Atlético fights bullying: "We are a team, we don't leave anyone behind"

Atlético Madrid launches anti-bullying campaign featuring club legends Adelardo, Torres and Sampedro, coinciding with International Day Against School Violence.

Atlético Madrid has released a video through its foundation featuring three club icons—Adelardo Rodríguez, Fernando Torres and Amanda Sampedro—to combat bullying and cyberbullying. The campaign, launched on International Day Against School Violence and Cyberbullying, carries the message "We are a team, we don't leave anyone behind. We are all captains against bullying."

According to a 2026 report from the Mutua Madrileña and ANAR foundations, 14.1% of Spanish schoolchildren have experienced bullying or cyberbullying, up 1.8 percentage points from the previous year. The club aims to translate football values into classrooms and everyday life. Adelardo emphasises that "recognising it is the first step to stopping it," while Sampedro urges bystanders to act: "We can approach, listen, help, ask for help… but above all, we can choose not to look away."

The campaign marks the start of the fifth season of Hazte Defensa Contra el Bullying (Become a Defence Against Bullying), Atlético's flagship educational programme. Since its launch in 2021-22, it has reached over 4,500 students across 40 schools and 32 football teams, using sport as a tool for education, coexistence and inclusion.