Cameroon football legend and current FA president Samuel Eto’o is among the key figures who attended the international kick off edition of the Legends in Rwanda promotional tour held Saturday, December 17 in Doha Qatar.
Organized by the Veteran Clubs World Championship (VCWC), the promotional tour is one of the sideline events taking place in the country that is hosting the World Cup which concludes Sunday.
A presentation conference was held in partnership with the Rwandan embassy in Qatar, at the Luxurious Marsa Malaz Kempinski Hôtel, in the presence of international media and aspiring participants in the forums on peace, education, technology, investment and tourism.
With the tour, VCWC Chairman Fred Siewe and his team want to turn Rwanda into a home of legends in 2024.
"We witnessed the amazing energy brought by the football legends last October, during the YouthConnekt Africa summit grand opening at BK Arena, in the presence of President Paul Kagame,” Siewe said.
"It wasn’t just one, two or three but seven football legends that were present in Kigali for three memorable days of the Legends in Rwanda national kickoff. If seven legends could bring so much fever, imagine what hosting 150 of them from around the world can do for the nation?” he added.
Eto’o, who was the guest of honor at the event, said, "I am happy that Rwanda accepted to host this brilliant initiative. That’s the type of innovation we love from Africa."
"I have to admit how much I miss Kigali and looking forward to being with you throughout the journey,” the former FC Barcelona and Internazionale striker added.
Meetings with legends, sports consultants, business men and investors from around the world are some of the many actions that are meant to contribute to the success of this first and historic edition of the Veteran Clubs World Championship in Rwanda.
As pointed out by the VCWC Chairman, Rwanda is indeed a place where legends in 2024 should all feel free to visit, invest and why not settle.
During the event, Jean Claude NGARAMBE, First Secretary of the Rwandan embassy in Qatar welcomed organisers’ move to take the Veteran Clubs World Cup to Kigali.
The seven legends present in Kigali:
Laura Georges: The Secretary General of the French Football Federation, former player at Bayern Munich & PSG and French international, UEFA Champions League winner in 2011 and 2012.
Anthony Baffoe: Former CAF Deputy Secretary General, former Ghana international, played for Bundesliga outfits FC Cologne and Dusseldorf.
Roger Milla: The oldest player ever to score at a FIFA World Cup. A Cameroon football legend, Milla played at French Ligue 1 clubs Monaco and Saint-Étienne. He won the African Ballon d'Or in 1976 and 1990.
He also twice helped Cameroon win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1984 and 1988.
Patrick M’boma: African Ballon D'Or in 2000, AFCON winner in 2000 and 2002, Olympic Champion in 2000. He played club football at Seria side Parma.
Lilian Thuram: World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 winner with France, Thuram played club football at La Liga giants FC Barcelona and Italian Serie A clubs Parma and Juventus.
Jimmy Gatete: Arguably the greatest Rwandan player ever, Gatete in 2004 led his national team to its only AFCON participation to date.
Khalilou Fadiga: Played for Inter Milan and Bolton, was part of the Senegalese team that defeated holders France at the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Japan and Korea.