Manchester City FC to bring League and Cup trophies to Abu Dhabi for major fan event

The English Premier League trophy and the Capital One Cup will go on display at a Manchester City FC Fanzone event in Abu Dhabi.

The club, who won both titles last season, are flying the silverware in for a live screening of the big game with Manchester United on Sunday, 2 November 2014.

The family event, on the outdoor Pitch 1 next to the tennis stadium at Zayed Sports City, starts at 4.30pm with kick-off at 5.30pm. Entry is free for all City fans living in the UAE, with pre-event registration required by emailing skyblue@mcfc.co.uk.

At half-time a competition will be held with the lucky winner traveling to the UK for a City game later this season.

Refreshments will be available throughout the evening along with the chance to try Etihad Airways’ incredible F1 car simulator.

Manchester City FC captain Vincent Kompany said: “Fans all over the world will be watching this game and it is always hugely important to both sets of fans. Obviously we can all still remember winning both of those trophies last season and it was an amazing feeling for me personally to lift them both.”

“It’s fantastic that City fans in Abu Dhabi are getting the chance to see them in real life as they support the team in the game against United.”

City have been putting on Fanzones in Abu Dhabi for several years with more than 400 fans heading to Zayed Sports City for the final game of last season when the team landed the league title.

The club also coaches hundreds of young players every week at Zayed Sports City at the City Football School.

World Cup winning legend Patrick Vieira, who runs the Elite Development Squad at City and is a regular visitor to Abu Dhabi, added: “We have seen both the Fanzone events and City Football School in Abu Dhabi go from strength to strength over the years and taking the trophies there is a brilliant way to say thanks.”

Manchester City FC Launch Latest Coaching Sessions For Young Players In The UAE

The new sessions are open to boys and girls between the ages of five to 18 years’ old wishing to learn the skills of their Manchester City FC heroes

Manchester City FC manager Manuel Pellegrini and star midfielder Samir Nasri have spoken of their pride in seeing the club help develop young players in the UAE.

It comes as the new season of the City Football School at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi gets underway.

Boys and girls can sign up now for the coaching sessions which start at the end of August at the indoor arena before going out onto the pitches once the weather cools.

City manager Pellegrini, who took the team to the league title last season, said: “The importance of coaching starts at a young age and it is great the way these players in Abu Dhabi, both boys and girls, are being taught in the right way.
“What we must do as a club is make sure the same methods are used by everyone and it is not just important what happens on the pitch but also what happens off it.
“Manchester City is now a global team and that strikes me when I see what is happening in Abu Dhabi with the young player coaching – it’s very satisfying.”

City Football Schools in the UAE teach young players the same techniques taught at the club – from the first team stars to the youth teams. 

Hundreds of players have been taught at Zayed Sports City in the last three seasons with the football school growing all the time with new coaches added along with improved training sessions.
Midfielder Nasri added: “Football is very much about passion and I see that with the young players and fans in Abu Dhabi.
“The game has always been popular in the Middle East but I really see that the new emerging players are taking the standards higher and it is only going to get better from here.”

For all information on City Football Schools e-mail adsof@mcfc.co.uk or visit the CityStore in Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi.

 

 

*NOTE: This post is part of the PR efforts of MCFC in UAE

NIKE New Football Application

NIKE LAUNCHES NEW FOOTBALL APP: The best of Nike Football — and a route into the professional game — in your pocket.

Whether it is news, banter, products info, shopping, exclusive stuff, or getting into the Nike Academy, you have to download the NIKE Football mobile application to get all.

I am already falling in love more and more with NIKE’s football products and this is a must have application.

“This is Nike Football in your pocket.  The app will allow members of the Nike Football community to be the first to access the latest product, stories and event experiences. It’ll be the only way to earn a spot in the Nike Academy and earn your way to the highest level of the game.”

Here is the full description of the application: Read HERE

You can download it:

For iOS (iPhone and Co.): Download HERE

For Android: Download HERE

David Luiz: NIKE’s Emotional Video for the World Cup

Hold on a second! Hold your horses! Before hating this blog or ridiculing this post or even the player, remember: LIFE IS FOOTBALL.

Well, David Luiz may not be the most loved player on planet Earth at the moment, but his promotional video produced by NIKE sums a lot about football, and yes, it is worth sharing.

NIKE released “DAVID LUIZ: THE BLOOD IN MY VEINS RUNS YELLOW AND GREEN” and it is a new that film highlights the passion and pride of Ladislau, father of David Luiz.

The beauty in this movie is it that it touches the dreams of every person and the pride of representing the National Team in a World Cup tournament.

In short, Ladislau Marinho was a footballer in Belo Horizonte who had a dream of playing for Brasil. Marinho never realized that dream – his son did.

