News.Madjer: I'll be proud to represent Portugal and beach soccer

Though long hailed as beach soccer's greatest-ever player, it is just now - at the chronilogical age of 38 - that Madjer is able to call himself a world champion. That new and long sought-after status was finally secured on Sunday, if your veteran Portugal star helped fire his country thus to their first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup title.

Madjer struck eight times during the tournament, for example the opener inside final because the Portuguese were crowned in Espinho facing a delirious capacity crowd. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. I could’t describe it, but we actually deserve it,” he told FIFA.com afterwards. “Only we know how much we’ve suffered in wanting to win trophies, to fight for titles."

Now, as soon as the suffering, comes the reward. For Madjer, the most of clutching the trophy they have spent his career pursuing will now be accompanied by another memorable moment. This latest honour should come on Saturday 25 July when the Preliminary Draw is held in St Petersburg's Konstantin Palace - using the beach soccer icon on the list of draw assistants.

The ceremony, which starts at 18.00 standard time, will pick which teams face off inside various qualifying competitions worldwide, with the fate of 141 nations from five confederations set to become revealed. *

Madjer, for his part, will form component of an all-star line-up that also includes famous brands Ronaldo, Fabio Cannavaro, Diego Forlan, Samuel Eto'o and Olivier Bierhoff, and that he can hardly wait.

Friday, July 24, 2015