Stars of future kick off sixth Al Kass International Cup

The next generation of global football stars kicked off the sixth annual Al Kass International Cup yesterday at Aspire Academy. The tournament brings together 12 top Under-17 (U17) teams from around the world in a ten-day competition.The opening ceremony featured former professional footballer David Trezeguet, who starred for Italian club Juventus and the French national team. He was joined by VIPs from across the Qatar football landscape, as well as a packed house of vocal spectators.The 12 teams participating in this year’s tournament represent some of the most storied clubs in international football, including Real Madrid (Spain), Bayern München (Germany), and Paris Saint-Germain (France), giving Doha crowds the opportunity to see the potential superstars of the future.Qatar’s Aspire Academy team adds local flavour to the tournament, which was won last year by Aspire Football Dreams. Other participating teams include PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Kashiwa Reysol (Japan), FC Red Bull Salzburg (Austria), AS Roma (Italy), Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), Al-Ahli Saudi FC (Saudi Arabia), Raja Casablanca (Morocco), and Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia).Mohamed Khalifa al-Suwaidi, Acting CEO of Aspire Zone, said the tournament’s global prestige reflects Qatar’s continued emergence as an international sports leader.“It is a great honour and privilege to be welcoming some of the world’s very best young football prospects to Doha for the sixth edition of the Al Kass International Cup. This tournament has become one of the most important international football tournaments for this age category, with some of the most well-known clubs in the world sending their future stars to Qatar to compete,” he said.He added, “The Al Kass International Cup has contributed greatly to the development of the skills of the players at Aspire Academy, and we are proud to co-organise and sponsor this championship held on our fields as a contribution to the advancement of football in support of the vision of our nation’s leadership to establish Qatar as an international sporting destination.”In the first day of the competition, PSV Eindhoven faced Raja Casablanca, while FC Bayern München took on Red Bull Salzburg and Espérance de Tunis faced off against Eintracht Frankfurt. The first round will pit groups of three teams against each other in a round-robin competition, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout round. The final will be held on January 31st.Essa Abdulla al-Hitmi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of Al Kass International Cup, said, “The Al Kass International Cup has cemented its place as one of the premier youth football tournaments globally. This year we will continue to build on this reputation with world-class broadcasting of the outstanding displays of football that we have come to expect from the Al Kass International Cup. Al Kass look forward to showcasing all the live action in 2016 to football fans all over the world.”Sheikh Hamad al-Thani, President, Qatar Football Association, said, “Over the past five years, the Al Kass International Cup has become one of the premier championships for international clubs seeking to prepare their junior players. The players on the field at Aspire this year may very well be starring for the world’s biggest clubs in the future.”Hassan al-Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy: “Since its launch in 2012, the Al Kass International Cup has created an opportunity to develop a sporting legacy for future generations.”