Alessandro Del Piero and Ruud Gullit join Luis Figo's Celebrity Team for Abu Dhabi Invitational 2018

Former Juventus and Italy striker and ex-AC Milan and Netherlands forward to tee up at Yas Links

Alessandro Del Piero will be part of Luis Figo's Celebrity Team at this year's Abu Dhabi Invitational 2018 at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Prof Sports

Former Juventus forward and Italy World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero will join Luis Figo's Celebrity Team for the Abu Dhabi Invitational 2018 at Yas Links this Friday and Saturday.

Also joining the Celebrity Team, which includes Figo and former Manchester United teammates Peter Schmeichel and Dwight Yorke, will be former AC Milan and Netherlands international forward Ruud Gullit, who returns to the capital after finishing second to Paul McGinley's Pro Team last year.

Del Piero is one of the most recognisable Italian footballers of the modern era, making over 500 appearances for Juventus during a 20-year career. He helped the Turin club win six Serie A titles, four Italian Super Cups, the Coppa Italia and the Uefa Champions League and was part of Marcelo Lippi's Italy squad that lifted the 2006 World Cup.

Gullit, a Ballon d’Or winner in 1987, enjoyed a distinguished career, winning league titles as a player in the Netherlands and Italy and was part of the Dutch side alongside Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard that won Euro '88.

Aref Hamad Al Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), said: “We’re delighted to welcome Alessandro and Ruud to Abu Dhabi with some other phenomenal footballing names to feature in the Celebrity Team. This year will hopefully give them a chance to improve on last year’s narrow defeat to the Professionals.”

The Celebrity Team will compete against Martin Kaymer’s team of professional golfers at the award-winning Yas Links from January 12-13.

Both days are open to members of the public and the tournament will once again be raising money for charity.

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Read more:

Players, dates and tickets: All you need to know for 2018 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2018: Player profiles of the 'Magnificent Seven'

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