Kaka was immortalized in Maracana's sidewalk of fame yesterday.
The Brazil midfielder left his footprints in a section dedicated to the memory of the country's top players.
 |
|
Brazil's soccer player Kaka waves as he makes an impression of his footprint in Maracana's sidewalk of fame in Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. |
"Maracana has a great history," Kaka said. "As a football player, to be part of this memorial, to be part of Maracana, it is a great pride."
The AC Milan player's name is next to former all-star Zico. Other stars who left their footprints in the sidewalk of fame include Pele, Romario, Zagallo, Dunga and Franz Beckenbauer.
Maracana once was the world's largest football stadium and accommodated more than 180,000 fans, but reforms have shrunk its capacity to about 70,000. It hosted the 1950 World Cup final, when Brazil was upset by Uruguay.
Another Brazilian expected to be honored on Tuesday was Robinho, for his unique dribble in the team's 5-0 rout of Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier last year. A series of photos of the dribble, in which he used several nifty moves to fool a defender and set up Elano's goal, will be put on display at the stadium.
Brazil, coming off a 4-0 victory over Venezuela on Sunday, faces Colombia on Wednesday at Maracana. The five-time world champion is second in South American qualifying, behind leader Paraguay. The top four nations will automatically qualify.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily October 15, 2008)