Myke Towers & David Villa Launch Global Partnership to Transform Communities Through Soccer & Music 

Soccer, music and community came together on Monday (May 19) at the Tenple field in Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain, where Myke Towers’ Young Kingz Foundation and David Villa’s DV7 Academy officially kicked off their global partnership. The event marked the start of a series of joint initiatives aimed at creating real opportunities for young people in vulnerable situations.

Towers, one of the most influential voices in Latin urban music, and Villa, the all-time top scorer for Spain’s national soccer team and a 2010 World Cup champion, share the same vision: transforming lives through talent, discipline and social commitment.

“I’m not doing this expecting it to blow up like a song,” Towers tells Billboard Español. “It’s more about leaving a legacy. Creating a habit. Inspiring those who can help to do so, in their own way.”

“I feel good because this brings together two things I’m passionate about: music and sports,” he adds. “And if I can do something for others through that, even better.”

For Towers, giving back is essential. “When you’re blessed, it’s only natural to want to bless others,” he shares.

Although Villa couldn’t attend the event in person as he was in the Dominican Republic visiting one of his academies, he connected with Towers via video call, where both reaffirmed their commitment to joining forces to provide real resources to young people. Towers took the opportunity to thank Villa for his earlier visit to the Quintana Club in Puerto Rico, a gesture that marked the beginning of the bond between their two foundations.

Villa, on the other hand, celebrated the collaboration with the Young Kingz Foundation. “Soccer is a powerful tool for building community and well-being,” he tells Billboard Español, and reveals that his favorite song by Towers is “Lala.”

The partnership is already underway, with projects in Puerto Rico, New York, Colombia and Spain that include free sports clinics, exchange programs, urban space revitalization and educational support for vulnerable youth. For Villa, the most rewarding part is seeing the immediate impact on the daily lives of young people. “When I visit the academies and see them happy, sharing, and enjoying themselves, that’s the most beautiful thing,” he says. “You can win or lose, but the important thing is that they have a meaningful experience.”

The Young Kingz Foundation was established in July 2024, but Myke Towers’ community commitment had been developing long before that. “Michael had already been consistently supporting his community. The foundation allowed him to organize that effort and amplify its impact,” Derick Luna, president of the board of directors and the artist’s business manager, tells Billboard Español.

One of the standout stories from the event was that of Mateo Bermúdez, a 13-year-old Puerto Rican soccer player who traveled from Galicia to attend; he was sponsored by the DV7 Academy to continue his training in Spain. Mateo was born in the same community as Towers, Quintana, and represents the kind of talent this project aims to highlight and support.

“He has something special. He adapts, smiles when the group smiles and knows how to push through tough moments. That’s not something you can teach,” Ossie Antonetti, president of JDB Internacional (Young Puerto Rican Athletes) and a partner of the Young Kingz Foundation, tells Billboard Español.

“Mateo is a kid I’ve known since he was little, and I have a lot of love for him. I know he’s going to go far because he has humility, and that will take him very high,” adds Towers.

In a conversation with Billboard, Villa emphasizes the importance of supporting soccer development in communities that often go unnoticed. “We know where we can help, and this partnership allows us to do so with real impact,” he says.

During the event in Madrid, Towers also spent time with students from Villa’s soccer academy and took photos with fans who came to the field.

The event coincided with the kickoff of Myke Towers’ Europe Tour 2025, which will begin with two sold-out concerts at the Movistar Arena in Spain’s capital. In the coming weeks, the artist will perform in Cádiz, Barcelona, Paris, Zurich, London and other cities as part of his tour.