Trophy tour delights fans in Donetsk

As a measure of how Ukrainian football supporters yearn to see one of their teams win the UEFA Champions League, some 19,667 fans did the city of Donetsk proud by getting up close to European club football's most prestigious prize during the latest leg of the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by UniCredit.

For three days between 7 and 9 October, the Trophy Tour Village on Lenin Square was the only place to be in Donetsk – full of families and football enthusiasts eager to get their trophy photo and spend time around the village watching football tournaments and the various entertainment performances.

On hand to promote the tour were two former players who won the top continental competition during their illustrious careers – UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour Ambassador Dwight Yorke, who triumphed with Manchester United FC in 1999, and Luís Figo, the Official UniCredit Ambassador for the UEFA Champions League, a winner with Real Madrid CF in 2002. They were accompanied by Andriy Pyatov, the FC Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper – currently participating in the UEFA Champions League group stage with his club – acting as UniCredit Bank Ambassador for the tour in Ukraine.

"It's a great honour in many respects," Yorke said of his ambassadorial duties. "One, for the recognition as a player, a player that obviously once won the European Cup – and to be in an ambassador role as well, to come to a different country like Ukraine and showcase the trophy. It's all credit to UEFA in terms of what they have done. They highlighted that ex-players like myself should be playing an integral part in presenting the trophy, bringing it to the likes of Ukraine, to show the Ukrainian people what the European Cup is all about. It's important that the fans become part of the European Cup, because without the fans it wouldn't be what it is."

Yorke also visited an orphanage in central Donetsk, where he watched the children give a singing and dancing act. The former striker finished off by signing autographs, posing for pictures and performing football skills for the youngsters. The impressive Donbass Arena in Donetsk was also on the itinerary for Yorke and Figo as they were given a tour of the recently opened stadium which has staged Shakhtar's UEFA Champions League matches.

The tour certainly brought back happy memories for Yorke, who relived for the benefit of the assembled media and supporters the remarkable last three minutes of the 1999 final when Manchester United incredibly came from behind to beat FC Bayern München 2-1 in Barcelona. Meanwhile, the player described by the former Aston Villa FC forward as one of his toughest opponents – Figo – also underlined the important function that the tour has in relating to the wider football public.

"It's a pleasure being in contact with the fans and being able to promote the best club competition," said the Portuguese. "I think that for the fans it's a unique opportunity to be able to see the trophy, to take pictures with the trophy, to know the competition a bit better and to be a bit closer to this competition. I take this chance to invite them to come to any edition of the trophy tour because I think it's worthwhile."

Pyatov, meawhile, described the intensity required to compete in the UEFA Champions League – the competition the great players all want to win.

The trophy tour was launched to bring a once-in-a-lifetime football experience to the home towns of people who, in many cases, have never had the chance to attend a UEFA Champions League game. As such, it is an opportunity to discover the competition's rich history, magic moments, legendary clubs and players – and for fans to see and have their photo taken with one of sport's most coveted trophies.

UEFA's objectives for the tour also include encouraging people to play football and learn about key UEFA values such as Respect, the campaign against racism, and grassroots and educational activities. UEFA supplies the tour with a comprehensive collection of memorabilia from the European game's glorious past, and a mini-pitch is set up at venues to enable the organisation of grassroots events and mini-tournaments.

Remaining dates and venues for 2011 tour:
• 14–16 October: Belgrade, Serbia; media conference on 14 October

Detailed schedule:
http://be-part-of-it.unicredit.eu/en/tour/2011/