David Beckham will captain a Great Britain and Ireland star line-up to play against a Rest of the World team led by Zinedine Zidane in a match at Old Trafford on Saturday 14th November to raise awareness and funds for UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation.
The teams will be managed by two of the most respected and successful managers ever in the game, Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.
David and Zinedine will be joined by some of football’s biggest names and play in an all-star line-up. Money raised through profits from ticket sales and donations made on match day will go to UNICEF to help protect the world’s most vulnerable children.
Looking ahead to his latest activity with UNICEF, David commented “I want a world where children can grow up safe from violence, free from poverty and protected from preventable diseases. This match gives me the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and vital funds to help reach the children who need it most. I am delighted that my friend Zizou will join me in leading two teams, full of our friends and team mates, at the best stadium in the world.”
During David Beckham’s illustrious career he won 19 major trophies including league titles in four different countries and 115 appearances for England makes him the national teams most capped outfield player. Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest players in the history of the game and has won everything for club and country. Three times a FIFA World Player of the Year, the Frenchman also scored twice in the 1998 World Cup Final.
During a career spanning 26 years at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson won an unprecedented 28 trophies including 13 Premier League titles. Carlo Ancelotti has also had a glittering career as both a player and manager. Last year, he became the first man to win the Champions League/European Cup twice as a player and three times as a manager.
Italian legend Pierluigi Collina, who was named FIFA’s ‘Best Referee of the Year’ for six consecutive years during a renowned career, will referee the match.
Earlier this year, David marked his 10th year as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador with the launch of 7: The David Beckham UNICEF Fund and made a personal commitment to use his powerful voice, influence and connections to raise vital funds, fight inequality and rally for lasting positive change for the world’s most vulnerable children across every region of the world.
Over the past decade David Beckham has played a crucial role in helping UNICEF promote and protect the rights of the world’s most vulnerable children. He has raised global awareness of the dangers children are facing around the world including malnutrition, Ebola, AIDS, violence and the devastating effects of natural disasters. He has travelled to see UNICEF’ s work, meeting children in Sierra Leone, South Africa, Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia. Last week David joined United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake to unveil a digital installation that ensured the voices of young people were at the heart of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Match for Children will kick off at 15:00 local time on 14th November 2015. Tickets from £20 (Adults) & £10 (Under-16s) now on sale at www.manutd.com/tickets.
