Pelé of futsal in India: Premier Futsal signs Brazilian star Falcao for inaugural season

New Delhi: Premier Futsal on Wednesday inked a deal with Futsal superstar Alessandro Rosa Vieira, popularly known as Falcao, marking a major signing for the first-ever multi-national league ahead of its inaugural season. [caption id=“attachment_2778654” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Virat Kohli unveils marquee signing Falcao. Image Credit: Premier Futsal[/caption] Brazilian Falcao, widely acknowledged as the most renowned player in the sport’s short history, completed the formalities in Mumbai earlier this week and put pen to paper on a five-year deal. Known as the Pelé  of Futsal, Falcao is the most decorated player of the sport. He has won the Futsal Player of the Year award four times and has been a part of two World Cup-winning squads. Premier Futsal president Luis Figo said, “Falcao is a player I really admire. He is incredibly gifted in his talent and has been a wonderful ambassador for the sport globally for almost two decades now. In fact, futsal is almost synonymous with the name Falcao. For many years, the entire football community has watched in awe of Falcao’s abilities on the Futsal court. Finally Premier Futsal will provide the opportunity to see best of both worlds in action on the same pitch.” Chairman Xavier Britto said, “Signing a player of Falcao’s stature is a major win for us as we prepare for Premier Futsal’s inaugural season. Falcao is bigger than the sport itself and his arrival will open the floodgates for other international players. We are delighted to have him on-board.” [caption id=“attachment_2778662” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”]  Image Credit: Premier Futsal[/caption] Like many Brazilians, Falcao grew up playing Futsal but unlike compatriots Neymar, Ronaldinho or Robinho, he dedicated his career to the five-a-side format. “I’m extremely excited to be competing in the inaugural season of Premier Futsal. The league holds a lot of promise and has the potential to grow what is a truly spectacular, fast-paced sport in a major way not just in India but globally. Personally, I’m really looking forward to testing my skills against not just the world’s top Futsallers but also the top football players in the world,” Falcao said. He currently plays for Futsal Brasil Kirin, also known as Sorocaba Futsal, a Brazilian Futsal team from the city of Sorocaba, located in the state of São Paulo. Watch the best of Falcao here: