We were honored when Fernando, and writer of his book Vincent de Vries, asked us to design and donate a special kit for Team Fernando, with many former internationals and Ricksen himself. The kit is designed in cooperation with Fernando and based on his wishes. The unique match-worn jerseys were auctioned after the game, featuring each player’s signature. A second set of shirts was part of a Fortuna Sittard auction and all proceeds where donated to the ALS Foundation in The Netherlands.

After starting his career at Fortuna Sittard, Ricksen went on to play for AZ Alkmaar, Glasgow Rangers and Zenit St. Petersburg before ending his career with Fortuna. The defender also played 12 matches for the Dutch national team. Earlier this year, Fernando announced live on Dutch TV that he is suffering from the motor neurone disease ALS. Because of this, the testimonial was extra emotional. Ricksen invited several well-known players and coach Willem van Hanegem for this unique testimonial match.

Photo credits: Rob Nijpels