Two prominent non-resident Indians (NRIs) have joined hands to revive the legendary Sait Nagjee football tournament in Kozhikode in its full glory.
Dr Azad Moopen of the Aster group and Siddeek Ahmed, who heads the Eram group, have also roped in Ronaldinho as its goodwill ambassador. The Brazilian football legend arrived yesterday to a rousing welcome to witness the event revived after 21 years.
The Aster MIMS Nagjee International Club Football promoted by Mondial Sports LLP and supported by the Indian Football Forum (SIFF), will start on February 5 at the historic Kozhikode Corporation Stadium.
This is the first time top European and Latin American teams are playing in India.
They include Argentina (U-23), Watford F C (U-23), England, Levante UD (U-23) Spain, Club Atletico Paranaense (U-23) Brazil, TSV 1860 München (U-23) Germany, Rapid Bucharest, Romania, Shamrock Rovers F C, Ireland and I-League (U-23), India.
The announcement was made recently in Dubai in the presence of Ronaldinho.
The soccer star arrived in Kochi in the morning from where he flew to Kozhikode on a chartered flight. Hundreds of fans thronged both airports to have a glimpse of him.
Ahmed, who is also the president of the Kozhikode District Football Association, and other officials received him at the airport in Kozhikode and drove him to a resort accompanied by some 500 cheering fans riding bikes.
He accepted the trophy from Sait Nagjee family and handed it over the KDFA officials at a function held on a crowded Kozhikode beach in the evening.
Ronaldinho will interact with children of local state-run schools today before leaving the city.
“Football has the power to unite people. It has given me an opportunity and taught me universal values of friendship and unity,” Ronaldinho said in a statement.
“I am supporting the work carried by Football for Peace Global and proud today to be the guest of honour of Nagjee International Club Football Tournament 2016 and becoming a Footballer for Peace.”
For the first time in India, seven international club football teams from South America and Europe will play in the club football till February 21.
The UK-based charitable trust, Football for Peace Global (FfP) is the charity partner, undertaking a legacy programme for school children in Kozhikode, supported by the United Nations and the Duke of Cambridge.
Acclaimed footballer Kashif Siddiqi, a co-founder of FfP will also support the event actively.
“It is a great privilege for me to partner with my football friend Ronaldinho to achieve our visions for peace and undertake an FfP legacy programme in Kerala,” Siddiqui said.
The organisers say their primary goal is to “restore the old glory, revive the sport in its pure form (unlike the franchise model) and last, but not the least, continue its legacy of promoting peace” in a new form “which will be seen for the first time ever in the nation.”