Sick of showing up for your Sunday League match with half your team hungover and the other half 15 minutes late? Tired of getting your ass handed to you by organized opposition in your local amateur league? Are you just over teammates who take free kicks with all the power and accuracy of a plastic bag blowing in the wind? Well, if you’ve got £5, you can change all of that — at least for one game.
Footballing legends Roberto Carlos and Eni Aluko are currently up for grabs on eBay as part of a charity campaign by Football Beyond Borders. For a mere £5 (about $6.80), your amateur team can have a chance sign Carlos or Aluko on a one-match contract.
THE DREAM TRANSFER WINDOW IS OPEN. From today you can enter the @ebay_uk #DreamTransfer competition to sign me to play for your Saturday or Sunday League team. Entries cost £5 with all proceeds donated to @FootballBeyondBorders! Enter here: https://t.co/RJeu3x8ly7 #ad pic.twitter.com/nmJ6PIW13U
— Roberto Carlos (@Oficial_RC3) January 7, 2022
From now until Jan. 28, anyone can buy a ticket to the raffle to win a chance at Carlos or Aluko playing for their amateur side for a match. The winners will play with their chosen icon in February. Unfortunately for those not in England, teams must be registered with the English FA for Carlos or Aluko to join.
There is no limit to the number of entries teams can buy as it’s all to raise money for Football Beyond Borders, a charity that “uses the power of football to transform the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.” To bid on Carlos or Aluko, click here.
Eniola Aluko, 34, is a retired forward who made more than 100 appearances for the Three Lionesses to go with a lengthy career that included stops at Chelsea, Juventus and Sky Blue FC. Aluko was born in Nigeria but moved to England before she turned 1; she is currently the sporting director for NWSL expansion club Angel City FC.
Roberto Carlos, 48, is arguably the greatest left back of all time. The Brazilian World Cup winner played for Palmeiras, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, where he won three Champions Leagues titles. He’ll always be remembered for his inimitable free kicks, such as this one he scored against France in 1997.
Simplemente Roberto Carlos. Crack!!! pic.twitter.com/SZYDM99K2p
— ☛ Momentos Virales ☛ (@momentoviral) January 9, 2022
Imagine showing up to a Sunday League match with that man on your side. Sure, he’s nearly 50, but he’s recently shown he’s still got a magical left foot.
Here’s the copy on the eBay posting for Carlos:
“Roberto Carlos AKA The Bullet Man AKA Roberto Dazzler. Free-kicks fiercer than your Sunday morning hangover. Leaving the beaches and ice cold bombeirinhos behind, I’m coming to England, primed for muddy pitches, pies and pints. Get ready lads, this World Cup Winner is coming for the real trophy: Sunday League Football.
- 5ft6 and full of fun
- Best “R” out of Brazil – Ronald-who?
- Screamers, no tap-ins • 106mp/h banana kicks
- 100m in 10.8s (once…)
- Prime time Brazilian Beef, no refunds, no trading clauses.”
And here’s the posting for Aluko:
“Eni Aluko. Former Lioness. Tearing up pitches and banging hat tricks since ’87. International goal-scorer, business woman, first primetime female pundit. Put down the ball and picked up the mic, but if we’re talking Sunday League Football? I’m back on the market.
- 5ft3 (and deadly)
- Brumtown raised (rain can’t phase me)
- Like my goals poached, but I won't say no to the odd scramble
- How's my touch? You'll see.
- Feedback guaranteed
- I’m a trained lawyer in case it all kicks off. Serious bids only.”
Currently, 775 raffle tickets have been sold, 728 of which are for Carlos. That’s £3,875 ($5,278) raised for charity, which isn’t bad, but honestly I think the Brits can do better. When are you ever going to get an opportunity like this again? At the very least, I feel like there are half a dozen Premier League clubs who could benefit from a match with Roberto Carlos in the squad.
Hopefully we see something similar to this in the U.S. I’d love to show up to The18’s next annual friendly with Michelle Akers on my side.
