Football’s biggest charity match returns to ITV this summer as an England XI take on the Rest of the World in aid of UNICEF at Manchester’s legendary Old Trafford stadium on Sunday, June 8.
As the nation prepares for another hugely exciting summer of sport, headlined by the World Cup in Brazil, two star-studded squads of football legends and the world’s biggest stars will compete for the Soccer Aid trophy, all to help save and change children’s lives across the world.
First held in 2008, the bi-annual fundraiser was last staged in 2012 and helped raise £4.9m for UNICEF.
On the field, England won the first two Soccer Aid matches but couldn’t make it a hat-trick in 2010, with the Rest of the World team narrowly winning on penalties, though England came back in force in 2012 with a clear victory.
The brainchild of Robbie Williams and UNICEF UK, this year’s event will once again be broadcast live on ITV and an array of Hollywood A-Listers, footballing legends and some of the UK’s most famous faces will battle it out to win the 2014 Soccer Aid trophy.
This year, the England XI will be managed by Sam Allardyce and coached by Bradley Walsh, while one of the greatest managers of all time and current Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho takes charge of the Rest of the World line-up.
As winner of the Champions League, UEFA Cup, Premier League, La Liga, Seria A, FA Cup, Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia and the Taça de Portugal, Mourinho will no doubt be keen to add Soccer Aid to his impressive list of successes.
UNICEF UK ambassador Robbie Williams will once again lead the England team on the field with Welsh movie star Michael Sheen returning to captain The Rest of the World.
Joining Homeland’s Damian Lewis, Olly Murs, John Bishop, Jonathan Wilkes and Mark Owen in this year’s England squad will be Jack Whitehall, True Blood’s Stephen Moyer and Doctor Who’s Matt Smith.
Alongside will also be the familiar faces of TV presenters Paddy McGuinness, Ben Shephard, Bradley Walsh and Heart FM’s Jamie Theakston.
Michael Sheen’s Rest of the World squad welcomes the return of Scottish actor James McAvoy and world famous chef Gordon Ramsay alongside Westlife’s Nicky Byrne, comedian Patrick Kielty, and American new boy ‘Man v Food’ presenter Adam Richman.
English football legends also signed up include Jamie Redknapp, Jamie Carragher, Paul Ince, David Seaman and Teddy Sheringham.
Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Shevchenko and Alessandro Del Piero are confirmed to appear for The Rest of the World among many more high-profile names.
Announcing the match, UNICEF UK Ambassador Robbie Williams said: “Soccer Aid returns for the fifth time in June and I admit there are scores to settle.
“Leading the England team, I will be making sure we defend that trophy against Rest of the World.
“There’s never been a better time for us to show our support for UNICEF so please dig deep and buy your tickets now!”
Money raised through profits from ticket sales and donations made by viewers during the match will go to UNICEF’s invaluable work helping children around the world.
Jose Mourinho added: “Thanks to UNICEF for asking me to manage The Rest of the World at Soccer Aid on Sunday June 8th at Old Trafford.
“I’m looking forward to beating Robbie Williams’ and Big Sam’s England team and raising money for UNICEF. See you there, it will be a special night!”
This will be the fifth Soccer Aid event, with the previous matches, held at Wembley in 2008 and at Old Trafford in 2006, 2010 and 2012, raising over £12m in total for UNICEF’s work for children.
ITV’s coverage of Soccer Aid 2014 will be hosted by Dermot O’Leary, assisted from pitchside by Kirsty Gallacher, who will be reporting and interviewing all the key names, while match commentary comes from Sam Matterface and Graham Taylor.
In the lead up to the big event and complementing ITV’s live coverage of the match, Cat Deeley, a UNICEF UK ambassador, will present a special hour-long show from the player’s lounge on ITV at 9.00pm on Friday, June 6.
This programme will feature hot off the press moments from the squad’s training sessions, the latest news and gossip, plus unprecedented access to the big names as they prepare to battle it out for the Soccer Aid crown.
For further information on Soccer Aid 2014 and UNICEF’s work, visit unicef.org.uk/socceraid or itv.com/socceraid.
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Sunday 8th June
Soccer Aid 2014: England v Rest of the World
Kick-off: 20:00 | Old Trafford, Manchester
LIVE: 6.00pm-10.00pm ITV
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