King Felipe VI visits the new academy headquarters in Cuenca, Ecuador
A year after the inauguration of the first headquarters in Guayaquil, club president Enrique Cerezo travelled to Ecuador to inaugurate the second Academy location in the country, this time in the city of Cuenca. The event was attended by King Felipe VI of Spain, who was in Cuenca to participate in the XXIX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, as well as the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa.
The Atlético de Madrid Academy continues to strengthen ties with Ecuador. After opening the first headquarters in Guayaquil over a year ago—an initiative that has expanded from overseeing around 2,000 children at its inception to over 10,000 today—a new project is now beginning in the southern city of Cuenca.
Enrique Cerezo inaugurated the Cuenca location at a ceremony attended by King Felipe VI, President Daniel Noboa, the Governor of Cuenca, Santiago Malo, Ecuador's Ambassador in Madrid, Vilma Andrade, the Mayor of Cuenca, Cristian Zamora, Juan Xavier Cordovez from the Junta de Beneficencia, Emilio Gutiérrez, director of the Atlético de Madrid Academy and international expansion, and María Teresa Chirivi, deputy director of the Academy and international expansion.
The new location in Cuenca is the second collaborative project between Atlético de Madrid and the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil, which has experienced remarkable growth in just over a year. The Club Atlético JBG competes in Ecuador's 1st Division B, the country's third tier, and mainly recruits players from Atlético de Madrid's youth system in Guayaquil, which is structured in a pyramid format, featuring High-Performance teams, Youth Academies, and Training Schools. The Guayaquil headquarters now involves over 10,000 children and young people, making it the largest youth academy in Ecuador.
The goal of this Academy project is not only to provide athletic training but also to support education, social development, and overall quality of life for young people.
Enrique Cerezo emphasized in his speech that “our Project with the Junta is a Comprehensive Project aimed at educating through sport, offering opportunities, and fostering growth through football. Atlético will always support those who use sport as a tool to educate and spread positive messages and values to build a better society. This is our responsibility and our legacy.”
The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, also highlighted that “football, among other sports, teaches teamwork, solidarity, striving for excellence, and commitment, and turns teammates into a second family.” He expressed his gratitude for the “direct investment in the future of the country by Atlético, one of the world's greatest clubs.”
Finally, King Felipe VI, accompanied by the attending authorities, toured the facilities, observing activities and listening to a speech by Rafael Parro, one of Atlético de Madrid's coaches in Ecuador. The visit was a high-profile event that left a lasting impression on those present.
