Luís Figo to captain Portugal Legends against a World XI as Sport Global targets €1m for charity, with Calema confirmed for half-time
Sport Global has confirmed that the first Legends Charity Game will be staged at Sporting CP’s Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon on September 15, the opening fixture in an annual series set to run until 2030.
The match, which aims to raise €1 million for charity, kicks off at 20:00, with player arrivals from 18:00, gates at 18:30 and a pre-game show at 19:40. São Tomé and Príncipe-born duo Calema will perform live at half-time.
Portugal Legends will be captained by Luís Figo and feature a core of Euro 2016 winners including Ricardo Quaresma, Nani, Eliseu, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe. Champions League winners Fábio Coentrão, Maniche, Pauleta, Vítor Baía, José Bosingwa and Deco are also named, alongside Beto, Jorge Andrade, Dani, Tiago Mendes, Simão, Hélder Postiga and Nuno Gomes. Former Portugal midfielder Costinha will serve as team manager.
The World Legends squad brings together a heavyweight cast of international names. Peter Schmeichel will manage a group that includes Kaká, Petr Čech, Edwin van der Sar, René Higuita, Carles Puyol, Roberto Carlos, John Terry, Cafu, Javier Zanetti, Marco Materazzi, Gheorghe Hagi, Youri Djorkaeff, Christian Karembeu, Krasimir Balakov, Gaizka Mendieta, Marek Hamšík, Javier Saviola, Michael Owen, Henrik Larsson, Alessandro Del Piero and Hristo Stoichkov.
“It’s always a pleasure to come back to my country and play football. Hope to see a full stadium in my hometown, Lisbon, for this amazing Legends Charity Game and raise funds for important charity causes.” – FIGO
Quaresma added: “Wearing the Portuguese shirt has always filled me with pride, and winning Euro 2016 was the greatest moment of my career. I’m really looking forward to representing Portugal again, especially for such a good cause. Football has the power to bring joy and hope, and using that to support families affected by war and conflict is incredibly important.”
Nuno Gomes said: “Being called up to represent Portugal has always carried a deep sense of responsibility and national pride, and that feeling is no different ahead of the upcoming Legends Charity Match. Supporting those less fortunate has long been a personal priority.”
All proceeds will be donated via the Sport Global Charitable Foundation to four beneficiaries: Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Cáritas Portuguesa, International Alert and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder of Sport Global, said: “With the Legends Charity Game, we are connecting fans, legends, music and communities for something bigger than the game itself. This match will bring generations together, and Estádio José Alvalade is a fantastic host for what promises to deliver the best in entertainment for a great cause.”
Tickets and pricing
Tickets are on sale now from €10 for adults and €6 for children, with Premium Category seats priced at €35 for adults and €20 for under-12s. Donations can be made online.
