Trophy Tour ambassadors named

The UEFA Champions League trophy is soon on its way to Africa – and the four ambassadors for this spring's Trophy Tour to four countries have been revealed. Heineken, as one of the UEFA Champions League sponsors, will be teaming up with UEFA to organise the events on the latest leg of what has become a resounding hit with football fans.

Off to Africa
After visiting Asia and Latin America in 2007 and 2008, the Trophy Tour is off to Africa. Ever since players such as Abédi 'Pelé' Ayew lifted the trophy in the inaugural UEFA Champions League season of 1992/93, African footballers have made important contributions to the UEFA Champions League. Last season's tour of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico gave more than 50,000 fans the chance to see the UEFA Champions League trophy up close. At each venue, the silverware was presented by a UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour Ambassador, with well-known names such as Bebeto, Giovane Elber, Fernando Redondo, and Jorge Campos in attendance to welcome fans and media. An equally strong team of ambassadors will guide the Trophy Tour through its African destinations.

Celestine Babayaro
The first stop for the 2009 Trophy Tour is Nigeria's most populous city, Lagos, from 26 to 28 February. The ambassador will be Celestine Babayaro, who played in the UEFA Champions League for RSC Anderlecht and Chelsea FC. Babayaro helped Nigeria to gold at the 1996 Olympics.

Rabah Madjer
The next venue is Algiers, where the Trophy Tour will welcome fans on 11 and 12 March with Rabah Madjer acting as ambassador. The Algerian international attacker made headlines with his audacious back-heeled equaliser for FC Porto and assist for the winning goal in the final of the 1987 European Champion Clubs' Cup – forerunner of the UEFA Champions League – against FC Bayern München in Vienna. After going on to lift the UEFA Super Cup and score the decider in the European/South American Cup final in Japan, it was no surprise that Madjer was African Footballer of the Year in 1987.

Hany Ramzy
The Trophy Tour then heads for Egypt where, in Cairo from 26 to 28 March, Hany Ramzy will take the baton as ambassador. The classy central defender, who made an impact at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and went on to accumulate 24 caps, played UEFA Champions League football at German outfit 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Eusébio
South Africa, the host nation for next year's World Cup finals, provides the fourth and fifth destinations. From 10 to 12 April, the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour will be in Cape Town and, from 17 to 19 April, in Johannesburg. At both venues, the ambassador will be Eusébio, the first footballer of African origin to make an indelible mark on European club competition, scoring twice as SL Benfica came back from 2-0 down to beat Real Madrid CF 5-3 in the 1962 European Cup final.

Click here to find out more about the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour.