Integrated Dreams CEO Jose Soares has been planning February 18th for years. The original idea was to go ahead pre-pandemic, but given the tight restrictions in Spain regarding attendance at football matches, last week’s match against Real Valladolid was the perfect match day.
“So now [we have] the record 1,740 disabled people who attended a football match. And we want that to grow soon. We feel that we can grow this number because we feel and believe that there is space for more and more disabled people. We can beat the record, to be honest. Real Betis players also got involved, with Borja Iglesias and Sergio Canales posting messages on social media stating they were looking forward to the game and welcoming everyone to the match.
Just 90 seconds later Sergio Canales cut through the Real Valladolid defence with a ridiculous pass, and Juanmi applied the finish. Audio description captured this and fans with a disability cheered for their beloved team. Jose Soares, naturally, was in attendance. Either way, he’s a mad football fan, but adding his passion for inclusion into the mix, it was a day he says he’ll never forget.
“We need to make sure it’s possible because not everyone still has this possibility, and we need to change it also. This now is where and when we need to win, but it starts with awareness. We need to be aware.