
The former Werkself player Jorginho, at Bayer 04 from 1989 to 1992, joined his teammate Bebeto in in 2000 in setting up the project Bola Pra Frente. Together with his two former clubs, Bayer 04 and FC Bayern, the organisation Stars4Kids now collects donations for this facility in Brazil's capital Rio de Janeiro.
Fans now have the chance, up to 2 July, to buy one of the shirts worn in the top match at auction via the platform United Charity and raise funds for a good cause.
The shirts to be auctioned:
HERE for the shirt worn by Lukas Hradecky
HERE for the shirt worn by Edmond Tapsoba
HERE for the shirt worn by Aleksandar Dragovic
HERE for the shirt worn by Sven Bender
HERE for the shirt worn by Wendell
HERE for the shirt worn by Julian Baumgartlinger
HERE for the shirt worn by Charles Aránguiz
HERE for the shirt worn by Kerem Demirbay
HERE for the shirt worn by Nadiem Amiri
HERE for the shirt worn by Paulinho
HERE for the shirt worn by Florian Wirtz
HERE for the shirt worn by Karim Bellarabi
HERE for the shirt worn by Moussa Diaby
HERE for the shirt worn by Leon Bailey
HERE for the shirt worn by Lucas Alario
Information on the project Bola Pra Frente:
‘Bola Pra Frente’, sport and education centre in the Rio de Janeiro district of Guadalupe helps young people to determine their own future and also find a more positive way of living away from drugs and criminality. It is one of the biggest social and sporting projects in the capital. The Brazil World Cup winner Jorginho, former Bayer 04 player, open the institute in 2000 alongside his teammate Bebeto.
Young people aged from 6 to 17 receive professional educational support from professional athletes, coaches, psychologists as well as social workers. The children and teenagers take part in the course is free of charge and have the opportunity to take up sporting activities and work on career-related projects. The centre offers language, mathematics, health, art, theatre, music, dance and computer courses.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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