Dubai: Dubai-based Future Star Football Academy (FSFA) have embarked on their annual foreign tour to participate in the U13 and U16 boys’ categories at the 44th Norway Cup to be held in Oslo from July 31 to August 6.
More than 1,400 teams consisting of over 14,000 junior footballers in 14 different age categories for boys and girls have been confirmed for this annual tournament that draws junior sides from across the world to the Norwegian capital.
Considered one of the biggest international youth tournaments in the world, all matches of the Norway Cup are held on the 60 grass pitches in and around Oslo. Starting from the U11s to the U18s, the tournament will be held in two separate formats, either the seven-a-side or the eleven-a-side competition.
“We are fielding two boys’ teams in the U13 and U16 age categories,” Russell Rosario, Coach at FSFA told Gulf News.
“The main idea behind making these trips each year is to give our young players the vital exposure that is needed for their future as footballers. They get to see so many teams in action and meet aspiring players who are bound to one day make an impact on the game,” Rosario added.
Last year’s tournament in Oslo had attracted a record 1,639 international junior football teams from across the world. “In 2014 our teams had gone for The Great Wall Cup in Beijing, China, while last year we participated in the Dana Cup in Denmark. And after two years of experience of playing at quite a high level we expect our boys to advance even further,” he said.
“More than anything, the participation will be a good learning curve for our youngsters, while also benefiting from the fact that they will be up against some strong opponents,” Rosario added.
Wellington Fernandes will be the assistant coach, while Jude D’Souza will be the teams’ manager for the Oslo tour.
