RIYADH, Saudi Arabia /PRNewswire/ -- A large Sport Lisboa & Benfica delegation traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with several of the country's high-ranking sports officials with a view to launching a variety of joint ventures focused on the development of football and other sports. 

Benfica, who recently signed a partnership with Heights Jewels KSA Group (HJKSA), met with the group's CEO HRH Jawahir Bint Saud Bint Nayef Al Saud to discuss the "Making Saudi Heroes" project aimed at setting up a new training campus in Riyadh powered by the Portuguese Giants. 

HJKSA Group is a diversified group of companies based in Saudi Arabia. Over the years, it has attracted several companies to KSA and acted as a springboard for many to expand across the MENA region.

The Benfica delegation also met with a variety of senior members of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation, the country's Olympic Committee, Saudi club Al Hilal and the Roshn Real Estate Group to work on future collaboration opportunities. The conversations were focused on the development of the sports industry, training of high-performance athletes and Olympic athletes in a variety of sports. There were various discussions around women's football and ways in which to promote it in the Kingdom through a variety of training and development programs. 

Benfica also has the support of the Portuguese embassy in the Kingdom, having met with ambassador Nuno Matthias whilst in Riyadh. Joint ventures will support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic and social reform blueprint that is opening the Kingdom to the world.  

Benfica has a global reputation for its excellence in talent development, winning the prize for Best Academy in the World three times at the prestigious Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. Several of the club's athletes have also participated in the Olympics across various sports including athletics, martial arts and canoeing. 

Photo legend - From left to right: Davide Gomes (Benfica's International Expansion Technical Coordinator), Ana Oliveira (Benfica's Olympic Project Director), Bernardo Faria de Carvalho (Benfica's Director of the International Expansion), HRH Princess Jawahir Bint Saud Bint Nayef Al Saud (CEO of HJKSA), Nuno Mathias (Portuguese Ambassador) and Rui Lança (Benfica's Indoor Sports Director).

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