On October 1st 2003, Celta Vigo-Milan was played at Balaidos, a match valid for the Champions League. The Rossoneri are the reigning champions after beating Juventus in Manchester, just four months earlier. Yet there is a discontent that, in fact, is almost never used. Rivaldo, a former Ballon d’Or winner, arrived in the summer of 2002 to further strengthen Silvio Berlusconi’s team. He never got off the ground and the evening in Vigo became his last appearance, with a final controversy. Because after his appearance in the Champions League with the Galicians, he did not respond to the call-up with Parma, nor did he accept the invitation to appear with Ajax, in the stands, to see his teammates.
Rivaldo, the Extraterrestrial, was a flop from the start. Also due to a bit of bad luck, because in his first game he would score a great goal against Modena, with a back heel, which would then be disallowed for offside. It could have been a very different principle, perhaps changing the general history of what it will become. There is no proof and the sublime Barcelona player has not repeated his exploits in Italy.
He will go to Cruzeiro, starting the swansong of his career. He will then play at Olympiakos, AEK Athens and Bunyodkor, an Uzbek club.