‘Ewan McGregor asking for minimum £10 donation for Soccer Aid in cost of living crisis’: Brits slam ‘millionaire’ celebrities telling them to ‘dig deep’ – and demand teams are ‘fair’ next year as World XI team win yet again
England football fans are up in arms over the ‘unfair’ Soccer Aid celebrity football match after a World XI team packed with stars won again as some slammed the decision to set minimum donations at £10 during a cost of living crisis.
England were beaten for a fifth consecutive year at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Sunday night by a side managed by new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino and captained by Usain Bolt.
Bolt scored the opening goal with Sex Education star Asa Butterfield scoring the equaliser with his first touch. Paul Scholes put the Three Lions ahead before coming off injured. And then World XI’s Robbie Keane scored twice and then Kem Cetinay bagged another in a 4-2 win. Many viewers said the teams were mismatched.
Soccer Aid for United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) 2023 had raised more than £14.6 million by the time the match was over.
But while praising the fundraising, many viewers were left furious and demanded to know how much the stars of the event donated – while urging them to ‘dig deep’ in cost of living crisis – when they learned that donations of £5 were not being accepted.
One critic said: ‘Got to love multi millionaire Ewan McGregor asking for minimum of £10 donations for Soccer Aid in a cost of living crisis’. Another said: ‘The whole thing strikes me as a massive con. How much are they getting paid?’. A third wrote: ‘Is it ever disclosed how much these celebs and stars donate towards the cause?? Just curious since their repeatedly banging the drum to donate at least £10. What happened to what you can afford??’ A fourth said: ‘Cost of living crisis and @socceraid wont let me donate a fiver so had to give a tenner.’
Players of World XI lift the Soccer Aid winners shield following Soccer Aid for Unicef 2023 at Old Trafford
Soccer Aid 2023 presenters Alex Scott and Dermot O’Leary on to the Old Trafford pitch
Viewers were unhappy at the minimum donations
Several people said they had wanted to donate but were unhappy with the £10 minimum donation level.
‘There’s something quite special about celebrities telling us to donate our hard earned money to charity #SoccerAid,’ another added, as a third suggested: #SoccerAid charge all celebrities 50 grand each to play, see who cares enough. Also get celebrities to donate, not the general public. Much fairer.’
One Twitter user said: ”To give £40, £30, £20 or £10!!!!’ #SoccerAid. Here’s an idea. Forget showing a bunch of celebs living their dreams “again” and make them donate’.
Another wrote: ‘Cost of living crisis and @socceraid wont let me donate a fiver so had to give a tenner.’
‘Is it ever disclosed how much these celebs and stars donate towards the cause??just curious since their repeatedly banging the drum to donate at least £10. What happened to what you can afford??
‘What’s this soccer aid malarkey coming up at the top of the tele telling me to donate £40 in the middle of this cozzy livs,’ another viewer pondered.
Stormzy was given his managerial debut as he oversaw a star-studded England team
Newly appointed Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino (right) managed the World XI side
The world’s fastest man Usain Bolt (right) opened the scoring in the end-to-end game
Ex-Man United midfielder Paul Scholes (right) scored a long-range goal before limping off
Kem Cetinay (left) scored the final goal to become the tournament’s top goalscorer
The World XI are Soccer Aid 2023 champions after beating England at Old Trafford
The World XI team has stormed to victory in celebrity football match Soccer Aid with a 4-2 victory.
England were beaten for a fifth consecutive year, at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Sunday.
Usain Bolt captained his side to another success in a team also featuring footballing legends Hernan Crespo and Roberto Carlos, while England were captained by Euros-winning Lioness Jill Scott.
Women’s World Cup winner Heather O’Reilly was in midfield, and she was joined by the likes of Crespo, Carlos, Darren Fletcher and Francesco Totti. They also had Ben Foster in goal, who is still a professional with Wrexham.
Aside from their captain Scott, the England side features a number of other England legends with the likes of Karen Carney, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Jack Wilshere, Jermaine Defoe, Gary Cahill and David James all in the squad.
Viewers suggested that the teams were a mismatch.
Tom Hiddleston during Soccer Aid for Unicef 2023 at Old Trafford, which raised millions
Jill Scott poses for a selfie with fans
World XI captain and Olympian Usain Bolt scored the first goal of the match before half-time.
Sex Education star Asa Butterfield got England level in the second half, just before long-distance runner Sir Mo Farah tackled Bolt to the ground.
Minutes later, former Manchester United player Paul Scholes scored for England before needing treatment on the pitch.
Former Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane then grabbed the spotlight, with his World XI team’s second and third goals.
Love Island star Kem Cetinay, who commentators said is the all-time top goal-scorer in Soccer Aid history, then made it 4-2.
Ahead of the match, rapper Stormzy, who was part of England’s management team, sounded confident, saying: ‘We just need to bring it home, that’s the main thing.’
The grime star added that his team should end its losing streak ‘today’.
Making his first appearance for England, Loki star Tom Hiddleston said: ‘I’m out there with some of the greatest players in the world and my resolution is to just work hard, run all day, stay alert.’
Hiddleston also encouraged fans in the stadium to donate and light up the stadium ahead of Tom Grennan singing Here to the crowd.
The 28-year-old singer, who is a Manchester United fan, became the first Soccer Aid player to play in the match and give a live half-time performance.