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Johan Cruyff Tournament
From December 5th to 8th, Tarragona, Spain, will host the highly anticipated Johan Cruyff Tournament and SIA Academy will be taking a group of its Under 16’s (G1) athletes to compete against some of the best youth teams across Europe. This is an event that embodies the legendary Dutch player’s commitment to nurturing talent and promoting the beautiful game. The tournament will consist of 4 days of intense matches and withing the U16 category SIA Academy will be facing off against clubs the likes of Granada F.C., Girona F.C., Getafe Int., RCD Español, and Rayo Vallecano among others.
What is the Johan Cruyff Tournament?
The Johan Cruyff Tournament is a prestigious youth soccer event that brings together top academies, grassroots clubs, and international teams for a weekend of thrilling competition. Named after one of soccer’s greatest pioneers, the tournament emphasizes technical excellence, creative play, and team collaboration—hallmarks of Cruyff’s philosophy. It’s an event where the stars of tomorrow shine, and where coaches, scouts, and fans converge to witness the future of the sport. Set in Tarragona, the heart of Catalonia, this tournament is much more than a showcase of soccer—it’s a celebration of sportsmanship, community, and the inspiring legacy of Johan Cruyff himself.
Tournament structure
The tournament will kick off in a classic group stages scenario. For the U16 category SIA Academy has been placed in group D where they will be facing off against other academies and some first division base teams like Rayo Vallecano.
After facing off against each club in the group stages, the top 2 teams will then qualify for the golden knockout stages where the teams will have to play a quarter final, semifinal and eventually the golden final.
Should a club not qualify in the top 2 positions of their group they will still have a chance to earn some silverware by participating in the silver knockout stages. Much like the golden knockout stages, the silver category will consist of a quarter final, a semifinal and a silver final.
SIA Academy’s participation
We believe this tournament will be the perfect opportunity for our Under-16’s (G1) athletes to not only showcase the work they’ve been putting in since before the season began but also further their team chemistry and increase their knowledge of the game by facing off against other high-level opponents in a real tournament scenario. After receiving such positive feedback from our Under 19’s (G2) and Next Gen Soccer Pro athletes who went on a Portugal tour a few weeks ago, it is now time for our younger Under-16’s (G1) athletes to take part in this once in a lifetime soccer experience
