Rio de Janeiro’s main landmark, Christ the Redeemer, was the scene of the signing of a collaboration agreement between Pelé Academia, a project that combines athlete development with education, and the Spanish club Villarreal, with the aim of promoting young Brazilian players. To seal the partnership, this Thursday, September 12, the monument, which has never worn the jerseys of European teams, received a projection of the sacred mantle of the Yellow Submarine, as Villarreal is known.
The partnership aims to strengthen football ties between South America and Europe, serve as a tool for developing young talent and training international coaches. As a result, the agreement will not only benefit Pelé Academia’s operations, but will also contribute to the improvement of grassroots football in Brazil and raise the standard of national coaching.
During the ceremony, there was a press conference with former player Marcos Senna, ambassador and idol of Villarreal, the club where he played for 11 seasons, from 2002 to 2013. To complete the event, the Villarreal shirt was projected onto the biggest postcard in Rio de Janeiro.
The activation was led by 213 Sports, V3A’s sports vertical and Villarreal’s official agency in Brazil. “Being with the first European team to wear the iconic Christ the Redeemer is just the beginning of this partnership, through which we seek to increasingly boost the country’s sports scene,” says Marcelo Montenegro, partner at 213 and Pelé Academia and one of the project’s creators.
The event brought together former players and personalities from the world of football, such as Villarreal idol and ambassador Marcos Senna; Villarreal CEO Fernando Roig; Villarreal Commercial Director Juan Antón; Pelé Academia CEO Eduardo Gomes; and Pelé Academia and 213 Sports partner Marcelo Montenegro. Also present were the Spanish Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, Ángel Vázquez Diaz de Tuesta; the brother of the Mayor of Madrid, Alfonso Martinez; and the former president of Saint-Étienne, France, Bernard Caiazzo.
Other names that were present were the coordinator of the CBF youth teams, Branco; the president of Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, Durcesio Mello, as well as former Villarreal players, Nilmar and Cicinho.
