December 22, 2009
The Fund Forums new project to support young footballers was announced less than a month ago, but it has already attracted two world-known football players - Samuel Eto`o and Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese winger of Spanish Real Madrid, FIFA best goal scorer 2009, signed the Memorandum of cooperation with the Fund Forum in Tashkent and conducted a master class for youth teams of the Academy of Uzbek Bunyodkor football club, and together with the Chairperson of the Fund Forum`s Board of Trustees, Gulnara Karimova awarded two youth football teams: Olimpik Football Club of Kashkadarya region and a youth team of Tashkent Sports School №1. The children received diplomas and sports equipments. In the future, similar support will be given to other football teams in Uzbekistan.
Almost from its inception the Fund Forum supports children`s sports, opens children`s sports complex and allocates grants for young athletes in various sports. The Funds new project to support young footballers proposes both grant support and conducting master classes by world-class football players.
Cristiano Ronaldos arrival has caused great excitement. Tashkent JAR Stadium designed for up to 8000 seats, this time seated over 10 thousand spectators. First Ronaldo demonstrated his masterly techniques to loud exclamations from the audience, then played one half in each of the two teams (1995 and 1996 birth) of Bunyodkor football academy.
- The main purpose of such workout shows, - Ronaldo told reporters, - is to convince each player that he can become the best and should strive for this. This should be the motto of every young football player!
At the press conference Ronaldo said hed arrived in Tashkent to help the Funds project aimed at children`s football development in the country, and give incentive to young Uzbek football players. The Portuguese international also said that he first visited Uzbekistan and will come again to the country, and that hed heard of Uzbek football from his former coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Ronaldo awarded three journalists reporting on Uzbek football.
Related links
Fund Forum signs MoU`s with two Japanese foundations