Kerry footballer Paul Walsh shares unlikely meeting with Brazilian icon Ronaldinho

Paul Walsh and Ronaldinho

Have Kerry recruited a new star forward to help return Sam Maguire to the Kingdom?

In an unlikely meeting of footballing minds, 2018 minor footballer of the year and All-Ireland winner Paul Walsh has caught up with Brazilian icon Ronaldinho.

Walsh was pictured presenting the World Cup and Champions League winner with another prized possession for his collection, a Kerry GAA jersey, in front of the swimming pool at Ronaldinho's Rio de Janeiro pad.

What's more, the pair were videoed playing keepie-uppies together.

Joga Bonito @10Ronaldinho Deal is done: he’s an honorary Kerry man now @Kerry_Official @BROSNAGAA pic.twitter.com/vEeV7uO7zG

— Daniel O'Connell (@OConnellKy) August 19, 2021

How exactly the meeting came about has not yet been confirmed. 

The rumour on social media is that Walsh struck up a rapport with Ronaldinho's brother when exchanging messages on Instagram and the invite followed from there.

He's not the first Brosna-native to put the green and gold on the world stage this summer after twins Niall and Seamus O’Connor were broadcast celebrating with Italian fans at Wembley Stadium during their penalty shoot-out victory over Spain in the Euro 2020 semi-final.

Kerry and Brosna GAA were both appropriately quick to capitalise on the attention in aid of various fundraisers:

Look at our own Paul Walsh @BROSNAGAA over visiting the one and only Ronaldinho! Paul you might mention to him that he could win a house in Kerry if he buys a ticket here https://t.co/c5ky6E2sQR and then you could show him around the beautiful Kingdom #Ronaldinho #ReturnVisit pic.twitter.com/JhBnqjYVI5

— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) August 19, 2021

Fair play to Brosna GAA man @paulwalsh1201 who is hard at work on the other side of the world!
Win a VW Golf @ https://t.co/TXwwLY7w6z & help in the redevelopment of our rural clubhouse.#Ronaldinho @10Ronaldinho @Kerry_Official @spinsouthwest @TodayFM @kerrytodayrk @Slyone1069 pic.twitter.com/QERKWmOgUc

— BROSNA GAA (@BROSNAGAA) August 20, 2021

Whether the floppy-haired Brosna and Barca legends will get to tune into The Saturday Game together for Kerry v Tyrone next weekend remains to be seen.