Soccer legend Juliano Belletti ambassador of FIFA World Cup trophy Kenya tour
Global Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola in partnership with FIFA has announced Juliano Haus Belletti as the FIFA World Cup tour ambassador, who will be accompanying the trophy to Kenya from Thursday to Saturday, this week.
The Fifa World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Qatar – the first ever Arab country to do so – between November 21 and December 18, this year. The global showpiece will be the last competition involving 32 teams, with an increase to 48 teams scheduled to start during the 2026 tournament in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola in Kenya is a landmark opportunity for soccer lovers to take in a piece of football history and share their passion for the sport with each other.
Currently working as the assistant manager for Cruzeiro, a Brazilian sports club based in Belo Horizonte city, Juliano is a former player of European clubs Villareal, Barcelona, and Chelsea where he played as a defender between 2002 and 2010.
“We are very excited to not only host the FIFA World Cup trophy but also one of the greatest footballers of all time and a football legend. Football fans in Kenya can brace themselves for an experience of a lifetime when the trophy lands on the 26th of this month,” said Isabel Kariuki, Frontline Marketing Director, East, and Central Africa Franchise.
“By bringing Juliano Belletti here together with the FIFA World Cup trophy, we are hoping to inspire the next generation of footballers and hope that they can learn from his experience,” she added.
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Juliano began his football career in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A with Cruzeiro, São Paulo, and Atlético Mineiro, being awarded the Silver Ball by Placar for his performances on loan during the 1999 season.
He is credited for his only goal for Barcelona, which won them the UEFA Champions League in 2006 after which he then returned to Brazil, winning the national league with Fluminense in 2010.
He earned 23 caps for Brazil from 2001 to 2005, scoring once. He was part of the teams that won the 2002 FIFA World Cup and competed at the 2001 Copa América and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup.
While in Kenya, the football legend will be expected to participate in various activities during the two days before jetting out with the trophy on Saturday, May 28th.
Made of solid gold and weighing 6.142 kilos, the trophy depicts two human figures holding the globe aloft. Its current design dates back to 1974.
As one of the most recognized sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original FIFA World Cup trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and Heads of State.
