FC Bayern and Union Saint-Gilloise taking football back into schools

FC Bayern's victory against Real Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday evening this week saw them qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. But it wasn't just the players who sent a strong signal: Once again, FC Bayern also made the most of a Champions League matchday to use football as a means of promoting social commitment in areas where sport can be an important tool for integration and cohesion.

Early on Wednesday afternoon, a training session for 27 children took place at Munich’s Rotbuchenstraße primary school. The event was organised and led by Union Inspires, the foundation of the Champions League opponents from Brussels, and a coaching team from FC Bayern.

Union Inspires is committed to promoting inclusion, education and health projects and fostering social solidarity. Playing football creates shared experiences. Like FC Bayern, Union Inspires also wants to have a presence where children should experience and learn about community: for example in schools.

FC Bayern had club legend Bernd Dreher (goalkeeper from 1996 to 2008) and 17-year-old youth player Wisdom Mike on hand to conduct the football lessons.

Mike is currently completing his federal voluntary service in elite sport and regularly gets involved in promoting physical activity in schools. He‘s part of the FC Bayern ZAM AKTIV (active together) programme, which aims to increase physical activity, promote health and get people involved in sport. ZAM AKTIV reaches and motivates up to 2,000 children every week.

At the end of the training session on Wednesday afternoon, Dreher and Mike spent time signing autographs and chatting with the children. For the participating kids, it was a moment they’ll remember for a long time: playing with a professional footballer in their primary school gym and learning from coaches from two Champions League teams.

In the current Champions League season, FC Bayern has organised identical training sessions with Paris St. Germain, Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon. Football strengthens groups and creates many positive emotional moments, especially for those who can’t be at the stadium on a matchday. FC Bayern is taking matchdays to places where they would otherwise almost never take place - onto the streets, into urban neighbourhoods and, this time, even right into the heart of Munich.

Bayern also visited a Munich school for the game against Sporting Lisbon: