MANCHESTER, England: Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and ex-Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney will coach an England squad made up of athletes and celebrities for Soccer Aid 2025 at Old Trafford.
UNICEF says the charity match pitting England against a World XI will take place on June 15 at United’s home stadium.
Former England Women players Jill Scott and Steph Houghton, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, singer Tom Grennan, Olympic great Mo Farah, ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart and former Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci are among those who have confirmed their commitment to the event created by pop star Robbie Williams in 2006.
Former United players Gary Neville and Paul Scholes will also be back at Old Trafford alongside ex-England international Rooney, who will take on a player-manager role.
UNICEF says it has raised more than £106 million ($137 million) for children worldwide since the first game. The money raised helps it deliver crucial programs providing food, health care, safe spaces and crisis support to young people in need.
“The prospect of leading my England team to victory this June fills me with just as much excitement as any heavyweight fight,” said Fury. “Everyone knows that I am a huge Manchester United fan too, so it’s even more special for me that the game is at Old Trafford this year, and I get to manage one of my heroes, Wayne Rooney.”
Tyson Fury and Wayne Rooney to lead England squad at Soccer Aid 2025
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Tyson Fury and Wayne Rooney to lead England squad at Soccer Aid 2025
- UNICEF says the charity match pitting England against a World XI will take place on June 15 at United’s home stadium
- Former United players Gary Neville and Paul Scholes will also be back at Old Trafford alongside ex-England international Rooney
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
