Global sports company PUMA, together with Manchester City Football Club and Chess.com, launches an exclusive talk between two geniuses: Pep Guardiola from the football world and Magnus Carlsen from the chess world. PUMA’s ambassadors discussed unforgettable moments from their careers, elaborated on strategies and tactics in both sports, and shared some tips and tricks with fans.

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Magnus Carlsen and Pep Guardiola shared unforgettable moments from their careers and elaborated on strategies and tactics in both sports. (Photo: Business Wire)

“I have loved football since I was little. I played it every day. I did not come home from school; I just stayed at the school to play football. Then I came home to play chess. It turned out that I was better at chess, so I continued to do that”, said Magnus Carlsen, Five-time World Chess Champion.

Pep and Magnus analyzed specific goals and moves, emphasizing the importance of patience, strategy, and adapting to the opponent's actions. Guardiola highlights the significance of controlling the middle in both football and chess, while Carlsen draws similarities between attacking on one side and creating advantages. They also discuss the role of instinct and unpredictability in achieving success.

The conversation delves into the mental aspects of high-pressure situations, emphasizing the need for calmness and adaptability. Both share insights from their respective fields, showcasing the strategic thinking and mastery required in football and chess. “I think the way you have to take defenders away with the attack depends on the movement of the opponent. You must pay attention to what the opponent does in every single movement and react to that. Magnus has two hours to make the next movement. We have a second to react or take a decision”, explained Pep.

The conversation concludes with reflections on extended matches, with Carlsen recalling a 7.5-hour chess game and Guardiola expressing admiration for such dedication and focus.

Watch the full interview on PUMA YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/5gLm9KSf_RQ. It is also available on Man City YouTube.

PUMA

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For 75 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.

MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

Manchester City FC was initially founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton and officially became Manchester City FC in 1894. Situated on the wider Etihad Campus, the Club’s footprint includes the 53,500 capacity Etihad Stadium, the 7,000 capacity Joie Stadium and City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art performance, training and youth development facility home to the Club’s men’s, women’s, and academy teams.

Ranked as the Most Valuable Football Club Brand in the world by Brand Finance, Manchester City FC is currently developing a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Campus. The Club is committed to operating in a sustainable and socially responsible manner and ensures that equality, diversity, and inclusion is embedded into its decision-making processes, culture and practices.

For more information, please visit www.mancity.com.

CHESS.COM

Chess.com is the world's leading online chess platform, founded in 2005, dedicated to growing the game of chess and helping chess players around the world enjoy the game. Chess.com is the leading provider of chess gaming and other chess-related services including a vibrant forum and social network, a news feed, a chess academy, a coaching platform, tactics and puzzles, live tournaments, a separate website for kids (http://chesskid.com), and ChessTV. In June 2023, Chess.com was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies. In October 2023, Chess.com‘s membership surpassed 150 million worldwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231212412086/en/

Media Contacts:
PUMA
Gudrun Cämmerer
Teamhead Global PR
gudrun.caemmerer@puma.com

City Football Group
Melissa Fenlon
Head of Marketing Communications
melissa.fenlon@cityfootball.com

Chess.com
Leon Watson
Head of PR
leon.watson@chess.com

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