Ronaldinho returns to Kerala as Brazil Legends reunite with India

Football nostalgia will take centre stage in Kochi on Wednesday as Brazil Legends, led by World Cup winners Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, take on Indian All Stars in the ‘Return of the Titans’ exhibition match at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor.

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho and members of both teams arrived in Kochi ahead of the much-anticipated fixture, which brings together stars from Brazil’s celebrated football history and some of India’s most recognisable former internationals.

The Brazilian squad features Ballon d’Or winners Ronaldinho (2005) and Rivaldo (1999). Other World Cup winners in the squad include Edmilson, Paulo Sergio, Jorginho and Viola.

The line-up also features Giovanni, Ricardo Oliveira, Gustavo Nery, Amaral, Souza, Junior, Elivelton, Para, Camanducaia and Diogo.

The Indian All Stars squad includes Kerala football icons I M Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri, C K Vineeth, N P Pradeep, M Suresh and K T Chacko. Bibiano Fernandes, Mehtab Hossain, Arnab Mondal, Climax Lawrence and Rino Anto are also part of the Indian side.

For Ronaldinho, the Kochi appearance marks his return to Kerala after a decade. The former Barcelona and AC Milan star was last in the state in 2016, when he served as the brand ambassador of the Sait Nagjee International Football Tournament.

The Kerala fixture is the second edition of the Brazil Legends and Indian All Stars exhibition match. The teams met in Chennai last year, with Ricardo Oliveira and Alvito scoring for Brazil before Bibiano Fernandes pulled one back for India in a 2-1 defeat.