A party of colors, smiles, and many young players from all over the world culminated in a surprise ending at the 2023 edition of the Juventus Academy World Cup, which was an incredible experience for the four teams that represented Dubai.
With 71 teams from across five continents, more than 800 players and 27 different nations, the tournament was played in Piedmont, spanning the fields of Susa, Oulx, Bardonecchia, and Sauze D’Oulx.
Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio, who was present at the inauguration held at the Allianz Stadium, expressed satisfaction, saying, “For me, it unlocks important memories. I followed the same path as many of you will in future years. I was lucky enough to achieve this great dream, and the advice I can give you is to chase your dream as you chase the ball on the pitch, with that emotion and enthusiasm.”
All the Dubai teams performed exceptionally well, showcasing great football skills, with the under 12 team winning the epic final against a formidable Chilean team at the Continassa Training Center, Juventus’ official training ground. The final was decided by a last-second free-kick, but the team dominated the tournament by winning every game played, including:
– Dubai vs Devon 2-1
– Dubai vs Sydney 7-1
– Dubai vs Dushanbe 6-1
– Dubai vs Scotland 5-0
– Dubai vs Houston 3-1
– Dubai vs Switzerland 2-1
– Dubai vs Chile 2-1
The top scorer of the tournament was also from Dubai, Ryan a team member since the age of four, who scored 10 goals distributed among all matches. The team’s goalkeeper, who joined from the Juventus Academy Moscow a year ago, was also recognized as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Additionally, the team had the most creative player, who received shoes autographed by Paul Pogba.
The Juventus Academy partners in Dubai and Sharjah are delighted, as Chairman Mohammed Lajam says: ”We are filled with immense pride as the UAE has demonstrated its ability to cultivate top-tier athletes and champions. This exceptional accomplishment was made possible thanks to the significant sacrifices made by both the players and their families, as well as the unwavering dedication and expertise of the technical and administrative staff at the Juventus Academy. Their steadfast commitment and hard work have established a lofty benchmark for aspiring athletes in the UAE to look up to and work towards in the years to come.
Fabrizio Puglisi, CEO, said, ” “We thank all the team for their extraordinary contributions on and off the pitch throughout the season. The sporting and organizational results are incredible, but the most beautiful thing was seeing everyone’s happiness and unity: children, parents, management, and coaches who will continue to grow with us or remain part of our family. As usual, we were not only good on the pitch but also polite, fun, attentive, kind, and united. We are fully aligned with the Juventus motto ‘growing up people before players’.
Congratulations also go to our black and white friends from Guatemala, Toronto, and Tajikistan, who were the winners of the other age categories,” added Puglisi.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the Juventus Academy World Cup were held at the Allianz Stadium, the home of Juventus Football Club, in the presence of Juventus President Gianluca Ferrero and legends of the club’s youth sector, Claudio Marchisio and Sebastian Giovinco. Giovinco is also a partner of the Juventus Academy Toronto.
Recently, the Juventus Academy Dubai was awarded as the second-best sports organization and the best football academy in the Middle East at the SPIA Awards. With seven locations across Dubai and Sharjah, the academy organizes various events, including the Juventus Training Experience, Juventus Training Experience Elite, Juventus’ Legend Visits (Trezeguet, Davids, Giovinco, Barzagli), as well as their participation in the city’s official football league DOFA, organized by the Dubai Sports Council.
Juventus Partners FFG Sports Management have also announced the launch of the first Juventus coaching course outside Europe, which will take place in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council in October.
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