- Former Premier League stars to take part in newly launched Baller League
- Gary Lineker has been confirmed as team manager for the competition
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Gary Lineker leads the most notable names taking charge of the newly launched Baller League with a host of former Premier League stars and celebrities involved in the start of the new football tournament.
The competition’s popularity has soared since Mats Hummels and former Arsenal star Lukasz Podolksi launched it in Germany earlier this year and is now set to kick off in England and the United States.
Described as “a hyper-exciting, forward-thinking new form of football”, the Baller League is a competitive indoor football league that combines the traditional game with new rules.
The league will feature 12 teams made up of 12 players with matches played in two 15-minute halves and a mix of former professionals and YouTube celebrities heavily involved.
Lineker, who will leave Match of the Day at the end of the season, has been named team manager at the competition, with fellow presenters Alan Shearer and Micah Richards also taking up coaching roles.
The trio will also be joined by former Chelsea and England captain John Terry, former Arsenal trio Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, and Real Madrid icon Luis Figo.
Gary Lineker leads the most notable names taking charge of the newly launched Baller League with a host of former Premier League stars and celebrities involved.
Lineker, who will leave Match of the Day at the end of the season, has been appointed team manager in the competition.
Meanwhile, YouTuber and entrepreneur KSI has been confirmed as president of the UK League, while viral star IShowSpeed will lead the US version.
Games are held weekly and teams play in an indoor environment and will have to get used to the rules that will change during each half of the game.
The new rule changes focus on creating excitement, with some of the features including: three-on-three format, goals scored from the back two-thirds of the field (behind the offside line) counting double and 1 on 1 starting from behind the halfway line. no hands allowed.
Another unique selling point of the competition is that it will be broadcast live on Twitch, where it is hoped that the success in Germany can be replicated with an average of three million viewers per day.
Social media star Chunkz will host the live stream each week; The action will begin in March next year and the tournament will conclude in May, where the winner will be crowned.
It is yet to be confirmed which team Lineker will take over and competing players are yet to be finalized before trials take place.
Trials for willing players will be held in London and Manchester, and former academy players, street players, free agents, futsal players, recently retired professionals or semi-professionals may participate.
Praising the invention of the new league, Baller League UK chairman KSI said: “I have high hopes for what this league can bring to the sport.”
‘We are bringing a different style to football, a different energy than normal and showing a different level of entertainment to the sport. Very exciting times ahead!’
