Ronaldinho, Materazzi and Cannavaro to promote Legends All-Star game in Korea

A poster released by Korean promoter Travelling for the Legend All-Star Game to take place at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Oct. 21 [TRAVELLING]

Ronaldinho, Marco Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro will visit Korea next week to promote the Legend All-Star Game, a new exhibition match scheduled for October featuring former star players from Brazil and Italy.

The three former star players will arrive in Korea on Aug. 9 to take part in a series of promotion activities for the All-Star Game, organized by Emirati football management firm Racing City Group and local promoter Travelling.

The promotional trip comes ahead of the Legend All-Star Game, set to be held at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Oct. 21.

Aside from the date and location, Racing City Group and Travelling have not announced any further details on the all-star game. Ronaldinho, Materazzi and Cannavaro will all presumably take part, alongside other legendary players from Brazil and Italy.

The poster promoting the event also includes the Korean Taegukgi, with a Travelling spokesperson telling the Korea JoongAng Daily Tuesday that the organizers are still deciding whether to add some Korean legends to the mix.

Retired Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho is one of the most famous living footballers, with an incredible resume that includes 97 caps and 33 goals for Brazil, 70 goals in 145 appearances for Barcelona and 20 goals in 76 appearances for AC Milan.

Ronaldinho retired in 2015 with a FIFA World Cup, a Champions League title, two La Liga titles, a Ballon d’Or, two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and countless team of the year nominations to his name. He has since been added to the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame, the AC Milan Hall of Fame, the Ballon d’Or Dream Team and FIFA’s list of the 100 greatest players of all time.

Materazzi and Cannavaro were both members of the Italian team that won the 2006 World Cup, although they had very different experienced in the tournament.

Cannavaro a center-back for Juventus and later Real Madrid in 2006, was in the middle of the best year of his career, winning FIFA World Player of the Year honors and the Ballon D’or and going on to take the Silver Ball at the World Cup.

Materazzi, meanwhile, had a very successful club career with Inter Milan, but was rarely a major figure in the national team. That changed at the World Cup, where he had a rollercoaster ride that involved starting the season as a reserve, being called into the main squad, scoring the winner in his first appearance, getting sent off in the round of 16, missing the quarterfinals, giving away a penalty for the opening goal in the final, later scoring the equalizer and then infamously getting head-butted by Zinedine Zidane for insulting his sister.

Ronaldinho, Materazzi and Cannavaro will arrive at Incheon International Airport on Aug. 9. Details on their schedule while in the country will be announced within the next week, according to Travelling.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]