Riquelme surprised by over 30,000 Brazilians sharing his name: I want to meet them all

Juan Román Riquelme, president of Argentine club Boca Juniors and one of the club's greatest football stars, was surprised to learn that over 30,000 people in Brazil share his name or a similar variation, due to their parents' admiration for his football career.

This came during a meeting between Juan Román Riquelme and Brazilian journalist Flávio Prado, known for his support of Boca Juniors and admiration for the team's former star, ahead of Boca's clash against São Paulo in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals, which ended in a 1-1 draw, allowing the Argentine team to advance to the semi-finals.

A journalist revealed that Brazilian census data shows around 30,000 children named 'Riquelme', surprising Boca's president, who responded: "This gives me a lot of happiness. I love football and have great admiration for Brazilian footballers. For a parent to decide to name their child after me brings me great joy."

Riquelme added: "Brazil is a country that loves football, just like us. We feel a lot of love for football, and for a father or mother to want to name their children after me is something beyond description."

The Boca Juniors legend concluded his statements by saying: "I want to meet all 30,000 of them, to give them a kiss and a hug, and just say thank you. It is a moment that brings me great happiness."