The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Paul Scholes out of Hong Kong’s World Football Masters Cup with illness, Ryan Giggs to lead his team

Manchester United legend unable to travel for Saturday’s match but Giggs added to line-up to lead the Scholes Legends side

Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James to play for Michael Owen’s All-Stars team after injury rules out fellow ex-Red Jerzy Dudek

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Ryan Giggs has been drafted in to take part in Saturday’s match in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:21pm, 16 Jan 2024Updated: 2:24pm, 16 Jan 2024

Former English Premier League stars Paul Scholes and Jerzy Dudek have been forced to drop out of the World Football Masters Cup just days before the exhibition match at Hong Kong Stadium.

Scholes has contracted pneumonia and was not able to make the trip, so the former Manchester United midfielder has drafted in ex-teammate Ryan Giggs, another member of United’s “Class of 92”, to lead the Scholes Legends team.

Giggs, who managed Wales from 2018 to 2022, will join his teammates on Friday, before featuring in the match against the Michael Owen All-Stars the next day. The 50-year-old is visiting Hong Kong for the first time in over five years, after making an appearance for a commercial event in 2018.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Dudek, who famously denied AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko with a point-blank save in the Uefa Champions League final in 2005, will also miss the Hong Kong match because of injury.

Paul Scholes can no longer head to Hong Kong this week after contracting pneumonia. Photo: Reuters

The organisers have brought in David James, who made 277 appearances for the Reds from 1992 to 1999, to play between the posts for Owen All-Stars.