Preparations for the testimonial match of Adnan Al Talyani, the former UAE national team captain and the country's best player in the 20th Century, are almost finished.
Efforts are on ensure that the event is an unprecedented success and will include, as its main theme, a friendly match between Italian Serie A champions, Juventus and the World All Star team at Zayed Sports City on January 3.
This was disclosed yesterday at a press conference held at Intercontinental Hotel in Abu Dhabi that was attended by Abdul Aziz Hussain, the event's Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, the Vice Chairman and the Director of Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, Adnan Al Talyani and representatives of the sponsors.
"Despite the fact that the sponsors are faced with problems of being at the end of the financial year, they are keen to participate in the event," Hussain said. "This is evidence of their appreciation for the services of Adnan, the UAE's best player of the last century, who led his country to their best-ever football achievements including the finals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
"Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture and the former President of the UAE FA and patron of the occasion, has directed us to provide all necessary facilities to guarantee success as a reward for Adnan's services to his country.
"We are grateful to our sponsors, the main sponsors Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, Nokia and Emirates Computers and to our sub-sponsors Al Ain Dairy, Pepsi, Al Muhairy Sentre, Allo Emirates, Al Muhairy Group, Bin Hamoodah, PRIMEX, Nissan, Emirates airline, Al Habtoor, Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society, Damas, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Al Sayegh Jewellery. The gates are open to all who want to be partners with us in honouring one of the country's most loyal sons," Hussain added.
Munir Al Sati, of Emirates Computers and Ahmed Al Haj from Emirates airline, expressed pleasure to be part of the team to honour Adnan Al Talyani.
Al Mahmoud said that Allo Emirates have bought all the tickets for the match and will distribute them free to the public. Each ticket will entitle them to participate in a raffle that includes three new cars and gifts worth Dh500,000.
"Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, being the sponsor of the All Stars Team, were keen to invite no less than 40 players to guarantee the attendance of a large number of famed international players," Al Mahmoud said. "We have received confirmation from 22 foreign players. From the foreign stars taking part in the domestic league, George Weah from Liberia and Ali Karimi from Iran will also take part in the All Stars Team."
Al Mahmoud disclosed that the list of VIPs invited to attend the match includes FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Mohammed bin Hammam Al Abdullah, President of the Asian Football Confeder-ation, Sheikh Ahmed Fahad Al Sabah, Minister of Information and President of Kuwait FA, Sheikh Eissa bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Olympic Committee in Bahrain, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of the Olympic Committee in Qatar, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hassan Al Thani, President of the Qatar FA, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of Bahrain FA, Engineer Al Saaiedi Al Qadafi, President of the Libyan FA and other personalities from the Arab World and Asia.
"Adnan's special guests are all former coaches who supervised the player during his career and we have already received confirmation of the arrival of Croatian Tomislav Ivic, former Italian players Marco Tardelli, Antonio Caprini and Alessandro Altobelli in addition to Egypt's Mahmoud Al Khateeb and Saudi Arabia's Majid Abdullah. We are also expecting Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbaur to attend as guests of honour," Al Mahoud said.
Free transportation from different clubs in the Emirates will be provided for public to travel to the match, which kicks off at 7pm.
"Tickets for the main stand, priced at Dh500 and Dh250 each, will be sold at Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Ain Mall, Burjman Shopping Mall in Dubai and Al Shaab Club in Sharjah,"Al Mahmoud added.
"The honouring party will be held at the Abu Dhabi Armed Forces Officers Club at 8.30pm on January 2. And in our quest to record Adnan's achievements, a DVD containing all his goals for the UAE and Al Shaab Club will go on sale next week," he added