Former French international and FIFA Foundation Director Youri Djorkaeff, Cameroon icon Geremi Njitap, Italian idol Alessandro Del Piero and former Moroccan attacking midfielder Houssine Kharja brightened the atmosphere at the Robert Debré University Hospital in Paris, where the four FIFA legends came to meet some of its young patients.
The visit to Paris comes on the sidelines of The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2022 to be held today in the French capital, where tributes will be paid to the outstanding players of the past year.
the four former champions once again brought smiles and joy to their young audience on the day. They first took the time to meet about 20 children in individual rooms in the cardiology, nephrology and gastrology departments, before moving to a common room where about 20 patients from the child psychiatry department were waiting for them.
"It was a very nice evening and a very nice initiative. For us, we must come and encourage all these children who are suffering. The most important thing is to give them a smile," says Geremi Njitap, a Cameroonian who won the CAF African Cup of Nations twice with the Indomitable Lions. He also insists on supporting the people who accompany the sick children.
"Let's also encourage the parents, who are close to them, who live with them every day, but also the doctors. We can also give them a little smile," added the two-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid, who loved talking about what he knows best.
"I liked the questions from these kids. We saw that they are interested, that they love soccer, even if they do not know some of us, but more the new generation, which is quite normal, "he admits with a smile. "I was very happy to participate in this beautiful initiative."
"A day full of emotions," sums up Youri Djorkaeff, who was able to share, among other things, his memories of winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
"We came to visit the children and their parents, but also the doctors and the nurses' aides. We spent a moment with them to bring a smile to their faces, and tell them stories about soccer that we know well."
"It was a very touching moment today," confirms Del Piero, who also won the world trophy in 2006 with the Nazionale.
Thanks to this meeting, the children of the Robert Debré Hospital were able to forget, at least for a while, their daily fight against the disease. But they will certainly not forget the attention and availability of their idols.
