ENGLAND beat the world yesterday in a football match to remember World Cup winning football hero Alan Ball.
In a match billed as England vs The World, showbusiness personalities including Liverpool actor David Morrissey and Hollyoaks actor Ricky Whittle played alongside footballers Jamie Redknapp, Paul Ince and Peter Shilton at Milton Keynes’ Stadium:mk.
Ex-Everton player and Scotland captain Richard Gough, former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland great John Aldridge, and Everton and Wales keeper Neville Southall played for The World.
The England team won 4-2 after a match that was enlivened by comedy antics from boxer Frank Bruno as well as three goals and a penalty shot from the rest of the team.
Mr Ball, who died in April aged 61, was the youngest member of the England team that beat West Germany 41 years ago yesterday.
Matt Le Tissier, Graeme Le Saux, Paul Merson and Les Ferdinand were on the team sheet joined by actor Danny Dyer, Life on Mars’ John Simm, broadcaster Angus Deayton, rugby world cup winners Ben Cohen and Matt Dawson, Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell, Radio 1’s JK, musician David Gray, pop band McFly and Mr Bruno.
Foreign players lining up against the England team included Italia 90 legend Toto Schillaci, Serie A striker Giuseppe Signori, and German heroes Steffen Freund and Matthias Sammer.
Before kick off at 7pm the crowd were entertained by a pre-match game between the stars of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Alan Ball’s son Jimmy Ball said the match was a “great honour”.
He said: “It’s something my Dad would have loved to have played in and it’s great that all these players are turning out to pay tribute to him.
“It’s going to be a great day and a celebration of a great man.”
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