Arousa Fútbol 7

Monday 21st, five members of AF7 went to Madrid to prepare for the next day presentation. We were received by Fernando Hierro, RFEF sporting director who came with us to the conference room.

Later we met with some acquitances: Spain U17, whose coach is Juan Santisteban, is based these days on the City of Football and some of its members still remember when they were at Arousa Fútbol 7: we spoke to Pablo Peláez Naredo (Real Oviedo), Sergio Canales Madrazo (Racing de Santander), Ángel Díaz Ibáñez (Racing de Santander) y Alejandro Sánchez Benítez (FC Barcelona).

Drawing on the kindness and willingness of all personnel of the RFEF who collaborated with AF7 in the arrangements, everything was ready at 13:00 hours for the presentation of AF7 2008. The media had taken positions long before the time announced for the beginning and when the guest finally began arriving, the room was full of activity thanks to the great call we were able to make. In addition to those shown in the photo above, there were some other well known football people in the room: Jose Angel Iribar, Gaspar Rosety, Iñaki Saez, Juan Santisteban, Victoriano Sanchez Arminio, Jose Maria Rodriguez (editor of Marca), Armando Ufarte, Gines Melendez, Fernando Hierro...

Mónica Martínez (Antena 3 TV) guided the act, and after the projection of an illustrative video of AF7 Manuel Diz (president of AF7), Ángel Mª Villar (RFEF president), Luís Aragonés (national coach), Ramón Calderón(Real Madrid president), Enrique Cerezo (Atlético de Madrid president) and Julio Meana (RFEF) stressed the importance of young football and praised the high level that Arousa Fútbol 7 has achieved.

The comments of Victoria Hierro(Vilagarcía councillor) and Mª Xesús López (Xunta of Galicia) closed the conference.

We could notice first hand the respect Arousa Fútbol 7 have achieved, even outside Galicia. This was one of the topics later, when most of the attendees wished to be at Vilagarcía on June 6, 7 and 8, to check what AF7 really is.