It’s a complete honour – Sam Thompson to deliver match ball for Soccer Aid

TV personality Sam Thompson has said he feels honoured to be transporting the Soccer Aid for Unicef match ball more than 260 miles from last year’s stadium to this year’s.

Beginning on June 2 and finishing on June 6, Thompson will need to run a marathon a day, as well as cycle, to ensure the match ball is delivered ahead of kick-off on Sunday June 15 from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford, this year’s venue.

Speaking about the upcoming challenge, Thompson, who is taking part in his second Soccer Aid for Unicef, told the PA news agency: “It’s a complete honour, if I’m honest with you.

“I’m not a runner, I’m not an athlete.

Thompson said Unicef feels like a ‘family’ to him (Unicef/Soccer Aid Productions/Stella Pictures)

“I go to the gym every now and then, but more for upper body, I don’t think I’ve ever trained legs in my life.

“The most I’ve run is 8k and I haven’t really been training for that long, so it’s something that I’m very nervous for and I have nightmares about as I just don’t want to let anyone down.”

Along the way, he will be visiting popular UK football stadiums including Goodison Park in Liverpool and Villa Park in Birmingham, in a bid to raise as much money as he can for Unicef.

He said the charity team feels like a “family” to him and he was “lucky enough” to visit Unicef-supported initiatives in Guatemala last month to see first-hand how funds raised are helping children.

He visited the Juego Limpio Fair Play football programme in Solola, giving children a safe space to play and learn through sport.

Sam Thompson joined boys and girls, aged nine to 12, to play football at Unicef-supported Juego Limpio Fair Play football programme supporting children in Solola, Guatemala (Unicef/Volpe/PA)

He also went to an early development Centre in Solola, providing toddlers with early education and a respite for parents doing all they can to provide for their families.

He reflected on an encounter he had with a young girl there who since attending the centre exuded positivity despite the challenges her family faces living in poverty.

“There was this girl called Dany who was three years old. She was helping her mum do the laundry, she was taking my hand and saying ‘come play with me’,” he explained.

“She lived in an environment that no child should have to – she had a toy box and there were more cockroaches than toys in the toy box.

“It’s so sad but also you see so much happiness.

Sam Thompson visited mother Magda and her daughter Dany, three, in Solola, Guatemala (Unicef/Volpe/PA)

“What Unicef is trying to do is give children in these really tough situations that chance to just succeed and going out and watching how they do that in Guatemala was mindblowing.”

With Soccer Aid for Unicef edging ever closer, he said he is looking forward to meeting former professional boxer Tyson Fury, who is going to be one of the managers for England at the event.

“I cannot wait to welcome him with open arms and take his bag to his room if he needs, maybe get him a tea of a coffee,” he said.

Asked to describe Soccer Aid using one word, Thompson said: “Ethereal.”

Elaborating, he said: “It doesn’t feel like it’s real.

“It honestly feels like it’s straight from a Disney movie.

Sam Thompson taking part in Soccer Aid last year (Unicef/Soccer Aid Productions/Stella Pictures)

“You have all these people from different walks of life and with different talents coming together for the same reason – to try and raise as much money as we can for Unicef.”

Dr Philip Goodwin, chief executive officer for Unicef UK, said: “We’re so proud of Sam for taking on this immense challenge raising funds for Unicef – a first for the Soccer Aid for Unicef campaign and at a crucial time for children.

“All over the world, children are facing devastating crises – from cuts to global aid, relentless war and climate change to hunger and disease – threatening their lives, their childhoods and their right to play.”

You can get behind Thompson and donate to his Match Ball Mission for Soccer Aid for Unicef now, by visiting https://www.socceraid.org.uk/challenge

This year, thanks to the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, every donation made to Soccer Aid for Unicef will be doubled – up to £5 million.