Brazilian legend Romario de Souza has declared his intention to run for election as governor of Rio de Janeiro come October, according to reports in the South American country.
The former Barcelona star who is currently a senator in the country, will stand as a candidate for the centrist Podemos party.
He has been praised as a senator for his battle against corruption in football.
The state which hosted the 2016 Olympic Games has been racked by violence and is on the verge of bankruptcy and the 1994 World Cup winner known simply as Romario, says his campaign will focus on tackling those problems.
โIn these chaotic times, change is necessary, change is urgentโฆ Rio always had safety problems, but never like now,โ the 52-year-old said on Saturday while announcing his candidacy.
โI don’t have experience of being in charge. It will be, God willing, the first time that I’ve had the opportunity to demonstrate all I have learned in my life.โ
Romario previously ran for mayor of Rio de Janeiro, but later backed out.
The former member of Barcelona’s Dream Team under Johan Cruyff is currently under investigation for allegedly concealing assets to avoid paying debts, Brazilian media report.
