News
MON 14.11.2016
The president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, and Jose Ramon de la Morena, the president of the Jose Ramon de la Morena Foundation, presented the 21st LaLiga Promises International Tournament in Tenerife. The event will be held in the island's capital city and will take place between 27 and 29 December. The president of the Cabildo de Tenerife (Tenerife Island Council), Carlos Alonso, and the mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Lope Afonso, also attended the ceremony. The 21st edition of the tournament will be held at the Estadio Municipal El Peñon, and will feature eight Under-12 sides from LaLiga clubs and a further four from other countries.
Tebas voiced his excitement ahead of the upcoming edition of the tournament, LaLiga's involvement in which illustrates the institution's commitment to supporting football at all levels. "We are grateful to be part of this tournament – Christmas just wouldn't feel the same without it. What's more, we'll be going back to Tenerife, an island which we hold in high regard because of the passion and excitement with which the Cabildo welcomes LaLiga Promises," he stated. The LaLiga president also took the opportunity to mention that, "This year will not only be the first time Puerto de la Cruz will be serving as the venue, but also the first time MARCA and Onda Cero will respectively be the event's official newspaper and radio station. We must thank all media outlets that work hard to give as much coverage to LaLiga Promises as possible."
For his part, De la Morena expressed his delight about the fact that the competition is returning to Tenerife: "This is a natural place to hold it. This year the Cabildo decided that it was something Tenerife couldn't miss out on. It's a dream come true for the kids involved, a Christmas fairy tale. For three days they get to be like professional footballers. It represents football at its purest."
Cabildo president Alonso echoed this sentiment: "It's a privilege for us and an opportunity that we could not turn down. As well as us getting to see great football served up by the youngsters, there will be a whole host of activities to enable participation not just from the kids playing in the tournament, but from all the boys and girls in Tenerife."
Meanwhile, the mayor of Puerto de la Cruz explained how much it means to the city to host the competition: "Having events of this nature come to town is a dream for us. It has a successful format that is tried and tested and is a household name in sport. What's more, it will give us a golden opportunity to showcase our municipality to the outside world."
Spanish television channels La Sexta and Gol will be broadcasting the tournament, while fans will also be able to follow the action through LaLiga TV and the official LaLiga YouTube channel. Furthermore, the event will have a significant social media presence, with the official hashtag #LaLigaPromises set to be in wide use. These factors will ensure that there is plenty of buzz when the 12 teams begin their quest for glory in the 21st LaLiga Promises International Tournament on 27 December.
Prior to the competition's grand finale, to be staged on the night of 29 December, there will be an exhibition match pitting a team made up of kids from Tenerife against a side featuring an assortment of the tournament participants. All in all, the three-day event will be a fine advert for what football is all about and is sure to supply no shortage of great memories for all concerned, including spectators.
© LALIGA - 2016