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Red Devils Park, Ferdinand hark back and hype up legend-heavy Icons Match

Published: 10 Sep. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 10 Sep. 2025, 18:42

Footballers Rio Ferdinand, left, and Park Ji-sung, set to take part in the 2025 Nexon Icons Match football game, which takes place on Sept. 13 and 14 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul [NEXON]

With just days to go until Seoul's star-studded football Icons Match kicks off this weekend, it's not just the fans who are excited.

“Whenever 11 attackers face 11 defenders, the Shield team always wins. No team has ever lifted a trophy without a strong defense,” said legendary Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.

Former United teammate and hero in his own right, Park Ji-sung, said, “The Spear team may have lost last year, but we’re back stronger this time. I’m preparing to start as well."

The two footballing greats spoke to the JoongAng Ilbo for an exclusive interview ahead of the two much-anticipated games set to take place on Saturday and Sunday at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul. During their playing careers, the two won 11 trophies together with the Mancunian club, Park as a midfielder and Ferdinand as a central defender.

The Icons Match pits FC Spear, made up entirely of attackers and goalkeepers, against Shield United, made up entirely of defensive players — a spectacle designed by game company Nexon to bring early 2000s legends, familiar to fans of online football games, to the pitch in Seoul. In last year’s inaugural showdown, Park’s Spear team lost 4-1 to Ferdinand’s Shield team. Over one million fans signed a petition demanding a rematch, leading to this year’s return. Despite premium seats costing 360,000 won ($260), tickets sold out within 20 minutes.

Poster image of the 2025 Nexon Icons Match football game [NEXON]

This year’s lineup is even more glittering. The combined peak market value of the 25 international legends playing exceeds $10 billion, with 33 UEFA Champions League titles between them.

"The first one was so good, and I’ll tell you why it was so good — the organization, the quality of the legends, the whole process," said Ferdinand. "There were physio rooms, the hotels, there was a meeting room [and] there was an area where we could sit and eat together. And the guys, we were kept around each other so there was talking and sharing old stories […] Everybody's like, 'Listen, when can I get on that trip next time? I want to go and play one game.'"

The Spear team recruited Dutch midfield legend Clarence Seedorf, who last year bagged one goal and three assists for the Shield side.

“It’s hard to strictly pin down players like Yaya Touré, Andrea Pirlo and Seedorf as defenders,” Park said, which Ferdinand refuted, saying, “Pirlo was a defensive midfielder. Touré even played center-back in the 2009 Champions League final," while adding that his former Korean teammate "may look quiet, but he does all sorts of things behind the scenes.”

Footballer Rio Ferdinand, set to play at the 2025 Nexon Icons Match football game at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, which takes place on Sept. 13 and 14. [NEXON]

The attacking side has also added Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale and Ronaldinho. Shield United countered by signing Claude Makélélé and Alessandro Nesta.

“Ronaldinho had the best technique and joy for the game. He’ll put on a show for the fans in Korea and for our Spear team,” Park said.

In between the posts will be two strong contenders for best goalkeeper of all time — Gianluigi Buffon for the Spear team and Iker Casillas for the Shield team.

“I think Casillas was the first goalkeeper who played in my generation that came about as more of a sweeper-keeper, coming and playing with the team a bit more," said Ferdinand. "But Buffon was still more old-school, I think. Great goalkeeper, made great big saves […] I don’t know who I wanted in my team. Just for his presence and his size, I’ll probably go for Buffon."

Footballers cheer each other after playing at the 2024 Nexon Icons Match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 20, 2024. [NEWS1]

The dugouts will also feature icons: Arsène Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who guided his side through an entire Premier League campaign without losing in the 2003/04 season, for the Spear team, and Rafael Benítez, Champions League winner with Liverpool in 2005, for the Shield team.

“During my United days, matches against Arsenal and Liverpool were always tense battles,” Park said. “Both managers left great legacies, but I hope Wenger will lead us to victory this time.”

Last year, despite an injured knee, Park came off the bench to score a penalty. The sight of a fan in a Kyoto Purple Sanga shirt — Park’s first professional club — crying in the stands became a viral moment. After a year of training, Park said his knee is still not fully healed, but added, “I’ve been strengthening the muscles around it and working on my touch. I don’t know how much I can play, but I’m doing everything I can for the fans who continue to support me.”

Football legends are set to play at the second Nexon Icons Match in September. [NEXON]

Also unforgettable was Carles Puyol’s warrior-like performance for the Shield team, throwing his body around as if it were a Champions League final.

“Puyol can play 100 miles an hour, he’s all or nothing,” Ferdinand said. “I hurt my calf when I was here last time, so I’ve done a little bit of training before coming here. I want to be ready and make sure the fans aren’t disappointed and the fans get what they paid to see. So I’m really looking forward to that."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]