2012 Gauteng Future Champions tournament a roaring success – MEC Maile

“We are satisfied with the level of efficiency in the organisation of the event. We have, once again demonstrated that we have the capacity to host major sporting events. “We would like to place Gauteng on the global map and ensure that our province is the preferred destination for such events,” Maile said. The tournament, now in its fourth year, has grown into one of the top Under-17 competitions on the global football calendar. This year’s event saw more than 84 goals being scored in 30 games, 11 more than last year. Marcos Labandeira of Nacional and Siyanda Ngcobo of Orlando Pirates FC were the leading goal-scorers with six goals apiece. Clube Atletico Mineiro from Brazil retained their 2011 trophy after a scintillating 2-1 victory over Uruguay’s Nacional in the final that was played at the Nike Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto. There was also the 2012 Future Players Talent Search which saw thousands of learners from around the province display their skills to the judges over the past month in the hope of being scouted as the next big footballing stars. The three winners for this year’s talent search were Tshepo Linda (Soweto), Lerato Mosia (GaRankuwa) and Karabo Moleme (Alexandra), who are hoping that this honour will be their springboard to a professional career in football. The award for top coach in the Future Players Talent Search went to SAFA Tshwane tactician, Keneilwe Mathibela. Maile said that the tourney was a practical expression of the province’s vision of producing champions. “This also gives effect to our drive of ensuring that we build capacity for development. “We are identifying talent. Players undergo mentoring and coaches are also given opportunity to further develop their skills,” said Maile. TALENT-SPOTTING… The ever-popular Gauteng Future Champions tourney was again a hit among Soweto residents. Photograph: SACR Communication The Province of Gold has once again proved it is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to hosting major sporting events. The province — popularly known as the Home of Champions – recently hosted the prestigious Gauteng Future Champions Under-17 Cup tournament which was hailed as a resounding success by Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC, Lebogang Maile.

  • We had a wonderful football and cultural experience in Gauteng. The tournament and activities were very well organized and we found everyone involved extremely helpful and accommodating. We have all returned home with fantastic memories of our time in South Africa, both on and off the pitch, and have made many new friends as a result of the trip. I hope that we are invited to participate in future tournaments.

    Everton Academy Head Coach

  • The experience both on and off the field for our players during the Future Champions tournament in Gauteng was life-enriching for all those who participated. We were privileged enough to win this edition but what will be bringing us back in future is the cross-cultural education our players receive from spending time with athletes from all over the world. They are human beings before they are football players and enriching them with other cultures is as rewarding as the experience they receive on the field.

    Club Tijuana Director of Football

  • After twenty years of experiencing tournaments around the globe, Future Champions is hands down the best organized, well run International Tournament we have ever participated in. Bringing teams from dozens of different countries provided our boys exposure to cultural diversity they only read about in textbooks. It’s amazing how sport can be the cultural link that provides the opportunity to interact with each other and discover that our global community is a bit smaller than they realized. We had a football and cultural experience that will be cherished for the rest of our lives.

    Director of USYSA Select

  • For us to compete in Future Champions is much more than playing a series of matches. It is an opportunity to compete and contrast our level against the best teams from around the world and the possibility of living in another culture and environment for an unforgettable week, learning about the history of the fight for human rights.

    Director of Aspire Academy

  • The addition of a girls’ competition this year is a natural expansion for what has become a hugely popular event. Over and above the football, the players are also exposed to life-skills courses and HIV/AIDS awareness that could end up saving their lives in the future. We have had an amazing partnership with the Gauteng Province over the last decade and we thank each and every stakeholder for making the Future Champions Gauteng campaign such a huge success

    Tournament director