Dani Olmo was the 160th member of Common Goal and joined ahead of his RB Leipzig side’s Champions League quarter-final in August 2020.
Through his 1% pledge, the Spanish midfielder and adidas athlete supports a Cross Cultures Projects Association in Croatia which aims to bring back stability to post-conflict communities.
His desire to pledge to a Croatian football for good organisation is a reflection of the strong bond he built with the country and its people after playing for over five years at Dinamo Zagreb.
For Dani, joining Common Goal was an opportunity to align his desire to give back and pay his respects to the country and region that he called home before his move to Germany.
“As footballers, we should not be on the margins of social reality and, at this terrible time, we must be conscious of the impact that football can have,” said Dani.
“As far as we can, we players should use the platform the sport gives us to help improve society each and every day, with the single aim of giving back," said Dani.
“I wanted to join the Common Goal family, as I would like to be part of a movement which has the objective to transform the football industry and maximise football’s contribution to the world.
“Through Common Goal I will support a project run by the NGO Cross Cultures Projects Association, which has been working for many years in the Balkans, where ethnic conflicts are still going on.
“I’m committed to helping children have a right to a childhood, and education, regardless of ethnicity or gender. Unfortunately, it’s always the children who suffer the most in conflict and post-conflict environments.”
Dani also wants to send a message of solidarity and individual responsibility to other footballers and encourage them to be conscious of the positive impact football can have on people’s lives.