His son is David Luiz…

Enjoy!

A Retrospective Of Brasil’s Yellow Jersey by NIKE

Thanks to NIKE, I just realized (because I was not even interested before) that the Brazil National Team did not start wearing the now famous yellow jersey before the 1954 World Cup.

The Brasil national team home jersey wasn’t always yellow. It took a devastating defeat in the 1950 final at home to initiate a color scheme change. After wearing white and blue for half a century, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) debuted a new kit in yellow, green and blue — the colors of Brasil’s flag — in 1954. The design was the result of a national competition, and the new colors stuck.

Nike started making kits for CBF in 1997, after signing on as the team’s official apparel sponsor the year prior. Here, a look inside the process of creating Brasil’s national team home kit for the major competitions of 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Here is one of the Brazil jerseys that I remember as if they were wearing it yesterday.

For the full NIKE – Brazil history, check this link: 1996-2014 Nike’s designs

Nike Football RISK EVERYTHING: The Last Game ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Iniesta and more

‘The Last Game’ is a story about risky football versus safe football.

The scientist and the clones want to prove that riskless football is more effective.

Ronaldo Fenomeno and the original players disagree, and they are willing to risk everything to prove the scientist wrong.
There is only one way to know who is right: the Last Game.

Featuring (animated): Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Neymar Júnior, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Andrés Iniesta, David Luiz, Franck Ribéry, Tim Howard and Ronaldo Fenomeno.

Football is about risking everything, and NIKE is proving that!

Nike Football: Winner Stays – Ronaldo, Neymar, Rooney, Ibrahimovic, Iniesta, and more

Nike launched the second part of its ‘Risk Everything’ Football campaign for 2014 with a film called “Winner Stays.”   While Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr. and Wayne Rooney are back, they are now joined by a host of other football superstars and a few special guests. The star-studded four-minute film features Kobe Bryant, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Irina Shayk and The Incredible Hulk.

The film is already getting the praise from everywhere and it has gathered almost 20 million YouTube views in two days, only!

Enjoy!

Champions League Quarter-Finals Quick Discussion

Axiom Telecom – UAE is producing a new show for football fans. The show host is Anas Bukhash who was kind enough to extend his invitation to me to be part of the second episode. We played fussball (and I got humiliated) and discussed the first leg of the Champions League Quarter-Finals matches.

Here is the video. Enjoy and tell us what you think – on Twitter – using #KalamfilKora !

NIKE FOOTBALL LAUNCHES “RISK EVERYTHING” CAMPAIGN

The countdown for the World Cup – Brazil 2014 started a way back, and everyone on this planet is anticipating the biggest football festival ever.

NIKE is spearheading the campaigns leading to Brazil 2014, and NIKE wants the fans to be involved in the buildup too.

Today NIKE launches the first part of its 2014 football campaign #riskeverything. (featured on: www.nike.com/riskeverything )

Starring Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Wayne Rooney, the film shows the pressure felt by some of the world’s greatest players as they prepare to play on the world’s biggest stage.

Fans are invited from across the world to take part in this challenge and participate in local tournaments being held in many cities around the world including Dubai, UAE.

The rules of engagement are simple. Take on the best in your area in the ultimate football tournament, join together with your mates to make your mark on your city:

1. GATHER YOUR CREW: Represent your neighborhood. Select the event closest to you and sign up here.
2. RULE THE PITCH: The rules are simple: Concede a goal and lose a player. Next team to score wins.
3. CONQUER YOUR CITY: The winning team from each local event earns a place in the city final.

Life is about football, and NIKE is inviting everyone to show how to #riskeverything for football.

WATCH THE VIDEO (which was directed by Jonathan Glazer; creative by Wieden + Kennedy) here ==>

Nike Football: Risk Everything. Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr. & Rooney

DON’T JUST WATCH THEM. JOIN THEM.

NIKE Magista Changes Football Boots Forever

NIKE launched its new breed of football shoes and called it the ‘MAGISTA’

The new boot features distinctive new silhouette and Nike Flyknit technology.

At first sight, it looks like a shoes designed for playing basketball. Yet, and as per Iniesta’s, Gotze’s and other players, the Magista feels like an extension of the player’s body.

Nike’s Flyknit technology has been adapted specifically for football, placing the foot closer to the ball and allowing for enhanced ball-feel and control. Flyknit technology delivers unprecedented feel, fit and control, by creating a second-skin, sock-like feel and allows for strength and support to be knitted directly into the boot.  The Magista also features a new mid-cut Dynamic Fit Collar for a more locked down fit and increased awareness of the body’s movements and interaction with the ground and the ball.

Here are some photos for the boot, and you can always check NIKE’s Facebook page to check more details and see who of the superstars endorsed the shoes.