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Legend's Football League set for a spectacular launch in Dubai

Multiple World Cup and Ballon d'Or winners will take the pitch alongside club and continental football royalty to captivate the audience

Published: Tue 10 Oct 2023, 9:08 PM

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  • Team KT

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Brazil legend Rivaldo will play for the World XI alongside Roberto Carlos, Robert Pires, Clarence Seedorf and Didier Drogba in Dubai. — AFP file

Brazil legend Rivaldo will play for the World XI alongside Roberto Carlos, Robert Pires, Clarence Seedorf and Didier Drogba in Dubai. — AFP file

The Legend’s Football League – first of its kind in the world – is headed for a spectacular launch with a glittering opening ceremony followed by an enthralling game between the Steel Doctor Red Devils and a World XI at Al Nasr’s iconic Al Maktoum Stadium on November 18.

Multiple World Cup and Ballon d’Or winners will take the pitch alongside club and continental football royalty to captivate the audience.


Billed as the ultimate Red Devils Reunion squad, the Steel Doctor Red Devils boast some of Manchester United’s most revered legends, including Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valencia, Wes Brown, Mikael Silvestre and Juan Sebastian Veron.

On the other side, the likes of Brazil’s Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos will line-up for the World XI alongside Robert Pires, Clarence Seedorf and Didier Drogba.

Following the opening game in Dubai, which is being organised under the aegis of Dubai Sports Council, the six-team league will travel to India in January 2024 for its second game, followed by matches in Qatar, UK and France.

Played over 90 minutes, the matches will feature a unique innovation: Impact Players, who could be a current football superstar, or a non-football celebrity. And to provide the proverbial icing on the cake, every player, including those on the bench, will take part in a penalty shoot-out at the end for that edge-of-the-seat finish to the evening’s entertainment.

Tickets for the Dubai match will go on sale later this month, and 20 percent of the revenue from ticket sales will go to Al Jalila Foundation.

“Come November 18, the lush greens of the Al Maktoum Stadium will be covered in sparkling stardust, thanks to the presence of these dazzling football stars,” said Mohammad Moosa, the managing partner of AIG Fabricators Dubai, who are organising the tournament alongside 27th Sports, RMC Mining and Multimédia Group International.

“The aim of this league is to offer our next generation a chance to witness the greatness and sublime skills of our celebrated legends, and, given the star cast we have assembled, we could not have wished for a better start to our dream venture – we feel privileged to have this powerhouse ensemble for the opening game.

“Together, the players of these two teams have a combined reach of more 60 million on social media. The TikTok generation can surely identify with those numbers.

“By fostering an inclusive and passionate community, we aim to orchestrate an unmissable football extravaganza that bridges the gap between past glories and the pulsating energy of the future.”



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