MMA legend Jose Aldo has expressed his preference for football over mixed martial arts during a casual football game recently shared on social media.
The former UFC Featherweight Champion, who recently confirmed his retirement from professional MMA, was captured enjoying a friendly football match in his native Brazil. In the video posted by UFC on TNT, Aldo can be seen displaying his skills with the ball while discussing his sporting preferences.
“Neymar! Well, of course, it’s my friend,” Aldo says enthusiastically in the video before revealing his admiration for football legend Diego Maradona. “I love Maradona. For me, it’s the best,” he declares, showing his appreciation for one of football’s greatest talents.
The Brazilian fighter’s love for football shouldn’t come as a surprise to his longtime fans. Brazil’s rich football culture has deeply influenced many of its athletes across various sports, including Aldo himself.
This public display of affection for football comes just weeks after Aldo formally announced his retirement from MMA. “Now it’s time to live and enjoy alongside my family,” he stated on Instagram earlier this month, putting to rest any speculation about a potential return to the cage.
The 38-year-old leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in mixed martial arts. As the inaugural UFC Featherweight Champion, he held the title longer than anyone else in division history and is widely considered one of the greatest fighters ever to compete in the sport.
In recent weeks, Aldo has been embracing life beyond fighting. He participated in a footvolley tournament in Brazil, a popular sport that combines elements of football and volleyball. Though his team advanced to the finals, they were ultimately defeated by a team led by former professional footballer Felipe Jorge Loureiro.
Aldo’s business ventures are also flourishing outside of sports, with a successful burger franchise expanding across Brazil. His coach André Pederneiras recently organized an emotional retirement ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, where Aldo’s wife of 20 years, Viviane Pereira, shared intimate details about their journey together.
As Aldo transitions from the intensity of professional fighting to a more relaxed lifestyle that includes recreational football, his lighthearted declaration about preferring football to MMA suggests he’s finding joy in simpler pleasures after a career defined by the rigors of combat sports.
