Former Premier League footballers Pepe Reina, Marcos Alonso and John Arne Riise are among the second group of household names to be confirmed for this month’s charity ‘Battle of…
Former Premier League footballers Pepe Reina, Marcos Alonso and John Arne Riise are among the second group of household names to be confirmed for this month’s charity ‘Battle of Stars’ golf tournament in Mallorca.
Taking place at Pula Golf Resort and Son Servera Golf Club from June 11-13, the ‘Battle of Stars’ brings together celebrities from the worlds of sport and entertainment to unite against ALS and multiple sclerosis.
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Reina is best remembered in the UK for making almost 400 appearances in goal for Liverpool FC, but also represented Barcelona, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Napoli and more. Riise is another Liverpool hero, while Alonso won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and FA Cup with Chelsea.
Former tennis world no. 1 Ana Ivanovic and La Liga star Luis Milla are also among the latest additions to a stellar line-up.
The new announcement also confirms that headline name Rafael Nadal will be joined by his uncles, former coach Toni Nadal and Barcelona icon Miguel Àngel Nadal. Footballing legends Gabriel Batistuta, Roberto Donadoni, Henrik Larsson and Bernd Schuster were confirmed alongside Nadal last month.
Fittingly for a tournament held in Mallorca, a strong contingent of Spanish household names will also show their support: matadors Pepín Liria and Enrique Ponce; actress and presenter Verónica Mengod; and former Barcelona striker Julio Salinas.
The details
The tournament’s final night will feature a charity tombola with prizes including a flag from the 1999 Masters Tournament, signed by that year’s winner José María Olazábal – who was responsible for extensively redesigning Pula Golf’s course from 2004 – 2006. Signed flags from Olazábal’s compatriots and fellow Green Jacket winners Jon Rahm and Sergio García will also be up for grabs.
Arnau Sala, general manager at Pula Golf Resort, said: “The support of these world-famous names from both Spain and overseas is a big part of what makes the Battle of Stars such a great event in the Mallorca sporting calendar.
“By bringing them together with ordinary people who are passionate about golf, as well as the staff at both venues, we can make a real difference in combatting both of these conditions.”
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is rare degenerative disease that has a progressive impact on voluntary muscle movement by damaging nerve cells over time. Multiple sclerosis, while sharing some symptoms, is a distinct condition and impacts an estimated 2.9 million people worldwide. Proceeds from the Battle of the Stars will be donated to combatting both conditions; while both are currently uncurable, research is continuously improving treatments used to manage them.
This years tournament sponsors include Banco Santander, golf apparel brand BRK, Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, the Fundació Mallorca Turisme, and estate agent Inmobiliaria Sa Coma as well as the Mallorca tourism board.
Pula’s par-72 course first opened for play shortly after the resort was founded in 1995. Across the following 30 years, the venue has hosted professional tournaments on the DP World Tour as well as co-hosting the annual Battle of Stars.