Rivaldo admitted it was "great shame" to miss out on move to Allardyce’s Bolton

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Rivaldo once admitted it was a "great shame" to have missed out on signing for Sam Allardyce's Bolton back in 2004.

The Brazilian legend and World Cup winner – who turns 50 on Tuesday – was regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation having represented the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan throughout an illustrious career which spanned over 20 years. However, one of his biggest regrets was seeing a move to the Reebok Stadium and the opportunity to play under Allardyce fall through.

Back in the mid 2000s, Rivaldo was entering his early 30s and Bolton were quite the force under 'Big Sam'. The Wanderers already boasted a squad containing the likes of Youri Djorkaeff, Ivan Campo and Jay-Jay Okocha, and came so very close to adding another stellar name to the ranks.

With aspirations of earning a Brazil recall, a 32-year-old Rivaldo teamed up with English agents in a bid to secure a move to the Premier League. At the time, the World Cup winner was on the books with Cruzeiro in his homeland after enduring a disastrous stint with AC Milan.

Rivaldo was very much in talks with Allardyce's side, however a transfer hit the buffers and he ultimately ended up at Olympiacos. Much to his regret, as he revealed four years later following a friendly win over the Trotters in Athens.

Back in 2008, Rivaldo admitted: “Four years ago I met the manager and the chairman but in the end we could not reach an agreement, which meant it didn’t sign for Bolton. I cannot say why it didn’t happen. It is a great shame.

Do you think Rivaldo would have been a success at Sam Allardyce's Bolton in the Premier League? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section…

“The Premier League is a very strong league and I would like to have played in England for Bolton. When I am not playing here in Greece I watch a few games. The Premier League is a good competition and it great to watch.”

Though a move to Olympiacos saw Rivaldo return to the Champions League, a recall to the Brazilian national team was not forthcoming. While it remains to be seen how the Brazilian forward would have fared under Allardyce at Bolton, there's not denying he wouldn't have been welcomed with open arms.

Back in 2004, a hopeful 'Big Sam' told Sky Sports: "We have taken in all kinds of waifs and strays, people who were out of shape and out of sorts and we've turned them into proper players again. Sometimes it just comes down to putting an arm around a player and making him feel wanted again.

"Football can be a lonely environment when you are on a downer. Even the best players can feel lost when things turn against them which I think is what has happened in Rivaldo's case." Perhaps it wasn't an agent in the ear, but a warning from Kevin Davies that Allardyce worked his squad hard that led to Rivaldo's changed of heart.

Amid speculation of the Brazilian's arrival, Davies declared: "You've got to work hard in this team. We've got some good players in but they have not worked hard and been left out. So we will see how good he is at tracking back! If Rivaldo does sign, we are going to learn loads from him, like we do from other players here."

Alas, it wasn't to be. We'll never know how the fearsome striker partnership of Davies and Rivaldo would have fared under Big Sam at the Reebok. A great shame indeed.

• Premier League
• Bolton Wanderers FC

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