1.   He is English, the product of a culture more known for pale royalty and wiry soccer stars.

2.   Lilly and teammates Michelle Akers, Carin Gabarra and Carla Overbeck appeared onstage in business attire, as did moppy- headed Columbian soccer star Carlos Valderrama.

3.   Statham returns from the first film, as does English soccer star Vinnie Jones.

4.   Award presenters included Italian League soccer stars Ronaldo and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as designers Giorgio Armani, Jean Paul Gaultier and Donatella Versace.

5.   Basketballers pass left and soccer stars kick right, according to a pre-election poll of athletes in Israel.

6.   Celebrities expected to attend the ceremony include Hollywood actors Richard Gere and Harrison Ford, Italian soccer star Robert Baggio and rock singer Tina Turner.

7.   Chelsea soccer stars John Terry and Jody Morris will stand trial in August in connection with an alleged assault on a nightclub bouncer.

8.   Runners-up were soccer stars Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, boxer Naseem Hamed and race car driver David Coulthard.

9.   Soccer star Tulio and composer Chico Buarque were among dozens of celebrities promoting the march.

10.   Some of the floats in the initial parades this year paid tribute to U.S. pop star Madonna, basketball star Michael Jordan or legendary soccer star Pele.