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| Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo watches the Italian Serie A football match between Juventus and Torino on May 3 at Allianz Stadium in Turin. AFP-Yonhap |
By Ko Dong-hwan
International football icon Cristiano Ronaldo will play against Korea's K Leaguers in Seoul next month, the league said Wednesday.
The Portuguese and his Juventus teammates will stage an exhibition match at Seoul World Cup Stadium in the city's Mapo District.
The 8 p.m. game on July 26 will see the Italian Serie A champions play the K League All-Star team, according to the authority that governs professional football in South Korea.
The K League said Juventus will bring all its top players. Its agreement with the Italian club also guarantees Ronaldo's appearance. Juventus played the South Korean national team in an exhibition match in Seoul in 1996.
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| Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Ajax's Jurgen Ekkelenkamp fight for the ball during the Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, April 10. AP-Yonhap |
Fans will vote for the Korean All-Stars' roster, the K League said.
Ronaldo's last visit to Seoul was in July 2007 when he played for English Premier League team Manchester United in an exhibition match against FC Seoul. He scored one goal and made two assists, contributing to his team's 4-0 win.
Ronaldo, 34, was scheduled to visit Seoul in July 2018 for a corporate promotional tour but the trip was canceled at the last minute after he left Spanish club Real Madrid to join Juventus.
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or award five times as the world's best player and is considered one of the highest-paid and most marketable athletes.
He contributed to Real Madrid winning two Spanish La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League crowns. In his first season in Italy in 2018-19, Juventus captured its eighth consecutive Serie A title.
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