Cristiano Ronaldo will open the eighth Dubai International Sports Conference, Sport360° can reveal.
The Real Madrid and Portugal superstar heads a stellar line-up this weekend at the event held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai & Chairman of Dubai Sports Council.
Ronaldo will officially open the conference on Saturday, December 28, before sharing the stage with legendary referee Pierluigi Collina, who officiated the 2002 World Cup final and is a six-time FIFA Referee of the Year.
Collina will act as ‘referee’ of the session where Ronaldo will be joined by three children from the Rashid Paediatric Centre in Dubai, who will each choose a question to ask the 28-year-old.
Ronaldo has scored 69 goals in 59 games for Madrid and Portugal in 2013, and his final strike of the year, in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Valencia, also saw him become Real’s joint fourth all-time leading scorer with 164 alongside Hugo Sanchez.
It is the second time Ronaldo will be in attendance at the Dubai Sports Conference after he spoke at the sixth edition in 2011.
After his appearance in Dubai, it is understood Ronaldo will head for Qatar to join up with the rest of the Real Madrid squad ahead of their winter friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Doha on January 2.
This year’s edition of the Conference is to be held under the title “Empowering the Future of Football”, and will take place this Saturday and Sunday in the city.
Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush was also added to the bill on Monday, adding a British flavour to the list of speakers.
Over 15 seasons with Liverpool Rush scored 346 goals in 660 games and is the club’s all-time record goalscorer. The Welsh international also won five league titles, two European Cups and three FA Cups with the Reds.
Mohammed Al-Kamali, member of the Executive Office of Dubai Sports Council and head of the Conference’s Organising Committee said: “Ian Rush is one of the best stars not only in Liverpool history but also in the Premier League.
"He is invited to the conference to talk on the talent discovery programme as he is serving as officer in the grassroots sector and ambassador for Liverpool Football Academies.”
Also attending the two-day event is Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola, France and Bayern winger Franck Ribery, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi, Russia manager Fabio Capello, Juventus coach Antonio Conte and DSC ambassador and football icon Diego Maradona.
The conference will conclude with the Globe Soccer Awards on Sunday night at Madinat Jumeriah.
