The real drama behind Barcelona and poor Congo’s deal

In European football, victories and successes always hide various financial interests. These days, FC Barcelona is on the verge of an unusual and controversial agreement, reported mundodeportivo.com.

According to the information, the Catalans are working on a four-year sponsorship deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo worth 44 million euros. Based on this agreement, the club will receive 11 million euros annually. These funds are expected to help ease issues related to financial fair play.

Under this contract, "Barça" will feature the logo “Democratic Congo – the heart of Africa” on the main team’s jerseys. What remains at the center of discussions is whether this move truly serves tourism development or if there are deeper interests behind it.

Interestingly, the “Monaco” club also recently signed a similar agreement. But the real situation in the DRC causes many to reflect.

The country is officially the largest cobalt producer in the world. However, this wealth does not benefit the population. According to official and unofficial sources, more than 20% of cobalt is extracted manually. This often implies cases of child labor.

According to international human rights organizations, in 2024, about 7.5 million children aged 4–10 were forced into hard labor in the mines. There are no exact records of these children — they are not officially registered.

UNICEF reveals even more horrifying situations: amid armed conflicts, many children are actively used as porters, spies, or servants for both government and non-government armed forces. In 2024, more than 1 million children were involved in such tasks.

Although the DRC is rich in copper, uranium, and cobalt, it is one of the five poorest countries in the world. Around 65% of the population — nearly 100 million people — live on less than $2.15 a day.

In such conditions, for a major football club to sign such sponsorship agreements to relieve financial burdens naturally raises dissatisfaction and ethical concerns. Will “Barcelona” benefit from this deal? Or will it open the doors to accusations and criticism?

As viewers and fans, it’s important to understand the reality behind football. Because behind the victories on the field, sometimes there are extremely heavy and indescribable truths. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!