Bengal has in its blood football, cricket, and other sports, Mamata Banerjee said
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday paid a visit to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, a football stadium in Spain's capital Madrid, and went around it to get to know its infrastructure.
She was accompanied by former BCCI president and ex-cricketer Sourav Ganguly, state Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, and a few officials of the West Bengal government who were on an administrative trip to Spain to seek investment in West Bengal.
"Bengal has in its blood football, cricket, and other sports. We have a bigger stadium, Salt Lake Stadium. Even Eden Gardens has a bigger capacity than this stadium. We have come here to see their infrastructure and how they are doing business with football. This is a good idea. I am hopeful to use this idea in the future," she said.
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, which is considered to be the home to Real Madrid Football Club, is the second-largest seating capacity in Spain.
On her social media page, Ms Banerjee later described her visit to the stadium as an "unforgettable day!" "Today, I visited the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home to the Real Madrid Football Club. Santiago Bernabeu, steeped in history and memories of legendary moments, embodies the dreams and spirit of sports enthusiasts worldwide. West Bengal has always been committed to promoting sports, nurturing young talents, and fostering a culture of athleticism. Let this visit remind us that sports unites us all, strengthens ties, and promotes cultural exchange," she said.
On Thursday, the Spanish football league La Liga signed an agreement with the West Bengal government to set up an academy in the state for nurturing young talents.
Talking about that MoU, she said, "The football academy will surely come up. After returning to Kolkata I will hold a meeting with the chief secretary and identify the land to build the football academy." The MoU was signed during a closed-door meeting between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and La Liga president Javier Tebas in Madrid.
Ms Banerjee, who is on a 12-day trip to Spain, met Tebas in Madrid on Thursday evening and held a closed-door meeting, which focussed on strengthening relations through linking sports and cultural institutions.
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