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By Ojeikere Aikhoje
Bundesliga Legends/Ambassadors, Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Diego Contento at the Bundesliga Common Ground, in Ijaiye-Ojokoro.
Designed to equip children with valuable football skills, while also fostering personal growth beyond the pitch, the German Bundesliga as well as Brand Ambassador and Super Eagles, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, recently completed an 8 week-long programme at the Common Ground, in Ijaiye-Ojokoro, a Lagos suburb.
Conceived to deliver an exciting, dynamic, and unforgettable experience, celebrating the beauty and unifying power of football, the event was a huge success with the Bundesliga Meisterschale (Championship Shield) displayed to motivate the children.
Bundesliga Shield At Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Lagos
Certificates were presented to children, while Okocha encouraged them to take lessons learnt seriously to enhance their development in life.
The children undertook sessions in discipline, creativity, respect, fairplay, and goal setting amongst others.
“It’s always nice to guide children through life skills to prepare them for success in life.
“Over the years, the Bundesliga has invested in youth development across the world more than any league.
“Having played all over Europe, I have discovered that the Bundesliga is the best league and they don’t take the development of youths lightly.
“I know lessons learnt will be of immense benefit to the youths”, he said.
Also present was former Bayern Munich star, Diego Contento, who won the Bundesliga and Uefa Champions League for the Munich based side.
The Bundesliga Common Ground, in Ijaiye-Ojokoro, identified, conceived, designed and built by the Bundesliga, in 2022, to provide safe places for kids to play and communities to host events.
Okocha at the inauguration of the Bundesliga Common Ground, Ijaiye-Ojokoro, in 2022
‘Bundesliga Common Ground’ is an initiative in cooperation with local communities and partner companies to renovate existing sports grounds and build new ones where necessary.
Apart from Lagos (Nigeria), Bundesliga also developed Common Grounds in Mexico City (Mexico), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), New York (USA), Jakarta (Indonesia), Berlin (Germany) and Zabrze (Poland), to underscore its commitment to communities and grassroots development.
About Bundesliga Common Ground
The BUNDESLIGA COMMON GROUND initiative fosters young talent and strengthens the bond between Bundesliga fans, especially in underserved communities. Through Common Ground, the Bundesliga’s unique football culture is being brought to life, creating and supporting safe spaces where fans from all walks of life can gather, connect, and enjoy football in its purest form.
The project was launched during the 2022-23 season, renovating and revitalising football pitches around the world. In association with local partners and communities, pitches have been revitalised in Lagos (Nigeria), Mexico City (Mexico), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), New York (USA), Jakarta (Indonesia), Berlin (Germany) and Zabrze (Poland).
The long-term goal is to ensure a safe space for local communities, which acts as a hub for community events, as well as being a tangible contact point for some of the Bundesliga’s biggest fanbases around the world. Each pitch is handed over to the local relevant authority, for sports clubs and organisations to use. In addition, Bundesliga clubs will continue to invest in grassroots football, hosting coaching sessions and Bundesliga watch parties, all with the goal of inspiring young people to be active and enjoy sport.
About Bundesliga
The Bundesliga, sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga. Seasons run from August to May. Games are played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with a focus on Saturdays. All Bundesliga clubs take part in the DFB-Pokal cup competition. The winner of the Bundesliga qualifies for the DFL-Supercup.
The Bundesliga is actively cultivating its image as an entertainment brand, going beyond a traditional sports league to engage fans with diverse content and experiences. This includes innovative media production, partnerships with entertainment companies like EA SPORTS, and a focus on creating a vibrant, global fan experience.
Nigerian stars like Okocha, Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Agali and Victor Ikpeba and Victor Boniface amongst others have played in the Bundesliga.
About Bundesliga International
Bundesliga In is a full subsidiary of DFL Deutsche Fusball Liga (DFL) and is responsible for connecting and inspiring football fans across the world.
Its main focus is to drive internationalisation by increasing passion for the Bundesliga with contagious ‘Football as it’s meant to be’ content using the highest innovation standards.
