Squads for Andriy Shevchenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko’s Game4Ukraine have been released, putting most other charity matches to shame.
The fixture at Stamford Bridge on August 5 will be in aid of Ukraine, helping aid the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of the country last year.
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In particular, funds will be directed towards the re-construction of the Mykhailo-Kotsiubynsky School in Chernihiv Oblast which was struck by missiles.
The match will include an extended half-time music show to attract fans, but looking at the stars on the pitch, there’s little doubt it will be a sell-out anyway.
Shevchenko played at Stamford Bridge between 2006 and 2008, and his Team Blue features a number of the west London side’s Premier League greats.
Coached by women’s team manager Emma Hayes, she will be joined by former Chelsea players Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, Ricardo Carvalho, Gianfranco Zola, William Galas, Samuel Eto’o and Carlo Cudicini.
Current Chelsea winger and Ukrainian Mykhailo Mudryk also joins the team alongside Serie A legends Clarence Seedorf, Luca Toni, Dida, Massimo Oddo and Fabio Cannavaro.
Meanwhile, Team Zinchenko has an Arsenal theme, with Arsene Wenger managing former players Jens Lehmann, Per Mertesacker, Robert Pires, Partick Vieira, Jack Wilshere and Bacary Sagna.
Zinchenko recently joined talkSPORT to discuss the game, and revealed that he always dreamed of playing for the legendary Wenger.
“It’s incredible. I’d like to say a massive thanks to him that he was going to join us,” he said.
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“My boyhood dream was to be an Arsenal player and that after watching Arsenal with Arsene Wenger, Arsenal was the team where I wanted to be since I was a kid and using this opportunity he will be my manager.
“A few months ago he came to one of the games at the Emirates and we spoke about football and the rumours about myself and Arsenal. I asked him if it was true and he said ‘yes it was’.
“I had the opportunity to join Arsenal when I was 17, but eventually it happened, just a bit later!”
