Lionel Messi has created a brand new youth soccer event that can stage its inaugural competitors in December this 12 months, 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 might turn out to be an annual occasion, with Messi’s former and present golf equipment Barcelona and Inter Miami additionally concerned.
Italian aspect Inter Milan, in addition to Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid and Argentine golf equipment River Plate and Newell’s Outdated Boys – who Messi started his profession with as a youth participant – are the 4 different sides set to characteristic.
What has Messi himself stated about it?
Saying the event in an Instagram publish, 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 world wide.
“The way forward for the sport might be on full show, and it’s extra than simply matches – we’ve acquired an unimaginable few days deliberate with a number of different thrilling actions. That is concerning 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 taking part in 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 remaining contested by the winners of these.
CEO of 525 Rosario, Tim Pastore, known as the competitors an “alternative to have fun expertise, tradition, and group” and stated the purpose of the event is to assist create “legacies and bonds that can endure past the sphere of play”.
Pastore added: “The Messi Cup is the assembly level between the soccer of in the present day and the gamers of tomorrow.”
