Game4Ukraine: Footballing stars and celebrities team up to fund school rebuilding
ITV News' Entertainment Correspondent Rishi Davda spoke to the players ahead of the big game raising money for a Ukrainian school
Some of football's biggest stars and a host of celebrities are playing a charity football match in a bid to help rebuild a school in Ukraine.
Game4Ukraine will see a myriad of famous faces take to the pitch at Chelsea football ground Stamford Bridge, in West London, on Saturday in a bid to raise money for the cause.
Thought up by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, current national team star Oleksandr Zinchenko, and former Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko, the match will be part of a wider initiative for United24, which is rebuilding facilities and infrastructure damaged by the Russia's invasion.
Between the 50 football legends taking part on Saturday is more than 3,000 international caps, over 100 trophies, seven world cups, and two Ballon d'Ors.
Among them is Joleon Lescott, Per Mertesacker, Jack Wilshere, Jermaine Defoe, Petr Cech, Mark Noble, Gerard Pique, Katie Chapman, and Fabio Cannavaro.
From the celebrity side, the line-up includes: Russell Howard, Roman Kemp, Tom Grennan, James Arthur, Phil Dunster, Archie Renaux, and Chelcee Grimes.
Fans attending will also get to watch DJ sets, an address from the Ukrainian President, and six live stage performances from Tom Walker, Pete Doherty, Boombox, Vakarchuk, Tom Grennan, and The Pretenders.
"This effort to everybody is very important... It's a great message for the world that everybody is behind Ukraine," Ukrainian ex-captain Shevchenko told ITV News.
The money raised by the event will go toward rebuilding a school destroyed by Russian missiles.
"If we can support in any way then that's something we enjoy to do in regards to playing football," former England player Lescott said.
"But it's all about the kids and I'm a father myself so I know how important these things are."
Team Blue, coached by current Chelsea Women's manager Emma Hayes, and Arsene Wenger's Team Yellow will play at the Chelsea home ground - and no one wants to slip up.
"There was such an odd moment in the changing room," comedian Russell Howard said.
"Gianfranco Zola was next to me and he looked at me and he went, 'I am nervous.'
"And I was like, 'You're nervous? What the hell are you talking about?' So if he's a little bit scared, that's a real indication as to how I feel."
For more information on how to get tickets or donate, visit the Game4Ukraine website.
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