Badstuber, on the bench due to a ruptured knee ligament, took the young footballers by surprise during their official team photo, being taken by Allianz at the FC Bayern München training ground, Säbener Strasse, to mark the start of their football adventure of a lifetime. The teens, aged 14-16 years, were chosen to attend the fifth annual Allianz Junior Football Camp from over 80,000 applications in 104 countries. Their 6-day program includes training, sightseeing, and a game at the Allianz Arena.
Holger Badstuber, who spoke optimistically about his recovery from injury and his hopes to return to the first team soon, said: “I have met kids from the Allianz Junior Football Camp almost every year since it started and their excitement and passion for football always makes me very happy to see. It reminds me of what I was like when I was that age and I was following my heroes. … Hopefully they will bring us good luck for new season!”
Six days of football adventure brought together teenagers from all over the world
Participants of the Allianz Junior Football Camp followed an exciting program again this year, including the opportunity to play and train in their own training sessions at Säbener Strasse, did a sightseeing tour in Munich and visited the official team museum "FC Bayern Erlebniswelt". A tour behind the scenes of the Allianz Arena included the explanation of how the famous exterior lighting system works. On August 9, the teenagers were guests of Allianz at the red lit Allianz Arena, when FC Bayern München played Borussia Mönchengladbach during the first game of the new Bundesliga season. It ended with a 3:1 victory for FC Bayern. Over the weekend they watched a private FC Bayern München training session and met the players including stars like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Phillip Lahm, Javi Martinez, Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer.
The Allianz Junior Football Camp was officially opened by Dr. Christian Deuringer, Head of Global Brand Management of Allianz SE: “Allianz is excited to be celebrating the fifth annual Allianz Junior Football Camp by welcoming our largest and most diverse group of young footballers to Munich, a city we are proud to call home. As a global insurer, we believe strongly in our responsibility to help people develop skills and connections to make the best of life. Each year I am amazed to see just how a passion for football helps these young people bond, despite cultural differences. Together with our long-standing partner, FC Bayern München, Allianz is delighted to officially open this week of footballing adventure.”
Allianz Initiative "Football for life"
The Allianz Junior Football Camp is part of the global Allianz initiative "Football for life". Its aim is to help connect football enthusiasts from all over the world and to facilitate intercultural exchange. The first event took place in 2009 and its continuing success has led to a record number of applications from teenagers all over the world this year, with participants coming from 25 countries: Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Egypt, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suisse, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey.
The 113-year-old FC Bayern München is one of the most famous football clubs in the world. It holds 23 Bundesliga titles, 15 German Cup (DFB-Pokal) and five UEFA Champions League titles. Players like Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Phillip Lahm, Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos play for Germany.
One of the highlights of the Allianz Junior Football Camp was a visit to the Allianz Arena on Friday August 9 to watch FC Bayern München play. The iconic Allianz Arena is known for its distinctive illuminated ‘cushions’ on the exterior facade, which change to red, blue or white depending on who is playing inside. The Allianz Arena took three years to build, and since its official opening on May 31, 2005, has hosted nearly 18 million fans and over 300 matches - including the opening match and semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final. Allianz performed a key role in the development of the Allianz Arena, with its research laboratory, the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT), conducting all fire resistance tests of the outer material. The Allianz Arena is the flagship amongst the Allianz Family of Stadiums, which include Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia; Allianz Park in London, UK; Allianz Riviera in Nice, France; and also Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Allianz Junior Football Camp Reporter
For the first time an official “Allianz Junior Football Camp Reporter” attended the event and reported live from Munich via facebook.com/AllianzFootballforLife. Stephanie Herpers from The Netherlands was a participant in the 2011 Allianz Junior Football Camp and this year, won a special competition for past participants to report from the event. Now 16 years old, Stephanie is a student, football player for local club,V.V.Sleeuwijk, and also enjoys skiing, diving and sailing. Inspired by her involvement in the Allianz Junior Football Camp, Stephanie is planning a career in event management and sport after University.
