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England is gearing up for a football extravaganza this summer, as it prepares to host the first-ever Over-35s World Cup, a thrilling new competition that promises to bring back some of the most celebrated legends of the game.
The tournament, named the EPG Cup, is the brainchild of the Elite Players Group (EPG), a coalition of legendary footballers and savvy sports businessmen who are bringing a fresh twist to the beautiful game.
Star-Studded Lineup for a Historic Tournament
With eight teams on the roster, including past FIFA World Cup champions like England, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Uruguay, the tournament is set to light up the football world.
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Scheduled to kick off in early June, the competition will see seven matches played over a week in a yet-to-be-announced stadium, with Premier League giants from the North of England being considered as potential hosts as reported by Daily Mail.
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The EPG Cup is setting a high bar for eligibility, opening the doors exclusively to players aged 35 and above who have either been capped by their country or have made a century of top-flight appearances.
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The initiative is led by an impressive lineup of captains, each a founder member of the EPG. Steve McManaman will wear the armband for England, with other teams led by icons like Esteban Cambiasso, Emerson, Christian Karembeu, Kevin Kuranyi, Marco Materazzi, Michel Salgado, and Diego Lugano.
A Feast of Football Legends
The provisional squads read like a who's who of football royalty, boasting five former Ballon d’Or winners including Michael Owen, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Fabio Cannavaro.
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England's squad is particularly star-studded, with the likes of Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, David James, Frank Lampard, and Robbie Fowler already enlisted to play.
Other football greats rumoured to participate include Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Thierry Henry, Marcel Desailly, Hernan Crespo, Pablo Zabaleta, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, David Villa, Carlos Puyol, Francesco Totti, and Diego Forlan.
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Adapting to the needs of its esteemed participants, the EPG Cup will feature 11-a-side matches that last 70 minutes, with teams allowed to make unlimited substitutions from their 18-man squads.
The tournament's structure is set to include quarter-finals on June 4 and 5, semi-finals on June 8, and the grand finale on June 11.
Organizers are confident in their ability to pull off the logistics of this landmark event in the tight window between the Champions League final and the start of Euro 2024, promising football fans around the world an unforgettable spectacle of nostalgia, skill, and sportsmanship.
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