Football heroes to compete in Sharjah padel tennis event

The UAE hosts former football legends like Brazilian goalie Dida, Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf, Italian striker Francesco Totti and others to compete in an exciting padel-tennis tournament. (WAM)

• Brazilian goalkeeper Dida, Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf among 16 former stars in lineup
• Players will also take part in launch of Sharjah International Footgolf Tournament

SHARJAH: The UAE will host former football legends, including Brazilian goalie Dida, Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf and Italian striker Francesco Totti, at a padel tennis event, as well as the region’s first official footgolf tournament.
The 16 retired stars from around the world will compete in a padel tennis contest at Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa.
They will also take part in the launch of the Sharjah International Footgolf Tournament, which is being held from Jan. 12-14, Emirates News Agency reported on Wednesday.
Some of football’s biggest names, including Dida, Seedorf and Totti, who remains the top goalscorer and most capped player in the history of AS Roma, will travel to Sharjah along other stars such as Diego Fuser, Beppe Signori, Ibrahim Ba, Enrico Annoni, Stefano Eranio, Donadoni, Cristian Zaccardo, Luca Antonini, Massimo Oddo, Cristian Brocchi, Sebastien Frey, Dario Marcolin and Costacurta.
The region’s first tournament of its kind will be held at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, crown prince and deputy ruler of Sharjah.
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority in collaboration with Air Arabia invited the football stars in an initiative to promote Sharjah’s events and highlight the emirate’s tourist destinations, while also encouraging the exchange of cultures through sporting activities, such as padel tennis and footgolf.
Khalid Jasim Al-Midfa, SCTDA’s chairman, said: “In Sharjah, the government is committed to organizing and hosting events that align with the overall development goals of the region, address the needs of the community, and promote healthy and enjoyable lifestyles through sports.”
The two-day padel tennis event, which kicks off on Jan. 13, will include eight teams, each with two players.
SCTDA is organizing the first official footgolf tournament in the region, with 140 players from more than 20 nationalities competing for total prizemoney of $40,000.
Footgolf is a hybrid sport that combines the rules and principles of golf with the skill and athleticism of soccer. It is played on a golf course, but instead of using clubs and balls, players kick a soccer ball toward a hole in the ground or a barrel.