The Soccer Aid 2024 charity match has been slammed online, with the likes of KSI weighing in and calling the match “boring” and not inclusive of the celebrity and influencer participants.
Soccer Aid 2024 has come and gone, the yearly exhibition soccer match in which the UK’s favorite and most popular celebrities and ex-soccer players come together to raise money for UNICEF. This organization is dedicated to helping young children in need and supporting communities in developing countries.
The 2024 Soccer Aid match included some big names, including but not limited to the following stars: Maisie Adam (Comedian), Theo Baker (YouTuber), Tony Bellew (Former boxer), Petr Cech (Former footballer), Tommy Fury (Boxer) and more.
While the match was filled with show-stopping moments — including the fastest man alive Usain Bolt being stretchered off the pitch — one of the biggest talking points from the match was the treatment of Miniminter.
Miniminter is a widely popular YouTuber and part of KSI’s Sidemen — a group of content creators who have over 10 million subscribers on the platform.
Despite being plastered all over the advertising for the match, Miniminter only played the last 15 minutes of the match and even then, was unable to really get a touch on the ball.
Just feel like you should give more game time to people who don’t normally get to play in front of these crowds, as a opposed to giving pros most of the minutes.
— ksi (@KSI) June 9, 2024
As such, many online have slammed the match for being more focused on the ex-players passing between each other and less about the content creators able to show off their soccer skills.
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One X user wrote, “I wouldn’t go again if I was Miniminter. Disgusting from all involved. Plaster his face everywhere for promotion and then give him 15 minutes at the end and didn’t even get a touch of the ball.”
KSI himself weighed in on the match, claiming that he found it “awful” and “boring” while still recognizing that the event was for a good cause.
“I’m very glad Soccer Aid raised a lot of money today. Always brings a smile to my face every year.
“However, as a football match, that was an awful and boring watch. It was literally ex-pros just passing amongst themselves, dribbling past people, and shooting from anywhere constantly [laugh out loud]. Would much rather it just be influencers and entertainers play. Would make the game a lot closer too and more enjoyable to watch as a viewer.”
The streamer then added, “Just feel like you should give more game time to people who don’t normally get to play in front of these crowds, as opposed to giving pros most of the minutes.”
The sentiment that Soccer Aid 2024 should be exclusively played by non-ex-pro soccer players was shared throughout the internet, with another X user stating, “It was actually disgraceful that they used Simon for promo all week and only played 15 minutes and literally no one even passed him the ball.”