MINERVA ACADEMY HAVE won the U-13 Boys Gothia Cup in Sweden by defeating the Brazilian team Ordin in the finals. Becoming the first Indian academy to win the title.
Gothia Cup is the second biggest youth football tournament in the world; where almost 1700 teams from around the world participated in 16 different competitions for the age range of 11 to 18, for boys and girls. The tournament charges a participation fee and academy teams of professional clubs do not usually participate. Many of the teams in the competition are school teams. It’s orgaised by Swedish club BK Hacken and takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Minerva Academy took on Ordin FC, a Brazilian amateur youth club. The Punjab-based team took a two goal lead, and was able to secure a 3-1 win in the 9-a-side match that lasted 50 minutes.
Although it’s not an officially recognised tournament, and more of a football festival, the title provides a good exposure for Minerva Academy’s remarkable focus on youth development.
Within seconds of the referee’s whistle signaling the kickoff, the Indians had broken through the Ordin FC defense and scored the opening goal. They repeated the feat shortly after, making it 2-0 within five minutes.
The Brazilians quickly regained their composure and scored a beautiful goal to reduce the deficit. The rest of the first half was evenly matched, but with another goal, Minerva Academy FC went into half time with a 3-1 lead.
Throughout the entire second half, Minerva Academy successfully kept the Brazilians at bay, sealing their place as the first Indian Gothia Cup champions ever.
“This is a significant day for Indian football. We have worked hard for months for this,” said the team’s goalkeeper, Yoihenba Khwairakpam.
As the final minutes of the match approached, Khwairakpam realized the magnitude of their impending achievement. When the final whistle blew at the SKF Arena, it was difficult to hold back tears, according to the goalkeeper.
“It’s very emotional, especially because we have such strong support from our fans in the stands, cheering for us and our country. It feels tremendous to represent India by winning the Gothia Cup. I believe everyone who supported us throughout this journey is as proud of us as we are of them,” he concluded.
