Pele, Maradona and Ronaldo were among 50 global football icons to pay tribute to workers striving to combat the coronavirus pandemic in a video posted by FIFA.

(Xinhua) — Pele, Maradona and Ronaldo were among 50 global football icons to pay tribute to workers striving to combat the coronavirus pandemic in a video posted by FIFA on Saturday.

The video, which lasts almost one-and-a-half minutes, shows the past and present stars applauding “humanity’s heroes” from their respective homes.

“Across the globe, staff and volunteers at medical facilities have been risking their lives on a daily basis to support humankind,” the world football governing body said in an accompanying statement.

Former Brazilian soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento “Pele” takes part in a session of the World Economic Forum for Latin America, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Rahel Patrasso)

“Some have, sadly, paid the ultimate price. People working or volunteering in law enforcement, pharmacies, shops, warehouses, delivery services, public transport, and safety and security have also been playing a key role in protecting our way of life. To all of these heroic people: football thanks you, football remembers you and football supports you.”

Others to participate in the video included David Beckham, Gianluigi Buffon, Cafu, Fabio Cannavaro, Iker Casillas, Zinedine Zidane, Carli Lloyd and Marta, among others.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham addresses a UN General Assembly high-level meeting commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the UN headquarters in New York, on Nov. 20, 2019. As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), top UN officials on Wednesday urged refreshed commitment to match the gains of the past in the next 30 years. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

“As footballers, we are used to receiving applause, but this time, we have the opportunity to show our appreciation for the many people who are risking their lives to protect ours,” Beckham said in the statement. “You are humanity’s heroes and we want to show that all of football supports you and everything that you do to defend all of us.”