WORLD CUP and Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro has completed a 158-mile ride that he pledged to do if Napoli won the Serie A title.
The Italian, 49, grew up in Naples and came through the club’s youth system.
He went on to play 68 times for the first-team, before going on to star for Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid.
His crowning moment came at international level in 2006 when he captained Italy to World Cup glory – a feat he received the Ballon d’Or for later that year.
But he always remembered his roots and insisted he would ride from Rome to Naples if his hometown team claimed the scudetto.
Napoli had not won a league title since 1990 before this season – when Diego Maradona led them to the Serie A crown.
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But that wait for an Italian championship came to an end last month when Luciano Spalletti’s men cantered to the title.
Napoli finished the season 16 points clear of second-place Lazio, with the triumph sparking jubilant celebrations in Naples.
And Cannavaro was a man of his word as he rode the 158 miles [254 kilometres] from Rome to Naples in under seven hours in honour of Napoli’s title win.
Speaking on Instagram, he said: “Rome-Naples the return…. and paid scudetto bet 💙💪🏻👍 254km , 6h 55m 37 [km/h] average ✈️✈️✈️✈️.”
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Cannavaro, who was sacked as manager of Serie B side Benevento in February, rode the huge distance with a group of friends.
And it’s safe to say the 23mph he averaged shows just how fit he remains more than a decade after hanging up his boots.
Since retiring from playing, Cannavaro has coached in the Middle East, China and Italy.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
