of the teams came from abroad and 71 nations participated. New nations were Syria, Laos and Indonesia. Iceland and Brazil participated with more than 45 teams each and were among the five nations representing the biggest number of teams in the cup. India wasn’t far behind with 35 teams.

The Canadian team with the Cree Indian players from Sachachewa attracted attention. Led by their chief they entertained with dancing and they invited for a snack in their Tipi. But not least they played football. A really colorful contribution to this year’s Gothia Cup.

Nya Ullevi was full on Monday evening when the opening ceremony took place. The “claps” that everybody in the audience was given, might have been the success of this year.  The sound was ear-splitting when the master of ceremonies made everybody clap rhythmically while USA entered the arena. This was followed by a colorful flag waving accompanied by the song “Waving flag”.

Gothia Heden Center offered this year more activities for the participants. Both cage-football and sumo-wrestling were available to try out. But most appreciated must have been the big laundry facility. While the laundry was being washed up, one was offered both massage and an Espresso.

Two new members were chosen into the Gothia Cup Hall of Fame. It was Mamuka ”Preben” Kvaratskhelia from the club Vake WIT, Georgien and Boriss Dugan from the club Ajax Tallinn FC, Estland.

The finals offered even and breathtaking football playing. As many as three finals had to be decided by penalty kicks. Happiest was without doubt the Brazilian team Karanba. The club from Rio de Janeiro helps, with aid contribution, the children from the slums to get the chance to play football. Through the football these children get a chance to a better life. To win the Gothia Cup gives hope and faith in that anything is possible.

This year the Gothia Cup finals, as well as the opening ceremony, were transmitted by Viasat to a great TV-audience.

That is how we hope that you all feel now that you have left the Gothia Cup for this time.
The great mixture of teams made the tournament a colorful party. This was shown not least at the opening ceremony where Indians from Canada, girls from Honolulu and youth from Kenya danced up on the stage. What a fantastic mixture of colors. And this colorful display remained all over the city during the week.

More than 50 % of teams came from abroad and as many as 71 nations participated. It is wonderful to be able to reach this goal. A good mixture of teams and nations is important in order to give all the teams an experience as good as possible.

It is admirable to see all you participants offering a smile, giving a nice clap on the shoulder and to see your joy at participating, even if you might have lost your most important game. That is what we call Fair Play and that is the true Gothia Cup spirit that is so wonderful to see.

A great thank to all officials and referees that put so much effort in doing a good job during the week. You are invaluable!

We all feel honored for having had you all as our guests during the past week. Now we enjoy the memories created during this year’s Gothia Cup and we use them to inspire ourselves to practice even more. Let’s all feel the joy at the fellowship that being part of a team and the great Gothia Cup family means.

Welcome back in 2011
Lena Rönnefors, Tournament director

 

B18: Vasas Sports Club – Paris F.C 0-1 (0-0)

The last final of this year’s Gothia Cup were played between Hungary and France, between Vasas Sports Club and Paris F.C. The Frenchmen had most of the possession in the beginning and got a really good chance to score ten minutes into the game, Lapio Sadio shot inside the box but a Vasas defenseman saved the ball on the goal line.

Paris F.C were the better team in the first half and created some chances but the Vasas defense and their keeper Bence Steer kept clean. Goalless at half time.

The team from Paris kept being the better team in part two. They were really close to a goal seven minutes into the second half but the shot was saved by Steer, deflected of the post and then Steer could get the rebound. Shortly afterwards Paris Karl Toko ran through but Steer once again made a great save. Paris F.C kept attacking and finally the goal came. Two minutes before the ending Karl Toko shot the ball past the keeper, into the post, then into the second post and then the ball went over the goal line.

Vasas couldn’t recover from the late goal and Paris F.C from France took the last title in Gothia Cup 2010.

Match facts final B18:
Vasas Sports Club – Paris F.C 0-1 (0-0)
0-1 (58) Karl Toko

Player of the game: Bence Steer, Vasas Sports Club.

// Dan Sjöblom

B17: IF Elfsborg – Djurgårdens IF 1-0 (0-0)

In the final in the Gothia Tipselit Trophy the Swedish teams IF Elfsborg and Djurgårdens IF met. It were the team from Stockholm how had most possession of the ball during the first ten minutes, Elfsborg worked themselves into the game but none of the teams created any good chances. It took a while into the first half before the first chance came, Djurgårdens Nemanja Bacic got a good opportunity in the penalty area but the Elfsborg-keeper Christoffer Gatara saved.

Djurgården reclaimed the initiative in the game and Markus Bönnelycke forced his way into the box and shot towards goal but the ball was saved to a corner. Elfsborg got a counter attack going and Jack Bergdahl got two chances to put the ball into the net but keeper Paul Lindqvist made a good save. The referee whistled of after 35 goalless minutes.

In the second half both teams seemed cautious. They left an absence of scoring opportunities. Until 20 minutes into the half. Elfsborg attacked on the right wing and played the ball inside the box, Adam Josefsson had a clear shot but Paul Lundqvist made a tremendous save.

After 62 minutes Djurgårdens Simon Strand were sent off after pulling down Elfsborgs Simon Strand outside the penalty box. And would get even worse for Djurgården when Adam Josefsson made the game´s first goal and Elfsborg were one nil up.

The score stood until full time and IF Elfsborg took the clubs second title in this year’s Gothia Cup.

Match facts final B17:
IF Elfsborg – Djurgårdens IF 1-0 (0-0)
1-0 (64) Adam Josefsson

Best player of the tournament: Oskar Hiljemark, IF Elfsborg.

// Dan Sjöblom

Karanba (BRA) – Fässbergs IF (SWE) 1-0 (1-0)

The game started in a quick tempo where both teams had their eyes on the trophy, but soon Karanba took over and showed some individual skills. About halfway in the first half Fässberg came back and was about one inch from scoring the first goal of the match. Instead Karanba took the lead after a mistake in Fässberg’s pass upfield and Patrick Alves Fonseca got the ball and ran about 30 meters before he put the ball under Fässberg’s goalkeeper. An even first half where Karanba managed to take advantage of Fässberg’s mistake.

The second half took by where the first half ended with attacks for both teams but no clear opportunities. Thereafter Fässberg controlled the game and got two freekicks just outside the penalty area but without luck. Karanba on the other hand concentrated on fast counter attacks and almost increased their lead but the ball hit the bar. An entertaining game where both teams played well but Karanba made fewer mistakes.

1-0: Patrick Alves Fonseca, #11

Most valuable player: Patrick Alves Fonseca, #11

// Jens Karlsson

G17: AIK FF – Shanghai Caoyang 3-3, 6-4 after penalties.

The last game in G17 was a good one between AIK from Stockholm and the Chinese team Shanghai Caoyang. In the first half both team had opportunities to score but the goalkeepers, Caroline Frykgård in AIK and Yang Wenqi in Shanghai played well.
However, Frykgård couldn’t do much in the 16th minute when Zhu Beiyan took a shot from just outside the box and the ball went in right by the post. 1-0 to the girls from China. The first half ended with an opportunity for AIK but Petra Anderssons shot went wide.

Shanghai created some chances in the beginning of the second act but it was AIK scored the next goal. A nice pass from Jackie Kisch Brunzell found Lilja Björk who equalized in the 36th minute. Right after that the team from Shanghai put in an extra gear and scored twice in two minutes. First by a nice shot from Pang Ilali and then Yang Lina made 3-1.

As mentioned, the game was really good and the goals were magnificent. Like when AIK reduced the score to 2-3. In the 46th minute Jackie Kisch Brunzell shot from long range to take AIK one step closer towards the Chinese.

And it got highly dramatic at the end. When everyone waited for the whistle AIK got a corner and Jennie Nordin headed in the late equalizer and took the game to penalties.

4-3 AIK, GOAL!
4-3 Shanghai, MISS
5-3 AIK, GOAL!
5-3 Shanghai, MISS
5-3 AIK, MISS
5-4 Shanghai, GOAL!
6-4 AIK, GOAL!
6-4 Shanghai, MISS

AIK surely got the advantage by the late equalizer and showed psychological strength during the penalty shoot out.

Match facts final G17:
AIK FF – Shanghai Caoyang 3-3, 6-4 after penalties.
0-1 (16) Zhu Beiyan
1-1 (36) Lilja Björk
1-2 (38) Pang Ilali
1-3 (39) Yang Lina
2-3 (46) Jackie Kisch Brunzell
3-3 (60) Jennie Nordin

Player of the game: Malin Diaz, AIK FF.

// Dan Sjöblom

B15: IF Elfsborg – Santos Laguna 3-1 (1-1)

In the game between the Swedes from Borås and the Mexicans in Santos Laguna the first half was even and it felt like none of the teams took the initiative. There were a lack of really good opportunities but the crowd got to see some individual skills instead.

It took 25 minutes. Then the first really good chance arose, a ball was passed towards the Santos Laguna goal. Rasmus Johansson was first on the ball and rolled in the first goal for Elfsborg passed the keeper. It wouldn’t be long before Santos Laguna equalized. Three minutes after the first goal in the game a cross from the right passed every one and there was Rafael Escalante shooting the ball into the net which also was the score in half time.

Santos Laguna started off the second half as the better team. However, Elfsborg counter attacked and got them a free kick which was lifted against the goal. Rasmus Johansson headed the ball into the goal and scored his and Elfsborgs second in the game.

With ten minutes to go Santos Laguna got a player sent off and after that Elfsborg could control the game. The Mexicans got one good chance for an equalizer but the Elfsborg keeper Dino Ceric made a nice save. In the next attack Elfsborg closed the game by Mattin Atai Najafis goal to make it 3-1.

Matchfacts final B15:
IF Elfsborg – Santos Laguna 3-1 (1-1)
1-0 (25) Rasmus Johansson
1-1 (28) Rafael Escalante
2-1 (42) Rasmus Johansson
3-1 (59) Mattin Atai Najafi

Man of the match: Rasmus Johansson, IF Elfsborg

// Dan Sjöblom

 

Colorado Rush (USA) – Boo FF (SWE) 3-2 (3-1)

The first half showed that both team knew where the goal was. Colorado had in their nine played games a goal difference of 47-0 while Boo had 35-1 in eight games. Colorado took the tempo directly and scored 1-0 after a beautiful pass into the penalty area by Betsy Brandon which Brittney Stark could put in the net after a somewhat muddled situation. Short afterwards Boo equalized after a breakthrough by Madeleine Stegius, but Colorado soon took the lead once again. A chaotic situation led to Brittney’s second goal after she nicked a rebound from the bar in the net. This time Colorado didn’t let Boo back in the game and increased their lead to 3-1 two minutes before the first half ended. Once again Brittney made the goal after a return from a fierce freekick which Boo’s goalkeeper couldn’t keep in her hands. The first half ended 3-1 where Brittney’s goal-scoring efficiency was something to remember.

