Ghana star Michael Essien is planning to host another big football match in the country in June following the huge success of the previous game he organised.
The Real Madrid star has confirmed he will organise a charity football match between Africa 11 and World 11 in Accra on 8 June.
The match dubbed the “Essien Game of Hope†and it will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium, the venue of a charity game two years ago that attracted some of the world's biggest football stars.
“This year it will be the ‘Essien Game of Hope’ as he looks to raise funds for five charities (to be selected) in Ghana,†the midfielder’s official website said.
â€I am excited about the latest chapter in the work of the Michael Essien Foundation.
"We have decided to organise another Africa 11 v World 11 game in Accra on the 8th of June 2013 and this time we are calling it the ‘Game of Hope’.
"I have always aimed to provide hope and inspiration to ordinary people so they can make the most of their lives.
â€Our aim is to bring world stars (past and present) to Accra just as we did in 2011 and to hopefully use the game to raise enough funds for those in need.
"The Peace game was mainly to spread the peace message but the Game of Hope will be used to raise funds for the needy in our society.â€
Some big names like Ashley Cole, Freddy Ljunberg, Nigel Di Jong, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Emmanuel Adebayor and Asamoah Gyan as well as Stephen Appiah played in the game with Marcel Desailly and George Weah coaching the two teams.
Essien hoped that Ghanaians will turn out in their numbers to “support us again just as they did in 2011. We are lining up some big names and I am confident we can get them all back to Ghana again."
Organisers of the event indicated that the players will be flown to Accra on a private plane a day before the match.