The team of the Spanish Primera División, commonly known as La Liga, retired professional footballers has delivered an outstanding performance against Iran’s football stars of the past in a charity match played in the Iranian capital city of Tehran.

On Thursday, the contingent of world-renowned former soccer giants, including retired Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta Zabala, David Albelda Aliqués, Fernando Morientes Sánchez, French retired professional footballer Éric Sylvain Abidal and retired footballer Marcos Antônio Senna da Silva, defeated the Iranian side 4-1 in a game at Azadi stadium in western Iran.

The proceeds of the fixture went to the Iranian society that supports Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Iran stars’ team started the game in an energetic fashion, and sought to score the first goal. It was finally 37-year-old Rasoul Khatibi, who was offered a marvelous opportunity in the 4th minute to put the ball at the back of the opposite side’s net. He, however, squandered the one-on-one chance and did not manage to poke the goal.

In the 26th minute, Morientes Sánchez picked up a long pass from teammate Mendieta Zabala. Mendieta Zabala did not fire the ball into Iran’s empty net, and let Luis Javier García Sanz accomplish the task and put former La Liga stars 1-0 ahead.

Eleven minutes later, Morientes Sánchez cracked a fine shot into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-0 for former La Liga all-star team.  Shortly afterwards, Spanish former central midfielder Rubén de la Red Gutiérrez evaded two Iranian footballers, and scored the third goal for the La Liga retired soccer giants.

The Persians were awarded a free kick in the 52nd minute. Esmaeil Halali took a shot at former La Liga icons’ goal, but it went wide. Gholamreza Enayati side-footed into the back of the net in the 57th minute, and scored Iran’s opener. In the 70th minute, Spanish retired footballer Albert Luque Martos grabbed the ball and struck the fourth goal for his side.

Presstv