Qatar to host all-star soccer match for Japan quake victims

Qatar is set to host an all-star international soccer match in December to raise money for the victims of the recent earthquake in Japan, Arabian Business can reveal. The game, the brainchild of former Brazil captain Cafu, will feature a joint team from Brazil and Germany – who competed in the 2002 Japan World Cup Final – against a team of international star players.

“We wanted to do something to help the people affected by what has happened in Japan. So many of us had such a wonderful experience during the World Cup there in 2002, so I thought this would be a good way to give something back,” Cafu told Arabian Business after a meeting with officials in Doha.

“We are hoping to bring back some of the players from the 2002 final to feature in this game, and compete against a team of stars from all over the world.” It is hoped that several million dollars will be raised through ticket sales and television rights. All players will appear for free and all money raised will be donated to the earthquake victims.

Cafu said he is in talks with HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al Thani, President of Qatar Football Association, to thrash out the details. The two met earlier Tuesday along with four other officials who will also be involved in staging the match – Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Confederation, Tina Sabounati from the  Kentaro Group, Sulaiman Al Fahim, the former owner of Portsmouth Football Club and Ambassador at Large for IIMSAM,  and Ana Gonçalves of Footwise.

Cafu is the most capped Brazilian player of all time with 143 appearances, including 21 in World Cup finals. He won the World Cup twice with Brazil, in 1994 and 2002, and was named by Pele as one of the 125 greatest living footballers. The star is also expected to announce plans to set up a special soccer academy in Qatar, which may then be rolled out across the Middle East, and a museum to display soccer memorabilia.

“Football has given me a lot of great opportunities, so now I am trying to put that to good use. I have a foundation in Brazil that supports 750 children, and am hoping to do something similar in the Middle East with a soccer academy,” he said.

source: Arabian Business