Iker and Luis Figo presented their “Partido por la ilusión, Fútbol 7 solidario” yesterday, with the event to take place on Dec. 23 at the Palacio de los Deportes.
Iker revealed that it was Luis who had proposed this to him: “Luis called me to and proposed that we do this game, and I immediately said yes. I think it’s a great initiative and that everyone will have a good time.”
Figo said that the proceeds from the game will be divided like this: 50% will go to the Liga por la Solidaridad (a competition with social purposes held in various cities of Madrid during three months of 2011), 25% to Iker’s foundation (Iker’s currently setting up the Iker Casillas Foundation) and 25% for his own foundation, which was founded in 2003 to give young people with problems opportunities through sports.
As for the participants in the event, there will be current footballers, former footballers and celebrities, including Zinedine Zidane and Fabio Cannavaro. Vicente del Bosque will coach the side led by Iker, while Míchel will do the same for Figo and his friends. Tickets can be purchased starting on Monday from El Corte Inglés and via telephone (902 400 222). Prices are €11 for adults and €7 for children.
(That’s a huge belt buckle.)
Iker had previously done something similar with Rafa Nadal, in their events to raise money for fighting malaria. And speaking of Rafa, he’s going to supplant Cristiano Ronaldo as the new face of Armani Jeans and Emporio Armani underwear! Can’t wait to see the ads, commercials and everything else! I hope they’re more along the lines of this and less like this.
Oh, and watch Iker’s cameo in En fuera de juego here. As you can see, it wasn’t much of a stretch for Iker, since he was just playing himself and eating. And obviously, he just showed up on set for the cameo, because why else would he be wearing that Christmasy, oh-it’s-so-Iker sweater, and have a purse to hang on his chair before sitting down? I can’t believe he brought his purse to the set, and that the movie people allowed it to be in the movie. The credits will read: Iker Casillas… as himself, and right under that, Iker Casillas’ purse… as itself.
And Iker’s not the only Real Madrid player involving himself with charity. Sergio’s been collaborating with UNICEF for a while now, and yesterday he took to twitter to support their campaign against infant mortality. More information here.
Left: Hi everyone. Today my name isn’t Sergio. I changed my name to Kimbo. Right: I’m participating in this UNICEF campaign to help infants survive. Some 22,000 children die every day for reasons that together we can overcome.
And here’s Kimbo.
(I guess big belt buckles are a “must-have” in the Real Madrid locker room these days?)