Everton Legends Victorious In France

Members of Everton’s 2009 FA Cup final squad rolled back the years in the south of France at the weekend – and won the Cannes Legends trophy!

The Blues were invited to participate in the prestigious tournament alongside former players of the French national team, Olympique de Marseille and hosts AS Cannes.

The format was five-a-side futsal with each game lasting 12 minutes at the Palais de Victoires in Cannes.

Slovakian international Jan Mucha was between the sticks for Everton and was joined by Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott, Joseph Yobo, Tim Cahill, Steven Pienaar, Louis Saha and Jose Baxter.

2001/02 Footballer of the Year Robert Pires was in the France line-up, while 81-French cap former Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery played for Marseille.

Pienaar scored the only goal of the opening game as Everton eased to a 1-0 victory against AS Cannes before playing out a highly-contested goalless draw with the French national team.

The AS Cannes goalkeeper was none other than Sebastian Frey who played for Fiorentina when they knocked Everton out of the Europa League in 2008.

Results in other games meant that when the Blues met Marseille in the last game, it was effectively a dress rehearsal for the final.

No quarter was asked nor given when they reconvened to play for the trophy!

Tackles and challenges were flying in, just as they did when the players clashed in the Premier League or on the European and international stage.

The final ended in a controversial fashion.

Lescott gave Everton a lead they held onto until virtually the last kick of the game. Mucha was superb in goal, making one extraordinary save to deny Ribery, but with the clock ticking down the referee blew his whistle to award Marseille a free-kick, only for the French side to carry on and put the ball in the net.

To the angst and frustration of the Everton players, a goal was awarded.

Thus, the Cannes Legends final went to penalty kicks.

Jagielka smashed home the first kick past legendary Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda, Mucha then saved and Baxter’s precise penalty made it 2-0. When Mucha saved again, the trophy was coming back across the Channel!

The team spirit and camaraderie among the boys in Blue in the French Riveira resort was magnificent, just as it was at Wembley when they reached the FA Cup final under David Moyes 17 years ago!

Some of the boys will be getting back together again later this month when Hill Dickinson Stadium hosts the Game4Hope match.

Cahill, Saha, Jagielka and Lescott will all be turning out for the combined Everton/Liverpool team against a Rest of the World outfit featuring some of the football's greatest-ever players.

PURCHASE YOUR TICKET FOR THAT HERE.