Aberdeen’s triumph in the prestigious Under-14 BOAL International tournament in the Netherlands is “one of the proudest moments for our youth academy”.
That’s the view of Dons’ academy director Gavin Levey, who was there with coaches Liam McGarry and Scott Duncan, goalkeeping coach Matthew Mackie and physio Mark Muir as the Reds U14s beat big-name clubs on their way to a stunning weekend success.
From Friday to Sunday, the academy side from Aberdeen were in top company alongside some of Europe’s top academies and clubs from across the globe.
Big-name clubs beaten by the Dons
Despite a long day of travelling, the young Dons started the tournament on the Friday evening with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea and then a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a strong Bayer Leverkusen side.
On Saturday, they recorded impressive victories over Brondby IF (1-0) and PSV (1-0), a 1-1 draw with Spartan, as well as a narrow 2-1 defeat against Brazilian side EC Laranja Mecanica.
Sunday saw the final group game, where Aberdeen needed to beat Ado Den Haag to progress, and they did that in style – winning 5-1.
They then eliminated Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, winning 1-0 before defeating MLS side Atlanta United on penalties in the final to be crowned champions.
Levey was on cloud nine after seeing the youngsters deliver such telling results on the way to trophy glory.
He said: “This is one of the proudest moments for our youth academy.
“We have to earn the right to be invited to some of the best tournaments in Europe and to win this is an absolute credit to all the players, families and staff at Aberdeen Youth Academy.”
Dons ‘underdogs in most fixtures’
Levey praised the “underdog” team for achieving success against the odds.
He added: “We have been contending for the last few years and to win one on this scale should not be underestimated.
“When you look at the opposition we face overseas, we are likely to always be considered as an underdog in most fixtures.
“Our academy teams develop a belief and desire to perform at this level and we have truly earned this moment, which these young lads from the north-east will never forget.”
A club statement said: “Congratulations to all our young players involved, as well as the coaching staff. Thank you also to the parents who travelled over to the tournament and gave such support.”