September 25 – Lionel Messi has announced the second edition of the Messi Cup, an international youth tournament in South Florida featuring Inter Miami, Barcelona and 14 youth teams from other clubs.
Hosted through Messi’s production company 525 Rosario, the under-16 event takes place from October 25 to November 1 and has doubled in size from last year’s first edition, from eight clubs to 16. The invited teams read like a who’s who of world football academies, from Ajax, Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid to Palmeiras, River Plate and the Chelsea, River Plate and Chelsea, Miami match, River Plate and Chelsea. stadium
“The Messi Cup was created to give young players a unique experience, both on and off the pitch, during a crucial stage of their development, and introduce them to what it means to compete at the highest international level,” said Messi. “We are delighted to see the tournament grow and to bring together players from so many of the best clubs in the world.”
Tim Pastore, CEO of 525 Rosario, was clear about the ambition. “Going from eight to 16 clubs in our second year is a major milestone for the Messi Cup,” he said, with the goal of “securing a permanent place on the world youth football calendar.”
Contact the writer of this story at nick.webster@insideworldfootdance.com
