Pele agrees to play Mandela match

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Pele agrees to play Mandela match



Pele is one of more than 50 players of the past and present to agree to play in a special match in South Africa to honour Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday.

The "90 Minutes for Mandela" match will be played on 18 July at Cape Town's Newlands Stadium and see an African team take on a Rest Of The World side.

Legendary Brazil star Pele, 66, will play and be joined by Ruud Gullit, Samuel Eto'o and Christian Karembeu.

"It is a great honour to have been invited," said Cameroon striker Eto'o.

"Nelson Mandela is a living symbol against all forms of racism and discrimination."

Other former players who have agreed to take part include Ghana's Abedi Pele, Lucas Radebe of South Africa and Andoni Zubizarreta and Emilio Butragueno of Spain.

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 African president.

Credit - BBC Sport

A 66 year old playing football? He will probably play like 5 mins at the end.