The RFEF centre stage at the Cantabrian Football Awards Gala

The Cantabrian Football Awards Gala 2023 were held this Thursday at the Palacio de Los Festivales de Cantabria (Santander) and they played host to the the RFEF, represented by the president of its Management Committee, Pedro Rocha. While accompanied by the president of the Royal Cantabrian Football Federation, José Ángel Peláez, Rocha took part in the two parts into which the event was divided: one dedicated to grassroots football, and the other focused on regional football and recognising its different levels.

The UEFA Nations League cup trophy, recently won by the Spanish national football team, was present during the gala, as one of the great signs of Spain’s great footballing year. The other, of course, is the Women's World Cup that Spain won in Australia and New Zealand, and for which the RFCF decided to distinguish our national team.

Congratulations to the RFCF and the award winners

Rocha summed up his presence at this gala with two words, emphasised in his initial greeting to the assembled group: "congratulations and congratulations". "Congratulations, because it’s not everyday that you celebrate 100 years; congratulations on this century of history and hard work, which I hope is only the beginning of more glory that is to come", said Pedro Rocha; "and congratulations on your work, which has been officially recognised with the title ‘Royal´".

"This title implies a whole country’s recognition for the work you do: promoting football, spreading the values of sport, offering our children and adolescents healthy lifestyle options and an active lifestyle, ensuring the cleanliness of football, ensuring equal opportunities in football, ensuring a better and cleaner football", emphasised the head of the RFEF.

What's more, during the first act of the gala, Pedro Rocha had the opportunity to present the trophies to the champions of the pre-benjamin, benjamin and alevín categories of futsal, which he described as "football in its purest state”, during a moment he shared with none other than José Ángel Peláez himself as well, Susana Ruiz (Director General of Sports of the Government of Cantabria) as well as with Beatriz Pellón (Councillor for Sports of the City Council of Santander).