Former professional football players such as Andy van der Meyde and Luc Nilis can be admired on the Borne amateur fields on Saturday. They play a benefit match with FC de Rebels for charity. The proceeds of the game against the veteran team of VV Born will go to a foundation that is committed to children with brain stem cancer.
FC de Rebels is an occasional team that consists of former professional football players with a rebellious character. The veteran team of the local football association from Born will kick off on Saturday against Sjaak Polak, Maurice Graef, Tommie van der Leegte, Gino Coutinho, Martijn Meerdink, Sander Keller, Rik Platvoet, Geoffrey Prommayon, Andwelé Slory, Leo Koswal, Geert den Ouden, Raymond Victoria, Rowin van Zaanen and Leonardo dos Santos Silva.
brain stem cancer
This Saturday the seniors of VV Born will play the game of their lives for a life that no longer exists. Five years ago, the 10-year-old daughter of one of the Born football players died of brain stem cancer. “If you see something like this happen to one of your teammates, it touches you enormously. That is why we decided two years ago that we would like to commit ourselves to the Semmy Foundation. They are committed to this terrible disease in children. In childhood cancer, the cure rate is now about 70 percent, unfortunately it is zero percent for a brain stem tumor. That is bizarre,” says Johan de Regter, the organizer of the benefit competition.
Emotional contest
This special match, which is led by former referee Roelof Luinge, should have taken place a year ago. Corona kept throwing soot in the food and so it always had to be moved. Now that all the lights are green, the game is getting closer and closer. And that also creates the necessary emotions. “For my teammate whose daughter has passed away, this will be a beautiful and at the same time a very difficult moment. You notice that as the event gets closer and closer, the sadness and pain of the loss of his daughter increasingly comes to the surface. But he is also very grateful that we have set up this campaign,” says De Regter.
Media
When the professional football players of the past who traveled to Born were announced, De Regter’s telephone was red hot. Media from home and abroad were particularly charmed by big names such as Andy van der Meyde, former player of Ajax, Internazionale, Everton and the Dutch national team, and Luc Nilis, former player of PSV and Anderlecht and ex- international of Belgium. “We are now receiving all kinds of calls from newspapers and news sites from Belgium. Luc Nilis is still one of the greatest Belgian footballers of all time and Andy van der Meyde speaks for itself with his career and character. It will in any case be a Saturday afternoon at We will never forget, but the most important thing is that we can raise a nice amount for the Semmy Foundation.”
The stars with a rebellious edge can be admired on Saturday from 4 p.m. at the sports complex of VV Born.