Gerard Piqué’s Kings League show brings together Xavier Trias and Ronaldinho

Barcelona“Today is a day to be a little nervous,” said the famous streamer Ibai Llanos before the match between the team he chairs, Porcinos FC, and PIO FC. It is a match of the Kings League, the 7-a-side football competition that takes place in the Zona Franca and is presided over by ex-Blaugrana player Gerard Piqué. Much of their success is based on the distribution of content on social networks: matches can be followed live on their Twitch platform. This Sunday’s day had illustrious visitors: the mayor of Barcelona for Junts, Xavier Trias, who watched a game accompanied by Piqué and part of his candidacy’s team, as well as the main course of the day: to see Ronaldinho again play a game in the Catalan capital.

The ex-Brazilian footballer has played defending the colors of the Llanos team, since one of the attractions of the competition is what is called player number 12, who is usually a well-known face in the world of football. Ronaldinho, however, is the most emblematic figure who has so far passed through the Kings League, a league where, for example, Kun Agüero – who presides over a team – or Javier Saviola have also played. “This is unique and historic, I’m very excited,” Piqué said, before seeing the Brazilian in action. “Besides Leo [Messi], is the player I have seen do the most magic on a pitch. I was a teenager when he played for Barça. I’m bummed that I arrived at the club just as he left. I played against him when I was at Zaragoza. I asked him for the shirt and I have it,” added the ex-footballer.

Piqué also explained that the signing of Ronaldinho has been cooked over the course of about four weeks. “First I spoke to his brother and then Ronnie got involved. 7-a-side football is played a lot in Brazil and he loves it,” explained Piqué. “Ronaldinho is at a point in his life where he only does the things he likes to do. If he is here today it is because he wants to. There has been no financial agreement,” Llanos also commented. In fact, Piqué, who presides over the competition, has announced that the Brazilian legend will be the first owner of the Kings League in Brazil.

Aside from Ronaldinho’s debut, one of the protagonists of the day was the aforementioned Xavier Trias, who attended in the afternoon. The ex-Brazilian footballer, needless to say, has reached a samba rhythm. In the rival team was former Espanyol Albert Lopo. The Kings League, where there are many players who played for the white-and-blue entity during their career, has faced them again. Adding up all Twitch channels and platforms, at times, they have exceeded one and a half million viewers. They were, however, without being able to see a goal from Ronaldinho, who had a couple of chances, because the game ended 0-0. Since there can be no draws in the Kings League, the match was decided on penalties (3-1), although the Brazilian did not get to kick any. In the end, there was more expectation than spectacle.