Stars sign for Match Against Poverty

Three more stellar figures – Luís Figo, Fabio Cannavaro and Patrick Vieira – have confirmed they will take part in the 11th UEFA-backed Match Against Poverty at the Stade de Suisse in Berne, Switzerland, on 4 March.

The three A-listers join a glittering array of names that will play in the eagerly awaited match alongside United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane. The game will see Ronaldo, Zidane & Friends take on Young Boys & Friends, a mix of current and former players from BSC Young Boys, who are based at the Stade de Suisse.

Two-thirds of the funds raised from the event are earmarked to help the millions of people displaced or otherwise affected by Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines last November. The remainder of the proceeds will be donated by Young Boys to Laureus Foundation Switzerland – part of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a charity that gives practical and financial assistance to almost 150 national-level sport-based projects in 34 countries worldwide.

Figo is very keen to support the cause. "I am making an appeal to the public coming to the Stade de Suisse," said the former Portugal captain, who won a host of honours in a career with took him to FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF and FC Internazionale Milano. "I would be delighted to see the stands full so we could celebrate soccer together in the fight against poverty. Let's help the Philippines," added the 2000 European Footballer of the Year and 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year.

"I am very excited about this game," said Vieira, a member of France's triumphant 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2000 teams, who also enjoyed a brilliant club career. "Football speaks a universal language and we need to take advantage of this to appeal for the reconstruction of the Philippines."

"It is a great honour to play alongside these talented players who have had such successful careers," said Cannavaro. "Unfortunately, natural disasters affect us every year. The fight against poverty must be constant and I'm very happy if I can contribute through football." The former Italy defender helped his country lift the 2006 World Cup, crowning a memorable year by being voted European Footballer of the Year and FIFA World Player of the Year.

"To have celebrities like Ronaldo, Zidane and Marta lending their names as Goodwill Ambassadors to the work of UNDP means more to us than money could ever buy," UNDP administrator Helen Clark said in a video message advertising the Match Against Poverty. "Their reputations are so fantastic, their followings so great, that for them to be talking about the work we do to help devastated communities and people moving out from poverty is just so valuable."

The list of players confirmed for the Ronaldo, Zidane & Friends team is:

Juliano Belletti (Brazil)
Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
Jamie Carragher (England)
Fernando Couto (Portugal)
Ronald de Boer (Netherlands)
Deco (Portugal)
Giovane Elber (Brazil)
Paulo Ferreira (Portugal)
Luís Figo (Portugal)
Gennaro Gattuso (Italy)
Hakan Şükür (Turkey)
Fernando Hierro (Spain)
Christian Karembeu (France)
Jens Lehmann (Germany)
Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden)
Claude Makelele (France)
Marta (Brazil)
Steve McManaman (England)
Gaizka Mendieta (Spain)
Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic)
Robert Pirès (France)
Roberto Carlos (Brazil)
Míchel Salgado (Spain)
Paulo Sousa (Portugal)
Patrick Vieira (France)
Christian Vieri (Italy)
Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy)

Past and present Young Boys players will comprise the Young Boys & Friends team led by former Swiss internationals Stéphane Chapuisat and Hakan Yakin.

The 11th annual Match Against Poverty in Berne will start at 20.00 local time on 4 March. Ticket prices range from CHF 20 to CHF 60 and are available at https://ticket.stadedesuisse.ch/ or http://www.ticketcorner.ch/