ITV Soccer Aid fans distracted by 'horrendous' state of charity match pitch: 'What an embarrassment!'
ITV Soccer Aid fans complain about state of pitch moments into show
ITV
The conditions of the ground for this year's Soccer Aid has been slammed by irked ITV viewers watching at home.
This year's match took place at Stamford Bridge, the home of Todd Boehly's Chelsea in London.
With the Premier League season ending last month, the grass hasn't seen a lot of action over the past few weeks but it's safe to say fans were expecting better standards than what they saw on Sunday.
Just minutes after hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott - who similarly caused a stir with her outfit choice - took to the pitch, complaints flooded in on social media.
The grass of the pitch looked incredibly worn with several patches looking dried out, discoloured, and, according to some, "f***ing awful".
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan fumed: "@ChelseaFC the state of your pitch at #Socceraid what an embarrassment, did you not pay the groundsmen?"
ITV Soccer Aid: Alex Scott and Dermot O'Leary presented this year's match
ITV
"The Soccer Aid pitch at Stamford Bridge is f***ing awful isn't it? #SoccerAid," a second asked before a third mused: "What on earth is going on with this pitch? @socceraid #socceraid."
The state of the grass nearly sparked one viewer to switch off: "Pitch almost making this unwatchable. #SoccerAid."
Elsewhere, a fifth took aim at Chelsea: "S**t from @ChelseaFC leaving the pitch like that when so many are watching and paying to watch this match @socceraid #socceraid."
"The pitch is in a shocking state for #SoccerAid you’d of thought they’d have made it in at least decent conditions," a sixth complained.
ELLEN WHITE!
— Soccer Aid (@socceraid) June 9, 2024
THE FIRST FEMALE GOALSCORER IN SOCCER AID HISTORY💥
Donate at https://t.co/Or3pvRa17p 💙
🏴 2-2 🌍 | #SoccerAid pic.twitter.com/fS5MCMEelY
However, despite the conditions proving a distracting feature, some did see the funny side of it all.
One fan weighed into the complaints: "The whole country coming together s**g off the pitch instead of watch the match is so beautiful #SoccerAid." (sic)
The state of the pitch didn't stop the goals from flooding in during the first half of this year's match.
England took an early lead during the 2024 face-off through former Chelsea and West Ham midfielder Joe Cole.
However, the score-line was soon level at 1-1 when former Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard equalised with a free-kick.
And it was another professional who put the Rest of the World in front when Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero slotted past David James.
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ITV Soccer Aid: The pitch looked worse for wear behind Alex Scott and Dermot O'Leary
ITV
Lioness Ellen White then made history as the first female scorer in Soccer Aid history when she made it 2-2 at the 30-minute mark.
2024 would be the sixth time in a row the Rest of the World has won the annual match if they emerged victorious.
The likes of Cole, Jack Wilshere, Gary Cahill and the rest of the England squad have Harry Redknapp and Frank Lampard in the manager's box to try and stop that from happening.
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