Ronaldinho visits Toronto before Friday’s Living Legends Match
ronaldinho was in Toronto on Thursday to promote Friday night’s Living Legends Match at BMO Field, and the timing matters because the game is being used as a test for the stadium’s temporary World Cup setup. The match comes before Canada’s June 12 World Cup opener in the city, giving Toronto a first live look at the expanded venue plan.
Lamport Stadium on Thursday
Ronaldinho and Adriano spoke to the media at Lamport Stadium, where the retired Brazilian great said, “It’s a pleasure to be here.” He also said, “It will be good to play with the Brazilian jersey again and to play in the stadium where the World Cup is going to be held.”
The Friday night match will pit Brazilian greats against greats from Toronto FC’s past at BMO Field. That is the practical bridge between the exhibition and the tournament run-up: a high-profile game in the same building that will need to handle a larger footprint once the World Cup arrives.
BMO Field for June 12
BMO Field will be rechristened Toronto Stadium for the duration of the World Cup, and Canada will play Bosnia-Herzegovina there on June 12 in the first World Cup match in Toronto. The Living Legends Match is part of the city’s buildup to that date, with the stadium test folded directly into the event.
Ronaldinho said he has friends in Toronto who are always excited to take him to eat, and added, “It was just about time for lunch.” The last time he was in the city, he visited mostly with friends and briefly took in Little Brazil in mid-town.
Dwayne De Rosario on Toronto
Dwayne De Rosario added a local voice to the same conversation, saying, “Toronto is the world in a city.” He followed that with, “We see that when soccer is played in the communities, in the parks.”
De Rosario knows the game from several angles. He scored 22 goals while representing Canada 81 times, and early in his career he played in Germany’s second division for two seasons. His presence links the showcase at BMO Field to the city’s wider soccer footprint, from neighborhood parks to a World Cup venue.
For fans heading to Friday night’s match, the immediate takeaway is straightforward: the event is not just a tribute game. It is a live check of how BMO Field functions before June 12, with Ronaldinho, Adriano and Toronto FC alumni all on the same stage.
