Croke Park is set to welcome football back to its famous pitch as Manchester United and Leeds United prepare to face each other in a highly anticipated pre-season friendly in Dublin. The sold-out fixture will be the first football match staged at the GAA headquarters in 17 years, with around 80,000 supporters expected to attend. Former Manchester United defenders Denis Irwin and Wes Brown, along with ex-Leeds striker Michael Bridges, joined young players on the pitch for a coaching session. Owen also highlighted the longstanding connections between Ireland, Manchester and Leeds, pointing to the influence of Irish communities on both cities. Irwin, who represented Ireland as well as both Manchester United and Leeds, described the game as an important moment for Irish football supporters.