Rio de Janeiro paid tribute this Tuesday to the legend of Brazilian soccer Arthur Antunes Coimbra, ‘Zico’with the presentation of a wax statue of the former player at the city’s public aquarium.
Zico71, thanked his hometown for the tribute and reflected on the “difficult” moment Brazilian football is going through, after the men’s team failed to qualify for Olympic Games in Paris this summer, the first time in 20 years that Brazil has been left out of that competition.
“It’s a shame that our football is going through a difficult time and that I’m not there, but I’m there because I have a great passion for the sport,” he declared during the event. Zico, who was appointed ambassador of the Brazilian delegation of Brazilian Olympic Committee.
Despite not having a soccer team, he said he will try to represent athletes in all modalities because he knows the “sacrifice” and “difficulties” they face at the beginning of their careers.
Zico He also said that one of the “biggest disappointments” of his life was not being invited to carry the Olympic torch in Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016, an honor he had among those Tokyo four years later.
With the flamenco, who is considered one of the best players in history, Zico He won three Brazilian leagues, the Copa Libertadores and the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, in addition to competing with the national team in three World Cups.
After hanging up his boots, he went on to coach teams in Europe and Asia, including Turkish Fenerbahçe and Japanese Kashima Antlers.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
