Legendary German footballer, Lothar Matthaus is set to arrive in India on a three-day visit as part Bundesliga Legends Tour, which is designed to inspire and connect Indian fans to the German league, said a statement from the organisers on Monday.
Matthaus, who led Germany to the 1990 World Cup title, will visit several football development projects and also attend two Indian Super League games in Kochi and Mumbai.
The 57-year-old great is set to bring the famous Bundesliga league trophy with him for a tour across India. Matthaus himself won the ‘Meisterschale’ a record seven times with Bayern Munich. The trophy is set to be on display — in Kochi on December 4 and in Mumbai the next day – for the fans to see one of the most cherished trophies of all-time.
“I’m proud to be part of the Bundesliga’s Legends Tour here at what is an incredibly exciting time for Indian football. Having produced a long line of exciting world-class football talent, such as American team captain Christian Pulisic, 18 year-old Bundesliga Player of the Month Jadon Sancho (both Borussia Dortmund) and World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard (VfB Stuttgart), I’m keen to share my thoughts on how India can benefit from the Bundesliga’s renowned success in youth development. I’m really looking forward to helping India reach the next level whilst also getting to experience the country’s rich culture and warm hospitality,” said Matthus, the 1991 footballer of the year.
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Former Hungary and Bulgaria national team coach will first meet Kerala Blasters fans at the Marriott Hotel in Kochi on December 4, before watching Kerala Blasters play Jamshedpur in ISL home match on the same night
Matthaus will then head to Mumbai and visit the Borussia Dortmund football school at Cooperage. In the evening he is expected to meet members of the AIFF at the German consulate.
A five-time World Cupper, Matthaus is on a tour organised by the Star Sports, which is a media partner of Bundesliga.
“It’s not only our global superstars and wonderkids, but the high number of goals, the exciting brand of football played or the packed stadiums and electric atmospheres that has caught the imagination of Indian fans. They really appreciate pure, authentic football – football as it’s meant to be, which is what the Bundesliga is all about,” said Klein.
“Whilst fans already have access to the best coverage of our league thanks to our strong partner Star Sports, bringing global icons like Lothar Matthäus to India helps fans experience the Bundesliga in a more personalised way. Creating physical connections is a key component of our long-term engagement strategy, which will supplement the action fans watch on Star Sports each week.”
The Bundesliga Legends Network also has other international stars like Paulo Sergio, Jay-Jay Okocha, Wynton Rufer, Jörg Albertz, Bum-Kun Cha, Anthony Baffoe, Jiayi Shao, Yasuhiko Okudera, Pavel Pardo and Steven Cherundolo. The Bundesliga Legends are tasked with taking the Bundesliga experience to their homelands or to the countries to which they have a strong connection.