There was a ton of buzz about the USMNT’s World Cup opener — and you could argue even more buzz after they impressed everyone with a 4-1 win over Paraguay — and since it was in Los Angeles, there were plenty of celebrities on hand.
Including a certain legendary director responsible for the “Star Wars” saga… the better versions.
That’s right, George Lucas was in attendance for the match, which was fitting considering he helped inspire one of the USMNT’s most recognizable nicknames.
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One of the top players on the U.S. squad is 28-year-old Antonee Robinson. However, these days, he’s often known by his nickname “Jedi.”
Every nerd reading this just perked up a little…
Of course, “Jedi” comes from the world of “Star Wars.” Lucas had a habit of taking words from other languages, and the name for his films’ lightsaber-wielding heroes is believed to have come from the Japanese word jidaigeki, a term used for historical samurai.
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Well, Robinson was a huge “Star Wars” fan as a kid, and earned the nickname “Jedi.” Eventually, according to The Sporting News, this became public knowledge, and it stuck.
Then, in a full-circle moment, there was George Lucas in the stands for Robinson and the USMNT’s World Cup opener… and he was just annihilating some sandwich.
George Lucas is the man. He just is.
He’s a billionaire creative genius who has worn the same flannels and Nike Air Monarchs for decades, and comes across as the same dude he has always been.
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That’s just the coolest thing ever.
Also, I really like the time he went bombing into a corner in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at Long Beach and crashed his already beat-up Scion TC.
What a guy.
We’ll have to see if Lucas hits up any more matches, and if he does, I think someone has to find a way to get Jedi Robinson a photo with the guy who invented the term.