FC Barcelona becomes Football for Friendship Nine Values Cup holder for second time

FC Barcelona wins the Nine Values Cup repeating the achievement of 2015 and becomes the only two-times holder of the unique football trophy. The Cup is awarded every year as part of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship.

The Nine Values Cup is the only sports trophy in the world whose winner is determined by children. The results of the vote of the programme’s participants – Young Players and Journalists aged 10-16 from 104 countries of the world – named FC Barcelona the most socially responsible club of 2020. The Cup winner is chosen for following the Nine Values of the Football for Friendship programme: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions, and honour.

«I would like to congratulate all the people who have made this event possible since, due to the current situation of health crisis that the planet is experiencing, it has been a great success that said event has been held in such a way professional, with extreme sensitivity and transmitting a very positive energy at all times. Congratulations Organizing Committee», – notes the CEO of Soccer Barcelona Youth Academy, sports consultant for football clubs and academies and F4F ambassador Mike Puig.

From 2015, the Nine Values Cup is awarded every year to the most socially responsible football club. Over this time, the trophy was awarded to FC Barcelona (Spain), FC Bayern Munich (Germany), FC Al Wahda (Syria), FC Real Madrid (Spain), Brazilian national team, one of the participants of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, and FC Liverpool (UK).

The Nine Values Cup was created by the famous German sculptor Achim Ripperger especially for the Football for Friendship programme. The sculpture is made of aluminum and shows the figure of a young footballer holding the Earth represented as a football. The Cup symolises the future in the hands of the younger generation depending on the values this generation believes and promotes.

In 2020, the Football for Friendship held its Eighth Season, for the first time held in the online format. “It’s great that the organizers were able to hold the eighth season of the project, even if online. This year, I was entrusted with the opportunity to announce the winner of the Nine Values Cup and announce the most socially responsible football club this year. It’s FC Barcelona, I agree with the choice of the Football for Friendship participants, because, despite the pandemic, the club never stopped coming up with something for their fans, including the youngest ones”, – notes participant of the programme, Young Ambassdor from Russia, Denis Aladev.

The football club to receive the Nine Values Cup is determined in three steps. First, there is a global vote in which any club can participate. Second, a list of clubs-finalists who’ve gained the most votes is formed. Finally, Young Participants of the Football for Friendship programme vote to determine the club that has succeeded not only in sports, but also in implementing social initiatives.

This award reflects the idea that children have about good deeds; it supports and inspires professional clubs to continue doing social initiatives aimed at helping others.