How Kia has made fans' dreams of meeting their heroes come true

Set the scene: you’re in a coffee shop talking about your favourite players with a friend. So far, so normal – the kind of situation many of us will encounter daily.

But in the build-up to Chelsea’s Europa League last-32 meeting with Malmo, Blues fans Antonio and Hugo got the surprise of their lives when Stamford Bridge legend Eidur Gudjohnsen turned up to join the conversation.

After grilling the Iceman on his favourite game, the two friends got a grand tour of Stamford Bridge – and found out the ex-striker who he’d loved to have shared pitch time with in west London.

Fellow Blues supporters Lahcen and Alexa got the opportunity to meet legendary defender Ricardo Carvalho – part of the record-breaking Premier League side that conceded only 15 goals in 2004/05 – and join the Portugal hero at Stamford Bridge after winning the Kia Fan Challenge.

Did he really do John Terry’s running for him? Only a brave man would answer…

Over in Lisbon, meanwhile, Sporting CP fans João and Patricia were also handed a dream day out by Kia after being invited to their beloved team’s Academia Sporting training ground.

“It’s happening,” beamed João en route. “We’ll set foot on the same grass as our stars.” “I’m curious to see what they’re like,” said an excitable Patricia. “Are they human beings like us?!”

She soon got to find out thanks to meetings with Brunos Fernandes and Gasper, and then got to quiz striker Abdoulay Diaby to cap a memorable day at their club’s headquarters.

With Kia, once-in-a-lifetime moments like these come true – because they’re football fans just like you. It’s just one of the ways in which they’ve empowered supporters again this season throughout another thrilling Europa League campaign...

Kia empowers all fans regardless of club or age. Become a hero and join the exciting experience with Kia in the UEFA Europa League!