Europe XI v Africa XI
Date29 January 1997
VenueEstádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
RefereeVitor Melo Pereira (Portugal)
Attendance8,000

Europe XI v Africa XI (1997) was a friendly football match that took place on 29 January 1997 at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, between a European select side and an African select side.[1] The match was jointly organized by UEFA and CAF as part of the European Year against Racism.[2] The African XI won 2–1 with goals from Abedi Pele and Mustapha Hadji.[3]

Background

The European Union's "Year Against Racism" started with an exhibition match between All-Star teams representing Europe and Africa. The following day, UEFA, European football's ruling body, and CAF, its African counterpart, held their first joint-executive meeting in Lisbon where they signed a friendship agreement which ended years of barely concealed hostility. The agreement obliged the two confederations to "undertake extensive co-operation in all football-related matters as partners with equal rights".[3]

The European side, selected by Rinus Michels and Berti Vogts, had a 17-man squad which contained four players who were among Germany's Euro 96 winners, including their captain, Jürgen Klinsmann, as well as the Dutch twin brothers Ronald and Frank de Boer, and Zvonimir Boban, Milan's Croat midfielder. While many of the world's top players were involved, there were no English players in the European squad as the Premier League had a packed schedule that night. No players from eastern European clubs were involved either, because of their winter break. The African All-Stars 18-man squad, selected by Rabah Madjer and Mawade Wade, included four of Nigeria's Olympic gold-medal winning squad and two of South Africa's African championship winning squad.[2]

Selecting Benfica's Stadium of Light to host the event was a deliberate choice serving to recognise the enormous contribution that Benfica's greatest player, Eusébio, had made to European football. Benfica had players in both squads, with Portugal's João Pinto in the European camp and Paulo António of Angola, in the African. Because the intention was to give everybody a game, both teams were allowed to use two re-substitutions - the sending back on a player previously substituted - in the event of second-half injuries. As a continuing part of the anti-racism initiative, the under-17 Meridian Cup, which comprises four nations from each continent, kicked off two days later.[2]

Match

Europe XI1 – 2Africa XI
Guérin 43' Pele 14'
Hadji 78'
Attendance: 8,000
EUROPE XI:
GK20Netherlands Edwin van der Sardownward-facing red arrow 60'
SW16Germany Matthias Sammer (c)downward-facing red arrow 46'
CB4Netherlands Frank de Boer
CB11Germany Jürgen Kohler
DM7France Vincent Guérin
DM14Portugal Paulinho Santosdownward-facing red arrow 46'
RM2Croatia Zvonimir Boban
AM15Portugal Rui Costadownward-facing red arrow 46'
LM5Netherlands Ronald de Boer
SS9Portugal João Pintodownward-facing red arrow 46'
CF10Germany Jürgen Klinsmanndownward-facing red arrow 46'
Substitutions:
GK1Russia Stanislav Cherchesovupward-facing green arrow 60'
DF6Switzerland Stéphane Henchozupward-facing green arrow 46'
MF12Germany Andreas Möllerupward-facing green arrow 46'
MF13Czech Republic Pavel Nedvědupward-facing green arrow 46'
FW3Italy Pierluigi Casiraghiupward-facing green arrow 46'
FW6Portugal Domingos Paciênciaupward-facing green arrow 46'
Manager:
Germany Berti Vogts
Netherlands Rinus Michels
AFRICA XI:
GK20South Africa Andre Arendsedownward-facing red arrow 46'
CB2Ghana Frank Amankwah
CB16Nigeria Taribo West
CB5South Africa Mark Fish
RM7Nigeria Sunday Oliseh
CM12Egypt Radwan Yasserdownward-facing red arrow 65'
CM14Algeria Moussa Saïbdownward-facing red arrow 58'
LM10Ghana Abedi Pele (c)
RF3Nigeria Tijani Babangidadownward-facing red arrow 58'
CF8Ivory Coast Ahmed Ouattara
LF9Angola Paulãodownward-facing red arrow 64'
Substitutions:
GK1Nigeria Abiodun Baruwaupward-facing green arrow 46'
MF6Morocco Mustapha Hadjiupward-facing green arrow 58'
FW4Mozambique Chiquinho Condeupward-facing green arrow 64'
FW11Angola Quinzinhoupward-facing green arrow 58'
FW15Senegal Souleyman Sanéupward-facing green arrow 65'
Manager:
Algeria Rabah Madjer
Senegal Mawade Wade

Assistant referees:
João Esteves (Portugal)
Carlos Matos (Portugal)

References

  1. International Matches 1997 - Other
  2. 1 2 3 "Football: Europe v Africa match makes history". The Independent. 29 January 1997. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  3. 1 2 Metcalf, Rupert (31 January 1997). "Football around the world". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
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