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The world is both immense and incredibly small. Especially when it gravitates around a 450gram sphere which gets people onto their feet and breaks down borders.

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On Tuesday, the Gym’s training complex was visited by a legend of the game, as if it was nothing. Or almost. Former Brazil captain and World Champion in 94 and former national side manager (amongst others), Dunga (54 years old) came to the Plaine du Var.

“My friend Gianni (Gullo, member of the  OGC Nice scouting team, in the centre of the photo above) told me some excellent things about the club, so I had to come to see. It‘s always good to discover something else and to speak with professionals”, explained the former Fiorentina man, who was impressed by the quality of the Gym’s new home. Particularly smiley, he made the most of the opportunity to speak with Patrick Vieira, 20 years after the Bleus’ victory in the Stade de France (3-0).

“We often came up against each other, we were in the same area of the pitch”, smiled the two men, who spoke at length in the first team’s canteen. Before posing for a photo to serve as a souvenir with alongside another World Champion who wore the captain’s armband for his country...  

“It’s always good to experience something else, to be with coaches and to talk football, ways of working, managing a squad etc., concluded the former midfielder. Patrick was in the States before coming to Nice, I was with the national side... it’s always good to share experiences.”

Before leaving, Dunga was presented with a Gym shirt with his name on the back. A hommage to football... 

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