the ceremony, was palpable. Minutes before the announcement made by David Beckham on stage, Speed, a guy who is normally very loud and boisterous in his support or outrage, could be seen sitting quietly with his fingers crossed in the hope that Ronaldo will bag the prize.
As Messi’s name was announced, IShowSpeed could not contain his distress and reacted with an obvious emotional response. One of the trademarks is that the YouTube personality puts up his hands in a gesture of disbelief and says “nooo.”
Ironically, he involuntarily stood up and started to applaud Messi, whose presence was soon to be felt on stage to receive the honorary plaque.