One stadium, many different animals, one game. This is the symbolic image that stands out in the mural created by students from the Tambosi Technical Institute in Trento – including children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) – under the guidance of Trentino graffiti artist Mattia Schmidt, aka Deficit dell’Attenzione (DDÄ). A powerful collective work, created to send a clear message: sport is for everyone.
The project, carried out in collaboration between Pulcino d’Oro and Tambosi, precedes the tenth edition of the international youth football tournament, which will be held in Trentino, in Valsugana, from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 June 2025, with Levico Terme as its nerve centre. The mural – entitled “BES(T) Players” – is composed of panels created with the active participation of the young people and will be displayed during the event, decorating the stadium in Levico Terme. Inspired by a cartoon attributed to Albert Einstein, the work depicts different animals playing a football match: an allegory of diversity that becomes a resource and beauty when put into practice in team play.
A day of testimonials
During the official presentation, held yesterday in Tambosi Institute, representatives from the worlds of education, sport and institutions took part. Francesca Gerosa, Vice-President of the Autonomous Province of Trento and Provincial Councillor for Education, Culture and Sport, emphasised: “This project is a wonderful example of collaboration, of that “working together” that leads to concrete results. By coming together and breaking down barriers, we can build meaningful experiences. Here we have a wonderful example of inclusion and shared commitment.” With the BES(T) Players project, Pulcino d’Oro and the Tambosi Institute strongly reaffirm a fundamental principle: every child has the right to express themselves and feel part of the group. Art and sport become universal languages, capable of breaking down barriers and building bridges between differences. The mural is more than a work of art: it is a symbol of participation, friendship, respect and equality. Sandro Beretta, president of the Pulcino d’Oro organising committee, expressed his great satisfaction: “This mural fills my heart. It is the result of sincere and passionate work by everyone involved. Organising the Pulcino d’Oro also means believing in the development of a more inclusive civil society”.
Chiara Guglielmetti, SEN coordinator at the Tambosi Institute, and Biagio Orlando, deputy headteacher, recalled: ‘The collaboration between our school and Pulcino d’Oro has deep roots. Nothing happens by chance. This result is the fruit of the joint efforts of teachers, educators and students. We would like to thank everyone.‘ Massimo Bernardoni, president of the Italian Paralympic Committee of Trento, commented: ’Football is more central than ever today. Even we, who were initially distant from this discipline, have become closer to it. School remains a privileged place to work on the inclusion of fragility.‘ Camilla Chiusole, coordinator of the Pulcino d’Oro school project, recalled its origins: ’It all started with a school-work alternation project. The mural, composed of panels that will be exhibited in Levico Terme, is the symbol of a successful collaboration. Sport really is for everyone.‘ Isabella Iandarino, head of the Institute’s Tourism and Territory Centre, pointed out: ’During the year, we have built up a network of meetings and experiences with Pulcino d’Oro. It is a virtuous example of how schools can collaborate with the local area and with international sports organisations.”
Finally, Federica, the authentic voice of this project and a student involved in it, concludes: ‘It was wonderful to participate. Every gesture and every word had value. Mattia, our writer, always encouraged us, even when we made mistakes. We laughed, worked and shared. And we all felt part of something special.’
The Tenth Pulcino d’Oro International Tournament is fast approaching
The initiative marks the start of an extraordinary edition of the Pulcino d’Oro, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2025 with staggering numbers. There will be over 80 participating teams, including the most prestigious on the national and international scene: Juventus, Milan, Inter, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Leeds United, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, and, for the first time ever in Trentino, Barcelona. River Plate, winner of the last two editions, is also returning.
For the third time, the Pulcino d’Oro Girls tournament will also take place, dedicated exclusively to women’s football, further confirmation of the openness and growth of the project. The Pulcino d’Oro is also a stage for the best amateur youth teams, which will arrive via regional tournaments that have already taken place in Lombardy, Veneto, Sicily, Lazio and many other regions of Italy, as well as Portugal, the Netherlands and England, involving thousands of young footballers. In total, more than 1,200 children between the ages of 9 and 11 will take to the field to play more than 500 matches on the pitches of Levico Terme, Caldonazzo, Ischia and Borgo Valsugana.