Soccer has a unique power. It brings people together and unites communities for the love of the game. It can be easy to forget about the humanity of a crowd when watching from afar. The match takes center stage and suddenly, the massive crowd in attendance is nothing more than a backdrop for the commentary crew to reference periodically.
Not in Sevilla. Not for the fans of Real Betis.
Every year around the holidays, the Spanish club hosts a match where they collect stuffed animals for disadvantaged families and at half-time, fans throw the toys onto the pitch from every part of the stadium.
Again this year, SPECTACULAR.
Again this year, THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping us bring toys to children in need. pic.twitter.com/YNbroX5eAB— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) December 29, 2022
According to a club statement after the match, “14,000 stuffed animals and toys were collected so that no child is left without his gift on these dates.”
Real Betis fans threw 14,000 stuffed toys on to the pitch as part of their Christmas tradition on Thursday.
The toys will be sent to children in need ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Iy78IYQpJD— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 30, 2022
The images speak for themselves. Toys rain down from the heavens as the fans at the Estadio Benito Villamarín give to the less fortunate.
It’s humanity. It’s community. It’s bigger than the sport.
Every year in December, Real Betis fans throw toys onto the pitch as a donation to disadvantaged families at Christmas.
The beautiful game! ❤️@OptusSportpic.twitter.com/3ZFsUKQJLc
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) December 24, 2022
This is why soccer is nothing without fans. The city comes together to support its team and recognizes the tremendous power it has. Every individual that participated made a difference. Real Betis fans truly embody the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” through their generous actions and we hope their beautiful tradition continues for many more years to come.
