Football and children are a perfect match
13 June 2016
Football teams walking on to the field for a match are often escorted by children. ING Belgium has begun a programme to give children aged 8 – 9 a chance to make an on-field appearance with their favourite players from the Belgium national football team.
On 1 June, a group of disadvantaged children accompanied the Red Devils (the nickname for the Belgian national team) on to the field for their European Championship pre-match against Finland. It was the first match that disadvantaged children accompanied the national players under ING Belgium’s programme, as the bank is the sponsor of the national team. For every home match, ING Belgium organises a selection process for children to accompany the players on to the field.
“The opportunity we provide children to accompany their favourite players, is part of our core strategy of empowering people, and particularly youth,” said Elise Kindts, from the football sponsorship team at ING Belgium. She said that ING Belgium, through this sponsorship, aims to create meaningful experiences for customers, employees and society.
Both customers and employees are made aware of the programme and are invited to register children for possible selection subject to certain criteria. This is done via the ING Belgium football platform, www.ing.be/football (customers) and through the bank’s intranet (employees).
The football sponsorship team at ING Belgium decided to extend the competition to include disadvantaged children after receiving many requests from charities looking after these types of children to participate. It asked players to select a charity from which children could be chosen. At a special meet and greet session last October, the children were introduced to the players to their great surprise. This proceeded their on-field appearance, which eventually took place on 1 June.
The Red Devils, just before the European Football Championship against Finland
On 1 June, the first time the Red Devils were accompanied on to the field with disadvantaged children
Dutch players delight young fans
Meanwhile in the Netherlands, players in the Dutch national team were also doing their bit to nurture youngsters’ interest in football. At a recent Orange Fan Day, team members made a surprise appearance, delighting many young fans with a chance to see their idols close-up and to play football with them.
Steven Sedee, manager of sport sponsoring at ING Netherlands. “The players immediately supported the idea to surprise the football clubs and their youth members. Our international players realise that the foundation of football lies within amateur football.”
Dutch national team member Joël Veltman with youngsters from the Dutch amateur clubs
Tonny Vilhena from the Dutch national team surprising children at the Orange Fan Day