Game4Ukraine: Chelsea hosted a day of football and music at Stamford Bridge that helped raise funds to rebuild schools damaged by the war in Ukraine.
The day started on an emotional note, as all the players from both teams lined up arm-in-arm on the halfway line for the national anthems of Ukraine and Great Britain.
A video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was played where he was thanking everyone for their support and explaining the worthy cause the day was raising money for.
A large number of former Chelsea players turned out for the Game4Ukraine to do their bits by featuring in Andriy Shevchenko’s Team Blue, which was also coached by Chelsea Women’s boss Emma Hayes.
Current Ukraine internationals did their bit, Oleksander Zinchenko and Mykhailo Mudryk made short cameos with every touch being cheered like a goal.
The duo spent the half-time break moving about the pitch signing autographs and taking photos with the fans.
Clarence Seedorf scored in the game, something he did so often during his legendary career.
Former Chelsea defender William Gallas was also on the scoresheet for the Blues to cancel out strikes by Darijo Srna and Mark Noble in the Game4Ukraine.
Alongside Shevchenko and Gallas, Chelsea also featured Michael Essien, Gianfranco Zola, Joe Cole, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Carlo Cudicini, Samuel Eto’o, Christian Panucci, Claire Rafferty, and Carly Telford.
Just like in the image, the Blues also featured Legendary goalkeeper Petr Čech and Claude Makélélé.
Former Arsenal woman star Katie Chapman also played for the Yellows alongside other non-Chelsea stars who also played, for both sides.
What is left is for the British Government to release the money that was raised so as to benefit the victims of the war in Ukraine.
Game4Ukraine
The Game4Ukraine is part of the Ukrainian Government’s United24 initiative which was set up to raise money to aid the war-torn nation.
Ukraine legend and former Chelsea striker Shevchenko revealed previously the discussion that led to the charity match last year after he became the first ambassador for United24.
Speaking on the charity match, Shevy noted that: “It took time to arrange such an event.”
“The game for Ukraine and for the sake of Ukraine will take place at a stadium that I know very well.”
“It is Chelsea’s home stadium, Stamford Bridge. I am sure that both Chelsea and Arsenal fans will support this match, as well as everyone who likes football and wants to express their solidarity with Ukraine.”
The fund-raising match was organized by Lester Holcombe of Legends Soccer Group, whose 2017 Game4Grenfell raised £900,000 for victims of the tower block fire in London.
How Will The Funds Raised Be Used?
The first and major aim of the Game4Ukraine was to raise funds to help rebuild the Mykhailo-Kotsiubynskyi School in Chernihiv Oblast.
The said school was shelled by Russian troops on March 4 in 2022, with a missile that blasted the first and second floors.
United24 confirmed that no one was injured after the students had already been taken to shelter but the school’s building were destroyed.
However, Mykhailo-Kotsiubynskyi is the only school in that area, which brought together children from eight different small villages.
Watch Video of the match highlights from the Game4Ukraine match below:
