It all began in 2015 when professional footballer and environmentalist, Morten Thorsby, read the article “Keep it in the ground” in The Guardian. Soon after, he was able to persuade his football club, Heerenveen, to buy bicycles for the players to ride from the training center to the stadium.

Fast forward to 2020, a meeting with the Italian Environmental Minister, Sergio Costa, planted the seed in Morten’s mind to present a project that linked the world’s most followed sport to the world’s most pressing issue. We Play Green was born.

For the 21/22 season, Morten changed his playing number to #2. The intention was to create a symbol, on the pitch, for the 2015 Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature increases below 2°C. Since then, #2 has become a We Play Green symbol for everything related to building support for the Green Shift.

Our story continues as we try to tackle the world’s most pressing issue by activating the far-reaching voices and influence of professional football.

Who We Are

Our Vision

• Economy, infrastructure, and society work in harmony with nature
• Environmental responsibility is at the heart of every action
• Football serves as a catalyst for positive change

What We Do

Empowering Players

• Education and training on climate and environmental issues
• A tailored sustainability curriculum
• Social media training to help them reach and motivate their audiences

Building a Movement

We:

• Support players as climate and environmental advocates in their communities
• Foster collaboration with local and international partners
• Create a global network for environmental action in football

Get Involved

The #2 Community is the heart of our green transformation. This unique initiative is a powerful symbol of our commitment to the 2-degree global warming limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement. By changing their playing number to ‘2’, our athletes make a bold statement every time they step onto the pitch, reminding fans, clubs, sponsors, businesses, and fellow players of the urgent need to act against climate change.

#2 is more than just a number; it’s a global movement of athletes, fans, and partners united in the fight for a sustainable future. Our community members are the ambassadors of the green shift, using their platforms to raise awareness, inspire action, and drive meaningful change.

We invite you to explore the #2 Stories to learn more about our community members’ journeys toward sustainability. Each story is a testament to the power of sport in sparking global change, one goal at a time.

Join us in the #2 Community. Together, we can keep the temperature rise well under 2 degrees and safeguard our planet for future generations.