Krieger, Pope, and Harkes to play in Mia Hamm Celebrity Soccer Challange

The celebrity partipant list is starting to shape up for the upcoming Mia Hamm Celebrity Soccer Challange.

For the first time in its history Washington, D.C. will host the annual Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra Celebrity Soccer Challenge on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at Kastles Stadium. Celebrities, professional athletes and local media personalities will participate in the 7 on 7 soccer match to support the Mia Hamm Foundation and Children’s National Medical Center. 





Confirmed players to date include:  

U.S. Women’s National Team players Alex Morgan and Ali Krieger have signed on to support the game. Morgan was the youngest player on this year’s World Cup team and made a big impact with two goals in five games. Krieger (Dumfries, VA) played every minute of the 2011 World Cup and has 24 caps in her career.

NBA star Jeff Green (Hyattsville, MD), who played collegiately at Georgetown University and now for the Boston Celtics. He was taken 5th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Celtics and after a trade to Seattle was subsequently named to the 2008 NBA All-Rookie team. Green was traded back to the Celtics this past year and had a great playoff run. 

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson is a native of Natick, MA and naturally a fan of former Red Sox ace Nomar Garciaparra growing up. In his first full season he was named to the 2010-11 NHL All-Rookie Team.

Former DC United and Hall of Famer Eddie Pope returns to the pitch. Pope was a three-time World Cup competitor and played 11 seasons for DC United. Pope was voted into the 2011 Soccer Hall of Fame class earlier this year.

FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will leave the sidelines and return to the pitch to play. As good as a player as he was he may be a better coach. He became the youngest UEFA Champions League winning coach in his first year and in his second won six titles in six competitions. Also, playing from FC Barcelona will be legendary goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta.

John Harkes was the first American ever to play in the English Premier League is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He appeared in two FIFA World Cup tournaments, and won two MLS Cup titles with DC United. Now Harkes is a color commentator for the MLS on ESPN.

Host of ESPN’s Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption’s “stat boy” Tony Reali will display his soccer skills in the challenge.  

Area media members scheduled to participate include Mike Wise, a Washington Post columnist and host of WJFK The Fans’ Mike Wise Show;  Ivan Carter, the host of Comcast SportsNet Washington Post Live; WRC NBC4 sports anchor Dan Hellie;  Pamela Brown and Britt McHenry of WJLA ABC 7. WTOP sports director and DC United TV announcer Dave Johnson will bring his signature call of “It’s in the Net!” to Kastles Stadium. 

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

The annual soccer challenge is hosted by the Mia Hamm Foundation to create awareness on bone marrow diseases and assist in growing the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, now called Be The Match. The challenge will feature 30 celebrities and professional athletes. Immediately following the game, participants will be available for photos and autographs with fans and spectators. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit http://celebritysoccerchallenge.com/.