Дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээний үеэр ФИФА-гийн “Домог” (FIFA Legend) хэмээх статустай хуучин тоглогчид Нью-Йорк хотноо цугларч, сурталчилгааны арга хэмжээнүүдэд оролцлоо. Кафу зэрэг алдартнууд Рокфеллер төвийн гадна Лего тоглоомоор бүтээсэн Дэлхийн цомын аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээний цомыг олон нийтэд танилцуулсан бол Жанни Инфантино Испани болон Францын хагас шигшээ тоглолтын өмнө Кака, Хави, Карлес Пуйоль зэрэг алдартнуудтай уулзжээ.
Ням гарагт болох Испани болон Аргентины шигшээ багуудын финалын тоглолтын өмнө Нью-Йорк хотод зохион байгуулагдсан “ФИФА Легендс кап” таван эсрэг таван тоглогчтой тэмцээнд Жон Терри, Икер Касильяс, Алессандро Дель Пьеро, Хавьер Занетти зэрэг олон арван тоглогч хүч сорив. Энэхүү тэмцээнд Жон Терригийн баг ялалт байгуулсан бөгөөд арга хэмжээнд Новак Жокович болон Кабо-Вердегийн хаалгач Возинья нар оролцсон нь олны анхаарлыг татлаа.
ФИФА-гийн “Домог” статусыг авахын тулд тоглогчид Дэлхийн аваргад түрүүлсэн байх, эсвэл тус тэмцээнд онцгой амжилт гаргасан байх зэрэг тодорхой шалгууруудыг хангасан байх ёстой. Ийнхүү статустай болсон тоглогчид тэмцээний үеэр бүх зардлаа даалгаж, тоглолт үзэх эрхтэй болохоос гадна арилжааны үйл ажиллагаанд оролцож нэмэлт орлого олох боломжтой юм.
Хэдийгээр ФИФА-гийн зүгээс тоглогчдын гэр бүлийн аялал болон нэмэлт өрөөний төлбөрийг даадаггүй ч, тэдэнд тоглолт үзэх тасалбар олгож, буудлын зардлыг хуваалцдаг байна. Энэхүү харилцаа нь ФИФА-д олон нийтийн анхаарлыг татах маркетингийн давуу талыг олгодог бол хуучин тоглогчдын хувьд өөрсдийн нэр хүндийг ашиглан санхүүгийн болон аялалын таатай нөхцөлийг бүрдүүлэх харилцан ашигтай тогтолцоо болон хөгжжээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
The New York rain was not going to dampen Cafu’s spirits.
As the Brazilian World Cup winner stood outside the Rockefeller Center, the 70-floor skyscraper in Manhattan, he was more than happy to play the role of a FIFA Legend to promote the unveiling of a giant Lego World Cup trophy.
There is a good reason for that, too.
Being a FIFA Legend at the World Cup is no ordinary job; it includes an all-expenses-paid stay during the tournament, match tickets, and the potential to earn additional income through commercial appearances.
There are also no obligations to say yes to anything, meaning the former players could, in theory, spend their stay in the U.S., Canada or Mexico on FIFA’s dime without needing to do any work.
Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, spent time before Spain’s semi-final win over France on July 14 with an array of former footballers under the governing body’s remit, and posted about it on his Instagram account.
“What a delight to be joined by FIFA Legends and world champions to start FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi-Final action!” his caption read, accompanied by a video of Infantino surrounded by Kaka, Xavi, Carlos Puyol, Alessandro Del Piero, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Baggio and others.
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Ahead of Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina, more than a dozen former footballers gathered in New York to compete in the FIFA Legends Cup, a five-a-side football tournament played outside the Rockefeller Center.
John Terry, the former England and Chelsea captain, was there, as were Puyol, Kaka, Iker Casillas, Del Piero and Javier Zanetti.
Novak Djokovic was also in attendance, with Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who saw his Instagram following rocket from under 100,000 to more than 22million during the tournament, taking part. Infantino posed with the players after the event, with Terry’s team coming out on top.
So how do you become a “FIFA Legend” and what do ‘legends’ do?
Javier Zanetti lifts the Legends Cup at the Rockefeller Center on July 17 (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)
FIFA’s website states that there are “over 7,000 footballers and coaches” under its umbrella, and that there are certain hurdles they must clear before they can be associated with the legends scheme.
Winning either the men’s or women’s World Cup is one way to enter the club, as is having an “outstanding contribution” to a World Cup, which FIFA defines as “being a recipient of individual awards in either tournament”. Playing in more than two World Cups or in more than 10 matches, scoring more than five goals or keeping five clean sheets is another route.
Former players can also become FIFA Legends if they are the recipient of awards at continental and national levels, have more than 100 caps for their national team, have had an “outstanding career at club level” or have won an official FIFA award, such as being named in the organisation’s team of the year.
Once you are in the club, however, you are unlikely to want to leave — even if an invite to the World Cup or free tickets to matches are not guaranteed.
The games players are invited to are also very deliberate. Before Brazil’s match with Scotland in Miami, for example, Cafu, Carlos, Kaka, Bebeto, Rivaldo and Ronaldo were all present.
Infantino posted a video of his interaction with the Brazilian legends to his four million followers on Instagram, which included the 56-year-old counting the number of World Cup winners he had in front of him.
Cafu poses next to a Lego version of the World Cup trophy on July 6 (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for LEGO Group)
Several players have brought their families with them to the World Cup — including Terry at England’s 0-0 draw against Ghana — but FIFA sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, say the governing body does not fund footballers’ relatives. It does provide them with tickets to games, though, and they can stay with their partner in the hotel, while also being able to take advantage of charging additional meals and drinks, within reason, to their room. FIFA does not fund families’ travel to the tournament, nor do they pay for additional hotel rooms.
It was also stressed that the FIFA Legends do plenty of work outside of the World Cup to help promote the governing body’s activations, with it being noted that their appearance at such events is favourable from a marketing standpoint as it brings attention that otherwise may not have been there.
Although some FIFA Legends may look the other way when asked to do commercial work, the key is to say yes.
Not only will they be paid for it, but their willingness to turn up and pose for a few photographs does not go unnoticed by FIFA. In that regard, it is essentially a quid pro quo.
The former footballers get an all-expenses-paid trip to the World Cup, and FIFA, along with its commercial partners for the tournament, get increased exposure off the back of the players’ fame and popularity.
And at a World Cup that is more transactional than ever, life as a FIFA Legend over the last few weeks is entirely fitting to that narrative.
Additional contributors: Adam Crafton and James Horncastle
