It’s been a hectic few weeks for the eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient, who recently selected 10 rising stars for a new Adidas promotional campaign. ..Continue Reading
Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha was picked by Messi, along with Nico Paz, Kendry Paez, Andrey Santos, Rodrigo Mora, Brajan Gruda, Kader Meïte, Mika Godts, Lily Yohannes, and Clara Serrajordi.
The Argentine clearly has a sharp eye for emerging talent.
On Tuesday, he gave some of the sport’s most promising young players a chance to shine by unveiling the inaugural edition of the Messi Cup — an international event scheduled for December.
Posting on Instagram, Messi shared: “Thrilled to finally share this with you — this December, Miami will host a very special youth football tournament featuring some of the top clubs from around the world.
The future of the game will be on full display, and it’s more than just matches — we’ve got an incredible few days planned with lots of other exciting activities. This is about the next generation. Hope you like it! This is the #MessiCup.”
Organized by 525 Rosario — Messi’s own production company — the Messi Cup has been labeled a “groundbreaking” youth football event.
A total of eight under-16 teams will participate, including Barcelona, River Plate, Inter Milan, Newell’s Old Boys, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
The format will include two groups of four, each competing in a round-robin setup across the first three days. The top teams will progress to the knockout phase to determine final standings.
The last day will feature both the third-place playoff and the final, held at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Tim Pastore, CEO of 525 Rosario, described the event as an “opportunity to celebrate talent, culture, and community, creating legacies and bonds that will endure beyond the field of play.”
He also stated: “The Messi Cup is the meeting point between the football of today and the players of tomorrow.”
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