Kochi to host Brazil's World Cup legends Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and others in September
An exhibition match featuring the Brazilian and Indian legends has been announced by a private organisation for September 26.
An exhibition match featuring the Brazilian and Indian legends has been announced by a private organisation for September 26.
An exhibition match featuring the Brazilian and Indian legends has been announced by a private organisation for September 26.
Kerala missed out on Leo Messi and Argentina, but it appears Malayalis will get to see Brazilian World Cup winners Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos and others live in Kochi.
The Brazilian greats are expected to play an exhibition game with Indian legends at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi on September 26.
The announcement of the event was made in Kochi on Friday with former Brazilian players Ricardo and Galvao present. Former Indian players Sharafali and C K Vineeth were also in attendance at the function.
The event dubbed Legends Stars India Tour 2026 has been announced by an organisation called Gammen World Sports.
Besides the above-mentioned stars, the Brazilian legends team is expected to comprise other stars of the 2002 World Cup-winning side, including captain Cafu, Rivaldo, Lucio, Edmilson, Gilberto Silva, Roque Junior, Marcos and Juninho Pernambucano, said the organisers.
According the organisers, legendary strikers I M Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri are likely to be part of the Indian legends side.
This development comes within months of the disappointment of the Argentina Football Association pulling out of a proposed friendly match in Kochi. The cancellation of the ambitious event that was expected to bring Messi and his 2022 World Cup-winning team to Kerala caused major embarrassment to the then LDF government.
Interestingly, the freshly elected Chief Minister V D Satheesan is a fan of the Brazilian men's national team.