Former Amavubi striker Jimmy Gatete will lead one of the teams that will compete at the veteran Clubs World Championship that will take place in Rwanda in May 2024. The US-based Rwandan football icon is among eight legendary footballers that tournament organizers Féderation Internationale de Football Vétéran (FIFVE) announced to captain the teams that will take part in the tournament which is going to take place for the first time in Africa and Rwanda in particular. Gatete, who had great historic moments on the international stage when he helped Amavubi qualify for the 2004 African Cup, will be among the stars to watch at the much-anticipated tournament. The former APR, Rayon Sports and St George striker was in Kigali in October 2022, where he, alongside other football legends, attended the ‘Legends in Rwanda’ event that was aimed at promoting the veteran club World Cup in Rwanda. At least 150 players from different continents will be in Rwanda for the competition which will bring together eighth teams including two from Europe and two from America (South and North America). Africa will have three teams while Asia and Oceania will be represented by one team. Gatete will lead one of three teams that will represent Africa in the tournament alongside Cameroon football icon Patrick Mboma and Egyptian Wael Kamel Gomaa El Hawty. Among other captains announced during a Leading Legends event held in Kigali on Friday, March 17, include former Spain and Valencia striker Gaizka Mendieta Zabala and France and Arsenal legend Robert Pires who will lead two European clubs. Canadian Charmaine Elizabeth Hooper will be leading one American team while former Brazil and Inter Milan defender Douglas Maicon will captain a South American veteran club. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, who played for teams such as Gamba Osaka, Reb Bull Salzburg and Japan national team will be the captain of the Asian team. After announcing the players, the named captains will choose the players who will be part of their teams, depending on the continents that their teams will be representing. A host of football legends attended the event during which the captains were announced. They include Anthony Baffoe (Ghana), Maicon Douglas (Brazil), Patrick Mboma (Cameroon), Geremi Njitap (Cameroon), Khalilou Fadiga (Senegal), Gaizka Mendieta (Spain), Robert Pires (France), Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria) and Charmaine Elizabeth Hooper (Canada)
