Respecting One Another
Destin & Sulaf, Germany
Bundesliga and Goal Click have collaborated to create a storytelling series to share the untold stories of children participating in the Bundesliga Common Ground project. This series showcases the transformative impact of the Common Ground pitches within urban communities in Germany, Brazil, Nigeria and Indonesia.
Destin, 16 years old from Berlin, and Sulaf, 12 years old from Berlin-Wedding, both share how the Bundesliga Common Ground project has deepened their understanding of teamwork, respect, and fair play. Through their experiences at the training sessions, they show how football can bring people together, build confidence, and inspire community connection.
My name is Destin, and I am sixteen years old, from Berlin. I have been playing football since I was a toddler. Football was not big thing in my family, so I taught myself how to play by going to the local field along and asking to join in games. At twelve, I joined FSV Hansa 07, where I still play today.
My Hansa 07 coach, Moritz, is simply amazing! He is relaxed, never shouts, and always encourages us to do our best. He teaches me a lot during training and makes sure everyone get fair playing time.
In my community in Charlottenburg, football plays a huge role. It creates opportunities for people from different backgrounds to connect, no matter their nationality or whether they are rich or poor. Through football, I have become friends with kids from all over my neighbourhood.
What I love most about the sport is playing together as a team. High-intensity matches are a big challenge for me, and I always have to focus on managing my emotions under pressure.
Through the Bundesliga Common Ground project, I have learned that when emotions run high on the pitch and both teams want to win, it is important to shake hands afterwards and show respect for one another. That lesson has stayed with me, and I believe everyone should do this on and off the pitch.
Always Learning
I have played on what is now the Bundesliga Common Ground football pitch before when I was very young. As I am from the area, it is the nearest field to me. Through the Haus der Jugend (Youth Centre) of the Charlottenburg Youth Association, we attended the opening event of the field in September 2025.
At the event, we took part in challenges and won Bundesliga merchandise. We also joined one of the training sessions with the Haus der Jugend. My favourite moment, of course, was the final tournament at the end of the training sessions because I love the freedom and creativity we can experience on the pitch.
By taking part in this project, I have also learned more about teamwork, fairness, and staying calm under pressure. These values matter not only in football but also in everyday life - whether in the classroom or on the subway - it is important to show respect and give priority to others.
In the future, I hope more people will come out to the football pitch, get fresh air, and enjoy being active, instead of spending all their time in front of consoles and smartphones.
As for me, I do not wish to play football professionally because the game is simply about having fun.
Playing Together
My name is Sulaf. I am 12 years old, and I live in Berlin-Wedding.
When I was nine, I saw other kids playing football on a nearby field in my neighbourhood. I was really curious and wanted to try it myself. Some boys said that girls should not play football, and that motivated me to want to try even harder. Then some of the boys said that I could play well, which also motivated me!
Soon, I started joining games with classmates, and I got better quickly. I do not play with a club, just with friends.
Playing football makes me strong! But what I love most is that it is fun, especially when I play with my friends, because it is no fun alone.
I am part of an organisation called Clara Outreach and, together with my friends there, we went to the opening of the new Bundesliga Common Ground football pitch in Berlin. We even got to play the very first match on it! It suddenly started raining hard, but playing in the rain was so much fun.
The best part of the Bundesliga Common Ground training session was the penalty shootout at the end. I played as the goalkeeper, saved a shot, and even scored a penalty myself. Our team won!
I also learned how to move the ball faster between my feet. We did self-confidence exercises too, with two coaches from Hertha BSC Berlin. Shooting is still hard for me, but I can dribble really well. I just need to keep practising my shot.
Through the session, I also learned more about respect and teamwork, which are the most important values to have not only in football, but in every sport. One example of playing fair is helping someone if they are injured on the pitch. You have to play together if you want to win.
My dream is to become a famous football player or a doctor one day, and I really hope it works out!
