“The dreams of thousands of boys and girls will be crushed by the closure of the leagues.”
Miguel Angel Gil Marin new member UEFA Executive Committee. Replaces Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Near Nasser Al-Khelaifi (PSG) represents European clubs. This week it’s in USA brand extension Atlético Madrid. In conversation with EFEstrongly defends the roadmap UEFAwhich, according to him, “seeks a balance between large, medium and small countries” and does not support the Super League project, since “closed leagues will lead to the destruction of the pyramid on which the dream of thousands of boys and girls is based. “.
CEO belonging Atlético Madridfirst vice president Leaguemember of the executive committee RCTand now in UEFA, Gil Marin indicates that clubs vote Javier Tebas V League “because it is effective” and emphasizes that “I hope the new president elected RFEF capable of bringing unity and harmony to Spanish football, although it is true that now with the current head of the federation the atmosphere is calmer.”
How do you think the Super League lawsuit will be resolved?
Beyond the resolution, I believe it is necessary to understand what football represents for European society. Football is not a legal contract, it is a social contract. What does it mean? Laws, agreements and legislation aside, those of us who work in the sector need to understand that we are in it for the fans and that in Europe the fan feels part of their culture, an example of the sport.
In this model, there is a pyramid with amateur football at the base, played by hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who take it as part of their education, and professional football at the top. Learning the values of sport makes you a better person. Learning to compete, to share, to win and lose, to get up after falling, to make an effort, to respect, to accept rules… everything is part of education, and everyone, without exception, first dreams of achieving the highest.
What will a decision in favor of the Super League mean for European football?
Creating closed leagues or guaranteeing participation in top competitions only for a select few would destroy the pyramid on which the dreams of thousands of boys and girls are based. Only those children who were associated with exclusive clubs will have access to the elite; the tradition of rewarding sports achievements will be broken. It is necessary to protect balance and evolution in the pyramid of amateur and professional football, this is part of our culture and traditions.
Contrary to what the Super League propagates, UEFA strives for a balance between large, small and medium-sized countries; between clubs, big, small and medium. Today we number 55 countries, of which more than 35 annually participate in European competitions. UEFA created the current three competitions, the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, to attract more clubs and protect sporting merit. The champions of each competition rise to the top each season, and access to each European competition is achieved through qualification in the national leagues, thereby securing them.
UEFA strives for a balance between large, small and medium-sized countries; between clubs, big, small and medium
To change this image of an organization that makes decisions unilaterally, UEFA has created a “joint venture” with clubs through the European Club Association (ECA) to commercialize television rights and sponsorships, where decisions, management and distribution of money are agreed upon. In the next cycle 2024-2027, this joint venture managed to increase the revenue from these concepts from the current 3,500 million euros to a figure close to 5,000 million euros.
This means more income for the 108 participating clubs, more money for those who play in the previous rounds, more money for those who do not participate (about 350 million), for the Youth League, for women’s football, which will also change the format… And all this, regardless of other deductions, such as 100% of profits from the Eurocup in favor of the federations.
In recent years, they have financed the construction of sports facilities in different countries amounting to more than 3 billion euros. In addition, the UEFA Foundation has committed more than $500 million to various programs related to the inclusion and protection of boys and girls.
What responsibilities does it entail to represent clubs on the UEFA Executive Committee?
It is a great responsibility and at the same time a great pride for me to represent European clubs and work hand in hand with UEFA for the benefit of our sport. I do this as a member of the ECA, an association of clubs at European level, as well as La Liga at national level. This is an association that at first represented only the 14 most important clubs in Europe, the so-called G-14, and today represents almost 500 clubs from the 55 associations existing in Europe.
It has an organizational structure that has allowed us to achieve important milestones such as signing associations with UEFA and FIFA to make appropriate joint decisions about the future of football and our clubs: international calendar, economic control, formats of European competitions, agency rules. consensus has not yet been reached, compensation for giving players their national choice, insurance for player injuries…
The work of its president, Nasser Al-Khailaifi, was instrumental in becoming the only European club association recognized and accepted by UEFA and FIFA, and in signing association agreements with these organizations that became part of the decision-making process. about the future of the industry. Nasser creates harmony in difficult times for football.
Nasser Al-Khailaifi creates harmony in difficult times for football
What do you think the new President of the Federation should be like?
Let’s hope that the new president-elect can bring unity and harmony to Spanish football, although it is true that the atmosphere is currently more relaxed with the current head of the federation. I truly believe that the Federation and La Liga need each other and that they complement each other, I don’t think they should compete with each other. The key, besides people’s temperament, is to respect each other’s competencies. La Liga was born as the Professional Football League, and its powers should be clear from its name. La Liga must manage everything that concerns its 42 professional clubs.
For its part, the Federation must manage its competitions, the Cup and Super Cup, as well as those of the rest of the amateur football pyramid through territorial federations. And, of course, national teams, men and women in all categories. And control disciplinary committees.
We hope that the new president-elect can bring unity and harmony to Spanish football.
What structure should arbitration have?
I think the optimal structure would be different from the current one, where the Federation, La Liga and the players are part of a single organization, where the referees have more independence than the current one and more power to make decisions about promotion, relegation, international matches and whatnot. who should represent them.
How do you assess the job that Javier Tebas has done at the helm of La Liga?
I hear everything about our president Javier Tebas and one thing is clear to me: without him, our clubs and our professional football would not be what they are. The clubs vote for Javier not because he is more or less likable, we vote for him because he is effective. Economic control, centralized TV rights sales, commitment to renovations, investment in stadiums to improve the fan experience and safety, extension of the La Liga Club brand… Together we have ensured that the clubs are solvent. that they will reduce the debt to the administration to zero, that the stadiums will be safe and that we are competitive in Europe, with the exception of two or three big clubs that have historically done so. Only one fact proves that the strategy exists and that it is not wrong: Spain, being the fourth most populous country in the European Union, is the first in terms of revenue from the audiovisual sector. Audiovisual regulations, the opening of La Liga offices in different countries around the world, the activation of numerous relevant matches in different countries, forcing different operators to compete in the same markets… All taken together have led to this difficult stage of becoming the league with the largest audiovisual revenue sectors in the European Union.
The clubs vote for Javier not because he is more or less likable, we vote for him because he is effective.
Were you surprised by Ceferin’s decision not to run for re-election in 2027?
No. I know this is a thoughtful decision based on finding a balance between his personal freedom and the “slavery” that comes with leading an organization like UEFA. full of travel, obligations, slavery and almost no personal life. I think he is doing a great job at the forefront of European football and he has almost 4 years left to continue to do so.
You currently hold leadership positions in La Liga, ECA, UEFA, the Mexican Football Assembly and the Canadian League. How is the interaction between the executive management of Atlético Madrid organized?
This can be achieved only in one way: to create a working team in the club, led by a group of directors, where everyone, without exception, knows more than me in their field of work.
I participate in the strategies for achieving the goals that we set for each area of club management, but they are implemented by the directors. For some time now I have limited myself to coordinating the tasks of the directors, although I maintain daily contact with the management of the first team and the project of the new entertainment and sports city that we are developing around the stadium.