First RACING STARS FOOTBALL CUP!
The Barbagiuans of Monaco are organizing the Racing Stars Football Cup! On Wednesday, May 21 at 3 p.m., the Stade Louis II will host football legends and motorsport stars for a gala match, on the sidelines of the 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix. A tradition more than three decades old, revived this year by Louis Ducruet, for the benefit of the Jules Bianchi Association and Be Safe Monaco. Between history and modernity, passionate fans will have the chance to experience an exceptional event held under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II.
Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, Thierry Neuville — to name just a few — the leading figures of motorsport will be present at the Stade Louis II for this historic pre-Grand Prix rendezvous, which has existed for more than thirty years. Rebranded this year as the Racing Stars Football Cup (its first edition) under the leadership of the Barbagiuans of Monaco, the event will also gather the regulars of the team founded by the Sovereign and presided over since 2020 by Louis Ducruet.
Alongside Ludovic Giuly, Flavio Roma, Javier Chevanton, and the central duo Gaël Givet – Sébastien Squillaci, other well-known global sporting figures will for the first time don this prestigious shirt. Among them, French MMA fighter Benoît Saint-Denis “God of War”, who will step out of the octagon to lace up football boots. “That’s what the Barbagiuans are all about!” enthuses Louis Ducruet. “It’s important to go beyond the beaten path and integrate other high-level athletes into the squad. It’s part of our development.”
Building on past successes, the time had come to ride the momentum and extend the group’s activities by launching a new dynamic around the Racing Stars Football Cup. “The aim is to create a unique event that raises awareness among a different audience. Given the line-up and the legends supporting us, I think we’ve succeeded.” Indeed, this match is open to everyone, beyond sport itself. Singer Matt Pokora will join in, along with comedians Paul Mirabel and Ragnar Le Breton, and model Baptiste Giabiconi. “May 21 will be a great celebration for all, with personalities who embody values dear to us,” guarantees Prince Albert II’s nephew.
Yet this exceptional match is far from new. For more than thirty years, drivers and former players have come together a few days before the Grand Prix to share a moment of camaraderie on the football pitch. Passionate about both Formula 1 and football, Louis Ducruet had already taken part. “I always had a great time,” he recalls. “Playing alongside my uncle was always something special, and I had the chance to do so in this gala match, which I was honored to be regularly invited to.” Now ready to take on new challenges, the man who is now the organizer says he is “honored to embody, with the Barbagiuans, the revival of this event.”
A feeling shared by the family of Mauro Serra, who initiated the project and led its organization for decades with determination. Proud of the work accomplished, his children Shauna and James are looking to the future, fully aligned with the opening of this new chapter. “This is an event very close to our hearts. We grew up with this tradition, cherished by our father and the Sovereign. We are deeply touched that this match continues to be carried forward by those who share this attachment, as is the case today with the launch of the Racing Stars Football Cup. We have full confidence in the Barbagiuans of Louis Ducruet to evolve this historic event with passion, while staying true to its values of sport and solidarity.”
MIKA HÄKKINEN, Ambassador of the RACING STARS FOOTBALL CUP
“I strongly encourage the public to come and be part of the celebration this year”
Two-time Formula 1 World Champion (1998, 1999), Mika Häkkinen will be the exceptional ambassador of this first Racing Stars Football Cup. By taking on this role, he embodies the fundamentals of the project and strengthens the bond between football and motorsport. “I was very enthusiastic and honored when Louis Ducruet and his team asked me to take on this role, which I hold dear — especially since this year the event will support two great causes,” says the Finnish former driver. He adds: “I particularly appreciate this tradition of meeting around a football match before the GP. For several years I took part, and even if it’s not a race, you still get competitive and go all out!”
A true Formula 1 legend, Häkkinen managed to establish himself in what is still regarded as one of the most competitive eras in the sport’s history. After leaving the world’s most prestigious circuits in 2002, he took part in a German touring car championship for three seasons, before retiring from professional racing in 2007 at the age of 39. Yet the Finnish champion has never strayed from the values of sport, of which he remains a passionate ambassador.
Reflecting on the Racing Stars Football Cup, he particularly values the fact that “sport always brings together people from different horizons, both on the pitch and among the fans, in a convivial and competitive spirit that reflects this event. It’s a real opportunity for fans to be close to their idols. And I’m delighted that this approach is pursued for a charitable cause.”
Winner of the legendary Monaco Grand Prix in 1998 and a Monaco resident, the Principality holds a special place in his life. Twenty-seven years after that victory, Häkkinen reflects: “I have great memories here, especially the year of my win. Winning this race is always special for any driver lucky enough to do so. It was a long time ago, but I am still here and honored to stand alongside the Princely family to contribute to the success of this first Racing Stars Football Cup.”
For BE SAFE MONACO and the Jules Bianchi Association
True to their founding principles, the Barbagiuans of Monaco continue their charitable actions. Ten years after the tragic accident at the Japanese Grand Prix that caused the death of Jules Bianchi, it was essential to support the association founded in his name by his father, Philippe Bianchi. Deeply committed to keeping his son’s memory alive, he remains close to motorsport and maintains strong ties with current drivers, notably Charles Leclerc, godfather of the association and a close friend of Jules.
Despite the pain of tragedy, Philippe Bianchi found the strength to continue the fight, helping those who supported his son during long weeks in hospital. “Since Jules’s passing on July 17, 2015, we decided, with his mother and my children, to found an association in his honor and to carry out actions mainly to support the Archet Hospital in Nice, and in particular the unit for patients with brain injuries, where Jules was hospitalized for eight months. We saw the cruel lack of resources and equipment, and thanks to donors’ generosity, we have continued our commitment to improve the well-being of patients and staff there.”
Grateful for the organizers’ support, Philippe Bianchi — honorary president of the association — adds: “This initiative touches me, because the match will bring together several F1 drivers on the eve of the Monaco GP… which Jules particularly loved. I thank the Barbagiuans, the president, and the whole team for their kindness and symbolic gesture, which will allow us to continue our mission.”
Also benefitting from the funds raised, BE SAFE Monaco was founded by Camille Gottlieb and four of her close friends. Deeply involved in road safety, the daughter of H.S.H. Princess Stéphanie seeks to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. The association’s message leaves no one behind — it speaks to everyone.
President of BE SAFE Monaco, Camille Gottlieb explains the importance and impact of the Racing Stars Football Cup on her mission since October 2017: “The presence of personalities, particularly from motorsport, is clearly beneficial for the reach of our message. Being associated with such an event is an honor, and it reinforces the legitimacy of what we are trying to achieve. The Principality has taken this issue seriously, but we must not stop there… On May 21 this will be a popular event, not only in Monaco, but also an opportunity to raise awareness internationally, among a wider audience. I warmly thank the Barbagiuans for this opportunity.”
For Louis Ducruet, the connection was natural: “Supporting charitable values is in our DNA, my family has always been deeply involved. It has always been part of the Barbagiuans’ mission. The two associations are perfectly aligned with the spirit of the Racing Stars Football Cup, each having a direct but different link to motorsport.”
📅 See you on May 21 at 3 p.m. at the Stade Louis II for the RACING STARS FOOTBALL CUP!
— Loris Saytour
