As part of efforts to recognize and celebrate players for their unrivaled contribution towards the development of the game, November 11 has been earmarked as International Day for Players and Teams.
Through an initiative dubbed Football 11-11, the eleventh day of the eleventh month of every year has thus been declared to honour football players – past, present and future to celebrate football, its players and support all that the game embraces.
Founder of the project, Tunde Adelakun, said Football 11-11 is a platform created to show support for footballers across the globe and aims to uncover areas through which they can make a complete package of football players.
“Our aim is to use 11-11 to uncover areas through which we can make a complete package of our football players, support them where we can, provide them with synergies that will make them fulfilled before, during and after their playing careers.
“We intend to look out for our players and provide the support they need to make a complete package of them,” he said.
Adelakun, a former football journalist and football coach who has worked with football players over the last 30 years in different capacities and recognises the importance of players in creating a viable ecosystem in society, while also looking after their well-being through Project Mindfare
“It is a day we want to focus on the players – how to support and empower past players, support present players to ensure that they are in a good state of mind to manage their successes and sometimes setbacks, and encourage future players and trying to make them better,”.
“On this special day football 11-11 remembers footballers and what they have done to make the game what it is.
He outlined that through dedicated projects such as Projects11-11 and a consultancy arm, Konsult11-11 will promote synergies and collaborations that would raise the bar of creating a mindful football fraternity, adding that his outfit is also keen on delivering infrastructure, education, peace, business and alignment with other facets of life that make the football player great.
“We are not in competition with established authority in football. We give kudos to the likes of FIFA for setting the pace and doing what they do in governing the global sport. We also pay homage to the likes of FIFPro for their part in looking after the welfare of football players around the world.