The second half was an uneventful half where two good teams took each other out. This half’s most exciting moment was when Colorado let one of their players adjust the wall instead of their goalkeeper. Otherwise it didn’t happen much. Colorado had the ball but thanks to good goalkeeping they couldn’t increase their lead. At the end Boo was given a cheap penalty and Madeleine Stegius could score her second goal of the game. 3-2, a tight game but Colorado showed the better class in the first half.

1-0: Brittney Stark, #24
1-1: Madeleine Stegius, #16
2-1: Brittney Stark, #24
3-1: Brittney Stark, #24

Most valuable player: Brittney Stark

// Jens Karlsson

B14: Paris F.C – Chivas Guadalajara 0-2 (0-2)

The Mexicans in Chivas Guadalajara took the command directly at the start of the game. They created some chances but it lasted until the 21st minute before Marco Antonio Granados Villegas could give Chivas the lead. He shot two times towards the goal, first he hit the bar and then he could score in an open goal.

Only seconds before half time Chivas scored another goal. Christopher Isaac Rodriguez Virgen’s goal scoring was the last thing that happened in the first half.

The second half was a bit sleepy. Chivas had full control of the game and didn’t give the French any chances to score. The Mexicans, that are out on a tournament tour and visit several tournaments in Scandinavia, won the B14-class in Gothenburg.

Match facts final B14:
Paris F.C – Chivas Guadalajara 0-2 (0-2)
0-1 (21) Marco Antonio Granados Villegas
0-2 (25) Christopher Isaac Rodriguez Virgen

Man of the match: Edson David Dominguez Soto, Chivas Guadalajara.

// Dan Sjöblom

G14: Hammarby IF DFF – Värtans IK 0-1 (0-0)

In the first of Sunday’s eight finals Hammarby and Värtan played against each other. The both teams, that played in G14, are from Stockholm and they know each other rather well as they quite often get to meet.

Hammarby started off best and put pressure on the opponents but Värtan created the first good scoring opportunity. Olga Langenskiöld in Värtan ran through the Hammarby defense but the keeper Martina Skoglund saved. The best chance for Hammarby was Hedvig Orback’s shot but the ball went over the bar. 0-0 at half time.

The second half was as even as the first one. It was goalless until the 38th minute when Värtan’s Olga Langenskiöld once again ran through the Hammarby defense. This time she put the ball past the keeper and Värtan was in the lead.

Hammarby then tried to equalize but didn’t succeed so Värtans IK took the first of Saturday’s eight trophies.

Match facts final G14:
Hammarby IF DFF – Värtans IK 0-1 (0-0)
0-1 (38) Olga Langenskiöld

Player of the match: Clara Richter, Värtans IK.

// Dan Sjöblom

Meet the crowd at Gamla Ullevi.

After a tremendous week of football it’s time for finals. Unfortunately the schedule presented at page 17 in the Gothia Cup-program is incorrect, instead the following times applies:

Venue: Gamla Ullevi.

Friday:
G12, 12.00: Enskede IK – IF Brommapojkarna 0-3 (0-2)
B11, 13.15: FC København 1 – IF Brommapojkarna 1 1-2 (0-2)
B12, 14.30: BP Svart – Pequeninhos do Jockey 5-2 (1-1)
G19, 15.45: IK Grand Bodø – Kongsvinger IL 2-2, 10-9 after penalties
G13, 17.00: Vaksala SK – IF Brommapojkarna 1-1, 5-4 after penalties
B13, 18.15: U. S. Voluntas Brescia – Club Deportivo JBM 3-1 (1-1)
B17-semifinal, 19.30: IF Elfsborg – Aspire 1-1, 4-3 after penalties
B17-semifinal, 20.45: IFK Göteborg – Djurgårdens IF 0-0, 4-3 after penalties

Saturday:
G14, 08.30: Hammarby IF – Värtans IK 0-1 (0-0)
B14, 09.45: Paris F.C – Chivas Guadalajara 0-2 (0-2)
G15, 11.00: Colorado Rush – Boo FF 3-2 (3-1)
B15, 12.25: IF Elfsborg – Santos Laguna 3-1 (1-1)
G17, 13.45: AIK FF – Shanghai Caoyang 3-3, 6-4 after penalties
B16, 15.05: Karanba – Fässbergs IF
B17, 16.20: IF Elfsborg – Djurgårdens IF
B18, 17.45: Vasas Sports Club – Paris F.C

// Jens Karlsson

In the invitational tournament Gothia Tipselit Trophy it’s now settled which two teams will be playing the final on Saturday. In the first semi final IF Elsborg won against Aspire from Qatar. At full time the score was 1-1. Viktor Rotting scored the first goal for Elfsborg and Hamza Zakari scored the equalizer three minutes from full time and penalties had to decide which team would go through. Elfsborg scored three times and Aspire two, so the team from Borås will play in the final.

The team on the other side of the pitch will be Djurgårdens IF from Stockholm. DJurgården played IFK Göteborg and after full time neither of the teams had scored. In the penalty shoot-out Djurgården was stronger and won, 4-3.

The final in B17 will be played on Saturday at 17:20 at Gamla Ullevi.

// Dan Sjöblom

Vaksala SK (SWE) – IF Brommapojkarna (SWE) 1-1 (0-1), 5-4 after penalties.

A tight and even game ended 1-1 after two goals from shots far out. It was a game between two equally good teams where most of the game was played at the midfield, creating few goal scoring opportunities. A penalty shoot-out seemed to be the only way to separate the teams, and it was. In the last round Vaksala got the victory since their players got the coolest nerves.

0-1: Michelle Rojas Flores, #7
1-1: Filippa Angeldahl, #16

Most valuable player: Filippa Angeldahl, Vaksala SK.

// Jens Karlsson

B13: US Voluntas Brescia (ITA) – Club Deportivo J.B.M (COL) 3-1 (1-1)

The Italians were off to a great start and scored after only 30 seconds. After a cross ball from the left Sebastian Ruiz Gammara rolled the ball into the open cage. Voluntas kept the pressure on the offensive half but didn’t create any dangerous chances. Instead the Colombians from Club Deportivo attacked and got a free kick on the left flank. Juan Pablo Rojas shot the ball straight into goal and equalized.

Voluntas had possession of the ball right outside the penalty area but didn’t have any good opportunities, not until the team was awarded a free kick . Alberto Forlani shot the ball, over the wall of players, into the bar and it then got into the cage. Maybe the former Voluntas player Andrea Pirlo has been showing the boys how to shoot a free kick. The score remained until half time.

The Italians started off the second half just like the first. After 40 seconds Andrea Pagani ran through the Deportivo defense and scored 3-1. After the third goal Voluntas had control of the game and could bring the trophy back home to Italy.

Match facts final B13:
US Voluntas Brescia – Club Deportivo J.B.M 3-1 (1-1)
1-0 (1) Sebastian Ruiz Gamarra
1-1 (15) Juan Pablo Rojas
2-1 (23) Alberto Forlani
3-1 (26) Andrea Pagani

Player of the game: Filippo Strada, US Voluntas Brescia.

// Dan Sjöblom

We meet the team Simla Youngs FC from India.

G19: IK Grand Bodø – Kongsvinger IL 2-2, 10-9 after penalties

The first half was fairly even and the teams didn’t create very good goal opportunities. Grand Bodø’s Victoria Ludvigsen had the best chance but her shot was denied by the Kongsvinger-keeper Thea Hestnes. Instead it was Kongsvinger’s Siri Delviken who opened the scoring. The striker shot from long range and scored. Kongsvinger was the slightly better team in the first half and had the lead by the half time break.

Also the second half was even with Kongsvinger continually as the slightly better team. The team got two balls into the cage but were disallowed by the referee.

Kongsvinger had the game well in hand and Grand Bodø had a hard time creating chances. However, two lucky minutes turned the game. After a corner Henrikke Johansen put the ball in the cage and thereby equalized to 1-1 and two minutes afterwards Grand Bodø was in the lead. Victoria Ludvigsen shot the ball past the keeper, it deflected of the post and went into the cage.

However, it didn’t stop there. Kongsvinger made a comeback when Siri Delviken headed a corner into the goal. Her second goal in the game and it went to penalties.

2-3 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
3-3 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
3-4 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
4-4 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
4-5 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
5-5 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
5-6 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
6-6 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
6-7 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
7-7 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
7-8 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
8-8 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
8-9 Kongsvinger, GOAL!
9-9 Grand Bodø, GOAL!
9-9 Kongsvinger, MISS
10-9 Grand Bodø, GOAL!

Grand Bodø won the G19-class after an exicting penalty shoot out. Heroes for Grand Bodø were the keeper Helene Brodersen and Tine Engan who scored on the last penalty.

Matchfacts final G19:
IK Grand Bodø – Kongsvinger IL 2-2 (0-1), 10-9 after penalties.
0-1 (27) Siri Delviken
1-1 (50) Henrikke Johansen
2-1 (52) Victoria Ludvigsen
2-2 (57) Siri Delviken

Player of the game: Victoria Ludvigsen, IK Grand Bodø.

// Dan Sjöblom

 

B12: IF Brommapojkarna svart – Pequeninos do Jockey 5-2 (1-1)

The game started off with an advantage for Brommapojkarna and it were the team from Stockholm who took the lead in the 9th minute when Melker Anshelm scored on a pass from Felix Bejmo. It only took three minutes before the Brazilians from Sao Paulo equalized. Guilherme Dias da Silva got the ball outside the box, looked up and shot. The BP-keeper touched the ball but couldn’t stop it and the crowd got some Brazilian dance on the pitch. The rest of half BP had the pressure but didn’t get any closer than a hit in the bar.

The second half hadn’t almost even started before Franco Karroum gave Brommapojkarna the lead when he finished in the top of the net from a cross from the right wing by Tobias Norell. After an even ten minutes Brommapojkarna closed the game when they scored three goals in five minutes. Besard Sabovic, Felix Bejmo and Oliver Rodebald Lowe took BP to a 5-1 lead. Pequeninos Eduardo Oliveira made it 5-2 but the Brazilians couldn´t get any closer and Brommapojkarna´s third gold of the day was secured. IF Brommapojkarna now have 23 Gothia Cup-titles.

Matchfacts final B12:
IF Brommapojkarna svart – Pequeninos do Jockey 5-2 (1-1)
1-0 (9) Melker Anshelm (Felix Bejmo)
1-1 (12) Guilherme Dias da Silva
2-1 (27) Franco Karroum (Tobias Norell)
3-1 (37) Besard Sabovic (Gustav Ekstrand)
4-1 (38) Felix Bejmo (Gustav Ekstrand)
5-1 (42) Oliver Rodeblad Lowe
5-2 (45) Eduardo Oliveira (Leonardo Oliveira)

Man of the match: Felix Bejmo, IF Brommapojkarna.

// Dan Sjöblom

B11: FC København 1 – Brommapojkarna 1 2-4 (0-2)

The audience got a really speedy match in the 11 year old boys final. Brommapojkarna took an early momentum through two goals by Joel Asaro. Both goals were headed in nicely after crosses from Dejan Kulusevski and Carl Nauclér.

