Orange Cruyff Court Krakow is officialy open
On Tuesday June 5 the players of the Netherlands national team opened an Orange Cruyff Court in Krakow. The soccer field is a gift by the players for the youth of the Bronowice neighbourhood. The squad have donated their match bonuses to realize this soccer field. The investment was supported by the Municipality of Krakow represented by the Board of Sports Infrastructure.
- I am glad that it is Krakow that was chosen by the Johan Cruyff Foundation for the place where the pitch was built. This project is particularly valuable, most of all because it affects children and youths - they are the ones who will benefit from the field and will undoubtedly spend a lot of time here. I am also glad that the Netherlands team support a local community which we also care about - says the Mayor of the City of Krakow Jacek Majchrowski.
- My team mates in the Netherlands team and I, we all had a place near our homes where we could play football. A place where we could develop our skills and meet our friends. All these hours in the street made us into the football players we are today, - said Mark van Bommel, captain of Oranje. - As representatives of the Netherlands we feel privileged to be playing at the European Championships. But we do not come here to play and perform in the EC only. We want to support the local community as well. Therefore we would like to give the children of Bronowice what we found so valuable in our own youth: a safe place to play and have fun. When sporting, children also learn to deal with winning and losing. They learn that they have to help each other in order to reach their goals. These skills will also help them in their further life.
Embracing the legacy
The Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Netherlands national team have a long and successful history of working together. The Orange Cruyff Court in Krakow is the sixth that has been made possible by the players. With the construction of an Orange Cruyff Court, the ideas of the Johan Cruyff Foundation are being spread. The 14 rules teach children to be responsible, to show respect and to learn from each other, among other things. These life lessons are extremely valuable both on and off the pitch.”
