Ronaldinho’s Jamaica Jaunt in Honour of ‘98 Reggae Boyz

Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho will visit Jamaica from December 3 to 7 for a series of activities, including an exhibition match at the National Stadium in St Andrew and a tribute to members of the country’s historic 1998 Reggae Boyz World Cup squad.

The announcement was made by Dinho Promotions in a press release yesterday.

The organisers said the visit will feature a tribute dinner for the Brazilian superstar on Friday, December 4, during which Ronaldinho will also honour members of Jamaica’s 1998 World Cup team.

According to the organisers, the former players have not reunited as a group since their participation in the World Cup in France, and most members of the squad have already indicated their intention to attend.

The celebrations will continue on Sunday, December 6, at the National Stadium, where a Ronaldinho and Friends XI will take on the Jamaica Legends, a team made up primarily of members of the 1998 squad.

The organisers said the match will be preceded by an All-Manning versus All-daCosta clash, organised with the cooperation of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA).

Several other prominent personalities are also expected to take part in the day’s activities.

During his stay, Ronaldinho is also expected to connect with members of Jamaica’s music fraternity.

The organisers indicated that Ronaldinho, the 2002 World Cup winner, is a fan of reggae music and operates his own music label, Tu Música. They noted that he recently collaborated with Jamaican dancehall star Sean Paul on the song Lead, from his album CAMISA 10, which also features several Latin artistes.

Dinho Promotions said the visit would provide Jamaicans with a rare opportunity to experience the “Magic of Ronaldinho”, whose achievements on the field have been matched by the infectious joy with which he played, as well as the humility and generosity he has displayed throughout his career.

Ronaldinho enjoyed a distinguished career with several elite European clubs, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan.

He won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and was awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2005.

He last played professionally for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2015.