On Wednesday, November 6, legendary athletes from around the world convened at the Sheikh Mohamed Laghdaf Stadium in Laayoune, Western Sahara for a football gala match celebrating the 44th anniversary of the Green March in Morocco.
Those who participated at the Green March celebration, which commemorates the 1975 movement when 350,000 unarmed Moroccans marched into the Sahara to protest Spanish occupation of the desert, included international football stars such as Luis Figo, Rivaldo, and Rafael Marquez. The event also featured UFC fighters Justin Gaethje, as well as Moroccan natives Abu and Ottman Azaitar.
The football match is a key aspect of the annual celebration, as dozens of retired international footballers are selected and divided into two teams based on their country of origin.