Our Team is a colorful mix of wonderful people. Some of us are crazy about football; some of us, surprisingly, are not interested in football at all. Without our people there would be no Spirit of Football and the Spirit wouldn’t be getting spread out into communities across the world. So, a big “la-ola-wave” for our Spirit-of-Team!
ABOUDI – Integration Manager, Trainer:
In a new, unknown community, you often don’t feel welcomed in the beginning. It was different with Spirit of Football. Here I felt immediately welcome within the team. They made me feel that I was valuable and a real part of the Spirit community.
ANDREW – Founder, President, Project Manager, and Trainer:
During my studies in Erfurt, I founded Spirit of Football with the intention to use “football” as a communicator for values like FairPlay, Teamwork and respect. I truly believe that my work and energy is a source of positive change. My goal is to help make our communities become open-minded, team-orientated and more respectful.
ANNE – Project Manager, board member:
I like to describe my work at Spirit of Football as “pulling strings behind the scenes”. That means I’m mainly responsible for administrative, office and project work. I like my work because I enjoy making something happen that positively impacts children’s and adult’s lives.
ANNICA – School project coordinator, trainer:
I love my work at Spirit of Football. When you work for “Spirit” you not only help create positive change with the kids but also within yourself. I’m grateful to be a part of this amazing community.
BENNY – Trainer:
Because of my experience at Spirit of Football, I have been able to discover the positive sides of my favorite sport. From respectful behavior towards opponents, to vouching for each other and sharing successful experiences – this is the daily camaraderie at Spirit at Football. In my four years of being at Spirit of Football the work has become a labor of love, which I want to in turn to pass on to others.
FABIAN – Trainer:
As a Yoga instructor, a fair, open, tolerant, and peaceful bond is something I always desire. This is what I have found at Spirit of Football. I felt at home from the beginning with the culture and the philosophy. Since then I’ve been a go-to trainer for relaxation exercises like yoga and meditation, as a creative all-rounder as well as for global learning.
GHOZI – Trainer:
I come from Indonesia. My full name is Ghazian Kalinggamurdaning and it means “a hero who was born with a pure soul”. It is important to me to inspire people, especially children, to see how wonderful our world can look like. Thanks to Spirit of Football I can spread this message of how FairPlay can positively affect your own spirit and your daily life to others.
NICOLA – Trainer:
In October 2015 I got to know Spirit by coincidence and since then I have been a big fan. Besides the workshops in schools in and around Erfurt, I participated in a large project that took place in Jordan. This project changed my life. Even though I don’t live in Erfurt anymore, I still try to participate in as many projects as possible because working for Spirit is inspiring and the team has a special place in my heart.
RIA – Project Leader in the project “Together Job Fit”:
I started four years ago at Spirit in the project “Spirit of Welcome”: The nice atmosphere and many experiences with people from diverse cultures, which come together in Erfurt, motivated me to continue to contribute to Spirit of Football. I’m responsible for leading the project “Together, Job Fit”, which helps migrants find a job, further their education or helps them in other areas.
SVEN S. – CEO, Treasurer, and Trainer:
Every time I travel to unknown countries, I want to visit football stadiums. Because stadiums are locations of the local, social community and you can get to know the “locals” and their culture when watching a football game together. I want to impart world open-mindedness, solidarity and dialogue between people in a school workshop, in a stadium, in a refugee camp or at a press conference.
SVEN M. – Street Art Trainer:
I’m an artist, social worker, networker and scientist. Since I fell in love with Spirit of Football in 2017, I have participated in art workshops and I’ve been a team member in different school workshops in different countries with topics like teambuilding and the values of living together in a society.
ULRIKE – Project Manager, Board Member:
I like to work with inspirational, creative people on society-related goals in order to make a positive contribution to the community. Where else can I do this but at Spirit of Football? I’m not the biggest football fan but I support team work and visionary, sustainable ideas. At Spirit of Football I’m responsible for writing proposals and monitoring projects and budgets.
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About Us
Spirit of Football e.V. is committed to openness and against exclusion of any kind. The core values of our non-formal educational work are based on the trips by “The Ball” to the FIFA World Cup. Since 2002, The Ball has reached over 40,000 people through the universal language of football and its intercultural power. These experiences inform the school curriculums and extracurricular educational offers that we have been implementing since 2010.
