GHANA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Chelsea's Michael Essien leads some of Africa's most famous footballers in a match promoting peace on the continent

Record ID: 349458

  • Title: GHANA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Chelsea's Michael Essien leads some of Africa's most famous footballers in a match promoting peace on the continent
  • Date: 27th May 2011
  • Summary: PEOPLE SITTIING ON A FENCE SHOUTING UNKNOWN WOMAN AND GHANAIAN MUSICIAN SAMINI BATMAN DANCING
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ghana, Ghana
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9B3Q7MJ72EWQL7XUK157AODAA
  • Story Text: A glitterati of football stars were in Accra, Ghana on Wednesday (May 25) to pariticpate in a match promoting peace in Africa.
    Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, in his role as an African Union Peace Ambassador, organised the match between an Africa Eleven and a World Eleven.
    A blend of the old and the new African soccer powers, including Samuel Eto'o Fils, Didier Drogba, Stephen Appiah, Kanu Nwankwo, George Weah, Raber Madjer, Tony Yeboah, Tony Baffoe and Samuel Osei Kuffuor all participated as part of the African team.
    They were captained by Essien, while his Chelsea teammate Ashley Cole led a World eleven that featured another Chelsea star in Florent Malouda among a plethora of Europe's current and former footballers.
    African Union Day was celebrated across the continent with Michael Essien's Peace Match giving the day some significance.
    Essien said while he was proud to be invovled, he hoped the message would yield a greater reward.
    "I am very honoured to be appointed one of the peace ambassadors and our aim is to bring help bring peace in Africa and I think I will be more proud if the message is being sent across and hopefully we will help to bring peace in Africa".
    For the record, the World Eleven won the match 4-2.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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