As the clock ticks to the arrival of Spanish legend, Carlos Puyol with the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy on April 16th, 2019, International Premium Lager beer, Heineken, is poised to give Nigerian football fans a treat during the three-day activities in the country.
Puyol, a three-time winner of the trophy with FC Barcelona in 2006, 2009 and 2011 was unveiled last month in Lagos and thousands of football fans especially those with affinity with the UEFA Champions League competition are already looking to the three days of loaded activities in both Uyo and Lagos.
The Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Oriakhi, described the coming of the Spanish legend with the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy to Nigeria as a way to reward long standing consumers of Heineken and fans of UEFA Champions League competition with a unique opportunity not only to have a feel of the trophy but a wonderful photo opportunity with the strong defender, courtesy of Heineken.
“Puyol is often ranked as one of the best centre backs of all time and with an average height, he has won most aerial battles against towering footballers either to defend or score crucial goals for his team and he is one of the legends of the Number 5 jersey.
“Such a player fits into what we want to achieve by bringing the world’s best into our country for Nigerians to have a chance to meet him for the first time and have photo opportunities with him and the iconic UEFA Champions League Trophy too.
“We are excited to be creating premium experiences for our consumers and this is just part of the package we have in the ongoing season of unmissable moments,” Mr. Oriakhi remarked.
Although the UEFA Champions League trophy experience is in its third installment, this is the first time fans outside Lagos will have the rare opportunity to come very close to the trophy because consumers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and surrounding cities will enjoy the viewing experience courtesy of Heineken.
The thrill in Uyo will see the former FC Barcelona captain involve in an “Unmissable” football match at the Uyo International Stadium and play with the Shine Shine Bobo team which would be made up of some of the brand’s most loyal consumers as well as past and present football players like former Super Eagles Captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha.
Active footballers in the domestic football scene largely from Akwa United, a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side will also have the privilege to flex muscle with the former international football star when team Shine Shine Bobo led by Okocha and a host of other former national team players take on the Chairman’s team at the Uyo Stadium on the 16th of April with kick-off time at 5pm.
This window of opportunity provided by Heineken for consumers and passionate fans is in its 12th year and has reached 32 countries across Africa, Asia, North and South America. The tour will land in Nigeria for the third time since the 2009 and 2014 experiences.
So far in the ongoing campaign, the UEFA Champions League trophy has visited South Africa, Namibia and Indonesia.
The next leg would be Mozambique and then China before it will land in Nigeria from April 16th to 18th of April, 2019. The iconic trophy will then go to USA and finally touch down in Madrid, Spain for the final match on 1st of June.
Heineken, whose partnership with the UEFA Champions League dates back to the 2005/06 edition and in the ongoing campaign has been sharing ‘Unmissable’ moments which is based on the belief that every match in the competition has unmissable moments of actions for everyone to enjoy.
