Whether you enjoy playing or watching, football has the potential to bring people together. Considered by many as the most popular sport in the world, it’s no wonder that IE has a club dedicated to this beloved sport. The IE Football Club is open to the whole IE community – including current undergraduate and master’s students, staff, and alumni – regardless of their playing ability. The Club aims to embody IE’s values of inclusivity and innovation, offering an environment where those who share a passion for football can play together while building connections and networking.
The Football Club at IE has existed for some time, however, its prominence faded out due to the pandemic. Then, in 2022, the Club was brought back by Nicolas Perez while he was finishing his master’s degree in International Relations and continued after due to his passion for the community it created. In the beginning, the Club was small and consisted of twenty to thirty people who met up to run drills and face off in matches together. Since then, the Club has grown exponentially, with more than 250 events up to date, over 450 active members in its Whatsapp group, and over 2,000 members in total on IE Connects. As involvement increased so have the Club’s offerings, going from one game per week to now facilitating two game days with four matches in total. The Football Club also organises other activities including tournaments, leagues, and off-the-pitch activities related to sports. The club’s success can also be attributed to the continued efforts of board members Pablo Mathias Thurau, Kemal Deniz Turkoglu, Santiago Villagomez, Romain Pierre, and Matthieu Toulemonde.
Last June, after a successful year full of activities, the Club was recognised as the Best Sports Club by the Sports and Wellbeing Department. This acknowledgment was largely due to the support and passion of a growing team of club officers and management. Notably, Marcial Elias, a graduate of the Master’s in Customer Experience and Innovation, has contributed significantly to improving the Club’s marketing, and presence at IE, creating member-based content, helping the organisation, and promoting the Club.
This season has come to an end with the league’s final on May 10 between Goal Diggers vs Twenty 02 United. The Club intends for the final event of this academic year to be a staff tournament, which is currently being planned and will be held between June and July.
The Club has lots in store for this upcoming fall, including the IE Games in October where alumni from different international universities will have the opportunity to compete against one another. Additionally, the Football Club looks forward to continue collaborating and forming new partnerships with other IE clubs, including the Esports Club, Charity Club, and Cheerleaders Club. They plan to diversify further and create events related to geopolitics and football.
The club is free to join and open to everyone. Depending on the activity in which one would like to participate, a small fee may be required to cover some costs, prizes, and other materials. If you enjoy playing football or enjoy networking through sports, then the Football Club is certainly for you. To join you can connect via their Whatsapp group and IE Connects. You can also check out their Instagram at ie_football.club.
Cover image: Tournament finalists from the IE Football Club.
