C.D. Leganés becomes the first team in the world to make its captains into colonels

C.D. Leganés becomes the first club in the world to make its captains into colonels, in what was an unprecedented development in football, brought to life together with KFC, the world's favourite spot for fried chicken. The presentation took place at the first home game this season in front of some 5,000 returning fans, who for months have been unable to enter the ground.

The game against Burgos C.F., which ended in a goalless draw, marked a historic moment for Unai Bustinza as it was his first game as a colonel, donning the new armband to show his new rank for the season ahead.

The event was graced by the appearance of a very special guest: Colonel Sander himself, who spectated from the box, delighted to join the pepinero massive. The partnership between C.D. Leganés and KFC dates back 8 years, with the club and the company sharing close values. Every player embodies what it means to be a true colonel: determination, resolve, perseverance and the will to improve. The milestone was also commemorated with a great banner in the visiting end and free armbands for the youngest pepineros that came on Monday.

The promotion of captains Bustinza, Eraso and Tarín to colonels was also celebrated with a film, which can be viewed on the club's social media. The video begins with our captains preparing in the changing room, ready to step out onto the pitch and begin a new season with the dream of promotion, backed by all of the other members of the squad. Colonel Sanders bestows the new armbands upon the captains in their promotion ceremony to colonels. 

"C.D. Leganés approaches this new season with a strong desire to fight once again for promotion. We wanted to promote our own captains to colonels with KFC, to celebrate the beginnings of a new campaign where we will have back the support of more pepineros than ever at the stadium. It's a homage to both players and fans, as it makes us the first club in footballing history to have colonels instead of captains", said Víctor Marín, marketing director of C.D. Leganés.

"We're overjoyed to have been a part of this unique footballing moment and to have made C.D. Leganés the first side in the world with colonels instead of captains. It's a pleasure to celebrate a special day like this with the return of fans to the stadium after the waiting months to refill the stands", Beatriz Martínez, KFC's Brand Manager of Spain, commented. "Our relationship with C.D. Leganés goes back more than 8 seasons now and our partnership could not be better. Over the next few months we plan to continue with more announcements and events to give the campaign that extra push", a spokesperson for KFC added.

C.D. Leganés fans will be pleased to hear about the limited edition burger ccoming to Leganés franchises at the start of 2022. The fast food brand is also preparing other surprises for C.D. Leganés fans in the coming year, such as the Legabox, where fans will be able to get signed photos of the players starting from September, and throughout the season, in the town's restaurants on match days at Butarque.

About KFC

KFC, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. is a global fried chicken brand with a very successful history. It all began with Colonel Sanders, who created his original fried chicken recipe nearly 80 years ago, based on a secret combination of 11 herbs and spices. Today, his legacy remains intact as his cooks hand-bread and prepare the chicken daily in more than 25,000 restaurants across more than 145 countries around the world. KFC arrived in Spain in the 1970s and currently has 17 franchises and more than 220 restaurants in Spain and Portugal.