On 18 July at Cape Town's Newlands Stadium, FIFA will pay Madiba Nelson MANDELA a very special tribute for his 89th birthday, by organising a football match opposing an African team to a Rest of the World side.
According to FIFA more than 50 players of the past and present have already agreed to play in that special match named "90 minutes for MANDELA". Legendary 66-year-old Edson Arantes do NASCIMIENTO, better known as King Pele, will be there, by the side of former international football stars such as Dutch Ruud GULLIT, Spanish Emilio BUTRAGUENO and Andoni ZUBIZARRETA, Algerian Rabah MADJER, Zambia legend Kalusha BWALYA, Ghana's Abedi AYEW Pele, French Christian KARAMBEU, Nigerian Daniel AMOKACHI, South Africans Lucas RADEBE, Mark FISH and Philemon MASINGA, Wynton RUFER from New-Zealand, and many other famous names.
Cameroonian Samuel ETO'O who is among other players who will represent the younger generation in that special event has expressed his happiness to be part of it. "It is a great honour to have been invited. Nelson MANDELA is a living symbol against all forms of racism and discrimination. Being ther will be something very special for me.", he said.
Proceeds of the match will go to programmes aimed at helping young South Africans and will be coordinated with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. FIFA organised a similar all-star match in 1999 to honour MANDELA when he stepped down as South Africa President.
Samuel MBAJUM
(Source: BBC Sport and FIFA)
04/07/2007 |
