The MBA Cup is an international football tournament for Alumni of the European Business Schools, the initiative of some MBA LUISS students started in 2001; one of the player is the current team captain and professor of Real Estate at LUISS Business School, Alessandro Belli. In the beginning only the most important Italian Business Schools participated: LUISS, Bocconi, Politecnico di Milano, Bologna, CUOA Altavilla Vicentina, however nowadays the championship is assuming a more international profile and maybe one day it could become the “Champions League” of the main European Business Schools. It did not take long before Insead Fointanbleau, IESE Barcellona, Rotterdam SM, Athens, London University in participating in the tournament.
This is a unique MBA event in its category in Europe, played in prestigious football stadiums such as Rome Flaminio’s Stadium and the Federal Centre of Coverciano, which is the location of the Italian National football team. The MBA Cup was thought as an important meeting for the MBA environment too, a great opportunity to create and strengthen network. Conferences about Team-building and sport-applied management have always been associated to this sport event, such as the great MBA cup party in Florence during the tenth anniversary of the tournament. Moreover prestigious testimonials such as the “Golden Boy” Gianni Rivera, an Italian National team idol of the Seventies, and the International referee Pierluigi Collina have contributed in the past to set the event under the spotlight.
The 2015 edition of the tournament took place in the month of June. Our LUISS BS couldn’t win the cup during the previous editions and this contributed as an additional encouragement for our athletes. The team started winning with a score of 1-0 against MIP and 2-0 against CUOA.
The satisfaction arrived after winning against MIB, which were defeated with a 4-0 score. The athletes had a positive feeling: Coach Belli’s players were ready, the team was solid and self-confident. The final match was on Sunday 21st of June, Perugia Stadium is an classic stage of the great events, the opponent of “Bologna Business School” which has a well-trained team with a great attacking game style. The match is breath taking, with many opportunities from both sides, the LUISS BS team had to fight to maintain the score of 3-2 even though they were dominating the match, however Bologna tied last minute and set the score to 3-3.
After thirty minutes of extra-time there was no winner, but in the toughest time the “LUISS Business School” spirit emerges, and they become extremely focused and do not miss any penalty shot, despite BBS has already missed one. They arrived to the last penalty shot, the one that will determine the whole match; if the LUISS BS goalkeeper saves the last one the cup will return to Rome were everything has started. The Stadium is silent, everyone is focused on the field and the bleachers, the goalkeeper bended his legs, concentrated, he was aware of the enormous responsibility he had, however his teammate supported him. All of a sudden screaming fill the stadium, LUISS BS players run to celebrate their hero. It’s over! After many years the cup returns to Rome, LUISS BS is the new MBA champion! It’s an unbelievable celebration, all the players exult, the veterans and the young ones, everyone that has played and participated, they’ve never given-up. Even though some of the athletes were injured during the game, they never gave up and continued playing until the end. A great success, a beautiful experience which both winners and defeated will keep as a life memory.
Special thanks to all players and to LUISS BS and Assomaster who have always supported with enthusiasm of the organization and the participation of the team. We will see you in 2016!
