A Borderless Tournament

In a time when professional football is focused on the World Cup, Atletico Madrid joined ACCEM in a friendly solidarity tournament to help refugees and migrants. The event took place in Villa Rosa, Madrid, and was a success in terms of bringing people from different backgrounds together.

A Ball That Transcends Borders

The tournament, called 'Pelotero Ritmo Constante', was organized by Çantamarta and Matinal, and brought together musicians, athletes, journalists, photographers, and designers. The goal was to use football as a point of encounter and overcome the barriers that separate people. The event was a success in terms of bringing people from different backgrounds together.

A Solidarity Gesture

The funds raised from the sale of limited edition t-shirts designed by Çantamarta and Matinal were donated entirely to ACCEM, which will use those funds to continue developing its welcome, training, accompaniment, and integration programs in different parts of the country. The gesture sums up the spirit of the event: that the memory of a game can be transformed into a real help for those who need it most.

Football That Doesn't Make It to TV

Perhaps the greatest success of 'Pelotero Ritmo Constante' was to remember something that professional football seems to forget from time to time: that this sport still has a huge power when it comes down from the spotlight and returns to the neighborhood. There was no particularly valuable trophy. Nor a score that someone would remember in a few months. What was important happened between games, in conversations, in mixed teams, and in the naturalness with which people from very different backgrounds shared a morning around the same ball.

The Certainty That Football Still Brings People Together

While half the planet is watching the next World Cup, in Villa Rosa, another championship was played. One without anthems or fireworks. But with something that, sometimes, is worth much more: the certainty that football still has the power to bring people together who would probably never have known each other.

Atletico Madrid is currently in 4th place in the league, with 69 points, 21 wins, 6 draws, and 11 losses in 38 games. Their last result was a 5-1 loss to Villarreal on May 24. Their next game is on August 23 at home against Villarreal, who are in 3rd place in the table.