When Eni Aluko steps out in front of more than 70,000 fans at Old Trafford this summer, she'll be living out a childhood dream.
The former Chelsea and England striker will form part of an all-star lineup, which also includes the likes of Sir Mo Farah and singer Tom Grennan, at Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2023.
Since its inception in 2006, the initiative has raised over £75 million for UNICEF, with the funds generated helping thousands of children across the globe to get the best possible start in life.
For Aluko, who grew up a staunch Manchester United fan, taking to the field at the Theatre of Dreams for such a noble cause will be an especially poignant moment.
"I’ve never played at Old Trafford before and I was a Man Utd fan growing up," she told Mirror FootbalI. "I was obsessed with Man Utd so playing there is a bit of a childhood dream that has been reawakened.
"It’s always great to team up with former players that I watched when I was a kid - the likes of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes. And then you’ve got Usain Bolt on the opposite team so it’s all a bit surreal sometimes.
"You rock up and end up training with these guys so it can be a bit nerve-racking as well. I’m obviously retired now so I don’t play football that regularly any more.
"I keep myself fit but football fitness is very different as I found out when I came on for the last 10 minutes last year and I was chasing Cafu down the wing!"
Aluko, who has become one of the most sought-after pundits, will also get the chance to link up with some familiar faces at Old Trafford. Lionesses legend and Queen of the Jungle Jill Scott will become the first female Soccer Aid captain, while Aluko's former teammate Karen Carney will also be joining England's ranks.
"What a character, what a person," Aluko said, reflecting on what Scott will bring to the table. "This will be her first year so it will be guaranteed laughs and good vibes.
"She’s obviously a great footballer too and probably one of the fittest players I’ve ever played with so she’ll be bossing the midfield. Obviously I know Kaz Carney very well and Emma Hayes is managing the team too so it’s always great to see former female pros and coaches getting stuck in and doing a great job. It will be great fun."
While the world's biggest charity football match once again looks set to be a highly entertaining affair, Aluko's main motivation for getting involved is supporting a cause that is very close to her heart.
"We’ve got to remember why we’re doing this," she said. "It’s about children and really appreciating life and how privileged we are to be able to help children around the world.
"What people don’t see is the presentations that we get in the days leading up to the game. Last year, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house because it was so powerful and poignant for us to see and understand what some of these kids are going through.
"That’s why we’re doing it and I think there’s always record numbers raised by Soccer Aid so hopefully it’s the same this year."
The Three Lions have not won a Soccer Aid for UNICEF match since 2018 and, while Aluko is confident this year's line-up is strong enough to reclaim England's crown, there's one player in the World XI that could prove difficult to contain.
"Usain Bolt with his speed will definitely be a threat. If Gary Neville's at the back and Usain is charging down the wing, then we’ll be praying," Aluko joked.
"I was confident we could win it last year. When I looked at our team I was like ‘wow this is a team of superstars but obviously we ended up losing on penalties, which tends to be the historic curse with England but we’ll definitely go for it this year. It’s at Old Trafford - the Theatre of Dreams - so we can only dream."
Soccer Aid For UNICEF will take place at Old Trafford on June 11 2023. Tickets are on sale now here with a family of four able to attend for just £60 – two adults and two children.
