Marco Reus took to the field for the home game against Mönchengladbach wearing a very special captain's armband: the young father is involved with the non-profit organisation SOS Children's Villages, and today marked the release of an emotional online ad.

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The number "13" was printed in large digits on the unusually green captain's armband. It refers to a fact that is both clear and terrifying in equal measure: every 13 minutes, a child in Germany has to be taken from their family for their own protection. This statistic has deeply moved Marco Reus, who himself became a father for the first time half a year ago. It has motivated him to team up with SOS Children's Villages to draw attention to the issue and be the face of the #every13minutes digital campaign.

"Family give you everything. They also give you energy when things aren't going so well. Together with my wife, I'm trying to pass that on to our daughter," declared Marco Reus. In the ad, he walks purposefully onto the pitch – but the stadium is empty. This situation – one which is unusual for both him and the viewers – highlights the fact that not every child can grow up in a home where they are protected and given the stable foundations needed for the rest of their lives. "I was looking for a project in my hometown. With that in mind, it's wonderful that there's a SOS Children's Villages in Dortmund. My wife and I went to visit it together with Julian Weigl and his girlfriend. It's enormous what's being put into motion there." The SOS Children's Villages in Dortmund is to be fully opened by the end of the year. The offering at the centre includes a care group, a Children's Villages family, a nursery and a meeting centre.

Find out more information at www.sos-kinderdorf.de