Bundesliga Head Coach Joins Common Goal

For Mainz 05 Head Coach Bo Svensson, creating a team only to win games is a superficial way of viewing football.

Though it may only be a small portion, instead he believes the game mirrors what the world looks like on a broader scale and should therefore be used to set a good example of how to play a positive role in shaping our society.

Ahead of his second season in charge at Mainz, the Danish coach and former defender has pledged 1% of his earnings to help drive change through the beautiful game.

In doing so, he becomes the fourth Bundesliga coach to join the Common Goal movement alongside Julian Nagelsmann (Bayern Munich), Marco Rose (Borussia Dortmund), and Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt).

“As a Bundesliga coach, on paper it's about creating a team and winning games, but that's a superficial way of seeing it,” he said.

“There is more to being human than just being good at kicking a ball. You should always be aware of your own development and of what influence you can have on other people.

“Football, of course, represents a small portion of what the world looks like. And I think it's important to set an example of how football can play a positive role.”

Upon his decision to join, he hopes more will follow in marrying their own individual success within football with a contribution to a more united world.

“The conscious decision for me and for the others involved is just that — a conscious decision; we know why we are doing this,” he continued.

“It is clear that 1% is important and that the money is important, but it is even more important that you know why you are doing it — why it is important to get involved in things beyond what is happening here in my own bubble.

“When I look at all the projects that Common Goal supports globally, that's exactly it and I think that in this day and age it's important to understand that there is more to football than what is happening at the top level.

“I recently witnessed in my own country, in Denmark, what effect football can have.

“Of course, it's about football, a football game, but everyone came together to overcome this tragic event.

“Sport lends itself to this well, but football, being such a global sport, can do so better than all else.”