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Latest News
Sven Söderberg wrote a new post, MDR Thüringen Journal Beitrag über DFB-Spende, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Spirit of Football rollt mit einem Beitrag des MDR Thüringen Journals in das neue Jahr. Anlass ist das 15-jährige Jubiläum unseres Vereins sowie die Auszeichnung mit dem Julius-Hirsch-Preis 2020 für das Koo […]
Sven Söderberg wrote a new post, DFB-Präsident Fritz Keller unterstützt Spirit of Football durch Initative "Common Goal", on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 4 months ago
Wie der DFB am Mittwoch mitteilte, beteiligt sich Keller an der Kampagne “common goal” von streetfootballworld gGmbH. In der weltweiten Bewegung haben sich Fußballerinnen und Fußballer versammelt, die einen A […]
Sven Söderberg wrote a new post, Kooperationsprojekt von Spirit of Football e.V. und dem Erinnerungsort Topf & Söhne von der DFB-Jury zum zweiten Preisträger des Julius Hirsch Preises 2020 gewählt, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 7 months, 1 week ago
Erfurt / Frankfurt. Das ausgezeichnete Projekt “Fairplay?! Damals, heute, auf dem Platz und im Alltag” richtet sich an Schüler*innen und geflüchtete Menschen. Am Beispiel von jüdischen Fußballerbiografien, unt […]
Benjamin Grünewald wrote a new post, "Gold statt Braun" – Spirit of Football beteiligt sich an Aktion zum Tag der Befreiung, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 11 months, 1 week ago
Mit einem Grafitto zu Julius Hirsch reihen sich Spirit of Football e. V. und der Erinnerungsort Topf & Söhne in die Glänzenden Aktionstage der Initiative Die Vielen am 8. und 9. Mai 2020 zum 75. Jahrestag der B […]
Sven Söderberg wrote a new post, Was geht ab zu Hause? Spirit of Family – Projekt mit 10 Webisoden gestartet, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Das Frühjahr 2020 ist ein Besonderes. Durch die Einschränkungen der Covid-19 Ausbreitung müssen wir uns neuen Herrausforderungen stellen. Kinder und Erwachsene können nicht mehr in ihre Kitas und Schulen oder zur […]
Franzi Schaper wrote a new post, Spirit in Jordanien – 2019 Episode 4 – Good Bye Jordan! Das Resultat der letzten drei Jahre, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 1 year ago
Jordanien im März 2020
Rückblick mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge auf den vorerst letzten Workshop in Jordanien. 3 Jahre Projekte in Jordanien liegen nun hinter Spirit of Football. In witzigen, a […]
Franzi Schaper wrote a new post, Spirit in Jordanien – 2019 Episode 4 – Fazit zur Wadi Rum Story, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 1 year ago
BREATHE! ATME!
Die Zeit in der Wüste war eine kurze Zeit der Entspannung, eine Zeit den Fokus auf das Wesentliche und auf ein direktes Miteinander zu legen. Aber vor allem gab es Zeit, sich auf sich selbst zu […]
Franzi Schaper wrote a new post, Spirit in Jordanien – 2019 Episode 4 – Breathe! – Die Wadi Rum Story, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 1 year ago
JORDAN STORY – WADI RUM – behind the scenes
„Don´t hurry, first eat chicken curry“
Redewendung eines Beduinen aus dem Moon Camp
(Naja, wir haben wohl erstmal genug davon, nach acht Tagen mit dem gleichen Mitt […]
Sven Söderberg wrote a new post, BALLPAUSE – Spirit of Football stellt Aktivitäten bis 19. April ein, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 1 year, 1 month ago
Hallo liebe Menschen, aufgrund der aktuellen Situation und der Ausbreitung des Covid-19 Viruses wird Spirit of Football alle Aktivitäten bis zum 19. April 2020 einstellen. The Ball macht in der Zwischenzeit ein […]
Franzi Schaper wrote a new post, Spirit in Jordanien – 2019 Episode 4 – Die Barmherzigkeit der Mutter von Hussein مبرة أم الحسين, on the site Spirit of Football e.V. 1 year, 1 month ago
Amman, Jordanien, Montag 9. März 2020.
Am Nachmittag fuhren wir in den Norden Ammans und besuchten die Gemeinnützige Organisation Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, ein Kinderheim für benachteiligte und verwaiste Ju […]