MONACO GOLDEN FOOT:ANTONIN PANENKA - HIDETOSHI NAKATA - ROGER MILLA - JEAN-MARIE PFAFF - WILL LEAVE THEIR FOOTPRINTS

ANTONIN PANENKA

Antonin Panenka, is a Czech former footballer. He played most of his career for Bohemians Prague. Panenka won the 1976 European Championship with Czechoslovakia. In the final against West Germany he scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a softly chipped ball up the middle as the goalie dived away; this style of penalty is now called the Panenka Penalty. Many football commentators are amazed at how Panenka managed to hold his nerve to take a shot like that, especially as he would have looked extremely silly had the keeper not dived. Pelé said it could be attempted by “either a genius or a madman”. Panenka said he never had any doubt that he would score. As well as winning the 1976 European Championship, Panenka helped Czechoslovakia come third in the 1980 tournament , after scoring once again in a 9–8 penalty shootout win.

Hidetoshi Nakata

Hidetoshi Nakata, he was considered one of the most famous Asian Footballers of his generation. Nakata began his professional career in 1995 and won the Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998, the Scudetto with A.S. Roma in 2001, played for Japan in three FIFA World Cup tournaments (1998, 2202 and 2006) and played in the Olympics twice (1996 and 2000). In 2005, he was made the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity, one of Italy’s highest Honors, for improving the country’s image overseas. Nakata announced his retirement at age 29 on July 3, 2006 after a ten-year career that included seven seasons in the Italian Seria A and a season in the English Premier League. In March 2004, Pele named Nakata in his FIFA 100, a list of the top living footballers at the time. He is and has established as the Representative Director of Take Action Foundation since 2009. Hidetoshi Nakata will become the first Japanese to leave his footprints in the Champions Promenade.

He will be present in Monte Carlo from 10th to 13th October 2014 and he will leave his footprints with Antonin Panenka on the Champions Promenade, together with the other legends that will be announced in the following days. The Footprints Ceremony will be held on Saturday 11 October in Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, and the Gala dinner will take place on Monday 13th October at the "Salle des Etoiles", Monte Carlo Sporting.

ROGER MILLA

Roger Milla, He was one of the first African Players to be a major star on the international stage. He played in three World cups for the Cameroon National team. He achieved international stardom at 38 years old, an age at which most forward-playing footballers have retired, by scoring four goals at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He helped Cameroon become the first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. Four years later, at the age of 42, he became the oldest goalscorer in World Cup History by scoring against Russia in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He is also remembered for his trademark goal celebration of running to the corner flag and performing a dance. In the years that have followed, he has been recognized as a pioneer of the many unconventional and imaginative goal celebrations seen since then. Brazilian football player Pelé named him one of the 125 greatest living football players in 2004. In 2007, the Confederation of African Football named him as the best African player of the previous 50 years.
He created the “Coeur d’ Afrique” Heart of Africa Foundation, to support and promote football sports in Cameroon, and help disadvantaged children (street children, orphan, etc ...) of Cameroon to fulfill their dreams in different areas .

JEAN-MARIE PFAFF

Jean-Marie Pfaff is a Belgian former football goalkeeper who spent most of his professional career with Beveren and Bayern Munich . Pfaff was capped 64 times playing for Belgium , and participated at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and 1986 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

At the age of 16, Pfaff joined K.S.K. Beveren with whom he won a Belgian champions title (1979) and a Belgian Cup (1978). The same year, he received theBelgian Golden Shoe . In 1982, he entered the Bayern Munich squad, getting three Bundesliga titles (from 1985 to 1987) and two German cups (1984 and 1986). Pfaff first played with the Red Devils in 1976 against legendary rival the Netherlands . He was the goalkeeper during Euro 80 and Euro 84 , and the1982 and 1986 World Cups . Pfaff was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. In 1987 Belgium ’s best-known custodian became the first player to receive the accolade of best goalkeeper in the world, being awarded several times over the years of his football career, as the best goalkeeper in Europe and in Germany.