(2 September 2004) - A top class football match with a difference gets underway on 6 September when the "Samba Soccer Charity" kicks off between former football greats from Germany and Brazil (Kick-off 20:15 CET, live on DSF). All proceeds from the match will go to the "6 Villages for 2006" campaign, which was launched by SOS Children's Villages and FIFA ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM.
The Brazilian squad for the "Samba Soccer Charity" will include twelve 1994 World Cup winners such as Jorginho, Aldair, Bebeto and Dunga, while the German side will boast 1990 World Cup champions Karlheinz Riedle, Uwe Bein and Stefan Reuter and 1996 European champions Thomas Helmer and Steffen Freund, as well as local celebrities.
"What I find particularly great is how the 2006 World Cup is being linked with helping children," said Jorginho. "Linking major sports events with social aid - that must be a goal."
The "Samba Soccer Charity" is the first event of the "6 Villages for 2006" campaign, which will run until the end of the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM with the objective of collecting donations for six new SOS Children's Villages on different continents. These SOS Children's Villages, which will be constructed in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Ukraine and Vietnam, will give many orphaned and abandoned children a new home.
Among the prominent guests attending the "Samba Soccer Charity" is SOS Children's Villages Ambassador Princess Salimah Aga Khan, an avid football fan. "I very much look forward to the World Cup 2006 here in Germany and our partnership with FIFA helps to bring the beautiful game nearer to our SOS children" she said.
The "Samba Soccer Charity" will be broadcast live on German sports channel DSF. Opus and Lutricia McNeal will be warming up audiences with pre-match (19:00 CET) performances. At half-time, donations will be collected both at the stadium and via DSF.
Brazilian squad: Taffarel, Gilmar, Jorginho, Ricardo Rocha, Marcio Santos, Aldair, Leonardo, Bebeto, Dunga, Muller, Paulo Sérgio (all 1994 World Cup champions), Silas (1986 and 1990 World Cup participant), Bismarck (1990 World Cup participant), Goncalves (1998 World Cup runner-up), Ronaldão (1994 World Cup champion).
German squad: Rene Mueller, Thomas Helmer (1996 European champion), Steffen Freund (1996 European champion), Thomas Doll, Karlheinz Riedle (1990 World Cup champion), Uwe Bein (1990 World Cup champion), Andreas Thom, Stefan Reuter (1990 World Cup champion) and others to be confirmed.
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SOS Children's Villages is a non-governmental and non-denominational organisation providing long-term care for destitute, abandoned and orphaned children in 132 countries and territories. More than 55,000 children are being cared for at the organisation's 449 SOS Children's Villages and 328 youth facilities worldwide. In addition, the organisation also provides families with welfare and educational services. Some 130,000 children and youths attend SOS Schools, SOS Kindergartens and SOS Vocational Training Centres, while more than 650,000 benefit from SOS Medical and Social Centres and SOS Emergency Relief Programmes.
Contacts: SOS-Kinderdorf International
Communications
Ms Adriana Pontieri, Media Officer
Phone: +43/1/368 24 57 - 2185
e-mail:
Adriana.pontieri@sos-kd.orgor
SOS-Kinderdorf International
Communications
Ms Michaela Schalk
Phone: +43/512/3310-128
Mobile: +43/664/4249555
e-mail:
Michaela.schalk@sos-kd.org