U.N. goodwill ambassador Zinédine Zidane and Real Madrid's Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite -- universally known as "Kaká" -- headlined a team battling an all-star squad of players from Lisbon's Benfica club in front of a crowd of about 45,000 in Portugal's Stadium of Light. The two sides tied 3-3.
It was the ninth annual Match Against Poverty, organized by the United Nations to fund a different poverty-related cause each year. Monday's game was broadcast live in as many as 60 countries, with all proceeds from tickets, sponsors and broadcasting rights sent to relief efforts in Haiti. The total figure raised would be tallied in the coming days, organizers said.
Francisco Leong, AFP / Getty Images
French striker Thierry Henry controls the ball as his teammate Zinedine Zidane and Benfica players look on.
"This year's Match Against Poverty takes on additional importance in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. I am delighted to know that the proceeds of today's game will go to the millions of people there who need our solidarity and assistance," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement delivered by his representative in Lisbon. "We at the United Nations welcome your solidarity at the country's time of dire need."
The squad of more than 50 players included two up-and-coming Haitian footballers, Jean Sony and Joseph Peterson, who play for Portuguese club teams. Despite being relatively unknown compared with other stars on the field, the two received huge applause and cheers when they ran onto the pitch.
"I think Haiti needs everybody's support now," Kaká told reporters at a news conference after the match. "Around the world there a lot of problems, but the most urgent problem now is Haiti, and because of that, I am very happy to be part of this game tonight."
The match began with a moment of silence for Haiti, with the players standing at attention at midfield while huge screens played scenes of devastation in Port-au-Prince. Then came the release of a bald eagle, trained to circle the stadium in flight and then land back on his falconer's arm. The event also included a quintessentially Portuguese touch, with a fado performance -- the country's mournful traditional music -- at halftime.
"I'm here because of the Haiti donations, but also I'm a Benfica fan," said Rui Bichinho, 36, wrapped in a bright red scarf with his team's logo. "It's amazing to be here for these players and this cause."
Fans said they came out on a chilly January night to support the fundraising drive for Haiti, with the added bonus of seeing some of their favorite soccer heroes.
"I came to help Haiti, because it's very poor and I've seen on TV how hard it will be for that country to recover from a tragedy like the earthquake," said Cristina Silva, 30, who is from Brazil but was in Portugal visiting friends. "But anytime I can see Kaká I will."
Silva and her friends wore yellow and green Brazilian soccer jerseys with the single-name monikers of their favorite players -- Kaká, Ronaldo, Marcelo Balboa -- and waved a giant Brazilian flag whenever one of their countrymen scored.
All seats at Monday night's match cost 10 euros ($14), with proceeds going to the U.N. Development Program's relief efforts in Haiti. Fans came to support the humanitarian cause, but it was also a deal for them -- tickets to Benfica games usually cost a minimum of 15 to 20 euros ($21 to $28) each, and the team rarely hosts such stars as Kaká or Zidane, the now-retired French megastar.
Monday's crowd was multinational, representing Lisbon's ethnic mix as well as the global awareness of Haiti's plight. One fan, originally from Angola, said it was his first time at a big soccer stadium. "I'm here to help the people of Haiti, and I feel that being from Luanda [Angola's capital] I can understand their sad experience," said Wilder Vanduno, 34, referring to the strife in his country's history.
The U.N. has held a Match Against Poverty in a different city each year since 2002, organized in part by goodwill ambassadors Zidane and the Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima. It's also supported by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and the Union of European Football Associations. In recent years, the games took place in Spain, Morocco, France and Germany.
"Every time we get together for this match, we can help and make a difference," Zidane told reporters. "We can't stress enough the importance of mobilizing people for the recovery of the disaster that just occurred in Haiti."
Other football stars participating in the match were Pavel Nedved from the Czech Republic; Michael Laudrup from Denmark; Graeme Le Saux from England; Thierry Henry, Fabien Barthez and Christophe Dugarry from France; Edgar Davids and Phillip Cocu from the Netherlands; Luis Figo, Fernando Couto, Pedro Pauleta, Rui Costa and Nuno Gomes from Portugal; Gheorghe Hagi and Gheorghe Popescu from Romania; Lucas Radebe from South Africa; and Fernando Hierro from Spain.
Kaká represented U.N. goodwill ambassador Ronaldo at Monday's match, who was unable to attend because of a Brazilian game with his Club Corinthians.
Among the dignitaries on the sidelines were Portugal's prime minister, José Sócrates; U.N. Development Program Assistant Administrator Bruce Jenks; and Wilfried Lemke, a special adviser to the U.N. secretary-general on sports.
