Chevrolet brings 11 children to Manchester United

Eleven children from China, Brazil, India, Thailand and the United States meet with Manchester United players on Saturday. [Provided to China Daily]

As part of its mission to bring play and football to communities around the world through its Beautiful Possibilities Program, Chevrolet hosted 11 children in Manchester, England, on Saturday to participate as mascots in Manchester United's match vs. Liverpool FC.

The children – ages 8 to 14 from China, Brazil, India, Thailand and the United States – met with Manchester United players and legends in the days ahead of Saturday's match, attend the Manchester United Soccer School and tour the Club's stadium, Old Trafford. Chevrolet chose these children because they embody the spirit of play.

The highlight of their once-in-a-lifetime experience was Saturday when the children walk onto the Old Trafford pitch with Manchester United's first team, each player wearing a match shirt with the name of his mascot on the back. Moments before the match starts, in a show of admiration and in line with football tradition, Manchester United players removed their shirts and presented them to the mascots.

This is the second consecutive year Chevrolet brought children from around the world to Manchester to participate as mascots, an experience the brand plans to continue for years to come.

Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet, said that the event can "show these children, their families and communities, and millions of Manchester United followers around the world how football and play can change lives and create beautiful possibilities."

Chevrolet enables children greater participation in football by working with local nonprofit organizations to revitalize and transform community pitches in Brazil, India, Thailand and other countries. During the pitch revitalization projects, Chevrolet identified children for an opportunity to receive this week's special experience.

Manchester United Group managing director Richard Arnold said, "Through our partnership with Chevrolet, the Club has had new and innovative opportunities to connect with our 659 million global followers, and our players are proud to walk out onto the pitch with these children, wearing their names on the backs of their shirts."

In addition to its Beautiful Possibilities Program, since 2012 Chevrolet has brought play to an estimated 45 million youth in underprivileged communities in more than 90 countries worldwide by distributing more than 1.5 million ultra-durable footballs from One World Play Project. Chevrolet, the official sponsor of One World Play Project, has committed to distributing 2 million One World Futbols, which the mascots will use on penalty kicks at halftime during Saturday's match.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Manchester United is one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the world, playing one of the most popular spectator sports.