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Brazilians look to join tiny Welsh soccer club with big name

AFP

Brazilian players are battling to play for tiny Welsh side Llanfairpwll FC after the team's name caught the imagination of the soccer-crazy nation.

The bizarre story started when a Portuguese newspaper wrote an article about Llanfairpwll because its full name is believed to be the longest in club history.

Llanfair PG, or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch to give its full name, is a village on the island of Anglesey in Wales.

It is in the for being the place with the longest name in Britain.

A television channel in Brazil then picked up the story and since then Llanfairpwll have been flooded with e-mails and calls from South Americans wanting to play for the club.

While the image of players more used to honing their skills on the sun-baked beaches of Rio suddenly turning up for a game in a wind-swept village in Wales is an unlikely one, Llanfairpwll player Steve Smith said the club had had contact from Brazil and Chile among other countries.

With so many visiting the club website, it now gives information in Portuguese.

"I've had a few people from Brazil saying they want to come over, but they want us to pay their air fare," player Steve Smith said. "I don't think that is going to happen."

The Brazilian infatuation with Llanfairpwll shows no sign of fading and a television crew from the country is said to be planning a New Year visit to the team, who are top of the Welsh Alliance League Division 2.

Llanfairpwll player Brendon Hogan said: "It's quite unbelievable. I think everyone is getting to know us. We are doing well this season.

"Hopefully we can get better next season and get a wider fan base.

"They are more than welcome to come - as long as they don't take my position."

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Forget United, Brazilians seek true big-name team
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