Bundesliga
Leverkusen taking trophies to Brazil
After a successful trip stateside in September, a delegation from Bayer Leverkusen has travelled to Brazil to present employees and fans with their Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Supercup silverware.
Leverkusen were the story of European football last season as they went unbeaten domestically, the first time any German side has done so. That resulted in their first-ever Bundesliga title, as well as a second DFB Cup and maiden Supercup - all under the guidance of Xabi Alonso.
The delegation, led by former B04 player and current managing director for sport Simon Rolfes and head of recruitment Kim Falkenberg, has taken their bounty to São Paulo as part of their official visit from 12-15 November, which will be the club’s second international tour of the year. CEO Fernando Carro and honorary captain Jens Nowotny had fronted the visit to the US two months ago.
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Leverkusen legend Paulo Sergio was there to welcome the delegation upon its arrival, and the tour is being seen as a great opportunity to intensify relations with the club’s regional subsidiaries, as well as to discover potential prospects. Given B04’s history of Brazilian players, including 21-year-old defender Arthur, who currently plies his trade at the defending German champions, it is hoped that the team’s presence in South America will only increase.
First up on the agenda is a trip to visit the Bayer pharmaceutical company’s offices in São Paulo to give employees some time with the trophies and a chance for souvenir photos as part of the ‘Bayer Champions Night’. The club will also visit the ‘Green Mining’ recycling station and help with the opening of a sustainability project.
Speaking at the company's offices, Rolfes told the 200 guests in attendance: "We know we already have a lot of fans in Brazil for decades through our history with lots of Brazilian players. We also have a strong connection to the Bayer Group here. Therefore, it's important for us to be here on the spot to share last year's fantastic season with you. Bringing the trophies here goes without saying for us because Brazilian players and fans were always, and are now too, an important part of our success."
The German champions will also host a football camp at ‘Colegio Benjamin Constant’, a German school in São Paulo, before the Brazilian premiere of the club’s Amazon Prime documentary ‘A Dream Comes True’ which tells the story of the side’s outstanding 2023/24 season. This will take place at the Goethe Institute in São Paulo.
Speaking before the trip, Rolfes said: “Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a close history with Brazil. So many brilliant Brazilian stars and personalities have contributed our club over the years, and we’re very proud of that. The trophies Arthur won with our club last season were won for all our former Brazilian players. We’re pleased to be representing both the club and the entire Bundesliga with this visit of São Paulo.”
Paulo Sergio, who made 120 appearances for B04 and was named as an official club legend at the start of 2024, added: “I’ve got so many great memories from my years at Leverkusen. It’s like having a second family. Although my generation never managed to win the title, everyone who played for Bayer 04 is very proud of what the team achieved last season. I was pleased to have been able to make several trips to watch some games in springtime and get a first-hand experience of this historic campaign. It’s fantastic that we’re now able to share this with the fans in Brazil.”