Soccer Players and Charity Works
For all the examples of soccer players who use their money to feed their hedonistic needs, there are some who give back to the communities they grew up in, and the world at large.
Many have taken to being “goodwill ambassadors” for UNICEF, including David Beckham, Ivan Zamorano, Francesco Totti, Kanu, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Luis Figo, and even Diego Forlan (Manchester United fans might be a bit surprised to hear that he does have enough skill to make lending his name to UNICEF mean anything).
Other UN agencies have gotten to use soccer players’ names in their campaigns: Ronaldo became a “Messenger of Peace and Goodwill” for the United Nations Development Program and recently teamed up with Zidane to promote a “green” 2010 World Cup.
The bald, head-butting Frenchman has done much other charity work as well. He seems to delight in simply traveling to other countries and glad-handing the locals. Earlier this month he was off to his ancestral homeland of Algeria after a trip earlier this year to Bangladesh on an invitation by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.
Very often, players choose charity work that is close to their own upbringings. Ronaldinho, who grew up in the desparately poor favelas of Brazil, last year signed up to help the UN to reduce global poverty. Just this past week, he opened the Ronaldinho Institute to help poor children growing up in his hometown of Porto Alegre.
But for pure off-the-wall charity work, you need look no further than to former Brazilian hardman and current national team coach Dunga. The flat-topped, square-jawed Dunga has lent his name to promoting the rights of Native Brazilians, including appearing at last year’s “Indigenous Games.” Despite being a borderline dirty player, Dunga’s commitment to this less sexy issue deserves praise.
