Grapevine: Schumacher to Step into Ronaldo's Boots

Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will step literally into Ronaldo's boots for a charity soccer match on Wednesday.

The Ferrari driver will play the game in Mannheim wearing the boots with which Ronaldo scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 World Cup final victory over Germany last month.

Schumacher, who matched Juan Manuel Fangio's record five world titles by winning Sunday's French Grand Prix, will then head for nearby Hockenheim for this weekend's German Grand Prix.

"I am delighted to be able to drive more freely now," the German said before Sunday's race in front of his home fans. "To come to Hockenheim as the World Champion is definitely something special for me. I'm looking forward to seeing all the fans and flags while driving on the track."

More than 25,000 people were expected to watch Wednesday's soccer match organised by German television channel RTL to raise money for a programme by United Nations cultural organisation UNESCO.

Former soccer world champion Juergen Kohler will be on the pitch as well as Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso, Jos Verstappen and Pedro de la Rosa and German ski jumping aces Martin Schmitt and Sven Hannawald.

Lothar Matthaeus, who captained Germany's 1990 World Cup-winning team, had to pull out because of an injury but will be there as the coach of Schumacher's team, a spokesman for RTL said on Tuesday.