The Vodafone Cup, on Tuesday 3rd and Thursday 5th August, is an exotic addition to the international club calendar. There could be no more appropriate venue than Old Trafford for the four mouth-watering matches that underline the truly global appeal football commands.
Three of the World's greatest clubs have been invited to join Manchester United in this festival of football supported by Vodafone, to compete in two double-header evenings. The Vodafone Cup is truly a bringing together of football excellence, with the visiting teams flying international flags for three different continents.
From Europe comes PSV Eindhoven, one of Holland's premier clubs who last season were Dutch title-holders and were once crowned Champions of Europe. Throuhgout their 75 years they have won 32 major trophies, with help from stars such as Brazil's Romario and Ronaldo, Holland's Koeman brothers, plus Manchester United's own Ruud Van Nistelrooy!
From the South American continent Manchester welcomes the current Argentinian, Copa Libertadores (South American Champions League) and World Club Cup Champions- Club Atletico Boca Juniors. This exciting and highly successful team (which was founded by an Irishman - Patrick MacCarthy, and used to have Diego Maradona on the team sheet) cannot wait to come back to play once more in front of a packed Old Trafford, as they did in August 2002 in the Unicef charity match.
The Asian team hail from Japan- Urawa Red Diamonds. One of the major powers behind the football revolution in Japan- founded in 1950 in Kobe, this impressive club are current holders of the J.League Cup Championship and four times J.League and Emperor's Cup winners! They should feel right at home in the Theatre of Dreams as their fans are the loudest and most boisterous in Japan, with their Saitama Stadium seating 63,700 fans!