Libyan National Team To Visit Sydney

Saadi Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadhafi, will lead the Libyan national football team on a two-match visit to Sydney next month.

Soccer NSW Release: Saadi Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadhafi, will lead the Libyan national football team on a two-match visit to Sydney next month.

The Libyan national team will play a NSW All-Star team on Wednesday 9 February at 7.30 pm and leading NSW Premier League club Sydney United on Sunday 13 February at 6 pm.

Both matches will be played at the Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park, Sydney.

Saadi Gadhafi, 31, is a professional player with Italian Serie B club Perugia. His friendship at Perugia with Socceroo goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac is behind the Libyan visit.

Saadi Gadhafi plays a central role in the sporting life of Libya. As well as being Captain of the Libyan national team, Saadi is the Chairman of the Libyan Football Federation and Vice-Chairman of the Libyan Olympic Committee.

His business interests in football include a 7.5% shareholding in the Italian Serie A club Juventus and ownership of the Serie B club Triestina, held via the Libyan Arab Finance and Investment Company.

Libya is no. 61 on the FIFA rankings. In the African Zone 2006 FIFA World Cup preliminary competition, Libya is running second in Group Three. The top team in each of five groups qualifies for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany.

The NSW All Stars team will be coached by Branko Culina, the experienced former NSL coach and current Technical Director of Soccer NSW.

The NSW All Stars squad will be announced next week.