Trophy Tour hits the heights in Chicago

Former Danish internationals Michael and Brian Laudrup were guests of honour as UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour ambassadors, as the tour – presented by Heineken – reached Chicago on the latest leg of its jaunt through the United States.

The Laudrup brothers were on site to unveil the trophy at the VIP event in the Windy City. The pair proved to be excellent hosts and took time to have photos taken with fans and sign autographs. Many supporters of Rangers FC were present to meet Brian – a hugely popular player in the Scottish club's history. While the Chicago VIP event was attended by several hundred guests, the public events attracted even bigger crowds: more than 1,000 fans came to experience at first hand the magic of the UEFA Champions League, admiring videos and memorabilia from the competition's illustrious past

"It has really become the cup of dreams [that] every young soccer player wants to win," said Brian Laudrup. "Just to play in [the competition] is absolutely fantastic. There is special Champions League music, and when that comes on you know: 'OK, now you are really in it!' That's fantastic. I think all players, no matter where they're from, would love to get their hands on the trophy – that's the big one to win."

"If we talk about club competitions, I think the UEFA Champions League is the biggest," added Michael Laudrup. "It is like a hockey player taking the Stanley Cup or an American footballer winning the Super Bowl. Everybody wants to win it, it is a dream for everybody. When you start playing football in Europe, you would like to stand there with that trophy one day."

Michael Laudrup, now 45, was a member of the superb 'Danish Dynamite' team of the mid-1980s, and in a glittering club career he won, among a host of honours, European club football's blue-riband trophy with FC Barcelona in 1992, five Spanish titles with Barcelona and Real Madrid CF, and an Italian Serie A crown with Juventus. Named in 1999 the Spanish game's best foreign player of the previous 25 years (1974-1999), he was honoured as Denmark's best ever footballer in 2006.

Brian Laudrup, the younger sibling at 41, also enjoyed a fine playing career. Four times Denmark's player of the year with Brøndby IF, he also landed six titles with three different clubs in Denmark, Italy and Scotland, a UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea FC in 1998 and –  best of all – a UEFA European Championship title with the Danes in 1992. The brothers were perfect ambassadors for the third leg of the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour of the US, which has already visited New York and Boston.

The Trophy Tour is geared towards letting fans get close to the prized silverware – coveted by Europe's top clubs and the world-class footballers who represent them. UEFA is also using the Trophy Tour to promote positive football values such as Respect on and off the field. A number of supporters came wearing the jerseys of their favourite teams and enjoyed the thrill of having their photo taken with the acclaimed cup. A Manchester United FC supporters club even came to one venue with a giant replica of the trophy they had made themselves.

The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour of the US now continues west, to Los Angeles, for the final leg between 13 and 16 March.