Non-league club makes sensational offer to Ballon d'Or winner weeks before new season starts

An English non-league club have made an audacious offer to a Ballon d'Or winner and his team ahead of the new season, but it's not the first time.

With the new season fast approaching, teams at all levels of the football pyramid are ramping up their preparations.

Glamorous fixtures against top clubs from around the world remain the preserve of Premier League sides, who jet off to the United States, Asia and Australia for lucrative pre-season tours.

But that doesn't mean teams lower down the ladder can't organise some unusual match-ups of their own to help build fitness ahead of the new campaign.

That's exactly what Atherton Collieries are trying to do. The Lancashire side are preparing for life in English football's eight tier after suffering relegation from the Northern Premier League last season.

This term they will take on the likes of Stalybridge Celtic, Bootle and Wythenshawe FC, but they have their sights set on a friendly with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

The nine-time Saudi Arabian champions have 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema in their squad, as well as former Chelsea star N'Golo Kante and ex-Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.

The Colls directly asked the two-time AFC Champions League winners for a match via X, but the request is not as random as you might think.

The two sides actually met for a pre-season friendly in the summer of 2019, with the semi-pro side remarkably pulling off a 2-0 win.

The Saudi side were in Lancashire for a series of friendlies against Bolton Wanderers, Bury and Leeds United, but wanted to squeeze in one final match before flying back to Jeddah.

While Atherton were a division higher at the time and Al-Ittihad didn't boast the star names they do now, 700 fans were treated to an unexpected result at the Skuna Stadium in Atherton.

On Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of that historic victory, the Colls' official X account posted: "It is five years today since we welcomed Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ittihad to the Skuna Stadium, with goals from Matt Grimshaw and Danny O'Brien securing a historic victory for Michael Clegg's Stripes. Rematch, @ittihad_en?"

Back in 2019, Colls secretary Emil Anderson said: "Something like this doesn't come around often."

With a bit of luck, a rematch could be on the cards.