Simon, you have a somewhat different international break over the coming days. What are the aims of the Trophy Tour?
Rolfes: Last season was special for us. Our task now is to use that success to strengthen our club in important markets across the world, increase awareness of us, and, of course, grow as a club at the end of the day. The Trophy Tour also makes it possible to engage with fans and partners of Bayer 04 all over the world on a personal level. At the same time, we are ambassadors for the whole of the Bundesliga and we want to fulfil this role as best we can.
Why Brazil as a destination?
Rolfes: The Brazilian way of playing football, their passion and love for football have always fascinated and attracted Bayer 04. That's also why there has been a historic link for decades with Brazilian players who have played for Bayer 04 like Paulo Sergio, Lucio, Zé Roberto, Jorginho and in recent times Wendell, Paulinho - and now Arthur. Brazil is a very interesting target market for us. Bayer AG is already very well represented here and has thousands of employees in São Paulo alone who work on a big campus. I'm looking forward to getting to meet many of them.
What events are planned?
Rolfes: It will be quite a busy week. Together with my colleague Kim Falkenberg (Head of Recruitment at Bayer 04, ed.) we will be at an employee event organised by Bayer South America. In addition, we will visit the German Chamber of Foreign Trade and we will have a training session with children at a German school in São Paulo. On top of that, there are a lot of media events. Of course, we will always have the trophies with us. (He laughs)
Will Arthur be on the tour as a Brazilian?
Rolfes: Unfortunately he can't be with us. He will be training in Leverkusen. It's important for me to mention: When Arthur contributed to winning trophies last season he also won something for all the Brazilians who have played for our club over the years. They all helped establish the path we are now on.
Have you ever played in Brazil?
Rolfes: Unfortunately not.
Who do you think is the best Brazilian footballer to play for Bayer 04?
Rolfes: We've had so many different, brilliant players and characters here. I had the opportunity to play alongside Renato Augusto for several years. His style of play was very flexible. He began as a young professional in attacking midfield and later played in a more a more defensive role. Renato was incredibly strong technically and dangerous in front of goal and his tactical ability grew with increasing experience. A great player.
Could other players from Brazil play for the Black and Reds in the future?
Rolfes: Definitely. Given our positive experience to date, I don't know why not.
New signing Miguel Gutiérrez arrives in Leverkusen having won the Champions League, the Spanish league title and an Olympic gold medal. However, the 25-year-old Spaniard, signed from Napoli, is looking to the future – he wants to write the next chapter of success with the Werkself. Bayer04.de takes a closer look at the skilful, attack-minded left-back, who will wear the number 3 jersey.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day three (Tuesday 4 August) begins with a thorough open session on the pitch. After lunch, some players have media engagements at the team hotel, and then the team come together for a barbecue in the evening.
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Nine matches against teams from nine countries, two penalty shoot-outs won, and encounters that went far beyond football: As with last year, the Inklusionswerkself enjoyed an extraordinary week at the Genuine Cup 2026 in Houston, USA, and made memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the Leverkusen side took part as Germany’s official representatives and, accordingly, took to the pitch in Germany kit. Together with 53 teams from 53 nations, the Black and Reds once again sent a powerful message of inclusion and participation – and also impressed on the pitch by winning their group.
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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. The programme for day two (Monday, 3 August) centres on two training sessions – one in the morning (open to the public) and one in the early evening (behind closed doors) – at the nearby training grounds. In the afternoon, fans can look forward to a big fan meet-up with club legend Paulo Sergio at Schloss Blankenhain.
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