Jose Mourinho joins Fifa Legends to launch Football for Schools project in Lebanon

Fifa president Gianni Infantino assembled an all-star cast to help promote the pilot project in Beirut to get more children involved in the world's most populous sport

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho salutes a Lebanese girl during the launch ceremony of Fifa's "Football for Schools" pilot project in the town of Kahlouniye, in the Chouf region, south of the Lebanese capital Beirut. AFP

Former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho visited schoolchildren in Lebanon this week to help promote Fifa's Football for Schools pilot project.

Mourinho was part of a star-studded Fifa Legends lineup including World Cup winners Kaka and Marcel Desailly, as well as former Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, ex-Everton and Australia forward Tim Cahill and Frenchwoman Laura Georges.

Following the launch of the first pilot project last month in Puerto Rico, Fifa president Gianni Infantino assembled an all-star cast to help promote Football for Schools in Beirut to get more children involved in the world's most populous sport.

The Fifa Legends took part in football matches as well as workshops to talk about important life skills and values.

"In 10 years they [the schoolchildren] are going be fathers and mothers; one is going to play for the Lebanon national team, another one will not play, but all of them are the future of your country and they are all in your hands," Mourinho said.

Cahill, who played at four World Cups with the Socceroos, said on Twitter: "So proud to be able to be in Lebanon and spread so much love and joy with the kids for the Football for Schools programme and to be part of the Fifa Legends. Very special to give back to the game that helped make us and interact with all the kids."