Credit: Twitter
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently touring Spain, met La Liga president Javier Tebas along with cricketer Sourav Ganguly and officials of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the state government and the Spanish League regarding the development of the state’s football and the establishment of an academy in the state.
The Bengal chief minister assured the Spanish football league's president, Javier Tebas, that 'land is not a problem.' The MOU will increase the flow of knowledge and expertise from La Liga, the largest football ecosystem in the world, into West Bengal.
“Be our guest; feel the football mania in Bengal. The kind of football frenzy you witness in Bengal is unparalleled," Banerjee told the La Liga president. In reply, he said, "I do not doubt that Bengal is the talent factory of football, and has produced some of India's finest players."
"This remarkable MoU intends to promote football to foster sportsmanship, health, and prosperity. La Liga will develop a football training academy in West Bengal," an official said. Coaches and players from the state will be trained by La Liga coaches, according to the deal, who will impart the knowledge of European football to Indian students
Tebas wrote on X after the meeting, “This afternoon I had the pleasure of welcoming the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee @MamataOfficial, to Madrid. West Bengal is a state with one of the strongest football traditions in India. Together we will work to further boost football in the region through the development of new strategic projects in India.”
The West Bengal CM wrote, “Today, I attended the West Bengal Session with @LaLiga, Spain organised in partnership with WBIDC and ICC. President Javier Tebas and I had an enriching discussion about the development of football in Bengal. The session was attended by @SGanguly99 as well as representatives from Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting. Bengal's football future looks bright!”
La Liga will also look to develop excellence projects in the state based on mutual agreements with the Government of West Bengal. Additionally, the Spanish League will also train football administrators, players, and coaches from the region in the La Liga methodology. This will help grassroots football development in the state, which will further propagate across the country.
