FIFA all set to organize a soccer match in Nelson Mandela ‘s honor

Indeed Nelson Mandela would have enjoyed great birthday bashes till now but it is for sure that this year when he turns 89 he is going to have the best one of his life. FIFA is organizing a special soccer match in South Africa to honor Nelson Mandela on his birthday. The players that have agreed to play this match are from the past as well as the present era. Those who are ready for ’90 Minutes for Mandela’ are Pele, Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, Christian Karembeu of France and Ruud Gullit of the Netherlands. The match will be played on July 18 in Cape Town’s Newlands Stadium. The game will match players from Africa against those from the rest of the world. Striker Samuel Eto’o who currently plays for FC Barcelona and will also be the part of match said: It is a great honor and pleasure for me to have been invited to participate in this tribute to Nelson Mandela, a living symbol of the fight against all forms of racism and discrimination. The other players who have decided to take part are Lucas Radebe of South Africa and Andoni Zubizarreta and Emilio Butragueno of Spain. The profit of the match will go to programs that aimed at helping young South Africa and will be coordinated with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. This is FIFA’s second match to honour Mandela as earlier in 1999 it had organised a similar match when Mandela had stepped down as South African president.