Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will line up opposite British pop star Robbie Williams in a charity football match at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium, the Jamaican revealed yesterday. Now retired, Bolt had given a teaser of what was to come on Twitter on Monday, claiming that he had signed for a football club and would reveal later.
Well, his new team is the Soccer Aid World XI - a motley crew put together to help raise funds for the United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef. Not only had football-mad Bolt, the fastest man alive, been recruited for the match, but he comes straight into the team as captain, with former Take That star Williams leading out an England side in opposition.
"It is my dream to make it as a professional footballer, so to be able to step out onto the pitch at Old Trafford in June, and play against some of football's biggest legends is going to be remarkable," Bolt said in a statement.
Speaking on a publicity clip published by Bolt, 31, on his Twitter account yesterday, Williams, decked out in an England shirt, says the match will feature "celebrities, legends and a brand new captain for Soccer Aid World XI".
Manchester United fan Bolt then appears and adds: "Robbie, let me entertain you," in a reference to Williams's hit 1998 song of the same name.
The promotional video features the likes of Brazilian great Ronaldinho and Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, as well as American comedy actor Will Ferrell. Soccer Aid aims to raise money to help children around the world and organises charity matches featuring celebrities and former football stars. This match will be played on June 10, just before the the World Cup gets underway in Russia. Bolt is an eight-time Olympic champion, 11-time world champion and holds the world records in the 100 and 200 metres. Williams is the best-selling British solo artist in the United Kingdom. The Soccer Aid event, which takes place biannually, has raised $33.5 million to help children since its launch in 2006.
The match has seen the likes of footballers Maradona, Alan Shearer and Ronaldinho play alongside celebs like Mark Wright, Jack Whitehall and Olly Murs. Will Ferrell, Gordon Ramsay, Mike Myers and Craig David have also played in previous years.
"Reclaiming the title for England this year is going to taste so much sweeter with Usain leading the Soccer Aid World XI," said Robbie Williams, who co-founded Soccer Aid.
"I can't wait to lead out the England team."