After the two goals the Danish side started pressuring the Swedes and forced BP`s keeper Henrik Sätre-Isberg to some nice saves. FCK couldn’t get the ball into the net and the referee whistle off the first half with BP in a two goal advantage.

Seven minutes into the second half FCK got a golden opportunity when the team got a penalty kick. The BP-keeper went the right way and made a good save. However, FCK got their goal shortly afterwards, in a tangled situation in front of the goal Carl Johan Justensen got a foot on the ball and FCK reduced BP´s lead. Only three minutes after the first FCK-goal we got the equalizer. Martin Frandsen got his revenge from the penalty miss and shot the ball inside the goal from long distance.

A really good game turned once more when Brommapojkarna scored two fast goals in the 42nd and 44th minute. Dejan Kulusenski made it 2-3 and Joel Asoro made his third of the day into 2-4. The game were closed and BP took the clubs second Gothia Cup-gold in two finals.

Matchfacts final B11:
FC København 1 – Brommapojkarna 1 2-4 (0-2)
0-1 (3) Joel Asoro (Dejan Kulusevski)
0-2 (14) Joel Asoro (Carl Nauclér)
1-2 (34) Carl Johan Justesen (William Zouzou)
2-2 (37) Martin Frandsen
2-3 (42) Dejan Kulusevski (Joel Asoro)
2-4 (44) Joel Asoro (Dejan Kulusevski)

Man of the match: Carl Johan Justesen, FC København

// Dan Sjöblom

G12: Enskede IK – Brommapojkarna 0-3 (0-2)

The first final in this year´s Gothia Cup were played in the G14-class between two teams from Stockholm, Enskede IK and Brommapojkarna. The game took pace right from the start and both teams attacked though without any goals. Closest to a goal were BP´s Nazlim Ülger who went round the keeper but got out of angle and couldn’t get the ball into the goal.
However, it was Ülger who scored the first goal. Seven minutes into the first half the midfielder shot a tremendous shot into the net.
BP kept pressuring their opponents without creating any really dangerous chances. They often attacked through the right wing and Anna Hedensjö but her crossings unfortunately didn´t find the right address, not until the 17th minute when Hedensjö´s cross where shot into goal by Amanda Nildén, 0-2 to BP.

Enskede created their best scoring opportunity by a long shot from Elsa Hård Af Segerstad but the BP-keeper Amanda Ångbäck Kjellström saved and the result kept to half time.

The second half started off a bit slow. Enskede tried to get pressure on their opponents but couldn’t quite make it. Instead Brommapojkarna created the best chances and in the 36th minute Nazlim Ülger closed the game with her second goal of the day. The game ended 0-3 and happy BP-players soaked their coach in water.

Matchfacts final G12:
Enskede IK – Brommapojkarna 0-3 (0-2)
0-1 (7) Nazlim Ülger
0-2 (17) Amanda Nildén
0-3 (36) Nazlim Ülger

Player of the match: Amanda Nildén, Brommapojkarna.

// Dan Sjöblom

We meet the indian team Native Sons.

We make a visit at Club Gothia. The disco that every evening attracts 5000 players.

On the spot for Viasat we find commentator Henrik Strömblad. Usually he commentates on games in the UEFA Champions League but during Gothia Cup he talks about younger players.
- I’m coaching a youth team back home in Stockholm myself and I have a big interest in youth football, so it’s fun to be here and commentate on some games.

The difference in commentating on youth football is that you don’t know so much about the teams playing.
- The Gothia Cup-organization does a tremendous job and has the teams to fill in a questionnaire so that we get some background information. We also use the Gothia Cup web page to gather some facts and statistics in order to be as prepared as possible.

Bosse Petterson, expert commentator for Viasat, also talks about that the preparations are harder when it comes to commentate on youth football.
- When I watch a game between Barcelona and Liverpool I know the players and the teams’ ways of playing. Here at Gothia Cup I try to find individual players that stand out, that maybe have some new tricks to show.

Henrik Strömblad mentions another thing that is different from commentating senior football.
- You try to do it as honest as possible but it’s clear that you can’t make the same demand on a 13 year old as you make on professional football players.

Viasat will broadcast live from Heden 4 during Thursday and on Friday and Saturday the sports channel broadcasts from the finals at Gamla Ullevi.

Here is the broadcasting schedule for Gothia Cup in Viasat Football.
Thursday (Heden): 12.40-22.15
Friday (Finals): 11.55-22.00
Saturday (Finals): 08.25-19.00

// Dan Sjöblom

Thursday’s weather begins with risk for rain but later the sky will both dry and open up. The temperature will be around 21°C with a refreshing seabreeze from west. The wet grass will give perfect conditions for an action-packed and exciting play-off football!

Except for the 17 year olds, that recently won a tournament in Portugal, this is the first time the club from the Spanish capital sends girl teams abroad to play in a tournament.

Maria Vargas, technical manager in the woman’s section, tells us that the club has travelled to Sweden with 92 players and 13 leaders. On the sideline around 50-70 parents follow the teams from Madrid.
- We chose Gothia Cup because it’s a prestigious tournament and because Sweden is well ahead when it comes to women’s football. We wanted to see women’s football outside Spain and then Sweden was a good option. We haven’t been working so long with women’s football in Atlético de Madrid and now we put a lot of effort in it, but we’ve noticed that the support is much stronger in Sweden than at home.

Maria tells us that the youngest girl teams play against boys at home because there aren’t enough girl teams to play against. She also mentions that the president for the women’s section is on her way to Gothenburg and further she proudly says that the girl’s contribution has been mentioned on the official Atlético de Madrid home page.
- It’s very big that our girls get publicity there. We won all our seven games yesterday so it was a big day, Maria Vargas says.

Five out of seven Atlético de Madrid teams made it to the A-playoff in Gothia Cup.

// Dan Sjöblom

The former professionals started watching the Comviq trix masters before they were able to show their own football skills in short matches. It went okay, until Torbjörn kicked the ball so far away that it probably hasn’t been found yet.
- We got tired so I thought that if I kick the ball away the game would stop, Torbjörn says laughing.

Glenn Hysén visits Gothia Cup every year and watches a lot games.
- I usually know some of the coaches so I go and watch their games. But I watch other games as well.

The same goes for Torbjörn Nilsson.
- Several times my kids have been playing so then I go and watch their games. I’m actually going soon to watch my son in the play-offs with his team Jonsered.

They both tell that the best thing about Gothia Cup is the big happening that the tournament is.
- Everything around the tournament makes it such a big thing. You create friends for life here in Gothenburg, Glenn says.

Glenn Hysén will be sitting in Studio Heden in the SKF-tent by Heden 4 on Thursday. Together with Sladjan Osmanagic the duo will commentate on the games. At Thursday at 1 pm the IFK Göteborg-player Tobias Hysén visits the tent and at 2 pm Johanna Almgren from Kopparberg/Göteborg stops by.

// Dan Sjöblom

Many associate Gothia Cup with the events at Heden but there is some action elsewhere too. With its 25 fields Kviberg is the game area where most games are played, which naturally attracts lots of spectators.

There’s full speed at Gothia Kviberg Center and like Gothia Heden Center there are plenty of activities for the children to try between the games. You can prove your skills at Disney’s surfboard, try speed shooting, shoot penalties and draw graffiti. However, the most popular activity is the mini-field where you can play three against three without referee attention.

At Kviberg there’s a mixture of people from all over the world, which creates a very good atmosphere.
- Fun things happen all the time, says Valentina Jovanovska who works at Gothia Cup’s information site. She also says that they have the best atmosphere among the staff and judging from the sound of drums and cheering I can simply verify that the atmosphere among players and audience is just as good.

// Jens Karlsson

Today we take a look at the host city Gothenburg.

Said and done, the working began and in April Håkan got contacted by the Gothia Cup asking if he could get some Congolese referees to Sweden.
- It’s very poor in Congo-Kinshasa so it was a question about money, but we solved it by a sponsorship. The people from Congo-Kinshasa are crazy about football and Swedish football has a great reputation. Primarily thanks to Gothia Cup and the football schools in Congo-Brazzaville.

One of the guys from Congo-Kinshasa has refereed in the highest national league back home and has had matches with 100 000 persons in the stands.

That Joseph Tshinanga and Mao Ntango are in Sweden refereeing is big news at home.
- A TV-crew from Congo-Kinshasa was supposed to follow them to Sweden but it was cancelled. Instead we are shooting every now and then and we send it to a TV-station in their home country. I did shoot when we marched in on Ullevi stadium at the opening ceremony. It was huge for Joseph and Mao. When we passed Heden by car and they saw their home flag they started shouting and got tears in their eyes. You can’t describe how big this is for them, Håkan says.

Joseph and Mao thinks that the refereeing gone well and that there aren’t any differences in the refereeing itself. The primary difference is what happens off the pitch.
- It’s safe to referee here. The audience is very patient. If you make a mistake in a game at home the audience will enter the field and you get beaten. And then there’s more fair play here at Gothia Cup.

When I interview Joseph and Mao the Swedish referee Martin Ingvarsson stops by. Håkan Brundin doesn’t have to introduce the FIFA-referee. You can see the glow in Mao’s and Joseph’s eyes when they shake hands with Ingvarsson. After our interview is finished they ask for two pieces of paper. The Congolese referees are now hunting for another referees autograph, Ingvarsson´s.

// Dan Sjöblom

SMHI, the Swedish meteorological and hydrological institute, announces that temperatures will remain around 20° C in the morning while we during the afternoon can expect temperatures around 25° C. A mainly sunny weather is expected, but during the evening we can expect some more clouds - thus there are once again perfect conditions for great football entertainment!

This year’s edition of Gothia Leaders party was as usual filled with high quality entertainment, well-cooked food and of course team leaders wanting to enjoy themselves as a reward for their efforts in the youth football. In Skandinavium about 2 500 persons got together to eat, drink and party with colleagues from all over the world.

After entering the guests were shown to the food where they could fill their plate with potatoes au gratin, fillet of pork, chicken wings, salad and bread, delicacies they could enjoy by the many dining tables placed in front of the stage. Entertainers for the evening were Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung, known from the talent show ”Talang”, who showed the public astounding magic and colourful confetti.

Also Dennis Andersson and Lena Rönnefors, General Director respectively Tournament Director for Gothia Cup, hosted a price ceremony where two persons were awarded for their efforts in developing youth football. Next they shared the news about the foundation of a new football school in Congo-Kinshasa, which will mean a lot to the youth in the nation. This feeling was also reflected in Jenny Silver’s and Magnus Bäcklund’s touching version of John Lennon’s ”Imagine”.

The entertainment was concluded with music performed by Jenny and Magnus delivering one classic song after another. Finally there was made room for a dance floor where the guests could dance and cheer together. The whole evening might have resulted in some hangovers, but in exchange for lifelong memories.

// Jens Karlsson

FC Deren Sumida from Mongolia was founded only eight months ago but has already managed to participate in three Swedish cups before the final stop at Gothia Cup to play in B12, group 12. It’s expensive to travel from Ulan Bator, where the club is based, and thanks to support from Gothia Cup and its partner Newbody, Sumida’s adventure in the world’s biggest youth football tournament has been possible.

