The list of stars continues to grow
A star-studded list of celebrities and ex-professional footballers are set to take to the pitch at Old Trafford this June in what should be an entertaining match for a magnificent cause.
Mo Farah, Usain Bolt, Michael Owen and Yaya Touré are just four of the players set to take part in the England vs a World XI charity match, and the away side just got significantly stronger.
The World XI already features Clarence Seedorf and Robert Pires who, despite not being as quick as they were, still possess incredible quality and will likely dominate the game. It can now be revealed that they will be joined by three Dutch legends: Jaap Stam, Edwin van Der Sar and Patrick Kluivert.
All three have donned the white and red of Ajax in the past and have enjoyed illustrious careers. Stam and Van Der Sar have of course both won league titles under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Kluivert was part of the famous Ajax team who win the Champions League in 1994/95.
Jaap Stam, Soccer Aid World XI, said: “Soccer Aid for Unicef is a brilliant initiative and I am delighted to be playing once again. This year we want to raise more money than ever before, so please come out and support us. Having lost in 2016, we’re out to win the trophy back this year and the Soccer Aid World XI is looking strong. I think we’ve got a great chance!”
Van Der Sar echoed his enthusiasm, saying “I’m really excited to be back playing at Old Trafford. I’ve won one and lost one Soccer Aid match so far, so I’m keen to make it two wins, but this game is a lot more significant than that. The work Unicef does around the world can only continue with your help, so please come along with your friends and family to support their work.”
The United Kingdom Government will match every £1 donated to the Soccer Aid for Unicef cause, doubling the difference for children in danger around the world.
Penny Mordaunt, International Development Secretary, said: “We are excited to be involved once again this year in what promises to be the biggest Soccer Aid for Unicef to date. The UK Government will match public donations pound-for-pound, meaning that, together, we can double the number of children around the world who will benefit from Soccer Aid.”
