Brazilian football legend Pele is suing South Korean electronics giant Samsung, after claiming the firm improperly used a lookalike in an advertisement. He is claiming at least $30m, according to legal papers lodged at the US District Court in Chicago. The advertisement for ultra high-definition televisions ran in the New York Times without Pele’s permission. It is alleged that Samsung ran the advertisement after breaking off negotiations in 2013 to use Pele’s image to promote its goods. According to the complaint, the ad – which does not name Pele – includes a facial photo of a man who “very closely resembles” him, and also a small picture of a footballer making a “modified bicycle or scissors-kick, perfected and famously used by Pele”. The iconic star now makes much of his income through product endorsements.

The complaint also says that the Samsung advertisement will damage the value of his endorsement rights and mislead consumers into thinking he backs Samsung products. As well as seeking compensation his legal team say they also want to prevent future unapproved uses of his image. The lawsuit was filed by Pele IP Ownership LLC, which owns the former player’s trademark and publicity rights. Pele’s lawyer Frederick Sperling has also represented former Chicago Bulls basketball star Michael Jordan. He helped him win a case against the former Dominick’s Finer Foods over an unauthorised use of his identity in an advertisement in Sports Illustrated magazine.