Pochettino next job announced as Stamford Bridge switch confirmed
As Frank Lampard and Eden Hazard return to Stamford Bridge this summer, Mauricio Pochettino will take charge at Soccer Aid once more.
June 9 is the day of the charity match, which since 2006 has earned over £90 million for UNICEF. For the second consecutive year, Pochettino will be in charge of the World XI team.
The Chelsea manager and his assistant Jesus Perez will be in familiar surroundings in the summer as the game is being played in west London, where he was last seen in the dugout at Old Trafford.
It has been confirmed Frank Lampard, together with Robbie Williams and Harry Redknapp, will oversee the England team when they return to Stamford Bridge.
The 45-year-old has had two spells as Chelsea boss, with the most recent of those coming at the end of last season when he was named caretaker manager following the departure of Graham Potter.
“Playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Stamford Bridge is special – for any player, on any occasion,” Lampard said, after his involvement at Soccer Aid was made official.
“I’m excited to be doing that again – this time with Soccer Aid for UNICEF.”
Lampard is assured of a warm reception and so too is Hazard, who will play at Stamford Bridge for the first time since he left Chelsea to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2019.
Hazard won two Premier League titles and twice lifted the Europa League during his seven-year spell with the Blues, before completing a £89m move to Real.
That proved to be an unsuccessful transfer, with Hazard ending his injury-hit time in Spain when his contract was terminated a year early. The 33-year-old announced his retirement from professional football in October.
“My Chelsea family – I am coming home on Sunday 9th June! I can’t wait to see you all again,” Hazard said.
“Playing at Stamford Bridge was always amazing. We won so many trophies together there. Some of the very best memories I have in football – seven brilliant years. I miss them.”
Hazard will be joined in Pochettino’s World XI squad by the likes of Usain Bolt, Roberto Carlos and Tommy Fury.
More players will be confirmed in the coming weeks, but Jill Scott, Stuart Broad, Jack Wilshere and Sir Mo Farah will all be involved for England, who have not won this match since 2018.