Soccer Aid is a biennial British charity football game between two teams of celebrities and former professional players representing England and the Rest of the World. The event raises funds for UNICEF through ticket sales and public donations. Damian is no stranger to Soccer Aid that this year has marked his fifth appearance in the event! And our favorite guy playing his most favorite sport and raising funds for children in need all around the world makes this event always a fantastic TOP moment.
Come re-live Soccer Aid 2022 with us!
The Announcement
Damian played in the very first Soccer Aid back in 2006 and has gone on to make several subsequent appearances in the charity match, mainly as a central midfielder. And now he is back to earn his 5th cap!
https://twitter.com/socceraid/status/1512777516724928517
A source said about Damian’s return to the football field:
“Damian’s had an incredibly hard year after losing Helen but when Soccer Aid approached him about being part of the charity game, he wanted to help out. Damian is a massive Liverpool FC fan and can’t wait to get out on the pitch.”
Pre-game Festivities
As they kicked off training sessions for Soccer Aid 2022, Eleanor “ElzTheWitch” was live on location to welcome the football stars and celebrity stars.
Here is Damian’s arrival at Soccer Aid 2022 training!
Damian also appeared on Good Morning Britain to talk about his upcoming appearance on Soccer Aid and paid a moving tribute to Helen.
The programme host Ben Shepherd shared his memories of the couple.
“The first time I met you and your lovely wife Helen away from work was at Soccer Aid many years ago in Manchester and you were there with the family and the kids. She was always such a vociferous supporter of you and everything you did.”
“Kate and I were very honoured to be at her memorial service just a few weeks ago. I’d imagine you’ve been very moved by the outpouring of love and support that has been shown towards her since she sadly passed away.”
“Well, She was a fabulous human being and people from all walks of life have been in touch to say what an impact she had on their lives.”
“When she came to Soccer Aid the very first time, I’d gone into my hotel room at The Lowry in Manchester and it was covered in Union Jack bunting and England flags everywhere which she’d gone out and bought and decorated the room with. So, she’s with us. She’s with us again this year.’”
'She's with us again this year.'
Actor @lewis_damian shares a moving tribute to his late wife Helen McCrory as he talks about how Helen was his biggest supporter of his involvement in @socceraid pic.twitter.com/EKKf0D1oQW
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) June 9, 2022
You can Damian’s score prediction during the training here. And he also tweeted from the changing room and the training to get us all in the mood!
Here we go. Seeing the changing room for the first time always gets me going. Tune in to @socceraid on Sunday at 6.30 on ITV and watch the legends and the wannabes play for glory….I’m a wannabe. pic.twitter.com/Ps3YNjnUo2
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) June 10, 2022
2nd day “training” @socceraid #winners pic.twitter.com/oGsAEN7CSe
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) June 10, 2022
Sprint training after this @socceraid pic.twitter.com/2RpJgfLTJO
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) June 11, 2022
https://twitter.com/socceraid/status/1537827834009378818
The Mission
Soccer Aid for UNICEF raises money so more children around the world can grow up healthy, happy and safe. And there has never been a more challenging time for children. They are facing conflict, disasters, and other crises in countries around the world. And it is children that are often hardest hit – like the 7.5 million children currently affected by the conflict in Ukraine. They risk losing their homes, their schools, and their families. UNICEF has activated “Blue Dot” safe spaces along refugee routes, providing access to water and medical supplies, mental health support, and – even in a crisis like this – a place to rest and play. And Damian invited us all to help children caught up in conflict and in need.
https://twitter.com/socceraid/status/1537510550556508162
The Team
Here is the squad:
Liam Payne (captain)
Alex Brooker – Comedian and The Last Leg host
Mark Wright – Heart Radio
Tom Grennan – Singer
Lucien Laviscount – Actor
Chunkz – YouTuber
Damian Lewis – Actor
Sir Mo Farah – Olympic Champ
Aitch – Rapper
Gary Neville – Former Manchester United Footballer
Jamie Carragher – Former Liverpool Footballer
Fara Williams – Former England Star
Joe Cole – Former West Ham United Footballer
David Harewood – Actor
Teddy Sheringham – Former Manchester United Footballer
David James – Former Manchester City Goalkeeper
Mark Noble – Former West Ham United Footballer
Anita Asante – Former England and Chelsea Footballer
Harry Redknapp, Emma Hayes and David Seaman are the managers for England in Soccer Aid 2022.
Match Day
During arrivals at West Ham’s London Stadium, Damian had a short interview and predicted the match result as 4-1 in England’s favor.
That feeling. Never gets old @socceraid pic.twitter.com/j7b7tHpKwQ
— Damian Lewis (@lewis_damian) June 12, 2022
While on the pitch, he further elaborated and claimed England would indeed win it. He was asked if it was a coincidence that England lost without him in the last three years and he said it was one of the biggest coincidences 🙂 View video of that portion below.
At the half-time mark, the match was tied 1-1.
The half-time musical performance was done by the Soccer Aid founder Robbie Williams, who performed his famous hit ‘Angels’ and an appearance from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham.
Damian played in the second half of the match. And him wearing the number 66 was a nice tribute to the year 1966 – the year England won its one and only World Cup Championship!
And here’s number 66 in action for you!
The most dramatic moment of the match was when Damian missed a sitter!
https://twitter.com/socceraid/status/1546524987988787200
As Damian looked stunned and gutted, we were gutted for him and I was able to capture this look after missing a sitter. Sorry, Damian.
Going into the match the two teams were tied with five wins each after 10 matches, yet this match ended in a 2-2 draw at full-time, going into penalties. World XI scored four penalties and England scored one. The winning Team was World XI, with a final score of 6-3. Sorry, Damian!
But, in the end, it is the cause that wins regardless of which team is the winner! Soccer Aid raised money for UNICEF to help with its mission of providing vaccines, tackling malnutrition and protecting children in times of crisis, such as the conflict in Ukraine, by providing safe spaces and helping kids get back to the childhoods they are entitled to. Since its creation in 2006 by singer Robbie Williams and entertainer Jonathan Wilkes, Soccer Aid has raised more than £60 million for UNICEF overall, which helps more children than any other humanitarian organization. Soccer Aid 2022 has raised a staggering and record breaking £15.6 million!
And if that wasn’t the icing on the cake, we have more! Look at this bromance below where Damian reunited with Soccer Aid Ambassador David Beckham on the pitch.
Here’s a little Damian Lewis appreciation from Soccer Aid:
https://twitter.com/socceraid/status/1540741711860621312
You can visit our gallery for tons of pictures from Soccer Aid 2022.
And we wish Damian many more years of knocking around that ball! Because we all know the football field is his happy place. Cheers! 🙂
Faces of Soccer Aid
In a separate charity program for Soccer Aid, legendary celebrity portrait photographer Andy Gotts photographed the stars from the entertainment and sporting industry that participated in Soccer Aid 2022 for an exhibition at Maddox Gallery in Westbourne Grove, London. Soccer Aid has put the portraits, taken behind-the-scenes at Soccer Aid 2022 and signed by the stars as well as the photographer, on an online auction. All proceeds from the sales of the signed prints support UNICEF’s work helping children around the world to get the best start in life.
Damian told the Evening Standard:
“I have huge admiration for Andy Gott’s work. Not only has he photographed some of the biggest names in the industry, but he does so in such a considered way, creating timeless pieces that always so perfectly reflect the personality of the subject. It was a real honour to have my portrait taken by him, and I hope that the public will bid generously so that Unicef UK can continue helping children worldwide to have the same happy childhoods many of us have experienced.”
