Even before the UEFA EURO 2024, 22 pupils from Years 3 and 4 at Im Emscherbruch Catholic Primary School were able to celebrate on Tuesday (27 February). At the kick-off for the EURO School Cup 2024, they received a huge soccer package in their gym - personally presented by EURO mascots Albärt and ERWIN. Benedikt Höwedes, the S04 patron for the European Championship projects, was also on hand, as was Schalke's CEO Matthias Tillmann.
Well-equipped with balls, goals, marker cones etc., the children can now optimally prepare for the tournament on June 10 and 11 at the Schalke club grounds. Gradually, all 40 elementary school in Gelsenkirchen and the municipal special school for language will receive such equipment. The soccer kits were financed by the city of Gelsenkirchen, which launched the EURO School Cup together with the Knappen, the Gelsenkirchen education authority and the Berger Feld comprehensive school. 500 boys and girls have already registered for the first edition.
As a premiere in this form, the tournament is intended to help strengthen the sport in Gelsenkirchen in the long term. With a regular tournament, high-quality packages and training for teaching staff, important foundations have been laid for good soccer work at elementary school.
After being welcomed by Wilhelm Weßels, Project Manager of UEFA EURO 2024 for the City of Gelsenkirchen, and Petra Bommert, Director of the Gelsenkirchen Education Authority, Matthias Tillmann emphasized the importance of the European Championships for the Ruhr region: "As FC Schalke 04, it was important to us not only to be the landlord of the VELTINS-Arena, but also a partner of the city. We are very pleased to be implementing this great project together. We want the children to really get into soccer, and it's great to see how passionate they are about it."
With Benedikt Höwedes, S04 was able to win over a full-blooded Schalke player as patron. The 35-year-old will help to further increase awareness of the campaigns and raise the profile of soccer in elementary school. The former Knappen professional is very happy to be involved and can still remember how he was carried away by the World Cup atmosphere in 2006: "It's great that such a big tournament is now taking place in Germany again, and I want to inspire the children and young people here in Gelsenkirchen in particular. Soccer can be of great importance for their personal development. Winning together, losing together - they will learn from these shared experiences."
With Benedikt Höwedes, S04 was able to win over a full-blooded Schalke player as patron. The 35-year-old will help to further increase awareness of the campaigns and raise the profile of soccer in elementary school. The former Knappen professional is very happy to be involved and can still remember how he was carried away by the World Cup atmosphere in 2006: "It's great that such a big tournament is now taking place in Germany again, and I want to inspire the children and young people here in Gelsenkirchen in particular. Soccer can be of great importance for their personal development. Winning together, losing together - they will learn from these shared experiences."
