Diego Costa is set to appear at the Stadium of Light as Ronaldinho and Jermain Defoe squads are confirmed
Diego Costa is set to make an appearance at the Stadium of Light on Monday as part of the Wearside Legends Game, The Echo can exclusively reveal.
The former Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Spain striker has been named in Team Ronaldinho for the Ronaldinho & Friends v Defoe & UK Icons fixture, which will take place at the Stadium of Light on Monday, May 25, with kick-off at 5pm.
Sunderland announced earlier this year that Brazilian icon Ronaldinho would headline the fixture on Wearside, with former Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe leading the UK Icons team. The club said at the time that the Stadium of Light would host the special legends game one day after Sunderland’s final Premier League fixture against Chelsea.
Costa’s inclusion adds another major name to the event. The 37-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful career at the top level, winning two Premier League titles and the League Cup with Chelsea, as well as major honours with Atletico Madrid, including La Liga, the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup.
Born in Brazil, Costa later represented Spain at international level, earning 24 caps and scoring 10 goals. He played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and was known throughout his career as an aggressive, physical and prolific centre-forward.
Ronaldinho’s squad already contains several high-profile Brazilian names, including Gilberto Silva, Maicon, Douglas Costa, Philippe Coutinho, Ramires, Kleberson and Nwankwo Kanu, as well as former Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse and former Black Cats loanee Nicklas Bendtner.
The UK Icons side, led by Defoe, also contains a strong Sunderland flavour. Kevin Phillips, Steven Fletcher, Lee Cattermole, Phil Bardsley, Danny Collins and Pascal Chimbonda are all included, alongside former Premier League names such as Heurelho Gomes, Michael Dawson, Jermaine Pennant, Aaron Lennon, Sandro and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
The fixture is expected to bring a major nostalgia factor to Wearside, with Ronaldinho regarded as one of the most entertaining footballers of his generation. The former Barcelona, AC Milan and Brazil star won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and was part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad.
Sunderland owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori, along with director of football Florent Ghisolfi, are also set to be involved in Monday’s special event at the Stadium of Light. The Wearside Legends Game takes place on May 25, just 24 hours after the Black Cats bring their Premier League campaign to a close against Chelsea. The full confirmed squad lists are below:
Team Ronaldinho
Goalkeeper: Helton Arruda
Defenders: Gilberto Silva, Andre Santos, Maicon
Midfielders: Ronaldinho, Douglas Costa, Philippe Coutinho, Ramires, Kleberson
Attackers: Djibril Cisse, Nicklas Bendtner, Nwankwo Kanu, Diego Costa
Team Jermain Defoe
Goalkeeper: Heurelho Gomes
Defenders: Phil Bardsley, Danny Collins, Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson
Midfielders: Jermaine Pennant, Aaron Lennon, Lee Cattermole, Sandro
Forwards: Jermain Defoe, Steven Fletcher, Kevin Phillips, Shaun Wright-Phillips
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