Thursday, January 13, 2005
Benefit to be played in Barcelona
Reuters
LONDON -- The "Football for Hope" benefit match to help victims of the Asian tsunami will be played at Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium on February 15, FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Soccer's world and European governing bodies said that one side would be led by World Player 2004 Ronaldinho, the other by European Footballer of the Year 2004 Andriy Shevchenko, with the other players involved to be named in due course.

The Brazilian's team will be jointly-coached by Brazil's World Cup winning-coach Carlos Alberto Parreira and Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard while Juventus boss Marcello Lippi and Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger will take charge of the Ukrainian striker's line-up.

All proceeds from the match will be donated to the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund, which has been set up jointly by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

"Just like the rest of the international community, the worldwide football family is determined to do everything possible to help the individuals and football associations that have been so severely affected by the terrible tsunami tragedy," said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.




Now I know that in the States All Star Games usually suck balls but at least this one will have some novelty.

Secondly how the fuck did Ronaldinho beat out Henry for World Player of the year?

Probably because Thierry Henry has been a complete flop lately at the very top level (i.e the last years Euro Finals & the World Cup Finals before that) Arsenal fucking up in Europe every year hasn't help him either. You don't get to be World Player of the Year by scoring against Charlton and West Brom, you have to do it on the big stage.

Usually these games are awful because nobody wants to get injured, there's nothing really to play for and the players only play at most 45 minutes before being subbed.

If you hadn't refuted my claims I woudl have never respected you again. In 2003 Zidane said Henry should have won it. Even if nobody wants to get injured it will be better than the NBA All Star game or even worse the fucking pro bowl.

Henry single handedly won me my fantasy league.