Two weeks ago, Ronaldinho was in Australia. Two days ago, in Baku for COP29. Not that R10 has become an activist for the environmental cause, but the former PSG had been invited by the Azeri authorities to participate in a football tournament organized as part of the major climate conference. A short stay which clearly did not convert him to energy sobriety, since, his carbon footprint in the red, he is now in the capital of Maine-et-Loire to play one of these exhibition matches which punctuate his retirement international star. And allows those who experienced prison, in 2020 in Paraguay for using a falsified passport, to continue to generate income.
Why Angers? A story of intermediaries and relationships for a match organized by Brazilian promoter Jogo dos Famosos. A match between celebrities ”, which opposes a Selection from retirees to Ligue 1 players, including some Brazilians (Benoît Costil, Cris, Valdo, Karim Ziani, Mickaël Ciani, Mamadou Niang and Steve Savidan). An eleven led by the former elite raker of Real Madrid, Chelsea and EDF Claude Makélélé, who is just recovering from a short coaching experience in Greece where the leaders seemed not to know the principle of non-interference in team compositions.
The Waltz of Praises
On the Brazilian side, Maicon is present. Like the ex-Stéphanois Alex, or the former OL Sonny Anderson, Cris and Edmilson. « Ronaldinho is the best player I played with, he was always inventing thingsconfides the latter, with whom he was crowned world champion in 2002 before finding him again at Barça (2004-2006). I also met Ronaldo, but Ronaldinho made me suffer every day in training. » « For me, he's one of the five best Brazilians I've seen playabonde Anderson. He's a genius, he's won everything: the World Cup, the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. Neymar could have been there too, he was of this standard. »
Ronaldinho is one of those ex-players whose silhouette has not changed since the end of his career: the overweight is still there, as is the idolatry that surrounds him. Despite minimal promotion and organization blurry ” according to The Western Mailthe Raymond-Kopa stadium brings together nearly 15,000 spectators. When Ronaldinho enters the pitch, now escorted by the inevitable selfie sticks of influencers, some of whom have put on their crampons, Angers does not hold back its joy at welcoming the Brazilian icon for the first time. The 2002 world champion never played against the SCO, which was floating between second and third divisions when Ronnie was brightening up the Parisian evenings.
He will survive
« I'm 46 years old, and this is the only time I'll see Ronaldinho in my life »testifies Stéphane, 46 years old, Viking France 98 helmet on his head. This boilermaker-welder paid 25 euros for his ticket, much more than at the time when he threw rillette sandwiches at the players at Le Mans when the SCO was struggling in the third division. On this autumn evening not to put a Brazilian out, the match does not deviate from the standards of the genre. Players with heavy steps and tired joints, with the exception of a few still dashing forty-year-olds (Savidan, Niang, Piquionne), play to a bossa-nova rhythm, leaving plenty of room for maneuver for the artists.
From the penalty spot, Ronnie wrong-foots Grégory Malicki. Before going there with his little bridge on an influencer (Tom Gergaud), whose “ Reel » should get some views. In any case, the public appreciates the show given by a cast that smacks of the early 2000s. The sound system goes back the same way until 1998 by launching I will survive on each goal of the so-called French team, and the public begins to throw « And one, and two, and three zeros ». An evening of entertainment which largely ends at the 65e minute, when Ronnie bows out. Final score: 5-4. The 2005 Ballon d'Or did not last long in Anjou, he has another challenge to take.
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