Mastercard and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin Celebrate Young Fans by Wearing Their Names on Player Jerseys During June 4th Match
June 2, 2021 | By Donatienne DouriezOlympique Lyonnais players to dedicate their last game of the season to young aspiring fans through Mastercard initiative
PARIS, 2nd June, 2021 –Mastercard announced today that on June 4, 2021, during the Olympique Lyonnais (OL) Féminin vs FC Fleury match, the OL players will wear the names of young girls on their jerseys, encouraging fans to strive for their goals on and off the pitch. This initiative is creating new ways to connect young fans to their passion for sports by having the athletes they admire dedicate the game to them.
The girls whose names will appear on the front of OL player jerseys were selected from the OL Foundation and Mastercard’s Girls4Tech™ sessions, which is the company’s signature science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programme.
“Olympique Lyonnais is proud to honor these young girls by sharing the women's team jersey, thanks to Mastercard. Football has always been a tremendous source of inspiration which should enable young girls to reveal their ambitions and have confidence in their potential to win on the ground of equality.” Jean-Michel AULAS, OL President
Last month, Mastercard’s legendary football ambassadors – Ada Hegerberg, Kadeisha Buchanan, Saki Kumagai, and Wendie Renard shared a Priceless surprise with aspiring STEM and football fans from around the world participating in a hands-on Girls4Tech programme, announcing that the young fans’ names would appear on the players jerseys and they would be appointed as a virtual mascot during the match on June 4th .
Growing passions and fostering connections is core to what Mastercard stands for and encouraging girls to break into traditionally male-dominated industries by pioneering new fields is no exception. It comes from a belief that we are all game changers. Both women in football and their counterparts in technology are forging new futures for themselves and paving the way for young girls everywhere. Together, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin and Girls4Tech will showcase how women can become true pioneers in their fields.
Fans from around the world will be able to access a complimentary Priceless.com offer on June 4th, where they can personalize their own Olympique Lyonnais Féminin jersey. Visit www.priceless.com to get your jersey while limited supplies last and learn more about this initiative.
"If you decide to do sports, whichever sport you decide to play, put in a lot of dedication, be enthusiastic and innovative. You must always believe in yourself, believe in your dreams, and most importantly, put in the hardwork!” Wendie Renard, OL Captain.
Jeannette Liendo, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Mastercard Europe said: "Mastercard is committed to empowering women and girls around the world through partnerships in women’s sport. This campaign not only connects fans to the game and to their passion of football but also inspires young girls to dream big by building their technology skills via the Girls4Tech program”.
Mastercard believes too much of our world was designed without women in mind – and without women involved. The company has committed to leading the charge in reshaping the way our world is designed, coded and constructed by bringing diverse perspectives to the table to unlock powerful ideas that open up our industry and the world’s possibilities to women.
Mastercard’s investment in women’s sports spans players, teams and competitions. Over the past decade, Mastercard has developed one of the most well-rounded women’s sports portfolios globally. This includes partnerships across tennis, golf, football and rugby, as well as sponsoring players, teams and events, such as Naomi Osaka, Kadeisha Buchanan, Pernille Harder, Ada Hegerberg, Sam Kerr, Saki Kumagai, Wendie Renard, Alex Scott, Brooke Henderson, Annika Sorenstam, Chanel Alberts, Piwokuhle Nyanda, Arsenal W.F.C., CBF Women’s team, National Women’s Soccer League, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, Copa America Women, The Australian Open and The AIG Women’s Open, among others.
