A group of NWAS colleagues have celebrated after bringing home the Emergency Services Football League (ESFL) European Championship title from Salou, Spain, but players say the team means far more than trophies.

The NWAS Veterans football team, made up of staff aged over 35 from across Greater Manchester, has spent nearly a decade bringing colleagues together through football, friendship and mutual support.

The squad includes frontline paramedics, technicians, dispatchers, managers and corporate staff, all united by a shared love of the game and the opportunity to switch off from the pressures of working life.

Emergency Medical Technician Joao Vieira, who has worked for NWAS for 10 years, said the team has become an important source of wellbeing and support for many staff. “We all deal with pressure in our jobs,” he said. “It doesn’t matter whether you work on the road, in our control rooms, in management or in corporate roles; everyone carries stress in different ways.

“For us, football became a way to de-stress, unwind and spend time together away from work. Over the years, we’ve become more than teammates; we’ve become very close friends.”

In the team’s infancy, staff began organising informal football matches and entering emergency services competitions. Since then, the group has grown into a well-established team competing in the ESFL against organisations including police, fire and prison services. The ESFL is the UK’s only football league dedicated to emergency services teams.

Alongside matches and tournaments, the group meets every Thursday evening for informal training sessions open to all staff. Joao said the weekly sessions have become an important part of the team’s wellbeing and support network, giving colleagues a chance to socialise, exercise and switch off.

Joao said one of the team’s biggest strengths is the mix of people involved. “It brings people together and breaks down barriers,” he explained. “Football gives us a chance to connect outside of work and get to know each other in a different way. When we’re together, it’s not about job titles — we’re just people supporting each other through difficult periods. It could be support for bereavement, relationship breakdowns, work pressures and mental health challenges.”

“For men especially, sometimes it’s not about sitting down and talking deeply,” Joao said. “Sometimes it’s just being around people, having a laugh, kicking a ball around and knowing someone’s there if you need them.”

That togetherness was on full display during this year’s ESFL tournament in Salou, where the team were crowned champions. “Winning was the cherry on top,” Joao said. “The proudest part was how together we were. Everyone supported each other and lifted each other up. That connection is why we won.”

The victory has already inspired more colleagues to get involved, with hopes of creating a women’s team in future. “We want people to feel welcome,” Joao said. “This isn’t just about football. It’s about wellbeing, friendship and helping each other through the pressures of work and life.”