His presence alone was a great honor. But Manolis Tambakakis took it one step further. He was already a part of history in the making, but he also succeeded in leaving an indelible mark on the UNITY CUP football match that took place in Cape Town, a few hours before the semifinal between Argentina and Germany.

He was the one who scored the first goal, he was the first to land the ball in the net. Celebrated by his fellow players and his opponents, Manolis brought tears of joy to the spectators who had come to Green Point to watch a football match unlike any other.

This unique match featured Special Olympics athletes, world football legends and international celebrities. The Special Olympics international squad consisted of 16 players, among them Greece’s Manolis Tambakakis. Manolis was the first to score for his team. Slovenian Miran Brejc put the team back in the lead after the opponents’ equalizer. It should be noted that both of the other team’s goals (the final score was a 2-2 draw) were also scored by Special Olympics athletes.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime event that none of us will ever forget,” remarked SOI Chairman and CEO, Dr. Timothy P. Shriver.

“I was delighted to be part of the team. It was an amazing experience. I made new friends from all over the world, I saw football legends up close and I celebrated my team’s first goal,” said a jubilant Manolis Tambakakis.

Here’s a list of the celebrities and football legends that took part in the match:

Christian Karembeu, vital player in the French team that won the 1998 World Cup

Alan Shearer, all-time top scorer of England’s Premier League

Clarens Seedorf, the only football player who has won the Champion’s League with three different teams (Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan)

Zangh Ziyi, internationally acclaimed Chinese film actress (Memoirs of a Geisha, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics

Dikembe Mutombo, NBA legend, one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players of all time

Enrique Borja, famous football striker who played for Mexico’s national team in the 70s

Teófilo Cubillas, Peru’s most renowned football player

Kevin Keegan, one of England’s greatest football players

FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini also attended the exhibition match, while South African President Jacob Zuma took to the field as captain of one of the two teams.

The UNITY CUP was held for the first time this year and from now on will be a fixture in the final phase of the World Cup. The game was co-organized by FIFA, Special Olympics International and Coca Cola.