Undoubtedly, one of the greatest dreams for boys and girls around the world is to walk toward the field hand by hand with their idols. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or maybe Cristiano Ronaldo.
During the UEFA Euro 2024, many episodes went viral due to how special is this interaction in all of the stadiums at Germany. Obviously, Ronaldo is the star who has attracted the most attention.
In fact, during one of Portugal’s games in the tournament, a girl became a social media phenomenon when she touched Cristiano and reacted excitedly, unable to believe that what she was experiencing was real.
Why do players walk onto the field with children in UEFA Euro 2024?
A few decades ago, when the tradition of children walking onto the field with players began, FIFA and UEFA reached agreements with non-governmental organizations like UNICEF with the aim of promoting causes in favor of children at an international level.
In those days, the message at stadiums was that players and fans had a very important responsibility to promote children’s rights in all countries around the world.
Later on, sponsors like McDonald’s took advantage of the opportunity of major tournaments to help children fulfill their dreams. The selected youngsters received all-expenses-paid trips to walk unto the field at certain matches.
Following McDonald’s involvement, other sponsors have joined the cause in various football tournaments. In the case of Euro 2024, although there isn’t a sponsor, the goal remains the same: to promote childhood values on a grand stage.
