Record crowd for anniversary football

  The special celebration match between an all-star Europe XI and Manchester United attracted the the biggest ever crowd for a friendly at Old Trafford with a remarkable 74,343 fans turning out to see their footballing heroes; the match ended in a 4:3 win for Manchester United. All proceeds went to charity.  

Playing for Europe: football stars unite to celebrate 50 years of the EU

  The latest details of the 50th anniversary match were announced today at a special press conference in Brussels hosted by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Michel Platini, President of UEFA, and Sir Bobby Charlton, representing Manchester United.

During the press conference, Mr Barroso was presented with a football shirt in the European team colours sporting the number 27 – representing the 27 member states of the European Union.

The Commission president said: “Throughout my childhood, I had the pleasure to watch the great Manchester teams play in Europe. It is a great way to mark the 50th Anniversary of the creation of the European Union through the great game of football. It inspires Europeans in a unique way, through a shared passion and a language understood by all.”

Michel Platini, said he felt very proud that UEFA, which brought together the all-star European XI coached by Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi, had been able to organise the match.

“Football brings people together. In a continent so proud of its cultural diversity, football offers a common language. It helps to integrate different communities. At its best, our sport conveys some of Europe’s basic values: the rule of law, respect for others, freedom of expression, teamwork and solidarity”, he said.

 Representing Manchester United, Sir Bobby Charlton said the match was a sell-out, with a 72,000 capacity crowd. "The history of Manchester United is tied up with that of Europe. Some of the club's greatest moments have been played out on a European stage. I look forward to welcoming so many stars and friends to Old Trafford to celebrate these two significant anniversaries."

The Europe XI squad for the match currently includes Olivier Kahn, Grégory Coupet, Iker Casillas, Paolo Maldini, Jamie Carragher, Eric Abidal, Lilan Thuram, Carles Puyol, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Grosso, Gianluca Zambrotta, Steven Gerrard, Juninho Pernambucano, Florent Malouda, Luis Miguel, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Alessandro Mancini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson.

Watch the Press Conference here (free of charge but requires simple registration first).

Dazzling line-up takes shape for Europe XI match - 28 February 2007

The all-star Europe XI to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on 13 March in a game to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the modern-day European Union will include the top players from Barcelona’s Champions League winning team, Carles Puyol, Gianluca Zambrotta, Lilian Thuram and Ronaldinho following an agreement reached with Barça manager Frank Rijkaard today. They join a European squad already boasting English greats such as David Beckham and Steven Gerrard and French internati...

More >>

 
Touch of continental class injected into Europe XI - 16 February 2007

 Top French internationals and Olympique Lyonnais players were the latest stars to be unveiled as part of the Europe XI to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on 13 March. The celebration game marks the 50th anniversary of the modern-day European Union and the 50th anniversary of United’s participation in European club competitions. Eric Abidal, Grégory Coupet and Juninho Pernambucano will bolster a European squad already boasting English greats David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. The European squad is selected and coached by Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi.

Grégory Coupet is the first goalkeeper to be selected for the European team while international team-mate Eric Abidal, who represented France at left-back in last summer’s FIFA World Cup final against Marcello Lippi’s Italy, will further strengthen the defence. Relishing the prospect of doing battle against his World Cup team-mates Mikaël Silvestre and Louis Saha Abidal said: “I’m sure they’ll give us a warm welcome – and will want to beat us.”

“It is a great honour to be invited to be part of an event that brings UEFA and the European Union together”, said former Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier, who will accompany his players to Manchester for the occasion. More >>

 
England’s finest to lead top European stars - 13 February 2007

  The best of European football will be on show in Manchester on 13 March to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Rome setting up the modern-day European Union. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of their participation as the first English team to play UEFA’s European club competition, Manchester United will play a Europe XI to be coached by Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi.  The first confirmed players in the European team are former Manchester United star David Beckham, currently with Real Madrid, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. More >> 

 

See also:

• Why we're proud to be united in Europe   Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission explains the importance of a double 50-year anniversary - The Daily Mirror,13 March 2007

• Voice of the Mirror–The Daily Mirror,13 March 2007

• Live from Old Trafford -  Anthony Gooch, Head of Media at the EC Office in London, speaking at the 50th Anniversary match about the appropriateness of celebrating the EU's birthday with a football match
  The World Tonight Programme, 13 March 2007 (the piece begins at 39.24m)

• 'What would be a good new anthem for Europe"  with Anthony Gooch, Head of Media at the EC Office in London
  Anita Anand Show - Radio Five Live, 12 March 2007

• Ferguson gets glimpse of one that got away with Ronaldinho's visit–The Times, 13 March 2007

• Zidane ducks out of Old Trafford reunion with Materazzi–The Guardian, Sports, 13 March 2007

• United in Europe [3 MB]
  Leo Cendrowicz finds symbolism aplenty in plans to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Rome with a gala of football at Manchester United’s famous Old Trafford stadium - European Voice, 1-7 March 2007
   (Copyright The Economist Newspaper Limited)
• Le football, une passion communautaire -  Le Monde, 1 March 2007
• Ronaldinho set to fly the colours of Europe - The Times, 1 March 2007
• Taking politics out of the EU celebration - The Financial Times, 1 March 2007
• Becks joy at United return - The Sun, 14 February 2007
• Caborn caught between huge profits and high ideals
  Sports minister struggles to win over free-marketeers of Premiership to European vision of common values - The Guardian, 14 February 2007
• "...anniversary of the Red Devils' first participation in European competition and of a united Europe" - The World Game website, 14 February 2007
• The Midday News , Anthony Gooch, EC Head of Press in London discusses the match - BBC Radio 5 Live, 12 February 2007 (starts 49mins 30S in)
• "...50th anniversary of United's first competitive European fixture as well as the founding of the Common Market" - BBC Sport online, 13 February 2007
• Gerrard, Carragher, Beckham in Europe team to play United - Belfast Telegraph, 13 February 2007
• Beckham returning to Old Trafford - CBC Sports online, 13 February 2007
• Beckham set to play against United on Old Trafford return - Reuters, 13 February 2007
• Beckham leads EU team against United-The Times, 12 February 2007
• Beckham back in Manchester-Sunday Times, 10 December 2006