Everton Football Club has launched an international awareness campaign to refocus attention on the two-year search for missing Madeleine McCann. The move to re-energise the campaign to find the youngster is being made as the English Premier League Club heads to Portugal for their Europa League group match with Benfica at Lisbon’s famous Stadium of Light on Thursday night.

Madeleine went missing in the Portuguese resort of Praia de Luz in 2007 and since then huge international efforts have been made to locate the young Evertonian’s whereabouts. One of the first images released by Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, in the wake of their daughter’s disappearance 29 months ago showed the then four-year old proudly wearing an Everton shirt. To raise awareness of the ongoing search for Madeleine, Everton has commissioned a specially-designed T-shirt featuring the message, ‘We’re Still Looking For You’ which is to be given to every supporter who has purchased a ticket for Thursday’s match.

A total of 6,000 shirts have been produced by the Club – 3,000 bearing the logo in English and 3,000 bearing a message in Portuguese.

Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright said: “I will never, ever forget that image of a beautiful, smiling child in an Everton shirt. I believe that I was one of the first people outside the family to see it and it moved me greatly. In truth, like everyone else, I have felt nothing but deep sadness and mounting frustration as the search for Maddie has continued. However, I continue to be inspired by the dignity and the faith which Kate and Gerry have displayed throughout their dreadful ordeal.

“This is just our way of reminding people – not just in the UK and Portugal but across the globe – that this child is still out there somewhere. If we can, perhaps, jog someone’s memory or breath a little fresh life into the hunt for her then it will have been worth it. I know our supporters will wear these t-shirts with pride on Thursday night,” he added.

Everton Manager David Moyes added: “My heart went out to Madeleine’s family when this awful tragedy occurred – and it still does. It is absolutely vital that the hunt for this lovely, little girl continues. People do sometimes forget that football managers and footballers are also Dads – family comes first. Everyone connected with Everton Football Club simply wishes to see Madeleine reunited with her family.”