Former World Player of the Year Rivaldo has signed
a two-year contract with Greece's Olympiakos, the Piraeus club said on Thursday.
The 32-year-old Brazil forward's arrival is seen as another boost to soccer in
Greece after their national team shocked the world by winning Euro 2004 earlier
this month.
The club have not released the financial details of the contract, which includes
an option for a third year, but according to local media reports, Rivaldo could
earn up to 1.8 million euros ($2.21 million) per season.
"Olympiakos would like to announce the transfer of Brazil's international player
Rivaldo for two-plus-one years," the club said in a statement.
Rivaldo was greeted by hundreds of fans on his arrival at Athens airport on
Wednesday night.
The former Barcelona player was pictured wearing an Olympiakos shirt on Thursday
and told reporters that the Greece's Euro 2004 triumph had helped him to sign.
"There were other teams interested in me, but the Euro 2004 win, my personal
friendship with (Olympiakos player) Giovanni and the talks with (senior club
official) Giorgos Louvaris, played an important part in my decision," Rivaldo
said.
"Who thought Greece would win the European Cup, so why would we not manage with
Olympiakos?"
The 2002 World Cup winner, who said he had picked to wear the shirt with the
number five on the back as 10 and 11 were already taken, is expected to join the
rest of the squad in their Austrian training camp next week.
Olympiakos finished second in the Greek first division this season after winning
the title for the seven previous years and will play in the Champions League
next season. |