With multiple fields full of yellow and pink balloons, canvases, drums and goal celebrations, the first game of the Fútbol Más League was enjoyed. Doña Ignacia, neighborhood of the Maule district, received Rosario Norte of the O’Higgins Region for the first time at home.

The Doña Ignacia neighborhood has been in the Fútbol Más Foundation program for more than a year, with the support of Constructora Malpo, which allows the development of socio-sport workshops and community activities. However, they have never had the opportunity to host a local neighborhood and experience a true community party.

Both neighborhoods welcomed each other with a three step cueca, within the framework of the Fiestas Patrias celebrations, to kick off the first four games of each category: Peques, Minis, Girls and Children.

“For the Doña Ignacia neighborhood it is very important to welcome other communities to their field, because that is how you can share experiences, sentiments and the methodology of our foundation. The children and parents were happy, because they organized all this, always thinking about the welfare of their community,” said Ignacio Mellado, regional coordinator of Maule.

Benjamín Iglesias is eight years old, he is a member within the category Peques of Doña Ignacia and he has been in Fútbol Más since he arrived in the neighborhood: “I liked that they came to visit us because the truth is that we had fun with all our classmates, we played and we laughed. We enjoy meeting other children from another neighborhood. We give all our love to the Peques of Rosario and continue to enjoy Fútbol Más,” he said.

Finally, the two neighborhoods shared a picnic together to talk about the experiences they had during the day, and also enjoyed typical Fiestas Patrias games.

The Fútbol Más Foundation has spent 11 years using sports, football and games as a social tool. In the Maule Region, it is Constructora Malpo who supports the children in the Dona Ignacia neighborhood.