Iker Casillas, Fernando Morientes, and Luis García are touring China as part of LaLiga's LEGEND Tour

The former players, as part of the « Legend Tour » organized by LaLiga, have strengthened the ties between the two cultures by meeting with local institutions and prominent athletes such as Wu Lei, as well as Olympic table tennis champions Wang Liqin and Yan Sen.

The LALIGA Club Legend Tour has been the first in-person event in China since EA SPORTS became the main sponsor of LaLiga. Iker Casillas, Fernando Morientes, and Luis García have traveled to five cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Zhengzhou - igniting a football frenzy and providing Chinese fans with enriching activities and immersive experiences.

The highlight of the journey was reached when over a thousand football fans gathered on Saturday the 23rd at the SHANGHAI EXPO HUANGPU SPORTS PARK to enjoy an unforgettable football festival. The event, which featured the participation of all three LaLiga ambassadors as well as the Super League Chinese star (CSL) and former RCD Espanyol player, Wu Lei, and more than 100 sports influencers, provided a unique football experience with a live match and numerous activities showcasing Spanish culture, thanks to the collaboration of Turespaña during the event.

"It had been years since I last visited China, and coinciding the new era of LaLiga with this new stage the country is going through was an extraordinary experience. LaLiga is about passion, emotion, and evolution, and these are values that we were able to experience during this Legend Tour in China," said Iker Casillas. "It's always a pleasure to come back to China, where LaLiga is followed with such devotion," affirmed Fernando Morientes. "You know that LaLiga is passionately followed all around the world, but when you can spend a few days in a country, like China in this case, and share time with the fans, you realize that your expectations are far exceeded," explained Luis García. LaLiga responded to the immense enthusiasm of Chinese football fans and their interest in Spanish competition by bringing the ambassadors closer to their fans through numerous activities organized in the country.

On July 19, Fernando Morientes and Luis García visited the Shaolin Yanlu Kungfu School in Zhengzhou, immersing themselves in Chinese Kung Fu culture by witnessing performances and experiencing the charm of Chinese martial arts. On the same day, Iker Casillas arrived in Beijing and visited the reconstructed Workers' Stadium, where he had played 12 years ago. He also met with young players from the Beijing Guoan FC Academy, encouraging them to become future stars of Chinese football.

On July 20th, the three LaLiga ambassadors organized a roundtable discussion with students from Donghua University during their stay in Shanghai. They shared their valuable professional experiences and life perspectives while also answering students' questions. Later in the day, they posed in front of the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai with the new LaLiga logo.

On July 21st, the three LaLiga Ambassadors visited the studios of the official broadcaster, Migu Video, to record a special program dedicated to Chinese fans. Later in the afternoon, LaLiga collaborated with the CSL by bringing two ambassadors and the LaLiga trophy to the Shanghai Port FC stadium. The unexpected appearance of the ambassadors on the field before the official match received a warm welcome from all the fans.

The next day, they visited the International Table Tennis Federation Museum as well as the China Table Tennis Museum and played table tennis with Olympic champions Wang Liqin and Yan Sen. Additionally, Iker Casillas and Luis García interacted with fans through live broadcasts on The Red Book, further connecting with young Chinese fans.

After the festival, on July 23rd, Luis García traveled to Shenzhen and visited the first LALIGA Club exhibition in China, where he was warmly welcomed by numerous fans. The exhibition showcased the culture, historical richness, and characteristics of LaLiga clubs, providing Chinese fans with another immersive experience of the authentic Spanish football culture.

During this time, the final leg of the tour took place in Hong Kong, where Fernando Morientes visited the LALIGA Football Schools. He warmly interacted with the local students, encouraging young players to enjoy football and to end the LALIGA Club Legend Tour 2023 in China on a perfect note.

LaLiga inaugurates a new era

This summer, LaLiga unveiled its new brand and positioning strategy with the slogan "The strength of our football." As a global brand reaching diverse audiences, LaLiga's new positioning strategy emphasizes its pride as an organization that inspires people and society through the power of football. The success of this event reaffirms LaLiga's commitment and highlights once again its characteristics of being intergenerational, touching people of different ages and backgrounds; multi-engagement, offering various ways to interact with the brand at different levels of intensity; and multicultural, thanks to its strong global presence. Through the LALIGA Club Legend Tour 2023 in China and its festival, LaLiga also reaffirms its continued dedication to the Chinese market and continues to showcase its influence as a global brand.