This weekend Various football legends gathered in Santiago de Chile to play a friendly match that marked the return to the fields of all its protagonists. On the one hand, there was a chilean team which would have been a dream if their players had coincided in their best times and on the other, a combination of stars from all over the world commanded by Ronaldinho.
The Brazilianaccompanied by figures such as the French David Trezeguet and Marco Materazzi took the 3-2 victory about the group led by Ivan Zamorano and composed of Marcelo Salas, Matías Fernández and Jorge Valdiviaamong others.
The exhibition match took place during Wellfest, an outdoor and family event, which featured competitions, sports classes and shows.
In the thermometer of the adoration of the attendees, the ovation for Ronaldinho was incomparable, but then the welcome of the Italian Marco Materazzi was surprising and among the Chileans it was Salas, Zamorano and Fernández who received the loudest applause.
The goals for Ronaldinho’s team were scored by Argentine Javier Saviola and Venezuelan Juan Arango, both as if they had not yet retired. The first for ‘Bunny’ after a backheel pass from ‘Arangol’ inside the area.
The second with an assist from Saviola that Arango put into the left corner of the goal with a left foot shot inside the large area and the third goal of the victory came from the Argentine Diego Rivarola, who came on as a substitute.
It was also a birthday gathering for the Brazilian ’10’who Last Thursday he turned 44 years old and he retired six years ago, but he continues to excite everyone with his feints and dribbles, although in this match he went without a goal and left in a substitution before the end to board a car to leave the stadium directly, while the rest finished play the match.
No matter how much history, cups and glory Ronaldinho’s team gathered, the Chileans did not change direction and cheered on their team. “Come on, come on Chileans, tonight we have to win” they chanted from the stands, when they were down on the scoreboard.
To the delirium of the locals came the goal from ‘el Mago’ Valdivia who received a deep pass that left him face to face with the Argentine goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri whom he evaded to score with a cross shot.
And then a penalty from Zamorano that hit the right post, deceiving ‘El Pato’ to leave with a tie at the end of the first half.
During the match we saw the Brazilian Maicon climbing up the right wing as before, the Frenchman Claude Makelele marking and pressing in the midfield at 51 years old, some shots looking for a goal from the Franco-Argentine David Trezeguet and the Argentine left back Juan Pablo Sorín giving goal crosses with a header and the central defender Materazzi distributing some kicks.
The starting eleven were made up of:
International legends: Roberto Abondanzieri; Maicon, Mario Yepez, Marco Materazzi, Juan Pablo Sorín; Claude Makelele, Esteban Cambiasso, Juan Arango, Ronaldinho, David Trezeguet and Javier Saviola.
Coach: Elías Figueroa.
Chilean legends: Nicolás Peric; Waldo Ponce, Cristián Álvarez, Marcos González; Jean Beausejour, Gonzalo Jara, Rodrigo Meléndez, José Pedro Fuenzalida, Matías Fernández; Jorge Valdivia, Marcelo Salas, Iván Zamorano.
Coach: Juvenal Olmos.
*With information from EFE.
Keep reading:
· Tango defeated Samba: Ronaldinho and Brazil fell to Argentina in the Conmebol legends game
· Xavi summoned Ronaldinho’s son to train with the FC Barcelona first team
· Ronaldinho defends Lionel Messi after criticizing the Argentine for winning The Best award