Messi, Drogba, Eto'o to play in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) -Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will head a team of international stars in a charity match against Burkina Faso's national team in June, a government spokesman said Thursday.

Sylvain Vebamba said Messi, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure will appear in the game in Ouagadougou on June 16.

The match was organized by the wife of Burkina Faso's speaker of parliament after she traveled to this year's African Cup of Nations to meet with leading African players.

Messi, whose Barcelona team was beaten by Drogba's Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals this week, will have the European summer off after Argentina didn't qualify for the Olympic football tournament.

However, the charity game could leave him playing in four continents over four weeks. Before traveling to Burkina Faso, the three-time world player of the year is due to play in the Copa del Rey final in Madrid on May 25, Argentina's home World Cup qualifier against Ecuador on June 2, and an international friendly against Brazil in New Jersey on June 9.