The Winter Cup closes our 2025 season

On the weekend of December 13 and 14, in a freezing Milanese setting but warm with enthusiasm, 90 teams in the Under-13 category from all over Europe, specifically from 14 countries, took part in the Winter Cup tournament, offering a mosaic of football cultures and playing styles that made each match unique.

Twenty-three professional teams took part: Ajax, Milan, Espanyol, Juventus, Rapid Vienna, Atalanta, Benfica, Como, Pro Vercelli, Porto, Monza, Queens Park Rangers, Club Brugge, Djugardens, Pec Zwolle, Union Brescia, Inter, Cremonese, Albinoleffe, Lecco, Virtus Verona, Bra, and Admira Wacker. All the teams brought quality, experience, and great competitiveness, and each team demonstrated technique, determination, and talent, treating the audience to spectacular action and memorable goals.

The final stages were thrilling: in the quarterfinals, Juventus beat Ajax on penalties, Espanyol got the better of Monza, Benfica beat Milan, and Cremonese eliminated Rapid Vienna, also on penalties. The semifinals saw Espanyol beat Juventus 3-2, while Benfica defeated Cremonese 2-0. The final was an intense and hard-fought match until the very end, with Benfica and Espanyol finishing 1-1 after regulation time and the Portuguese team winning the trophy 4-3 on penalties.

Benfica, Espanyol, and Cremonese took the podium, with Juventus finishing in fourth place. But more than the results, what made the Winter Cup special were the emotions experienced on and off the field: the warm support of families and fans, the enthusiasm of the coaches, and the moments of sportsmanship between opponents transformed the tournament into a growth experience.

With the success of the first edition just concluded, the Winter Cup confirms its role as an unmissable event for European youth football, ready to return with exciting challenges and just as many emotions in 2026.