Former Brazilian star Bebeto has been selected as a member of Brazil's World Cup national organizing committee, fellow football icon Ronaldo announced Thursday.
"I want to welcome Bebeto, who is the third and last member of the committee's board of directors," Ronaldo told reporters.
Bebeto, who turned 48 on Thursday and was a member of the Brazil squad that won the 1994 World Cup, will work alongside Ronaldo and Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, in organizing the 2014 tournament.
"I am sure (Bebeto) will make a huge contribution. He's a great idol, a great friend and will give continuity to the work we are undertaking," said Ronaldo, whose full name is Ronaldo Nazario de Lima.
Bebeto, whose full name is Jose Roberto Gama de Oliveira, retired from football in 2002.
Football's governing body FIFA has complained that construction or renovation of some of Brazil's World Cup arenas is running behind schedule.
It has also urged the country to speed up legislative approval of a bill on the organization of the World Cup.
The bill gives FIFA exclusive rights to pictures, sound and other forms of expression linked to the World Cup and slaps penal and financial sanctions for any illegal reproduction.
Source: AFP
