When a line-up includes names like Luís Figo, Rivaldo, Canavaro, Casimiro and even two Fowlers, it's easy to imagine it's an exhibition match bringing together legends of world football.
But this is not a charity match in Europe. That is the starting lineup for Timor-Leste U23 in the opening match of the Southeast Asian U23 Championship on Wednesday.
Although the Timor-Leste national team has long been considered a “bottom of the pack” in regional football, currently ranked 195th in the FIFA rankings and the lowest-ranked team in Southeast Asia, their young players have put in impressive performances. They twice came from two goals down but still held Myanmar to a dramatic draw.
The highlight lies in the familiar names. Many of them have contributed to creating an exciting score chase.
With Myanmar leading 2-1 early in the second half, Timor-Leste's Luís Figo, who started at right-back but was later moved up to winger, leapt higher than his modest 1.57m height to make a brave header, equalizing despite colliding with the opposing goalkeeper.
Then, as Myanmar restored their two-goal lead and led 4-2, Timor-Leste’s Vabio Canavaro continued to shine. The central midfielder seized the opportunity from a rebound on the edge of the box, unleashing a low volley from 25 metres. The ball flew hard and precise, straight into the far corner, leaving the opposition defence stunned.
In the 92nd minute, Alexandro Bakhito – one of the few players not known as a “legend” – scored the decisive goal to help Timor-Leste end the match with a score of 4-4, bringing joy to the underdog team.
Performances of Figo, Cannavaro, Rivaldo from Timor-Leste
However, the phenomenon of players having the same name as superstars is not uncommon in the region.
This trend has been noticed in Indonesia. Maldini Pali, 30, turned professional in 2013. His name partly reflects his family's love of AC Milan. Indonesia also has brothers Beckham Putra and Gian Zola, perhaps a result of their love for Manchester United and Chelsea.
Brazil and Barcelona legend Rivaldo is also a popular source of inspiration. In addition to Timor-Leste's Sandro Rivaldo, Indonesia has had Todd Rivaldo Ferre and Rivaldo Pakpahan.
In this tournament, Indonesia's defense has Alfharezzi Buffon, who plays as a center back instead of a goalkeeper like Gianluigi Buffon. Another young talent not included is Arkhan Kaka, who bears the name of a Brazilian football legend but will need a lot of effort to reach the stature of the original.
With the passion for football boiling in Southeast Asia, it is not difficult to imagine that in the future, the region will witness more players named Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe or Haaland.
Usually, parents name their children after their football idols simply because they love them, not necessarily because they expect their children to become professional players. But sometimes, fate brings miracles.
Although they have not yet stepped onto big stages like the World Cup or Champions League, Timor-Leste's young players are still proving that they are worthy of their name, after just an emotional opening match at the Southeast Asian U23 Cup.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/khi-figo-canavaro-rivaldo-toa-sang-tai-giai-u23-dong-nam-a-153173.html
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