MANILA – Filipinas San Carlos U-12 football team emerged as champions in the 2024 Real Madrid Foundation Clinics World Challenge held recently at the Valdebebas Training Ground in Madrid, Spain.
The San Carlos City, Negros Occidental-based booters clinched the crown in the U-12 category (silver group) after a 3-1 beating of United States of America-Blue team in the finals.
The Philippine representatives were composed of Under-12 players who are beneficiaries of the Escuela Socio Deportiva Sining at Pag-asa (SIPA) Program in San Carlos City.
In the elimination round, Filipinas San Carlos U-12 team prevailed over USA-Blue, 3-2, suffered a close 3-2 defeat to Canada-Blue, and was forced to a 1-1 draw by USA-White.
In the quarterfinals, Filipinas San Carlos U-12 team scored a dominant 10-0 win over United Arab Emirates and a close 3-2 triumph over Turkey, while they pulled off a 1-0 escape over USA-Purple in the semifinals.
“I am thankful to be part of this team and I am also grateful to those who made our participation in this tournament possible,” said Christian Paul Limpio, the team captain of the squad.
Also included in the delegation are SIPA Program Head Coach Jose Dennis Peñalosa, football coaches Jae Marie Abuan and Francis Roy Barcuma and San Carlos Development Board Executive Director Jose Miguel Valmayor.
Fundacion Santiago Executive Director Chaco Molina said they were delighted to have invited the Filipinas San Carlos U-12 team as they definitely displayed a good performance in the three-day competition.
“The Fundacion Santiago were impressed by their quality of performance,” Molina said. “Participating in the competition was a great opportunity for Sancaloseňo players to be recognized in Madrid.”
The 2024 Real Madrid Foundation Clinics World Challenge is the third edition of the tournament that gathers teams from around the world to demonstrate football’s most prominent winning methodology and Real Madrid Foundation values./PN
