Valencia CF Canadian soccer academy heads Gothia Cup tournament
Posted May 30, 2024 10:10 am.
Last Updated June 3, 2024 6:30 pm.
The Valencia CF Canadian soccer program is heading to the 2024 International Gothia Cup tournament in Sweden.
The tournament will be held in the city of Gothenburg, starting July 14 until July 20.
Over 1,000 clubs will be competing alongside Valencia, who’s sending they’re U18 players.
“It’s an opportunity for us to be an ambassador for Valencia and it’s a really good experience for the guys to test what they learned during the year here and comparing their level with the European clubs and players,” said Valencia CF Academy head coach Ismael Tormo.
The famous Spanish club integrated into Canada in 2014, and the Montreal based academy trains in Rigaud.
Valencia CF’s mission was to bridge the gap between European and Canadian soccer to not only develop high level players but to discover new ones as well.
Head Coach Francisco Serra said the Gothia Cup is the biggest tournament in the world for youth academies and hopes it could be a good stepping stone towards a professional career for the players.
“We know that there is going to be a lot of scouts from Europe, even we are bringing our scouts because we have one scout in the United States,” he said. “So, it’s a tournament where we want to expose our players for the future and trying to give them the best opportunity for them after the tournament.”
The academy welcomes players from across Canada and the United States.
The coaching staff is made up of 14 individuals who train various age groups starting at seven years old.
Eric Saake is a defender from Ontario, who moved to Montreal to train with the academy.
He will be participating in the Gothia Cup and said since joining Valencia, he has improved a lot.
“The training is amazing. They’ve helped me a lot individually progress as a player,” said Saake. “I’m very excited for the tournament. It’s going to be an amazing experience for every single person going.”
The U18 group players has been training for months in preparation.
According to Serra, they train several times a week after school, working on fitness, tactical and game preparation.
After losing in the round of 16 last year, Valencia CF’s goal is to return as champions.
“It’s a bit exciting because it’s going to be my second time there and I learned about a lot,” said Evrard Assie who moved to Montreal in 2022 from Côte d’Ivoire to join the academy. “The vibe is excellent and I’m ready for it again.
