PARIS: Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will line up opposite British pop star Robbie Williams in a charity football match at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, the Jamaican revealed on Tuesday.
Now retired, Bolt had given a teaser of what was to come on Twitter on Monday, claiming that he had signed for a football club and would reveal all 24 hours later.
Well, his new team is the Soccer Aid World XI — a motley crew put together to help raise funds for the United Nations Children’s Fund, Unicef.
Not only had football-mad Bolt, the fastest man alive, been recruited for the match, but he comes straight into the team as captain, with former Take That star Williams leading out an England side in opposition.
Speaking on a publicity clip published by Bolt, 31, on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Williams, decked out in an England shirt, says the match will feature “celebrities, legends and a brand new captain for Soccer Aid World XI.”
Manchester United fan Bolt then appears and adds: “Robbie, let me entertain you,” in a reference to Williams’s hit 1998 song of the same name.
The promotional video features the likes of Brazilian great Ronaldinho and Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, as well as American comedy actor Will Ferrell.
Soccer Aid aims to raise money to help children around the world and organizes charity matches featuring celebrities and former football stars.
This match will be played on June 10, just before the World Cup gets underway in Russia.
Bolt is an eight-time Olympic champion, 11-time world champion and holds the world records in the 100 and 200 meters.
Williams is the best-selling British solo artist in the United Kingdom.
Usain Bolt signs up with football club... for a charity match
Usain Bolt signs up with football club... for a charity match
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
