The 13 episode series will go on air from April 13th, 2006 from Mondays to Fridays at 2130 only on STAR Sports.
"Born to Play" series will feature some of the best soccer talent the sport has seen remembering them most enduringly in the context of their FIFA World Cup performances, where nation meets nation and country becomes more important than club. Each episode will feature a soccer star who has not only done their nation proud at the World Cup but also have left their signature on the golden legacy of the World's most watched sport.
Elaborating on ESPN STAR Sports' FIFA programming for the coming months, R C Venkateish, Managing Director, ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd said, "To further popularise the excitement of the FIFA World Cup to be held in Germany this year, we have unveiled special programming around FIFA starting this April till the World Cup finals. "Born to Play" series is in continuance with our objective to offer the Indian audiences a part of the golden heritage of FIFA World Cup through a range of high quality and absorbing programming. The program is a tribute to the legends of the game and ESPN STAR Sports takes pride to be a part of this initiative."
The new series is in context with life and careers of some of the biggest legends in Soccer like the most respected and admired player of all time, Pele; the most talked of and skilful soccer star, Diego Maradona; the most stylised soccer hero, Roberto Baggio; the biggest name not to win a world cup, Michel Platini; German legend and now the President of the organising committee of the FIFA world Cup 2006, Franz Beckenbauer and more. The series will bring alive the achievements and laurels these soccer stars won while taking the game of football to newer heights.
To upsurge the pre event hype for the FIFA World Cup 2006, ESPN STAR Sports has announced various programming and production initiatives months before the action kicks off in June. The broadcaster will build extensive on air FIFA programming to generate viewer interest. The FIFA programming will include series on some of the most amazing FIFA World Cup stories like the most surprising and shocking results in the World Cup, Golden Boot winners of the previous editions, dramatic penalty shoot outs, young stars of the sport and rise to top of some of the underdogs. The programming will also include a histories series profiling 20 of the most successful nations in World Cup Football. Closer to the World Cup, ESPN STAR Sports will feature FIFA preview series providing lead up to 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.
