Carlos, nicknamed “The Bullet Man” for his powerful free kicks, has represented Brazil at three FIFA World Cup tournaments, and was part of the team that won the 2002 World Cup hosted in South Korea and Japan.

“No one embodies the dare to dream spirit like Roberto Carlos. From playing on the streets of Garça and deciding to be a professional footballer at 12, to scoring from an amazing free kick against France and winning the World Cup, he has shown that when he wants something, he will see it through to the end.

“We couldn’t be more proud to have such a fighter in our roster of world champion brand ambassadors,” AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said after introducing the former Real Madrid star at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur today.

Carlos reiterated Fernandes’ remark on the struggle to become a footballer in his native Brazil.

“In Brazil, we say, ‘Because we suffer so much, we value football.’ This shows you can succeed no matter where you come from as long as you believe and work hard, and I am thrilled to represent a brand like AirAsia, which prides itself in making dreams come true,” he said.

Carlos won four Spanish La Liga titles as well as the UEFA Champions League on three occasions – 1998, 2000 and 2002 – while playing for Real Madrid.

The move to sign up Carlos is seen as part of AirAsia’s effort to capitalise on the upcoming FIFA World Cup that will be held in Russia in June and July.

Meanwhile, it is likely that the Brazilian will be accorded the same privilege as that of other recent AirAsia global ambassadors – musician David Foster and former Manchester United star Park Ji Sung – with his image featured on AirAsia and AirAsia X aircraft livery.