1 / 14 Botafogo: Keisuke Honda desató la locura y fue recibido por miles de hinchas en Río de Janeiro FOTOS
2 / 14 Botafogo: Keisuke Honda desató la locura y fue recibido por miles de hinchas en Río de Janeiro FOTOS
3 / 14 Botafogo football fans cheer as they wit for the arrival of Japanese player Keisuke Honda at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / Mauro Pimentel
4 / 14 Fans of Brazilian soccer team Botafogo cheer during the arrival of Japan's soccer player Keisuke Honda at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Honda, considered one of Japan's most successful players who played in the last three World Cups, will play for Botafogo, among the top clubs in Rio de Janeiro. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
5 / 14 Botafogo football fans await the arrival of Japanese player Keisuke Honda at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / Mauro Pimentel
6 / 14 Botafogo football fans cheer as they wait for the arrival of Japanese player Keisuke Honda at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / Mauro Pimentel
7 / 14 Botafogo football fans cheer as they wait for the arrival of Japanese player Keisuke Honda at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / Mauro Pimentel
8 / 14 Fans of soccer team Botafogo pose for a picture as they wait for the arrival of Japan's soccer player Keisuke Honda at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Honda, considered one of Japan's most successful players who played in the last three World Cups, will play for Botafogo, among the top clubs in Rio de Janeiro. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
9 / 14 Japan's football player Keisuke Honda greets Botafogo football fans as he arrives at Galeao International Airport, Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda, 33, will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
10 / 14 Botafogo football fans celebrate as Japanese player Keisuke Honda arrives at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
11 / 14 Japanese football player Keisuke Honda (L, top) waves to Botafogo football fans as he arrives at Galeao Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
12 / 14 Botafogo football fans cheer as Japanese player Keisuke Honda arrives at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
13 / 14 Botafogo football fans await the arrival of Japanese player Keisuke Honda at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
14 / 14 Botafogo football fans crowd the team bus as Japanese player Keisuke Honda leaves Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on February 7, 2020. Honda will join Brazil's Botafogo, the player and club have announced. The 33-year-old former AC Milan midfielder left Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem in December less than two months after joining the Eredivisie team and playing just four matches. / AFP / CARL DE SOUZA
Keisuke Honda, volante japonés, desembarcó en Río de Janeiro en medio de una multitudinaria fiesta de los hinchas del Botafogo, donde jugará la próxima temporada. Miles de personas se aglomeraron en el aeropuerto internacional Tom Jobim (Galeao) para recibir al futbolista de 33 años.
“¡Olé, olé, olé, olá! ¡Honda, Honda!”, gritaban los aficionados ondeando banderas japonesas y del club carioca. Honda correspondió la calurosa bienvenida con un saludo comedido y una amplia sonrisa, exhibiendo ante las cámaras una bandera de su nuevo equipo.
Su presentación oficial será este sábado en el estadio olímpico Nilton Santos, conocido como Engenhao. La estrella del fútbol japonés, que según la prensa brasileña fue contratado por un año, vestirá el número 4 del Botafogo.
La expectativa de su llegada hizo que se agotaran las camisetas con el nombre del jugador en la tienda de la sede del club. Honda tenía el pase libre desde su salida a fines de diciembre del Vitesse Arnhem holandés, solo dos meses después de su contratación, durante los cuales jugó apenas cuatro partidos.
El exjugador del AC Milan y el CSKA Moscú brilló sobre todo en la selección nacional. En 2018 fue el primer japonés en hacer un gol en tres participaciones del país del sol naciente.
Honda no es el primer extranjero contratado al final de su carrera por el mítico club de Garrincha. El holandés Clarence Seedorf se había incorporado en 2012 y jugó un año y medio, marcando 24 goles en 81 partidos.