Creating moments of magic for children in Bilbao
jueves, 22 de mayo de 2025
Resumen del artículo
The 2025 UEFA Europa League final was a truly memorable occasion for local children thanks to the work of the UEFA Foundation for Children and its partners.
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Cuerpo del artículo
The UEFA Foundation for Children uses the unique occasions offered by UEFA’s competitions to deliver unforgettable memories for vulnerable children, and the Europa League final in Bilbao, Spain, was no different.
The day before the match, the Athletic Club Foundation – a UEFA Foundation partner – brought 30 local children to the San Mamés Stadium for a special meet-and-greet session with the players from eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur.
When the action kicked off in Bilbao, a further 80 local children were watching from the stands thanks to our partnership with Hankook, a long-standing UEFA Europe League partner. Fourteen youngsters had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to attend the game but to walk out onto the pitch with the teams as players mascots, through our partnership with Lidl, while a further three acted as referee mascots.
One was also chosen to join UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin in handing out the medals after the final whistle. Ruth Noemí Gamarra is supported by the Athletic Club Foundation’s Fidias project, which aims to use sport to provide safe and nurturing environments for children at risk of social exclusion. Originally from Argentina, after her father passed away Ruth and her family moved to Spain, where she loves dancing and crafts. Football runs in her family, too, with her mother being a referee.
"We must remain focused on the needs of our beneficiaries and keep them at the centre of everything we do. Sports, especially football, have the power to bring communities together, promote health and teach valuable life skills."
Athletic Club Foundation
The Athletic Club Foundation supports vulnerable children in Bilbao from low-income backgrounds, leveraging the power of football and Athletic Club’s strong community connections to deliver projects that foster inclusion, inspiration and access to culture.
The shared sense of belonging is fundamental value of the foundation and the club – every one of Athletic Club’s players was either born or brought up in Bilbao and the surrounding Basque Country.
Since it was formed in 2002, the foundation can count more than 300,000 beneficiaries and has worked with numerous partners. In 2024 it was one of the organisations that supported the construction of a Lay’s RePlay pitch in Bilbao ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League final.
The UEFA Foundation for Children has supported the Athletic Foundation with €47,000 this year.
10 years of supporting vulnerable children
The UEFA Foundation for Children celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, marking a decade of impactful work and significant contributions to the lives of disadvantaged children facing daily challenges. Established in 2015, it has supported 577 projects across 138 countries, reaching nearly five million people. These efforts have promoted children’s rights and used football as a positive catalyst for improvement in areas such as health, education, personal development, inclusion and employability.
