England's years of Soccer Aid hurt continued on Sunday night as they lost 4-2 to the World XI but the only result that mattered was the nearly £15million (and rising) raised for Unicef.
Soccer Aid was back at Old Trafford for the first time in three years and the capacity crowd was treated to an entertaining affair full of goals, flicks, tricks and the occasional tasty tackle from pros and celebrities alike. It was a star-studded lineup with plenty of familiar faces as Manchester United legends Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Patrice Evra lined up alongside fellow footballers Jack Wilshere, Gary Cahill, Hernan Crespo and Francesco Totti.
It was the Italian legend who ran the show as he rolled back the years with a typically elegant display he used to grace the Stadio Olimpico with during his storied career with Roma. Totti had been occupying the space between the lines and spreading stunning passes as though he was on a Sunday stroll and it was no surprise when he created the first goal.
Totti slipped in the world's fastest man Usain Bolt, who charged through on goal so quickly that poor Bugzy Malone injured his Achilles just trying to keep up. The Jamaican Olympian made no mistake as he slotted the ball between the legs of David James.
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The halftime switch to celebrity goalkeepers from professionals often sees the goals flow in the second 45 and it was no different this year as England quickly turned things around. Leon Edwards was left furious with himself after the UFC welterweight champion misjudged actor Asa Butterfield's cross-cum-shot and it sneaked into the net.
Then Scholes rolled back the years on the pitch he enjoyed so much success by firing England in front from distance. Singer Tom Grennan, back on the field after giving a fantastic performance during the break, sent in a dangerous cross which Edwards did well to clear but he left himself stranded off his line as Scholes closed in on the loose ball and riffled into the bottom corner.
It was to be a short but sweet cameo for Scholes as he was one of several players - alongside Malone, Bolt and Craig Dawson - to leave the pitch with an injury. He appeared to jar his knee when hitting a pass and received treatment, some of it from Stormzy, before limping off.
England were fighting to prevent a fifth loss in a row and looked likely to do so as World XI struggled to create as well as they had in the first half. That is until the introduction of Robbie Keane. The prolific Irish striker added some missing energy to a front line led by Lee Mack and grabbed the equalizer with an emphatic, bent finish that cannoned in off the post after Evra had won the ball back in a dangerous area off Sir Mo Farah.
Keane turned things around with his second goal of the game as England failed to deal with a dangerous corner and the striker deftly lifted it in over a hapless Paddy McGuinness. England nearly levelled things again when Chunkz of all people managed to get a head on to a cross despite facing the wrong way and it nearly caught Edwards unaware.
But World XI's dominance of Soccer Aid was secured as Farah's loose pass was cut out by Kem Cetinay. The Love Island star sprinted from deep within his own half with the ball as he blasted the tired defender's away before slotting home to become Soccer Aid's record scorer.
There would be no repeat of last year's nail-biting penalty shoot-out as World XI saw out the remaining 10 minutes in comfort to secure the 4-2 win, bringing an entertaining and often hilarious game to a close.
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