Coca-Cola in partnership with FIFA have announced Juliano Haus Belletti as the FIFA World Cup™ trophy tour ambassador that will be accompanying the trophy to Kenya on the 26th and 27th May this year.
Juliano is the current assistant manager for Cruzeiro, a Brazilian sports club based in Belo Horizonte. He is a former player of Villareal, Barcelona and Chelsea where he mostly played as s defender between 2002 and 2010 and winning various honours.
“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 who played for key teams in Europe. Juliano is no doubt among the world-renowned players and 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.
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 that 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.
The legend will be expected to participate in various activities during the two days he will be in Kenya before departing with the trophy on 28th May.
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About the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy
The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup™ while remaining in FIFA’s possession. Made of solid gold and weighing 6.142kg, 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. Because regulations state that the original trophy must remain in FIFA’s possession and cannot be won outright, the team winning the FIFA World Cup™ retains the authentic trophy temporarily and is then permanently awarded the tournament edition trophy, the FIFA World Cup™ Winner’s Trophy (which is gold-plated, rather than solid gold, and engraved with the year, host country and winners of the respective event).
The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is an extraordinary opportunity for people to take in a piece of football history and share their passion for the sport with each other. The emotions of seeing the original FIFA World Cup™ Trophy will stay in football fans’ memories forever.