Ronaldo vs. Zidane in the match against poverty

Former Real Madrid players Ronaldo (the Brazilian) and Zinedine Zidane will face each other in the 9th edition of their annual charity match against poverty.

A statement released by United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) read:

“Ronaldo and Zidane will gather a team of other famous soccer players for a friendly game against an all-star side from German team Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV).

As goodwill ambassadors for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the duo have been the driving force behind the annual match since its inception in 2003.”

Match against poverty

The match will be held on December 13 in Hamburg, with two thirds of the proceeds going towards addressing food crisis in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Eriteria, Djibouti and Ethiopia). A host of big name players are expected to be present in the FIFA backed match. The duo expressed their delight at being able to contribute to the noble cause.

Prolific goal scorer Ronaldo, who recently retired from professional football, thanked HSV for coming forward to host the event while Zidane said that the event will be much more than just a football match.

Ronaldo: “I am proud of the success of this cause and very honoured that clubs such as HSV have offered to host the event.”

Zidane: “Through the 2011 edition in Hamburg we hope we will be able to raise both awareness and funds for the people in need in the Horn of Africa. And, while I obviously hope to win,the Match Against Poverty is much more than a game: it is part of the global fight against poverty.”

The proceeds from the last edition were utilized in the recovery work of nearly 25 million people affected by the Haiti earthquake and Pakistan floods.