South Korean football fans were in for a special treat on Sunday as some of the greatest football legends gathered at the Seoul World Cup Stadium for a truly unique match.
The “Nexon Icons Match” brought together legendary attackers and defenders for an unforgettable showdown.
On one side, we had Shield FC, a team of defensive legends led by Fabio Cannavaro. The line-up included stars like Rio Ferdinand, Carles Puyol, Nemanja Vidic, Andrea Pirlo, Javier Mascherano, Clarence Seedorf, Leonardo Bonucci, Edwin Van der Sar, Ricardo Carvalho, John Arne Riise, Adilson, and Yaya Toure.
Opposing them was FC Spear, coached by Thierry Henry, featuring attacking icons like Kaka, Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard, Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Luis Figo, Michael Owen, Andriy Shevchenko, Marouane Fellaini, Alessandro Del Piero, Diego Forlan, and Rivaldo.
The unique part? Shield FC had no traditional forwards, while FC Spear had no real defenders, making for some interesting formations. Henry himself played as a fullback for FC Spear, alongside strikers Berbatov, Drogba, and Tevez, who completed the backline. Meanwhile, Shield FC lined up with Toure, Riise, and Seedorf in their front three!
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Despite the unusual line-ups, the defenders had more attacking success early on, with Yaya Toure and Clarence Seedorf giving Shield FC a 2-0 lead within the first 18 minutes. The 62,000 fans in attendance watched as Shield FC comfortably held off FC Spear’s attacks for the rest of the half.
A fun highlight came when former Spurs fullback Lee Young-pyo used some cheeky stepovers to send Michael Owen tumbling—showing why Owen usually stuck to scoring goals rather than defending them!
After halftime, Shield FC increased their lead with goals from Park Joo-ho and Javier Mascherano, making it 4-0. South Korean legend Park Ji-sung managed a late consolation goal for FC Spear, but it wasn’t enough to turn things around.
The event was clearly a hit with the players too. Ferdinand, Vidic, Van der Sar, Berbatov, and Park Ji-sung even took some time to explore Seoul, sharing a fun photo of themselves wearing traditional South Korean robes. Ferdinand humorously captioned it: “When Ji takes us shopping in Seoul.”
After the match, Seedorf shared his thoughts: “It was the most heartwarming feeling. We enjoyed playing together, and the fans made it fun. Besides playing, we also got to experience a bit of Korean culture, which was amazing.”
Berbatov echoed the sentiment: “I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome. The hospitality was amazing, and it felt like home. Playing with old friends and seeing familiar faces was special, and while the defenders deserved to win, I hope everyone enjoyed the entertainment!”
All in all, it was a memorable experience for both the players and fans, proving that even legends never lose their competitive spirit!
