Former national captain, Ba and Lautoka star Lorima Batirerega is now a Fiji Football Association legend.
Batirerega was honoured with the Fiji FA Legends medal during the Courts IDC 2020 at the ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The 50-year-old, who called for his retirement in 2003, captained the national team to the Melanesian Cup win in 2000.
“It’s really an honour and I would like to thank Fiji FA for recognizing us,” he said.
“I never thought my contribution would be recognized because there was not such programme for the former players back then.
“I would like to thank the president Rajesh Patel and Fiji Football for thinking about us and what we gave to football in Fiji and now they have given back by recognizing us with a medal.”
His son, Lorima Junior Batirerega, is currently part of the Ba squad.
When asked whether he wants his son to continue his legacy, he responded, “Oh yes, definitely. But first of all I would like him to study first because he is doing law. At the end of the career, no one knows what’s there and that’s why I have been telling my son to study first.”
