SPECIAL REPORT: Juan Manuel Rojas formed one of the most curiously named clubs in world football - and has spent recent years creatively protesting against corruption in India

A campaigning vegetarian and former air traffic controller who travels the world with a football on his head, protesting against corruption in India, has played a small but significant part in the history of football in Equatorial Guinea.

Juan Manuel Rojas, from Granada, founded the club that now has arguably the best name in the football world - the Vegetarian Lions.

In 2000, when Senor Rojas was living and coaching youngsters in Equatoguinean capital Malabo, they were simply Vegetarianos. This helped to promote La Fundacion Vegetariana PRP, Rojas' project for improving the health of youngsters, usually through playing football, in some of the world's less wealthy countries.

"But the players liked Vegetarianos and wanted to keep it," Ateba told Goal at the airline's headquarters in Malabo. "We talked about it and I said 'OK, but we need something different. How about we add Lions?' They agreed."

So the Leones Vegetarianos began life in 2010 and have never looked back.

"It wouldn't last long in the wild, would it a lion that only eats grass?" laughed Ateba. "People do comment about the name but we like it. We want to become famous. And now the Vegetarian Lions are going to play the Dolphins."

That will be the biggest game in the Veggies' history. Last season they won Equatorial Guinea's equivalent of the FA Cup, defeating Deportivo Mongomo in a penalty shootout in Ebebiyin.

The trophy was presented by Teodoro Obiang, the President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979 and the man who offered to host the Cup of Nations in his country, at two months notice, when Morocco withdrew.

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The Vegetarian Lions and the Spaniard who travels the world with a football on his head