Wrestling is the biggest sport in Mongolia but Sumida’s president, Takashi Morimoto from Japan, tells me that football becomes more and more popular in the nation. Brazil is known for its samba and England for 4-4-2 but Mongolia yet hasn’t developed any football philosophy.
- We’re trying to start a new style, Takashi jokes.
In the three previous tournaments Sumida participated in – Piteå Summer Games, Storsjöcupen and Dalecarlia Cup – the team has played well in the group stage but has then lost early in the play-offs, probably because the team’s 16 players are smaller than their opponents. Unfortunately Gothia Cup has proven to be even harder and Sumida has lost its first two games.

Despite bad results the players enjoy themselves in Gothenburg.
- It’s a big city but also big nature, says Takashi and then continues to pay tribute to Gothia Opening Ceremony and the tournament.
- I’m very happy with the opening ceremony. So many people from so many places. It is important that kids enjoy themselves!
Jan Jildmalm from Newbody is also satisfied with the cooperation.
- It’s very joyful to help them participate but it’s unfortunate that they lose. It’s too bad that they are so small.

Tomorrow Sumida will play against the group leaders HSC Hannover from Germany 08.00 at Åby 5 and after that we wish them luck in the B playoff!

// Jens Karlsson

FC Deren Sumida with their opponents Husie IF 2, a game Husie won with 4-0.

Follow us to Gothia Heden Center where we meet some players.

This is the fourth year in a row that the duo comments on games at Gothia Cup and they will be sitting at Heden until Wednesday. Four years creates a lot of memories.
- I remember an Indian SKF-team that wasn’t so good but the joy in the team was noteworthy. The players could applaud a team-mate if he got the ball into the air. Their shirts were so big that they almost touched the ground, Daniel tells.

- So far this year I haven’t seen anything particular but the team Paris FC in B17 seems good. They have a team with tall players. From earlier years I remember another SKF-team, MTK Hungária FC from Hungary. They won B14 and were really good, Patrick says.

They both mention the joy that Gothia Cup brings.
- At the opening ceremony it was unbelievable. Over 50 000 people, a crowded arena and no hate, just joy. That is not so common in today’s football, Patrick says.

Until Wednesday the duo sits in the SKF-tent by Heden 4. Some other celebrities will pass by during the week. On Tuesday afternoon the IFK Göteborg player Robin Söder stops by for an interview.

//Dan Sjöblom

Today’s weather is quite similar to yesterday’s weather with scattered clouds to overcast, but today there might be sunshine instead of rain. The temperature will be around 23°C with a cooling south-west wind. We have a magnificent day of football ahead of us!

Highlights from the grand opening ceremony of Gothia Cup 2010.

Albania started the party by being the first country to march into the crowed stadium. The marching interspersed nicely with dancing and music and the time just flew away during the almost two hour long show. Everywhere there were people smiling, singing and dancing.

Girls from Honolulu, Canadian Indians and Kenyan boys presented their cultures’ typical dances and when they united and together with the audience sang ”We are the world” it gave the chills.

Along with a gigantic Guitar Hero, where also the audience participated, the atmosphere and spirit got even higher. The party continued with the six nations with the largest number of competitors the marching in, and the ended with a magnificent firework that for a long time remained before one’s eyes.

The Swedish artist Molly Sandén was one of many performers and her smile afterwards said it all.
- It was so much electricity and love inside Ullevi tonight. It is so fantastic to perform when so many people are watching. When you heard all the shouting around, it was an incredible feeling. I tried to concentrate on my performance but I also tried to take in as much as possible while I was on stage.

The evening started off with the lyrics ”Tonight’s gonna be a good night”, and it really turned out to be a good night. I think everyone that was there would agree on that.

// Dan Sjöblom

The coaches tell that it was their idea and the players bought it right away.
- We got good response from the guys and they thought it was a good idea.

A team with all blondes of course gets a little more attention when they play.
- Absolutely, we get more attention, every one we meet turns around and take an extra look. We have also noticed that the team spirit have gone up after we did this, and we also hope that it will show on the pitch.

// Dan Sjöblom

Today’s weather starts with scattered clouds but in the afternoon and the evening the sky will be overcast, yet with a rising temperature. There might be a bit rain but mainly it will be dry. With a temperature around 20°C and a refreshing south-west wind there will be extraordinary conditions for an action-packed and entertaining football!

It was slightly cold on Monday morning when the first matches of this year’s Gothia Cup started. One of the games was the meeting between Hägersten SK from Stockholm and the Iraqi side Bagdad Academy in B16. It developed into a even match where none of the teams wanted to lose the first game. The first half ended goalless but in the beginning of the second half the team from Bagdad took the lead and celebrated with dance by the corner flag. At the end of the game Hägersten equalized after shooting a corner straight into the goal and the game ended 1-1.

Bagdad Academy is a school team which, according to a team leader, builds for the future.
- This is the Iraqi football future, a lot of these players are supposed to be the frame in the Iraqi national team in the future.

But the Iraqis participation in Gothia Cup was uncertain.
- The team registered for the wrong age group but the organizers solved it and now they can play in B16 though they are too young. They were so disappointed when they were unsure to participate so the players are now very happy to be able to play football.

The team Bagdad Academy is playing their first tournament abroad and there is a lot of work behind it.
- They have worked for months with fixing passports and other administrative stuff. Several of the players didn’t have a passport but they fixed it in the end.

If you want to see small, fast and technical players you should go watch the team from Bagdad Academy.

// Dan Sjöblom

The activity center Gothia Heden Center works as a complement to the football playing. You go here between games to try out different activities and to have fun with your team mates and friends from other teams. It’s the largest meeting place in the world that combines action with joy and there has never been so many activities as this year. Come along for a tour!

We start in Intersport’s big tent were you can shop from the Gothia Cup-collection and a lot of other sports equipment. Let’s continue to Viasat were you can watch the broadcasts from the tournament and at the same time get your subscription. Then we’re off to Umbro’s lounge where we sit down for a while and check its latest stuff.

After that we take a peak in Comviq’s summer lounge where the speaker Inan entertains with beat boxing. Here you can watch the trix masters play with footballs in many different ways. If your team has dirty shirts you should pass by the Elon tent where you can wash your team jerseys for free. At Folktandvården you will be able to take a seat in the dentist chair to check for cavities. Even this you can do for free.

After the cavity check some food would do us good. We stop at Gothia Food court, in one corner of the activity center, to have a snack. At Scandic we register for the Sports Card and build our own tifo before we move on. Next stop is Gothia Internet Café, presented by Samsung, where you can surf the web for free.

Now it’s time for some more fun. At GP/Ford you challenge the really tough players in Cage Football. Watch out for tackles against the fences. It’s time for even more football, so put on the sumo suit at Newbody and try some Sumo Football. Now let’s try how well we do at the speed shooting, first at Intersport, then at Tipselit. Is there any difference in the speed between the two places?

Before we finish the tour we stop by the Gothia Africa Projects to learn more about Gothia Cup’s football schools in Africa. At last we visit Studio Heden with SKF where celebrities pass by throughout the week. It’s from this place that Viasat broadcast on Wednesday and Thursday. So, this was a guided tour of Gothia Heden Center in written. Now take the chance to visit the activity center in real life!

// Dan Sjöblom

The opening ceremony of Gothia Cup has been an extraordinary show for a long time and having visited the final rehearsal of this year’s ceremony I can assure you that this year won’t be an exception. Last year over 51 000 persons watched the ceremony and considering the constant growth of Gothia Cup there won’t be a smaller audience this year.

Tournament leader Lena Rönnefors, one of the persons behind this year’s ceremony, takes a short break and tells me that everything is on schedule and that she feels relieved over the weather. When I ask her about this year’s show she responds quickly with two words:
- Colour, party!
She then elaborates the answer and describes that this year’s ceremony will follow the concept from previous years since the concept has turned out to be successful. There will be lots of activities on the field including both dancers and participants, and of course talented singers with the courage to perform in front of huge audiences. Still it’s a little bit of secretiveness and with a smile she says:
- We’ll see tomorrow.

Tomorrow at eight o’clock the opening ceremony will begin at Ullevi Stadium. Expect a show that will give you an experience you’ll never forget.

// Jens Karlsson

During the last four years Gothia Cup and their partner SKF have arranged local tournaments around the world. Until now 12 000 young footballers from 29 countries have participated. The thought with the tournaments, that goes under the name Meet the world, is that young people will get the opportunity to come to Gothenburg and Gothia Cup regardless of cultural differences, gender, religion and color.

To every local tournament up to 32 teams get an invite and the winning team’s gets travel, subsistence and participations fee paid by SKF. Until now 1 000 youngsters have had the opportunity to participate in Gothia Cup through Meet the world-tournaments.

This year winners from the different tournaments comes from non the less than 18 countries – Albania, Bulgaria, Brasil, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Russia, Malaysia, Estonia, Kenya, South Africa, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Mexico, Great Britain, Poland and Zambia. All the teams stay at the same school, ISGR, which where they will get the opportunity to meet other winners from the Meet the world-tournaments.

The team Junior Lions from the province of Gauteng in South Africa got their place in Gothia Cup after a win in a tournament in Johannesburg where twelve teams participated. In Gothia Cup Junior Lions play in the B18-class and will be facing teams from Sweden, India and Germany.

One of the team leaders tells that this is the first time that the players are outside of South Africa and that they have a big adventure ahead of them.
- We are partly here for the football but also to meet players and team leaders from around the world. It will be an exciting experience and a lot of fun.

Some of the players are very excited to participate in Gothia Cup.
- We haven´t seen so much of the city yet but it´s fun to be here. Of course we want to win when we play but it´s hard to know anything about the opponents when there from other countries. We also want to meet players from other teams and countries and learn more about their culture.

The reason why the audience should stop by one of Junior Lions games is obvious.
- We have such energy when we play. We don´t just play for ourselves as a team, we also play för the fans.

Junior Lions, one of 18 teams that participate in Gothia Cup after winning a Meet the world-tournament.

Click here to watch team photos of the teams winning their place in Gothia Cup.

// Dan Sjöblom

With nine hours left until Gothia Cup’s official starting day the employees at Gothia Heden Center and at Gothia Central Information are working hard. The atmosphere is stressful but with an expectant and eager undertone. It’s not only among the employees the eagerness shines through but also on Heden’s football fields where several teams are trying to get to know the grass better. One of these teams is Sporting Atlantic SC from Morocco.

Sporting Atlantic is from the capital city of Morocco, Rabat, and has two participating teams: B14 respectively B16. One of the team leaders tells us that the same teams participated last year too (but in younger age categories) and they got beaten in the first respectively second match in the A-finals. When I ask him about this year’s objective he tells me that he hopes that the teams will play well and will go far in the tournament, but when one of the players joins he adds that the focus of course is to win the final.

Further the team members feel pretty well in Gothenburg and are impressed with the beautiful and tidy city. Also they are happy with the lodging at Katrinelundsgymnasiet where it’s peaceful and quiet, something that absolutely will help them reach their dreams.

