Football
Usain Bolt taken off on stretcher during Soccer Aid after suffering injury
Legendary Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt captained a World XI in the Soccer Aid charity football match in London but his evening ended in painful fashion as he was stretchered off
Usain Bolt was stretchered off after going down injured during the second half of the 2024 Soccer Aid match at Stamford Bridge.
The Olympic sprinter, a multiple gold medal winner in Jamaica colours, was captaining the Soccer Aid World XI against England. However, his night ended early as he went to ground while trying to snuff out an England break.
England scored from that very same attack, with former Three Lions international Jermain Defoe firing home. That made it 4-2, with England adding a fifth soon after and eventually triumphing 6-3.
Bolt has been a regular fixture in the charity game in recent years. A huge football fan himself, he even spent time training with Australian club Central Coast Mariners before deciding his football future lay outside the professional game.
The scores were level at half-time before England took charge in the second period. Diary of a CEO broadcaster Steven Bartlett scored twice from the bench, either side of Defoe’s goal, while YouTube star Billy Wingrove put away a penalty for the world team after a foul on former France international Patrice Evra.
England weren’t done, though. Theo Walcott, who only announced his retirement from professional football in August 2023, raced through to score his team’s sixth.
It meant Frank Lampard won the battle of the ex-Chelsea managers. He was in charge of the England side, with the opposition managed by recently-departed Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Who impressed you during Soccer Aid? Have your say in the comments section
Bolt’s early exit came after he found himself on the receiving end of a crunching Danny Dyer challenge before the break. The Jamaican was left flattened, much to the joy of some fans watching at home.
While the goals ensured there was plenty of entertainment on offer, that wasn’t the only purpose of the game. Soccer Aid has helped raise significant sums for Unicef, with a full-time social media announcement confirming more than £15million had been raised by the 2024 game.
It was England’s first Soccer Aid victory since back in 2018. They also made history through Ellen White’s goal, with the ex-Lionesses star becoming the first female goalscorer in the history of the exhibition match.
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