On April 29, La Liga ambassador and Sevilla legend, Frédéric Kanouté, gave the kids at Acland Burghley School in North London a memory that will last a lifetime to celebrate La Liga x Bloomsbury Football League.
The community partnership will be supported by Fundación LaLiga and 12 professional football clubs from Spain. Their goal is to provide access to football for young people across London. And if that wasn’t enough to get excited about, Kanouté made an extra special announcement.
With a twinkle in his eye, the 45-year-old revealed a sensational opportunity for a pair of players.
The lucky duo will receive residential scholarships to La Liga Camps UK. This will allow them to learn the Spanish first division’s methodology, while simultaneously absorbing the teachings of UEFA pro-licensed coaches.
Over a 30-week format, The LaLiga x Bloomsbury Football League will see kids from the ages of 9 to 13 competing in 12 teams for the LaLiga x Bloomsbury trophy. And to make things even better, each individual player will receive their kit from one of the clubs involved. These include: RCD Espanyol, Sevilla FC, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Valencia CF, CA Osasuna, RC Celta, Deportivo Alavés, CD Tenerife, Real Oviedo, SD Eibar and UD Las Palmas.
70% of young people involved in the league will receive financial assistance, courtesy of Bloomsbury Football and LaLiga’s official foundation, Fundación LaLiga. In total, 20 young people have had the entirety of their fees covered.
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Frédéric Kanouté thinks The LaLiga x Bloomsbury Football League is an amazing initiative
In addition to the exciting matches, Fundación LaLiga ran clinics for the young people to educate them about the positive lessons football can teach. They promoted integrity, maximum effort, self-improvement, collaboration and teamwork.
In a testament to Kanouté’s character, he got stuck in, candidly chatting with the youngsters, sharing his journey towards the pinnacle of the sport.
He said: “I am extremely passionate about all young people having access to football. It doesn’t matter whether that’s in Mali or right here in my adopted home city of London. Football can have such a positive impact on young people’s lives. This is why it was a privilege to announce the La Liga Camps UK scholarship for two deserving young people.
“The LaLiga x Bloomsbury Football League is a great example of the opportunities LaLiga is creating for communities in the UK. I had so much fun watching the kids enjoying being out on the pitch. They were playing with smiles on their faces.”
La Liga is helping produce the next generation of football stars
In May 2022, La Liga signed a multi-year partnership, promising to invest in community football surrounding its London H!. La Liga and Bloomsbury Football are creating new opportunities for Bloomsbury players, upskilling team members and creating live events.
Keegan Pierce, LaLiga Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, said: “Our community partnership with Bloomsbury Football here in London has been a great example of our support for football in the UK. We’re supporting young players’ health and well-being, all while celebrating the joy of Spanish football.
“It’s amazing that LaLiga continues to champion grassroots football in London by supporting our work at Bloomsbury Football. Since this partnership started a year ago, we have already had a significant impact. Our young people compete in weekly matches proudly wearing the kits of their La Liga team. It was inspiring for them to meet Frédéric Kanouté. Together, Bloomsbury Football and LaLiga are creating lifelong memories for our players”, said Charlie Hyman, Founder & CEO of Bloomsbury Football.”
Pierce added: “The recipients of these scholarships will receive an incredible and potentially life-changing opportunity, thanks to our Grassroots partners at La Liga Camps UK. Participants will learn La Liga’s unique training methodologies. This will ensure they have the same world-class level of coaching that has created some of the world’s finest players.”
Looking forward, La Liga and Bloomsbury are working towards a girls’ tournament in the Summer.
With the Women’s World Cup just around the corner, the hype is through the roof. Therefore, they’re hoping that the scheme will encourage more girls to give the sport a try.
Featured Image Credit: La Liga
