Brazilian great in SA
Brazil’s former World Footballer of the year Rivaldo is in South Africa – training for a new season of football despite his 40th birthday fast approaching in April.
Rivaldo has been in pre-season training camp with Angolan club Kabuscorp, with whom he signed a one-year contract last month.
The 39-year-old Brazilian World Cup winner, whose bow-legged running style and elegant passing skills made him a favourite at Barcelona and AC Milan, and his teammates have been training in Tshwane at the University of Pretoria facilities.
Kabuscorp, who were runners-up in the Angola league last season, are coached by Viktor Bondarenko, ex-boss of Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka Swallows and Umtata Bush Bucks.
They have been playing matches against other Angolan sides who are also in the capital for pre-season training.
Bondarenko has often brought his clubs to Mzansi for pre-season warm-ups.
Rivaldo was World Footballer of the Year and European Footballer of the Year in 1999, a World Cup winner in 2002 and the Champions League in 2003.
Kabuscorp return to Angola in the next week and have lined up a friendly against visiting Portugal club Vitoria Setubal in Luanda on February 28.
The new season in Angola starts in March.