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Football match for Mandela's 89th Football match marks Mandela 89th
(about 4 hours later)
Some of the world's best ever football players are to take part in a match for Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday later. Some of the world's best ever football players, including Pele and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, have played in a match to mark Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday.
Brazil's Pele and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o are to play, as an African team takes on the Rest of the World to raise money for the fight against HIV/Aids. The "90 Minutes for Mandela", played in Cape Town between Africa and the Rest of the World, ended in a 3-3 draw.
Fifa is also due to confer honorary membership on the Makana FA - set up by prisoners on Robben Island. The game also helped raise money for the fight against HIV/Aids.
Mr Mandela spent 27 years in prison, before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994. Earlier, the football's world governing body, Fifa, conferred honorary membership on the Makana FA - a league set up by prisoners on Robben Island.
Mr Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on the island, before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994.
The birthday of one of the world's most respected political leaders is a major national event every year in South Africa.The birthday of one of the world's most respected political leaders is a major national event every year in South Africa.
Mr Mandela, fondly known by his clan name Madiba, is spending the first part of his birthday at home with friends and relatives. 'Council of elders'
Former US President Jimmy Carter and UN chief Kofi Annan joined the veteran anti-apartheid campaigner to launch a council of global "elders" to try to find solutions to "some of the world's toughest problems" such as Aids, poverty and conflict. Mr Mandela, fondly known by his clan name Madiba, spent the first part of his birthday at home with friends and relatives.
Former US President Jimmy Carter and UN chief Kofi Annan joined the veteran anti-apartheid campaigner to launch a global "council of elders" to try to find solutions to "some of the world's toughest problems" such as Aids, poverty and conflict.
MANDELA'S LANDMARKS 1918 - Born in the Eastern Cape1956 - Charged with high treason, but charges dropped1964 - Charged again, sentenced to life1990 - Freed from prison1993 - Wins Nobel Peace Prize1994 - Elected first black president1999 - Steps down as leader Profile of Nelson Mandela
"They don't have careers to build, elections to win and constituencies to please," Mr Mandela said of the group, known as The Elders."They don't have careers to build, elections to win and constituencies to please," Mr Mandela said of the group, known as The Elders.
'Beautiful game' Later, Mr Mandela watched on television the celebrity football match between the two celebrity teams at Cape Town's Newlands Stadium.
The 90 Minutes for Mandela match is being held in Cape Town, near Robben Island. The World XI, with past and present international stars aged from the mid-20s to 66, scored the first goal through Chilean Ivan Zamorano in the sixth minute.
Mr Mandela used to watch the Makana FA games from his cell window, until the authorities built a wall to stop him seeing the matches, reports the AP news agency. There were three further goals from Ghana's Abedi Pele, Egypt's Hossam Hassan and the former Holland striker, Ruud Gullit, before half-time.
MANDELA'S LANDMARKS 1918 - Born in the Eastern Cape1956 - Charged with high treason, but charges dropped1964 - Charged again, sentenced to life1990 - Freed from prison1993 - Wins Nobel Peace Prize1994 - Elected first black president1999 - Steps down as leader class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/1454208.stm">Profile of Nelson Mandela "During the dark years of our incarceration, the association drew together all the prisoners on the island around the beautiful game of soccer," Mr Mandela said on Tuesday. The game finished 3-3 after two second-half goals from Hassan and Spain's Julen Guerrero.
Beautiful game'
In the morning, the players gathered for a ceremony on the Makana FA's pitch on Robben Island, where they joined some of Mandela's former fellow prisoners to kick a symbolic 89 goals against racism.
Players and former prisoners kicked a symbolic 89 goals against racism
Mr Mandela used to watch the Makana games from his cell window, until the authorities built a wall to stop him seeing the matches, according to the Associated Press.
"During the dark years of our incarceration, the association drew together all the prisoners on the island around the beautiful game of soccer," Mr Mandela said on Tuesday.
"In this way it helped uphold the values of tolerance, of inclusiveness and reconciliation, and of non-racialism and peace that are still dear to all of us today.""In this way it helped uphold the values of tolerance, of inclusiveness and reconciliation, and of non-racialism and peace that are still dear to all of us today."
He was presented with a Fifa football shirt with the number 89.He was presented with a Fifa football shirt with the number 89.
Another former US President, Bill Clinton, is also due to open an exhibition looking at the life of Mr Mandela and fellow anti-apartheid campaigner Chief Albert Luthuli. Mr Mandela was imprisoned for leading the struggle against white minority rule in South Africa.
Mr Mandela was imprisoned for leading the struggle against white minority rule. After leading the African National Congress to victory in the country's first democratic elections in 1994, he stood down after a single term as president.
After leading the African National Congress to victory in South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, he stood down after a single term as South Africa's president.
He continued to lead an active role both domestically and globally - mediating African conflicts and campaigning against HIV/ Aids - until he started to reduce his commitments in 2004.