Dubai: Marco Materazzi, whose rise to fame was connected with the head-butting incident involving French star Zinedine Zidane during the finals of the 2006 Fifa World Cup, will be one of the star footballers to play in the "Friends of Libya's Children" exhibition match in Dubai next month.
To be staged at the Al Ahli Club ground in Al Ghusais, the exhibition match is being organised on November 8 for a charitable cause in aid of Libya's children, in coordination with the Red Crescent. The kick-off involving some of the most famous footballers of our times is slated for 8pm on that day.
According to organiser Jihad Muntasser, a former footballer and currently a consultant with Al Ahli, some of the other prominent names to attend the exhibition match will be 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, ex-England and Manchester United player Nicky Butt; and Italy's World Cup- winning coach Marcello Lippi.
"We are also in talks with Raul [Gonzales] and [Francesco] Totti to see if they too can make this trip. We should get a firm word from them in the next couple of days," Muntasser said.
Muntasser is an accomplished footballer in his own right. After starting his career at Italian side Pro Sesto, he moved to the English Premiership with Arsenal in 1997 before going to Bristol City on a free transfer. He ended his career at Al Ittihad in his native Libya.
"Whatever we manage to collect through this effort we will contribute for the cause of Libyan children," Muntasser said. "Time is short, but we have already commenced marketing this match as it is for a worthy cause."
