Heineken’s new campaign “Soccer is Here” aims to strengthen the momentum the game has had in the U.S. in the past couple of years. Even though the brand has shared its passion for the sport with fans around the world for decades now, this time they decided to take it up a notch and recruited renowned players David Villa, Landon Donovan and Carli Lloyd to spread the word.
“Well, it’s clear soccer is here for many reasons,” Villa told Latin Times. “People want to see fútbol, at the stadium and on television. More and more networks are airing the games nowadays. Even in Europe, people want to see the MLS games. It’s not just Americans that want to see the National league play, it’s also people from other countries, and also, there’s a lot of soccer fans here in the U.S. so, soccer is here.”
The 34-year-old Spaniard, better known on the field as “El Guaje,” has been following his passion since he was 17 years old, “I started playing pro when I was 17, I was the youngest member in the team and everyone called me ‘Guaje,’ which means kid, and it stuck,” he revealed during an exclusive interview with Latin Times at the Heineken offices in New York City.
Heineken’s year-long campaign which champions soccer’s rich history in the U.S., while raising a Heineken to its exciting future, features a series of new commercials that highlight the energy and passion surrounding the sport in America, as well as contests and interactive engagements for Heineken’s partnership of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), and Major League Soccer (MLS).
“I’m very happy because everyone knows that Heineken is a great brand around the world and being able to work with them means a lot me,” the New York City Football Club captain said about teaming up with the beer professionals. “If we add the fact that the campaign’s intention is to help soccer well, that makes it even more important because they want to help the sport grow in the country and being a part of something that great is very rewarding.”
Villa’s TV spot shows soccer isn’t just big in Europe. The filled stadiums and crowd involvement is just as big in the U.S., and marks his first time ever speaking on-camera in English. “Honestly, when I came here a little more than a year ago I couldn’t even put 4 phrases together, “El Guaje” confessed during our interview. “But I took classes for 4 or 5 months, and that helped me a lot. And then on a day-to-day basis, I get to talk to my teammates and I’ve improved significantly. I am very happy with the results, I didn’t expect to be this fluent by now and be able to communicate and give interviews, which is very important to me in both, a professional and a personal level.”
Through key sponsorships and activities over the years, Heineken has become a worldwide leader in soccer, both globally and in America. With “Soccer is Here,” Heineken is tapping into that passion to take the game to new heights.
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