On Friday 9 June, the day before the sixth edition of the Kevin De Bruyne Cup, dozens of BVs and former pros will once again descend on the grounds of KVE Drongen to battle each other in football. Captains Aster Nzeyimana and Christophe Stienlet will each send a star team into the field. The match led by FIFA ref Viki De Cremer and her assistants Irmgard Van Meirvenne and Shauni Depruyst will kick off at 7pm. Afterwards, KVE Drongen's U15 will play against KMSK Deinze's U14 and an Open Air Party with DJ Neon will start.
Last year's party edition, on the occasion of the fifth KDB Cup, saw the non-profit association KDB Cup organise a real BV tournament with no fewer than four teams. However, national coach Piet den Boer and his Special Devils, like Team Aster Nzeyimana, gritted their teeth against Team Erik Van Looy and Team Christophe Stienlet. The latter made it 4-2 in the final in front of 1,500 fans and 'King Kev' himself under a bright summer sun, with Guga Baúl emerging as match winner with two goals.
"I've met Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, but I got to shake hands with Kevin De Bruyne today and was able to talk to him for a moment," 'Smartest Man' presenter Van Looy told reporters afterwards. "Those Hollywood stars can't compete with that. I knew the KDB Cup, but I had never got there before. Wonderful initiative, chapeau for the organisation and the many volunteers."
Proceeds from ticket sales (almost 4,000 euros) were donated to the non-profit organisation Akibu (www.akibu.org), where Aster Nzeyimana's parents are building a health centre in Rubuga in northern Burundi. "The KDB Cup is more than just a youth tournament for the best talents from Europe," explained chairman Paul Naudts. "Besides our focus on G-football, we also wanted to fulfil our promise towards non-profit organisation Akibu and Aster."
"We were really super happy," Nzeyimana claims. "I cannot stress enough what a difference this sum made to the non-profit organisation. In that province, where my dad is from, there is no water, barely any electricity and no basic health facilities. The people there are very poor. With this money, we were really able to realise the necessary next steps again."
Once again, a lot of great names are announced. Average Rob and Arno The Kid, Mike Verstraeten, Joris Brys, Jeremy Vandoorne, Guga Baúl, Maarten Breckx, Kobe Ilsen, Carl Dircksens, Sven Pede (De Mol 2022), Tom Dice, Martijn Debbaut, Bram Van Driessche, Kim Huybrechts and Mathieu Terryn have already promised. Skateboard star Lore Bruggeman is also coming to put her best foot forward.
Open Air Party with DJ Neon
After the BV game, the U15 of KVE Drongen and the U14 of KMSK Deinze will get their chance to wow the crowd with their tricks. Meanwhile, on the other side of the playing field, DJ Neon takes over the party. The house DJ of KAA Gent, of course also known from Tomorrowland and sets all over the world, will spin at the Open Air Party until midnight.
Tickets for the BV party & afterparty cost 7 euros. TICKETS ONLY ON PRETEND and on sale ONLINE via this link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bv-match-open-air-party-tickets-490728932447?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1.
Ticket sales were recommended by local security forces so that attendance would be limited. All proceeds will go to the non-profit organisation Komok (www.komok.be), an initiative of original inspirer Davino Verhulst and Christophe Stienlet. In collaboration with KU Leuven, they are helping children with cancer as parents, after Verhulst's daughter faced it after just 10 months.
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