Keep an eye for Sporting Atlantic in B14 Group 8 and B16 Group 28! With their dutch-inspired orange suits you most likely will notice them.

// Jens Karlsson

Gothia Heden Center
Gothia Heden Center will be full of different activities this year and there will be great fun for everyone!
Try your strength at speed shooting, challenge your friends in PAL, Sumo or cage football, test how it is to plat football in Congo or build your own tifo.
You can also get great offers at the Intersport tent, follow the broadcast from Viasat or listen to the sports commentators at SKF’s Studio Heden.
Don’t miss the chance of washing up your team’s jerseys for free at ELON Laundry Lounge or chill at Comviqs summer lounge.
You will also be able to get something to eat, buy an ice cream and relax watching a match.
Welcome to Heden!

Opening Hours:
sunday 18/7, 14-19 hrs
monday 19/7, 09-19 hrs
tuesday 20/7, 09-19 hrs
wednesday 21/7, 09-21 hrs
thursday 22/7, 09-21 hrs
friday 23/7, 09-21 hrs
saturday 24/7, 9-16hrs

Gothia Kviberg Center
At Gothia Kviberg Center there is all sorts of activities for everyone!

You can purchase your favorite Gothia Cup shirt at the Intersport tent, try different fun activities at Newbody’s and Viasat’s tent, challenge your friends at Umbro’s football challenge or test Disney’s mechanical surfing board!
Here, you can also get something to eat and have an ice cream to go, sit by your favorite team and see a game.
See you at Kviberg!
Opening Hours:
monday 19/7, 09-18 hrs
tuesday 20/7, 09-18 hrs
wednesday 21/7, 09-21 hrs
thursday 22/7, 09-21 hrs
friday 23/7, 09-21 hrs

The match schedule for the Gothia Tipselite Trophy ready (invitational B17 class)

To see the match schedule click here.

Ed Puskarich lives in Texas.
But he has another home.
Gothenburg, Sweden.
This Gothia Cup will be his, yep, that’s right…23rd!

Ed, a well known face for everyone in the Gothia Cup organization, has been bringing Stars ‘n Stripes to Sweden since the late ´80’s.

He says: ”I enjoy returning each summer to Gothenburg as it is my 2nd home and with so many friends, it is my 2nd family as well.”

This year, Ed is bringing three teams, boys 16, boys 14, and girls 14, and as always – look for them to be competitive and successful.

Ed Puskarich played professional soccer in the US for 19 years, including one year in the MLS with Dallas Burn. He went on working as an assistant coach for Dallas and now runs a club in Dallas called TFC, Texas Football Club, with more than a thousand players.

Soccer has indeed become a popular sport in America, especially with the kids. ”It is the older generation where we struggle, but it’s getting better all of the time”, Puskarich says but points out that soccer has grown for many years and that the MLS now is producing quality players and teams.

USA’s Men’s national team shocked the world by beating Spain in last year’s Confederations Cup and now enjoys success in the World Cup starting off with a 1-1 tie against England. Maybe that’s just what’s needed to increase the interest for what’s still – at least by some – considered to be a girls or a kids sport?

”I don’t think soccer is considered a girls sport, as it is basically 50/50 with boys and girls playing. Our USA national team for the girls gets the most respect because of our success but both girls and boys are thriving in the States. As for our Men’s national team, yes we are getting more and more respect around the world. Many US players are playing in Europe and in some of the top leagues in the world and this exposure gives our soccer even more and more respect”, Puskarich explains.

There’s no doubt that if Team USA would go far in the World Cup it would be a boost for soccer in a country where sports like American football, baseball and basketball are way above the rest. But Puskarich points out that so many good things have happened, and tells how soccer already has developed in his country.

”Two major areas have increased our level. 1. The level of coaches – many ex professional coaches are coaching full time and this allows them to give back to the community and the kids. 2. Facilities – in today’s society, we have to have facilities for the kids to play. American kids don’t go in the streets and play soccer, they play when practices are organized and the fields are available.”

Mascarenhas is a famous Gothia Cup name.
Before: Paulo.
Now: Leo, his son.
…and the Brazilian teams keep coming to Gothenburg.
Leo sets a record this year by bringing 45 of them!

Paulo Mascarenhas was elected to Gothia Cup’s Hall of Fame in 2007, because of his outstanding work as an agent for the teams in Brazil.

Paulo Mascarenhas

He started out in 1983, taking the College kids of Mackenzie to Gothia Cup. After a few years, the rumor spread back home about this ever-growing youth tournament that Mackenzie always attended.

More and more clubs got interested and asked Paulo: ”What should we do? We’d like to play in Sweden too.”

That’s how Paulo’s career as an agent started. Son Leo recalls: ”My first Gothia Cup as a player was in 1985, all in all I took part ten times. In 1998 I started helping my father with the logistics, and 2005 – when he had health problems – I began organizing everything together with an agent, and with the help of my father.

Since the year 2000, interest for Gothia Cup in Brazil has skyrocketed. Before that, Paulo Mascarenhas used to travel to Sweden with three to sex teams, but today it’s a whole different story.

”From 2001 to 2005 we brought ten to twenty teams. From 2006 it was 25 to 35, and this summer we’ll set a new record with 45 teams”, Leo Mascarenhas says proudly.

One wonders how that is possible. Leo explains: ”Brazil is a poor country and has gone through many economical crises. Therefore, we must always plan far ahead in order for as many teams as possible being able to take part in Gothia Cup. Right now we’re already thinking about 2011″.

2010 is record-breaking year, 45 Brazilian teams invading Sweden’s second largest city. An incredible job by Leo Mascarenhas lies behind it, no doubt, but he is quick to say:

” I would like to thank my father because he taught me everything. And also the Gothia Cup organization for making every cup better than the last one.

For Swedish industrial giant SKF, being a ”main partner” to Gothia Cup wasn’t enough.

For the centenary in 2007, the company wanted to do more. That’s how the Meet The World project was born.

A number of boys and girls teams from around the world are given the chance to take part in Gothia Cup, and literally meet the world, every summer. Thanks to SKF.

In many of the countries where SKF has an office a tournament is held each year, jointly set up by SKF and Gothia Cup, paid for by SKF and organized by SKF’s staff in respective country. The winning teams all get an invitation to the gigantic youth soccer tournament in Gothenburg.

Meet the World- China

”If it’s worth the money we spend? Oh, absolutely”, Anna Ek says with a smile. Anna is SKF’s marketing manager and spends a great deal of her working hours setting up the tournaments.

”I also have great backing from Gothia Cup. We work very much together on the Meet the World project”, she points out.

Anna explains SKF’s thinking: ”We want to be socially responsible and help kids. But it’s also important in terms of boosting morale and ”team spirit” inside SKF. We’re pretty active there, for instance having ”Family days” and other activities at our offices abroad.

There’s another aspect as well, somewhat of a fringe benefit if you will. The footballing boys and girls – and the coaches – that take part in the SKF tournaments all get a very positive image of the Swedish company.

”They’re our future customers and employees. Of course that’s good, but it’s not the most important thing, it’s not why we do it”, stresses Anna.

SKF emphasizes CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – and is involved in several projects. Meet the world is one of the most important ones. CSR being such a big part of SKF’s strategy enables one or two ”football lovers” at each office to take time off from their regular work and for a short period of time concentrate on setting up a football tournament.

”It’s quite a bit of work, but Gothia Cup help out with what they can, and we also get support from the Swedish embassies”, Anna says.

The centenary 2007 was the spark plug that ignited Meet the World. Being main partner simply wasn’t enough for SKF. ”We’re global, Gothia Cup is global, all in all it was a pretty easy choice to make”, Anna says about deepening the relation with Gothia Cup.

The tournaments are arranged in the cities where SKF has its offices.The first year, 2007, saw 20 countries kick off the project. The recession saw that number decline to 13 and 8 – but this year Meet the World tournaments were arranged in 18 countries. A welcome rise for Anna and SKF whose plans are to continue working with Gothia Cup.

SKF picks one age group per country, either girls or boys. Up to 32 teams can take part, but often it’s a bit fewer than that. ”We really want to be able to have girls’ tournaments, and that makes it harder to have many teams, especially in Africa. But it’s important to us, and if fewer teams is the price we have pay, than so be it”, declares Anna.

***
QUICK FACTS
## In 2010 Meet the World tournaments were held in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, England, Portugal, Russia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Albania, Bulgaria, India, Malaysia, China and Indonesia.
## SKF is a Swedish industrial company, founded in 1907. It has offices in 70 countries, and is represented in more than 130 countries.

You can now see the entire match schedule for the 2010 Gothia Cup tournament right here on our website! At the same time we would also like to inform you that there can be changes made to the schedule and groups. The schedule is very preliminary until the tournament starts.

You can see the match schedule here

New applications and technologies

If you have seen our match schedule before, you may notice that we have developed some new functions on the website. You can search on almost everything and you can read and navigate the schedule in different ways. This because we want the program to be easy to follow by players and coaches as well as the public.

Every team has their own page on the program/schedule where you can easily see and follow your team’s coming fixtures and results.

On this same page you will also find your own ”embed code” that you can paste on your website/blog. This code shows your team’s matches and easily shows your site’s visitors your team’s fixtures and results.

Match schedule on iPhone

As we have presented earlier, we have also released a Gothia Cup  iPhone App. Here you will also find a lighter version of the schedule as well as all the news, field information and Webb-tv clips from the tournament. Download the application on your iTunes store or your iPhone.

The club house almost finished

It’s part of a five year erase the poverty project, started by the Missionary Church of Sweden together with the church in Congo. Economic support also comes from SIDA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency which is responsible for the bulk of Sweden’s aid to developing countries, and from Gothia Cup.

The sports center in Kimpese is being built since december 2009 and will open in november 2010. But already there’s an existing football school there, much like the one in Congo-Brazzaville, with approximately 200 children and 14 students.

”You could say we got inspiration from what we’ve done (since 2003) in Congo-Brazzaville. But we were also asked by people in Congo-Kinshasa: ”Can’¨t you come and do the same thing here?”, explains Tomas Hammar from the Missionary Church of Sweden.

The church has a long history of working in this region. ”125 years in Congo-Kinshasa, more than a hundred in Congo-Brazzaville”, tells Hammar.

Congo-Kinshasa will be the third African country Gothia Cup is involved with (Burkina Faso being the first).

Harrys Young Lions

The team is called Harrys Young Lions, and the 13-year-olds all attend Isikhokelo Public School in Khayelitsha, on the outskirts of Cape Town. Their trip to Sweden and Gothenburg is paid for by Harrys Foundation, jointly created by Harrys and its partners to help the population of Khayelitsha. One major project is called ”Kick AIDS out of Khayelitha”, but the foundation also helps in other ways.

In Sweden, Harrys works closely together with The Swedish Transport Administration, doing ”Don’t drink and drive” campaigns. Harrys believes strongly in the CSR concept (Corporate Social Responsibility), and also works with non-violence organizations among other things.

