Dubai: Organisers have managed to coax at least three coaches from the UAE, including Argentinean legend Diego Maradona. to get involved with a football charity match in aid of Libyan children, at Al Ahli Club on November 8.
Al Ahli coach Ivan Hasek and Maradona have pledged to play in the exhibition match while Italian great Walter Zenga of Al Nasr and another Italian, Marcello Lippi, will be coaching the opposing sides.
Marco Materazzi, whose rise to fame was connected with the head-butting incident with Zinedine Zidane during the finals of the 2006 Fifa World Cup, was one of the early confirmations for this match that is being held to support the "Friends of Libya's Children".
The exhibition match, to be held in coordination with UAE Red Crescent Society, is being organised by Jihad Muntasser, a former Libyan national player and now consultant with Al Ahli, as part of efforts to help children affected by the revolution that led to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Other participants
Other prominent footballers who have confirmed their participation are Argentina's Javier Zanetti currently playing with Inter Milan; retired Czech Republic star Pavel Nedved; his fellow Czech striker Jan Koller; Japanese playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata, former Arsenal star Robert Pires, ex-England and Manchester United player Nicky Butt and Argentinean Hernan Crespo.
UAE based players such as David Trezequet and Fabio Cannavaro have also confirmed their participation. In addition, three players from the Libyan national team, including goalkeeper Sameer Aboud are scheduled to arrive next week for the match.
