UK CUP STARS - GAME OF HISTORY
After years of successful Soccer Six tournaments in the UK, Cup decided it was time to take Cups celebrity football players oversees with their successful squad, the UK CUP Stars. The UK CUP Stars are an established UK football squad consisting of various celebrities from the music and showbiz industry in Europe together with several ex professionals who all just love to play football. The matches staged by Cup and played by the UK Cup Stars are billed as the Game of History and mark a celebration or anniversary wherever they are played.
The UK CUP Stars played their latest match in Derry in September 06, with Ian Rush, Lee Sharpe, Andy Abraham and many many more big names taking part in the 11-a-side Game of History match.
Before that the Cup Stars were in Florence, Italy where they were invited by the Nazionale Italiana Cantanti to play their Italian team in the Artemio Franchi Stadium. The Italiana Nazionale Cantanti are an organisation that play one big live televised event a year in Italy called “The Partita del Cuore”, which translates as “The Match of the Heart”. The Stadium was filled with 45.000 people and another 8 million people watched the match live on TV via Rai Uno. After 90 thrilling minutes the score was 6-6 and penalties were taken. The final score was an incredible 10-10 with the UK CUP Stars winning on away goals!
The UK CUP Stars team in Italy consisted of the following stars from the music industry: Rod Stewart, Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Neutrino (So Solid Crew), Tony Hadley and Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Jason Orange (Take That), Paul Young, Mick Hucknall, Rick Wakeman (Yes), Chris Evans (radio DJ) and Ritchie Neville, Sean Conlon and Scott Robinson (Five). The football professionals were Paul Gascoigne (Newcastle Utd, England), Ian Rush (Liverpool FC, Wales) and Paolo DiCanio (Lazio Roma, Italy) who played their magic skills on the field for the UK CUP Stars. Team managers were Claudio Ranieri (then Chelsea FC manager) and Joe Jordan (Manchester Utd, Scotland). The Italiana Nazionale Cantanti team played among others: Gianni Morandi, Marco Morandi, Zucchero and Eros Ramazzotti. The ‘Match of the Heart’ raised €300.000 for charity. The UK CUP Stars have many other varied celebrities attached to their squad and Cup Promotions have the support of the Rt Hon Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport and Tourism of Britain.
After the success in Italy, the UK CUP Stars are in talks with the NIC for a re-match in Milan. Also invitations have been coming in from Japan, Mauritius, Ukraine, Northern Ireland and China for matches 2006 and 2007. Now that the UK CUP STARS have gone international, they have quickly become a force to reckon with!
