Experiences and distinctions in international tournaments for U-13 and U-10, futsal for U-11
At the PAOK Academy, every opportunity for development is taken advantage of. That’s why even on holidays or weekends we travel and participate in international tournaments. Two of our “younger” teams, therefore, on the three-day Ash Monday holiday went to Malta and Bulgaria, they won, they lost, they met other teams and in any case, they essentially won overall in the shape of unforgettable experiences, “bonding”, and beautiful moments.
The U-13 team won the YPD Trophy in Malta, winning all the matches they played in the tournament. The juniors won seven games, scoring 26 goals and conceding only two. The tournament’s top scorer (with nine goals) and MVP was Simeon Galanopoulos.
The U-10 team participated in the Pirin Cup in Bulgaria, in two age categories. In the U-10 category, they came third out of 18 teams, and in the U-11 category, they took second place in the silver path, losing the final on penalties. We also had another distinction, as Angelos Marinos won the award for the best midfielder of the tournament.
The youngsters dedicated their success in the tournament to their teammate Asterios Koulidis, who unfortunately broke his arm in training, but traveled to Sandanski and was with his team throughout the tournament.
Earlier, in early February, the U-11 team traveled to Herten, Germany for the Eurocup, a futsal tournament. It was the first time that our team participated in a futsal tournament, which is held in an indoor gym, with a different ball and different rules. Elite teams participated, such as Manchester City, Juventus, Benfica, Feyenoord, Leverkusen, and Borussia Dortmund. The youngsters stayed with families of Greek PAOK fans in the area and the hospitality, as always, was impeccable.
