Roberto Carlos: World's media descends on Shropshire village as Brazilian plays for pub team
World Cup winner Roberto Carlos has added another honour to his trophy case - playing on a village hall pitch in Shropshire.
Ringers in Sunday League are commonplace but a Shrewsbury side took that to the next level, bringing in Carlos for two cameos.
A normally sleepy Friday morning in Hanwood was transformed into a raucous local derby as the Brazilian left-back joined The Bull in the Barne for a match-up against local rivals Harlescott Rangers.
And that was before the team, Carlos and pundit Chris Kamara decamped and started festivities in their home pub on The Mount in Shrewsbury.
The 48-year-old is widely regarded the best left-back of all time, but he was greeted with a rain-sodden mud-bath of a pitch as the superstar swapped the surroundings of Real Madrid's Bernabeu, for Hanwood Village Hall.
Despite hanging his boots up in 2015, the Brazilian legend was in town after Bull in the Barne won a charity 'Dream Transfer' raffle on eBay.
For the pub team it was a definite change of pace. The normal attendance at games is two – Carl and Janette Torrall, parents of the side's twin players Kieron and Liam Torrall.
Instead a sun-bathed morning – with a specially-built grandstand in place – saw the world's media lined up and down the pitch, with about a hundred spectators making sure the Brazilian had a noisy welcome.
For the children of St Thomas and St Anne's Primary school, which borders the pitch, it was a chance to see a superstar that was too good to pass up and the youngsters were out in force waving signs and banners while making plenty of noise.
For others – with attendance at the match limited – there were different ways to catch a glimpse, with two guys having driven a JCB up to the edge of a bordering field, sat on the raised scoop to get a look at proceedings.
Some just lined the hedge on the way in, peeking over to watch what they could.
The match was a great contest – a 4-3 win for Harlescott – but Carlos' appearance was some way off the domineering days of Real Madrid, with the Brazilian limited by what is believed to be an injury sustained in a moped accident in Madrid.
Starting on the bench all eyes were on the left-back as he stretched and chatted with team-mates before a raucous welcome at his introduction with 15 minutes of the first half left.
Perhaps befitting his talents the Brazilian took up a central midfield spot, but was hit with a traditional Sunday League welcome – firm but fair – as he went up for a header.
There was disappointment from the crowd as two free-kicks came and went with the dead-ball specialist watching on as the Barne regulars attempted to muster their own magic.
As a chorus of Allez Allez Allez rained down from the stand, some urged more from the star substitute.
"Move Bobby," implored one fan, urging the left-back to help his side back from 2-0 down, followed by "you've got to want it Bobby".
For his part the Brazilian cajoled his colleagues with a hasty "vamos" before getting robbed by an opposition number in the centre of the park.
The Barne had chances but half-time arrived 2-0 down, with more needed from the star.
Despite the struggles it was back to the dressing room at half time for a massage, and it was 20 minutes into the second half before he reappeared on the touchline.
Barne pulled one back, fell further behind and then at 4-2 Roberto's moment came.
The hosts were awarded a penalty and the dead-ball expert was summoned from the bench – calmly rolling his spot-kick into the far corner, even pointing where it was going.
Mobbed by his team-mates for a moment they won't forget it wasn't enough to save the match which finished 4-3.
After the match Carlos showed his star power, taking time to meet youngsters, signing Bull in the Barne shirts, and going to say hello to the ultras at the Primary School End.
