
Who are 'goolkids'?
The goolkids Society from Bamberg - Stefan Kießling's hometown - functions as a network between children, clubs, schools, associations and sponsors to provide a bridge between people in need and people offering support. The aim is to integrate socially disadvantaged teenagers regardless of background by providing integration through sport.
Stefan Kießling, a goolkids ambassador, said of his commitment: "When it's about kids you can always help – 365 days a year."
Collection point project
Amongst a range of different projects there are collection points: Parents and children can help by taking sports kit (shirts, shorts, boots, training kits), that they have grown out of, to local collection points. Thanks to these donations socially disadvantaged teenagers can join in with a goolkids sports event or at a club and make contacts. If any sports kit is left over it will be collected centrally and given away to youngsters in need and excess funds will be donated to poor countries.
Do you want to donate sports kit? You can hand in your kit at the following locations: The collection points are available from Monday 11 September to 29 September 2017 at the Kurtekotten Academy, the Service Centre East at the BayArena on Bismarckstraße as well as at the Fan House on Breidenbachstraße and the Fan Container (on matchdays).


Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.
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Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
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When Afonso Moreira arrived for his interview with bayer04.de, he had to take a deep breath first. Asked how the morning session had gone, the 21-year-old replied with a slight smile: “Tough. Intense.” That’s really sums up the workload for the Werkself so far at the training camp in the Weimarer Land region. Head coach Carles Martínez and his team demand hard work, team spirit and the determination to improve every day. Those are values Moreira wholeheartedly identifies with – and the Portuguese player has not only taken them to heart, but also permanently noted in the form of a tattoo.
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