Brazilian football star Zico was invited to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Torch Relay

Source: Xinhua Net

Rio de Janeiro, June 16 (Xinhua) -- According to Brazilian local media reports on the 16th, Brazilian celebrity Zico, who once served as the head coach of the Japanese men's football team, will participate in the Tokyo Olympic Torch Relay.

Zico, 68, who is now the technical director of Kashima Antlers, revealed in a video that the Tokyo Organising Committee invited him to perform a torch relay on July 4 near the Kashima Antlers Stadium, where he played.

"On July 4th I will be raising the Olympic torch." Ziko said, "I'll run about 200 meters around the stadium. The Olympic Torch Relay is a symbolic event that tries not to cause people to gather. ”

Zico believes that becoming the Torchbearer of the Tokyo Olympics made up for his regret of not being invited to pass the flame at his hometown of Rio de Janeiro. He said: "It's a pity I wasn't invited in 2016, but now I feel compensated. ”

Zico is a former Brazilian international known as "White Bailly", who played for Kashima Antlers from 1991 to 1994, served as the head coach of Kashima Antlers in 1999, and also coached the Japanese national team, the Iraqi national team, Turkish Fenerbahce, CSKA Moscow and other teams.