”It’s important to implement this way of thinking in our company culture. Generally speaking, Swedes are not good at that, we have a lot to learn from the US where this started”, Harrys vice president Niclas Möller says.

Hence bringing the entire Harrys family to Cape Town, South Africa, a country where so many good things have happened, but where the gap between the haves and the have-nots is still somewhat of an abyss. The Swedes all stayed in a luxurious area of Cape Town – but also traveled to the poverty-stricken township of Khayelitsha.

”To see the the different standards of living with our own eyes, to open our sences, to be influenced and thereafter start social projects in Sweden”, tells Möller.

But what they saw in Khayelitsha touched the Swedes so deep that they decided to start projects inside the township instead.

Money from Harrys Foundation today help build a new kitchen and a new laboratory at the Isikhokelo Public School, and the proprietors from the Harrys pubs & restaurants around Sweden have come up with enough money to – through the foundation – build a new daycare center for Khayelitsha kids that have single moms working to support them.

But, as eyeopening the visit was for the Harrys family as far as seeing the poverty in Khayelitsha, the joy and happy faces were omnipresent. Especially in the streets where young boys and girls used rolled-up plastic bags instead of actual footballs.

”We brought 1200 footballs with us, and afterwards, when we had taken in all the impressions we’d gotten from the trip, we decided to try and find a team we could invite to Gothia Cup”, Niclas Möller explains.

That team wasn’t hard to find…
In Gothia Cuo they will be called Harrys Young Lions, and Harrys intention is to make this a long term thing, inviting a new team each year, the kids going back to South Africa acting as ”ambassadors” for the project.

***
QUICK FACTS
## Approximately half a million people live in Khayelitsha, and it’s the fastest growing township in South Africa. Soweto (Johannesburg) is larger (1,2 million) but it’s a collection of several smaller townships that together are called Soweto.
## Khayelitsha means ”new home” in Xhosa, the predominant language.
## Customers that buy a bottle of the fair trade wine Isabelo at any of the Harrys restaurants support Harrys Foundation with 20 swedish crowns.
## Watch the kids in Harrys Young Lions here: http://www.harrys.se/younglions.

History is in making thanks to Swedish referee Håkan Brundin who’s work in the Central African country has made it possible for these three gentlemen to come to Gothia Cup:

## Joseph Tshimanga Kabeya, 42.
## Eddy Engende Eoka, 28.
## Ntangu Mbalazingenza, 38.

Brundin and a friend have been to Congo-Kinshasa, bringing with them referee uniforms and they run a project designed to help their African colleagues and raise their status in Congolese soccer.

Timotée Menayame Wazolua

The Swedes’ visit to Kinshasa earlier in the spring got a lot of media attention, bort from TV stations and newspapers, and a Kongolese TV team is actually coming to Sweden to follow the three referees during their week in Gothenburg.

Gothia Cup has, up until now, almost exlusively used Swedish referees. Tournament secretary Maria Hagelqvist tells why that will change this year: ”It’s true that we normally want to use Swedish referees whose qualities are known to us, but since we have football schools in Congo, we feel this is a great opportunity to give the Congolese referees a boost”.

Håkan Brundin will be in Gothenburg assisting the three Congolese refs, and right now he’s in Congo-Kinshasa preparing them for what is the most international youth soccer tourmament in the world.

”They will work as a team”, explains Maria Hagelqvist which means the Congolese trio consists of one referee and two assistanft referees. In Gothia Cup, boys 16, 17 och 18 and girls 19 are all played with three referees even in the group stages.

The three referees from Congo-Kinshasa normally work the matches being organized by the regional federation Epfkin Lipopo. Its president, Timotée Menayame Wazolua, has had close contact with Håkan Brundin and will also attend Gothia Cup.

Four years ago, Israel bombed Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport and robbed a group of Lebanese children of their dream. It came true in 2007 instead, and this summer – Beirut Football Academy will bring 230 kids to The Gothia Cup.

Ziad Najib Saade, Sports Director at the American University of Science and Technology, describes what the tournament means to ”his kids”:

Beirut FA playing at Heden

”I always tell my players: If you don’t have the chance to participate in the World Cup as a player in the National team, here is the chance to do it in Gothia Cup”.

This will be the fourth year in a row that players from Beirut Football Academy (BFA) come to Gothenburg. In 2007 they were 45 – this summer the number has risen to 230.

An impressive feat, considering the fact that being a professional footballer in Lebanon makes for a hard life – and role models for the BFA kids are hard to find.

”Our players don’t have any financial support, they need to work and play football. It is quite difficult”, explains Saade who this time hopefully will bring his 13 teams to Sweden without encountering any problems.

Quite the opposite in 2006.

When Shia Islamist organisation Hezbollah attacked targets in southern Israel the Israelis clenched their iron fists and struck back. Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport was bombed, the day before Ziad Najib Saade and his young players were about to fly to Sweden.

”It was a disaster for our country, it destroyed our players’ dream, and the children began crying”, Saade remembers.

He didn’t give up that time, arranged a bus that would take them to Syria, only to find out that Israel had bombed roads and bridges leading east.

”Our last option was to try to travel via Cyprus, we arranged the boat trip but the Israeli troops had surrounded us even at sea”, says Saade.

The dream never died though, it was only postponed, and it came true in 2007 when things had calmed down in Lebanon. Saade on taking part in Gothia Cup that very first time:

”It was a dream for us to participate. The moments are immortal, We adored the opening ceremony, it was a real World Cup for our children. It was a footballing experience of course, but also much more than that: ”Gothia Cup gave our children self confidence, not only in football but in their lifes”.

***
QUICK FACTS

## Beirut Football Academy” (BFA) was founded in 2003 with around 40 students divided in three categories.

## 2007 was the first time that BFA participated in Gothia Cup, 45 players took part that time. Next year 88 Lebanese children made the journey, last year they were 110 – and this summer they will be as many as 230.

Green Point Stadium, Cape Town

Xabi Alonso will try to lead European Champions Spain to an even bigger triumph this time. He and his friends are on a mission to conquer the world, now that they know they can be winners, after all. The former Liverpool midfielder Alonso – he switched to Real Madrid last year and played an integral part when Los Blancos battled Barcelona to the very end – is only one of many star players that have taken part in Gothia Cup as kids, and learned from it.
Andrea Pirlo of reigning World Champion Italy is another.
Playing Gothia Cup, meeting with their peers from all over the world, many from completely different cultures, gave them an experience for life. As football players – but also as growing, maturing individuals. We like to think that Gothia Cup played a part – albeit a little one – in making these youngsters elite players as adults.
So, when the World Cup XIX is about to kick off, we’re eager to see what stars shine the most on the biggest stage of them all. But we also look ahead, because come July, the stars of future World Cups invade Gotenburg.
Will there be another Alonso?
Antoher Pirlo?
Is there another Alan Shearer sitting on a bench somewhere, not getting much time on the pitch – but maturing a bit later, turning out to be one of the game’s premier strikers?

Yes, Alan was here. And no, he didn’t play that much. So sometimes the stars of tomorrow are hard to find. That’s just one of the things that make Gothia Cup – with more international players than any other youth tournament in the world – so interesting, exciting and appealing. People in Gothenburg don’t fear any World Cup hangover after the final is played on the eve of July the 11th.
They know there’s another party waiting around the corner…

Henrik Leman- for Gothia Cup

It’s almost only 5 weeks left to this year’s edition of Gothia Cup and the preparations are well in advance by now. Among many other stuff, the Gothia Cup collection has finally arrived to Gothenburg. The Gothia Cup souvenir clothing is for many, some of the tournaments most wanted items and this year’s collection will definitely not disappoint anybody.

This year’s collection has as previous years t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and sweatpants.

As usual, you will find the collection for sale in the Intersport tent at Gothia Heden Center and Gothia Kviberg Center. The Interspot tent will also offer an extensive line of products from famous brands. Welcome!

To make it even easier to follow Gothia Cup while in Gothenburg, we have now released a visitor’s guide for iPhone.

You will be able to easily locate fields, if is grass or astroturf and what matches will be played there. Keep yourself updated by viewing the latest news and clips from the tournament. You will also have access to the entire match schedule on the palm of your hand, all 4500 matches, live scores, results, fixtures and tables.

”With the help of today’s state of the art technology, we are able to come across with our information a lot easier and faster to our visitors and participants” says Niclas Andersson, market director at Gothia Cup. ” You can keep track of the tournament regardless of your location in the city”.

The new iPhone App has been developed together with Gothenburg’s based  company Aggressive Development and is now available for free downloading in AppStore through iTunes or your iPhone.

It has now been confirmed that the television network Viasat will broadcast the Gothia Cup this year as well.  The broadcasts last year were very popular and had a great number of viewers. ” It’s feels great to be able to offer this possibility to follow and see the highlights of the tournament” – says Lena Rönnerfors, tournament director.

TV-team at Heden 2009

Approximately 40 football hours will be broadcasted from Gothia Cup. During the wednesday and the thursday (21 and 22 july) we will be at Heden to capture the action in the heart of the tournament. During the friday and the saturday (23 and 24 july) we will broadcast all the finals from Gamla Ullevi arena.

New this year, is also the broadcasting of the  Opening Ceremony. ”Hopefully we will be able to mediate the magic feeling of the 50 thousand spectators and future football stars having the time of their lives in the arena” says Lena. On july 19th at 8 pm, the majestic Gothia Opening Ceremony begins.

Viasat will broadcast most of the games live. If you are not able to watch the games or you don’t have access to this channel, the games will also be available through Viasat’s OnDemand service, available on their website.

More information and broadcast time-table will be available on Gothia Cup’s website and Viasat’s website short prior the the tournament.

Team of the Week is a series of articles that tell about interesting teams registered to Gothia Cup. If you have an interesting story you wish to share about your club or team, please contact us and let us know.

The Cree are the largest group of Aboriginal people in Canada today. They have occupied a wide area of what is now Canada for thousands of years. They live in many parts of Canada, from northern Quebec and Ontario to the Prairies. The Cree people of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are known as the ”Plains Cree” and is from this group the players in Native Sons FC have their roots.

Native Sons FC will participate in Gothia Cup with a Boys 18 and these players are part of the First Nations population.  The boys have undergone an evaluation process through team try-outs and were chose from a selection committee. The selected players have demonstrated that they have the desire, passion and drive to compete on the international stage as well as be great role models for First Nations and Canadians.

The main objective for the teams is to prevent the use of alcohol and drugs in First Nations communities through sport and culture.  The boys are learning a great deal respect, teamwork and traditional teachings and will grow as a family through the team. We believe that youth sport is an ideal environment for an individual to develop many positive attributes and gain lasting friendships.

This trip will be a journey of self-discovery and an opportunity to see the world as well as experience something that these young men can bring back and share with their communities.

Together with the team, there will be a chieftain and dancers, some of these dancers were part of the opening olympic winter game’s show earlier this year in Vancouver.

We’d like to welcome Native Sons FC to Gothenburg and to Sweden!

