Stallone Recalls Pele Kick Breaking Finger
Sylvester Stallone says a Pele shot injured his finger during filming of the 1981 film Escape to Victory.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Soccer
Sylvester Stallone said Pele broke his finger while filming the 1981 football film Escape to Victory, in which Pele's shot tore through a net and broke a prisoner-of-war bunker window. Stallone said he knew nothing about football before working on the film.
Why it matters
The account offers a firsthand look at the production of a film that paired a Hollywood star with a global football icon. It also highlights how on-set incidents from decades-old productions continue to resurface in later interviews.
The account is a single first-person recollection, given in a podcast interview roughly 45 years after the film's 1981 release. The injury's severity and any medical follow-up are not described in the available information.
The players
Sylvester Stallone
American actor and filmmaker best known for the Rocky and Rambo franchises, who co-starred in Escape to Victory.
Pele
Brazilian soccer legend widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport's history, who played Captain Robert Hatch in the film.
Marina Hyde
British journalist and podcast host who interviewed Stallone for the discussion.
The details
Stallone and Pele played Corporal Luis Fernandez and Captain Robert Hatch in the film, which depicts an exhibition match between a German team and Allied prisoners of war. Stallone said Pele asked him to stand in goal, told him exactly where he would hit the ball, and then struck a heavy leather ball through a World War II-era net.
Timeline
1981: Escape to Victory is released.
November 7, 2026: Stallone's podcast comments are published.
Season Trajectory
The recollection revisits Escape to Victory, the 1981 film that placed Pele and Sylvester Stallone on the same set and remains a frequently cited crossover between football and Hollywood. It adds a behind-the-scenes account to a film that continues to be discussed decades after its release.
The account is a retrospective anecdote rather than a current development, so it does not change any match schedules, rosters, or standings. Readers interested in the film can find it through its 1981 release history.
The takeaway
Behind-the-scenes stories from older productions can surface years later and reshape how audiences remember them. Stallone's account gives a light, personal view of a film that paired a Hollywood star with a football icon.
Further reading
For more on the sport behind the story, see Soccer coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NewKerala.
