Lionel Messi has created a brand new youth soccer event that may stage its inaugural competitors in December this yr, with two English golf equipment and two of the 38-year-old’s former groups amongst these invited to take part.
The U16 event will happen over six days from 9 to 14 December at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the house of Messi’s membership Inter Miami, and can include 18 matches, with eight groups concerned.
Each Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis are anticipated to participate within the very first version, which may turn out to be an annual occasion, with Messi’s former and present golf equipment Barcelona and Inter Miami additionally concerned.
Italian facet Inter Milan, in addition to Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid and Argentine golf equipment River Plate and Newell’s Previous Boys – who Messi started his profession with as a youth participant – are the 4 different sides set to function.
What has Messi himself stated about it?
Asserting the event in an Instagram put up, Messi wrote: “Thrilled to lastly share this with you – this December, Miami will host a really particular youth soccer event that includes a number of the high golf equipment from around the globe.
“The way forward for the sport shall be on full show, and it’s extra than simply matches – we’ve acquired an unbelievable few days deliberate with plenty of different thrilling actions. That is in regards to the subsequent technology. Hope you prefer it! That is the #MessiCup.”
How will the event work?
The competitors, arrange by Messi’s manufacturing firm 525 Rosario, will see the eight groups break up into two teams of 4.
Groups will start by enjoying all three of the opposite sides of their group, with the highest groups in every group progressing to a play-off spherical, adopted by a last contested by the winners of these.
CEO of 525 Rosario, Tim Pastore, referred to as the competitors an “alternative to rejoice expertise, tradition, and neighborhood” and stated the purpose of the event is to assist create “legacies and bonds that may endure past the sector of play”.
Pastore added: “The Messi Cup is the assembly level between the soccer of in the present day and the gamers of tomorrow.”
