Stars line up for Soccer Aid

Pop star Robbie Williams and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today unveiled their line-ups for Soccer Aid.

Mon, 15 May, 2006 - 08:17

Pop star Robbie Williams and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today unveiled their line-ups for Soccer Aid.

Port Vale fan Robbie captains the England team, which is managed by past England boss Terry Venables.

Glasgow-born Gordon Ramsay, a former Glasgow Rangers footballer, captains the Rest of the World team, which is managed by former Chelsea and Newcastle United supremo Ruud Gullit.

The former Take That’s star’s team includes best friend Jonathan Wilkes, GMTV presenter Ben Shephard, DJ Jamie Theakston and snooker champ Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Among the former England players lending a hand are David Seaman, Tony Adams, Paul Gascoigne and John Barnes.

TV chef Gordon Ramsay has picked ex-F1 racer Eddie Irvine, Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alistair Campbell, retired rugby star David Campese and pop star Brian McFadden.

Among the ex-football stars joining the foul-mouthed chef are ex-Chelsea players Gianfranco Zola and Marcel Desailly, former Newcastle United winger David Ginola and German World Cup winning captain Lothar Matthaus.

The squads will train together for one week with daily shows starting May 22 at 9pm on ITV1.

Presented by Ant and Dec, the programmes will follow all the players as they look to prove they have got what it takes to be in the starting line-up for the big match, which is being shown live from Old Trafford on May 27.

Proceeds from Soccer Aid go towards UNICEF, for which England captain Williams is a passionate ambassador.

Williams said: “When I was in South Africa last month, I saw how UNICEF is helping children. I met four kids who live just outside Durban. They live alone because their mum and dad have both died of Aids.

“They lost their mum last year and were found by neighbours wandering around the neighbourhood in search of food.

“UNICEF and its partners help these children by sending a child care worker to see them every day to help them with the every day things that parents do, like homework, cooking, washing, playing games and talking about their day.

“This means that this family can stay together in the place they know as home and grow up with the love and support every child should have.

“Their situation is devastating but it is the reality of how Aids is affecting children. There are 15 million children orphaned by Aids in the world. Money raised by Soccer Aid will help make life easier for children like the ones I met.”

During the training week both squads will also take part in practice matches.

On May 23, Venables’ England Soccer Aid team take on a team of former England legends and the following day Gullit’s Rest of the World team go up against a squad of former Scotland legends.

In addition to the daily shows Sara Cox presents Soccer Aid: Extra Time on ITV2.

The Radio 1 DJ said: “All those men are going to need a strong woman to keep them in check. With players like Robbie and Gordon Ramsay I’m sure I’ll have my work cut out.”

:: The full line-ups are:

England team:

Robbie Williams (captain)

Jonathan Wilkes

Ben Shephard

Jamie Theakston

Ronnie O’Sullivan

David Gray

Bradley Walsh

Damian Lewis

Angus Deayton

Dean Lennox Kelly