It is very simple to place a banner into your website. The banners are in many different sizes and all you need to do is copy the code that corresponds to the size best suitable for your website. Find your banner here.

You want to see how it looks? visit the following website to see an example BK Häcken’s website here.

The 18th of july is the date when the world biggest youth football tournament kicks-off for the 36th time. This time with more international teams then ever before, just about 50% of the teams come from another country outside Sweden. This is a new record and also means that more matches than ever before will be played between teams from different countries.

”It is amazing how Gothia Cup keeps growing in so many countries” says General Secretary Dennis Andersson. ”The fact that we keep growing outside our borders, shows what a great meeting point the Gothia Cup is for the world youth”.

New nations this year are Indonesia, Laos, Syria and Congo-Kinshasa. In addition to these four, there will be 70 other nations represented in this year’s edition of the Gothia Cup. This is also a new record, after this tournament a total of 132 nations will be part of Gothia Cup history. Every continent in the world will be represented this summer in Gothenburg.

We are counting on 1550 teams playing this summer in over 100 grass fields all over Gothenburg.

The majority of the foreign teams are coming from Germany and Norway, but also a very impressive number of teams from countries like Brazil and India will be represented with no less than, respectively, 54 and 32 teams.

We have now sent out an extra issue of our monthly newsletter to all our subscribers. If you are not a subscriber and wish to receive our newsletter, please fill your e-mail and name through our website. Click here and fill out the form.

In this issue you can read about:

The new medals
The medals that are distributed after the finals have been of the same design since the 80’s , but for 2010 the medals have gotten a whole new look. The new medals have a hollow design and the miniature cup in the middle.

Opening Ceremony ticket release
On may 11th we released the tickets for the Gothia Opening Ceremony. If you have a Gothia Card, the ticket is already included. Single tickets are available at ticnet.se

Gothia World Tour
During this spring, the Gothia Cup has been traveling the globe. During this world tour, the Cup will visit all continents. We made the first stop in Kisumo, Kenya.

Iceland will participate in the Gothia Cup with about 40 teams and that makes Iceland one of the countries with the most teams in the Gothia Cup. A club that is bringing several teams in different age groups is the club IBV. IBV is from the small island of Vestmannaeyjar located in the south of Iceland. The island has just over 4000 inhabitants and every two years, despite the small population, about 2-3 teams from Vestmannaeyjar travel to Gothenburg and the Gothia Cup.

Vestmannaeyjar has produced some of the best footballers Island has ever had, for example Asgeir Sigurdvinsson who was selected as the player of the year in 1984 in Budgesligan when he played in Suttgart who also won the league that year.

Gothia Cup is without a doubt the best known youth tournament abroad in Iceland. Teams from Iceland have been travelling to Gothia Cup for more then 20 year, and many footballers and coaches reckon the Gothia Cup is the top tournament in the world. The agent Gothia Cup has in Iceland reckons that the small number of inhabitants in Iceland makes it easier for him to promote tournaments then for other agents. In the football community in Iceland everybody knows everybody so the word travels fast.

Gothia Cup reputation is then well known to most clubs in Iceland and that plays a big part in the popularity of the tournament with Icelandic teams.

The club IBV is one of the major football clubs in Iceland who have traveled to Gothenburg and Gothia Cup many times. This year, the club IBV to set up three teams in various classes: G14, G15 and B16. All in all, 45 players and about 8 of the IBV leader to travel to the Gothia Cup. The teams is very optimistic and looking forward to the summer.

Preparations for the summer is very good. Gothia Cup takes place in mid-season when football season is played in Iceland in the summer. Therefore, the team will be well prepared for the Gothia Cup.

The objectives for the Gothia Cup is to play as good as possible and hope that their good football game will take them far in the tournament, the team also looks forward to enjoy the experience to meet and play against teams from different nationalities.

Gothia Cup welcomes IBV to Gothenburg and Sweden this summer.

CDF San Andrés has its home in the small town of San Andrés del Rabanedo in the León province in Spain and with a population of approx. 30 000 inhabitants. CDF San Andrés was founded in 2003, actually it was ”re-funded” as the club had its greatness in the late 90’s. It was then when the club had great success in spanish youth football.

It was also in the late 90’s when the club lost many sponsors and due to the economical situation the club had no other option than to close. The small town had no longer its dear football club. Years later and with help of committed people, the club was again up on its feet. It was difficult in the beginning, but with great commitment and hard work the first teams started to get in place.

During training

Toady is CDF San Andrés one of Leon province’s biggest club with 14 teams and more than 200 youngsters that proudly represent their club and their town. ”This is the first time the club will be represented in the Gothia Cup, we will participate with a B12 team. This team consists of young boys that have trained and played together for many years , the boys have not just trained hard, they have sacrificed other activities to be able to participate in Gothia Cup”- says Rodrigo Blanco, head coach.

”Thanks to the support of parents, coaches, sponsors and leaders, the dream of playing in a tournament the size of Gothia Cup is now becoming true. We should not forget that the players have earned this by doing well in school as well-continues Rodrigo.  We are very proud to be able to represent our club, our city and our country in the world’s biggest youth tournament playing the world’s best sport, we are aiming high! We are also looking forward to meet all these kids from all over the world and learn their culture and traditions; and of course, we are looking forward to play football! ”

Liseberg is the largest amusement park in the nordic countries and has many attractions such as Balder, one of the biggest wooden coasters in the world. Here you find something for everyone. During the summer season there are 36 rides and attractions open and we can promise you thrills, spills and laughter for kids and grown-ups.

Almost every Gothia Cup participant visits Liseberg sometime during the week. The park is a great meeting spot for Gothia Cup participants and a place to make friends and hang out.

4 years ago, we introduced the Gothia Riders Pass. With this pass you can ride the entire week as many times as you want. The Gothia Riders Pass will of course be available this year as well. The price is 395 SEK and can be purchased by everyone with a Gothia Card. The Pass is valid 18-24 july 2010. The Gothia Riders Pass can only be purchased directly at Liseberg.

If you just want to hang out at Liseberg, you have free entrance with your Gothia Card.

Read more about Liseberg Amusement park here.

Penyffordd Junior Football Club, play their football in the Clwyd Junior League in North Wales. The U15 team who will be entering the Gothia Cup this year have been playing together now for 5 – 6 years. Originally part of another team within the club, where the boys talents were not recognised by the then manager, Penyffordd “Colts” as they are locally known formed their own side. Andy Offless the first manager was in control until the current manager John Carden took the reigns almost 4 years ago. The boys are a special bunch of players, who have endeavoured to improve year on year, and always give 100% commitment within the games.

The trip to the Gothia Cup is a once in a lifetime opportunity and one the boys have been looking forward for since the idea was first put forward by the parents of one of the players, Daniel Abram Sahlstrom, whose Mother is Swedish and was born in Sweden himself. The decision to enter the tournament was taken late last year and the Parents and the boys have been busy with a number of fundraising events to raise the amount needed to fund such a trip. All of those involved have worked very hard, and the Team, the Manager and Coaches are extremely grateful for all the work put in.

The village of Penyffordd is in the North East of Wales, close to the border with England, and the Cities of Chester and Liverpool. The club has a long tradition of producing a number of players who have gone onto top-flight football, both within the English Premiership and International recognition. There is a full structure to the club, having teams at all ages from under 7’s to Adult teams. It is one of the most respected clubs within the North Wales area.

By entering the Gothia Cup, Manager John Carden, hopes the team will have a lasting memory of a wonderful tournament, and of playing on the European stage. The boys will endeavour to bring the Welsh culture to the competition, and be ambassadors for the country of Wales, and their Football Club.

It is now official, Sweden’s largest home appliances retailer ELON, steps into the world of football and becomes official partner to the Gothia World Youth Cup from july 19th 2010. ELON will be present in Heden Center with an spectacular 200 sqm. laundry room with over 20 washing and drying machines, these to the service of some 50000 football players, parents and leaders from all over the world, here they will be able to do their laundry during the tournament, free of charge.

-ELON is an interesting partner for our tournament and our network, comments Roger Andersson from Gothia Cup. Sweden’s largest home appliances retailer and Sweden’s largest recurring sport event have a natural link that both parties see with great potential.

Gothia Cup will function as a marketing platform where ELON can build up and expose its brand. Paralell to this, ELON makes Good Will towards sports associations from the Swedish country side. All this has great meaning to the company, says Jimmy Sander, marketing director at ELON:

-Stepping in as Gothia Cup partner means supporting a national phenomena that concerns us all. We have strong belief to the already very active club/association spirit and we feel is important to show our support. A partnership with the world largest youth football tournament can be counted as one step towards this great commitment.

ELON will mainly focus on exposing its washing and drying machines throughout the partnership. The first part of this campaign will  present a Gothia Cup-branded washing machine, this campaign starts in the beginning of June. Later in July, ELON will meet players, leaders and parents during the tournament and offer free laundry service for the team’s jerseys. This is something that will definitely be appreciated by everyone.

Allright, march is over and A LOT has  happened, too much that is difficult to put everything in one newsletter. But i will do my best.

The 8th of march is, as many of you know, the international woman day and because of that we arranged a special day just for girls here in Mfilou. The idea was to draw the attention of as many girls as possible to the event and on the program we had theater, football and Ndzango ( a game similar to rock-paper-scissors, but you use your feet instead). We invited girls from two different schools- a lot of kids and a lot of fun.

We have also finally started with the matches, march 13th was the kick-off day, after three months of training and waiting. So far the games are between the different categories in each facility. I have the responsibility  for the 14 yr olds at Mfilio, and our first competition was agains the 13 yr olds. The game ended 4-0 to us after 60 minutes of hard playing, and fine goals. The revenge game was not as easy for us, as our opponents got their game together and won 1-0. Let’s just say that my kids were angry and disappointed. I can actually understand them, who likes to loose against younger brothers?

Later on the 30th of march to 1 april, we had our annual camp for the team captains from Gothia’s three different facilities. In each age category there is a captain and a vice-captain, together they share different responsabilities with the team. Many of these kids see the task of being captain as an honor, and this is something we like to emphasize  by having this annual ”formation des capitaines”. This time we went to Djiri, a little village north of Brazzaville. We stayed at at catholic school which was surrounded by a breathtaking congolian landscape. The food was cooked on an open fire just outside the classrooms we sleeped in and we washed up in a small creek not far away from there. In many ways this is so far from my experiences in a swedish football camp but in others this is so much like home. The same spirit, same feeling of belonging and the feeling of knowing that there is nothing better right now than football. The days were about seminars, football, games, food and rest.

We even had some time to visit another football school located in Djiri called ”Rêve de gosse”. This school was build with financial help from a congolian minister, in the middle of nowhere and here there are kids that practice football, handboll, basket ball and judo. It felt quite odd to see a school with such a high standard such as playing fields, the cafeteria, changing rooms and internetcafé. Not the usual Congo we are used to live in.

The camp was amazingly fun and the kids were great. To be part of Gothia, part of this football project here in Congo is happiness. I’ve said this before and i say it again, but to kick ball with these kids here in Congo beats anything else.

