BRASLIA – Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Romario yesterday deepened their World Cup rift by indulging in a second slanging match in four days.
Having on Monday accused his fellow world champion of being to blame for the absence to date of promised free tickets for handicapped fans, Romario this time opened up with both barrels on the cost of renovating the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
“In relation especially to the World Cup, we are on opposite sides” of the debate, said Romario, now a lawmaker whereas Ronaldo is on the event’s Local Organisation Committee (LOC).
“If for you it’s normal to spend a billion reais ($A481 million) on renovating the Maracana, when all around hospitals and schools are crumbling, and public transport is poor then I guess you don’t care what I say,” Romario blasted.
Romario repeated his jibe about the non-appearance of 32,000 tickets — 500 per match — which were promised in 2011 on behalf of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
