When a company football tournament becomes a symbol of corporate values: Ugur Alkan, captain and coach of the Lacon team, reveals in an interview how a motley crew of after-work footballers from the Lacon Group became the German champions of the Corporate Cup 2025 - with planning, strategy and team spirit. In the interview, he reveals how winning the tournament became a reflection of the corporate culture, why the trophy is more than just a symbol and why both are more important to Alkan than big prize money. If you want to understand what “team spirit” really means, you can find out here.
Congratulations on winning the Corporate Cup series and thus becoming German Champion Corporate Cup 2025. The organizer BSports describes the tournament in Hanover as an international final - were there also other teams competing?
Alkan Ugur: Yes, that's right - there were also qualifying tournaments in Austria and Switzerland. The games were held in various cities. Next year, the aim is to make it truly international and we are happy to advertise our participation in such events. But it's a long road, we had to compete against 22 companies - and with every game, our team spirit grew stronger, we fought together as a team and paid attention to our teammates in a completely different way.
How was it all organized?
Alkan Ugur: Our success was no coincidence - we prepared the event like a complex customer project: players from all departments were involved, from the managing director to production - that strengthened our team spirit enormously. And we planned everything in advance: From the joint journey in the organized bus to the fan jerseys in inverted Lacon colors to the perfect coordination within the team. Right from the start of the tournament, when 24 teams and their fans filled the hall, we were immediately visible as a unit. Especially from the quarter-finals onwards, it became clear how much we stood out thanks to our strong cohesion and the support of our fans. Their support was the loudest in all of our games, their colleagues cheered us on throughout the tournament, and that gave us a huge boost! The victory was therefore not just a success for the team in the end - but for everyone who was there.
You played a large number of matches during the tournament series. Was there one match in particular that sticks in your mind - perhaps because of the special challenges?
Alkan Ugur: It wasn't actually the final, but the match against last year's winners, who we had already met in the quarter-finals - that was the toughest game. It was hard-fought and often went to the limits of fair play. Our opponent got more and more annoyed as the game went on and - in good Bavarian fashion - quite gooshy when he realized he was losing. This increased the tension even more and brought us even closer together as a team. We really had to give it our all to come out on top in the end. That was a real thrill!
Exciting - what words spontaneously come to mind that best describe this experience for you?
Alkan Ugur: Euphoria, respect, appreciation - and, of course, pride. It was a special moment for all of us. On the match day itself, it became more and more emotional from game to game, each victory more and more valuable, because we realized that there was a goal and that this goal was becoming tangible. That's why the passion simply became more and more intense over the course of the tournament and at the end, when we actually made it, we all had this indescribable feeling of togetherness, solidarity and appreciation. This can hardly be adequately described by outsiders and can only be understood if you were there at this event. At the end, we thanked each other - it sounds funny, but it was meant seriously.
Wouldn't you have preferred to take home some big prize money instead of a trophy?
Alkan Ugur: Honestly? Of course everyone is happy about prize money - but for me, the trophy and, above all, the shared experience with the team was worth much more. From planning and preparation to implementation, the tournament was like our work on complex projects: We can only reach our goal if we rely on each other, communicate openly and pull together. Sure, we all work for money, but the really valuable moments in life are not the paychecks, but the ones where you achieve something together and can look back on it with pride. No amount of prize money in the world can replace this experience and togetherness.
Background: Lacon and the company cup
Lacon Electronic GmbH from Karlsfeld near Munich is a leading provider of electronics and electromechanical solutions for the high-tech industry. With over 700 employees and several locations in Germany and Romania, Lacon is an important EMS partner for international customers. The BSports company cup is Germany's largest indoor company tournament series and offers companies the opportunity to experience team building and networking in a sporting atmosphere.
The Lacon team's victory in the Corporate Cup 2025 is not only a sporting success, but also a testament to the strong team spirit and corporate culture. The enthusiasm and commitment of the employees are reflected in their joint success - and are an important building block for motivation and identification within the Lacon Group.
