More Than a Summer Game. The Cagliari Beach Soccer president, Manuel Perra, on creating opportunity, fighting for visibility, and dreaming big.

 About 10 days ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Manuel Perra, President of Cagliari Beach Soccer Club, the only active club in the region of Sardinia, Italy.

It was a fascinating conversation with a man who is as approachable as he is passionate about the sport.

“I used to play professional football. In 2012, I played for a season in Lithuania, then my son was born, and since my wife is from Veneto, we moved there. I was missing the Sardinian sun and needed some vitamin D. By chance, I came across beach soccer.”

This is how it all began for Manuel Perra. He first joined the local Venetian team and, just six years later, in 2018, decided to bring the sport home by founding the Cagliari Beach Soccer Club. Driven by his love for the game and a desire to bring something different and new to Sardinia.

What better place than a sun-soaked island?

 The club now boasts a men’s team, an Under-20 side and, since two years ago, a women’s team. By the way, it’s the women’s team which is guaranteeing the club the most success since they won basically everything with it: the Super Cup, the National League, and the Italian Cup in their debut year. Perra is a proud President.

“We are trying to take Cagliari’s colours as far as possible around Italy and the world (the Women’s team plays in the Champions League too).”

Still, there are also obstacles. Especially when you are the only team in the region, investments are difficult to attract. The lack of permanent infrastructure does not help either.

The team currently plays at the racetrack in Cagliari, near the sea, but the use of the space is granted on a year-by-year basis. Perra hopes to secure a long-term agreement, sufficient enough to let them invest properly and also create a youth academy.

“Sardinia, with its weather, could be the perfect place, where you can play here not just for the three months during the summer, but for eight or nine.”

When I asked how hard it is to secure sponsorship, Perra was candid:

“In Sardinia, the research for a sponsor is very complicated, but we try and work smart with our marketing. On social media, we are the third most followed sports club after Cagliari Calcio and Dinamo Sassari (the basketball team).”

“We do bring real value to some of the companies that sponsor us and this help us, as we have created credibility. It is not just about putting in money, it is about building something together.”

“EYE Sport was the first sponsor. They believed in us back in 2018, when we were just at the beginning of our journey. I convinced them also saying that as a good Sardinian, I would have been proud to wear their brand around the country.”

 What is needed for beach soccer to grow?

“The season needs to be longer; we should play more, it lasts very little now. But also the sport has all possibilities and the spectacularity of being inserted in the Olympics. Nothing against other sports, but we have seen some questionable entries lately. Beach soccer is fast, funny and filled with high quality moments: bicycle kicks, crazy goals. It is football the Californian way. So I am expecting it to be inserted sooner rather than later.”

“Moreover, after the last World Cup, even VIPs started attending matches. That kind of visibility helps. We are also fighting for a Women’s World Cup, it is time.”

On the topic of Saudi Arabia’s big investments into the sport and the Neom tournament, Perra had this to say:

“They do bring a lot of visibility to beach soccer, and not just through money. They have a great management and do things properly, so these sorts of investments are well accepted, we need more of that in the sport.”

We then moved to speak about what else can be done to make the sport grow and attract more fans:

“Beach soccer only started in Brazil in 1992, it is still young. We should go after the young generation, not just as fans but as future players too.”

“The season may only last three months, but within those three months we play as many as 40-50 matches, almost as many as a football club over a full season. So it is very intense. We try to run a summer school, and youth camps, but there is definitely room to do more. We just need more people involved to make it happen.”

“You have the fortune that in Italy, football stops for those exact three months, and that is when beach soccer can thrive. Some kids are better at playing on the sand compared to playing on grass, and you can give them a real shot at a career in beach soccer. Hence, you have the time then to make it possible for them to be formed and give them the choice.”

On the international stage, countries like Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Italy are some of the strongest teams. I have asked Perra what he thinks about Italy’s standing:

“The Italian Women’s team has had good results recently, but the men’s side especially. They won the European Championship in 2018 and again in 2023 in Alghero. Bear in mind it is very difficult to prove yourself at the international level. In Italy we do not play as often as Spain or Portugal, so making it to the end of a tournament really shows the potential we have.”

To conclude, I wanted to know what his best moment as the club president has been so far:

“Every year, whether we reach our goals or not, what stays with me is the great moments we experience together. The best moment probably was bringing the Scudetto home in Sardinia, because of how difficult it is. It was incredibly emotional and the feeling lasted for days”.

“But also, the Under-20 reaching the final, with mostly Sardinian players, in just their second year was a big emotion too.”

And finally, what are Perra’s biggest dreams?

“If I can dream big, I would love to see both our women’s and men’s teams competing for the Scudetto and European titles. The women’s side is close. But above all, the dream is to create a youth academy that lifts the sport to a level where anyone can get involved.”

“Back in 2018, most people in the area only knew that beach soccer was five players kicking a ball on the beach. Now, people in Cagliari know who we are, because they have seen us play or read about us. That makes me proud.”

Speaking with Manuel Perra, it is clear that beach soccer is and wants to be more than just a seasonal sport.

It was admirable to hear about what he is building with Cagliari Beach Soccer and how much heart goes into every step of it. It is not just about winning trophies but also about the willingness of leaving a legacy, opening new doors for young players, and showing that even a small club can dream big.

We should watch closely to see what comes next for them and the sport!

Best of luck Manuel!

Letizia Langiu.