Ex-Madrid players due in Dar for special clash
Ex-Real Madrid player Luis Figo in action during a past match. He is among former players expected to visit the country next month. PHOTO| FILE
What you need to know:
A 25-member squad of the Spanish giants will arrive in the country on August 22 for a special friendly match against Tanzania XI, an outfit to be unveiled by Taifa Stars head coach, Martinus Nooij early next week.
Dar es Salaam. After billionaire Warren Buffet’s visit, which was a major boost for tourism in Tanzania, the next famous people to visit the country are former Real Madrid stars, it has been revealed.
A 25-member squad of the Spanish giants will arrive in the country on August 22 for a special friendly match against Tanzania XI, an outfit to be unveiled by Taifa Stars head coach, Martinus Nooij early next week. Organised by Tanzania Sisi Nyumbani (TSN), the friendly, the first encounter of its kind in the country, will take place at the National Stadium on August 23.
In an interview with The Citizen yesterday, the TSN official, Dennis Ssebo, said preparations for the match were on course.
Ssebo said the former Real Madrid players’ tour has been jointly sponsored by Vodacom Tanzania, Fast Jet, Tropical and Lake Gas.
He named some of the Madrid legends as Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Fernando Morientes , Fabio Cannavaro, Fernando Hierro, Reuben De la Red, Christian Karembeu, Michel Salgado, Steve Mcmannaman, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Jose Maria Gutierrez Hernandez and Fernando Redondo. “A few more such as Zinedin Zidane and Roberto Carlos have not confirmed but may also make the trip. “There might also be some current Real Madrid players involved in the trip such as Christiano Ronaldo, Ika Cassilas and Gareth Bale, who could possibly promote Tanzania as a tourist destination.
The Madrid squad is expected to visit various tourist sites, including Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Mount Kilimanjaro.
“I am optimistic Tanzania X1 players will learn a few things from the former Real Madrid stars during the match.
“This visit will go a long way in supplementing Tanzania’s efforts in promoting the country as a tourist destination. “It (the tour) will even be reported and aired on several international media channels so Tanzania will get quite a lot of publicity come August,” said Ssebo. Former Spanish team captain Ruben de La Red reportedly believes the trip will be a good opportunity to market tourism in Tanzania and also improve football in the country.
He says their decision to come to Tanzania was mostly fuelled by the fact that the country has so many football lovers.
