Star footballer Lionel Messi has announced to donate 3.5 million Euros through his foundation for the Turkey-Syria earthquake victims.
Meanwhile, Turkish soccer player Merih Demiral has
announced a fundraising effort that has attracted support from some of the
biggest names in the sport. Demiral is a defender for the Italian Club Atlanta
and the Turkish national team. He has solicited donations to relief efforts
through his professional outfit Team Demiral. The footballer has talked to the
football greats including Cristiano Ronaldo, and Serie A counterparts Leonardo
Bonucci and Paulo Dybala, who offered signed jerseys that will be auctioned off
with profits donated to nonprofit earthquake relief efforts.
Footballers from all over the world
are showing support for the earthquake victims. Atlético Madrid stars Antoine
Griezmann and Álvaro Morata donated signed jerseys, and Thursday, Tottenham
Hotspur striker Harry Kane and teammate Dejan Kulusevski, on loan from
Juventus, did the same.
France’s Kylian Mbappe has also donated his signed
jersey for the auction. Manchester City standouts Erling Haaland and Kevin De
Bruyne; Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard; and Paris Saint-Germain stars Lionel
Messi have also donated their jerseys.
Ronaldo’s
jersey which received the highest bid has been sold at $212,450.
The Union of European Football Associations on Friday
donated 200,000 euros (around $214,000) to support humanitarian efforts in
Turkey and Syria.
Death toll in the devastating earthquake has crossed 20,000 in Turkey and Syria. Relief efforts are ongoing in quake-hit areas but rescuers say the chances of rescuing more survivors are getting dim with each passing hour.