Champions League trophy coming

The Uefa Champions League trophy will land today in Namibia and speculation is rife that legendary Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs will accompany it.Giggs, who is the Heineken ambassador, was in South Africa this week with the trophy.However, Heineken had little to share regarding whether local fans who follow the Champions League will have the chance to take photos or videos up close with the iconic trophy, or whether they will be able see the man himself.This is despite the fact that South Africans had the chance to see the trophy that's been lifted over the years by European legends such as Zinedine Zidane and Paolo Maldini.The trophy was displayed at Nelson Mandela Square for three hours between 12:00 and 15:00 on Tuesday. From Namibia the trophy tour will head to Indonesia, Mozambique, China, Nigeria and United States. The order of travel is unclear, with the Champions League final set for 1 June in Madrid, Spain.According to reports from South Africa, plans were in motion to allow fans in Durban to get a taste of the trophy at a live screening of Manchester United's crunch Champions League last-16 encounter against Paris St Germain yesterday. United were 0-2 behind on aggregate going into the clash.According to Soccer Laduma, Heineken's Johannesburg marketing manager Lauren Muller said the tour is a unique experience for global football fans outside of Europe to come face-to-face with the trophy and to meet Giggs in their home cities. “Our aim is to enable fans that would otherwise not get the opportunity, to experience the unmissable action of the Uefa Champions League.”Giggs hoisted the prestigious trophy twice during 1999 and 2008 and is the only player to have scored in 17 different Uefa Champions League tournaments, including 11 consecutive tournaments.Giggs has a historic link to the league and plays a significant role in demonstrating the intense passion for the tournament.In other Champions League news, on Tuesday Ajax produced a magnificent performance to knock out Real Madrid. The Dutch side lost 1-2 in the first leg but won 4-1 in Spain to qualify for the last eight (5-3 on aggregate).Yesterday, Roma was scheduled to travel to Porto with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. The other round of 16 second-leg fixtures will be played on 12 and 13 March. Once the last-16 ties are concluded the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals and semi-finals will be held on 15 March. LIMBA MUPETAMI

Champions League trophy coming

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-31

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Champions League trophy coming

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-31

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