Ronaldo, Raul and Baggio to play in Zamorano's farewell

Former Chile international Ivan Zamorano has said that Brazilian Ronaldo, Spaniard Raul and Italian Roberto Baggio are among players who will travel to Santiago for his farewell match next month.

They are among a host of big names who will line up at Santiago's National Stadium on December 22 in a tribute to the finest player produced by the South American nation.

"I needed to say farewell on a pitch which brings unforgettable memories for me," Zamorano, the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan striker, told a news conference on Wednesday.

"I hope it will be a great event not just for me, but for the Chilean people. I feel proud of the things I have done."

"It's difficult to leave football," he added. "These are truly emotional moments. It's very complicated to say goodbye."

Zamorano, Chile's joint topscorer with 34 goals alongside Marcelo Salas, retired in July at the age of 36.

Paraguayans Jose Luis Chilavert and Carlos Gamarra, Argentines Javier Zanetti and Diego Simeone, Colombians Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, Mauricio Serna and Jorge Bermudez and Uruguay's Alvaro Recoba will also play, Zamorano said.

They would join retired players such as Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and Spaniards Michel and Emilio Butragueno.

Zamorane ended his career by spending six months with Chile's Colo Colo, the club he supported as a boy, in the first half of this year.

His last game was an unhappy one. Colo Colo were hammered 4-0 by Cobreloa in the final of the Chilean championship, Zamorano was sent off, pushed the referee and was banned for 11 games.