The 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup kicked off on Thursday with the presentation of the official logo at the CONMEBOL Convention Centre in Asuncion (Paraguay), home of the competition.
The event was attended by CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, who highlighted the work of the Paraguayan Football Association, on behalf of its president Robert Harrison, for the commendable work of making the dream of celebrating a World Cup in Paraguay, in this case, the Beach Soccer World Cup, a reality.
«This is a dream that came true. A dream that was born when I had the happiness and the honor of presiding the APF, and today it is becoming a reality, that’s why I’m very happy,» said CONMEBOL’s president, Alejandro Domínguez, in his speech.
«This is already the fourth FIFA World Cup to come to South America since the beginning of my presidency, a reflection of the transformation our football is undergoing with professionalism and rigor as the cornerstones of our management at the head of this institution,» added President Dominguez.
The event also included representatives from the APF, FIFA, the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and the Paraguayan government, and featured videos celebrating the event, the logo and the competition venue.
This is the first time that Paraguay will host a FIFA competition, «the first of several World Cups. We have shown the world our great management skills and as I said at FIFA, in South America, where there’s a ball, there’s football,» said President Dominguez.
The logo
The logo for the 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is inspired by ñandutí, Paraguay’s famous traditional lace. The word ñandutí means » spider web» in Guaraní, Paraguay’s official indigenous language, as the structure of the lace reminds us of the intricate motifs that form the threads of a spider’s web. Its arrangement also resembles the way the sun’s rays are depicted.
The designs of the ñandutí lace are evoked in the motifs included in the ball located at the top of the emblem. The sun that crowns the trophy is represented in the form of a flower, in another hint to the designs of the ñandutí lace and as a symbol of the profuse vegetation of Paraguay. The red figure highlights the spectacular plays that characterize beach soccer, while the blue and yellow stem are inspired by the motifs of the Guaraní decoration. A beach soccer player rests on the sand.
The ensemble appeals to the national diversity and history of the host nation, Paraguay, as well as the extraordinary discipline of beach soccer.
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The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019 will be held from November 21 to December first of this year. Paraguay 2019 is the tenth edition of a competition held for the first time in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro. This year, 16 countries will be represented at the games.
