At the FIGC's Centro
Tecnico Federale in Coverciano, Florence, a press
conference was held as part of the build up to the match
between Italy and Estonia, set to take place in Modena
on Friday (3 June) as part of the Euro 2012
qualifiers.
During the conference, it
was announced that for the next four years, Fiat Group
Automobiles will sponsor the Italian national team
as well as the five-a-side team.
The agreement reached
with the FICG indicates a leap up the sponsorship ladder
for Fiat who, previously a "Technical Partner" since
2000, now holds the prestigious position of "Top
Sponsor", and will accompany the Azzurri to
Euro 2012 in Poland and the 2014 FIFA World Cup
in Brazil, two important countries for the Fiat Group.
For transport to official
matches, friendlies and training, the national football
team's personnel will have access to a fleet of cars
from Fiat Group Automobiles, which will include the
latest model to join the range, the Fiat Freemont, which
is the first Fiat vehicle to be rebadged though its
growing partnership with the Chrysler Group, which has
been nominated the Azzurri's "Official Car".
During the meeting in
Coverciano, Coach Cesare Prandelli and some of the
players had the chance to get to know the model, which
Fiat claims in its advertising is "All the car you
want". This is the slogan of the publicity campaign.
The link between Fiat and
the Italian national team stems from 2000 when,
classified as a "Technical Partner", the Italian
carmaker began to follow the Azzurri in their quest to
become football world champions in Japan and Korea
(2002) and in South Africa (2010), as well as at the
European Championships in Austria and Switzerland
(2008). And today, as the team's Top Sponsor, Fiat
Automobiles is ready to face Euro 2012 and the
2014 FIFA World Cup.
Ambassadors of sporting
and human values, the Italian national team has a fan
base of millions and carries a positive image of Italy
all over the world. The agreement between Fiat Group
Automobiles and the FIGC demonstrates the Group's
intention to link its name to an excellent sporting
organisation with international fame. The agreement also
allows Fiat to use the title "Official Car" of Italian
National Team: this is the perfect end to a journey
begun over a century ago and which has always seen Fiat
and Italy together in the social, industrial and
cultural evolution of Italy.
