Ronaldinho left me all shook up
PRESSLEY’S DREAM GAME Elvis flies to Mexico for charity and gets a chasing from Brazilian legend
STEVEN PRESSLEY has revealed how a simple phone call led to him being ripped to shreds by former Brazil superstar Ronaldinho.
The ex-Rangers, Hearts, Celtic and Scotland defender donned his boots for the first time in nine years to rub shoulders with the Samba legend and ex-Colombian international Carlos Valderrama.
Pressley was invited to take part in a charity match in Mexico for the victims of the recent earthquake disaster.
He flew into Mexico City and then travelled three hours to play in the glamour charity clash.
But there was no fairytale ending for Pressley as the ex-Falkirk manager missed the vital spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw.
The 44-year-old joked that he even told his team manager – 1982 Italian World Cup winner Paolo Rossi – the ball was flat!
However, Pressley did have the consolation of knowing that Ronaldinho’s 27 million followers on Instagram could see pictures of the Scot on his backside after another piece of Brazilian magic!
Pressley said: “I received a call asking me to play in a game in Mexico for the World Organisation for Peace.
“They play games around the world for a number of causes.
“This game was for Mexico’s earthquake victims.
“I flew into Mexico City on Wednesday and played on the Saturday evening. We were together for three days. I was the only player from the UK who played so sadly I didn’t really know any of the other guys.
“It was a European select against a South American select.
“Their team had Ronaldinho and Colombian Carlos Valderrama and other big hitters from the likes of Uruguay, Mexico and Chile. “The European team had Carlos Puyol as well as lots of Spaniards and Italians, Russians, Serbians – and me! “I haven’t played a game of any kind since I hung up my boots nine years ago. I came out of retirement and only played 40 minutes and I can’t tell you how unfit I was. “The match ended in a 2-2 draw. However, I missed the decisive penalty in the shootout. I told our manager, Paolo Rossi, the ball was flat!” Elvis, who played in an unfamiliar right-back role, admitted his heart ended up in his mouth at one stage when he thought for one horrible moment that Ronaldinho was about to square him up one-on-one.
But the Scot stood back in amazement as the Brazilian once again produced something spectacular out of the top drawer.
Pressley said: “At one point Puyol jumped up to head the ball from the keeper’s clearance from his hands. He missed the ball.
“I was in the covering position and the ball fell to Ronaldinho.
“He had me one-on-one and I was worried. The ball bounced up and he then nonchalantly leathered a shot from 45 yards and it sailed into the net.
“If the truth be told I was actually desperate for him to hit it because if he had faced me up one-on-one then it would have been no contest. I was applauding him as he scored.” IAN McCALL has urged Ayr not to get carried away after going three points clear of rivals Raith at the top of League One.
Lawrence Shankland got the early opener before Robbie Crawford added a second and sub Craig Moore sealed it in injury time.
It would have been worse for Raith if Michael Moffat had not missed a secondhalf penalty after Jamie Adams had been brought down by Kevin McHattie.
But with Rovers having a game in hand McCall urged his league leaders to keep their feet on the ground.
He said: “It’s a fantastic result but it’s only 13 games into the season so there is a long way to go.
“Moffat’s penalty was possibly the worst ever seen at Somerset Park and he’ll be told so by all the boys. The third goal was fantastic.”
Moffat set up Shankland for the 16th-minute opener – his 10th goal in nine games.
Michael Rose’s netbound shot was then scrambled off the line by John Herron before Crawford cut inside to crash home an 18-yarder off the underside of the bar.
Liam Buchanan thought he had pulled one back with a header after the break but the flag was already raised.
Moffat should have wrapped it up after 65 minutes when McHattie tripped Adams in the box but he skied the penalty before Moore sealed it.
Raith boss Barry Smith said: “We started the game better but after Ayr scored we never recovered. We have to do better.”