The Santa Inés sports court is the new FC Futures Sports Center
MADRID, 6 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
EA Sports and LaLiga, in collaboration with the Vibra Foundation in Alto de J Balvin, Love.F Football and Football with Heart, have opened a new soccer field in the Manrique neighborhood, Medellín, as part of the Global FC Futures initiative, in an effort to continue promoting base football worldwide.
The inauguration of the Santa Inés sports court was held on Wednesday at an event to celebrate the start of a social impact project during the next months, with the presence of Fernando Morientes, former defout of LaLiga who led a training session with local children. In addition, he also told the participation of Colombian artist J Balvin.
“Medellín is more than my city; it is my home. Being part of FC Futures, a project that leads football to communities and generates a real impact on the lives of young people, fills me with pride,” said J Balvin.
“Designing this court is my way of giving back my people, creating a space where football and art merge to inspire new generations, a place where dreams can begin to take shape, which has always been our goal with the Vibra Foundation in Alta. I hope this space becomes a symbol of union, passion and opportunities for the youth of my land,” he added.
FC Futures seeks to democratize access to sport and provide safe and accessible spaces for the community, has a special component: the design of the court has been carried out by the Colombian artist and singer J Balvin, who embodied his characteristic style on the pitch.
“In EA Sports FC, we believe in the power of football to unite and create positive changes for people and communities. See how this court comes to life in Medellín, along with LaLiga and our incredible partners, it is a moment of pride for us,” said James Salmon, senior director, FC Franchise Activation, EA Sports FC.
“With FC Futures, we are not only opening new spaces to play, but we also help inspire the next generation of players by providing access to the sport they love. We are eager to see how this space becomes a center for the community, where young people can grow, connect and pursue their dreams through football,” he added.
According to LaLiga in its statement, this court “will become the epicenter of a community development program, EA Sports and LaLiga will maintain this project in charge of Love. Football and Soccer with Heart, based on the transformation of the Santa Inés Sports Center.”
Thus, the program will include “creation and strengthening of a mixed soccer group with 50 children and young people directly impacted; weekly training for each group, with a total of 100+ hours of sports training; inclusion of other sports disciplines such as male soccer, football for no seers, volley Heart (FCC);
“The project promotes values such as gender inclusion and equity, the culture of peace and non -violence, community empowerment and the development of key socio -emotional skills such as empathy, teamwork and cooperation,” adds LaLiga.
With the inauguration of this court in Medellín, there are already five rehabilitated spaces in different cities in the world, added to the donation of more than 10,000 balls and the development of programs such as the Next Gen Draft to boost young talent.
“Our collaboration with EA Sports within the framework of FC Futures is essential to take football to communities that need it most. This project in Medellín exemplifies how, through sport, we can generate positive and lasting changes, offering young safe spaces and growth opportunities,” said Jorge de la Vega, CEO of Laliga.