Frans van Seumeren, owner of FC Utrecht, expresses his joy at the qualification of his club for the Europa League, a first in fifteen years. However, he points out the fundamental difference between the business world, where he has had turnover of more than one billion euros at Mammut, and the football community, which he describes as particularly unpredictable. Van Seumeren admits that he underestimated the challenges of running a football club, and recognizes that investment in this sector can be much more risky than in traditional trade.

Van Seumeren’s personal investment in FC Utrecht amounts to about EUR 50 million over the last 12 years, a cost he absolutely does not regret. His goal now is to play the club regularly in Europe and to reach a turnover of fifty million euros in five years, under the leadership of coach Ron Jans, whom he admires for his ability to motivate players and adapt his strategy according to the circumstances.

Currently, Van Seumeren is engaged in difficult negotiations regarding the transfer of Soufian El Karaouani. The club refused to sell it to Spartak Moscow for ethical reasons because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Although he admits that this decision can be disappointing for the player, Van Seumeren believes that it could be beneficial for his career, avoiding a potential disappearance in Russian anonymity, as he illustrates with the example of Sébastien Haller.