‘It’s a really big day’: Soccer legends bring World Cup buzz to Vancouver with fan event at Italian Cultural Centre

A FIFA executive with local roots helped bring some of the legends of the sport to Vancouver's Italian Cultural Centre Wednesday.

Some of the biggest names in soccer were in Vancouver on Wednesday as the countdown to the FIFA World Cup continues.

Brazilian legend Cafu, a two-time World Cup winner, was among a dozen international stars who met fans at the Italian Cultural Centre in East Vancouver. Jerseys and soccer balls were signed, selfies were snapped and cheers filled the room as fans of all ages lined up for a chance to meet their heroes.

Many of the players have been retired for years, meaning younger fans often know them best from the FIFA video game, where they still appear as playable legends. That didn’t diminish the excitement.

“It means everything,” said Damiano Cotoia, a young fan and soccer player from Burnaby. “I play FIFA all the time and I use them in the game. I’ve heard stories about them. They’re World Cup winners. This is so cool.”

The crowd included plenty of adults as well, some reliving their own soccer memories.

“It’s a really big day for soccer,” said Raymond Staniscia, an East Van resident with Italian roots. “I feel like I’m a kid again in a candy store.”

Italian World Cup champion Marco Materazzi was another major draw. He played a pivotal role in helping Italy capture the 2006 World Cup. He’s also forever linked to the infamous moment when Zinedine Zidane headbutted him in the final, a moment later immortalized by a statue in Qatar. For Vancouver’s Italian community, Materazzi is viewed as a hometown hero.

“It was my dream to play football and it’s their dream too,” Materazzi told CTV News. “I try to share my passion with them.”

Italian Cultural Centre executive director Mario Miceli said the event came together in less than a week with help from a friend who has significant influence in the soccer world. That friend is Victor Montagliani, the vice-president of FIFA, who grew up in Vancouver and spent time at the cultural centre as a child.

Miceli called the day “incredible for the youth of our community.”

The event is part of a growing wave of FIFA-related activity across the region. A pop-up Concacaf House is currently running at Jack Poole Plaza downtown, while FIFA’s annual Congress is being held this week at the Vancouver Convention Centre, bringing soccer leaders from around the world to the city.

Mayor Ken Sim says it’s only the beginning.

“This is just the start,” Sim said. “With the World Cup getting closer, you’re really going to feel the energy pick up.”