• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Why Tony Bellew is playing for World XI at Soccer Aid instead of England

Home> Football> Football News

Published 07:00 8 Jun 2024 GMT+1

Why Tony Bellew is playing for World XI at Soccer Aid instead of England

Soccer Aid is set to take place at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Marcus Chan

Marcus Chan

Tony Bellew is set to represent the World XI in UNICEF’s Soccer Aid 2024 this weekend.

On Sunday, the annual charity football event will take place at the home of Premier League side Chelsea, Stamford Bridge.

As always, England will take on the World XI with some of the biggest names from sports and the celebrity world going head-to-head to raise money for UNICEF.

Ahead of the match, it has been revealed that former boxing champion Bellew will represent the World XI.

Advert

Despite being born and raised in Liverpool, the 41-year-old is allowed to play for the World XI as the entry requirements for the team are not strict.

For example, English boxer and former Love Island star Tommy Fury made his Soccer Aid debut last year for the World XI despite being born in Manchester.

As per talkSPORT, Fury was allowed to play for the World XI because he is of Mauritian descent on his mother Chantal's side and his father John Fury is of Irish Traveller descent.

However, as reported by The Sun, why Bellew isn’t playing for the England team has not been explained.

Advert

Last year, Spice Girls singer Mel C was amongst the coaching team of the World XI, she explained "Everyone knows that I'm a Liverpool fan, so I particularly want to do well at Old Trafford and come away with a win - just as Liverpool have done a lot over the years!"

In an interview with the Irish Mirror in 2020, Mel C confirmed that she has Irish roots through her grandmother, and says she has 'a few Irish connections'.

Image
Getty

Bellew will be playing as a goalkeeper for the World XI, he told Good Morning Britain: “My son's a goalkeeper at Everton and has been for three years. I just wanted to prove to him that I can do a tenth of what he can do, so I'm gonna be in goal.

Advert

“I'll be okay, I can use my feet and I'm pretty good with my hands to say the least, so I'm sure I'll be okay.”

The World XI will include the likes of Usain Bolt, Eden Hazard, Roberto Carlos, John Obi Mikel and Petr Cech.

Meanwhile, Jill Scott, Jack Wilshere, Jermaine Defoe, Sir Mo Farah will all be playing for England.

Mauricio Pochettino will be the manager of the World XI and Frank Lampard, Robbie Williams, Harry Redknapp, David Seaman and Vicky McLure make up the England management team.

Advert

SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated transfer news channel to send you the latest deals, rumours and more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.

Featured Image Credit: Getty/ITV/UNICEF

Topics: Football, Boxing, Tony Bellew, Soccer Aid

Marcus Chan
Marcus Chan

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    Micah Richards told 'you can't do that' after what he said to Kevin De Bruyne following final home match for Man City

    Kevin De Bruyne has played his last home match at the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City.

    Football
  • 3 hours ago

    What Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest need to happen on final day to secure Champions League football

    The race for the Champions League places will go down to the wire.

    Football
  • 4 hours ago

    Bruno Fernandes interrupts reporter with telling comment about Ruben Amorim's future ahead of critical Europa League final

    Manchester United are set to take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

    Football
  • 5 hours ago

    Kevin De Bruyne names dream Man City XI ahead of final home game for the club and makes one controversial exclusion

    Kevin De Bruyne is set to leave Manchester City at the end of this season.

    Football
  • Ben Foster tried to persuade Nani to join Wrexham at Soccer Aid
  • How much is Tony Bellew being paid to appear on I'm A Celeb?
  • Why Tony Bellew will not be awarded a cash prize if he wins I'm A Celebrity
  • Tony Bellew causes controversy with tweets reacting to Artur Beterbiev's scary knockout of Callum Smith