Former Portuguese football player Luis Figo (L) speaks as Brazilian former football player Ricardo Kaka (R) looks on at a media conference in Karachi on January 10, 2019. Photo: AFP

KARACHI: Visiting cricket-mad Pakistan, football legends and Ballon d' Or winners Luis Figo and Ricardo Kaka made a memorable appearance in the metropolis on Friday to formally launch World Soccer Stars event.

Brazilian star Kaka and Portuguese legend Figo — who both played for Spanish club Real Madrid — were in Pakistan for a day-long visit as part of the World Soccer Stars tour, aimed at grooming nascent talent through exhibition matches and coaching clinics.

"It is my first time in the country and so far it has been a great experience," Kaka, the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner, who also played for AC Milan and retired in 2017, said during a press conference held at a local hotel. "I’ll be back in April and I have a great impression of this country and its people."

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Figo, who also played for Barcelona before retiring in 2009, added to Kaka’s thoughts and said that there is a great passion for football in the country. "We will try to help in developing the game of football in Pakistan," he said.

Figo and Kaka backed FIFA's stance of increasing the number of World Cup teams from 32 to 48 in the 2026 event to be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

It means "more players and more opportunities", Figo said, while Kaka hoped Pakistan would seize the chance and appear in the World Cup "soon".



Former Portuguese football player Luis Figo (C) holds a cricket bat at a media conference in Karachi on January 10, 2019. Photo: AFP

Moreover, the footballers shared that they will be back in the country in April with 10 more football legends for matches in Karachi and Lahore.



"We will come back this April with 10 legends for the World Soccer Stars," they told the audience.

Pakistan football team captain Saddam Hussain presented the national team jersey to the former footballers.

The duo also visited Lahore in the evening to launch the event.



Earlier in the day, Kaka and Figo were welcomed at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport with the traditional Sindhi ajrak and topi.

Pakistani soccer team captain Saddam Hussain (C) presents national football team jersey to former Portuguese football player Luis Figo (L) and Brazilian former football player Ricardo Kaka (R) at a media conference in Karachi on January 10, 2019. Photo: AFP

World Soccer Stars has promised a football spectacle starting from April 26 to 29 with two matches. R&B artist Akon will be kicking off the World Soccer Stars with concerts in Karachi and Lahore.

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The event is being organised by TouchSky Group who hopes that the visit of the legendary duo will help portray Pakistan’s softer image to the rest of the world.

Pakistan boasted a top 10 place in Asian football until the early 1970s, but a lack of government support and poor infrastructure have seen them sink to 199 in the FIFA rankings.

Former Brazilian football player Ricardo Kaka (C) signs autographs for Pakistani young boys at a media conference in Karachi on January 10, 2019. Photo: AFP

Pakistan was banned in 1995 and again in 2017 over violating FIFA's rule that all federations must be free of any government and judicial interference in their respective countries.

The most recent ban was lifted in 2018, but Pakistan is on the verge of a third strike after the head of its federation refused to accept the results of a controversial leadership election held last month.

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A 2017 visit by eight international stars led by Brazilian legend Ronaldhino proved the game is gaining popularity, with younger generations adoring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luca Modric.

— With additional information from AFP