Former glories of Brazilian football like Ronaldinho, Bebeto and Cafu will put on their boots again on Sunday for a charity match at the legendary Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, in order to raise funds for those affected by the floods which devastated the south of the country.
This trio of world champions will play among others alongside Filipe Luis, former full-back who played for Chelsea and Atlético Madrid, and Tamires, current women’s Seleçao player, according to the list presented Wednesday by the organizers.
Also readFootball: the legend Ronaldinho will play a match… in Guadeloupe
Singing stars, such as singers Belo and Wesley Safadao, will also be on the field.
One of the teams will be coached by the current coach of Brazil, Dorival Junior, and the other by one of his predecessors, Mano Menezes, a native of the state of Rio Grande Sul damaged by floods, just like Ronaldinho.
“We had the opportunity to lift the world champions trophy, now we will lift the solidarity cup,” Cafu, 53, who won the supreme title in 1994 and 2002, told Globo. Esports.
“I want to invite all the Brazilian people to take part in this chain of solidarity for our brothers in Rio Grande do Sul. We need everyone’s support,” said Dorival Junior, in a video posted on social networks by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
The match is organized by TV Globo, the most watched channel in the country, which will broadcast it live.
The funds collected will be donated to associations which help those affected by the floods which left 161 dead and 82 missing, according to the latest official report.
More than 580,000 people were forced to leave their homes as floods engulfed entire towns, sometimes causing water to rise to the roofs of homes.