The 25th tile in the PSV Walk of Fame is not for a club icon, but for the fans. Energiedirect and PSV will unveil a tile for The Twelfth Man on Sunday, May 17, just before the kickoff of PSV - FC Twente at the Philips Stadium. Energiedirect is thereby saying goodbye to PSV, after ten years of partnership. General Director of PSV Marcel Brands hands out the tile.
When Energiedirect took over the main sponsorship from Philips in 2016, fans were skeptical. No one could replace the great Philips , was the sentiment. But Energiedirect 's goal was to win hearts. Ten editions of the PSV Christmas jersey, carnival with Romário, meet-and-greets with legends, win promotions and The Boss of the Stadium. And 24 tiles in the Walk of Fame for the biggest names in club history. Step by step, the bond with the club and the supporters grew.
Tribute to The Twelfth Man
Now, ten years later, Energiedirect bids farewell as Official Partner of PSV. And the way in which says perhaps the most about what this partnership meant. The 25th tile in the PSV Walk of Fame goes not to a footballer, but to the fans. "For ten years we have been able to be part of the passion and love that PSV fans feel for their club. That is a privilege. With this tile we want to thank them for that. It is a tribute to the fans. This completes the circle," said Nick Poldermans, Manager Brand & Customer Experience at Essent.
PSV's Commercial Director Frans Janssen underlines the significance of the gesture."Energiedirect has shown for ten years what it means to be a partner of our club. That they dedicate this last tile to the fans says everything about how they see this partnership. As far as we are concerned, a fitting farewell to a successful partnership because it fits seamlessly with how the club achieves success: we do it together. With our partners as well as with our fans. We are also happy to announce that the Walk of Fame will continue."
The unveiling will take place on Sunday, May 17, prior to the kickoff of PSV - FC Twente, starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Philips Stadium, with a number of PSV fans accepting the tribute on behalf of The Twelfth Man.
About the Walk of Fame
The PSV Walk of Fame is a gift from Energiedirect to the club and its supporters. With its unveiling on May 17, the Walk of Fame counts 25 tiles with foot or handprints of PSV legends in the Philips Stadium. The Walk of Fame was created in 2022 in collaboration with Golazo Brands and opened during the PSV FANdag. The tiles recall the greatest PSV players, such as Romário, Berry van Aerle, Hans van Breukelen, Phillip Cocu, Luc Nilis, Willy van der Kuijlen and Ronald Koeman.