Singapore teen footballer to train, study at LaLiga Academy in Madrid
SINGAPORE — Fourteen-year-old footballer Denzel Ari Thrumurgan is set to be the first Singaporean to train and study at the LaLiga Academy in Madrid, Spain.
The Spanish top professional league announced on Wednesday (24 August) that Denzel will be part of the pioneer batch enrolling into the ESC Madrid sports and education facility next month.
Denzel, who started playing football at the age of five, hopes to turn professional and represent Singapore at the highest level.
"Being the first Singaporean to enrol in the LaLiga Academy at ESC Madrid is a huge privilege and not something I take for granted. I will work hard to continue improving my fitness, technique and skills," he said in media release by LaLiga Singapore.
"I look forward to training in Spain, where I will learn from some of the best coaches in Europe and train alongside players from diverse backgrounds. I would like to thank my family for the sacrifices they have made and for all that they do in supporting me in this journey."
Fan and community engagement events with LaLiga S'pore
Meanwhile, LaLiga Singapore will be celebrating its fifth anniversary with a series of fan and community engagement events. The campaign will run from October to June next year, when the LaLiga Santander 2022/23 season ends.
It intends to organise a live viewing of "El Clasico" between arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona on 16 October. The match is scheduled to be held at an Asian-friendly timing, and LaLiga Singapore believes it is an opportunity to bring local fans together to watch football.
Amateur footballers can also look forward to participate in a LaLiga Day Camp, where they will have the opportunity to train under LaLiga coaches based in Singapore. LaLiga Singapore is also in conversation with various local partners to organise football clinics.
“We are dedicated to the development of the football ecosystem across the world. In Singapore, this ambition is realised through the Unleash The Roar! project, of which LaLiga is a strategic partner," said Ivan Codina, LaLiga's managing director of Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
"Being a part of the project reiterates LaLiga’s longstanding commitment to Singapore’s football ambitions. From what we have seen thus far, Singaporean youths have massive potential and we want to provide them with the platform to excel.
"As LaLiga Singapore celebrates our fifth anniversary, we will continue to engage with LaLiga fans in Singapore even more closely in the next few months through various initiatives, to thank them for their support."
More details about various initiatives and events will be announced in the coming weeks.
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