After 1. FC Köln extended the partnership with J-League side, Sanfrecce Hiroshima for a further three years, the next highlight in the internationalisation strategy followed soon after. Two months after the extension and from 11th to 23rd June, a delegation surrounding Simon Scheibe, Head of the FC Football School, were guests in Japan in order to lead multiple workshops and training sessions.
“We’ve been able to see up close and personal the positive aspects that are often credited to sport and especially football. As soon as the ball was on the move, there was no longer a language barrier and everyone got stuck in,” explained Scheibe. “I am convinced that we were able to get across the FC values wherever we went and give our partner input where needed.”
Alongside six training sessions with the Sanfrecce Hiroshima academy teams, Scheibe and Maxim Berghaus, Head Coach for the FC under-12s, set-up two further sessions, six coaching workshops and three inclusion days in Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. Over 350 kids and youngsters from the age of four to 18 were able to get to know FC and develop their football skills.