‘Ronaldinho and Friends’ currently playing exhibition matches have urged world players to play in Pakistan.
Addressing a news conference at a private hotel in Lahore on Sunday, they said they were impressed by the hospitality of Pakistani people on their visit.
Eight world players of football are currently visiting Pakistan and played an exhibition match in Karachi and are playing another match in Lahore today.
Earlier, Ronaldinho’s side defeated Ryan Giggs-led team by 3-2 in an exhibition football match at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Stadium in Karachi on Saturday.
The team led by Brazilian legend Ronaldinho scored three goals, while the other side led by former Manchester United great Ryan Giggs could score only two goals.
In the match played under the auspices of Leisure Leagues, two teams of players were made which included a group of Pakistani footballers.
Seven footballers from around the world, including Ronaldinho and Ryan Giggs, reached Islamabad on Saturday for two exhibition matches – the first in Karachi on Saturday and the other in Lahore on Sunday.
Other five footballers are Dutch footballer George Boateng, former England goalkeeper David James, former French players Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka, and Portuguese player Luis Boa Morte.
The Pakistani footballers included Mohammad Rasool, Mohammad Essa, Aziz, Razik, Mohammad Adil, Adnan, Mohammad Ali, Ahmed, Yousuf Butt, Saddam Hussain, Kaleemullah, Saadullah, Hassan Bashir, Riaz and Kamran.
Ronaldinho and other footballers were warmly welcomed on their arrival at the stadium.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah formally started the match by kicking the football. In a brief address on the occasion, he described this exhibition match as a positive development for peace, and said the arrival of the world famous footballers here would help promote the sport in the country, and more foreign sportsmen would come and play here.
Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hasan and other personalities watched the match in the stadium.
