Ronaldinho to Co-Host Celebrity Soccer Match “The Beautiful Game” in Orlando This June

Ronaldinho is organizing a legendary match…

The 43-year-old Brazilian retired professional footballer has co-created and will co-host The Beautiful Game, a celebrity soccer match, with fellow legend Roberto Carlos.

RonaldinhoIn partnership with Loud and Live, the match will take place on Friday, June 23, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. The gam is set to kickoff at 7:30 pm ET.

The match will feature a star-studded lineup of players from around the world, coming together to celebrate the diversity, connection and passion that centers around the global love for soccer.

Fans can purchase tickets to the match here, with more information including additions to the roster announced at a later date.

Ronaldinho, a two-time FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner, is known for his mesmerizing footwork, incredible ball control and signature ‘joga bonito’ style. The former FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain icon has a legion of fans worldwide and is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Roberto Carlos, a former Real Madrid star and World Cup winner, is known for his trademark runs down the left flank and powerful left foot. He has featured for some of the world’s most prominent clubs, including Inter Milan, Fenerbahçe and Corinthians.

“Following the amazing success in South Florida last year, it is great to take this experience to Orlando. We are looking forward to meeting the fans and to making a lifetime memory for everyone,” said Carlos.

“I had the opportunity to play in many parts of the world, but being able to reunite my friends and our families in Central Florida for a soccer fest in Orlando, with many legends, is a dream coming true. This place is magical and I am sure the soccer fans in Orlando will showcase how passionate they are for the beautiful game,” said Ronaldinho.

“We’re excited to host this fantastic game and give our fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this collection of legends play, all on one field, at Exploria Stadium,” said Orlando City President of Business Operations Jarrod Dillon. “We’ve been able to host so many fantastic events at Exploria Stadium and really solidify ourselves as Florida’s home for the world’s game. We look forward to once again showcasing our fantastic venue and The City Beautiful to the world.”

In addition to the action-packed match, the event will also feature pre-game and halftime entertainment.

Ricardo Pepi Leads United States Past El Salvador to Clinch Spot in CONCACAF Nations League Finals

It didn’t take long for Ricardo Pepi to make an impression…

The 20-year-old Mexican American professional soccer player scored seconds after coming into the game as the United States beat El Salvador 1-0 at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium on Monday night to win Group D and clinch its spot in the CONCACAF Nations League finals in June.

Ricardo Pepi The U.S., fresh off a 7-1 shellacking of Grenada, started a strong XI, with interim manager Anthony Hudson knowing all his team needed was a win or draw to advance to the Nations League semis.

The hosts never found an opener in a scoreless first half despite applying plenty of pressure and had a pair of injury scares with both goalkeeper Matt Turner and midfielder Yunus Musah requiring attention from the team’s medical staff.

Giovanni Reyna, making his second start for the U.S. after a World Cup in which he found minutes hard to come by, hit the post as play resumed after the break, and veteran Tim Ream had a close-range volley blocked away seconds later.

Pepi came on for Daryl Dike on the hour mark and made an instant impact, latching onto a Weston McKennie through ball, holding off his defender and chipping El Salvador keeper Mario Gonzalez to give the U.S. some breathing room in a game in which the Americans had dominated but failed to score.

Fellow substitute Taylor Booth picked out Pepi on the left side of the area in the 79th minute for a chance to double the lead, but the FC Groningen striker didn’t get enough bend on his shot and the ball sailed just wide of Gonzalez’s far post.

The defending champions join Mexico, which won Group A on Sunday with a 2-2 draw against Jamaica, in the four-team Nations League finals from June 15 to 18 at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the NFL‘s Las Vegas Raiders.

The last two spots will be decided Tuesday when CNL group-stage play concludes.