//Football volunteers-by Elin

Receiving a Gothia Cup medal is one of the greatest things you can experience as a young football player. There are about 300 players that go back home with a Golden one. Through the years more than 8000 youngsters have been able to receive the title Champions of the World Youth Cup.

The medals that are distributed after the finals have been of the same design since the 80’s , but for 2010 the medals have gotten a whole new look. The new medals have a hollow design and the miniature cup in the middle.

”Everything we do we try to do it with the highest possible quality, and this goes as well for our medals” says tournament director Lena Rönnefors. ” The new medals follow the same line as the Gothia Cup and it reflects the honour of winning the precious Cup”.

On friday july 23rd at about 13.00 hrs the first new medals will be given to finalists at Gamla Ullevi Stadium

Each of us have our own Gothia Cup- story. Some of us have played, others have been leaders and others have contemplated. The Gothia Cup started in 1975 and back in those days the tournament was a bit different then what it is today. Do you know how the very first tournament took place?

Gothia Cup is a tournament with many great stories. We have now summarized the best of each year all the way from the start in 1975 until today. You can find this stories here in our website with a picture of the year’s placard.

Click here and take part of the Gothia Cup history year by year

You can now make sure your favorite songs are played during the 2010 Opening Ceremony. Below is a list of the songs that have been played most frequently on radio stations around the world. We now need your help to choose the best ones from the list.

You can choose 3 songs and you can only vote once.

We have now sent out this month’s newsletter to all our subscribers. If you are not a subscriber and wish to receive our newsletter, please fill your e-mail and name through our website- Click here and fill in the form

In this months issue you can read about:

The new match ball
It has finally arrived. The 2010 Gothia Cup official match ball. Thanks to our collaboration with Umbro, a new design is created every year specifically for Gothia Cup.

New city attraction in Gothenburg
Several of the world’s cities such as Paris and London already have one and now it is Gothenburg’s turn to get one as well, a giant Ferris wheel.

Scandic Hotels- new Gothia Cup partner
Both parties have already had a good collaboration regarding hotel nights for accompanying persons during Gothia Cup. The success has now come to a point were both parts wish to further develop this collaboration

Team of the week- Read about three new clubs

Click here to read the entire Newsletter

Team of the Week is a series of articles that tells about interesting teams registered to Gothia Cup. If you have an interesting story you wish to share about your club or team, please contact us and let us know.

Coach Manophet and Gareth Carter

Inspired by a visit to the country in November 2009 and an introduction to Manophet the team coach and English teacher, Gareth Carter decided to try and make something special happen for the good people he met.

The team is from Phonsavan in Laos. Phonsavan is the capital of the Xieng Khouang Province and with a population of around 25000.

“What really got me thinking in Laos was when one of the boys asked me what it was like to go on a plane” says Gareth.

With the grateful support of  a couple of great sponsors that dream has come to fruition. On July 19th EDS FC will walk out at the Ullevi Stadium proudly carrying the flag of Laos before the serious business of football starts.

In recent years the team have achieved third place in the National Youth Cup in Vientiane the Laos Capital. They have won the Laos National Day Cup which it the highest achievement possible in the country.

“Myself and the team feel this is such a great honor to play in the Gothia Cup and represent Laos for the first time. I cannot describe how amazing we feel to participate in such a great event and be part of something that we thought we could only dream of” says Manophet, the team coach.

Gothia Cup welcomes EDS FC from Laos to Sweden!

After many years of successful work with young girls and boys in Congo-Brazzaville, the Gothia Cup organisation turns now attention to neighboring nation Congo-Kinshasa. Just a couple of hours by car from the capital town, the Swedish missionary church and Gothia Cup build new facilities.

”The facilities will be ready in the fall of 2010 and we will be supporting this project financially for the time being”, says General Secretary Dennis Andersson. ”Once the facilities start to operate, we will decide whether we will have a more active role in the project”.

The idea is that this school will be similar to the ones in Brazzaville; a meeting place for boys and girls who want to play football and also a place where to improve themselves in different matters.

”We believe is important to give these youngsters a future with hope and good starting grounds”, says Project Manager Tomas Hammar.

Congo-Kinshasa will be the third african country Gothia Cup is involved with and certainly not the last one. ”When we started in Burkina Faso in 1998, we understood that there was much to do. Gothia Cup will always strive to get to those countries that have difficulties to travel to Gothia Cup”, concludes Dennis Andersson.

During a Gothia Cup week, approximately 800 balls are used to play more than 4000 matches in over 100 playing fields.

The new ball is Fair Trade certified just as the one used last year. This means the insurance of the conditions for the production and trade of this product are socially  and economically fair and environmentally responsible, among other things. You can read more about Fair Trade Certification here.

As usual, you will be able to purchase a Gothia Cup official match ball at the InterSport’s sales tent in Heden and Kviberg.

The team of the week is a series of articles on interesting teams that is notified to the Gothia Cup. Do you have an interesting story about your club to talk, please contact us.

The teams that participate in Gothia Cup participating are not just from Sweden and Europe. Teams around the world find their way to Gothenburg and the Gothia Cup each summer. The football Club Interclubes is traveling from Sao Paulo in Brazil to Sweden and Gothenburg to participate.

Interclubes have taken part in the Gothia Cup since 2003 and will also participate in this year’s tournament in two classes, B16 and B14. The feeling for the summer with the team is very good, the players and coaches are very excited and looking forward to this experience.

Sweden is very special for Brazil as a football nation. Brazil won the first World Cup in 1958 in Sweden and Garrincha and Pele played together for the first time in Gothenburg. Many Brazilian young footballers dream to play in the Gothia Cup.

Interclubes’ goal when participating in thes year’s tournament is to find friendship among football players from around the world and experience the feeling of beeing part of the largest youth football cup.

Gothia Cup welcomes Interclubes to Gothenaburg and Sweden!

Roger Andersson, Mathias Kemi and Malin Johnson

It is now official that Scandic Hotels starts a partnership with Gothia Cup- the world’s largest youth football tournament.

Both parties have already had a good collaboration regarding hotel nights for accompanying persons during Gothia Cup. The success has now come to a point were both parts wish to further develop this collaboration. Scandic will work with Gothia Cup and develop a marketing communication platform  for three years to come.

-Gothia Cup is an amazing event that is not only swedish, it’s a global event if we look at the participating countries. Scandic Hotels is the company in Scandinavia with most visible collaboration with the world of sports. The step we take by getting together with Gothia Cup is excatly what we need in our bussiness. We have a great reach to many sports associations, leaders, coaches and even parents, not only during the tournamnet but also before and after- says Mathias Kemi, Sponsor Manager at Scandic Hotels.

Sports has been Scandic’s area of focus for many years and this new agreement is an important one in their line of sports commitment. As the main partner of the Swedish Football Federation, Scandic’s connection to football is pretty strong, which makes them a reliable and very interesting partner for Gothia Cup.

-A partnership with Scandic is for us a matter of course. We have long wished to include them in our network, syas Roger Andersson from Gothia’s marketing department. The company suits Gothia Cups values perfectly.

-It is also important that we show our sponsors that a partnership with us is Win-Win, through targeted activities and exposure they can get great business opportunities- adds Roger. Scandic is truly a suitable partner with vast experience. We are really looking forward to start this partnership!

Experinece Gothenburg from a whole new perspective!

Several of the world’s cities such as Paris and London already have one and now it is Gothenburg’s turn to get one as well, a giant Ferris wheel.

If everything goes according to plan, construction of the large wheel, at Lilla Bommen by the Opera House will begin during the month of April. At the end of May, the 60 meters high wheel is planned to be inaugurated. The goal is to increase the attraction for tourists visiting the city. This wheel will give you a completely new view of Gothenburg.

Facts about the wheel:
Number of capsules: 42
Hight: 60 meters
Weight: 275 tons
Each capsule takes 8 poeple, a total of 336 poeple per revolution.
Each ride takes 12-15 minutes

Only one club has the honour of representing their country at the marching into the stadium at the opening ceremony. Perhaps you are interested? We would like your team to present your country in a way that the audience easily relates to the nation. It can be typical clothes, hats, colours or any other distinguishing feature. Please let us know no later than May 30th if you are interested.

Team of the Week is a series of articles that tells about interesting teams registered to Gothia Cup. If you have an interesting story you wish to share about your club or team, please contact us and let us know.

Alaska is one state in the United States where football is an unusual sport. America’s largest state, Alaska is almost three times the size of Sweden in surface area, but only 625,000 people live in the whole state. Despite the small population and rare opportunities to play football in Alaska, two teams from the Alaska Football Club are traveling to Gothenburg and the Gothia Cup this summer.

Like other clubs in the state, Alaska Football Club is small, serving under 150 players in various age groups. This year, the B12 and B13 teams are traveling to Gothenburg to participate in the Gothia Cup. These teams are the first teams from the club to travel internationally, and this will also be the first time an Alaska club team has particpated in the Gothia Cup.

Alaska Football Club

Since football is a small sport in Alaska, there are not many existing teams to play matches against. Alaska is also far away from any major football clubs that play at higher levels; the nearest higher level are the university teams and professional club in Seattle, which is a distance that can be compared to that between Gothenburg and Madrid. Long trips are something the Alaska Football Club is accustomed to, however. For their last tournament, the B12 and B13 teams traveled 3,800 kilometers to California. A football team from Alaska is unusual at those tournaments, too.

Traveling to Sweden and relating to the climate will not seem particularly difficult for the Alaska teams, as the climate in Alaska and in Sweden are quite similar to each other, with plenty of snow in the winter and 20 hours of sunlight during the summer. Like Sweden, much of Alaska is also covered by forest.

The team’s preparations for summer are going strong, with the players training together regularly. However, training takes place indoors because there is still snow in Alaska, which makes all the outdoor fields unplayable until late May. The B12 and B13 teams try to play games against teams one, two and even three years older to be prepared and ready for the tough competition in the Gothia Cup.

The boys are keeping track of the Gothia Cup website very often, reading all the news that is published, the facts and figures from previous tournaments and all the information about the good players who have participated in the past and are now professionals. They dream that maybe they can walk in the same footsteps after their time at the Gothia Cup. The team have also become members of the Gothia Cup’s Facebook group and some of the players are keeping in touch with other players around the world who will also travel and participate in the Gothia Cup.

Most of the players on the Alaska Football Club B12 and B13 teams have been together since they were 7-8 years-old. Unlike many of their school classmates, they love football and are committed to this sport, although there are more popular sports in the state, such as ice hockey, American football and basketball.

Most importantly for them, the trip to the Gothia Cup represents a chance to enjoy the experience of European travel and to learn what football is like all over the world. Since football is such a small sport in Alaska, it is very positive that they will meet with other teams around the world who love football and they can be encouraged to play and train hard for the future. Alaska Football Club would like to show that they can play and compete against football teams from around the world and thus represent their families and their nation well.

Gothia Cup welcomes Alaska Football Club to Gothenburg and Sweden this summer!