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Loyal to their annual commitment, Ronaldo and Zidane have invited some of the world’s best known footballers to join them in the fifth “Match against Poverty: Ronaldo and friends vs. Zidane and friends”, to take place on November 19 2007, at the newly renovated stadium of La Rosaleda in Málaga (Spain). As Goodwill Ambassadors for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ronaldo and Zidane will each captain an international team for this friendly aimed at mobilizing the public in the fight against poverty.   The match will be broadcast by many television stations around the world. 

The AC Milan forward and the former captain of the French national team have been the driving force behind the Match Against Poverty since 2003. Ronaldo has just overcome an injury that has kept him out of action for several months and he is more eager than ever to return. “We need to continue mobilising the world of football to raise awareness on the importance of eradicating poverty in the neediest countries,” said the Brazilian player.

Zinedine Zidane, who retired from active football in 2006 after the World Cup in Germany, is in great shape and strongly motivated. “I am really looking forward to returning to the football field for such a just cause and being able to take on my friend Ronaldo,” said the French star.

The match will recall the urgency of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were adopted in 2000 by 191 heads of State and Government and re-affirmed at the UN Summit in 2005. The Goals seek to halve world poverty by 2015 by setting targets for rolling back hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. 

"I want to thank our Goodwill Ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane for their work in the fight against poverty.  As soccer players analyze the state of the match during half-time, we have reached our own half-time in the global campaign to fight poverty and reach the Millennium Development Goals," said  UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis. "In the first half we achieved some progress, but there is still much work to be done if the world community is to win the battle by 2015," he said.

For Francisco de la Torre, mayor of Málaga, “Our friendly city is honoured and proud to welcome the 5th Match against Poverty. We are eager to host major sport events, and nothing could be better than this major event supported by UNDP that combines sport and solidarity and will contribute to eradicating poverty around the world through the mobilisation of citizens.  I am convinced that we, the people of Malaga, will be able to respond to the challenge.”

Proceeds from the first three Matches have benefited anti-poverty projects ranging from support to female entrepreneurs to the construction of sports centres for street children and the disadvantaged, in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Bhutan, Comoros, Cuba, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Tanzania, and Vietnam. Proceeds from the sale of tickets for this Match against Poverty will help finance new UNDP projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

As always, the FIFA, football’s governing body, supports the match, while two leading sporting goods manufacturers, Adidas and Nike, are providing the equipment used by the teams. In partnership with UNDP, the match is being organized with the support of the City of Malaga and the Malaga Football Club, which is providing technical assistance.

Fernando Sanz, president of the Málaga Football Club, stated that: “It is an honour for Málaga and for our Club to cooperate in the fight against poverty in the world. At the same time, it is also a great responsibility, because we have to fill the Rosaleda Stadium. I would like to invite all football fans in our city to respond unanimously and favourably to make this Match Against Poverty a great football event and a wonderful demonstration of solidarity.”