Wednesday 30 July 2014 17:35, UK
World Cup winner David Trezeguet has been unveiled as the latest marquee player to sign up for the inaugural Indian Super League after it was confirmed he would join FC Pune City.
"FC Pune City also announce its marquee player... and it is David Trezeguet, the French striker", read a tweet posted by @IndSuperLeague.
Trezeguet – a two-time Serie A winner with Juventus – will join the side co-owned by Bollywood actor Salman Khan and coached by former Napoli and Parma manager Franco Colomba
The 36-year-old had his contract with Buenos Aires based side River Plate cancelled by mutual consent after spending last season on loan with Newell’s Old Boys, allowing him to move to India.
Born in France and raised in Argentina, the former Monaco striker was part of France’s golden generation that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championships.
Trezeguet joins fellow World Cup winners Joan Capdevilla and Robert Pires and Champions League winner Luis Garcia who have all signed up to play in the league.
Baljit Rihal is one of the licensed agents trying to entice players to the league and the Asian Football Awards founder believes Trezeguet is the most exciting signing of the ISL so far.
“I think without doubt he is the biggest name out of the marquee players announced so far,” Rihal said. “You really can’t get bigger than a World & European Cup winner with France.
“His 10 years at Juventus made him a household name in Italy and this is what I believe attracted Pune City FC to sign him.
“His splendid record at Juventus and indeed the French national side give him the proven goal scoring experience.
“The pace of the ISL, in my opinion, will be somewhat slower to what he is used to and this I think will play to his natural goal scoring abilities.
“Prior to Newell’s Old Boys, he spent three seasons at River Plate where he still showed he had that striker instinct with 16 goals in 35 appearances.
“This is not only exciting for Pune, but also adds great weight behind the whole Indian Super League tournament.”
