Bishkek, Aug. 29, 2023. /Kabar/. Today, on August 29, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov met with President of the Spanish Barcelona football club, Joan Laporta, the press service of the head of state reported.
President Zhaparov warmly welcomed the honored guest and noted that the arrival of a century-old club in Kyrgyzstan is a great pride for all Kyrgyzstanis.
At the same time, Sadyr Zhaparov singled out the contribution of Joan Laporta to the progressive development of the club during his leadership of the team, when the colors of the Catalans were defended by such eminent players as Ronaldinho, Messi, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar. With their outstanding abilities, they have repeatedly become the champions of Spain and the winners of the Champions League.
“The club supports the development of its football, futsal, handball, basketball, volleyball, rugby and athletics teams. This approach makes Barcelona a truly popular club. It is possible to maintain this status thanks to your efforts, strong will and tireless work. Under your leadership, the football club set a record at the last World Cup in Qatar, where 17 Barcelona players played as part of their national teams,” Sadyr Zhaparov said.
The head of state stressed that the opening of the first Barcelona academy in the Kyrgyz Republic would create opportunities for professional promotion of the national team, as well as have a positive multiplier effect on the development of tourism, sports, investments and other sectors of the republic, since it would be the first in Central Asia.
In turn, the president of the football club noted that Barcelona promotes its principles, values and style of play in various sports and thanked Sadyr Zhaparov for supporting the initiative in promoting the experience of a sports organization in Central Asia.
Joan Laporta expressed confidence that the new Barcelona Football Academy in Kyrgyzstan, based on the rich history of the club, will contribute to the personal growth of athletes, help them maximize their potential, and also change the attitude of fans towards sports for the better.
In conclusion, Sadyr Zhaparov once again thanked Joan Laporta for his support in the opening of the Barcelona Football Academy in Kyrgyzstan and his personal participation in the events on this occasion.
