Monaco's race week began not with the howl of engines but with the thud of a football. The Racing Stars Football Cup took over the Stade Louis-II on Wednesday afternoon, gathering Formula 1 drivers and footballing greats for a charity fixture that has become the traditional opener to the sport's most glamorous weekend.
Kicking off at 3:30pm, the match set the Barbagiuans Monaco - the celebrity side led by Louis Ducruet - against the Nazionale Piloti, the drivers' team. The racing roster was headed by Williams' Carlos Sainz and Alpine's Pierre Gasly, with Formula 2 pair Luke Browning and Oliver Goethe also pulling on boots.
The star attraction, though, came from the football world. Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner and a 2002 World Cup champion, headlined a guest list that also featured former Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci, ex-Monaco winger Ludovic Giuly and goalkeeper Flavio Roma. Comedian Paul Mirabel, presenter Nikos Aliagas and fitness figure Tibo InShape added to the crossover appeal.
Beneath the entertainment lay a serious purpose. The afternoon raised money for two causes: Mercy Ships, which delivers free surgical care to some of the world's poorest regions, and Les Soins de l'Espoir, which supports medical care for disadvantaged communities in Southeast Asia.
Staging the match early in the week gives drivers a relaxed, fan-friendly outing before the demands of track action arrive. Around the harbour, the Principality is already transforming, the grandstands and barriers signalling that the Grand Prix is near.
For Sainz and Gasly, it was a rare chance to trade the cockpit for the pitch and lend their names to causes far beyond the paddock. For the supporters packing the Stade Louis-II, it was the first sign that Monaco's most spectacular weekend is well and truly under way.
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*Originally published on [News Formula One](https://newsformula.one/article/f1-drivers-ronaldinho-monaco-charity-match). Visit for full coverage.*
