The East Stand

Coronavirus charity football match? European teams missing an open goal with Wuhan Zall

Manchester United are staying on Costa del Sol on winter break and could easily play snubbed Chinese side Wuhan Zall

Football has been big on charity in recent years with annual legends and celebrity matches part of the calendar

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Manchester United 1999 Legends player David Beckham celebrates scoring during the Treble Reunion 20th anniversary match against FC Bayern Legends at Old Trafford. Photo: AFP

Formerly of the South China Morning Post, Jonathan White has written about sport from China for nearly 15 years, and covered the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Fifa World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Published: 8:43am, 11 Feb 2020Updated: 8:43am, 11 Feb 2020

Football loves a cause. Just last weekend the English game got behind the “Heads Up” for mental health and a few weeks ago the FA Cup third round games all kicked off a minute late to highlight the same campaign.

We have had the annual rainbow laces campaign for LGBT charity Stonewall and Paul Pogba asked his Manchester United teammates to train in anti-racism wristbands earlier in the season.

Every week there is a nod here and there and sometimes it is more than that with full-scale charity games.

Liverpool Legends will take on their Barcelona counterparts on March 28 in the fourth annual game at Anfield for their Liverpool Foundation.

Liverpool Legends’ Steven Gerrard scores against Real Madrid Legends at Anfield. Photo: Reuters

Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres will line up for a Reds side managed by Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush, while the likes of Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert and Javier Saviola will turn out for the Catalan giants.