Colombian football legends to play charity match for earthquake relief

Former Colombian football captain Mario Yepes is organizing a charity match titled ‘Levantemos a Colombia’ to support families and communities affected by the earthquake that struck the country on August 10. The event will take place this Friday at the El Campín stadium in Bogotá.

The match will feature 36 legendary players, including Radamel Falcao García, Carlos ‘el Pibe’ Valderrama, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Camilo Zúñiga, and Faryd Mondragón. The teams will be managed by Francisco ‘Pacho’ Maturana and René Higuita.

Tickets for the event sold out within two days. The initiative, organized alongside Sencia and the Agencia Hero, aims to convert the passion for football into essential resources for earthquake victims. Yepes, a native of Cali—one of the cities most impacted by the disaster—stated that the initiative arose from a desire to use the players' unique skills to provide meaningful aid during what he described as one of the most difficult weeks in recent years.