Football Legends Harry Redknapp, Stuart Pearce MBE & John Barnes MBE join Campioni Soccer Academy at Kuramathi, Maldives this Summer

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

January 10, 2025

Looking for the ultimate family Summer escape? Kuramathi and Campioni have you covered for 2025. Imagine a holiday where your child’s passion for football meets the excitement of training with former Premier League players and UEFA coaches at stunning resorts.

The exclusive Campioni football training camps offers just that for children aged 4-15years. Taking place across 2 weeks, with 3 football legends; Liverpool and England legend John Barnes MBE alongside a UEFA coach, 28th July – 1st August, and two of England’s best known and most loved football icons Harry Redknapp and Stuart Pearce MBE, 4th – 8th August, Kuramathi and Campioni invite guests to an opportunity of a lifetime for young footballers.

With Campioni’s ethos “Train Like A Pro”, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to be coached for two-hours, daily, whilst on holiday, by legendary players who have graced the biggest stages of English football. The daily interactive and engaging training will see children not only practise fundamental skills but also learn the importance of teamwork, strategy, and sportsmanship. With consistent personal advice throughout the sessions, this is a chance to learn from the best in the game while creating unforgettable memories.

Parents can enjoy free time to unwind on the beach, explore the island, go to the gym or visit the spa, or simply take a seat pitch-side soaking in the excitement and energy of the training sessions.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. As part of the Campioni experience, families can enjoy a host of additional activities, including an invitation to the start of the week family welcome drinks, a mid-week parents’ game where parents can play alongside the pro’s, and an end-of-week medal and certificate presentation. While the kids are busy sharpening their skills on the pitch, parents have the freedom to unwind across the resort.

Renowned Maldivian resort Kuramathi is a family’s private paradise. Known for its snaking kilometre of white sandbank and tropical jungle which trails the length of the 1.8km island, Kuramathi’s 12

room categories, 12 restaurants, 6 bars and evening entertainment, great value all-inclusive dining options, spa, dive school, sports centre, eco centre and kids club, make it truly an island of choice for the whole family. Choose from one bedroom Beach Villas, opt for the Two Bedroom Beach House or luxuriate over the island’s turquoise lagoon in one of the iconic over water villas.

Off the pitch, Kuramathi’s Kid’s Club, Bageecha is complimentary for children aged 3-12 years and features an indoor play area, reading corner, outside playground, barbeque area, two splash pads and a huge swimming pool. Children can enjoy indoor activities such as storytelling, face painting, karaoke, arts and crafts and coconut painting, whilst outside they can play with new friends at the whale seesaw, jungle gym, and sandpit. For the older children sports such as badminton, football, ping pong, baseball and basketball are on offer in Bageecha’s grounds. Couples looking to enjoy a romantic meal can request extended opening hours, and the Bageecha crew will host little ones until midnight at extra charge. Babysitting for children under 3 is also available 24 hours a day.

Younger guests are invited to explore the island’s environmental practices and can take part in activities such as eco-centre presentations (where they can get up close to some of the Indian Ocean’s marine life), explore the hermit crab trail through the island’s jungle, take part in tree planting, and visit the island’s hydroponics gardens.

Elsewhere, the resort has a fully equipped dive school with multi-lingual instructors who can guide divers of all skill levels through a range of PADI and SSI courses, including Bubblemaker (starting aged 8 years) and dive sites where they will freely mingle with grey reef sharks, turtles, manta-rays, eagle rays and a myriad of other marine life.  Back on the surface there is a wide range of water sports including windsurfing, dinghy and catamaran where children aged 12 can take part in private lessons for an introduction to these unique sports. For experiences across the water, why not join a Snorkelling Safari, Turtle Discovery, Dolphin Discovery or the Semi-Submarine excursion for fun for the whole family.

Whilst little ones play in the afternoon, take a trip to Kuramathi’s Spa alongside the water’s edge, and as the sun sets, parents can unwind at the Champagne Loft, or sip a cocktail by one of the pool bars overlooking the sparkling waters. For dinner, indulge with international cuisine at the buffet restaurant, or savour delectable feasts at one of the island’s many speciality restaurants from signature The Reef, French Bistro La Belle Vie, enjoy a touch of theatre at the teppanyaki Kobe, or sample flavours from the East with Tandoor Mahal, and Thai at Siam Garden. After, there is a breadth of evening entertainment across the island; nightlife in Kuramathi is abundant, whether you’re watching the resident live band, dancing under the stars by the resident DJ, catching a movie on the beach or enjoying a glass of wine watching two-piece musician orchestrating there’s something for everyone.

Your summer escape to Kuramathi with Campioni promises to create memories that will last a lifetime.