By David Gold
February 20 – Bebeto has joined fellow former Brazilian goalscoring great Ronaldo and embattled football chief Ricardo Teixeira on the 2014 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee.
Bebeto and Ronaldo were both instrumental in the respective Brazil teams which won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups.
Teixeira, who in recent days has been rumoured to be set to step down from his position as head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), said: “Ronaldo and Bebeto did a lot for the Seleção on the pitch.
“Now they’re going to work together off it to ensure the 2014 World Cup in Brazil is a success.”
Ronaldo only joined the organising committee in December 2011 amid growing pressure on Teixeira to give up some of his powers.
Teixeira, 64, who is facing a fraud investigation in Brazil, had been the head of the World Cup Organising Committee as well as both the chief of the CBF and a FIFA Executive Committee member.
He is also thought to be one of the individuals identified as having received kickbacks from FIFA’s former marketing partner ISL, in allegations contained in documents world football’s governing body have pledged to publis, though they have been prevented in doing so thus far by court action from a third party.
Despite Ronaldo coming on board as the new public face of Brazil 2014, Teixeira remains the head of the Organising Committee.
The appointment of Bebeto, who starred for Deportivo La Coruña, Vasco de Gama and Flamengo during his career, to the organising committee came on his 48th birthday and as Teixeira faced new allegations of wrongdoing for allegedly overcharging organisers of a friendly match against Portugal from Folha de São Paulo.
“It was a pleasure, on my birthday, to get this invitation,” said Bebeto (pictured above centre), who became a household name for his goal celebration at the 1994 World Cup in the United States marking the birth of his third child.
“It was like getting my first call up for the World Cup, for the Brazil team.
“I never had the joy of playing in a World Cup in my own country but now I will, as a fan, as a representative… so we have to do everything possible in order to have a great World Cup, one of the greatest World Cups in history.”
“He’s a great addition to our team, which has now got a strike partnership,” said Ronaldo.
“We’re going to do everything we can to make this one of the most wonderful assignments of our careers.”
Brazil has been making improved progress recently on the construction of stadia and infrastructure following numerous delays, though they continue to be dogged by workers’ strikes and wrangling with FIFA over their World Cup law.
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