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FC Barcelona – Dinamo Bucuresti

August 11th 2012
National Arena (54.000 seats)

Country Branding and the Soft Power of Football

Although the Government is usually slow in capitalizing on the soft power of sports, the benefits it brings to the national sentiment and people’s perception about their own country, own value and national pride, is priceless.

As Consultants, Soft Power knowledge is in Media Consulta International’s DNA. It can manifest in various forms and shapes: may it be through art festivals, supporting the Romanian Cultural Institute, bringing to the people’s attention the most successful Romanian brands, setting-up the national Television School, bringing global and international personalities in (thus placing the country on the global map) up to supporting Romania’s national pride of what was once an iconic brand of sports country (especially in football and gymnastics).

August 11th, 2012, The National Arena, Bucharest. The extraterrestrial stars from FC Barcelona gave a spectacular performance during a friendly match against Dinamo Bucharest, igniting the passion of more than 50,000 attending supporters, reaching a 8.0 golden minute rating (surpassing Romania’s generalist TV leader, PRO TV) and spreading like wildfire through social media across the Romanian Diaspora all over the world.

FC Barcelona finished the pre-season match with a 2-0 victory over the Romanian team Dinamo Bucharest and the best piece of news was the return to action of David Villa, who played 20 minutes in his comeback match after an absence caused by a leg injury.

“We are happy the negotiations ended positively and we get to play on Bucharest’s National Arena, in front of a public that we learned to be extraordinary and with one of the top Easter European football teams.”  Javier Faus, Vice-President FC Barcelona

“The negotiations were not easy at all. FC Barcelona is the best team in football’s history and having them come to Romania on August 11th is a big teamwork achievement of MEDIA CONSULTA INTERNATIONAL.”  Mihai Craiu, PDG MEDIA CONSULTA INTERNATIONAL

“A club friendly match with FC Barcelona is even more spectacular than an official one. If in officials, the players only focus on the result, in a friendly match, they play for the show.” Nicolae Badea, President FC Dinamo Bucharest

There’s freedom in doing things your way, in being independent and this freedom often leads to spectacular, outstanding performances. As all good things, however, this freedom has its price: the price of permanently surpassing one's limits.