NewsJune 30, 2022

Soneva Welcomes a Star-Studded Line-Up of Sporting Legends

Pioneering luxury resorts brand Soneva is inspiring a lifetime of rare experiences  through its Soneva  Stars calendar,  an  ever-changing Roster of  visiting experts  and  one-of-a-kind  guest  experiences  at  its  resorts  in  the  Maldives  and Thailand. This  year  is  shaping up  to  be  exceptionally  exciting  for  sports  fanatics  in particular, with a highly anticipated line-up of football, rugby and cricket legends from around  the  world landing  on the  shores  of  Soneva  Fushi  and  Soneva  Jani  in  the Maldives, including World Cup champion David Villa, former FC Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez and football freestyling sensation Marcel Gurk.

As  part  of the upcoming summer 2022 programme, international sporting  superstar David Villa will be at Soneva Jani from July 20–31. Hailed as one of the best football strikers  of  all  time, Villa is a FIFA  World  Cup  champion,  UEFA  Champions  League winner  and  the  Spanish  National  Team’s  all-time  leading goal  scorer. After his retirement, he founded his own company, DV7 Group, offering football camps, clinics and other curricula to boys and girls around the world.

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Regarded as one of the best Mexican players of all time, Rafael Márquez also recently joined the summer roster at Soneva Fushi. The current youth coach of Spanish Tercera División club Alcalá, he’ll Will be putting Young Sonevians through their paces during a series of football camps from July 25–August 8. Adding to the high-flying excitement,football freestyling sensation Marcel Gurk will be hosting daily workshops from July 1–13 for both Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani’s youngest guests too.

Looking ahead to the October half-term break, from October 15–30 world cup-winning English  rugby  player Ben  Cohen will  be helping  guests  stay  in  shape  during  his renowned fitness workshops at both Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani.  Following  his  visit  to  Soneva  Fushi  during  Easter, Soneva  Stars’ regular Mikaël Silvestre will  be  making a welcome  return to the Maldives to host his ever-popular children’s football camps during the

October half-term and December festive breaks at Soneva Jani. The former French international player will later be returning to Soneva Fushi too as a commentator for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in Qatar this year from November 21–December 18. Joining him in the commentators’ booth but from the sandy shores of Soneva Jani is professional footballer Yaya Touré. Born in Côte d’Ivoire,  he has  represented  his  country  at  an  international  level  since 2004 and has become one of the most influential players from the continent of Africa. 

Kicking off the star-studded roster, Rohit Sharma recently shared his experiences and leadership lessons during a one-off Talkers’ Table at Soneva Jani. The current captain of the Indian Men’s National Team and captain of IPL’s Mumbai Indians, Rohit is widely acknowledged as one of cricket’s most outstanding and gifted batsmen. 

Launched  in  early  2020,  the  annual Soneva  Stars programme  promises  that  every Soneva stay is utterly unique, curating an eclectic and thought-provoking line-up that includes  legendary sportsmen and  women, Michelin-starred chefs, leading  wellness specialists, acclaimed artists, best-selling authors and more. No matter what time of year they visit, guests can enjoy an array of unforgettable experiences, from intimate 3 dinners hosted by the world’s top chefs and engaging talks with luminary experts to one-on-one coaching from sporting heroes or healing sessions with leading wellness therapists.