Real Madrid to open academy in Kerala

Real Madrid CF, one of world football’s elite clubs, will set up a football school in the city of Kochi in Kerala shortly. The Spanish giants plans to start one of their trademark ’social-sports academies’ that have been set up across the globe by the Real Madrid Foundation here.

The preliminary talks for this was held at Kochi on Sunday between Manuel Tarreno Rodriques, the director of Real Madrid Foundation’s youth camps and KN Ganesh Kumar, the sports minister for the state of Kerala. The meeting was also attended by president of Kerala Sports Council Padmini Thomas, president of Kerala Football Association (KFA) KMI Mather, Member of Legislative Assembly Hibi Eden and former sports minister Dominic Presentation.

“The Sports Minister has suggested the Panampilly Nagar Sports Hostel (in Kochi) as the venue for the soccer school,” said the KFA President. “Real Madrid will send coaches, and they may also take some of the boys from here to their academy if they are very talented.”

Meanwhile, KFA Secretary P Anilkumar confirmed that the Panampilly Nagar Sports Hostel has been finalised as the venue and that an artificial football turf, swimming pool and a multi-purpose gym could also come up there. “The Panampilly Nagar Hostel, which is run by the Kerala Sports Council, will have a very modern look. Real Madrid is likely to start projects in other parts of Kerala too,” he said.

The Real Madrid Foundation is the means by which Real Madrid reaches out to society and develops its social and cultural awareness programmes. The Foundation carries out sports activities, educational and cultural activities, social welfare activities and institutional activities.

Real Madrid Foundation already has an institution in India at Kheadah in the state of West Bengal. This was their first project in Asia which gives education to 150 students aged between 7 and 15 years.

Posted in: