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Football Meets Science

Published May 26, 2026

Group photo of the two MPI MiS teams (Mathletico Max Planck in green soccer jerseys and Real Max Planck in white soccer jerseys)

Last week, the Leipzig Science Cup – a joint football tournament of Leipzig’s scientific institutions – entered its third round. Among the 17 participating teams, our MPI  teams Mathletico Max Planck and Real Max Planck took to the field with great enthusiasm and a passion for the game. Despite the at times challenging weather conditions, our players were not discouraged and fought their way to an excellent second place. In an exciting final, Mathletico Max Planck ultimately had to concede defeat to the BiomechanKickers from the University Hospital Leipzig – nevertheless, a strong performance and fantastic achievement!

Congratulations to the winning team, to our players from Mathletico & Real Max Planck, and to all participants!

Special thanks go to the two team captains, Patrick Heslin and Luca Sodomaco, who have been training their teams for many months and prepared them exceptionally well. We would also like to thank all the teams, fans, and organizers from the Leipzig Science Network e.V. as well as the City of Leipzig’s Department of Science Policy for this wonderful event

Congratulations to all winning teams! 🎉

1st place: BiomechanKicker - University Hospital Leipzig

2nd place: Mathletico Max Planck - MPI MiS

3rd place: TROPOS Cloud Kickers - Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research

4th place: Universitätssportgemeinschaft Medizin Leipzig - University Hospital Leipzig 
 

Impressions of the tournament

Group photo of the two MPI MiS teams (Mathletico Max Planck in green soccer jerseys and Real Max Planck in white soccer jerseys)
Hans-Christoph Thiele (City of Leipzig) speaks into a microphone.
Several soccer teams stand next to each other on a soccer field.
Several soccer teams are standing side by side on a soccer field, while Hans-Christoph Thiele (City of Leipzig) stands in front of them and speaks into the microphone.
Several soccer teams stand next to each other on a soccer field.
Leipzig Science Cup 2026 trophy
Two soccer players from the MPI MiS teams Mathletico (green jersey) and Real Max Planck (white jersey) are warming up.
A football player in a green jersey with "Mathletico Max Planck" on the back watches a match.
A Real Max Planck soccer player is standing on the sideline ready to take a throw-in, while three players are standing in front of him.
Football match on green grass: The goalkeeper focuses on the ball while a man and a woman fight for possession.
Two soccer players from different teams are competing for the ball.
Players from Mathletico Max Planck watch the soccer game from the sideline.
Three soccer players are looking at the ball; in the background stands the goalkeeper, who is also looking in the same direction.
Fans and players laughing at the sideline after a goal.
A soccer player from Real Max Planck stands in the center of the soccer field, the ball lying next to his foot.
A player from Mathletico Max Planck claps while he walks past a teammate in a yellow rain jacket on the sidelines.
Two teams (MPI MiS vs. Stadt Leipzig) play against each other. The ball is in the air and all players look up in its direction.
A player in a green jersey shoots at the goal while two players in white jerseys run in. The goalkeeper focuses intently on the ball.
A soccer ball lies on green grass.
Group photo of the two MPI MiS teams at the end of the tournament (Mathletico Max Planck in green soccer jerseys and Real Max Planck in white soccer jerseys)
                                       
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Your Team Captains

Patrick Heslin

Email D2 05
Applied Analysis

Luca Sodomaco

Applied Nonlinear Algebra
Email - 754 F3 03
Nonlinear Algebra Interdisciplinary frontiers of algebraic geometry External Website
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Editorial Contact

Portrait of Jana Gregor
Staff

Jana Gregor

Public Relations Manager
Email - 650 C3 09
Science Coordination & Outreach
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