Several soccer stars, past and present, have confirmed that they will play in the 'Match for Peaceâ?, announced by Pope Francis in February.
Soccer legends such as Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos and Verón will take the field once again on October 12. Other players who are still active, like Iker Casillas and Carvajal, have yet to confirm their attendance but they depend on their teams' calendars, but all of them have given their support to this initiative.
The goal is simple. No matter their country, their religion or their team, all of them will set differences aside to call for peace and send a message to the millions of young people who see them as their idols.
Players such as Lucas Biglia, Iturbe or Diego Perotti, who play for the soccer teams in Rome, supported the organizers in the presentation of the event in the Eternal City on Friday.
JOSE MARIA DEL CORRAL
President, Scholas Occurrentes
'I discovered that I need them as a teacher. Children look up to them and follow their example. Sometimes they don't listen to us, but they copy them. What they do is a great example for children and it is also a form of education.
DIEGO PEROTTI
AS Roma
'Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, so we must use this opportunity to help. The game on October 12 will be much more important for us than our regular league games.â?
This is the second 'Match for Peaceâ? sponsored by the pope. The first was in 2014, and soccer icons like Maradona, Roberto Baggio, or Zamorano played on that occasion.
It is not the first time that this second 'Match for Peaceâ? has had to be postponed because of the players' busy schedules. However, thanks to the organizers' persistence the match will be finally played. Part of the money raised will be go to those closest to the pope: the victims of the earthquake in Central Italy that killed almost 300 people.
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