German football club signs MoU with Kerala business group to elevate grassroots football

Kochi, May 27 (PTI) German football club Borussia Dortmund, one of Europe’s celebrated clubs, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kerala-based Muthoot Pappachan Group to launch a long-term, strategic youth development programme in the state.

The MoU was formally signed on Tuesday between Muthoot Pappachan Centre of Excellence in Sports (MPCES) and Borussia Dortmund at a ceremony here by the German club’s football academy director Christian Diercks and Muthoot Pappachan group director Thomas Muthoot, a release here said.

The initiative aims to nurture talent, instill life skills, and foster opportunities for thousands of young athletes, especially in underserved communities, it said.

India holds immense untapped football potential, Diercks said while launching the initiative.

“Our visit to the Muthoot Football Academy’s (MFA) facility in Malappuram last year laid the foundation for this partnership that will equip players with skills that can be used both, on and off the field,” he said.

The long-term strategic partnership outlines a structured and holistic development model that will provide players and coaches with world-class training methodologies, talent identification systems, and access to Borussia Dortmund’s global knowledge base, the release said.

“The partnership with Borussia Dortmund is not just about developing players. It is about shaping futures and awakening potential,” Thomas Muthoot said in the release.

Borussia Dortmund is one of Europe’s most iconic football clubs, renowned not only for its elite performance but also for its commitment to youth development and community engagement, the release said. PTI MVG MVG ROH