With Ronaldinho, Henry and Co.: Is the World Cup for Football Veterans coming now?

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It is a message that makes the hearts of football nostalgics beat faster: the plans for a World Cup for the over-35s that became public in the summer of 2023 are becoming increasingly concrete. The new tournament format will premiere in England next summer, the British Daily Mail reports.

The start of the world championship for former football stars, organized by the private players association “Elite Players Group”, is scheduled for June 4. The matches (knockout mode) would then take place exactly between the ‘football gap’ between the Champions League final (June 1) and the start of the European Championship (June 14). Eight newly formed old-generation national teams will participate. However, only countries that have already won a World Cup title are allowed to participate.

Short rest periods for the older men

Anyone who thinks of worn-out stars in too-tight football shirts is wrong. The organizers hope for well-known names such as the Brazilian dribbling artist Ronaldinho (43), the German midfield director Mesut Özil (35) or the still fit top scorer Thierry Henry (46). However, many players still lack final commitments.

Only veterans aged 35 and over who have played for their national team or played at least 100 first division matches may participate. Therefore, the actors would be somewhat accommodated within the mode. Unlike normal, the games only last 70 minutes and can be changed as often as you like.

Still a lot of uncertainty

Despite all the euphoria, there are still doubts. Because the ‘Elite Players Group’ wants to organize such a big event in just under four months, everything still seems quite rudimentary. The organization has only 550 followers on Instagram and posts almost exclusively in Spanish.

If you try to find out more about the tournament on the website, you will only get error messages. And the designated Italian captain Marco Materazzi (50) also promises: “See you in 2024” – but then refers to Madrid as the location. So a lot of work is still needed before the happiness of football nostalgia is complete.

Source : Blick