Sharing the spotlight with the Euros
Big time setting, big time football: 3,000+ fans and players head to Lampertheim in Hesse for the 18th instalment of the FIEGE Soccer Cup. In the end, there were multiple reasons to celebrate: two firsts and the defending champion’s repeat win. And again, a one-of-a-kind event which was about so much more than football alone.
The cheers that followed the final whistle were brought to mind one word in particular: finally. They finally did it. After ranking as runners-up in 2022 and coming third last year, this summer was crowned by success: Team SkyBlues secured their first-time win of the FIEGE Soccer Cup during a high-quality women’s final against the two-time winners from Italy, Team Shakalaka. The cup for the best women’s team in the World of FIEGE will travel from Nogarole Rocca near Verona to Greven in Westphalia.
The men’s celebrations turned out to be even louder. Playing to a home crowd, the host and reigning champions, Kickers Biblis kept the upper hand in a thrilling final against LSL Lengerich, the winners in 2022. The cup went straight back to where it had come from – to nearby Biblis. This turned out to be a good thing for the after-kick party, where fans and players came together to celebrate. Once at the party tent, everyone agreed: ultimately, the FIEGE Soccer Cup is about so much more than football alone.
Everything your football heart desires
The framework for the 18th FIEGE Soccer Cup could hardly have been much better. The Adam Günderoth Stadium in Lampertheim proved to be the perfect setting for a huge football tournament, welcoming over 3,000 participants from ten countries. More than 100 teams went through the preliminary rounds on twelve smaller pitches. The fans enjoyed chips, bratwurst and cool beverages to help them fuel an excellent atmosphere alongside the pitch. Even short dips in the weather could not change anything about this. “Huge thanks go out to our organisational team from Biblis and the many volunteers from the region who lend a helping hand with this outstanding organisation”, said Co-CEO, Jens Fiege. “It’s exceptional what you managed to pull off here. We are thrilled to be celebrating a huge and colourful football tournament here today with these many colleagues from the entire World of FIEGE.”
And Co-CEO Felix Fiege added: “A big thank you goes also to the City of Lampertheim which afforded us the opportunity to stage this event here right next door to our branch in Biblis. We wish to thank especially all our colleagues who travelled from all over Europe this weekend, at times over 1,000 kilometres, for many hours on busses, to be here. Year-on-year, we realise that this is not a given – and we are very proud of this incredible team spirit that we have here at FIEGE!”
A first for next year’s organisation
During the major award ceremony at the tournament’s tent where the second and first runners-up as well as the winners accepted their respective trophy, there was resounding applause for the winning teams. Once again, the Soccer Cup’s headlining motto was all about coming together and the special culture at FIEGE. And the reigning champions, SkyBlues can expect yet another first following their first-ever Soccer Cup triumph: next year, the winners of the women’s tournament will be in charge of organising the Cup for the first time. Finally, so to speak.
