Former players Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane are among the players who will take the field in the 10th UEFA-backed Match Against Poverty on Dec. 19 at the Gremio Arena in Porto Alegre, Brazil. As goodwill ambassadors for the United Nations Development Program, Ronaldo and Zidane will each captain a team for the friendly match aimed at mobilizing the public in the fight against poverty. Ronaldo, who launched the Match Against Poverty with Zinédine Zidane and UNDP 10 years ago, said, "The struggle against poverty is not a game. But we use this match to raise both funds and awareness that the solution is in everyone's hands. We will use the proceeds to support solutions in my own country, as well as another program in Africa in which Brazil is actively engaged." UEFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina, who has refereed eight out of the nine editions to date, will again be in charge this year. Collina said, "As football is the world's most popular sport and poverty is a global challenge, the match is a wonderful instrument to mobilise people around the world to support all efforts to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can lead healthy, productive and rewarding lives." Ronaldo and Zidane are part of an elite group of UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors, which includes other football stars Didier Drogba, Iker Casillas and Marta (UEFA).
