Two boys from Budapest help design 2020 UEFA Super Cup match ball

This season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League winners will play the annual UEFA Super Cup match at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary on 24 September at 21:00 CET with a special match ball featuring a series of children’s drawings integrated into the ball’s design.

Drawings by Hungarian youngsters Joci and Erik will appear on the ball. The pair play football with the Oltalom sport association in Budapest, which helps youngsters to shape their lives using sport and by providing social benefits such as helping them to find work. They have benefited significantly from their experiences, with their love of football growing even stronger.

Joci says he likes football because he can play with his friends and because “it is fun.” His picture depicts players in a football match with the crowd in the stadium cheering the teams on.

Erik is a big fan of Ferencváros and, naturally, his favourite team was the inspiration behind his drawing. Football is a big part of Erik’s life and he is happy when he has the opportunity to play the game with his friends.

The drawings are the work of 18 children from different backgrounds from ten European organisations that work together with the UEFA Foundation for Children. The drawings were selected by the chairman of the foundation’s board, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.

Unique moment

“I’m sure that the children will be thrilled to see their drawings on the Super Cup match ball and to know that stars of our game will be scoring goals with it,” said the UEFA President.

“These young people know the work of the UEFA foundation and I am proud that they want to be part of one of UEFA’s showpiece events.”

“It was inspiring to see all these excellent drawings and hear the stories of the children. I hope that the joy they feel because their artwork is on the ball for such an important match will motivate them not only to play football but also to follow their dreams.”

Children from across the continent were encouraged to submit drawings showing what football meant to them in a contest organised by the foundation together with the ten partner organisations. Mr Čeferin chose the 18 drawings from a portfolio of more than 200 contributions.

Leading up to the UEFA Super Cup match at Porto’s Estádio do Dragão in August, the UEFA Foundation for Children will tell the stories of the 18 children on the Instagram channels uefa_foundation and @UEFA_official.