SMK Za'aba clinch third sport in world's largest youth football tournament

Sekolah Menengah Za'aba Kuala Pilah’s Under-14 football team has managed to put Malaysian football on the world map by clinching third spot at the premier Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world’s largest international youth football tournament.

In a statement today, the Education Ministry said the boys competed among 214 teams from 86 countries – making it a major accomplishment – by finishing third behind champion Brazil and runner-up Ghana.

Each year, around 1,700 teams from 80 nations take part in the Gothia Cup, playing 4,500 games on 110 fields. This year’s tournament ran from July 16 to July 22.

The tournament is also a meeting place for the world’s youth, irrespective of religion, race and nationality, with football as the common denominator.

Malaysia first started taking part in the Gothia Cup in 2007 through the cooperation of SKF Bearing (Malaysia) with the Negeri Sembilan Education Department to send a team from SMK Palong 11 to represent the country in Sweden.

In 2011, the department with the cooperation of SKF Bearing (Malaysia) had also sent a girl’s team for the first time but in 2014, the Negeri Sembilan Education Department decided to limit participation to only one team – boys U-14 team – to Sweden.

--BERNAMA