French President François Hollande conferred the Legion of Honor on former Brazilian football international Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira during his state visit to Sao Paulo. Raí, a prominent figure of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 90s, received the honor in front of the French community in Sao Paulo.
President Hollande commended Raí not only for his achievements as a great footballer but also for his commitment to education for the most vulnerable and underprivileged. Raí currently leads a foundation dedicated to children’s education.
Highlighting Raí’s career, President Hollande noted his ability to “seduce the Parisian public, a very difficult public,” attributing it to his elegance, talent, and kindness. He emphasized that whenever Raí wore the PSG jersey in stadiums across France, he was acclaimed for his contributions to the sport.
